Rent sharing as a driver of the glass ceiling effect

OpenAIRE

Matano, Alessia; Naticchioni, Paolo

2012-01-01

In this paper we show that rent sharing plays a role in accounting for the glass ceiling effect. We make use of a unique employer-employee panel database for Italy from 1996 to 2003, which allows controlling for observed individual and firm heterogeneity and for collective bargaining. Moreover, by means of IV quantile fixed effects estimates we can cope with unobserved heterogeneity and endogeneity. We then go on to discuss the possible related explanations.

Modeling of Ceiling Fire Spread and Thermal Radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-10-01

under a PMMA ceiling and flame lengths under an inert ceiling are found to be in reasonable agreement with full-scale behavior. Although fire spread...5 3 Flame Lengths under Full-Scale Ceilings 12 4 Correlation of Flame Length under Inert Ceilings 16 5 Correlation of Flame Length under No 234 Model...Ceilings 17 6 Correlation of Flame Length under No B8811 Model Ceilings 18 7 Correlation of Flame Length under No. 223 Model Ceilings 19 8

Glass ceiling effects: the case of taiwanese top executives

OpenAIRE

Tzu-i Wang; Jennjou Chen

2010-01-01

Gender discrimination in labor markets has been an important issue in labor economics. The main purpose of this paper is to empirically study glass ceiling effects, and investigate whether female workers are indeed being discriminated against, particularly during the promotion process, in top management positions in Taiwan. This paper uses data from 4,485 large firms in Taiwan to study whether there are gender preferences when the chairperson of a company chooses a chief executive officer (CE...

48 CFR 452.216-74 - Ceiling Price.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ceiling Price. 452.216-74... SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 452.216-74 Ceiling Price. As prescribed in 416.670, insert the following clause: Ceiling Price (FEB 1988) The ceiling price of this...

ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Certified models meet all ENERGY STAR requirements as listed in the Version 3.1 ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Ceiling Fans that are effective as of April 1,...

Costs and benefits of energy efficiency improvements in ceiling fans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shah, Nihar; Sathaye, Nakul; Phadke, Amol; Letschert, Virginie [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technology Division

2013-10-15

Ceiling fans contribute significantly to residential electricity consumption, especially in developing countries with warm climates. The paper provides analysis of costs and benefits of several options to improve the efficiency of ceiling fans to assess the global potential for electricity savings and green house gas (GHG) emission reductions. Ceiling fan efficiency can be cost-effectively improved by at least 50% using commercially available technology. If these efficiency improvements are implemented in all ceiling fans sold by 2020, 70 terawatt hours per year could be saved and 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) emissions per year could be avoided, globally. We assess how policies and programs such as standards, labels, and financial incentives can be used to accelerate the adoption of efficient ceiling fans in order to realize potential savings.

Potential Global Benefits of Improved Ceiling Fan Energy Efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathaye, Nakul [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Phadke, Amol [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Shah, Nihar [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Letschert, Virginie [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2012-10-31

Ceiling fans contribute significantly to residential electricity consumption, both in an absolute sense and as a proportion of household consumption in many locations, especially in developing countries in warm climates. However, there has been little detailed assessment of the costs and benefits of efficiency improvement options for ceiling fans and the potential resulting electricity consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. We analyze the costs and benefits of several options to improve the efficiency of ceiling fans and assess the global potential for electricity savings and GHG emission reductions with more detailed assessments for India, China, and the U.S. We find that ceiling fan efficiency can be cost-effectively improved by at least 50% using commercially available technology. If these efficiency improvements are implemented in all ceiling fans sold by 2020, 70 terrawatt hours per year (TWh/year) could be saved and 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year could be avoided, globally. We assess how policies and programs such as standards, labels, and financial incentives can be used to accelerate the adoption of efficient ceiling fans in order to realize this savings potential.

Existence of Glass Ceiling in Public Universities of Lahore (Pakistan)

OpenAIRE

Asifa Ilyas

2014-01-01

Glass ceiling is a set of unseen factors which adversely affect females upward career growth and prevent them to get to top positions. This study is meant to explore existence of glass ceiling in public universities of Lahore (Pakistan); and factors responsible for creating this glass ceiling effect. The respondents of this study are females heading different departments in their respective universities. The results of this study show that different cultural and social, family and organizatio...

Effects of Glass Ceiling on Women Career Development in Private Sector Organizations – Case of Sri Lanka

OpenAIRE

Bombuwela P. M.; De Alwis A. Chamaru

2013-01-01

The study was entirely designed by centering the focal problem of the effect of Glass Ceiling on Women Career Development. The overall study was structure based on the conceptual framework built up using the information of literature survey. The study was conducted with the aim of obtaining the following objective. That is “To find out the Effect of Glass Ceiling on Women Career Development with regard to female executive level employees who are working in privatesector organizations.” At the...

Jagged Edges of the Glass Ceiling

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Victoria L.

2004-01-01

Although many aspiring young women might believe the glass ceiling was shattered a decade ago, they still need to understand how that glass ceiling impacted an older generation of women in educational leadership. They also must be aware that some segments of the glass ceiling might still exist. This article provides a historical overview of the…

Impact of personalized ventilation combined with chilled ceiling on eye irritation symptoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipczynska, Aleksandra; Marcol, Bartosz; Kaczmarczyk, Jan

2014-01-01

Personalized ventilation (PV) improves inhaled air quality, because it provides fresh air to each workstation and directly to occupant’s breathing zone. The PV alone can be used for room ventilation when applied in conjunction with ceiling radiant cooling system, which removes sensible heat loads...... from the space. Combining PV with chilled ceiling may be an effective way to provide thermal comfort in rooms at air temperature higher than the recommended in the standards upper limit of 26°C (category II), because the operative temperature will be lower. However, combination of high air temperature...

Effects of a thermal ceiling on postoperative hypothermia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henneberg, S; Eklund, A; Joachimsson, P O

1985-01-01

postoperatively with or without external heating from a heating ceiling. Central and peripheral temperatures, oxygen consumption, plasma catecholamines and shivering were measured. A method for continuous measurement of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production during spontaneous breathing is described...

Modeling Outcomes with Floor or Ceiling Effects: An Introduction to the Tobit Model

Science.gov (United States)

McBee, Matthew

2010-01-01

In gifted education research, it is common for outcome variables to exhibit strong floor or ceiling effects due to insufficient range of measurement of many instruments when used with gifted populations. Common statistical methods (e.g., analysis of variance, linear regression) produce biased estimates when such effects are present. In practice,…

Performance analysis of a new design of office diffuse ceiling ventilation system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Jianhua; Hviid, Christian Anker; Yang, Honglu

2013-01-01

This paper aims to document and analyse performance of a new design of diffuse ceiling ventilation system in a typical office room. A full scale measurement is carried out in a climate chamber with an office setup at the Technical University of Denmark. Indoor air temperatures, air speeds, wall...... surface temperatures, pressure loss of the ceiling and ventilation effectiveness are measured for an air change rate of 3.5 h-1 and 5.1 h -1 respectively. A computational fluid dynamics model of the office with the diffuse ceiling ventilation system is built and validated by the full scale measurement....... The measurements of pressure loss across the ceiling show a low pressure drop between the plenum and the occupied zone. Ventilation effectiveness is measured to be close to 1 on average under the tested conditions. It is shown that the diffuse ceiling ventilation system is able to remove indoor pollutant...

Does the Glass Ceiling Exist? A Cross-National Perspective on

OpenAIRE

Gang, Ira N.; Landon-Lane, John S.; Yun, Myeong-Su

2003-01-01

We compare male and female upward labor income mobility in Germany and the United States using the GSOEP-PSID Cross National Equivalent File. Our main interest is to test whether a glass ceiling exists for women. The standard glass ceiling hypothesis highlights the belief that the playing field is level for women and men in the labor market up to a point, after which there is an effective limit on advancement for women. We examine the glass ceiling hypothesis by looking at the dynamics of the...

16 CFR 305.13 - Labeling for ceiling fans.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Labeling for ceiling fans. 305.13 Section... Disclosures § 305.13 Labeling for ceiling fans. (a) Ceiling fans—(1) Content. Any covered product that is a ceiling fan shall be labeled clearly and conspicuously on the principal display panel with the following...

Diversity, culture and the glass ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Eleanor

2014-01-01

A reference to the term, the glass ceiling, has come to embody more than gender equality among women and men. Today the term embraces the quest of all minorities and their journey towards equality in the workplace. The purpose of this article is to bring attention to the subject of diversity, culture, and the glass ceiling. The article will discuss the history of the glass ceiling and how its broadened meaning is relevant in today's workplace. It will also provide statistics showing how diversity and culture are lacking among the top echelon of today's executives, the barriers faced by minorities as they journey towards executive leadership, and how to overcome these barriers to truly shatter the glass ceiling.

The effect of low ceiling on the external combustion of the cabin fire

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Shichuan; Chen, Changyun; Wang, Liang; Wei, Chengyin; Cui, Haibing; Guo, Chengyu

2018-06-01

External combustion is a phenomenon where the flame flares out of the window and burns outside. Because of the particularity of the ship's cabin structure, there is a great danger in the external combustion. In this paper, the numerical calculation and analysis of three kinds of low ceiling ship cabin fire are analyzed based on the large eddy numerical simulation technique. Through the analysis of temperature, flue gas velocity, heat flux density and so on, the external combustion phenomenon of fire development is calculated. The results show that when external combustion occurs, the amount of fuel escaping decreases with the roof height. The temperature above the window increases with the height of the ceiling. The heat flux density in the external combustion flame is mainly provided by radiation, and convection is only a small part; In the plume area there is a time period, in this time period, the convective heat flux density is greater than the radiation heat flux, this time with the ceiling height increases. No matter which ceiling height, the external combustion will seriously damage the structure of the ship after a certain period of time. The velocity distribution of the three roof is similar, but with the height of the ceiling, the area size is also increasing.

Has the Copayment Ceiling Improved Financial Protection in the Korean National Health Insurance System? Evidence From the 2009 Policy Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Tae-Jin; Cheong, Chelim

2017-11-01

To relieve the financial burden faced by households, the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) system introduced a "copayment ceiling," which evolved into a differential ceiling in 2009, with the copayment ceiling depending on patients' income. This study aimed to examine the effect of the differential copayment ceiling on financial protection and healthcare utilization, particularly focusing on whether its effects varied across different income groups. This study obtained data from the Korea Health Panel. The number of households included in the analysis was 6555 in 2008, 5859 in 2009, 5539 in 2010, and 5372 in 2011. To assess the effects of the differential copayment ceiling on utilization, out-of-pocket (OOP) payments, and catastrophic payments, various random-effects models were applied. Utilization was measured as treatment days, while catastrophic payments were defined as OOP payments exceeding 10% of household income. Among the right-hand side variables were the interaction terms of the new policy with income levels, as well as a set of household characteristics. The differential copayment ceiling contributed to increased utilization regardless of income levels both in all patients and in cancer patients. However, the new policy did not seem to reduce significantly the incidence of catastrophic payments among cancer patients, and even increased the incidence among all patients. The limited effect of the differential ceiling can be attributed to a high proportion of direct payments for services not covered by the NHI, as well as the relatively small number of households benefiting from the differential ceilings; these considerations warrant a better policy design.

Window screening, ceilings and closed eaves as sustainable ways to control malaria in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaki Prosper P

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Malaria transmission in Africa occurs predominantly inside houses where the primary vectors prefer to feed. Human preference and investment in blocking of specific entry points for mosquitoes into houses was evaluated and compared with known entry point preferences of the mosquitoes themselves. Methods Cross-sectional household surveys were conducted in urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to estimate usage levels of available options for house proofing against mosquito entry, namely window screens, ceilings and blocking of eaves. These surveys also enabled evaluation of household expenditure on screens and ceilings and the motivation behind their installation. Results Over three quarters (82.8% of the 579 houses surveyed in Dar es Salaam had window screens, while almost half (48.9% had ceilings. Prevention of mosquito entry was cited as a reason for installation of window screens and ceilings by 91.4% (394/431 and 55.7% (127/228 of respondents, respectively, but prevention of malaria was rarely cited (4.3%, 22/508. The median cost of window screens was between US $ 21-30 while that of ceilings was between US $301-400. The market value of insecticide-treated nets, window screening and ceilings currently in use in the city was estimated as 2, 5 and 42 million US$. More than three quarters of the respondents that lacked them said it was too expensive to install ceilings (82.2% or window screens (75.5%. Conclusion High coverage and spending on screens and ceilings implies that these techniques are highly acceptable and excellent uptake can be achieved in urban settings like Dar es Salaam. Effective models for promotion and subsidization should be developed and evaluated, particularly for installation of ceilings that prevent entry via the eaves, which are the most important entry point for mosquitoes that cause malaria, a variety of neglected tropical diseases and the nuisance which motivates uptake.

48 CFR 1352.216-77 - Ceiling price.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Ceiling price. 1352.216-77... SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 1352.216-77 Ceiling price. As prescribed in 48 CFR 1316.601-70 and 1316.602-70, insert the following clause: Ceiling Price (APR 2010) The...

An Economic Theory of Glass Ceiling

OpenAIRE

Paul A. Grout; In-Uck Park; Silvia Sonderegger

2009-01-01

In the 'glass ceiling' debate there appear to be two strongly held and opposing interpretations of the evidence, one suggesting it is really the result of gender differences and the other that there is discrimination by gender. This paper provides an economic theory of the glass ceiling and one of the main insights of our analysis is that in some real sense these two interpretations are not in conflict with each other. The glass ceiling emerges as an equilibrium phenomenon when firms compete ...

Has the Copayment Ceiling Improved Financial Protection in the Korean National Health Insurance System? Evidence From the 2009 Policy Change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae-Jin Lee

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Objectives To relieve the financial burden faced by households, the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI system introduced a “copayment ceiling,” which evolved into a differential ceiling in 2009, with the copayment ceiling depending on patients’ income. This study aimed to examine the effect of the differential copayment ceiling on financial protection and healthcare utilization, particularly focusing on whether its effects varied across different income groups. Methods This study obtained data from the Korea Health Panel. The number of households included in the analysis was 6555 in 2008, 5859 in 2009, 5539 in 2010, and 5372 in 2011. To assess the effects of the differential copayment ceiling on utilization, out-of-pocket (OOP payments, and catastrophic payments, various random-effects models were applied. Utilization was measured as treatment days, while catastrophic payments were defined as OOP payments exceeding 10% of household income. Among the right-hand side variables were the interaction terms of the new policy with income levels, as well as a set of household characteristics. Results The differential copayment ceiling contributed to increased utilization regardless of income levels both in all patients and in cancer patients. However, the new policy did not seem to reduce significantly the incidence of catastrophic payments among cancer patients, and even increased the incidence among all patients. Conclusions The limited effect of the differential ceiling can be attributed to a high proportion of direct payments for services not covered by the NHI, as well as the relatively small number of households benefiting from the differential ceilings; these considerations warrant a better policy design.

Combined effect of upstream surge chamber and sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel on dynamic performance of turbine regulating system of hydroelectric power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Wencheng; Yang, Jiandong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Nonlinear mathematical model and Hopf bifurcation analysis of turbine regulating system are presented. • Dynamic performance of turbine regulating system under 0.5 times Thoma sectional area is analyzed and a novel dynamic performance is revealed. • Relationship between two bifurcation lines and wave superposition is studied. • Combined effect mechanisms of upstream surge chamber and sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel on stability are revealed and optimization methods are proposed. - Abstract: Based on the nonlinear mathematical model of the turbine regulating system of hydroelectric power plant with upstream surge chamber and sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel and the Hopf bifurcation theory, this paper firstly studies the dynamic performance of the turbine regulating system under 0.5 times Thoma sectional area of surge chamber, and reveals a novel dynamic performance. Then, the relationship between the two bifurcation lines and the wave superposition of upstream surge chamber and sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel is analyzed. Finally, the effect mechanisms of the wave superposition on the system stability are investigated, and the methods to improve the system stability are proposed. The results indicate that: Under the combined effect of upstream surge chamber and sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel, the dynamic performance of the turbine regulating system of hydroelectric power plant shows an obvious difference on the two sides of the critical sectional area of surge chamber. There are two bifurcation lines for the condition of 0.5 times Thoma sectional area, i.e. Bifurcation line 1 and Bifurcation line 2, which represent the stability characteristics of the flow oscillation of “penstock-sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel” and the water-level fluctuation in upstream surge chamber, respectively. The stable domain of the system is determined by Bifurcation line 2. The effect of upstream surge chamber mainly depends on its sectional area, while the

Stars on the Ceiling

Science.gov (United States)

Krupp, E. C.

2016-01-01

Astronomy and celestial imagery have been incorporated into architectural ceilings from antiquity to the present to reference the sky on behalf of a variety of agendas. Burial chambers in Egyptian pyramids and tombs, the Osiris chapel on the roof of Ptolemaic Egypt's Temple of Dendera, ancient Chinese tombs, painted rock shelters in California and the American Southwest, the cupola above a hot bath from medieval Jordan, elaborately illustrated ceilings in Italian cathedrals and palaces, the main concourse in New York's Grand Central Terminal, and a variety of other public buildings in America all brought the sky inside to convey relationships between the architecture, people, and the cosmos. In these interior environments, the symbolic function of the astronomical ceiling is driven by the thematic function of the building. At Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles three signature spaces are equipped with astronomically illustrated ceilings. In content and location, these prominent murals operate symbolically to convey meaning through public display and unexpectedly prompt people to think more expansively about the universe. This artwork is familiar in Los Angeles, but its use in a public observatory puts it outside the range of most commentaries on public art. Although experienced by more than seventy-six million persons over the last eighty years, Griffith Observatory's celestial murals are not well known. Their history, content, character, meaning, and purpose are detailed here.

Solar passive ceiling system. Final report. [Passive solar heating system with venetian blind reflectors and latent heat storage in ceiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, A.R.

1980-01-01

The construction of a 1200 square foot building, with full basement, built to be used as a branch library in a rural area is described. The primary heating source is a passive solar system consisting of a south facing window system. The system consists of: a set of windows located in the south facing wall only, composed of double glazed units; a set of reflectors mounted in each window which reflects sunlight up to the ceiling (the reflectors are similar to venetian blinds); a storage area in the ceiling which absorbs the heat from the reflected sunlight and stores it in foil salt pouches laid in the ceiling; and an automated curtain which automatically covers and uncovers the south facing window system. The system is totally passive and uses no blowers, pumps or other active types of heat distribution equipment. The building contains a basement which is normally not heated, and the north facing wall is bermed four feet high around the north side.

Experimental study of diffuse ceiling ventilation in classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Christian Anker; Terkildsen, Søren

Diffuse ceiling ventilation is a novel air distribution device that combines the suspended acoustic ceiling with ventilation supply. A diffuse ceiling distributes the supply air above the acoustic tiles and has proven performance in laboratory experiments. To study the performance in real conditi...

Effect of a ceiling fan ventilation system on finishing young bulls' health, behaviour and growth performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Magrin, L; Brscic, M; Lora, I; Rumor, C; Tondello, L; Cozzi, G; Gottardo, F

2017-06-01

This research aimed at assessing the effects of a ceiling fan ventilation system on health, feeding, social behaviour and growth response of finishing young bulls fattened indoors during a mild summer season. A total of 69 Charolais young bulls were housed in six pens without any mechanical ventilation system (Control) and in six pens equipped with ceiling fans. The experimental period lasted 98 days from June until mid-September 2014. Four experimental days were considered in order to assess the effect of the ventilation system under two different microclimatic conditions: 2 alert days at monthly interval with temperature humidity index (THI) between 75 and 78, and 2 normal days with THI⩽74. Health and behaviour of the bulls were evaluated through 8-h observation sessions starting after morning feed delivery. The study was carried out during a rather cool summer with a climate average THI of 68.9 and 4 days with average THI>75. Despite these mild climate conditions, ceiling fans lowered litter moisture and acted as a preventive measure for bulls' dirtiness (odd ratio=47.9; 95% CI 19.6 to 117.4). The risk of abnormal breathing was increased for Control bulls (odd ratio=40.7; 95% CI 5.4 to 304.2). When exposed to alert THI conditions, respiration rate and panting scores increased and rumination duration dropped in Control bulls compared with bulls provided with a ceiling fan. During observations under alert THI, bulls spent less time eating, more time being inactive and consumed more water compared with normal THI conditions. Bulls' daily dry matter intake measured during the observation sessions decreased on alert compared with normal THI days (Pbehaviour (rumination, lying down and drinking water) and respiration rate, however. The lack of a significant improvement of bulls' growth response should not discourage beef farmers from using ceiling fans in indoor systems, considering the likely increase in frequency and intensity of heat waves in the planet

Numerical analysis of diffuse ceiling ventilation and its integration with a radiant ceiling system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Chen, Qingyan

2017-01-01

A novel system combining diffuse ceiling ventilation and radiant ceiling was proposed recently, with the aim of providing energy efficient and comfort environment to office buildings. Designing of such a system is challenging because of complex interactions between the two subsystems and a large ......-uniformity air distribution and further led to the draught problem in the occupied zone. This system was recommended to apply in the small offices instead of large, open spaces....

Peak and ceiling effects in final-product analysis of mastoidectomy performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

West, N; Konge, L; Cayé-Thomasen, P

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality surgical simulation of mastoidectomy is a promising training tool for novices. Final-product analysis for assessing novice mastoidectomy performance could be limited by a peak or ceiling effect. These may be countered by simulator-integrated tutoring. METHODS: Twenty......-two participants completed a single session of self-directed practice of the mastoidectomy procedure in a virtual reality simulator. Participants were randomised for additional simulator-integrated tutoring. Performances were assessed at 10-minute intervals using final-product analysis. RESULTS: In all, 45.5 per...

The Glass Ceiling Initiative. A Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Department of Labor, Washington, DC.

While minorities and women have made considerable gains in entering the workforce in the last few decades, there remains a dearth of minorities and women at management levels. This phenomenon has come to be known as the "glass ceiling." The Department of Labor defines the glass ceiling as those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or…

Investigation of floor Nusselt number in floor heating system for insulated ceiling conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karadag, Refet; Teke, Ismail

2007-01-01

In this study, in a floor heated room, natural convection heat transfer over the floor is analysed numerically for different thermal conditions. An equation relevant to Nusselt number over the floor has been obtained by using the numerical data. Different equations are given in the literature. They consider the effect of floor Rayleigh number while neglecting the effect of wall and ceiling thermal conditions. Numerical data obtained in this study show that the Nusselt number over the floor depends on not only the floor Rayleigh number but also the wall Rayleigh number (for insulated ceiling conditions). The equations given in the literature are different from each other due to their not considering the effect of wall and ceiling Rayleigh numbers. This difference between the equations may be eliminated by obtaining an equation containing the effect of floor, wall and ceiling Rayleigh numbers. In this new approach, an equation relevant to the floor Nusselt number that depends on the floor and wall Rayleigh numbers has been obtained in the floor heating system for insulated ceiling conditions. The equation obtained in this study has been compared with the equations given in the literature. It has been seen that the equation obtained in this study matches the numerical values under more extensive thermal conditions than the equations given in the literature. The maximum deviation for the equations given in the literature is 35%, but in the current study, the maximum deviation has been found to be 10%. As a result, it is more convenient to use the equation found in the new approach as a function of Rayleigh number over the floor and wall for insulated ceiling conditions

The glass ceiling in nursing management.

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, D I

1993-01-01

Women managers in business and health care have experienced discrimination related to advancement in management. Nurse executives must understand the strategies to overcome the barriers, the "glass ceiling," as well as implications for future practice. Women executives need an organized blueprint and the tools to dismantle the glass ceiling and overcome the political and discriminatory barriers to success.

Human Response to Personalized Ventilation Combined with Chilled Ceiling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipczynska, Aleksandra; Kaczmarczyk, Jan; Marcol, Bartosz

2014-01-01

Personalized ventilation (PV) improves inhaled air quality, because it provides fresh air to each workstation and directly to occupant’s breathing zone. Previous research was focused on combining PV with additional total volume air distribution, i.e. mixing ventilation or displacement ventilation......, the use of radiant ceiling cooling will provide operative temperature lower than the air temperature and will improve further occupants’ thermal comfort at warm environment. Therefore combining PV with chilled ceiling may be an effective way to provide thermal comfort in rooms at temperature higher than...... temperature for chilled ceiling was 15,5/16,8°C at room air temperature of 26°C and 19,5/20,6°C at 28°C. During the experiment the subjects were performing typical office tasks at workstations with computers. Exposure included also increased activity level office work for a period of 25 min...

Does the Glass Ceiling Exist?: A Cross-National Perspective on Gender Income Mobility

OpenAIRE

Ira N. Gang; John Landon-Lane; Myeong-Su Yun

2003-01-01

We compare male and female upward labor income mobility in Germany and the United States using the GSOEP-PSID Cross-National Equivalent File. Our main interest is to test whether a glass ceiling exists for women. Conventional thinking about the glass ceiling highlights the belief that the playing field is level for women and men in the labor market up to a certain point, after which there is an effective limit on advancement for women. We examine the glass ceiling hypothesis by looking at the...

Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation and the Influence of Room Height and Heat Load Distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter Vilhelm; Vilsbøll, Rasmus W; Liu, Li

2015-01-01

Diffuse ceiling (inlet) ventilation is an air distribution system that supplies air from the entire ceiling surface, giving a low supply velocity. The flow pattern in the room is controlled by the heat sources. The system generates high mixing flow and the air velocities in the room are expected...... to be not much influenced by the flow rate to the room but dependent on the heat load. Previous studies have shown that diffuse ceiling ventilation has an ability to remove large heat loads without compromising the indoor climate. However, recent experiments indicate that the maximum accepted heat load decreases...... with a large room height and it decreases in connection with certain heat load distributions. Room geometries and heat load distributions that are optimal for diffuse ceiling ventilation are discussed. A simplified design procedure is introduced....

48 CFR 217.7404-2 - Price ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Price ceiling. 217.7404-2 Section 217.7404-2 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM... Contract Actions 217.7404-2 Price ceiling. UCAs shall include a not-to-exceed price. ...

Principle, function, experiences, hybrid chilled ceilings; Prinzip, Funktion, Erfahrungen. Hybrid-Kuehldecken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulz, Uwe W. [Hochschule Luzern (Switzerland). Technik und Architektur

2010-12-15

Hybrid chilled ceilings combine a radiation chilled ceiling with thermal activations of a concrete ceiling. The activation permits the utilization of alternative and/or small cold generators for the efficient night cooling. The traditional chilled ceiling grants a speedy reaction to load variations as well as a reduction of the reverberation periods. In addition, the combination supplies a draught-free insertion of air. Beside established solutions, MWH Barcol-Air (Staefa, Switzerland) also offers project-specific hybrid chilled ceilings.

Breaking the glass ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, A

1997-03-01

The glass ceiling is a form of organizational bias and discrimination that prevents qualified professionals from achieving positions of top governance and leadership. This article examines glass ceiling barriers that keep physicians from the upper reaches of management. While these factors apply mainly to women and minority physicians in academia, and are attributable to sexual harassment and discrimination, physicians as a class are frequently denied executive management positions. Such denial results from inadequate preparation for a career in health care administration. Important issues in the professional development of physician executives include mentoring, training and education, administrative experience, and cultural and personality factors. All of those must be considered when making the transition from medicine to management.

Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per Kvols

with conventional ventilation systems (mixing or displacement ventilation), diffuse ceiling ventilation can significantly reduce or even eliminate draught risk in the occupied zone. Moreover, this ventilation system presents a promising opportunity for energy saving, because of the low pressure loss, extended free...

What Glass Ceiling?

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, Michael; Post, Katherine

1996-01-01

A recent study drawing on data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that the wage gap between men and women has virtually disappeared, and that the so-called "glass ceiling" results more from age and qualifications than from explicit discrimination. (SLD)

The Glass Ceiling: Progress and Persistent Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

McLlwain, Wendy M.

2012-01-01

It has been written that since 2001, there has not been any significant progress and the glass ceiling is still intact. Women are still underrepresented in top positions (Anonymous, 2004). If this is true, the glass ceiling presents a major barrier between women and their desire to advance into executive or senior management positions. In addition…

A Modest Manifesto for Shattering the Glass Ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyerson, Debra E.; Fletcher, Joyce K.

2000-01-01

Approaches to the glass ceiling--encouraging women to adopt "masculine" attributes, accommodating women's unique needs, or celebrating women's differences--have shortcomings. A fourth approach links equity and effectiveness. "Small wins" recognizes that gender inequity is rooted in cultural patterns and uses small initiatives…

METHOD FOR EVALUATING MOLD GROWTH ON CEILING TILE

Science.gov (United States)

A method to extract mold spores from porous ceiling tiles was developed using a masticator blender. Ceiling tiles were inoculated and analyzed using four species of mold. Statistical analysis comparing results obtained by masticator extraction and the swab method was performed. T...

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.

48 CFR 243.204-70-2 - Price ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Price ceiling. 243.204-70..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS Change Orders 243.204-70-2 Price ceiling. Unpriced change orders shall include a not-to-exceed price. [75 FR 48277, Aug. 10, 2010] ...

DETECTION OF BACTERIAL CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES FROM WATER-DAMAGED CEILING TILE MATERIAL FOLLOWING INCUBATION ON BLOOD AGAR

Science.gov (United States)

Samples of ceiling tiles with high levels of bacteria exhibited cytotoxic activities on a HEP-2 tissue culture assay. Ceiling tiles containing low levels of bacterial colonization did not show cytotoxic activities on the HEP-2 tissue culture assay. Using a spread plate procedure ...

GROWTH EVALUATION OF FUNGI (PENICILLIUM AND ASPERGILLUS SPP.) ON CEILING TILES

Science.gov (United States)

The paper gives results of an evaluation of the potential for fungal growth on four different ceiling tiles in static chambers. It was found that even new ceiling tiles supported fungal growth under favorable conditions. Used ceiling tiles appeared to be more susceptible to funga...

78 FR 25626 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Ceiling Fans...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-02

... Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Ceiling Fans and Ceiling Fan... for residential ceiling fans and ceiling fan light kits in the Federal Register. This document... other aspect of the rulemaking for ceiling fans and ceiling fan light kits. The comment period is...

Measurements on Buoyant Jet Flows from a Ceiling-Mounted Slot Diffuser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Möller, Åke T. A.

Ceiling-mounted slot diffusers in ventilated rooms will often generate a flow of the wall jet type. The jet follows the ceiling, entrains air from the occupied zone and generates a recirculating flow in the whole room. This paper will deal with the flow in the ceiling region. The wall jet flow...

The perception of the glass ceiling phenomenon

OpenAIRE

2012-01-01

M.B.A. Barriers that hinder career advancement of women are both complex and varied. They have become top priority for organizations and the government. The "glass ceiling" is a term that symbolizes a variety of barriers that prevent individuals from advancing up the corporate hierarchy. Although many women hold management positions, few have made the breakthrough to toplevel positions. To determine what conditions are required for women to break the glass ceiling and attain management pos...

Breaking through the uncertainty ceiling in LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology

Science.gov (United States)

Horstwood, M.

2016-12-01

Sources of systematic uncertainty associated with session-to-session bias are the dominant contributor to the 2% (2s) uncertainty ceiling that currently limits the accuracy of LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology. Sources include differential downhole fractionation (LIEF), `matrix effects' and ablation volume differences, which result in irreproducibility of the same reference material across sessions. Current mitigation methods include correcting for LIEF mathematically, using matrix-matched reference materials, annealing material to reduce or eliminate radiation damage effects and tuning for robust plasma conditions. Reducing the depth and volume of ablation can also mitigate these problems and should contribute to the reduction of the uncertainty ceiling. Reducing analysed volume leads to increased detection efficiency, reduced matrix-effects, eliminates LIEF, obviates ablation rate differences and reduces the likelihood of intercepting complex growth zones with depth, thereby apparently improving material homogeneity. High detection efficiencies (% level) and low sampling volumes (20um box, 1-2um deep) can now be achieved using MC-ICP-MS such that low volume ablations should be considered part of the toolbox of methods targeted at improving the reproducibility of LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology. In combination with other strategies these improvements should be feasible on any ICP platform. However, reducing the volume of analysis reduces detected counts and requires a change of analytical approach in order to mitigate this. Appropriate strategies may include the use of high efficiency cell and torch technologies and the optimisation of acquisition protocols and data handling techniques such as condensing signal peaks, using log ratios and total signal integration. The tools required to break the 2% (2s) uncertainty ceiling in LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronology are likely now known but require a coherent strategy and change of approach to combine their implementation and realise

Evaluation of environmental and physiological factors of a whole ceiling-type air conditioner using a salivary biomarker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tahara, Yusuke; Yamaguchi, Masaki [Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Morito, Naomi; Nishimiya, Hajime; Yamagishi, Hideyuki [Asahi Kasei Homes Corporation, R and D Laboratories, 2-1 Samejima, Fuji, Shizuoka 416-8501 (Japan)

2009-06-15

In order to improve environmental condition such as humidity and airflow in living spaces, a whole ceiling-type air conditioner is proposed. This novel air conditioner exhaust dispersed airflow from the whole ceiling by using a 3-dimensional knit fabric. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effects when controlling humidity and airflow using the whole ceiling-type air conditioner compared to a commercialized concentrated exhaust air conditioner (normal-type air conditioner) under the same temperature. Salivary {alpha}-amylase activity (SAA) was used as an index of sympathetic nervous activity. An acute experiment for a 15 min period was conducted using 12 healthy young female adults. No significant differences in room and skin temperatures were observed between the whole ceiling-type air conditioner and the normal-type air conditioner. The whole ceiling-type air conditioner showed 11.1% lower humidity than the normal-type air conditioner. The whole ceiling-type air conditioner showed one-thirteenth the airflow of the normal-type air conditioner. As a result, the PMV of the whole ceiling-type air conditioner was more comfortable level than the normal one. Moreover, subjective evaluation questionnaire revealed a significant difference was observed in wind perception (windy). The SAA of subjects under the whole ceiling-type air conditioner showed significantly low values compared with the normal-type air conditioner. It was found that the subject's sympathetic nervous activity has been inactivated under the conditions of the whole ceiling-type air conditioner. Thus, it was revealed that the whole ceiling-type air conditioner provides a more comfortable air environment by reducing physical stimulations to humans. (author)

78 FR 16443 - Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Ceiling Fans...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-15

... Standards for Ceiling Fans and Ceiling Fan Light Kits AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable... consider amending the energy conservation standards for ceiling fans and ceiling fan light kits. DOE also....gov . Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Email: CeilingFan[email protected

An Economic Theory of the Glass Ceiling

OpenAIRE

Paul A. Grout; In-Uck Park; Silvia Sonderegger

2007-01-01

The glass ceiling is one of the most controversial and emotive aspects of employment in organisations. This paper provides a model of the glass ceiling that exhibits the following features that are frequently thought to characterise the problem: (i) there is a lower number of female employees in higher positions, (ii) women have to work harder than men to obtain equivalent jobs, (iii) women are then paid less than men when promoted, and (iv) some organisations are more female friendly than ot...

An acoustical research of the undulating wooden ceiling in the Vyborg Library

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Bo

2004-01-01

Much has been written about the Undulating Ceiling at the lecture hall of the Vyborg Library. Alvar Aalto himself claimed the ceiling to be "ninety-nine per cent acoustically perfect" and the sketches showing the acoustical considerations behind the ceiling-design is often reproduced. But how did...

Seville City Hall Chapter Room ceiling decoration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robador, M. D.

2010-02-01

Full Text Available The present article describes a chemical and physical study of the colour, chemical composition and mineral phases of the decorative materials in the Seville City Hall Chapter House ceiling. The findings showed that the inner most layer of material, calcite, was covered with white lead, in turn concealed under a layer of gilded bole. The ceiling underwent re-gilding, also over bole, due in all likelihood to wear on the original gold leaf. In the nineteenth century, the entire ceiling with the exception of the inscriptions was whitewashed with calcite and white lead. Silver was employed on King John I’s sword (coffer 27. Gold leaf was used to adorn the royal attributes: crowns, belts, sceptres, swords and rosary beads. The high reliefs were likewise gilded. The pigments identified on the ceiling adornments included azurite, malachite, vermilion and gas black. A lime and ground dolomite mortar was used throughout.

El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de diferentes aspectos, como el color, la composición química y las fases mineralógicas presentes en los diferentes materiales que forman la ornamentación del techo de la Sala Capitular del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla, mediante métodos físicos y químicos. Nuestros resultados muestran que el dorado fue realizado sobre una capa de bol previamente depositada sobre una lámina de blanco de plomo que cubría un estrato de calcita. Posteriormente, y probablemente debido a alteraciones en el dorado original, el techo fue de nuevo dorado usando una técnica similar. En el siglo XIX, casi todo el techo, excepto las zonas con inscripciones, fue blanqueado usando una mezcla de calcita y blanco de plomo. Se empleó plata para cubrir la espada del rey Juan I (casetón 27. Finísimas láminas de oro se usaron para decorar los atributos reales: coronas, cinturones, cetros, espadas y rosarios. En diferentes partes de la decoración fueron detectados pigmentos como azurita, malaquita, bermellón y

Assessment of Nitrogen Ceilings for Dutch Agricultural Soils to Avoid Adverse Environmental Impacts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wim de Vries

2001-01-01

Full Text Available In the Netherlands, high traffic density and intensive animal husbandry have led to high emissions of reactive nitrogen (N into the environment. This leads to a series of environmental impacts, including: (1 nitrate (NO3 contamination of drinking water, (2 eutrophication of freshwater lakes, (3 acidification and biodiversity impacts on terrestrial ecosystems, (4 ozone and particle formation affecting human health, and (5 global climate change induced by emissions of N2O. Measures to control reactive N emissions were, up to now, directed towards those different environmental themes. Here we summarize the results of a study to analyse the agricultural N problem in the Netherlands in an integrated way, which means that all relevant aspects are taken into account simultaneously. A simple N balance model was developed, representing all crucial processes in the N chain, to calculate acceptable N inputs to the farm (so-called N ceiling and to the soil surface (application in the field by feed concentrates, organic manure, fertiliser, deposition, and N fixation. The N ceilings were calculated on the basis of critical limits for NO3 concentrations in groundwater, N concentrations in surface water, and ammonia (NH3 emission targets related to the protection of biodiversity of natural areas. Results show that in most parts of the Netherlands, except the western and the northern part, the N ceilings are limited by NH3 emissions, which are derived from critical N loads for nature areas, rather than limits for both ground- and surface water. On the national scale, the N ceiling ranges between 372 and 858 kton year–1 depending on the choice of critical limits. The current N import is 848 kton year–1. A decrease of nearly 60% is needed to reach the ceilings that are necessary to protect the environment against all adverse impacts of N pollution from agriculture.

Analyzing the glass ceiling effect among radiologic technologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Belinsky, Susan B; Blagg, James D

2011-01-01

The literature has suggested that advancement within politics, academia and the health professions is influenced by gender. Purpose The authors conducted a survey to determine whether advancement was equal by gender in the radiologic science disciplines of nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy and radiography. The survey was mailed to 900 subjects, 300 from each discipline. The discipline groups were further stratified by initial year of American Registry of Radiologic Technology certification; the authors selected 100 subjects from each discipline who initially were certified in 1978, 100 in 1988 and 100 in 1998. Approximately 33% of those selected responded. The findings of the study provided no evidence that men are promoted differentially than women. Women perceived that men were paid more for the same work. It appears that gender bias is pervasive outside of promotion decisions and, indeed, that some illegal actions (eg, sexual harassment, inappropriate gender-related interview questions) take place in radiologic science clinical settings. It is hoped that this study will set a baseline for future research on whether there is a glass ceiling effect in radiologic clinical practice and stimulate discussion of the importance of equal opportunity regardless of gender.

Do Female Researchers Face a Glass Ceiling in France? A Hazard Model of Promotions

OpenAIRE

Sabatier, Mareva

2010-01-01

Abstract The present article examines whether French female researchers face a glass ceiling, an invisible barrier to promotion. Using an original database from the National Institute for Agricultural Research, we estimate duration models for promotions. The methodology used allowed us to take into account censored observations and unobserved heterogeneity. Our results show a significant gender effect that does not contradict the glass-ceiling hypothesis. In addition, factors that ...

Diffuse Ceiling Inlet Systems and the Room Air Distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Rong, Li

2010-01-01

A diffuse ceiling inlet system is an air distribution system which is supplying the air through the whole ceiling. The system can remove a large heat load without creating draught in the room. The paper describes measurements in the case of both cooling and heating, and CFD predictions are given...

Analysis of Rapidly Developing Low Cloud Ceilings in a Stable Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Bauman, William H., III; Barrett, Joe H., III; Case, Jonathan L.; Wheeler, Mark M.; Baggett, G. Wayne

2006-01-01

Forecasters at the Space Meteorology Group (SMG) issue 30 to 90 minute forecasts for low cloud ceilings at the Space Shuttle Landing Facility (TTS) to support Space Shuttle landings. Mission verification statistics have shown ceilings to be the number one forecast challenge for SMG. More specifically, forecasters at SMG are concerned with any rapidly developing clouds/ceilings below 8000 ft in a stable, capped thermodynamic environment. Therefore, the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) was tasked to examine archived events of rapid stable cloud formation resulting in ceilings below 8000 ft, and document the atmospheric regimes favoring this type of cloud development. The AMU examined the cool season months of November to March during the years of 1993-2003 for days that had low-level inversions and rapid, stable low cloud formation that resulted in ceilings violating the Space Shuttle Flight Rules. The AMU wrote and modified existing code to identify inversions from the morning (-10 UTC) Cape Canaveral, FL rawinsonde (XMR) during the cool season and output pertinent sounding information. They parsed all days with cloud ceilings below 8000 ft at TTS, forming a database of possible rapidly-developing low ceiling events. Days with precipitation or noticeable fog burn-off situations were excluded from the database. In the first phase of this work, only the daytime hours were examined for possible ceiling development events since low clouds are easier to diagnose with visible satellite imagery. Phase II of this work includes expanding the database to include nighttime cases which is underway as this abstract is being written. For the nighttime cases, the AMU will analyze both the 00 UTC soundings and the 10 UTC soundings to examine those data for the presence of a low-level inversion. The 00 UTC soundings will probably not have a surface-based inversion, but the presence of inversions or "neutral" layers aloft and below 8,000 ft will most likely help define the stable

Evaluation of ceiling lifts: transfer time, patient comfort and staff perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Alamgir, Hasanat; Li, Olivia Wei; Yu, Shicheng; Gorman, Erin; Fast, Catherine; Kidd, Catherine

2009-09-01

Mechanical lifting devices have been developed to reduce healthcare worker injuries related to patient handling. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ceiling lifts in comparison to floor lifts based on transfer time, patient comfort and staff perceptions in three long-term care facilities with varying ceiling lift coverage. The time required to transfer or reposition patients along with patient comfort levels were recorded for 119 transfers. Transfers performed with ceiling lifts required on average less time (bed to chair transfers: 156.9 seconds for ceiling lift, 273.6 seconds for floor lift) and were found to be more comfortable for patients. In the three facilities, 143 healthcare workers were surveyed on their perceptions of patient handling tasks and equipment. For both transferring and repositioning tasks, staff preferred to use ceiling lifts and also found them to be less physically demanding. Further investigation is needed on repositioning tasks to ensure safe practice.

Glass ceilings of professionalisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stott, Dawn L

2016-04-01

The term glass ceiling is a political term often used to describe an unbreakable barrier that isnot visible with the human eye, but it keeps minorities from rising up i.e. it is a barrier to minoritygroups, in the past (and sometimes still) for women, that stops them from achieving theirtrue potential.

Glass Ceiling in Academic Administration in Turkey: 1990s versus 2000s

Science.gov (United States)

Gunluk-Senesen, Gulay

2009-01-01

This paper assesses the glass ceiling for academics in the Turkish universities with reference to top administration positions: rectors and deans. Glass ceiling indicators show that the glass ceiling thickened from the 1990s to late 2000s. The findings are discussed against the background of the transformation in the Turkish universities in the…

Demonstration of an advanced solar garden with a water ceiling. Final technical report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maes, R.; Riseng, C.; Thomas, G.; Mandeville, M.

1980-09-01

A history of the solar garden with the addition of the transparent water ceiling is presented, and a statement of the overall goals of the program is given. The objectives of the water ceiling grant are detailed. The rationale of the transparent water ceiling is developed and its implementation in the solar garden is described. The experimental procedures for evaluating the water ceiling as an integral part of an ongoing garden agricultural experiment are discussed and the results presented. The water ceiling has proven useful in providing extra thermal capacity to the solar garden. It provides heat at night after the water has been warmed during the day and retards overheating in the daytime by absorbing infrared energy into the water. In growing non-flowering plants, such as lettuce and Chinese cabbage, the water ceiling showed no noticeable degradation in yield or maturation rate. In flowering plants, such as tomatoes, the reduced light levels delayed yields by a couple of weeks but the total yield was only slightly diminished. In geographic areas where there is less cloud cover than in Michigan the water ceiling could be much more effective.

Effect of façade systems on the performance of cooling ceilings: In situ measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharina Eder

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This article presents an innovative façade system designed to increase the thermal comfort inside an office room and to enhance the cooling capacity of the suspended cooling ceiling. A series of measurements is conducted in an existing office building with different façade systems (i.e., a combination of glazing and shading. An innovative façade system is developed based on this intensive set of measurements. The new system enhances the thermal comfort and cooling capacity of the suspended cooling ceiling. The main usage of the new system is the refurbishment and improvement of existing façade systems.

Multiprocessor Priority Ceiling Emulation for Safety-Critical Java

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strøm, Torur Biskopstø; Schoeberl, Martin

2015-01-01

Priority ceiling emulation has preferable properties on uniprocessor systems, such as avoiding priority inversion and being deadlock free. This has made it a popular locking protocol. According to the safety-critical Java specication, priority ceiling emulation is a requirement for implementations....... However, implementing the protocol for multiprocessor systemsis more complex so implementations might perform worse than non-preemptive implementations. In this paper we compare two multiprocessor lock implementations with hardware support for the Java optimized processor: non-preemptive locking...

Leco. Thermo-active Ceilings & Free Cooling. Using free cooling in combination with thermo-active ceilings for integrated heating and cooling

OpenAIRE

Murphy, Mark Allen

2010-01-01

The largest potential for decreasing green house gas emissions, and therewith mitigating the effects of global climate change, comes from improving energy efficiency. Through the integration of heating and cooling systems into building elements, such as the thermo-active ceiling, improvements in energy efficiency can be achieved. Utilizing thermal mass to buffer temperature variations and to level out peak loads reduces the instantaneous power demands and enables traditional cooling e...

Leco. Thermo-active Ceilings & Free Cooling. Using free cooling in combination with thermo-active ceilings for integrated heating and cooling

OpenAIRE

Murphy, Mark Allen

2010-01-01

- The largest potential for decreasing green house gas emissions, and therewith mitigating the effects of global climate change, comes from improving energy efficiency. Through the integration of heating and cooling systems into building elements, such as the thermo-active ceiling, improvements in energy efficiency can be achieved. Utilizing thermal mass to buffer temperature variations and to level out peak loads reduces the instantaneous power demands and enables traditional cool...

Air Distribution in Rooms with Ceiling-mounted Obstacles and Three-Dimensional Isothermal Flow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Evensen, Louis; Grabau, Peter

The air supply openings in ventilated rooms are often placed close to the ceiling. A recirculating flow is generated in the room, and the region between the ceiling and the occupied zone serves as an entrainment and velocity decay area for the wall jets. Ceiling-mounted obstacles may disturb...

Experimental study of perforated suspended ceilings as diffuse ventilation air inlets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Christian Anker; Svendsen, Svend

2013-01-01

An experimental study is reported in this paper for a diffuse ceiling ventilation concept. The analyses were carried out with two different porous surfaces mounted in a suspended ceiling: perforated tiles of aluminium and of gypsum. Ventilation air was supplied above the suspended ceiling effecti...... surface which increases the potential and applicability of the concept. Risk of thermal discomfort was not disclosed but the study did show evidence of large fluctuating air movements which could stem from transient behaviour creating sensations of draught to the occupants....

2D and 3D GPR imaging of structural ceilings in historic and existing constructions

Science.gov (United States)

Colla, Camilla

2014-05-01

investigating with rapidity and high resolution, thin as well as very thick ceilings, in a non-destructive manner. Ceilings may be made up as masonry vaults or timber/metal/concrete beams and elements laid down in one or two directions or, again, can be made as a combination of the above. A number of cases are here presented reporting on typical features to be recognised in radargrams in order to distinguish the material and possible shape of the relevant objects with the aim of providing a first small catalogue useful to the radar user and to professionals. This abstract is of interest for COST Action TU1208.

Experimental investigations of heat transfer in thermo active building systems in combination with suspended ceilings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alvarez, Maria Alonso; Hviid, Christian Anker; Weitzmann, Peter

2014-01-01

buildings to cover acoustic requirements hinders the use of TABS. To measure the reduction of the heat capacity, several experiments are performed in a room equipped with TABS in the upper deck and mixing ventilation. The heat transfer is measured for different suspended ceiling covering percentages...... that the ventilation rate has a high influence on the convective heat capacity. When the ventilation rate is increased from 1.7 h-1 to 2.9 h-1, the heat transfer coefficient increases up to 16% for the same occupancy and suspended ceiling layout.......Thermo Active Building Systems (TABS), described as radiant heating or cooling systems with pipes embedded in the building structure, represent a sustainable alternative to replace conventional systems by using source temperatures close to room temperatures. The use of suspended ceiling in office...

Hardware Locks with Priority Ceiling Emulation for a Java Chip-Multiprocessor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strøm, Torur Biskopstø; Schoeberl, Martin

2015-01-01

According to the safety-critical Java specification, priority ceiling emulation is a requirement for implementations, as it has preferable properties, such as avoiding priority inversion and being deadlock free on uni-core systems. In this paper we explore our hardware supported implementation...... of priority ceiling emulation on the multicore Java optimized processor, and compare it to the existing hardware locks on the Java optimized processor. We find that the additional overhead for priority ceiling emulation on a multicore processor is several times higher than simpler, non-premptive locks, mainly...

Glass ceiling in SMEs? Women, managerialization and performance

OpenAIRE

L. Songini; L. Gnan

2012-01-01

This article analyses the role of women in a sample of Italian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), both non-family and family owned businesses. We assume that the existence of a glass ceiling implies that women are not in a position to exercise an active role in the company; ownership per se does not assure the elimination of the glass ceiling, while the broader involvement of women in governance and management roles, as we may suppose in family firms, may represent a better situation ...

Improvement of psychometric properties of a scale measuring inpatient satisfaction with care: a better response rate and a reduction of the ceiling effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lombrail Pierre

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective was to solve two problems of an already validated scale measuring inpatient opinion on care: 1 a high non-response rate for some items due to the "not applicable" response option and 2 a skewed score distribution with high ceiling effect. Methods The EQS-H scale ("échelle de qualité des soins en hospitalisation" comprised 26 items and 2 sub-scales of 13 items each, 'quality of medical information' (MI and 'relationships with staff and daily routine' (RS. Three studies were conducted: a first mono-centre study (n = 552, response rate = 83.4%, self-completion of the scale the day before discharge to construct a shorter version of the scale without the items with high non-response rate and maintaining those useful to ensure good internal validity (construct, convergent and divergent and reliability; a second mono-centre study (n = 1246, response rate = 77.9%, self-completion of the scale before discharge to confirm psychometric properties of the new version; a third multi-centre national study (n = 886, response rate 41.7%, self-completion at home 15 days after discharge to test a new response pattern in order to reduce ceiling effect. Results Six items having a non-response rate >20% were deleted, increasing rates of exhaustive response to all items from 15% to 48%. Factorial analysis supported the evidence for removing 4 more items to ensure good internal validity and reliability of the new version. These good results (initial variance explained: 43%; Cronbach's α: 0.80 (MI and 0.81 (RS were confirmed by the second study. The new response format produced a normalisation of the 2 scores with a large decrease in ceiling effect (25% to 4% for MI subscale and 61% to 8% for RS. Psychometric properties of the final version were excellent: the 2 subscales (8 items each explained 66% of the variance in principal component analysis, Cronbach's α were respectively 0.92 (MI and 0.93 (RS. Conclusion The new version of

Parametrical analysis on the diffuse ceiling ventilation by experimental and numerical studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Kristensen, Martin Heine; Jensen, Jakob Sølund

2016-01-01

This paper aims to investigate the performance of diffuse ceiling ventilation in a classroom. An experimental study is carried out in a test chamber to examine the impact of diffuse ceiling opening area on the system cooling capacity and thermal comfort. The results indicate that diffuse ceiling ....... The numerical results reveal that even distribution of heat sources gives a lower draught risk environment than centralized distribution. In addition, there is a significant increase on the draught risk with increase of room height....

46 CFR 116.422 - Ceilings, linings, trim, interior finish and decorations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... specified by the Commandant; or (2) Listed by Underwriters Laboratories, does not exceed 2 millimeters (.075...) or UL 723 by an independent laboratory. (c) Bulkheads, linings, and ceilings in high risk... reasonable number of coats of paint or with a marine finish meeting the requirements of § 164.012 in...

Integrated sound absorption in thermally activated concrete ceilings - acoustic and thermal effectiveness of sound-absorber strips spaced at intervals; Integrierte Schallabsorption in thermisch aktivierten Betondecken - akustische und thermische Wirksamkeit periodischer Schallabsorberstreifen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drotleff, Horst; Wack, Roman; Leistner, Philip; Holm, Andreas; Ziegler, Matthias; Sedlbauer, Klaus [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Bauphysik IBP, Stuttgart (Germany)

2011-10-15

From the perspectives of energy as well as indoor climate, thermally activated concrete ceilings make sense. Used in office buildings, however, their drawback becomes apparent: they are acoustically reflective. The conventional approaches use sound-absorbing suspended sails and absorber baffles or heat-conducting sound absorbers embedded in large areas of the concrete. In this paper, an alternative approach is presented and is evaluated acoustically and thermally. A few strips of sound absorber, arranged at intervals, are mounted flush into the concrete ceiling. To calculate the sound-absorption spectrum, an already widely publicised model (the Rayleigh approach) is used. It predicts the sound-absorption spectrum for normal sound incidence very well. For diffuse sound incidence, the difference to reverberation chamber measurements is greater, presumably because of the edge effect. The sound- absorption coefficient of the design can be tuned by skilful choice of the strip geometry, and it is significantly higher than the expected average value for the surface. On the one hand, the thermal efficiency of the components is determined by comparing the heat fluxes in the ceilings with absorber strips to an untreated reference ceiling. On the other hand, the indoor climate is investigated using a room model for office rooms of both solid and lightweight constructions. The influence of the strips (proportion of absorber area 20 %) on the thermal efficiency and indoor climate is low. Two absorber materials are examined in the strip approach: open-cell foam glass and a micro-perforated metallic absorber. While the metallic absorber displays thermal advantages, its sound absorption spectrum - even at high surface-coverage proportions - exhibits a much lower absorption coefficient than, for example, open-cell foam glass strips with only 20 % ceiling coverage. A demonstration in situ shows the potential of the absorber strips spaced at intervals. However, the method chosen in

Analisa Persepsi Glass Ceiling Pada Grup Hotel Accor Di Surabaya

OpenAIRE

Hariono, Ardhi Ananta Kurnia; Theios, Jefson

2017-01-01

Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui persepsi karyawan perempuan akan glass ceiling pada grup hotel Accor Surabaya melalui hambatan pribadi, hambatan situasional, dan hambatan sosial. Penelitian ini di fokuskan pada kelompok umur dan status pernikahan. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan survei kepada 50 karyawan perempuan yang mejabat pada posisi manajerial di grup Hotel Accor Surabaya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan persepsi glass ceiling pada interval kecil. Untuk kelom...

Breakthrough: The Career Woman's Guide to Shattering the Glass Ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Flanders, Margaret L.

This practical guide for all working women shows the reader how to recognize the barriers likely to confront her and to find the most effective way of breaking through. Chapter 1 summarizes causes of the glass ceiling and provides pointers on recognizing which situations are likely to cause problems. Chapter 2 helps the reader to understand her…

Do Asian American Faculty Face a Glass Ceiling in Higher Education?

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sharon M.

2002-01-01

Evaluated the glass ceiling hypothesis in relation to Asian American faculty using data from the 1993 National Study of Post-Secondary Faculty for 1,019 Asian American faculty members. Data limitations prevent concluding that such faculty do or do not face a glass ceiling; however, baseline findings for future research are established. (SLD)

Numerical Prediction of Airflow in a Room with Ceiling-Mounted Obstacles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svidt, Kjeld

In ventilated rooms the air inlet device is often placed close to the ceiling. The air inlet will form a wall jet or a reattached wall jet. The wall jet may be disturbed by ceilingmounted obstacles such as light fittings or ceiling beams which, in some cases, can cause the air jet to be deflected...

An Efficient Ceiling-view SLAM Using Relational Constraints Between Landmarks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyukdoo Choi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a new indoor 'simultaneous localization and mapping‘ (SLAM technique based on an upward-looking ceiling camera. Adapted from our previous work [17], the proposed method employs sparsely-distributed line and point landmarks in an indoor environment to aid with data association and reduce extended Kalman filter computation as compared with earlier techniques. Further, the proposed method exploits geometric relationships between the two types of landmarks to provide added information about the environment. This geometric information is measured with an upward-looking ceiling camera and is used as a constraint in Kalman filtering. The performance of the proposed ceiling-view (CV SLAM is demonstrated through simulations and experiments. The proposed method performs localization and mapping more accurately than those methods that use the two types of landmarks without taking into account their relative geometries.

From the glass door to the glass ceiling: An analysis of the gender wage gap by age groups

OpenAIRE

Elena Dalla Chiara; Eleonora Matteazzi; Ilaria Petrarca

2014-01-01

Using 2009 EU-SILC data for France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, we decompose the gender wage gap for prime age workers. We adopt an age group approach to identify when and how the glass door and the glass ceiling effects arise and their persistency over time. The empirical results verify that the raw gender wage gap increases with age. In all considered countries, the glass ceiling effect is completely realized by the age of 30 and increases over time. French, Italian and B...

Women's Career Development at the Glass Ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Inman, Pamela L.

1998-01-01

For women, success in shattering the glass ceiling lies not in adapting to a male workplace culture but in using career strategies such as self-knowledge, multiple mentors, integration of body and soul, and fluid, customized careers. (SK)

The Spanish gasoline market: From ceiling regulation to open market pricing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contin, I.; Correlje, A.; Huerta, E.

1999-01-01

This paper examines the evolution of the Spanish gasoline market from the abolition of the state oil monopoly (January 1993) to complete liberalization (October 1998). With the restructuring of the Spanish oil sector during the 1980s and early 1990s, a highly concentrated oligopoly emerged in the automotive fuels market. A system of price ceilings replaced the state administered prices in July 1990. Since then, new domestic and foreign operators have entered the market, particularly along the coast, near import terminals. Prices went up and then declined. These developments can be explained by an interplay of factors such as: the gradual decline in co-operation among the Spanish firms; the loss of market share of the largest of these, Repsol; the entry of independent operators and supermarkets; and the impact of the ceiling price system. By mid-1998 this system was abolished as the government considered it an impediment to further market liberalization. However, some crucial barriers to the entry of new suppliers remain

The Relationship between Glass Ceiling Barriers to Woman and Perceived Organizational Justice in Working Life

OpenAIRE

Özyer, Kubilay; Azizoğlu, Öznur

2014-01-01

Women are participating more and more to the working life nowadays. But they couldn’t adequately take part in high management positions. There are too many reasons which effect this case. Especially; in some research it suggested that women couldn’t go beyond to a barrier, “glass ceiling”, which is an invisible obstacle for women, and they have to work under it. For these reason; in this study firstly, the terms of glass ceiling obstacle to women and perceived organizational justice and the i...

The Real Glass Ceiling. Your Career.

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, Adrian

2002-01-01

There is a powerful and common glass ceiling (barrier that prevents capable employees from being promoted) that affects men as much as women. Between middle management and the executive level, corporate culture shifts to one based on power and a worker must play by new rules even if these have never been explained. (JOW)

Raising the "glass ceiling" for ethnic minority women in health care management.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, R; Johnston, G

1999-01-01

Ethnic minority women are well represented in the work force and in the health care system in general, but do not have a similar level of representation in the management sector. This paper explores three strategies for schools of health administration to consider to lessen the effect of a "glass ceiling" that may be encountered by ethnic minority women aspiring to positions of leadership in health services agencies. These strategies are advancing affirmative action, valuing ethnic women in health administration education, and investigating diversity management. Inherent in each of the three strategies is the need for acknowledgment and more open discussion of the "glass ceiling." Problem-solving in relation to the potential for systemic discrimination adversely affecting ethnic minority women in senior health care management positions, and greater study of the three strategies using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies is also needed.

Modeling of a hydronic ceiling system and its environment as energetic auditing tool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fonseca Diaz, Nestor [Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica (Colombia); University of Liege Belgium, Thermodynamics Laboratory Campus du Sart Tilman - Bat: B49 - P33, B-4000 Liege (Belgium)

2011-03-15

As a part of a commissioning study, the chilled ceiling system of a large commercial building located in Belgium is evaluated. A representative office has been instrumented and data on the chilled ceiling system operating in real conditions have been collected. The simulation of the whole system is performed by means of a transient thermal model of the building and its HVAC system. The model considers the hydronic panels as a transient-state finned heat exchanger connected to a simplified lumped transient model of the building. The behavior of the hydronic ceiling system and the interactions with its environment (walls, ventilated facade, internal loads and ventilation system) has been experimentally and numerically evaluated. Commissioning test results show that the influence of surfaces temperatures inside the room, especially the facade, is considerable. Then, it is clear that the hydronic ceiling system must be evaluated together with its designed environment and not as a separate HVAC equipment. (author)

Performance of personalized ventilation combined with chilled ceiling in an office room: inhaled air quality and contaminant distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipczynska, Aleksandra; Kaczmarczyk, Jan; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2014-01-01

people (exhaled air, bioeffluents) and building materials (wall painting). Personalized ventilation combined with chilled ceiling ensured highest air quality at the workstation under all conditions. Pollutant concentration in the occupied zone away from the workstations did not differ substantially...... between the tested systems. Chilled ceiling combined with personalized ventilation working as the only air supplying system may be optimal solution in many buildings.......In a simulated two persons’ office room inhaled air quality and contaminant distribution provided with personalized ventilation combined with chilled ceiling, mixing ventilation only, chilled ceiling with mixing ventilation and chilled ceiling with mixing and personalized ventilation was studied...

Final report development of a regional nitrogen ceiling; Eindrapportage ontwikkeling regionaal stikstofplafond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bleeker, A.; Hensen, A. [ECN Environment and Energy Engineering, Petten (Netherlands); Rougoor, C. [Centrum voor Landbouw en Milieu CLM, Culemborg (Netherlands)

2013-01-15

The development of a methodology in which integrated nitrogen ceilings can be studied on a regional level is described. Next to the agricultural sector, also other sectors are taken into consideration (traffic, industry, etc.) with respect to the development of the nitrogen ceiling methodology. The study consists of two parts: the feasibility of a nitrogen ceiling system and the actual development of such a system [Dutch] Deze rapportage beschrijft de ontwikkeling van een methodiek waarbij integrale stikstofplafonds op gebiedsniveau kunnen worden bestudeerd. Dit onderzoek beschouwt, naast landbouw, ook andere sectoren (verkeer, industrie, etc.) voor het ontwikkelen van de stikstofplafond methodiek. Het onderzoek bestaat uit twee onderdelen: bestuderen van de haalbaarheid van een stikstofplafond systematiek en het feitelijke ontwikkelen van een dergelijke systematiek.

Review of proton pump inhibitors for the initial treatment of heartburn: is there a dose ceiling effect?

Science.gov (United States)

Kushner, Pamela R; Peura, David A

2011-05-01

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in clinical practice. However, concerns have been expressed about their long-term use, particularly with regard to bone health, Clostridium difficile infections, and drug interactions with platelet aggregation inhibitors. There has been limited guidance for clinicians concerning appropriate dose selection of PPIs for the initial treatment of heartburn. This review explored whether published clinical trials provide evidence of a ceiling above which higher PPI doses do not provide additional clinical benefit over the lowest approved dose. All articles of randomized, controlled clinical trials in nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in which the effects of two or more doses of the same PPI on symptomatic relief of heartburn were quantified as a study endpoint were identified and analyzed through PubMed searches up to the end of September 2010. The majority of trials evaluated provided no evidence that higher PPI doses were superior to the lowest approved dose for the initial treatment of heartburn. There were no clinically relevant findings with respect to dose dependence and safety outcomes in these studies. Efficacy outcomes from the trials suggest there may be a dose ceiling effect and highlight the need for further research on the use of the lowest effective PPI doses as an appropriate strategy in the initial treatment of uncomplicated heartburn. Observational studies and some meta-analyses have suggested that long-term PPI pharmacotherapy might be associated with safety concerns, which necessitate the periodic evaluation of therapeutic benefit in terms of symptom resolution and regimen tolerability. However, evidence to date suggests that use of the lowest effective dose for the indication is not associated with significant adverse events, particularly in the short term. Clinical practice suggests that patients requiring long-term treatment should be maintained on the lowest dose necessary to control

A Research on Glass Ceiling Syndrome Career Barriers of Women Academics

OpenAIRE

Serdar Öge; Alpay Karasoy; Özlem Kara

2014-01-01

Although women have merit in their jobs, they still are located very few in the top management in many sectors. There are many causes of such situation. Such a situation creates obstacles; especially invisible ones are called “glass ceiling syndrome”. Also, studies which handle this subject in academic community are very few. The aim of this research is to reach the results about glass ceiling obstacles in terms of female teaching staff (academics) working in higher educa...

[Impact of passing items above the ceiling on the assessment results of Peabody developmental motor scales].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Gai; Bian, Yang; Li, Ming

2013-12-18

To analyze the impact of passing items above the roof level in the gross motor subtest of Peabody development motor scales (PDMS-2) on its assessment results. In the subtests of PDMS-2, 124 children from 1.2 to 71 months were administered. Except for the original scoring method, a new scoring method which includes passing items above the ceiling were developed. The standard scores and quotients of the two scoring methods were compared using the independent-samples t test. Only one child could pass the items above the ceiling in the stationary subtest, 19 children in the locomotion subtest, and 17 children in the visual-motor integration subtest. When the scores of these passing items were included in the raw scores, the total raw scores got the added points of 1-12, the standard scores added 0-1 points and the motor quotients added 0-3 points. The diagnostic classification was changed only in two children. There was no significant difference between those two methods about motor quotients or standard scores in the specific subtest (P>0.05). The passing items above a ceiling of PDMS-2 isn't a rare situation. It usually takes place in the locomotion subtest and visual-motor integration subtest. Including these passing items into the scoring system will not make significant difference in the standard scores of the subtests or the developmental motor quotients (DMQ), which supports the original setting of a ceiling established by upassing 3 items in a row. However, putting the passing items above the ceiling into the raw score will improve tracking of children's developmental trajectory and intervention effects.

Piercing the sovereign ceiling: Issues in oil and gas project financing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coleman, T.S.

1998-01-01

In the oil and gas sector, corporations and governments face huge capital spending requirements in order to transform large resource discoveries into producing, cash-generating assets. A significant portion of this funding is expected to be done on a project finance basis, where bank lenders or bond investors take a secured position in financing a discrete project, with the expectation of being paid back by the cash flows from that project after completion. This trend is increasing demand for crediting rating services to provide credit ratings for these project financings. A key challenge is to analyze and rate credit-worthy projects in countries that have relatively low foreign currency sovereign ceilings due to economic, political, and financial risks. In most cases, the credit ratings for projects financed in currencies outside the host country are capped at the country''s foreign currency ceiling. However, in a few instances, mainly in the oil and gas sector, Moody''s has pierced the foreign currency ceiling or rated certain projects above the sovereign ratings of the countries where they are domiciled. The purpose of this article is to briefly explain some of the qualitative factors and considerations that have allowed Moody''s to pierce the ceiling in the oil and gas sector, with a focus on two recent and noteworthy projects: Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas in Qatar and Petrozuata in Venezuela

Numerical investigation of upper-room UVGI disinfection efficacy in an environmental chamber with a ceiling fan.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shengwei; Srebric, Jelena; Rudnick, Stephen N; Vincent, Richard L; Nardell, Edward A

2013-01-01

This study investigated the disinfection efficacy of the upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UR-UVGI) system with ceiling fans. The investigation used the steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to solve the rotation of ceiling fan with a rotating reference frame. Two ambient air exchange rates, 2 and 6 air changes per hour (ACH), and four downward fan rotational speeds, 0, 80, 150 and 235 rpm were considered. In addition, the passive scalar concentration simulations incorporated ultraviolet (UV) dose by two methods: one based on the total exposure time and average UV fluence rate, and another based on SVE3* (New Scale for Ventilation Efficiency 3), originally defined to evaluate the mean age of the air from an air supply opening. Overall, the CFD results enabled the evaluation of UR-UVGI disinfection efficacy using different indices, including the fraction of remaining microorganisms, equivalent air exchange rate, UR-UVGI effectiveness and tuberculosis infection probability by the Wells-Riley equation. The results indicated that air exchange rate was the decisive factor for determining UR-UVGI performance in disinfecting indoor air. Using a ceiling fan could also improve the performance in general. Furthermore, the results clarified the mechanism for the ceiling fan to influence UR-UVGI disinfection efficacy. © 2013 The Authors Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2013 The American Society of Photobiology.

Pipelines of Progress: An Update on the Glass Ceiling Initiative. A Status Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Department of Labor, Washington, DC.

The "glass ceiling" refers to those barriers that have prevented the advancement of women and minorities into the top levels of executive management in major U.S. corporations. In 1991, the U.S. Department of Labor released a report describing the Glass Ceiling Initiative. This document reports on what occurred in the year following the…

Is there still a glass ceiling for women in academic surgery?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuge, Ying; Kaufman, Joyce; Simeone, Diane M; Chen, Herbert; Velazquez, Omaida C

2011-04-01

Despite the dramatically increased entry of women into general surgery and surgical subspecialties, traditionally male-dominated fields, there remains a gross under-representation of women in the leadership positions of these departments. Women begin their careers with fewer academic resources and tend to progress through the ranks slower than men. Female surgeons also receive significantly lower salaries than their male counterparts and are more vulnerable to discrimination, both obvious and covert. Although some argue that female surgeons tend to choose their families over careers, studies have actually shown that women are as eager as men to assume leadership positions, are equally qualified for these positions as men, and are as good as men at leadership tasks.Three major constraints contribute to the glass-ceiling phenomenon: traditional gender roles, manifestations of sexism in the medical environment, and lack of effective mentors. Gender roles contribute to unconscious assumptions that have little to do with actual knowledge and abilities of an individuals and they negatively influence decision-making when it comes to promotions. Sexism has many forms, from subtle to explicit forms, and some studies show that far more women report being discriminately against than do men. There is a lack of same-sex mentors and role models for women in academic surgery, thereby isolating female academicians further. This review summarizes the manifestation of the glass-ceiling phenomenon, identifies some causes of these inequalities, and proposes different strategies for continuing the advancement of women in academic surgery and to shatter the glass ceiling.

Preliminary research on the glass ceiling phenomenon in accounting and financial audit practice in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandra Szewieczek

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Preliminary research on the glass ceiling phenomenon in accounting and financial audit practice in Poland The paper analyzes the glass ceiling phenomenon in the accounting practice in Poland. The essence and characteristics of this phenomenon are presented in relation to the accounting profession and statutory auditors. Research on the ‘glass ceiling’ carried out in various countries, with a particular reference to the profession of a statutory auditor, was reviewed. The paper presents results of the research on the phenomenon conducted among a selected sample of audit firms in Poland. The results of the study confirmed the occurrence of this phenomenon in Poland with greater intensity in larger entities. The large scale of the glass ceiling phenomenon in the professional life of women in accounting is reflected by a high percentage of women in the profession of statutory auditor contrasted by the very low participation in senior managerial positions, e.g. partners in auditing companies. The paper uses the method of critical analysis of the literature and empirical data. Moreover, qualitative analysis was used for the data reported by audit firms

Control of the dew point for refreshing ceiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abrach, R.; Nitz, T.

1996-03-01

The functioning of a refreshing ceiling, delivered in water, needs a global regulation which must take in consideration, the local, the building and its environment. Then efficiency and energy and investments economy are optimized. 11 figs., 3 tabs.

You Can't Get There from Here: Working Women and the Glass Ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Business and Professional Women's Foundation, Washington, DC.

Over the past two decades women and minorities have made unprecedented strides into the work force, yet discrimination due to gender and race is still a problem. The dearth of women in management is due to the "glass ceiling" phenomenon--the organizational, attitudinal, and societal barriers that effectively keep women and minorities…

Ouch! Or ESL and the Glass Ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Migliacci, Naomi

The realities of the glass ceiling, which prevents qualified women, minorities, and many English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students from advancement and promotion, are rarely discussed in English for Special Purposes (ESP)/ESL programs and courses. This paper explores the barriers to success, focusing on the sociolinguistic factors of verbal and…

Glass Ceiling for Women in Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Schedler, Petra; Glastra, Folke; Hake, Barry

2003-01-01

Discusses the place of women in higher education in the Netherlands. Suggests that it is not a question of numbers but of orientation, field, and the glass ceiling. Asserts that despite some improvement, higher education may be one of the last bastions against the recognition of women's worth. (Contains 42 references.) (JOW)

THE IMPACT OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ON GLASS CEILING: AEGEAN REGION AGENCIES IN TURKEY

OpenAIRE

İNEL, Merve; GARAYEV, Vener; BAKAY, Aziz

2014-01-01

This study examined the relationship between organizationalstructure (mechanistic/organic) and glass ceiling, the concept known asnegative discrimination against women in workplace. The data collected fromrandomly selected 81 organizations in Aegean Region of Turkey was analyzedthrough hierarchical stepwise multiple regression. The results of the finalregression model suggest that glass ceiling is not dependent on organizationalstructure, while the control variable gender has a negative relat...

Climatic and technological ceilings for Chinese rice stagnation based on yield gaps and yield trend pattern analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tianyi; Yang, Xiaoguang; Wang, Hesong; Li, Yong; Ye, Qing

2014-04-01

Climatic or technological ceilings could cause yield stagnation. Thus, identifying the principal reasons for yield stagnation within the context of the local climate and socio-economic conditions are essential for informing regional agricultural policies. In this study, we identified the climatic and technological ceilings for seven rice-production regions in China based on yield gaps and on a yield trend pattern analysis for the period 1980-2010. The results indicate that 54.9% of the counties sampled experienced yield stagnation since the 1980. The potential yield ceilings in northern and eastern China decreased to a greater extent than in other regions due to the accompanying climate effects of increases in temperature and decreases in radiation. This may be associated with yield stagnation and halt occurring in approximately 49.8-57.0% of the sampled counties in these areas. South-western China exhibited a promising scope for yield improvement, showing the greatest yield gap (30.6%), whereas the yields were stagnant in 58.4% of the sampled counties. This finding suggests that efforts to overcome the technological ceiling must be given priority so that the available exploitable yield gap can be achieved. North-eastern China, however, represents a noteworthy exception. In the north-central area of this region, climate change has increased the yield potential ceiling, and this increase has been accompanied by the most rapid increase in actual yield: 1.02 ton ha(-1) per decade. Therefore, north-eastern China shows a great potential for rice production, which is favoured by the current climate conditions and available technology level. Additional environmentally friendly economic incentives might be considered in this region. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Perception of 'Glass Ceiling' and its Impact on Career Progression of Female Managers in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Khan, Maria

2013-01-01

The glass ceiling is a transparent barrier that prevents women and minorities from moving up in the management hierarchy. Glass ceiling researchers have attempted to determine whether a glass ceiling exists by examining the actual promotion decision to top management, the percentage of management positions held by women in an organization, salary of male versus female managers, and ratings of potential promotion candidates to top management. The aim of this research is to investigate the vari...

Experimental Study of an Integrated System with Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation and Thermally Activated Building Constructions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per

. And the thermal comfort is analyzed by draught rate vertical temperature gradient and radiant temperature asymmetry. Finally the effect of plenum and diffuse ceiling is discussed. This report mainly focuses on the experiment results and discussions. Therefore, some details about the measurement are not presented...

A Simulation Study on the Performance of Radiant Ceilings Combined with Free-Hanging Horizontal Sound Absorbers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Domínguez, L. Marcos; Rage, Niels

2018-01-01

using TABS, most building simulation models assume an uncovered ceiling; however, this might not be the case in practice, due to the use of free-hanging horizontal (or vertical) sound absorbers for the control of room acoustic conditions. The use of sound absorbers will decrease the performance...... of radiant ceiling cooling systems. Therefore, the quantification of the effects during the design phase is important for predicting the resulting thermal indoor environment and for system dimensioning. In this study, a two-person office room equipped with TABS was simulated using a commercially available...... simulation software with a recently developed plug-in that allows simulating the effects of horizontal sound absorbers on the performance of TABS and on the thermal indoor environment. The change in thermal indoor environment and in performance of TABS were quantified, and the simulation results were...

The glass ceiling of corporate social responsibility : Consequences of a business case approach towards CSR

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijhof, A.H.J.; Jeurissen, R.J.M.

2010-01-01

Purpose – This paper aims to clarify that corporate social responsibility (CSR) has come a long way by the prevailing business case approach, but increasingly hits a glass ceiling. The glass ceiling metaphor refers to the inherent limitations created by a business case approach towards CSR.

Individually controlled localized chilled beam in conjunction with chilled ceiling: Part 2 – Human response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arghand, Taha; Pastuszka, Zuzanna; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2016-01-01

The response of 24 subjects to the local environment established by localized chilled beam combined with chilled ceiling (LCBCC) was studied and compared with response to the environment generated by mixing ventilation combined with chilled ceiling (CCMV) at two temperature conditions of 26°C and...

Individually controlled localized chilled beam in conjunction with chilled ceiling: Part 1 – Physical environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arghand, Taha; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov; Kosonen, Risto

2016-01-01

This study investigates the indoor environment generated by localized chilled beam coupled with chilled ceiling (LCBCC) and compares it with the environment generated by mixing ventilation coupled with chilled ceiling (CCMV). The experiments were performed in a mock-up of single office (4.1 m × 4...

Breaking through the glass ceiling: an industrial perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Harlander, S K

1996-11-01

Many companies have recognized that the workforce of the future will be significantly more diverse than in the past. A substantial number of these new employees will be women. Industry must create an environment that attracts the best, brightest, and most talented women and provide an environment that empowers them to reach their full potential. Barriers to advancement, such as the real or perceived "glass ceiling," inhibit the individual and ultimately negatively affect the company. Successful companies will recognize that gender diversity is a critical business strategy and implement aggressive programs to assist women in breaking through the glass ceiling. Gender diversity initiatives should include examination of quality of life issues, training and development, organizational policies and practices, and management accountability. Mentoring programs clearly play an important role in gender diversity programs. Personal mentoring experiences in academic and corporate environments, as well as a pilot mentoring program at Land O'Lakes, will be discussed.

Is a Widening Gender Wage Gap Necessarily Caused by a Glass Ceiling?

OpenAIRE

Staveren, Irene

2012-01-01

textabstractContrary to what is generally assumed, the gender wage gap and the glass ceiling may not necessarily be positively related. An exploratory analysis of aggregate public service personnel data for Uganda shows that the gender wage gap is small at the middle level of management, whereas it is twice as high at the top. At the same time, the share of women in top positions appears to be twice as high as at the middle ranks. Hence, it seems that in the context of a very patriarchal cult...

Smashing into the Glass Ceiling for Women Managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Veale, Camilla; Gold, Jeff

1998-01-01

Interviews with 10 women administrators in a British metropolitan district council revealed the glass ceiling to be a complex phenomenon reaching beyond the employment sphere. Their career progression was hindered by lack of career counseling, family-work conflicts, lack of management development for women, and particularly a managerial culture…

Graphite-modified cooling ceiling. A comparative evaluation of the performance; Graphitmodifizierte Kuehldecken. Eine vergleichende Bewertung zur Leistungsfaehigkeit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hauser, Gerd [Technische Univ. Muenchen (Germany); Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Bauphysik, Stuttgart (Germany); Hausladen, Gerhard [Technische Univ. Muenchen (Germany); Ingenieurbuero Hausladen GmbH, Muenchen (Germany); Jacobsen, Cornelia; Hutter, Christina; Hanusch, Christoph [Ingenieurbuero Hausladen GmbH, Muenchen (Germany); Schlitzberger, Stephan [Ingenieurbuero fuer Bauphysik Prof. Dr. Hauser GmbH, Kassel (Germany)

2013-03-01

In most cases, the utilization of graphite-modified building materials enhances their thermal conductivity. Thus, chilled ceiling systems achieve an enhanced thermal absorption in comparison to commercial chilled ceiling systems. For this, a simulation for the estimation of the thermal comfort as well as for the quantification of the impacts on the demand of electricity for the refrigeration is performed. The enhanced cooling capacity of the graphite-modified cooling ceiling 'Ecophit' affects the operation positively.

The Impact of Roof Pitch and Ceiling Insulation on Cooling Load of Naturally-Ventilated Attics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linxia Gu

2012-07-01

Full Text Available A 2D unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD model is employed to simulate buoyancy-driven turbulent ventilation in attics with different pitch values and ceiling insulation levels under summer conditions. The impacts of roof pitch and ceiling insulation on the cooling load of gable-roof residential buildings are investigated based on the simulation of turbulent air flow and natural convection heat transfer in attic spaces with roof pitches from 3/12 to 18/12 combined with ceiling insulation levels from R-1.2 to R-40. The modeling results show that the air flows in the attics are steady and exhibit a general streamline pattern that is qualitatively insensitive to the investigated variations of roof pitch and ceiling insulation. Furthermore, it is predicted that the ceiling insulation plays a control role on the attic cooling load and that an increase of roof pitch from 3/12 to 8/12 results in a decrease in the cooling load by around 9% in the investigated cases. The results suggest that the increase of roof pitch alone, without changing other design parameters, has limited impact on attics cooling load and airflow pattern. The research results also suggest both the predicted ventilating mass flow rate and attic cooling load can be satisfactorily correlated by simple relationships in terms of appropriately defined Rayleigh and Nusselt numbers.

Protection of High Ceiling Nuclear Facilities Using Photoelectric Sensors and Infrared Fire Detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadoud, A.A.; El Eissawi, H.M.; Saleh, A.A.

2017-01-01

A variety of different security systems and components are commercially available and widely used. Before implementing a security system, it is important to understand the characteristics and requirements of the facility area to be protected. Technology and manufacturers of security devices are rapidly changing. It is necessary to use optimal security equipment suitable for the surrounding environment of the facility to be protected. Several security sensors can be used to protect the nuclear facilities, such as passive infrared detectors and glass breakage sensors, vibration detectors, and microwave sensors. This work introduces technical specifications, operation and method of installation for these detectors in nuclear facilities. Also a comparative study of different security sensors or equipment is provided. The photoelectric detectors and infrared fire beam smoke detectors are reliable, suitable and advanced security equipment. They can be used in special cases because of their advantages, this includes their long ranges and accuracy in performance. This paper presents a new concept for adapting the use infrared optical fire beam smoke detector as intrusion detection equipment in high ceiling buildings or towering height facilities. This is in addition to their main function, namely fire detection.The paper also provides a study for their types and installation method. Focus is made on the installation and operation method for two advanced security systems, and wireless control circuit for the overall system operation

Glass Ceiling in the Workplace: An Analysis within the Stated-owned Enterprises and Multi-national Enterprises in China

OpenAIRE

Cao, Mengxi

2015-01-01

Currently, although the increasingly number of women has gained leadership positions, the glass ceiling phenomenon still exists in China, especially in multi-national enterprise. In brief, the road to the upper rungs for female is still challenging and difficult. Due to the nature of the enterprises, the performance of glass ceiling is different. The aim of this dissertation is to discuss different performance and influence of glass ceiling in the context of the multi-national enterprises (MN...

Postoperative Perfection: Ceiling Effects and Lack of Discrimination With Both SRS-22 and -24 Outcomes Instruments in Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bastrom, Tracey P; Bartley, Carrie; Marks, Michelle C; Yaszay, Burt; Newton, Peter O

2015-12-01

Review of a prospective database registry. To compare the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 and SRS-24 outcomes instruments in terms of scores, rate of ceiling effects, and discriminant ability in patients with pre- and postoperative adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Despite improvements noted with the SRS-22, the SRS-24 is still occasionally used prospectively and for comparisons with previous studies reporting SRS-24 scores. Previous work has demonstrated that postoperative scores from the 2 versions are not interchangeable. A multicenter prospective registry of patients who underwent surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis was queried for preoperative and 2-year postoperative SRS-22 and SRS-24 scores. Scores were compared between versions and ceiling effects were identified. Groups of deformity severity were created to evaluate discriminant ability. 829 patients were identified. The SRS-22 scores for pain and general function were significantly greater than SRS-24 scores (P self-image (P self-image domain was able to discriminate between large (29°+) and small (≤11°) residual curves (P < 0.05). Scores obtained by the SRS-22 and the SRS-24 are not translatable despite shared domains. Whereas both versions demonstrated preoperative discriminant ability, postoperative discrimination of residual deformity is lacking in both. Patient-reported outcomes of treatment are crucial in advancing treatment, and improvement in the ability to assess subjective outcomes is essential. 3.

Studi Deskriptif Persepsi Karyawan Hotel Tentang Glass Ceiling Pada Wanita Dalam Pencapaian Jabatan Puncak Manajemen Hotel Di Kota Tanjung Selor

OpenAIRE

Merang, Merycona

2015-01-01

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui persepsi karyawan hotel tentang glass ceiling pada wanita dalam pencapaian jabatan puncak manajemen hotel di kota Tanjung Selor. Glass ceiling memiliki enam variable yaitu diri sendiri, tingkat pendidikan, lingkungan keluarga, kesehatan, lingkungan sosial, dan lingkungan kerja.Teknik analisa yang digunakan adalah kuantitatif deskriptif, crosstab dan chi square. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa secara keseluruhan, persepsi karyawan tentang glass ceil...

Comparative Analysis Of Mid-Level Women Managers Perception Of The Existence Of Glass Ceiling In Singaporean And Malaysian Organizations

OpenAIRE

Vlado Dimovski; Miha Skerlavaj; Mandy Mok Kim Man

2010-01-01

This study presents an overview of glass-ceiling type barriers in organizations based on the perceptions of a sample of Singaporean and Malaysian mid-level women managers. Previous studies indicated the existence of a glass ceiling in organizations and presented strategic recommendations with regard to what corporations could do to remove or reduce the glass ceiling. This study investigates how women in middle management perceive their career advancement opportunities and what they consider t...

The relationship between glass ceiling and power distance as a cultural variable by a new method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naide Jahangirov

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Glass ceiling symbolizes a variety of barriers and obstacles that arise from gender inequality at business life. With this mind, culture influences gender dynamics. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the glass ceiling and the power distance as a cultural variable within organizations. Gender variable is taken as a moderator variable in relationship between the concepts. In addition to conventional correlation analysis, we employed a new method to investigate this relationship in detail. The survey data were obtained from 109 people working at a research center which operated as a part of the non-profit private university in Ankara, Turkey. The relationship between the variables was revealed by a new method which was developed as an addition to the correlation in survey. The analysis revealed that the female staff perceived the glass ceiling and the power distance more intensely than the male staff. In addition, the medium level relation was determined between the power distance and the glass ceiling perception among female staff.

Thermal environment and air quality in office with personalized ventilation combined with chilled ceiling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipczynska, Aleksandra; Kaczmarczyk, Jan; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2015-01-01

The thermal environment and air quality conditions provided with combined system of chilled ceiling and personalized ventilation (PV) were studied in a simulated office room for two occupants. The proposed system was compared with total volume HVAC solutions used today, namely mixing ventilation...... and chilled ceiling combined with mixing ventilation. The objective of the study was to evaluate whether PV can be the only ventilation system in the rooms equipped with chilled ceiling. The room air temperature was 26°C in cases with traditional systems and 28°C when PV was used. PV supplied air...... with the temperature of 25°C. PV improved thermal conditions and was up to nearly 10 times more efficient in delivering clean air at workstations than mixing ventilation systems, which resulted in strong protection of occupants from the cross-infection. In the room space outside workstations no substantial differences...

Women and Politics – The Glass Ceiling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Zamfirache

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The role of women in modern politics is a subject that needs further insight, considering the growthin number of women that nowadays have relevant political positions on the international stage.There are studies today that emphasize the equality issue and all that is gender role related, but ourinterest is to analyze the women representation in power related positions. Due to the fastmodernization of the political environment and the rapid spreading of the feminist way of thought,several authors took interest in the gender differences in politics. The article follows some keydimensions in understanding the gender-role in politics: the glass ceiling, the role of the media indrawing the image of the woman politician, the gender affinity effect. In the end we would like topoint out the differences for men and women in exploiting the opportunities and securing the positions of power.

A diagnosis of discrimination. Women physicians and the glass ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebastian, C

1994-01-01

Author Christy Sebastian writes about some of the limits facing women physicians, from the glass ceiling on down. She relates the limits faced by women physicians to the gender differences--both subtle and blatant--evident in society as a whole.

WOMEN WORKFORCE LOOKING THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING

OpenAIRE

Sarıçiçek, Reyhan; Çopuroğlu, Filiz; Aytekin, Mehmet

2017-01-01

Women have begun to take part in business lifeintensively in the last century. However, despite the rapid rise in the numberof women in business world, the proportion of women among senior managers andleaders has been very low. Research on the subject demonstrates that women facedifficulties called ‘Glass Ceiling’, which cannot be seen apparently and at thesame time which is hard to overcome in order to reach the senior executivepositions. Glass ceiling refers to the difficulties that take pl...

26 CFR 1.501(h)-3 - Lobbying or grass roots expenditures normally in excess of ceiling amount.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... excess of ceiling amount. 1.501(h)-3 Section 1.501(h)-3 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... § 1.501(h)-3 Lobbying or grass roots expenditures normally in excess of ceiling amount. (a) Scope. This section provides rules under section 501(h) for determining whether an organization that has...

EVALUATION OF FUNGAL GROWTH (PENICILLIUM GLABRUM) ON A CEILING TILE

Science.gov (United States)

The paper gives results of a study employing static chambers to study the impact of different equilibrium relative humidities (RHs) and moisture conditions on the ability of a new ceiling tile to support fungal growth. Amplification of the mold, Penicillium glabrum, occurred at R...

An Improved Prediction Model for the Impact Sound Level of Lightweight Floors: Introducing Decoupled Floor-Ceiling and Beam-Plate Moment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mosharrof, Mohammad Sazzad; Brunskog, Jonas; Ljunggren, Fredrik

2011-01-01

the impact sound pressure level in a receiving room for a coupled floor structure where floor and ceiling are rigidly connected by beams. A theoretical model for predicting the impact sound level for a decoupled floor structure, which has no rigid mechanical connections between the floor and the ceiling......, is developed. An analytical method has been implemented, where a spatial Fourier transform method as well as the Poisson’s sum formula is applied to model transformed plate displacements. Radiated sound power was calculated from these displacements and normalized sound pressure levels were calculated in one...... and is found to be dependent on frequency, showing significant improvement in predicting impact sound level at high frequency region....

Experimental study of diffuse ceiling ventilation coupled with a thermally activated building construction in an office room

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Pomianowski, Michal Zbigniew

2015-01-01

the opposite effect on energy performance when TABS is activated in heating or cooling mode. Finally, the air temperature distribution in the plenum and the surface temperature distribution of the diffuse ceiling point out that the air does not perfectly mix in the plenum, the air is not evenly distributed...

Influence of Ceiling Suspended Screen Positioning to the Scatter Radiation Levels in Interventional Cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arandjic, D.; Bozovic, P.; Ciraj-Bjelac, O.; Antic, V.

2013-01-01

The objective of this paper is to identify the effects of the ceiling suspended screen position to the scatter radiation levels in the interventional cardiology. The scatter radiation in terms of ambient dose equivalent H * (10) was measured for various positions of protective screen in the positions of the first operator, nurse and radiographer, at elevations 100-190 cm and in four different angulations of the x-ray tube. To assess the effectiveness of the protective screen, the scattered dose was also measured in the absence of any protection in all four angulations and elevations. To simulate real clinical situation the measurements were performed in the presence of 30 cm PMMA phantom using standard clinical protocol. The utility of protective screen varied for different positions and angulations. Scatter radiation levels varied in the range 70 - 3400 μSv/h for the first operator, 140 - 3200 μSv/h for the nurse and 50 - 560 μSv/h for radiographer. Ceiling suspended screens can provide a substantial level of protection (up to factor 18) in interventional cardiology, but they have to be properly managed and positioned to achieve sufficient level of protection. The guidance for optimal protection is provided in the paper.(author)

Breaking the Educational Glass Ceiling: An Interview with Harry Lenderman

Science.gov (United States)

Lenderman, Harry; Sandelands, Eric

2005-01-01

Purpose - To examine the role that corporations can and are playing in removing restrictions to a college or university education for their employees - the educational glass ceiling. Design/methodology/approach - An interview format is used with an experienced academic, and learning and development practitioner, drawing upon experiences and…

Geomorphometric analysis of cave ceiling channels mapped with 3-D terrestrial laser scanning

Science.gov (United States)

Gallay, Michal; Hochmuth, Zdenko; Kaňuk, Ján; Hofierka, Jaroslav

2016-05-01

The change of hydrological conditions during the evolution of caves in carbonate rocks often results in a complex subterranean geomorphology, which comprises specific landforms such as ceiling channels, anastomosing half tubes, or speleothems organized vertically in different levels. Studying such complex environments traditionally requires tedious mapping; however, this is being replaced with terrestrial laser scanning technology. Laser scanning overcomes the problem of reaching high ceilings, providing new options to map underground landscapes with unprecedented level of detail and accuracy. The acquired point cloud can be handled conveniently with dedicated software, but applying traditional geomorphometry to analyse the cave surface is limited. This is because geomorphometry has been focused on parameterization and analysis of surficial terrain. The theoretical and methodological concept has been based on two-dimensional (2-D) scalar fields, which are sufficient for most cases of the surficial terrain. The terrain surface is modelled with a bivariate function of altitude (elevation) and represented by a raster digital elevation model. However, the cave is a 3-D entity; therefore, a different approach is required for geomorphometric analysis. In this paper, we demonstrate the benefits of high-resolution cave mapping and 3-D modelling to better understand the palaeohydrography of the Domica cave in Slovakia. This methodological approach adopted traditional geomorphometric methods in a unique manner and also new methods used in 3-D computer graphics, which can be applied to study other 3-D geomorphological forms.

Drug Pricing Program Ceiling Price and Manufacturer Civil Monetary Penalties Regulation. Final rule; further delay of effective date.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-29

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers section 340B of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), known as the "340B Drug Pricing Program" or the "340B Program." HRSA published a final rule on January 5, 2017, that set forth the calculation of the ceiling price and application of civil monetary penalties. The final rule applied to all drug manufacturers that are required to make their drugs available to covered entities under the 340B Program. On August 21, 2017, HHS solicited comments on further delaying the effective date of the January 5, 2017, final rule to July 1, 2018 (82 FR 39553). HHS proposed this action to allow a more deliberate process of considering alternative and supplemental regulatory provisions and to allow for sufficient time for additional rulemaking. After consideration of the comments received on the proposed rule, HHS is delaying the effective date of the January 5, 2017, final rule, to July 1, 2018.

The relationship between glass ceiling and power distance as a cultural variable by a new method

OpenAIRE

Naide Jahangirov; Guler Saglam Ari; Seymur Jahangirov; Nuray Guneri Tosunoglu

2015-01-01

Glass ceiling symbolizes a variety of barriers and obstacles that arise from gender inequality at business life. With this mind, culture influences gender dynamics. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the glass ceiling and the power distance as a cultural variable within organizations. Gender variable is taken as a moderator variable in relationship between the concepts. In addition to conventional correlation analysis, we employed a new method to investigate ...

Nonlinear modeling and stability analysis of hydro-turbine governing system with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel under load disturbance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Wencheng; Yang, Jiandong; Wang, Mingjiang; Lai, Xu

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Novel nonlinear mathematical model of hydro-turbine governing system is proposed. • Hopf bifurcation analysis on the governing system is conducted. • Stability of the system under load disturbance is studied. • Influence of four factors on stability is analyzed. • Optimization methods of improving system stability are put forward. - Abstract: In order to overcome the problem of nonlinear dynamics of hydro-turbine governing system with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel, which is caused by the interface movement of the free surface-pressurized flow in the tailrace tunnel, and the difficulty of analyzing the stability of system, this paper uses the Hopf bifurcation theory to study the stability of hydro-turbine governing system of hydropower station with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel. Firstly, a novel and rational nonlinear mathematical model of the hydro-turbine governing system is proposed. This model contains the dynamic equation of pipeline system which can accurately describe the motion characteristics of the interface of free surface-pressurized flow in sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel. According to the nonlinear mathematical model, the existence and direction of Hopf bifurcation of the nonlinear dynamic system are analyzed. Furthermore, the algebraic criterion of the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation is derived. Then the stability domain and bifurcation diagram of hydro-turbine governing system are drawn by the algebraic criterion, and the characteristics of stability under different state parameters are investigated. Finally, the influence of step load value, ceiling slope angle and section form of tailrace tunnel and water depth at the interface in tailrace tunnel on stability are analyzed based on stable domain. The results indicate that: The Hopf bifurcation of hydro-turbine governing system with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel is supercritical. The phase space trajectories of characteristic variables stabilize at the equilibrium points

Ceiling of care decisions at an older person's mental health unit in Gloucestershire.

Science.gov (United States)

Slack, Philip; Rose, Anneka

2015-01-01

This quality improvement project was inspired as an answer to a problem that many fellow psychiatric trainees had been struggling with while on-call covering the old age mental health hospital which includes a specialist dementia ward. The issue was that decisions around ceilings of care for patients were often not discussed or at least recorded in the electronic notes and as a result when reviewing deteriorating patients out of hours trainees would find themselves without any guidance on the treating medics opinion on what was in the best interests of the patient. This led to situations where unnecessary transfers to the acute hospital would occur overnight which could have been avoided with more consistent planning. Prior to initiating the changes it was recorded that nine out of 47 inpatients had documented decisions on ceiling of care of treatment in the consultant's ward round entries. Next policies from acute hospitals were reviewed, opinions were discussed in departmental meetings, and eventually there was agreed a change in procedure with the consultant on the dementia ward around resuscitation and ceiling of care status and consistent recording of this. Following the intervention there was seen an improvement in the recording of decisions around treatment and transfer of patients on the dementia ward of 80% (4/5) fully compliant with new criteria and then 71% (5/7) in successive cycles. Further communication both with relevant professionals on the old age ward and with the trainees on the on-call rota will be necessary to sustain any change but the centralised recording of resuscitation status and ceiling of care in the ward round entries have provided much more guidance than was previously available. In the future it may be possible to spread this policy throughout the entire old age mental health unit.

Managers' Beliefs about the Glass Ceiling: Interpersonal and Organizational Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Elacqua, Tina C.; Beehr, Terry A.; Hansen, Curtiss P.; Webster, Jennica

2009-01-01

The glass ceiling refers to the difficulty of women trying to be promoted into the top management levels. The present study examined managers' potential explanations, implicit or explicit, for why women rarely reach the top hierarchical levels in their own organization. Among 685 managers at a large Midwestern insurance company, a model was…

Coupling ant colony and the degraded ceiling algorithm for the redundancy allocation problem of series-parallel systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nahas, Nabil; Nourelfath, Mustapha; Ait-Kadi, Daoud

2007-01-01

The redundancy allocation problem (RAP) is a well known NP-hard problem which involves the selection of elements and redundancy levels to maximize system reliability given various system-level constraints. As telecommunications and internet protocol networks, manufacturing and power systems are becoming more and more complex, while requiring short developments schedules and very high reliability, it is becoming increasingly important to develop efficient solutions to the RAP. This paper presents an efficient algorithm to solve this reliability optimization problem. The idea of a heuristic approach design is inspired from the ant colony meta-heuristic optimization method and the degraded ceiling local search technique. Our hybridization of the ant colony meta-heuristic with the degraded ceiling performs well and is competitive with the best-known heuristics for redundancy allocation. Numerical results for the 33 test problems from previous research are reported and compared. The solutions found by our approach are all better than or are in par with the well-known best solutions

Circumventing the Glass Ceiling: Women Executives in American State Governments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullard, Angela M.; Wright, Deil S.

1993-01-01

Data from 1984 (n=489) and 1988 (n=658) surveys show that female executives in state government have progressed in top positions in certain types of agencies, but much progress has occurred by avoiding, not breaking, the glass ceiling. Most notable male-female differences are in party affiliation, age, interagency mobility, career progress, and…

13 CFR 107.855 - Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money”).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Interest rate ceiling and... § 107.855 Interest rate ceiling and limitations on fees charged to Small Businesses (“Cost of Money... weighted average interest rate you pay on your “qualified borrowings”. “Qualified borrowings” means your...

Full Scale Measurements and CFD Simulations of Diffuse Ceiling Inlet for Ventilation and Cooling of Densely Occupied Rooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikeska, Tomás; Fan, Jianhua

2015-01-01

Spaces with high occupant densities result in high heat gains and need for relatively high air change rate.By means of traditional mechanical ventilation diffusers it becomes a challenge to supply large amountsof fresh air into the space without creating a local discomfort for occupants. One...... comfort numerically. Results of our investigations have shown that diffuse ceiling inlet is a suitable solution for the spaceswith high density occupancy. The results have shown that transient calculations using Large Eddy Simulation models can predict well temperatures and velocity magnitude of air flow...

Does drywall installers' innovative idea reduce the ergonomic exposures of ceiling installation: A field case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasgupta, Priyadarshini Sengupta; Punnett, Laura; Moir, Susan; Kuhn, Sarah; Buchholz, Bryan

2016-07-01

The study was conducted to assess an intervention suggested by the workers to reduce the physical or ergonomic exposures of the drywall installation task. The drywall installers were asked to brainstorm on innovative ideas that could reduce their ergonomic exposures during the drywall installation work. The workers proposed the idea of using a 'deadman' (narrow panel piece) to hold the panels to the ceiling while installing them. The researcher collected quantitative exposure data (PATH, 3DSSPP) at the baseline and intervention phases and compared the phases to find out any change in the exposure while using the 'deadman'. Results showed that ergonomic exposures (such as overhead arm and awkward trunk postures and heavy load handling) were reduced at the intervention phase while using the 'deadman' with an electrically operated lift. The concept of the 'deadman', which was shown to help reduce musculoskeletal exposures during ceiling installation, can be used to fabricate a permanent ergonomic tool to support the ceiling drywall panel. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Air Distribution in a Room with Ceiling-Mounted Diffusers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Heby, Thomas; Moeller-Jensen, Bertil

2006-01-01

. The characteristics of the air distribution systems are addressed by analysing the acceptable conditions for the supply flow rate and the temperature difference for the different systems. The paper shows that an air distribution system with ceiling-mounted air terminal units is able to generate comfortable velocity...... with swirling flow generates a flow pattern in the room which is rather uninfluenced by the thermal load. The flow is highly mixed above the occupied zone and the air movement penetrates the occupied zone close to the walls. All systems are tested in the same room with the same heat load consisting of two...... manikins, each sitting at a desk, two pc's and two desk lamps producing a total heat load of 480 W. The design of the air distribution system is in all five cases based on flow elements from the diffuser, a maximum velocity assumption and a critical vertical temperature gradient in the room...

Above the glass ceiling? A comparison of matched samples of female and male executives.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyness, K S; Thompson, D E

1997-06-01

In this study the authors compare career and work experiences of executive women and men. Female (n = 51) and male (n = 56) financial services executives in comparable jobs were studied through archival information on organizational outcomes and career histories, and survey measures of work experiences. Similarities were found in several organizational outcomes, such as compensation, and many work attitudes. Important differences were found, however, with women having less authority, receiving fewer stock options, and having less international mobility than men. Women at the highest executive levels reported more obstacles than lower level women. The gender differences coupled with women's lower satisfaction with future career opportunities raise questions about whether women are truly above the glass ceiling or have come up against a 2nd, higher ceiling.

Radiant Ceiling Panels Combined with Localized Methods for Improved Thermal Comfort of Both Patient and Medical Staff in Patient Room

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mori, Sakura; Barova, Mariya; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2012-01-01

The objectives were to identify whether ceiling installed radiant heating panels can provide thermal comfort to the occupants in a patient room, and to determine a method for optimal thermal environment to both patient and medical staff simultaneously. The experiments were performed in a climate...... mattress were used to provide local heating for the patient. The effects of the methods were identified by comparing the manikin based equivalent temperatures. The optimal thermal comfort level for both patient and medical staff would obtained when two conventional cotton blankets were used with extra...... chamber resembling a single-bed patient room under convective air conditioning alone or combined with the ceiling installed radiant heating panels. Two thermal manikins simulated a patient lying in the bed and a doctor standing next to the patient. Conventional cotton blanket, electric blanket, electric...

Expatriate Glass Ceiling : The Perception of Malaysian Female Employees

OpenAIRE

Ghosh, Chandrika

2013-01-01

Evidence from research has repeatedly pointed to the small number of women managers sent on expatriation. The percentage of female expatriates during the 1990’s was as low as 14% of all expatriate managers (Windham/NFTC, 1997). Researchers found that, similar to the glass ceiling that prevents women from reaching top management levels, there seems to be another glass barrier that stops them from taking up international assignments. This subtle, invisible barrier has been referred to as the ex...

Is a Widening Gender Wage Gap Necessarily Caused by a Glass Ceiling?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I.P. van Staveren (Irene)

2012-01-01

textabstractContrary to what is generally assumed, the gender wage gap and the glass ceiling may not necessarily be positively related. An exploratory analysis of aggregate public service personnel data for Uganda shows that the gender wage gap is small at the middle level of management, whereas it

26 CFR 1.103(n)-7T - Election to allocate State ceiling to certain facilities for local furnishing of electricity...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... facilities for local furnishing of electricity (temporary). 1.103(n)-7T Section 1.103(n)-7T Internal Revenue... (CONTINUED) Items Specifically Excluded from Gross Income § 1.103(n)-7T Election to allocate State ceiling to... amount that would have been New York's State ceiling (as defined in section 103(n)(4) and A-1 of § 1.103...

Limitations and ceiling effects with circumferential minimally invasive correction techniques for adult scoliosis: analysis of radiological outcomes over a 7-year experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Anand, Neel; Baron, Eli M; Khandehroo, Babak

2014-05-01

Minimally invasive correction of adult scoliosis is a surgical method increasing in popularity. Limited data exist, however, as to how effective these methodologies are in achieving coronal plane and sagittal plane correction in addition to improving spinopelvic parameters. This study serves to quantify how much correction is possible with present circumferential minimally invasive surgical (cMIS) methods. Ninety patients were selected from a database of 187 patients who underwent cMIS scoliosis correction. All patients had a Cobb angle greater than 15°, 3 or more levels fused, and availability of preoperative and postoperative 36-inch standing radiographs. The mean duration of follow-up was 37 months. Preoperative and postoperative Cobb angle, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), coronal balance, lumbar lordosis (LL), and pelvic incidence (PI) were measured. Scatter plots were performed comparing the pre- and postoperative radiological parameters to calculate ceiling effects for SVA correction, Cobb angle correction, and PI-LL mismatch correction. The mean preoperative SVA value was 60 mm (range 11.5-151 mm); the mean postoperative value was 31 mm (range 0-84 mm). The maximum SVA correction achieved with cMIS techniques in any of the cases was 89 mm. In terms of coronal Cobb angle, a mean correction of 61% was noted, with a mean preoperative value of 35.8° (range 15°-74.7°) and a mean postoperative value of 13.9° (range 0°-32.5°). A ceiling effect for Cobb angle correction was noted at 42°. The ability to correct the PI-LL mismatch to 10° was limited to cases in which the preoperative PI-LL mismatch was 38° or less. Circumferential MIS techniques as currently used for the treatment of adult scoliosis have limitations in terms of their ability to achieve SVA correction and lumbar lordosis. When the preoperative SVA is greater than 100 mm and a substantial amount of lumbar lordosis is needed, as determined by spinopelvic parameter calculations, surgeons should

Women and work : an exploratory study on problems and perspectives relating to the apparent inability of women teachers to break through the glass ceiling

OpenAIRE

2012-01-01

M.B.A. The aim of this research is to determine whether a glass ceiling does exist in education, and if so, possible reasons why women teachers fail to break through the so-called "glass ceiling". Objectives The objectives identified include the following: To determine historical perspectives on women and work To explore the incidence of glass ceilings To ascertain the value the Department of Education places on women teachers To determine by means of questionnaires whether there is a 'gla...

Complete Model-Based Equivalence Class Testing for the ETCS Ceiling Speed Monitor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Braunstein, Cécile; Haxthausen, Anne Elisabeth; Huang, Wen-ling

2014-01-01

In this paper we present a new test model written in SysML and an associated blackbox test suite for the Ceiling Speed Monitor (CSM) of the European Train Control System (ETCS). The model is publicly available and intended to serve as a novel benchmark for investigating new testing theories...

78 FR 62494 - Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Ceiling Fans

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-22

... consumers' decisions about purchasing air conditioning equipment. For example: How much more or less likely are consumers to own or purchase an air conditioner if they already have a ceiling fan? How much more... and to facilitate this process, DOE has identified several related issues in this RFI on which DOE...

Comments by ABCT's first female president on overcoming the glass ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson-Gray, Rosemery O

2012-12-01

At the annual convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in New York City in November 2009, a most interesting panel discussion occurred: Overcoming the Glass Ceiling: A Conversation With the Trailblazers. This article is a written version of my oral presentation at this panel discussion in my role as ABCT's first female president. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Field measurements of moisture variation in cold ventilated attics with different ceiling constructions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Thor; Møller, Eva B.

2017-01-01

Adding insulation material on ceilings against cold ventilated attics is one of the most straightforward tasks of adding insulation. Theoretically, a higher amount of insulation in the attic decreases the temperature and consequently the capability of removing infiltrated indoor humid air. Field...

Between Meditation and Propaganda. Explicit and Implicit Religious Imagery in Baroque Ceiling Painting

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mádl, Martin

2011-01-01

Roč. 16, 1/2 (2011), s. 11-28 ISSN 1408-0419 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA408/08/0745 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80330511 Keywords : baroque * ceiling painting * iconography * church Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

Influence of a Cooled Ceiling on Indoor Air Quality in a Displacement Ventilated Room Examined by Means of Computational Fluid Dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brohus, Henrik

The influence of a cooled ceiling on the air quality in a displacement ventilated room is examined by means of CFD. The objective of the study is to examine how the flow field in a displacement ventilated room is influenced when a cooled ceiling removes a major part of the total heat I9ad, and in...

Numerical investigation of diffuse ceiling ventilation in an office under different operating conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Christian Anker; Petersen, Steffen

2014-01-01

is a numerical study of the performance of a six person office equipped with diffuse ventilation ceiling. In total six extreme, yet realistic, operation scenarios were simulated to study the performance including different occupancy, ventilation rates and supply air temperatures. The performance was studied...

Women's participation in parliament: 'Glass ceiling' syndrome and party selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čičkarić Lilijana

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The impact of 'glass ceiling' syndrome and party selection on participation of women in parliament and other political institutions are examined in this article. 'Glass ceiling' syndrome, which means invisible, but almost impenetrable border that women face in professional life, keeping them away from positions of influence and progress in career, is the main reason for the small number of women involved in politics. According to the focus of the research, there are three groups of barriers to women's political participation. Most researchers examine the influence of the political system, institutional and legal mechanisms, the question of their transparency and functional improvement. Significantly less frequent approach came from authors who are concentrated on the social and economic barriers, financial conditions and the broader social context. The third group consists of those who are considering the ideological and psychological barriers, patriarchal cultural patterns, traditional gender roles, self-confidence, ambition and women's desire to be involved in politics. Political parties are key actors in the process of discrimination against women, because they do not allow them to be selected in a number of political functions. There are many factors that determine that the issue of gender equality is variously interpreted in political parties. The most present are contextual and ideological factors, referring to a different definition of the status of women on the political agenda, the social climate in terms of gender equality and respect for human rights, the level of social development and political freedom. Then come organizational factors pertaining to the structure of parties, the manner in which the leadership is elected, whether there are internal women's pressure groups and lobbying, and are women leaders are visible on high positions in decision-making process. Finally, there are institutional-legal factors, which include the type

Women's health and women's leadership in academic medicine: hitting the same glass ceiling?

Science.gov (United States)

Carnes, Molly; Morrissey, Claudia; Geller, Stacie E

2008-11-01

The term "glass ceiling" refers to women's lack of advancement into leadership positions despite no visible barriers. The term has been applied to academic medicine for over a decade but has not previously been applied to the advancement of women's health. This paper discusses (1) the historical linking of the advances in women's health with women's leadership in academic medicine, (2) the slow progress of women into leadership in academic medicine, and (3) indicators that the advancement of women's health has stalled. We make the case that deeply embedded unconscious gender-based biases and assumptions underpin the stalled advancement of women on both fronts. We conclude with recommendations to promote progress beyond the apparent glass ceiling that is preventing further advancement of women's health and women leaders. We emphasize the need to move beyond "fixing the women" to a systemic, institutional approach that acknowledges and addresses the impact of unconscious, gender-linked biases that devalue and marginalize women and issues associated with women, such as their health.

340B Drug Pricing Program Ceiling Price and Manufacturer Civil Monetary Penalties Regulation. Final rule; further delay of effective date.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-05-19

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers section 340B of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), referred to as the "340B Drug Pricing Program" or the "340B Program." HRSA published a final rule on January 5, 2017, that set forth the calculation of the ceiling price and application of civil monetary penalties. The final rule applied to all drug manufacturers that are required to make their drugs available to covered entities under the 340B Program. In accordance with a January 20, 2017, memorandum from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," HRSA issued an interim final rule that delayed the effective date of the final rule published in the Federal Register (82 FR 1210, (January 5, 2017)) to May 22, 2017. HHS invited commenters to provide their views on whether a longer delay of the effective date to October 1, 2017, would be more appropriate. After consideration of the comments received on the interim final rule, HHS is delaying the effective date of the January 5, 2017 final rule, to October 1, 2017.

Beyond the Glass Ceiling : The Glass Cliff and Its Lessons for Organizational Policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruckmueller, Susanne; Ryan, Michelle K.; Rink, Floor; Haslam, S. Alexander

It has been almost 30 years since the metaphor of the glass ceiling was coined to describe the often subtle, but very real, barriers that women face as they try to climb the organizational hierarchy. Here we review evidence for a relatively new form of gender discriminationcaptured by the metaphor

Daytime space cooling with phase change material ceiling panels discharged using rooftop photovoltaic/thermal panels and night-time ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bourdakis, Eleftherios; Pean, Thibault Quentin; Gennari, Luca

2016-01-01

The possibility of using photovoltaic/thermal panels for producing cold water through the process of night-time radiative cooling was experimentally examined. The cold water was used to discharge phase change material in ceiling panels in a climatic chamber. Both night-time radiative cooling...... the photovoltaic/thermal varied from 56% to 122%. The phase change material ceiling panels were thus, capable of providing an acceptable thermal environment and the photovoltaic/thermal panels were able to provide most of the required electricity and cold water needed for cooling....

Hydro turbine governor’s power control of hydroelectric unit with sloping ceiling tailrace tunnel

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Liang; Wu, Changli; Tang, Weiping

2018-02-01

The primary frequency regulation and load regulation transient process when the hydro turbine governor is under the power mode of hydropower unit with sloping ceiling tailrace are analysed by field test and numerical simulation in this paper. A simulation method based on “three-zone model” to simulate small fluctuation transient process of the sloping ceiling tailrace is proposed. The simulation model of hydraulic turbine governor power mode is established by governor’s PLC program identification and parameter measurement, and the simulation model is verified by the test. The slow-fast-slow “three-stage regulation” method which can improve the dynamic quality of hydro turbine governor power mode is proposed. The power regulation strategy and parameters are optimized by numerical simulation, the performance of primary frequency regulation and load regulation transient process when the hydro turbine governor is under power mode are improved significantly.

Proposal for the award of an industrial support contract for paintwork, false ceilings, plasterwork and false floors at CERN

CERN Document Server

2006-01-01

This document concerns the award of a contract for paintwork, false ceilings, plasterwork and false floors at CERN. The Finance Committee is invited to agree to the negotiation of a contract with the firm PREZIOSO (FR), the lowest bidder, for the provision of paintwork, false ceilings, plasterwork and false floors at CERN for a period of three years for a total amount not exceeding 538 419 euros (830 381 Swiss francs), not subject to revision for the first two years. The contract will include options for two one-year extensions beyond the initial threeyear period.

Glass Ceiling Converted Into Glass Transparency: A Study On The Factors Making Women Executives Successful In The Indian Banking Sector

OpenAIRE

Sachdeva, Dr Geeta

2014-01-01

Economic reforms in the Indian economy along with gradual opening up of a conservative society to a modern society preceded breaking the glass ceiling or conversion Glass ceiling into a Glass Transparency in the Indian Banking Sector. This is backed by a recent study of 240 top Indian companies by EMA Partners, the global executive-search firm, which says more than a half of India's women chief executives are accounted for by the banking and financial services industry. This paper studie...

Comparison of the Performance of Chilled Beam with Swirl Jet and Diffuse Ceiling Air Supply: Impact of Heat Load Distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertheussen, Bård; Mustakallio, Panu; Kosonen, Risto

2013-01-01

The impact of heat load strength and positioning on the indoor environment generated by diffuse ceiling air supply and chilled beam with radial swirl jet was studied and compared. An office room with two persons and a meeting room with six persons were simulated in a test room (4.5 x 3.95 x 3.5 m3......) and Category B thermal environment in the meeting room at high heat load of 94 W∙m−2. The air distribution pattern was influenced by the convective flows from the heat sources. The maximum local velocity in the occupied zone was 0.23–0.26 m∙s−1. The diffuse ceiling supply did not ensure complete mixing...... temperature was controlled at 24 °C. The quality of the generated indoor environment as defined in ISO standard 7730 (2005) was assessed based on comprehensive physical measurements. The systems created Category A thermal environment in cooling situations at heat load of 50 W∙m−2 and 78 W∙m−2 (office room...

Perceptions of Women in Management: A Thematic Analysis of Razing the Glass Ceiling

Science.gov (United States)

Baumgartner, Mindy S.; Schneider, David E.

2010-01-01

Despite advances that women have made in organizations over the past century, women continue to be underrepresented in upper management positions. Based on a review of literature, six issues that women face when encountering the glass ceiling were examined. The goal of the current study involved having women who have succeeded at breaking the…

42 CFR 413.40 - Ceiling on the rate of increase in hospital inpatient costs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... October 1, 2002, is the percentage increase projected by the hospital market basket index. (4) Target... target amount for the previous cost reporting period, updated by the market basket percentage increase... each cost reporting period, the ceiling is determined by multiplying the updated target amount, as...

Development and evaluation of a ceiling ventilation system enhanced by solar photovoltaic thermal collectors and phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Wenye; Ma, Zhenjun; Sohel, M. Imroz; Cooper, Paul

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A novel ceiling ventilation system enhanced by PVT and PCMs was proposed. • PCM was used to increase the local thermal mass and to serve as a storage unit. • The proposed system can enhance indoor thermal comfort in winter and summer. - Abstract: This paper presents the development and performance evaluation of a novel ceiling ventilation system integrated with solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors and phase change materials (PCMs). The PVT collectors are used to generate electricity and provide low grade heating and cooling energy for buildings by using winter daytime solar radiation and summer night-time sky radiative cooling, respectively. The PCM is integrated into the building ceiling as a part of the ceiling insulation and at the same time, as a centralized thermal energy storage to temporally store low grade energy collected from the PVT collectors. The performance of the proposed system was numerically evaluated based on a Solar Decathlon house using TRNSYS. The results showed that, in winter conditions, the proposed PVT–PCM integrated ventilation system can significantly improve the indoor thermal comfort of passive buildings without using air-conditioning systems with a maximum air temperature rise of 23.1 °C from the PVT collectors. Compared with the system using PCM but without using PVT collectors, the coefficient of thermal comfort enhancement in the kitchen, dining room and living room of the case building studied using the proposed system improved from almost zero to 0.9823 while the coefficient of thermal comfort enhancement in the study room improved from 0.0060 to 0.9921. In summer conditions, the proposed system can also enhance indoor thermal comfort through night-time sky radiative cooling

Microbial Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Stachybotrys chartarum growing on Gypsum Wallboard and Ceiling tile

Science.gov (United States)

This study compared seven toxigenic strains of S. chartarum found in water-damaged buildings to characterize the microbial volatile organic compound (MVOC) emissions profile while growing on gypsum wallboard (W) and ceiling tile (C) coupons. The inoculated coupons with their sub...

Working beyond the Glass Ceiling: Women Managers in Initial Teacher Training in England

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Barbara

2007-01-01

Recently in England, women have been successful in obtaining managerial responsibilities in the field of teacher training. In this setting at least, it could be argued that the glass ceiling that has kept women in lower-paid and lower status posts has been shattered. In order to explore this proposition from the perspective of those who work as…

Career Barriers for Women Executives and the Glass Ceiling Syndrome: The Case Study Comparison between French and Turkish Women Executives

OpenAIRE

Akpinar-Sposito, Cansu

2013-01-01

International audience; The situation where gender pay gaps are typically wider at the top of the wage distribution is known as the 'glass ceiling'. It is one of the most compelling metaphors recently used for analyzing inequality between men and women in the workplace, in order to describe a barrier to further advancement once women have attained a certain level. The general-case glass ceiling hypothesis states that not only is it more difficult for women than for men to be promoted up level...

Thou shalt not pass?: Examining the existence of an immigrant glass ceiling in Sweden, 1970-1990

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonas Helgertz

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The paper studies a sample of natives and 18 immigrant nationalities in the Swedish labor market between 1970 and 1990. The purpose is examining the existence of an immigrant specific glass ceiling. Results suggest a considerable overall advantage in terms of the probability of experiencing upward occupational mobility for native Swedish males. Despite this, the pattern does not correspond to the theoretical expectations of a glass ceiling. Using the ISEI classification of occupational status, the advantage experienced by Swedish males is consistent in the private manufacturing and private service sectors, compared to the experience of immigrants and women. The public sector generally suggests a similar pattern according to linguistic background. In this sector, certain groups of women are, however, observed to experience an advantage from low occupational status origins.

Photocatalytic disinfection of surfaces with copper doped Ti02 nanotube coatings illuminated by ceiling mounted fluorescent light

Science.gov (United States)

Koklic, Tilen; Pintarič, Štefan; Zdovc, Irena; Golob, Majda; Umek, Polona; Mehle, Alma; Dobeic, Martin; Štrancar, Janez

2018-01-01

High economic burden is associated with foodborne illnesses. Different disinfection methods are therefore employed in food processing industry; such as use of ultraviolet light or usage of surfaces with copper-containing alloys. However, all the disinfection methods currently in use have some shortcomings. In this work we show that copper doped TiO2 nanotubes deposited on existing surfaces and illuminated with ceiling mounted fluorescent lights can retard the growth of Listeria Innocua by 80% in seven hours of exposure to the fluorescent lights at different places in a food processing plant or in the laboratory conditions with daily reinocuation and washing. The disinfection properties of the surfaces seem to depend mainly on the temperature difference of the surface and the dew point, where for the maximum effectiveness the difference should be about 3 degrees celsius. The TiO2 nanotubes have a potential to be employed for an economical and continuous disinfection of surfaces. PMID:29768464

Making Sense of the Glass Ceiling in Schools: An Exploration of Women Teachers' Discourses

Science.gov (United States)

Moreau, Marie-Pierre; Osgood, Jayne; Halsall, Anna

2007-01-01

There is extensive evidence of a "glass ceiling" for women across the labour market. Though schools have widely been described as "feminized" work environments, the under-representation of women at school management level is well established. Based on a study of women teachers' careers and promotion in the English school sector…

Sustainability assessment of a lightweight biomimetic ceiling structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antony, Florian; Speck, Thomas; Speck, Olga; Grießhammer, Rainer

2014-01-01

An intensive and continuous debate centres on the question of whether biomimetics has a specific potential to contribute to sustainability. In the context of a case study, the objective of this paper is to contribute to this debate by presenting the first systematic approach to assess the sustainability of a complex biomimetic product. The object of inquiry is a lecture hall's ribbed slab. Based on criteria suggested by the Association of German Engineers (VDI), it has been verified that the slab has been correctly defined as biomimetic. Moreover, a systematic comparative product sustainability assessment has been carefully carried out. For purposes of comparison, estimated static calculations have been performed for conceivable current state-of-the-art lightweight ceiling structures. Alternative options are a hollow article slab and a pre-stressed flat slab. Besides a detailed benefit analysis and a discussion of social effects, their costs have also been compared. A particularly detailed life cycle assessment on the respective environmental impacts has also been performed. Results show that the biomimetic ribbed slab built in the 1960s is able to keep up with the current state-of-the-art lightweight solutions in terms of sustainability. These promising results encourage a systematic search for a broad range of sustainable biomimetic solutions. (paper)

Giuseppe Bragalli and Bolognese ceiling painting in the Czech Lands in the 17th century

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mádl, Martin

2011-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 5 (2011), s. 350-379 ISSN 0049-5123 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA408/08/0745 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80330511 Keywords : baroque art * painting * ceiling painting * architecture Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

Women in boards: Dichotomising the glass ceiling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krambia-Kapardis, M.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper identifies the reasons why glass ceiling and in the case of Cyprus “concrete ceiling” exists in both the private and public sectors despite enacted relevant legislation to ensure equality in work. Initially a qualitative research was carried out with the use of focus groups to identify the issues at hand. Following the results of the qualitative research, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed to the CEOs or the highest rank official of 120 organisations, 38% of those responded. This research, the first of its kind, addressed both the private and public sectors and confirms what has already been addressed in literature in other countries, namely that the main barrier hindering the career prospects of women is the family factor. In the public sector however where human intervention is eliminated women are better represented in the top-level positions.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF CEILING RADIANT COOLING SYSTEM IN COMPOSITE CLIMATE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Anuj [Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, India; Mathur, Jyotirmay [Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, India; Bhandari, Mahabir S [ORNL

2015-01-01

Radiant cooling systems are proving to be an energy efficient solution due to higher thermal capacity of cooling fluid especially for the buildings that require individual zone controls and where the latent loads are moderate. The Conventional air conditioners work at very low temperature i.e.5-8 c (refrigerant evaporator inlet) while the radiant cooling systems, also referred as high temperature cooling system, work at high temperatures i.e. 14-18 c. The radiant cooling systems can maintain lower MRT (Mean Radiant Temperature) as ceiling panels maintain uniform temperature gradient inside room and provide higher human comfort. The radiant cooling systems are relatively new systems and their operation and energy savings potential are not quantified for a large number of buildings and operational parameters. Moreover, there are only limited numbers of whole building simulation studies have been carried out for these systems to have a full confidence in the capability of modelling tools to simulate these systems and predict the impact of various operating parameters. Theoretically, savings achieve due to higher temperature set point of chilled water, which reduces chiller-running time. However, conventional air conditioner runs continuously to maintain requisite temperature. In this paper, experimental study for performance evaluation of radiant cooling system carried out on system installed at Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur. This paper quantifies the energy savings opportunities and effective temperature by radiant cooling system at different chilled water flow rates and temperature range. The data collected/ analysed through experimental study will used for calibration and validation of system model of building prepared in building performance simulation software. This validated model used for exploring optimized combinations of key parameters for composite climate. These optimized combinations will used in formulation of radiant cooling system

Boundary layer theory approach to the concentration layer adjacent to the ceiling wall of a hydrogen leakage: Axisymmetric impinging and far regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Amin, M.F.; Kanayama, H. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan)

2009-02-15

As hydrogen leaks into a partially open space with a ceiling wall, a boundary layer of hydrogen can be constructed under that wall due to the impingement on the wall and the buoyancy force. The resulting boundary layer can be divided into two regions, namely the stagnation-point region and the far region. When the geometry of the source of the hydrogen leak is circular, such as a pinhole or an o-ring, the behavior of leakage flow will be axisymmetric due to the resulting radial jet. In contrast, when the geometry of the source of the hydrogen leak is planar, such as a crack, the behavior of leakage flow will be planar due to the resulting planar jet. Previously, we studied the planar case in the context of both the stagnation-point flow region [El-Amin MF, Kanayama H. Boundary layer theory approach to the concentration layer adjacent to a ceiling wall at impinging region of a hydrogen leakage. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2008; 33(21): 6393-00] and the far region [El-Amin MF, Inoue M, Kanayama H. Boundary layer theory approach to the concentration layer adjacent to a ceiling wall of a hydrogen leakage: far region. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2008; 33(24):7642-7]. This paper is concerned with both the stagnation-point flow region and the far region of the axisymmetric concentration boundary layer adjacent to a ceiling wall. Flow in the stagnation-point region is treated as Hiemenz flow, while it is treated as Blasius flow in the far region. The current results are compared with the planar cases [El-Amin MF, Kanayama H. Boundary layer theory approach to the concentration layer adjacent to a ceiling wall at impinging region of a hydrogen leakage. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2008; 33(21): 6393-00; El-Amin MF, Inoue M, Kanayama H. Boundary layer theory approach to the concentration layer adjacent to a ceiling wall of a hydrogen leakage: far region. Int J Hydrogen Energy 2008; 33(24):7642-7] for both stagnation-point flow and far regions. Both momentum and concentration boundary layer

Integrated Solution in an Office Room with Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation and Thermally Activated Building Constructions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Pomianowski, Michal Zbigniew

2015-01-01

-scale experiments in a climate chamber. The experimental results indicate that diffuse ceiling can significantly improve thermal comfort in the occupied zone, by reducing draught risk and vertical temperature gradient. The linear function between pressure drop and air change rate points out that the air flow...

The analysis of glass ceiling phenomenon in the promotion of women’s abilities in organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahboubeh Soleymanpour Omran

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Women constitute almost half of the workforce of a society and there has been considerable increase in women employment rate in recent years. However, their promotion to management positions has not been very tangible. Gender inequalities in the workplace especially in the domain of management have resulted in the lack of efficient use of potential capacities of women. Even though the previous research demonstrates that women are not less ambitious than men, wrong beliefs which attribute management to men make a kind of invisible barrier, known as glass ceiling, which prevents women’s promotion to top organizational positions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for the lack of promotion of women to top management levels in the society. It was conducted with a descriptive analytic method through the review of the related literature and emphasis on the concept of glass ceiling to present practical solutions to solve the problem.

Experimental evaluation of heat transfer coefficients between radiant ceiling and room

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Causone, Francesco; Corgnati, Stefano P.; Filippi, Marco

2009-01-01

The heat transfer coefficients between radiant surfaces and room are influenced by several parameters: surfaces temperature distributions, internal gains, air movements. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the heat transfer coefficients between radiant ceiling and room in typical conditions...... of occupancy of an office or residential building. Internal gains were therefore simulated using heated cylinders and heat losses using cooled surfaces. Evaluations were developed by means of experimental tests in an environmental chamber. Heat transfer coefficient may be expressed separately for radiation...

Ceiling erosion in caves: early studies and Zdeněk Roth as author of the concept

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bella, P.; Bosák, Pavel

2015-01-01

Roč. 44, č. 1 (2015), s. 139-144 ISSN 0583-6050 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : ceiling channel * paragenesis * antigravitative erosion * definition * Zdeněk Roth * Domica Cave * Slovak Karst Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 0.792, year: 2015

Does the Glass Ceiling Exist? A Longitudinal Study of Women’s Progress on French Corporate Boards

OpenAIRE

Rey Dang; Duc Khuong Nguyen; Linh-Chi Vo

2014-01-01

In this article, we conduct a longitudinal study of women’s progress on French corporate boards of directors. We particularly focus on the extent to which women directors have circumvented the glass ceiling. Using a sample of SBF 120 companies over a 10

Field Study of Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation Performance in a Landscape Office

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zukowska-Tejsen, Daria; Wolsing, Marie; Grysbæk, Malene

2016-01-01

show that diffuse ceiling ventilation has substantial potential for landscape office applications because it can provide important cooling capacity while maintaining an acceptable comfort level in the occupied zone. It does not generate draught in the occupied zone even at large temperature differences...... between supply and exhaust and great air change rates, while the same design parameters caused risk of draught in many points in the case with mixing ventilation. Good mixing in the occupied zone in case of both systems resulted in only small vertical temperature gradients. The results from the study...

The Glass Ceiling for Women in Legal Education: Contract Positions and the Death of Tenure.

Science.gov (United States)

Angel, Marina

2000-01-01

Discussion of the glass ceiling for women in legal education first examines categories of law school personnel, especially the fast-growing category of legal-writing teachers, and then considers trends in law school hiring. Concludes that law school trends mirror those in college and university hiring generally, suggesting the weakening and…

Research paper no. 18. Trading rules for CO2 emission permits systems. A proposal for ceilings on quantities and prices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Criqui, P.; Viguier, L.

2000-01-01

Tradable emission permit (TEP) systems for greenhouse gases (GHGs) as they could develop following the Kyoto Protocol - that is if they are limited to Annex B countries and are not bound by exchange regulations) - do not appear to be greatly acceptable today, either to the United States or to the European Union. The problem of the uncertainty related to the cost of reducing emissions is strongly highlighted in the United States: in fact, the approach adopted in the Kyoto Protocol, that of quantitative emissions targets, leaves the question of the reduction programme costs wide open. For the European Union, the unregulated TEP system is hardly acceptable because it would not guarantee that the principle of 'supplementarity' adopted in the Kyoto Protocol, that is, the fact that the purchase of permits should be in addition to action taken within each of the Annex B countries. The section two of this paper is an in-depth economic analysis of the european proposal for ''concrete ceilings''. The alternative proposals, formulated in the United States and relating more to permit price ceilings or''trigger price'', are examined in Section 3. After showing that each of the foregoing proposals could have consequences unacceptable to some or others of the parties to the Protocol, Section 4 offers the proposal of a hybrid formula for regulating the rights market. In fact, the main aim of this paper is to show that the implementation of a 'hybrid solution', consisting of limiting the volume of exchanges while at the same time introducing a TEP price ceiling, could provide a market regulation framework effect allowing the benefits of most of the economic advantages to be enjoyed and also having characteristics acceptable to the various parties from an environmental as well as from an international fairness point of view. (A.L.B.)

Application of a permanent magnet biased E-Core reluctance actuator in a magnetically suspended ceiling actuator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Overboom, T.T.; Jansen, J.W.; Lomonova, E.

2010-01-01

In the paper a novel actuator is presented for a magnetically suspended ceiling actuator. The actuator consists of several stator segments which contain the coils and the magnets. The armature, therefore, has a totally passive design. Because of its salient structure, a translational force can be

Numerical analysis of the potential of using light radiant ceilings in combination with diffuse ventilation to achieve thermal comfort in NZEB buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krusaa, Marie Rugholm; Hviid, Christian Anker; Kolarik, Jakub

ceiling panels. These panels make it possible to combine the heating/cooling ceiling with the diffuse ventilation method. The diffuse ventilation method or leak ventilation use larger surfaces to provide air into the room instead of diffusers. An office building is investigated an analysed on an annual...... basis in the dynamic building simulation tool IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA ICE). The office building contains both offices and meeting rooms. Worst-case scenarios are investigated in the office building considering heat gains, solar gains and the temperature offset between supply water temperature...

Does Organizational Culture Affect the Perception Towards the Barriers of the Glass Ceiling?

OpenAIRE

Muruatetu, Ndunge

2011-01-01

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the existence of the glass ceilling in Africa; and to investigate whether organizational culture affected the perception towards the barriers of the glass ceiling. Design/Methodology : This research used a quatitative approach, based on a descriptive design. Data was gathered from surveys issued to employees at a Non-Governmental organization; with the participants based in the Sierra Leone and Democratic Republic of Congo offices. Fi...

Airflow Pattern and Performance Analysis of Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation in an Office Room using CFD Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Chen, Qingyan; Heiselberg, Per Kvols

2015-01-01

geometrical model and the other is a porous media model. The numerical models are validated by the full-scale experimental studies in a climate chamber. The results indicate that porous media model performed better on predicting air flow characteristic below diffuse ceiling and air velocity near the floor...

Field evaluation of performance of radiant heating/cooling ceiling panel system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Rongling; Yoshidomi, Togo; Ooka, Ryozo

2015-01-01

heating/coolingceiling panel system is used. However, no standard exists for the in situ performance evaluation of radiantheating/cooling ceiling systems; furthermore, no published database is available for comparison. Thus,this study aims to not only clarify the system performance but also to share our...... experience and our resultsfor them to serve as a reference for other similar projects. Here, the system performance in relation toits heating/cooling capacity and thermal comfort has been evaluated. The heat transfer coefficient fromwater to room was 3.7 W/(m2K) and 4.8 W/(m2K) for heating and cooling cases...

Academe's Glass Ceiling: Societal, Professional-Organizational, and Institutional Barriers to the Career Advancement of Academic Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Bain, Olga; Cummings, William

2000-01-01

A survey of 10 national systems of higher education found that less than 10 percent of professors were women, and the proportion of female professors was negatively related to institutional prestige. This academic "glass ceiling" was related to women's shorter careers, tenure issues during hard times, and women's lower level of academic…

Female healthcare managers and the glass ceiling. The obstacles and opportunities for women in management.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiggins, C

1991-01-01

Despite the large number of women in the healthcare field, healthcare management resembles other industries in its severe lack of women in upper-management positions and in the "glass ceiling" that contributes to this dearth. Although not enough has been specifically written on women healthcare managers, the author reviews what is available, along with some of the general management literature.

De Soweto à Ceilândia: siglas de segregação racial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilherme Oliveira Lemos

2017-08-01

Full Text Available A proposta desse trabalho é pensar relações comuns ou, pelo menos, aproximadas sobre os processos e os instrumentos de segregação urbana racial, generificada e social nas cidades de Soweto (Joanesburgo - África do Sul e Ceilândia (Distrito Federal - Brasil durante as décadas de 1950 e 1970. Para tanto, comparamos os dois processos de remoção das populações dos centros para as periferias e a (reinvenção dos tipos corpóreos (“candango”, “black”, “african”, “coloured” destinados a ocupar os limites da não-vida, ou seja, as  chamadas cidades satélites. Metodologicamente a pesquisa, de caráter inicial, fez-se através da análise indiciaria e comparativa de documentos oficiais, relatos orais e bibliografias referentes às duas cidades. A aproximação analítica/histórica entre esses casos se tornou possível através do conceito de necropolítica e da correlação entre escravidão, colonialismo e apartheid: três eventos imaginados historiograficamente como distintos, mas onde a dissociação do ser ao direito de sua própria vida rompem as barreiras do tempo e, no caso Soweto-Ceilândia, as fronteiras do Atlântico.

Ceiling-mounted personalized ventilation system integrated with a secondary air distribution system--a human response study in hot and humid climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, B; Sekhar, S C; Melikov, A K

2010-08-01

The benefits of thermal comfort and indoor air quality with personalized ventilation (PV) systems have been demonstrated in recent studies. One of the barriers for wide spread acceptance by architects and HVAC designers has been attributed to challenges and constraints faced in the integration of PV systems with the work station. A newly developed ceiling-mounted PV system addresses these challenges and provides a practical solution while retaining much of the apparent benefits of PV systems. Assessments of thermal environment, air movement, and air quality for ceiling-mounted PV system were performed with tropically acclimatized subjects in a Field Environmental Chamber. Thirty-two subjects performed normal office work and could choose to be exposed to four different PV airflow rates (4, 8, 12, and 16 L/s), thus offering themselves a reasonable degree of individual control. Ambient temperatures of 26 and 23.5 degrees C and PV air temperatures of 26, 23.5, and 21 degrees C were employed. The local and whole body thermal sensations were reduced when PV airflow rates were increased. Inhaled air temperature was perceived cooler and perceived air quality and air freshness improved when PV airflow rate was increased or temperature was reduced. The newly developed ceiling-mounted PV system offers a practical solution to the integration of PV air terminal devices (ATDs) in the vicinity of the workstation. By remotely locating the PV ATDs on the ceiling directly above the occupants and under their control, the conditioned outdoor air is now provided to the occupants through the downward momentum of the air. A secondary air-conditioning and air distribution system offers additional cooling in the room and maintains a higher ambient temperature, thus offering significant benefits in conserving energy. The results of this study provide designers and consultants with needed knowledge for design of PV systems.

Thresholds and Glass Ceilings: Career Pattern of Women Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Sonnert, Gerhard

2004-05-01

The Project Access study examined the careers of men and women who had received prestigious postdoctoral fellowships and thus were presumably of about equal promise at the start of their professional careers. Had the women scientists in this elite group overcome a threshold beyond which they proceeded on equal footing with their male counterparts; or did a glass ceiling impede their careers? We found gender differences in career outcomes in the group we studied (699 questionnaires, 200 interviews), but these differences varied considerably by scientific discipline. Moreover, the career disparities for women, as a group, appear now to result chiefly from a series of subtle but identifiable and sometimes counterintuitive impediments as well as from slight gender differences in socialization. Each disadvantage by itself may be small, but in their accumulation they significantly influence women's careers.

The glass ceiling and women in management in the Middle East: Myth or reality

OpenAIRE

Marinakou, Evangelia

2014-01-01

Although globalization and equal employment have created opportunities for female managers, they are still underrepresented in the corporate ladder. Gender and gender role stereotypes are persistent in organizations that operate in the Middle East, challenging women’s employment and showing evidence of the glass ceiling in management. This paper explores the position of women in management in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as the barriers they face in climbing the career ladder. The findings...

Strategy Precedes Operational Effectiveness: Aligning High Graduation Rankings with Competitive Graduation Grade Point Averages

Science.gov (United States)

Apprey, Maurice; Bassett, Kimberley C.; Preston-Grimes, Patrice; Lewis, Dion W.; Wood, Beverly

2014-01-01

Two pivotal and interconnected claims are addressed in this article. First, strategy precedes program effectiveness. Second, graduation rates and rankings are insufficient in any account of academic progress for African American students. In this article, graduation is regarded as the floor and not the ceiling, as it were. The ideal situation in…

Cooling ceilings: Silent, comfortable and productive. Percentage of sickness absenteeism. Kuehldecken eroeffnen neue Moeglichkeiten: Still, behaglich und produktiv. Krankenstand von 11,8 auf 3,8% reduziert

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laege, F.K.

1992-07-01

This article is a report about the second symposium on cooling ceilings held in Essen, which had been organized by the technical institute for building ventilation. On the one hand the topic was the state of technology as well as the standardization have been treated, on the other hand, user experiences of non technicians have been reported. It was ascertained that the variety of references convinced the auditors. Germany has obviously the leading position for the construction of cooling ceilings. (BWI).

Control of interior surface materials for speech privacy in high-speed train cabins.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, H S; Lim, H; Jeon, J Y

2017-05-01

The effect of interior materials with various absorption coefficients on speech privacy was investigated in a 1:10 scale model of one high-speed train cabin geometry. The speech transmission index (STI) and privacy distance (r P ) were measured in the train cabin to quantify speech privacy. Measurement cases were selected for the ceiling, sidewall, and front and back walls and were classified as high-, medium- and low-absorption coefficient cases. Interior materials with high absorption coefficients yielded a low r P , and the ceiling had the largest impact on both the STI and r P among the interior elements. Combinations of the three cases were measured, and the maximum reduction in r P by the absorptive surfaces was 2.4 m, which exceeds the space between two rows of chairs in the high-speed train. Additionally, the contribution of the interior elements to speech privacy was analyzed using recorded impulse responses and a multiple regression model for r P using the equivalent absorption area. The analysis confirmed that the ceiling was the most important interior element for improving speech privacy. These results can be used to find the relative decrease in r P in the acoustic design of interior materials to improve speech privacy in train cabins. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Simulation Study of Active Ceilings with Phase Change Material in Office Buildings for Different National Building Regulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farhan, Hajan; Stefansen, Casper; Bourdakis, Eleftherios

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the performance of phase change material (PCM) in active ceilings for an office room under different Danish building regulations for both heating and cooling purposes. A model of a two-person office room was simulated with the only heating and cooling source...... being radiant ceiling panels containing PCM. The target was to reduce energy use for the simulation models and still meet the recommended criteria of Category II for the European Standard EN 15251:2007 namely, 23°C – 26°C (73.4°F – 78.8°F) during summer and between 20°C – 24°C (68.0°F – 73.4°F) during...... winter. The office model was simulated for a whole year and analyzed for three Danish building regulations BR10 (2010), BR15 (2015) and BR20 (2020). The results show that the indoor environment was within the desired Category II, according to EN 15251 for the whole occupancy period. The predicted...

The Time Bounded Glass Ceiling and Young Women Managers: Career Progress and Career Success--Evidence from the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Ruth; Altman, Yochanan

2000-01-01

A study of 130 male and 91 female managers found that more younger women than men were in senior roles. Younger women achieved seniority faster than women over 35. However, once younger women have broken the glass ceiling at lower levels, they encounter new barriers at higher levels. (SK)

An Integrated Numerical and Experimental Analysis for Enhancing the Performance of the Hidden Ceiling Fan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheam-Chyun Lin

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Since the inlet and outlet of hidden ceiling fan are almost located at the same Plane; thus, an improper housing may cause inhale-return phenomenon which significantly affects its power consumption and performance. In this study, a comprehensive investigation by numerical and experimental techniques was used to predict and identify the flow pattern, airflow rate, efficiency, and noise for ceiling fans with different design parameters. The results showed that the unique inhale-return phenomenon happens for an inappropriate housing. Several key parameters, such as fan guard, housing ring, inlet-to-outlet area ratio, and blockage height, are evaluated for finding out the criterion to avoid the inhale-return flow. Consequently the study finds that fan guard changes the airflow to a wider distribution with a lower velocity. A minimum blockage distance and a maximum height of ring-plate are set at 80 mm and 30 mm, respectively. Also, it is suggested that the inlet area must be bigger than the outlet area. Moreover, all the parameters show the same trend under various rotational speeds. In conclusion, this systematic investigation not only provides the fan engineer's design ability to avoid the inhale-return phenomenon, but also the predicting capability on its aerodynamic and acoustic performances.

Evaluation of Coating Removal and Aggressive Surface Removal Surface Technologies Applied to Concrete Walls, Brick Walls, and Concrete Ceilings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebadian, M.A.; Lagos, L.E.

1997-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to test and evaluate innovative and commercially available technologies for the surface decontamination of walls and ceilings. This investigation supports the DOE's objectives of reducing risks to human health and the environment through its restoration projects at FEMP and MEMP. This project was performed at the Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology (HCET) at Florida International University (FIU), where one innovative and four commercially available decontamination technologies were evaluated under standard, non-nuclear testing conditions. The performance data generated by this project will assist DOE site managers in the selection of the safest, most efficient, and most cost-effective decontamination technologies to accomplish their remediation objectives

Fresh-air cooling ceilings in an administration building; Frischluft-Kuehldecken in einem Verwaltungsgebaeude

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radtke, W

1995-06-01

In the construction of the new building of the Deutsche Innenbau GmbH in Muelheim much importance was attached to aesthetics and functionality. If the employees are enthusiastic after one year of operation this is mainly due to the ideal climatic conditions: Glazings with insulating glass (k=1,4 W/m{sup 2}k), high-quality thermal insulation of the breasts shading system with motor-driven screen at the outside, radiators with thermostatic valves and a fresh air cooling ceiling. The article describes the course of construction of the total air-conditioning and ventilation technique. (orig.) [Deutsch] Beim Neubau der DIG Deutsche Innenbau GmbH in Muelheim an der Ruhr legte man grossen Wert auf Aesthetik und Funktionalitaet. Wenn die Mitarbeiter nach einem Jahr Betrieb begeistert sind, so liegt dies grossenteils an idealen klimatechnischen Voraussetzungen: Verglasung mit Waermeschutzglas (K=1,4 W/m{sup 2}K), hochwertige Waermedaemmung der Bruestungen, aussenliegender Sonnenschutz mit motorbetaetigten Raffstoren, Radiatoren mit Thermostatventilen und einem Frischluft-Kuehldecken-System. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt die Vorgehensweise beim Bau der gesamten Klima- und Lueftungstechnik. (orig.)

Numerical modelling and experimental studies of thermal behaviour of building integrated thermal energy storage unit in a form of a ceiling panel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaworski, Maciej; Łapka, Piotr; Furmański, Piotr

2014-01-01

the proposed heat storage unit to effectively control the air temperature inside the building. However, detailed measurement of the temperature of PCM composite have shown some disadvantages of the panel used in the study, e.g. thickness of the walls and distribution of PCM should be optimized. This can be achieved with the aid of the numerical simulator developed in this research. Practical implications: The proposed ceiling panel, optimised from the point of view of thermal performance in a given environmental conditions, can be used as a part of ventilation systems in residential and office buildings

Experimental investigation of cooling performance of a novel HVAC system combining natural ventilation with diffuse ceiling inlet and TABS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Lei, Bo

2015-01-01

Highlights •An experimental investigation of cooling performance of a combined HVAC system is carried out. •Cooling performance of TABS with and without the influence of diffuse ceiling is analyzed. •Radiant and convective heat transfer coefficients of TABS cooling are studied. •Cooling components...

Maximizing the lightshelf performance by interaction between lightshelf geometries and a curved ceiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freewan, Ahmed A. [Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110 (Jordan)

2010-08-15

The interaction between different lightshelf geometries combined with a curved ceiling was investigated using radiance to maximize the daylight performance of a lightshelf. Two main performance parameters were investigated; illuminance level and distribution uniformity in a large space located in a sub-tropical climate region like Jordan. It was found that a curved lightshelf could improve the daylight level by 10% compared to a horizontal lightshelf. A curved lightshelf help to bounce more daylight deep into a space thus improve the illuminance level and uniformity level. The best lightshelf shapes found are curved and chamfered lightshelves compared to horizontal lightshelves. (author)

Participação Popular em Saúde: Um Estudo Sobre o Conselho Regional de Saúde de Ceilândia, Distrito Federal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrecinda Rocha PINA

2013-04-01

Full Text Available A questão da participação popular para o exercício do controle social do Sistema Único de Saúde é especialmente importante para o debate da política de saúde no Brasil e, conforme estabelecido na Lei 8142 de 1990, essa participação deve ser realizada por meio dos conselhos e conferências de saúde. O presente artigo estuda a participação popular em saúde no Conselho Regional de Saúde de Ceilândia, Distrito Federal, problematizando em torno do exercício do controle social exercido pelos conselheiros do respectivo colegiado. Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo geral entender como se dá a Participação Social no Conselho Regional de Saúde de Ceilândia na gestão 2010-2011, buscando especificamente entender sua dinâmica de funcionamento. Partindo de uma abordagem metodológica qualiquantitativa, utilizamos como procedimento a análise documental, com levantamento de dados relativos à dinâmica de suas reuniões. Depreende-se do estudo realizado a participação expressiva dos segmentos integrantes. A grande maioria dos assuntos pautados foi proposta, especialmente, pelo segmento gestor. Entretanto, os itens em discussão revelam que os interesses dos usuários e trabalhadores permeavam com mais frequência os debates. Por fim, conclui-se que, em um contexto geral, o Conselho Regional de Saúde de Ceilândia é um fórum político legítimo e atuante, com atuação decisiva nas deliberações das ações e serviços de saúde a nível local. ABSTRACT The issue of popular participation in the exercise of social control Health System is especially important for the health policy debate in Brazil and, as stated in the Law 8142/1990, this participation must be done through the advice and health conferences. This paper studies popular participation in health in the Regional Health Ceilândia, Distrito Federal, questioning around the exercise of social control exercised by the directors of the respective collegiate. This research aimed

Use of perforated acoustic panels as supply air diffusers in diffuse ceiling ventilation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iqbal, Ahsan; Kazemi, Seyed Hossein; Ardkapan, Siamak Rahimi

Ventilation is needed for diluting and removing the contaminants, odour and excess heat from the building interior. It is important that the inhabitants perceive the ventilated spaces as comfortable. Therefore, the supply air should reach all parts of the occupied zones. Troldtekt has been...... manufacturing perforated acoustic panels for the last 13 years. The panels can be used not only in applications related to acoustics but also as low pressure drop supply air diffusers, particularly in diffuse ceiling ventilation systems. The present study verifies on a theoretically level the performance...

Evaluation of Coating Removal and Aggressive Surface Removal Surface Technologies Applied to Concrete Walls, Brick Walls, and Concrete Ceilings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lagos, L.E.; Ebadian, M.A.

1997-11-01

The purpose of this investigation was to test and evaluate innovative and commercially available technologies for the surface decontamination of walls and ceilings. This investigation supports the DOE's objectives of reducing risks to human health and the environment through its restoration projects at FEMP and MEMP. This project was performed at the Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology (HCET) at Florida International University (FIU), where one innovative and four commercially available decontamination technologies were evaluated under standard, non-nuclear testing conditions. The performance data generated by this project will assist DOE site managers in the selection of the safest, most efficient, and most cost-effective decontamination technologies to accomplish their remediation objectives.

Review Symposium; Dancing on the Ceiling: A Study of Women Managers in Education, by Valerie Hall. London: Paul Chapman, 1996.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Valerie; Gronn, Peter; Jenkin, Mazda; Power, Sally; Reynolds, Cecilia

1999-01-01

Hall and four colleagues review "Dancing on the Ceiling: A Study of Women Managers in Education" (Paul Chapman, 1996). Reviewers agree that Hall's profiles of six British elementary and secondary women headteachers should improve readers' understanding of female managers' development and their preference for "soft,"…

The glass ceiling: A biological phenomenon.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulpen, Tom W J

2017-09-01

Many brilliant and ambitious young women lose their drive for top careers after childbirth. New maternal impulses are at odds with their original ambitions and for many mothers stress and frustration will be the result as they have to combine child care with workweeks of 60-80h to reach or remain at the top. Pregnancy hormones modify the female's brain as has been demonstrated already for decades in animals. This brain plasticity due to adult neurogenesis in the so called maternal circuitry of the limbic system is long-lasting and perhaps lifelong. In humans hormonal and neuro-imaging studies show ample evidence for fundamental and long lasting pregnancy induced brain changes, not only in the limbic system, but also in the cortical networks like theory of mind and mirror neuron system. Recent research shows pronounced and long lasting brain changes in several of these areas. It can be concluded that there exists a maternal brain that drives mother's behaviour and priorities. Research in men shows that the more fathers are involved in raising their children, the more caring behaviour they develop. Structural anatomical changes are found in neural regions involved in parental motivation. These studies show that brain plasticity in fathers is experience dependent. In Nordic countries, a policy of paid paternal leave followed by a flexible shared parental leave, stimulates fatherly behaviour. This might reduce men's eagerness for top careers, thus creating better opportunities for women. Demolition of women's glass ceiling starts with the father. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Privacy-Preserved Behavior Analysis and Fall Detection by an Infrared Ceiling Sensor Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mineichi Kudo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available An infrared ceiling sensor network system is reported in this study to realize behavior analysis and fall detection of a single person in the home environment. The sensors output multiple binary sequences from which we know the existence/non-existence of persons under the sensors. The short duration averages of the binary responses are shown to be able to be regarded as pixel values of a top-view camera, but more advantageous in the sense of preserving privacy. Using the “pixel values” as features, support vector machine classifiers succeeded in recognizing eight activities (walking, reading, etc. performed by five subjects at an average recognition rate of 80.65%. In addition, we proposed a martingale framework for detecting falls in this system. The experimental results showed that we attained the best performance of 95.14% (F1 value, the FAR of 7.5% and the FRR of 2.0%. This accuracy is not sufficient in general but surprisingly high with such low-level information. In summary, it is shown that this system has the potential to be used in the home environment to provide personalized services and to detect abnormalities of elders who live alone.

Women in hospital medicine in the United Kingdom: glass ceiling, preference, prejudice or cohort effect?

Science.gov (United States)

McManus, I C; Sproston, K A

2000-01-01

To assess from official statistics whether there is evidence that the careers of women doctors in hospitals do not progress in the same way as those of men. The proportions of female hospital doctors overall (1963-96), and in the specialties of medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, pathology, radiology/radiotherapy, anaesthetics and psychiatry (1974-1996) were examined. Additionally data were examined on career preferences and intentions from pre-registration house officers, final year medical students, and medical school applicants (1966-1991). Data were analysed according to cohort of entry to medical school to assess the extent of disproportionate promotion. The proportion of women in hospital career posts was largely explained by the rapidly increasing proportion of women entering medical school during the past three decades. In general there was little evidence for disproportionate promotion of women in hospital careers, although in surgery, hospital medicine and obstetrics and gynaecology, fewer women seemed to progress beyond the SHO grade, and in anaesthetics there were deficits of women at each career stage. Analyses of career preferences and intentions suggest that disproportionate promotion cannot readily be explained as differential choice by women. Although there is no evidence as such of a "glass ceiling" for women doctors in hospital careers, and the current paucity of women consultants primarily reflects historical trends in the numbers of women entering medical school, there is evidence in some cases of disproportionate promotion that is best interpreted as direct or indirect discrimination.

Deposit Rate Ceilings as a Tool of Prudential Regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janusz Krajewski

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to present one of prudential regulation instruments in an environment that favors to engage in moral hazard behavior. The last decades proved that there is a link between financial liberalization and banking crises. In order to avoid crises and prevent banks engaging in gambling behavior, the system of prudential regulations has been implemented. The emphasis has been placed on the use of capital requirements, typically using the BIS standard developed in the Basel Accord.As the excessive reliance on capital requirements can become costly for the banks and lead to loose their franchise value and undermine incentives for prudent investing. The instrument that can create the franchise value, i.e. earning profits in the current period and in the future, is a policy of deposit rate controls. In the paper was also revealed why the policy of setting interest rate ceiling on deposits had not achieved its intended objectives, especially in the view of the fail of the Regulation Q policy.

10 CFR Appendix U to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fans

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption... Subpart B of Part 430—Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fans 1. Scope... significant digits as the previous step. Round the final energy consumption value to the nearest whole number...

Hierarchical rank and women's organizational mobility: glass ceilings in corporate law firms.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorman, Elizabeth H; Kmec, Julie A

2009-03-01

This article revives the debate over whether women's upward mobility prospects decline as they climb organizational hierarchies. Although this proposition is a core element of the "glass ceiling" metaphor, it has failed to gain strong support in previous research. The article establishes a firm theoretical foundation for expecting an increasing female disadvantage, with an eye toward defining the scope conditions and extending the model to upper-level external hires. The approach is illustrated in an empirical setting that meets the proposed scope conditions: corporate law firms in the United States. Results confirm that in this setting, the female mobility disadvantage is greater at higher organizational levels in the case of internal promotions, but not in the case of external hires.

The White ceiling heuristic and the underestimation of Asian-American income.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Chris C; Nezlek, John B

2014-01-01

The belief that ethnic majorities dominate ethnic minorities informs research on intergroup processes. This belief can lead to the social heuristic that the ethnic majority sets an upper limit that minority groups cannot surpass, but this possibility has not received much attention. In three studies of perceived income, we examined how this heuristic, which we term the White ceiling heuristic leads people to inaccurately estimate the income of a minority group that surpasses the majority. We found that Asian Americans, whose median income has surpassed White median income for nearly three decades, are still perceived as making less than Whites, with the least accurate estimations being made by people who strongly believe that Whites are privileged. In contrast, income estimates for other minorities were fairly accurate. Thus, perceptions of minorities are shaped both by stereotype content and a heuristic.

Experimental research on the indoor temperature and humidity fields in radiant ceiling air-conditioning system under natural ventilation

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Tao; Xiang, Yutong; Wang, Yonghong

2017-05-01

In this paper, the indoor temperature and humidity fields of the air in a metal ceiling radiant panel air conditioning system with fresh air under natural ventilation were researched. The temperature and humidity distributions at different height and different position were compared. Through the computation analysis of partial pressure of water vapor, the self-recovery characteristics of humidity after the natural ventilation was discussed.

Women in hospital medicine in the United Kingdom: glass ceiling, preference, prejudice or cohort effect?

Science.gov (United States)

McManus, I; Sproston, K

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To assess from official statistics whether there is evidence that the careers of women doctors in hospitals do not progress in the same way as those of men.
DESIGN—The proportions of female hospital doctors overall (1963-96), and in the specialties of medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, pathology, radiology/radiotherapy, anaesthetics and psychiatry (1974-1996) were examined. Additionally data were examined on career preferences and intentions from pre-registration house officers, final year medical students, and medical school applicants (1966-1991).
ANALYSIS—Data were analysed according to cohort of entry to medical school to assess the extent of disproportionate promotion.
RESULTS—The proportion of women in hospital career posts was largely explained by the rapidly increasing proportion of women entering medical school during the past three decades. In general there was little evidence for disproportionate promotion of women in hospital careers, although in surgery, hospital medicine and obstetrics and gynaecology, fewer women seemed to progress beyond the SHO grade, and in anaesthetics there were deficits of women at each career stage. Analyses of career preferences and intentions suggest that disproportionate promotion cannot readily be explained as differential choice by women.
CONCLUSIONS—Although there is no evidence as such of a "glass ceiling" for women doctors in hospital careers, and the current paucity of women consultants primarily reflects historical trends in the numbers of women entering medical school, there is evidence in some cases of disproportionate promotion that is best interpreted as direct or indirect discrimination.

 PMID:10692956

Performance of Chilled Beam with Radial Swirl Jet and Diffuse Ceiling Air Supply in Heating Mode

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertheussen, Bård; Mustakallio, Panu; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2013-01-01

). The room air temperature was kept at 21 °C. Tracer gas was used to simulate pollution from floor and desk. The experimental conditions comprised: 1) night time without heat sources in the room; the room air conditioning system was used to heat up the room; 2) heat load generated by an occupant (simulated...... by dressed thermal manikin) and a laptop; 3) heating by convectors positioned under the window (convectors used alone and convector used together with CSW supplying isothermal air for ventilation). The heat distribution provided by the systems was not effective compare to the distribution provided......The performance of diffuse ceiling air supply and chilled beam with swirl jet (CSW) in heating mode (winter situation) was studied and compared with regard to the generated indoor environment. An office mock-up with one occupant was simulated in a test room (4.5 x 3.95 x 3.5 m3 (L x W x H...

Do emission ceilings ruin coal-fired power plants?; Emissieplafonds nekken kolencentrales?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wijmenga, J. [Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2011-04-15

The case of the new coal-fired power plants has already racked the brains of many. The advice offered to the court by the attorney-general constitutes the next step in this process. A temporary solution has been found for the coal-fired plants, but one question remains unanswered so far: how should an emission ceiling be used as a test instrument for permits? This article provides a direction in which a solution can be found. [Dutch] De zaak betreffende de nieuwe kolencentrales heeft al tot heel wat hoofdbrekens geleid. Het advies dat de advocaat-generaal heeft uitgebracht aan het hof is een volgende stap in dit proces. Voor de kolencentrales is een tijdelijke oplossing gevonden, maar de vraag is nog niet beantwoord hoe een emissieplafond moet worden gebruikt als toetsinstrument voor vergunningen. In dit artikel wordt aangegeven in welke richting een oplossing kan worden gezocht.

Social impact of air pollution abatement. Societal cost benefit analysis of possible National Emission Ceilings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doenszelmann, C.E.P.; De Bruyn, S.M.; Korteland, M.H.; De Jong, F.; Sevenster, M.N.; Briene, M.; Wienhoven, M.; Bovens, J.

2008-07-01

In 2008, the European Commission will launch new proposals for revision of the NEC guideline (2001/81/EG) in which new emission ceilings are proposed for the year 2020. In order to determine which stand the Netherlands should take during the negotiations, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs (also on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) asked CE Delft and Ecorys to conduct a societal cost benefit analysis in collaboration with the Environmental Assessment Agency. This report describes the results of the analysis of two alternative NEC targets for 2020. [mk] [nl

Experimental study on the dynamic performance of a novel system combining natural ventilation with diffuse ceiling inlet and TABS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Lei, Bo

2016-01-01

Highlights • Dynamic experiments are performed to study energy performance of a new HVAC system. • Designed control strategies show good utilization of natural ventilation cooling. • TABS work well with the diffuse ceiling in the dynamic measurements. • No local thermal comfort problem is found...... even in the extreme winter case. • Designed control strategies can be used in the future application of this system....

The Glass Ceiling Conundrum: Illusory belief or Barriers that impede Women’s Career Advancement in the Workplace.

OpenAIRE

Rahim Ganiyu; Akintunde Oluwafemi; Afolabi Ademola; Okikiola Olatunji

2018-01-01

Given the preponderance of women in the workforce, it remained a puzzle why the entry of women into higher managerial positions remains restricted and why the syndrome of ‘think manager think male is growing progressively? The objective of this paper is to examine the glass ceiling conundrum with a view of ascertain how it limits women’s career advancement in the workplace. Extensive review of literature was presented and discussed. The paper revealed that women are not making it to th...

Storage facility for highly radioactive solid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitano, Shozo

1996-01-01

A heat insulation plate is disposed at an intermediate portion between a ceiling wall of a storage chamber and an upper plate of a storage pit in parallel with them. A large number of highly radioactive solid wastes contained in canisters are contained in the storage pit. Cooling air is introduced from an air suction port, passes a channel on the upper side of the heat insulation plate formed by the ceiling of the storage chamber and the heat insulation plate, and flows from a flow channel on the side of the wall of the storage chamber to the lower portion of the storage pit. Afterheat is removed by the air flown from the lower portion to ventilation tubes at the outer side of container tubes. The air heated to a high temperature through the flow channel on the lower side of the heat insulation plate between the heat insulation plate and the upper plate of the storage pit, and is exhausted to an exhaustion port. Further, a portion of a heat insulation plate as a boundary between the cooling air and a high temperature air formed on the upper portion of the storage pit is formed as a heat transfer plate, so that the heat of the high temperature air is removed by the cooling air flowing the upper flow channel. This can prevent heating of the ceiling wall of the storage chamber. (I.N.)

Experimental study of discharging PCM ceiling panels through nocturnal radiative cooling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bourdakis, Eleftherios; Péan, Thibault Q.; Gennari, Luca

PhotoVoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) panels were used for cooling water through the principle of nocturnal radiative cooling. This water was utilised for discharging Phase Change Material (PCM) which was embedded in ceiling panels in a climate chamber. Three different sets of flow rates were examined...... for the solar and the PCM loops, for five days each. The highest examined water flow rate (210 l/h) in the PCM loop provided the best thermal environment in the climate chamber, namely 92% of the occupancy time was within the range of Category III of Standard EN 15251. Although the lowest examined water flow...... rate (96 l/h) in the solar loop provided the highest average cooling power, due to the significant variations in the weather conditions during the three experimental cases, made it impossible to determine to which extent the difference in the cooling power is due to the different water flow rate...

Flow characteristics in occupied zone – An experimental study with symmetrically located thermal plumes and low-momentum diffuse ceiling air distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lestinen, Sami; Kilpeläinen, Simo; Kosonen, Risto

2018-01-01

and turbulent mixing that can further yield a draught discomfort in an occupied zone. The main objective was to investigate large-scale airflow patterns and fluctuations as a result of interaction of buoyancy flows and diffuse ceiling flow. Experiments were performed in a test room of 5.5 m (length) x 3.8 m...

Gender-gaps and glass ceilings: A survey of gender-specific publication trends in Psychiatry between 1994 and 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Süßenbacher, S; Amering, M; Gmeiner, A; Schrank, B

2017-07-01

Within academic psychiatry, women are underrepresented in the higher academic ranks. However, basic determinants of women's lack of academic advancement such as publication activity are poorly understood. The present study examines women's publication activity in high-impact psychiatry journals over two decades and reports developments in the numbers of male and female authorship over time and across cultural areas. We conducted a retrospective bibliometric review of all articles published in 2004 and 2014 in three high-ranking general psychiatry journals. Statistical comparisons were made between the two years and with results from a baseline assessment in 1994. The overall percentage of female authors increased from 24.6% in 1994 to 33.2% in 2004 to 38.9% in 2014. Though increases in female authorship were statistically significant for both decades, there was less difference between 2004 and 2014, indicating a possible ceiling effect. Rates of female first authors increased between 1994 and 2014, though to a lesser degree between 2004 and 2014. Numbers of female corresponding authors plateaued between 2004 and 2014. Within Europe, Scandinavia displayed the most balanced gender-wise first author ratios. Western European and Central European countries increased their rates of female first authors substantially between 2004 and 2014. Despite gains in some areas, our study reveals considerable deficits in the diversity of the current academic psychiatric landscape. Ongoing efforts and interventions to enhance the participation of underrepresented groups on institutional, political and editorial levels are necessary to diversify psychiatric research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Dengue Virus Mosquito Vector Aedes aegypti at High Elevation in México

Science.gov (United States)

Lozano-Fuentes, Saul; Hayden, Mary H.; Welsh-Rodriguez, Carlos; Ochoa-Martinez, Carolina; Tapia-Santos, Berenice; Kobylinski, Kevin C.; Uejio, Christopher K.; Zielinski-Gutierrez, Emily; Monache, Luca Delle; Monaghan, Andrew J.; Steinhoff, Daniel F.; Eisen, Lars

2012-01-01

México has cities (e.g., México City and Puebla City) located at elevations > 2,000 m and above the elevation ceiling below which local climates allow the dengue virus mosquito vector Aedes aegypti to proliferate. Climate warming could raise this ceiling and place high-elevation cities at risk for dengue virus transmission. To assess the elevation ceiling for Ae. aegypti and determine the potential for using weather/climate parameters to predict mosquito abundance, we surveyed 12 communities along an elevation/climate gradient from Veracruz City (sea level) to Puebla City (∼2,100 m). Ae. aegypti was commonly encountered up to 1,700 m and present but rare from 1,700 to 2,130 m. This finding extends the known elevation range in México by > 300 m. Mosquito abundance was correlated with weather parameters, including temperature indices. Potential larval development sites were abundant in Puebla City and other high-elevation communities, suggesting that Ae. aegypti could proliferate should the climate become warmer. PMID:22987656

How to ask about patient satisfaction? The visual analogue scale is less vulnerable to confounding factors and ceiling effect than a symmetric Likert scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Voutilainen, Ari; Pitkäaho, Taina; Kvist, Tarja; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

2016-04-01

To study the effects of scale type (visual analogue scale vs. Likert), item order (systematic vs. random), item non-response and patient-related characteristics (age, gender, subjective health, need for assistance with filling out the questionnaire and length of stay) on the results of patient satisfaction surveys. Although patient satisfaction is one of the most intensely studied issues in the health sciences, research information about the effects of possible instrument-related confounding factors on patient satisfaction surveys is scant. A quasi-experimental design was employed. A non-randomized sample of 150 surgical patients was gathered to minimize possible alterations in care quality. Data were collected in May-September 2014 from one tertiary hospital in Finland using the Revised Humane Caring Scale instrument. New versions of the instrument were created for the present purposes. In these versions, items were either in a visual analogue format or Likert-scaled, in systematic or random order. The data were analysed using an analysis of covariance and a paired samples t-test. The visual analogue scale items were less vulnerable to bias from confounding factors than were the Likert-scaled items. The visual analogue scale also avoided the ceiling effect better than Likert and the time needed to complete the visual analogue scale questionnaire was 28% shorter than that needed to complete the Likert-scaled questionnaire. The present results supported the use of visual analogue scale rather than Likert scaling in patient satisfaction surveys and stressed the need to account for as many potential confounding factors as possible. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Efficiency of overhead ceiling lifts in reducing musculoskeletal injury among carers working in long-term care institutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Alamgir, Hasanat; Yu, Shicheng; Fast, Catherine; Hennessy, Stephanie; Kidd, Catherine; Yassi, Annalee

2008-05-01

A longitudinal study was conducted in three long-term care facilities to evaluate the effectiveness and cost benefit of overhead lifts in reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury among healthcare workers. Analysis of injury trends spanning 6 years before intervention (1996-2001) and 4 years after intervention (2002-2005) found a significant and sustained decrease in workers' compensation claims per number of beds and in working days lost per bed. The payback period was estimated under various assumptions and varied from 6.3 to 6.2 years if only direct claim-cost savings were included, and from 2.06 to 3.20 years when indirect savings were added. The significant reductions in injury rates and compensation claims support intervention with overhead ceiling lifts. A more comprehensive evaluation of such programmes should incorporate in the analysis important variables such as staffing ratios, job stresses, injury reporting systems and compensation policies during the study period.

10 CFR Appendix V to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fan Light Kits

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption... Appendix V to Subpart B of Part 430—Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Ceiling Fan... the final energy consumption value to a whole number as follows: (i) A fractional number at or above...

Exergy analysis in a space with ceiling shield; Analisis exegetico en un espacio con techo escudo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laboratorio de Energia Solar, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico)

2009-07-15

The Solar Laboratory of Energy (LES) of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) was designed to be comfortable in spite of the extreme climate where it was built. One of the novel characteristics was the shield type ceiling used in cubicles. In order to compare the effect that had had with respect to the environmental conditions, one had to resort to an exergy analysis, since exergy is a measurement of the capacity of the energy to carry out a work. As a first system the data of the national meteorological system as initial conditions were used. The comparative system used as initial conditions the temperature and relative humidity measurements obtained in 1992 in a cubicle of the LES. Both systems were taken as open. The final conditions were settled at 25 Celsius degrees and 50% of relative humidity in a first case and variables (with respect to the perimeter a comfort zone) in a second case. The saving obtained was of 69% and 33% respectively. Although it is not possible to determine what percentage corresponds to the exclusive saving of the ceiling shield, we see that the cover all altogether, presents a significant exergy saving in respect to modifying the environmental conditions directly. [Spanish] El Laboratorio de Energia Solar (LES) de la Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) fue disenado para ser confortable a pesar del clima extremoso donde fue construido. Una de las caracteristicas novedosas fue el uso de techo tipo escudo en cubiculo. Para comparar el efecto que se tuvo respecto a las condiciones ambientales, se recurrio a un analisis exergetico, ya que la exergia es una medida de la capacidad de la energia para realizar un trabajo. Como un primer sistema se utilizaron los datos del sistema meteorologico nacional como condiciones iniciales. El sistema comparativo utilizo como condiciones iniciales las mediciones de temperatura y humedad relativas obtenidas en 1992 en un cubiculo del LES. Ambos sistemas fueron tomados como abiertos

Broadcast of four HD videos with LED ceiling lighting: optical-wireless MAC

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchet, Olivier; Porcon, Pascal; Gueutier, Eric

2011-09-01

The European project "hOME Gigabit Access Network" (OMEGA) targeted various wireless and wired solutions for 1 Gbit/s connectivity in Home Area Networks (HANs). One objective was to evaluate the suitability of optical wireless technologies in two spectral regions: visible light (visible-light communications - VLC) and near infrared (infrared communications - IRC). Several demonstrators have been built, all of them largely relying on overthe- shelf components. The demonstrators included a "wide-area" VLC broadcast link based on LED ceiling lighting and a laser-based high-data-rate "wide-area" IRC prototype. In this paper we discuss an adapted optical-wireless media-access-control (OWMAC) sublayer, which was developed and implemented during the project. It is suitable for both IRC and VLC. The VLC prototype is based on DMT signal processing and provides broadcasting at { 100 Mbit/s over an area of approximately 5 m2. The IRC prototype provides {300 Mbit/s half-duplex communication over an area of approximately 30 m2. The IRC mesh network, composed of one base station and two terminals, is based on OOK modulation, multi-sector transceivers, and an ultra-fast sector switch. After a brief discussion about the design of the optical-wireless data link layer and the optical-wireless switch (OWS) card, we address the card development and implementation. We also present applications for the VLC and IRC prototypes and measurement results regarding the MAC layer.

GIS approach to the definition of capacity and generation ceilings of renewable energy technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominguez Bravo, Javier; Garcia Casals, Xavier; Pinedo Pascua, Irene

2007-01-01

There are no discrepancies about the advantages of achieving a sustainable energy system based on locally available natural resources. However, supporters of green energy generation system were lacking some scientific and consistent study to defend their proposals. In order to have such a study, Greenpeace commissioned Technology Research Institute at the Pontificia Comillas University to carry out a study to assess ceilings for the potential and generation of renewable technologies in Spain. It demonstrates firstly a far greater renewable potential than the targets set by long term policies, and secondly, the viability of meeting the entire electricity demand projected for 2050. GIS was used to add the geographical dimension to the original project in order to generate a technical analysis linked to the specific constrictions imposed by territory (natural and anthropogenic) and not just designed to cover a certain demand. Therefore, GIS spatial analysis took into account local conditions producing a more accurate assessment than evaluations made upon 'virtual' electrical spaces. This approach could be applied to other small scale general studies in order to assess the maximum contribution of renewable energy sources to particular energy generation mix and to help set development policies supporting high participation of renewable technologies

Ceiling personalized ventilation combined with desk fans for reduced direct and indirect cross-contamination and efficient use of office space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habchi, Carine; Ghali, Kamel; Ghaddar, Nesreen; Chakroun, Walid; Alotaibi, Sorour

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Cross-infection occurs by direct inhalation and contact of contaminated surfaces. • Mixing ventilation performance is degraded at reduced distance between occupants. • Ceiling personalized ventilation reduces significantly cross-contamination. • The optimized system induces large energy savings compared to mixing ventilation. • The optimized system improves the occupation density from 12 to 8 m 2 per occupant. - Abstract: Crowded offices with short distances separating workers’ stations increase the probability of respiratory cross-infection via two different paths. One path is the contaminant transmission through air by direct inhalation and the other is through the body contact of contaminated surfaces and walls. Mixed ventilation principles used today reduces the probability of cross contamination by increasing the distance between the stations challenging the efficient use of the space or by supplying more fresh air in the space which is energy inefficient. In this work, new cooling and ventilation configuration is studied by modeling using computational fluid dynamics with consideration of space occupancy density while providing good indoor air quality. The configuration considers a ceiling personalized ventilation system equipped with desk fans. The ability of the computational fluid dynamics model in computing the thermal, velocity and concentration fields was validated by experiments and published data. The main objective of the performed experiments was to ensure that the developed computational fluid dynamics model can capture the effect of the desk fan flow rate on particle behavior. The studied system is found to provide acceptable indoor air quality at shorter distance between the occupants compared to the mixing system at considerable energy savings. By optimizing the design of the proposed personalized ventilation system, the occupancy density in an office is enhanced to 8 m 2 per occupant compared to 12 m 2 per occupant for

Psychometric Evaluation of the Lower Extremity Computerized Adaptive Test, the Modified Harris Hip Score, and the Hip Outcome Score.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Man; Hon, Shirley D; Cheng, Christine; Franklin, Jeremy D; Aoki, Stephen K; Anderson, Mike B; Kapron, Ashley L; Peters, Christopher L; Pelt, Christopher E

2014-12-01

The applicability and validity of many patient-reported outcome measures in the high-functioning population are not well understood. To compare the psychometric properties of the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), the Hip Outcome Score activities of daily living subscale (HOS-ADL) and sports (HOS-sports), and the Lower Extremity Computerized Adaptive Test (LE CAT). The hypotheses was that all instruments would perform well but that the LE CAT would show superiority psychometrically because a combination of CAT and a large item bank allows for a high degree of measurement precision. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Data were collected from 472 advanced-age, active participants from the Huntsman World Senior Games in 2012. Validity evidences were examined through item fit, dimensionality, monotonicity, local independence, differential item functioning, person raw score to measure correlation, and instrument coverage (ie, ceiling and floor effects), and reliability evidences were examined through Cronbach alpha and person separation index. All instruments demonstrated good item fit, unidimensionality, monotonicity, local independence, and person raw score to measure correlations. The HOS-ADL had high ceiling effects of 36.02%, and the mHHS had ceiling effects of 27.54%. The LE CAT had ceiling effects of 8.47%, and the HOS-sports had no ceiling effects. None of the instruments had any floor effects. The mHHS had a very low Cronbach alpha of 0.41 and an extremely low person separation index of 0.08. Reliabilities for the LE CAT were excellent and for the HOS-ADL and HOS-sports were good. The LE CAT showed better psychometric properties overall than the HOS-ADL, HOS-sports, and mHHS for the senior population. The mHHS demonstrated pronounced ceiling effects and poor reliabilities that should be of concern. The high ceiling effects for the HOS-ADL were also of concern. The LE CAT was superior in all psychometric aspects examined in this study. Future

The glass ceiling in Irish healthcare: a nursing perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Tracey, Catherine

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore from the perspectives of top-level nurses holding the formal position of director of nursing their perceptions and interpretations of their experiences in the Irish healthcare system. This paper presents some findings from a nation-wide study, which is qualitative in approach using grounded theory methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 directors of nursing representing general and psychiatric nursing. The study in this paper was conducted in the context of a changing healthcare system, which emphasises the flattening of organisational pyramids. However, this study's findings indicate that, while structures might be changing, behaviours remain unaltered. In particular, the medicine nursing power base remains unchanged, while the power shift between nursing and general management continues to widen in favour of general management. Research in this paper shows that directors of nursing who chose to participate in this study may have different perceptions of experiences from those who chose not to participate. In the paper the reality is neither medicine nor general management, individually or collectively, are going to share or devolve power and influence to nursing. This study's findings indicate that nursing needs to confront this power imbalance. Nursing needs to take the first steps towards shattering the glass ceiling by really examining its own behaviours, in maintaining the status quo, in the traditional balance of power.

Shattering the Glass Ceiling. Issues and Solutions in Promoting the Advancement of Women and Minorities to Executive Management in Corporate America. White Paper 1966.

Science.gov (United States)

Microquest Corp., San Rafael, CA.

Despite their progress in the workplace in recent years, women and minorities still remain greatly underrepresented in executive roles in major U.S. companies. The barriers, attitudes, and practices that deter the advancement of women and minorities into executive ranks collectively result in the phenomenon known as the "Glass Ceiling."…

Exergy characteristics of a ceiling-type residential air conditioning system operating under different climatic conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozbek, Arif [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Ceyhan Engineering Faculty, Cukurova University, Adana (Turkmenistan)

2016-11-15

In this study an energy and exergy analysis of a Ceiling-type residential air conditioning (CTRAC) system operating under different climatic conditions have been investigated for provinces within the different geographic regions of Turkey. Primarily, the hourly cooling load capacities of a sample building (Q{sub evap}) during the months of April, May, June, July, August and September were determined. The hourly total heat gain of the sample building was determined using the Hourly analysis program (HAP). The Coefficient of performance (COP), exergy efficiency (η) and exergy destruction (Ex{sub dest}) values for the whole system and for each component were obtained. The results showed that lower atmospheric temperature (T{sub atm}) influenced the performance of the system and each of its components.

Reduced energy reqirement for air conditioning by using air diffusion with air flow from floor to ceiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bach, H; Dittes, W; Mangelsdorf, R; Detzer, R; Jungbaeck, E; Fitzner, K; Radtke, W; Soethout, F

1982-02-01

The condition of the air in the occupied zone in airconditioned rooms is influenced by the mixing of supply air with room air. When supplying air from the ceiling there is a mixing all over the room, when supplying from the floor or from desks there is a mixing region only in the lower area. Above this their is warm air from which the return air is drawn. For air supply from below the cooling load can be decreased. In combination with the possible enthalpy difference between room air and supply air this decrease of the cooling load influences the necessary air rate. The interdependence of various air conditioning systems and various air temperatures is shown with a computer program. The load factor for various air distribution system at various cooling loads have been measured in a room of (8 x 5)m/sup 2/ x 3m. Experiments in a smaller model room (scale 1:3) showed how the heat was transported from the mixing region to the stratification region. The theoretically gained influence of the supply air jets of the height of the mixing region and on the load rate could be verified by the experiments. For the design of the fresh air rate, experience has been gained by measurements with tracegas (N/sub 2/O) in a third room. In comparing calculations the annual energy consumption has been computed for a building assuming various air conditioning systems and typical operation data. From experience with the existing systems the conclusions have been drawn how air distribution from floor to ceiling can be installed and operated.

Constitutional guarantees gender equality and the reality of the 'glass ceiling' for women workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato Bernardi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The article makes an assessment of the distinction between the sexes and the preponderance of the male role in the labor market throughout history. It analyzes the existing legal framework before the promulgation of the Constitution of 1988 and after editing the adoption of measures coibitivas to gender discrimination, specifically on discrimination against women in the workplace. Seeking to understand the various forms of discrimination and analyzes equality to be achieved today. representative numbers of labor market behavior for women in IBGE statistics are presented. These data serve to corroborate the existence of the phenomenon of the "glass ceiling", ie the imaginary line that prevents the rise of women to senior positions, and economically hierarchical command positions. The conclusion, finally, the need to break these limits by adopting measures that restrict employers to keep promotions designed to gender criteria.

[Glass ceiling for women in academic medicine in France].

Science.gov (United States)

Rosso, C; Leger, A; Steichen, O

2018-06-03

To determine whether career development in academic medicine is more difficult for women than for men, and, if any, the nature and level of barriers to this progression. Extraction of full-time medical staff in a Parisian hospital group, through the SIGAPS platform; an online questionnaire survey of career choices and barriers experienced by full-time male and female physicians. The study population comprises 181 hospital practitioners and 141 academic physicians (49 associate professors and 92 full professors). Women represent 49% of the medical staff but 15% of full professors. This underrepresentation of women is more important among intensivists/anesthesiologists than technique-based specialists (such as radiologists, biologists…). There is no difference in scientific output, marital status and parenthood between women and men. On the other hand, there is a difference in attitudes highlighted by the EVAR risk-taking scale as well as in the burden of familial involvement and the prejudices felt by women during the academic selection process. The glass ceiling exists in one of the largest French hospital group. Career development principles promote merit, but should decrease the benefit of "masculine" attitudes in the competition for academic positions. Academic selection criteria should evolve to limit the disadvantage of women related to deeper familial involvement and less competitive strategies and risk-taking attitudes. Copyright © 2018 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Parametric analysis of the operation of nocturnal radiative cooling panels coupled with in room PCM ceiling panels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bourdakis, Eleftherios; Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Péan, T.Q.

2017-01-01

03:00 and get activated when the temperature in the storage tank was below 21°C, 69.8°F, activate the heat pump no earlier than 05:00 and get activated when the temperature in the storage tank was below 15°C, 59°F, and lastly have a temperature difference between the output of the solar panels......The scope of this parametric simulation study was to identify the optimal combination of set-points for different parameters of a radiant PCM ceiling panels cooling system that will result in the best indoor thermal environment with the least possible energy use. The results showed that for each...

Breaking through the glass ceiling: women in executive leadership positions--Part I.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, Lynn C; Reiss, Patricia L

2004-01-01

Women have had their share of difficulties climbing the corporate ladder in their chosen professional roles. Excellent role models exist for nurses to look up to as role models for leadership and executive level positions. Nurses and women must strive to achieve their goals of attaining executive/management level positions in their respective organizations. The glass ceiling still exists; however, women are slowly eroding that glass barrier and reaching their professional goals. In reviewing the struggles that men in nursing have encountered in a predominantly female profession, one realizes that stereotypical attitudes do cross gender lines. The authors conclude that executive level positions need to be opened more to women, just as the nursing profession must be more welcoming to men. The profession of nursing will only become stronger with gender diversity. Women encounter barriers when aspiring to executive level positions. In the next issue of SCI Nursing, the authors will report on what the evidence says about women in leadership roles, and the challenges they have and will continue to face.

Pride and prejudice beyond the glass ceiling: Brazilian female executives´ psychological type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Betania Tanure

2014-08-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-8077.2014v16n39p210 This paper intends to relate characteristics of female executive psychological type with their male colleagues in corporations operating in Brazil (CEOs, VPs/directors and top managers. The theoretical framework explores the glass ceiling and the prejudices faced by female executives. It was developed a mixed qualitative-quantitative method. In the quantitative part we interviewed 743 men and 222 women from 344 corporations. We applied also the questionnaire MBTI to 430 of these executives. In the qualitative part we held focus groups with 227 individuals and 104 semi-structured interviews. The most active psychological MBTI type found was the ESTJ, both to men and women. The dominant characteristics in this type is more rational, logical and less emotional. Prejudices are huge: women need to work harder to show that they are as competent as men. They also live the society's pressure in relation to the roles as mother and wife.

The effects of temperature on the radiation chemistry of polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, D.J.T.

1995-01-01

The effects of high energy radiation on polymers is dependent on a number of factors. One of the most important factors is the radiolysis temperature. This paper discusses the effects of the α-transition and the other secondary transitions, as well as the ceiling and melting temperatures, on the nature of the radiolysis reactions which occur for a number of polymers. Some implications of changes in the radiation chemistry of polymers with a change in the temperature are also considered. (author)

Sealing, especially of dropped ceiling of cubide where main circulating pump of nuclear reactor is installed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paucek, V.

1980-01-01

The sealing of the dropped ceiling of the cubicle for main circulating pump installation consists of a reinforcing ring in the space of the pump installation and the top annulus of biological shielding whose inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom biological shielding annulus mounted onto the pump body. The sealing comprises a vertically slidable support ring provided on its underside with an outer ring insert and an outer splice bar for functional gap formation. Slidably mounted in the gap is a guide annular plate tightly attached by means of an inner splice bar and bolts to the bottom biological shielding annulus. Spacers are provided between the reinforcing ring underside and the support ring top surface. (B.S.)

[Attempt to reduce the formaldehyde concentration by blowing cooled fresh air down in to the breathing zone of medical students from an admission port on the ceiling during gross anatomy class].

Science.gov (United States)

Takayanagi, Masaaki; Sakai, Makoto; Ishikawa, Youichi; Murakami, Kunio; Kimura, Akihiko; Kakuta, Sachiko; Sato, Fumi

2008-09-01

Cadavers in gross anatomy laboratories at most medical schools are conventionally embalmed in formaldehyde solution, which is carcinogenic to humans. Medical students and instructors are thus exposed to formaldehyde vapors emitted from cadavers during dissection. To reduce high formaldehyde concentrations in the breathing zone above cadavers being examined by anatomy medical students provisionally, dissection beds were located under existing admission ports on the ceiling to supply cooled fresh air from the admission port blowing downward on to the cadaver. In all cases, compared to normal condition, the downward flow of cooled fresh air from an admission port reduced formaldehyde concentrations by 0.09-0.98 ppm and reduced to 12.6-65.4% in the air above a cadaver in the breathing zone of students. The formaldehyde concentrations above cadavers under admission ports were not more than the formaldehyde concentrations between beds representing the indoor formaldehyde concentrations. Although the application of an existing admission port on the ceiling in this study did not remove formaldehyde, the downflow of cooled fresh air using this system reduced the formaldehyde concentration in the air above cadavers being attended by anatomy students during dissections. These results suggest the need for reducing formaldehyde levels in gross anatomy laboratories using fundamental countermeasures in order to satisfy the guidelines of 0.08 ppm established by the World Health Organization and the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Effect of tunnel cross section on gas temperatures and heat fluxes in case of large heat release rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Chuan Gang; Li, Ying Zhen; Ingason, Haukur; Lönnermark, Anders

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The effect of tunnel cross section together with ventilation velocity was studied. • Ceiling temperature varies clearly with tunnel height, but little with tunnel width. • Downstream temperature decreases with increasing tunnel dimensions. • HRR is an important factor that influences decay rate of excess gas temperature. • An equation considering both tunnel dimensions and HRR was developed. - Abstract: Tests with liquid and solid fuels in model tunnels (1:20) were performed and analysed in order to study the effect of tunnel cross section (width and height) together with ventilation velocity on ceiling gas temperatures and heat fluxes. The model tunnel was 10 m long with varying width (0.3 m, 0.45 m and 0.6 m) and height (0.25 m and 0.4 m). Test results show that the maximum temperature under the ceiling is a weak function of heat release rate (HRR) and ventilation velocity for cases with HRR more than 100 MW at full scale. It clearly varies with the tunnel height and is a weak function of the tunnel width. With a lower tunnel height, the ceiling is closer to the base of continuous flame zone and the temperatures become higher. Overall, the gas temperature beneath the ceiling decreases with the increasing tunnel dimensions, and increases with the increasing longitudinal ventilation velocity. The HRR is also an important factor that influences the decay rate of excess gas temperature, and a dimensionless HRR integrating HRR and other two key parameters, tunnel cross-sectional area and distance between fuel centre and tunnel ceiling, was introduced to account for the effect. An equation for the decay rate of excess gas temperature, considering both the tunnel dimensions and HRR, was developed. Moreover, a larger tunnel cross-sectional area will lead to a smaller heat flux.

Human perception of indoor environment generated by chilled ceiling combined with mixing ventilation or localised chilled beam under cooling mode

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov; Nygaard, Linette; Uth, Simon C.

2014-01-01

Experiments with 24 subjects were performed to study and compare the human perception of the indoor environment under summer conditions generated by a chilled ceiling combined with overhead mixing ventilation and localised chilled beam. The experiments were performed in an experimental chamber (4....../s and 16 0C. The localised chilled beam was installed over the workstation placed by the simulated window. During the experiment the subjects were delegated control over the primary flow rate supplied by the localised chilled beam. The whole exposure lasted 2 hours with 30 min of acclimatisation before...

Does debt ceiling and government shutdown help in forecasting the us equity risk premium?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aye Goodness C.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article evaluates the predictability of the equity risk premium in the United States by comparing the individual and complementary predictive power of macroeconomic variables and technical indicators using a comprehensive set of 16 economic and 14 technical predictors over a monthly out-ofsample period of 1995:01 to 2012:12 and an in-sample period of 1986:01- 1994:12. In order to do so we consider, in addition to the set of variables used in Christopher J. Neely et al. (2013 and using a more recent dataset, the forecasting ability of two other important variables namely government shutdown and debt ceiling. Our results show that one of the newly added variables namely government shutdown provides statistically significant out-of-sample predictive power over the equity risk premium relative to the historical average. Most of the variables, including government shutdown, also show significant economic gains for a risk averse investor especially during recessions.

Kinetic and equilibrium studies of cesium adsorption on ceiling tiles from aqueous solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Miah, Muhammed Yusuf; Volchek, Konstantin; Kuang, Wenxing; Tezel, F Handan

2010-11-15

A series of experiments were performed to quantify the adsorption of cesium on ceiling tiles as a representative of urban construction materials. Adsorption was carried out from solutions to mimic wet environmental conditions. Non-radioactive cesium chloride was used as a surrogate of the radioactive (137)Cs. The experiments were performed in the range of initial cesium concentrations of 0.114-23.9 mg L(-1) at room temperature (21°C) around three weeks. Solution samples were taken after set periods of time and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The quantity of adsorbed Cs was calculated by mass balance as a function of time. Two kinetic and three equilibrium models were employed to interpret the test results. Determination of kinetic parameters for adsorption was carried out using the first-order reaction model and the intra-particle diffusion model. Adsorption equilibrium was studied using Langmuir, Freundlich and three-parameter Langmuir-Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. A satisfactory correlation between the experimental and the predicted values was observed. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinetic and equilibrium studies of cesium adsorption on ceiling tiles from aqueous solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miah, Muhammed Yusuf [Emergencies Science and Technology Section, Environment Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 (Canada); Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Noakhali Science and Technology University (Bangladesh); Volchek, Konstantin, E-mail: Konstantin.Volchek@ec.gc.ca [Emergencies Science and Technology Section, Environment Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 (Canada); Kuang, Wenxing [SAIC Canada, 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 (Canada); Tezel, F. Handan [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis-Pasteur, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5 (Canada)

2010-11-15

A series of experiments were performed to quantify the adsorption of cesium on ceiling tiles as a representative of urban construction materials. Adsorption was carried out from solutions to mimic wet environmental conditions. Non-radioactive cesium chloride was used as a surrogate of the radioactive {sup 137}Cs. The experiments were performed in the range of initial cesium concentrations of 0.114-23.9 mg L{sup -1} at room temperature (21 deg. C) around three weeks. Solution samples were taken after set periods of time and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The quantity of adsorbed Cs was calculated by mass balance as a function of time. Two kinetic and three equilibrium models were employed to interpret the test results. Determination of kinetic parameters for adsorption was carried out using the first-order reaction model and the intra-particle diffusion model. Adsorption equilibrium was studied using Langmuir, Freundlich and three-parameter Langmuir-Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. A satisfactory correlation between the experimental and the predicted values was observed.

Women's Health and Women's Leadership in Academic Medicine: Hitting the Same Glass Ceiling?

Science.gov (United States)

Morrissey, Claudia; Geller, Stacie E.

2008-01-01

Abstract The term “glass ceiling” refers to women's lack of advancement into leadership positions despite no visible barriers. The term has been applied to academic medicine for over a decade but has not previously been applied to the advancement of women's health. This paper discusses (1) the historical linking of the advances in women's health with women's leadership in academic medicine, (2) the slow progress of women into leadership in academic medicine, and (3) indicators that the advancement of women's health has stalled. We make the case that deeply embedded unconscious gender-based biases and assumptions underpin the stalled advancement of women on both fronts. We conclude with recommendations to promote progress beyond the apparent glass ceiling that is preventing further advancement of women's health and women leaders. We emphasize the need to move beyond “fixing the women” to a systemic, institutional approach that acknowledges and addresses the impact of unconscious, gender-linked biases that devalue and marginalize women and issues associated with women, such as their health. PMID:18954235

Determination of optimum insulation thicknesses of the external walls and roof (ceiling) for Turkey's different degree-day regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sisman, Nuri; Kahya, Emin; Aras, Nil; Aras, Haydar

2007-01-01

The external walls and roof of a building are the interface between its interior and the outdoor environment. Insulation of the external walls and roof is the most cost-effective way of controlling the outside elements to make homes more comfortable. Although insulation is generally accepted as a factor increasing the building costs, with the calculations we have shown that this is not the case. Fuel consumption and operational costs are reduced by increasing the thickness of the external walls and roof (ceiling), despite an increase in the investment costs. According to Turkish Standard Number 825 (TS 825), there are four different degree-day (DD) regions, and the required heat loads for the buildings in these regions exhibit large differences. Therefore, a method based on costs is needed for the determination of optimum insulation thicknesses of different DD regions. In this study, optimum insulation thicknesses for different DD regions of Turkey, namely, Izmir (DD: 1450), Bursa (DD: 2203), Eskisehir (DD: 3215) and Erzurum (DD: 4856), have been determined for a lifetime of N years, maximizing the present worth value of annual energy savings for insulated external walls

[Handling modern imaging procedures in a high-tech operating room].

Science.gov (United States)

Hüfner, T; Citak, M; Imrecke, J; Krettek, C; Stübig, T

2012-03-01

Operating rooms are the central unit in the hospital network in trauma centers. In this area, high costs but also high revenues are generated. Modern operating theater concepts as an integrated model have been offered by different companies since the early 2000s. Our hypothesis is that integrative concepts for operating rooms, in addition to improved operating room ergonomics, have the potential for measurable time and cost savings. In our clinic, an integrated operating room concept (I-Suite, Stryker, Duisburg) was implemented after analysis of the problems. In addition to the ceiling-mounted arrangement, the system includes an endoscopy unit, a navigation system, and a voice control system. In the first 6 months (9/2005 to 2/2006), 112 procedures were performed in the integrated operating room: 34 total knee arthroplasties, 12 endoscopic spine surgeries, and 66 inpatient arthroscopic procedures (28 shoulder and 38 knee reconstructions). The analysis showed a daily saving of 22-45 min, corresponding to 15-30% of the daily changeover times, calculated to account for potential savings in the internal cost allocation of 225-450 EUR. A commercial operating room concept was evaluated in a pilot phase in terms of hard data, including time and cost factors. Besides the described effects further savings might be achieved through the effective use of voice control and the benefit of the sterile handle on the navigation camera, since waiting times for an additional nurse are minimized. The time of the procedure of intraoperative imaging is also reduced due to the ceiling-mounted concept, as the C-arm can be moved freely in the operating theater without hindering cables. By these measures and ensuing improved efficiency, the initial high costs for the implementation of the system may be cushioned over time.

Breaking the glass ceiling: an interview with Dr. Shirley Graves, a pioneering woman in medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Zulfiqar; Mai, Christine L; Elder, Badrea; Rodriguez, Samuel; Yaster, Myron

2014-04-01

Shirley Graves M.D., D.Sc. (honorary) (1936), Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at the University of Florida, was one of the most influential women in medicine in the 1960 and 1970s, a time when the medical profession was overwhelmingly male-dominated. In today's society, it is hard to believe that only 50 years ago, women were scarce in the field of medicine. Yet Dr. Graves was a pioneer in the fields of pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care medicine. She identifies her development of the pediatric intensive care unit and her leadership in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesia at the University of Florida as her defining contributions. Through her journal articles, book chapters, national and international lectures, and leadership in the American Society of Anesthesiology and the Florida Society of Anesthesiology, she inspired a generation of men and women physicians to conquer the unthinkable and break through the glass ceiling. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The hidden symbols of the female anatomy in Michelangelo Buonarroti's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

Science.gov (United States)

de Campos, Deivis; Malysz, Tais; Bonatto-Costa, João Antonio; Jotz, Geraldo Pereira; de Oliveira Junior, Lino Pinto; Wichmann, Jéssica Francine; Goulart, Guilherme Reghelin; Stefani, Marco Antonio; da Rocha, Andrea Oxley

2016-10-01

A number of published articles have suggested that each element of Renaissance art contains an inner meaning. Some of these elements include the choice of theme and protagonists, faces selected for the characters, colors used, species of flowers and trees chosen, animals depicted, positions of the elements, posture of the characters and their gestures, juxtapositions in the scenes, and even the very scenario or landscape. All of these elements are thought to have hidden meanings. In this context, this manuscript presents a new hypothesis suggesting that Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (painted 1508-1512) in Rome. Thus, this paper is useful to better understand the history of anatomy and corroborates recent descriptions that have suggested the possible existence of anatomic figures concealed in many of Michelangelo's works. Clin. Anat. 29:911-916, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Low-dose radiation pretreatment improves survival of human ceiling culture-derived proliferative adipocytes (ccdPAs) under hypoxia via HIF-1 alpha and MMP-2 induction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adachi, Naoki; Kubota, Yoshitaka; Kosaka, Kentarou; Akita, Shinsuke; Sasahara, Yoshitarou; Kira, Tomoe; Kuroda, Masayuki; Mitsukawa, Nobuyuki; Bujo, Hideaki; Satoh, Kaneshige

2015-01-01

Poor survival is a major problem of adipocyte transplantation. We previously reported that VEGF and MMPs secreted from transplanted adipocytes are essential for angiogenesis and adipogenesis. Pretreatment with low-dose (5 Gy) radiation (LDR) increased VEGF, MMP-2, and HIF-1 alpha mRNA expression in human ceiling culture-derived proliferative adipocytes (hccdPAs). Gene expression after LDR differed between adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) and hccdPAs. Pretreatment with LDR improved the survival of hccdPAs under hypoxia, which is inevitable in the early stages after transplantation. Upregulation of VEGF and MMP-2 after LDR in hccdPAs is mediated by HIF-1 alpha expression. Our results suggest that pretreatment with LDR may improve adipocyte graft survival in a clinical setting through upregulation of VEGF and MMP-2 via HIF-1 alpha. - Highlights: • Ceiling culture-derived proliferative adipocytes (ccdPAs) react to radiation. • Low-dose radiation (LDR) pretreatment improves survival of ccdPAs under hypoxia. • Gene expression after LDR differs between ccdPAs and adipose-derived stem cells. • LDR-induced increase in MMP-2 and VEGF is dependent on HIF-1 alpha induction. • LDR pretreatment may improve the adipocyte graft survival rate in clinical settings

Low-dose radiation pretreatment improves survival of human ceiling culture-derived proliferative adipocytes (ccdPAs) under hypoxia via HIF-1 alpha and MMP-2 induction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adachi, Naoki [Department of Plastic Surgery, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, #260-8677 (Japan); Kubota, Yoshitaka, E-mail: kubota-cbu@umin.ac.jp [Department of Plastic Surgery, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, #260-8677 (Japan); Kosaka, Kentarou; Akita, Shinsuke; Sasahara, Yoshitarou; Kira, Tomoe [Department of Plastic Surgery, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, #260-8677 (Japan); Kuroda, Masayuki [Center for Advanced Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, #260-8677 (Japan); Mitsukawa, Nobuyuki [Department of Plastic Surgery, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, #260-8677 (Japan); Bujo, Hideaki [Department of Clinical-Laboratory and Experimental-Research Medicine, Toho University, Sakura Medical Center, 564-1 Shimoshizu, Sakura-shi, Chiba, #285-8741 (Japan); Satoh, Kaneshige [Department of Plastic Surgery, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, #260-8677 (Japan)

2015-08-07

Poor survival is a major problem of adipocyte transplantation. We previously reported that VEGF and MMPs secreted from transplanted adipocytes are essential for angiogenesis and adipogenesis. Pretreatment with low-dose (5 Gy) radiation (LDR) increased VEGF, MMP-2, and HIF-1 alpha mRNA expression in human ceiling culture-derived proliferative adipocytes (hccdPAs). Gene expression after LDR differed between adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) and hccdPAs. Pretreatment with LDR improved the survival of hccdPAs under hypoxia, which is inevitable in the early stages after transplantation. Upregulation of VEGF and MMP-2 after LDR in hccdPAs is mediated by HIF-1 alpha expression. Our results suggest that pretreatment with LDR may improve adipocyte graft survival in a clinical setting through upregulation of VEGF and MMP-2 via HIF-1 alpha. - Highlights: • Ceiling culture-derived proliferative adipocytes (ccdPAs) react to radiation. • Low-dose radiation (LDR) pretreatment improves survival of ccdPAs under hypoxia. • Gene expression after LDR differs between ccdPAs and adipose-derived stem cells. • LDR-induced increase in MMP-2 and VEGF is dependent on HIF-1 alpha induction. • LDR pretreatment may improve the adipocyte graft survival rate in clinical settings.

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Ceiling Fan Dusts Sampled at Schools Around Serdang Area, Selangor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yap, C.K.; Krishnan, T.; Chew, W.

2011-01-01

In this study, ceiling fan dust samples were collected from three schools in the district of Serdang Selangor, Malaysia. The sampled dust were analysed for the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn. The heavy metal ranges found in all the schools were 2.96-7.74 μg/ g dry weight for Cd, 75-442 μg/ g dry weight for Cu, 3445-3852 μg/ g dry weight for Fe, 24-66 μg/ g dry weight for Ni, 140-734 μg/ g dry weight for Pb and 439-880 μg/ g dry weight for Zn. SMK Seri Serdang School was found to have elevated concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn which indicated the anthropogenic sources of the study sites. In comparison to other reported studies in the literature, the maximum levels of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb were comparable or higher to those cities reported. Therefore, more monitoring studies should be conducted in future since dusts could be related to human health hazards and the dusts can be used as a potential monitoring tool for heavy metal pollution in the atmosphere. (author)

Cross-border electricity market effects due to price caps in an emission trading system: An agent-based approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richstein, Jörn C.; Chappin, Emile J.L.; Vries, Laurens J. de

2014-01-01

The recent low CO 2 prices in the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) have triggered a discussion whether the EU ETS needs to be adjusted. We study the effects of CO 2 price floors and a price ceiling on the dynamic investment pathway of two interlinked electricity markets (loosely based on Great Britain, which already has introduced a price floor, and on Central Western Europe). Using an agent-based electricity market simulation with endogenous investment and a CO 2 market (including banking), we analyse the cross-border effects of national policies as well as system-wide policy options. A common, moderate CO 2 auction reserve price results in a more continuous decarbonisation pathway. This reduces CO 2 price volatility and the occurrence of carbon shortage price periods, as well as the average cost to consumers. A price ceiling can shield consumers from extreme price shocks. These price restrictions do not cause a large risk of an overall emissions overshoot in the long run. A national price floor lowers the cost to consumers in the other zone; the larger the zone with the price floor, the stronger the effect. Price floors that are too high lead to inefficiencies in investment choices and to higher consumer costs. - Highlights: • Cross-border effects of CO 2 policies were investigated with an agent-based model. • The current EU ETS might cause CO 2 price shocks and CO 2 price volatility. • A CO 2 auction reserve price does not lower welfare, but lowers CO 2 price volatility. • A national CO 2 price floor lowers consumer cost in the other countries. • A CO 2 price ceiling does not lead to an overshoot of emissions

High Bay Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — This laboratory is a specially constructed facility with elevated (37 feet) ceilings and an overhead catwalk, and which is dedicated to research efforts in reducing...

Review and investigations of oscillatory flow behaviour of a horizontal ceiling opening for nuclear containment and fire safety analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, P.K.; Singh, R.K.; Ghosh, A.K. [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai (India). Reactor Safety Div.

2011-05-15

In the thermal hydraulics codes developed for fire safety analysis and for containment thermal hydraulic analysis, junctions in the multi-compartment geometries is often modeled as uni-directional junctions. However, ceiling junctions are known to depict unstable/oscillatory bi-directional flow behavior. Detailed investigations have been carried out to understand the unstable flow behaviour of a junction by analyzing an earlier reported experiment and its subsequent two dimensional numerical RANS based study of fire in an enclosure. The authors attempt more realistic and desired three dimensional and inherently transient large eddy simulations using a computer code Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS). The paper presents the details of the analysis, the results obtained and further studies required to be conducted so that the findings can be applied to the fire/containment thermal hydraulics analysis codes successfully. (orig.)

The effects of receiving room dimensions and absorption in the measurement of impact insulation class (IIC) rating

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Rose Mary; Tocci, Gregory

2005-09-01

The measurement of the Impact Insulation Class (IIC) rating of any floor/ceiling construction requires the use of a certified laboratory space. In a recent investigation into the IIC rating of a new floor system, several tests were conducted in a certified laboratory. In many tests, the IIC rating was controlled by the 100-Hz 1/3-octave frequency band, despite changes in the floor/ceiling construction. The base floor/ceiling construction included a wood structural floor on open-web wood joists and a GWB ceiling below. This paper will investigate the possibility that room resonances influenced the IIC ratings of the several floor systems tested. These data will be compared with IIC data collected for the same floor construction with the GWB ceiling removed. The removal of the GWB ceiling increased the receiver room volume and exposed the glass fiber insulation to the receiver room, thus eliminating the control of the 100-Hz 1/3-octave band over the IIC rating.

Verification of the Seismic Performance of a Rigidly Connected Modular System Depending on the Shape and Size of the Ceiling Bracket

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seungjae Lee

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Modular systems have been mostly researched in relatively low-rise structures but, lately, their applications to mid- to high-rise structures began to be reviewed, and research interest in new modularization subjects has increased. The application of modular systems to mid- to high-rise structures requires the structural stability of the frame and connections that consist of units, and the evaluation of the stiffness of structures that are combined in units. However, the combination of general units causes loss of the cross-section of columns or beams, resulting in low seismic performance and hindering installation works in the field. In addition, the evaluation of a frame considering such a cross-sectional loss is not easy. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a joint that is stable and easy to install. In the study, a rigidly connected modular system was proposed as a moment-resisting frame for a unit modular system, and their joints were developed and their performances were compared. The proposed system changed the ceiling beam into a bracket type to fasten bolts. It can be merged with other seismic force-resisting systems. To verify the seismic performance of the proposed system, a cyclic loading test was conducted, and the rigidly connected joint performance and integrated behavior at the joint of modular units were investigated. From the experimental results, the maximum resisting force of the proposed connection exceeded the theoretical parameters, indicating that a rigid joint structural performance could be secured.

Female Administrators: A Crack in the Glass Ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Susan Bon; Young, I. Phillip; Jury, James C.

1999-01-01

Studied the effects of evaluator gender, applicant gender, and gender of the reference source on the screening of applicants for assistant-principal positions. Responses of 150 high school principals suggest that hypothetical female candidates were evaluated more highly than male applicants and were more likely to be interviewed. (SLD)

Use of PROMIS for Patients Undergoing Primary Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowdle, S Blake; Glass, Natalie; Anthony, Chris A; Hettrich, Carolyn M

2017-09-01

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) consists of question banks for health domains through computer adaptive testing (CAT). For patients with glenohumeral arthritis, (1) there would be high correlation between traditional patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures and the PROMIS upper extremity item bank (PROMIS UE) and PROMIS physical function CAT (PROMIS PF CAT), and (2) PROMIS PF CAT would not demonstrate ceiling effects. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Sixty-one patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis were included. Each patient completed the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) assessment form, Marx Shoulder Activity Scale, Short Form-36 physical function scale (SF-36 PF), EuroQol 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire, Western Ontario Osteoarthritis Shoulder (WOOS) index, PROMIS PF CAT, and the PROMIS UE. Correlation was defined as high (>0.7), moderate (0.4-0.6), or weak (0.2-0.3). Significant floor and ceiling effects were present if more than 15% of individuals scored the lowest or highest possible total score on any PRO. The PROMIS PF demonstrated excellent correlation with the SF-36 PF ( r = 0.81, P ceiling or floor effects observed. The mean number of items administered by the PROMIS PRO was 4. These data suggest that for a patient population with operative shoulder osteoarthritis, PROMIS UE and PROMIS PF CAT may be valid alternative PROs. Additionally, PROMIS PF CAT offers a decreased question burden with no ceiling effects.

Use of PROMIS for Patients Undergoing Primary Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Science.gov (United States)

Dowdle, S. Blake; Glass, Natalie; Anthony, Chris A.; Hettrich, Carolyn M.

2017-01-01

Background: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) consists of question banks for health domains through computer adaptive testing (CAT). Hypothesis: For patients with glenohumeral arthritis, (1) there would be high correlation between traditional patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures and the PROMIS upper extremity item bank (PROMIS UE) and PROMIS physical function CAT (PROMIS PF CAT), and (2) PROMIS PF CAT would not demonstrate ceiling effects. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Sixty-one patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis were included. Each patient completed the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) assessment form, Marx Shoulder Activity Scale, Short Form–36 physical function scale (SF-36 PF), EuroQol 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire, Western Ontario Osteoarthritis Shoulder (WOOS) index, PROMIS PF CAT, and the PROMIS UE. Correlation was defined as high (>0.7), moderate (0.4-0.6), or weak (0.2-0.3). Significant floor and ceiling effects were present if more than 15% of individuals scored the lowest or highest possible total score on any PRO. Results: The PROMIS PF demonstrated excellent correlation with the SF-36 PF (r = 0.81, P ceiling or floor effects observed. The mean number of items administered by the PROMIS PRO was 4. Conclusion: These data suggest that for a patient population with operative shoulder osteoarthritis, PROMIS UE and PROMIS PF CAT may be valid alternative PROs. Additionally, PROMIS PF CAT offers a decreased question burden with no ceiling effects. PMID:28944248

Good validity and reliability of the forgotten joint score in evaluating the outcome of total knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Morten G; Latifi, Roshan; Kallemose, Thomas

2016-01-01

. We investigated the validity and reliability of the FJS. Patients and methods - A Danish version of the FJS questionnaire was created according to internationally accepted standards. 360 participants who underwent primary TKA were invited to participate in the study. Of these, 315 were included...... in a validity study and 150 in a reliability study. Correlation between the Oxford knee score (OKS) and the FJS was examined and test-retest evaluation was performed. A ceiling effect was defined as participants reaching a score within 15% of the maximum achievable score. Results - The validity study revealed...... of the FJS (ICC? 0.79). We found a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach's? = 0.96). The ceiling effect for the FJS was 16%, as compared to 37% for the OKS. Interpretation - The FJS showed good construct validity and test-retest reliability. It had a lower ceiling effect than the OKS. The FJS appears...

Structural analysis of a rehabilitative training system based on a ceiling rail for safety of hemiplegia patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyong; Song, Won Kyung; Chong, Woo Suk; Yu, Chang Ho

2018-04-17

The body-weight support (BWS) function, which helps to decrease load stresses on a user, is an effective tool for gait and balance rehabilitation training for elderly people with weakened lower-extremity muscular strength, hemiplegic patients, etc. This study conducts structural analysis to secure user safety in order to develop a rail-type gait and balance rehabilitation training system (RRTS). The RRTS comprises a rail, trolley, and brain-machine interface. The rail (platform) is connected to the ceiling structure, bearing the loads of the RRTS and of the user and allowing locomobility. The trolley consists of a smart drive unit (SDU) that assists the user with forward and backward mobility and a body-weight support (BWS) unit that helps the user to control his/her body-weight load, depending on the severity of his/her hemiplegia. The brain-machine interface estimates and measures on a real-time basis the body-weight (load) of the user and the intended direction of his/her movement. Considering the weight of the system and the user, the mechanical safety performance of the system frame under an applied 250-kg static load is verified through structural analysis using ABAQUS (6.14-3) software. The maximum stresses applied on the rail and trolley under the given gravity load of 250 kg, respectively, are 18.52 MPa and 48.44 MPa. The respective safety factors are computed to be 7.83 and 5.26, confirming the RRTS's mechanical safety. An RRTS with verified structural safety could be utilized for gait movement and balance rehabilitation and training for patients with hemiplegia.

Women and the Workplace: The Glass Ceiling. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, First Session (October 23, 1991).

Science.gov (United States)

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.

These proceedings are from a hearing that addressed the so-called "glass ceiling"--the dearth of women in mid- and upper-management level positions in corporations and other organizations. Statements of the following persons are included: Senator Paul Simon; Elsie Vartanian, Director of the Women's Bureau; Senator Robert Dole; Lynn…

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RULES IN FIVE LEADING STANDARDS FOR SMOKE DETECTORS SITING IN THE PRESENCE OF A CEILING IRREGULARITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milan BLAGOJEVIĆ

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Subdividing elements and different structures on the ceiling like beams or similar, significantly affect the location of the smoke detector, because they change the flow of combustion products. From point of view of fire detection system, designers it is very interesting how to arrange and distribute smoke detectors in applications when beams are formed structure like a “honeycomb” The European norm 54-14 is mandatory, but in practice, a main question appears: “Do we have the explanations detailed enough for all of the situations that could occur related to length, width and depth of honeycomb cells”? The main goal of this paper is to show the differences between the rules and the instructions in five standards: EN 54-14, VDE 0833-2, BS 5839-1, NPB 88, NFPA 72, and to find the best solution for various situations in practice.

Long-term high-dose oral morphine in phantom limb pain with no addiction risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinod Kumar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Chronic phantom limb pain (PLP is a type of neuropathic pain, which is located in the missing/amputated limb. Phantom pain is difficult to treat as the exact basis of pain mechanism is still unknown. Various methods of treatment for PLP have been described, including pharmacological (NSAIDs, opioids, antiepileptic, antidepressants and non-pharmacological (TENS, sympathectomy, deep brain stimulation and motor cortex stimulation. Opioids are used for the treatment of neuropathic pain and dose of opioid is determined based on its effect and thus there is no defined ceiling dose for opioids. We report a case where a patient receiving high-dose oral morphine for chronic cancer pain did not demonstrate signs of addiction.

Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer during Night-Time Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Artmann, Nikolai; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Manz, H.

2010-01-01

is the heat transfer at the internal room surfaces. Increased convection is expected due to high air flow rates and the possibility of a cold air jet flowing along the ceiling, but the magnitude of these effects is hard to predict. In order to improve the predictability, heat transfer during night......-time ventilation in case of mixing and displacement ventilation has been investigated in a full scale test room. The results show that for low air flow rates displacement ventilation is more efficient than mixing ventilation. For higher air flow rates the air jet flowing along the ceiling has a significant effect...

Performance of PROMIS for Healthy Patients Undergoing Meniscal Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hancock, Kyle J; Glass, Natalie; Anthony, Chris A; Hettrich, Carolyn M; Albright, John; Amendola, Annunziato; Wolf, Brian R; Bollier, Matthew

2017-06-07

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was developed as an extensive question bank with multiple health domains that could be utilized for computerized adaptive testing (CAT). In the present study, we investigated the use of the PROMIS Physical Function CAT (PROMIS PF CAT) in an otherwise healthy population scheduled to undergo surgery for meniscal injury with the hypotheses that (1) the PROMIS PF CAT would correlate strongly with patient-reported outcome instruments that measure physical function and would not correlate strongly with those that measure other health domains, (2) there would be no ceiling effects, and (3) the test burden would be significantly less than that of the traditional measures. Patients scheduled to undergo meniscal surgery completed the PROMIS PF CAT, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Marx Knee Activity Rating Scale, Short Form-36 (SF-36), and EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaires. Correlations were defined as high (≥0.7), high-moderate (0.61 to 0.69), moderate (0.4 to 0.6), moderate-weak (0.31 to 0.39), or weak (≤0.3). If ≥15% respondents to a patient-reported outcome measure obtained the highest or lowest possible score, the instrument was determined to have a significant ceiling or floor effect. A total of 107 participants were analyzed. The PROMIS PF CAT had a high correlation with the SF-36 Physical Functioning (PF) (r = 0.82, p ceiling effects, with 0% of the participants achieving the lowest and highest score, respectively. The PROMIS PF CAT correlates strongly with currently used patient-reported outcome measures of physical function and demonstrates no ceiling effects for patients with meniscal injury requiring surgery. It may be a reasonable alternative to more burdensome patient-reported outcome measures.

Character-Defining Features of Contributing Buildings and Structures in the Fort Gordon, Georgia, Signal School Campus Historic District

Science.gov (United States)

2016-07-01

aluminum and plate- glass doors, sidelights, and transoms [right] (ERDC-CERL, 2015). .................. 178 Figure 243. Ceiling -mounted light fixture...Light pattern” effect on wall The typical Signal School building is of cast-in-place concrete columns with a waffle floor/ ceiling structure. The...would have a significant effect on the character-defining feature of the classroom hall- ways as would installing a dropped ceiling to cover the

Did it really happen? Memory, history and myth in Eugenia Tsoulis´ Between the ceiling and the sky

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catalina Ribas Segura

2009-06-01

Full Text Available World War II, the Nazi occupation and several dictatorships forced many Greek men and women into migration. In 1952 Greece signed an agreement on assisted migration to Australia and more than “250 000 Greek and Cypriot migrants from Greece (1952-74, Rumania (1952-8, Egypt and the Middle East (1952-2 [sic], Cyprus (1974-84 and other politically turbulent countries of Eastern Europe and Latin America” moved to Australia (Tamis, Anastasios M. The Greeks in Australia, 2005: 47. The lives of those migrants changed radically as they left home behind. Some of them, or their children, wrote fictional texts explaining some of their experiences. An example of this is Eugenia Tsoulis´ Behind the Ceiling and the Sky (1998, where the main characters live their lives between present and past and between memories and myths, on the one hand, and facts and the lifeworld that surround them, on the other. This paper will analyse this novel and the sometimes blurred boundaries between memory, history and myth.

Cost effective radiation risk management in a generic nuclear plant design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maan, M.A.

1982-11-01

To determine whether any further dose reduction measures are justified, a method appropriate for cost effective radiation risk management has been developed. This new method is based on the radiation detriment optimization measures advocated in the revised (1977) ALARA concept. The methodology includes the determination of available alternatives, and the determination of the variable monetary ceiling on expenditures to reduce the radiological detriment (both occupational and public). The method used to determine the maximum justifiable expenditure for additional reduction of detriment takes into account the economic and social climate, administrative/legal exposure limits, and the actual magnitude of risk. All these factors may vary from country to country. The variable monetary ceiling, sensitive to an actual level of risk, provides a handy measure allowing designers to make a decision whether or not the modification of design is necessary and/or cost effective. This will ensure rationally and consistently that the utilities and their customers (public) get maximum benefit for their safety dollars

Navigating the Labyrinth

Science.gov (United States)

Eagly, Alice H.; Carli, Linda L.

2009-01-01

The glass ceiling has shattered. The metaphor of a glass ceiling, an absolute barrier to women's advancement, is seriously outdated. Some women do make it to high positions as big-city superintendents of schools, governors, secretaries of state and, even occasionally, as Fortune 500 CEOs. The glass ceiling metaphor has great appeal but is…

Informal markets and urban sociabilities in the periphery of Brasilia: the case of Ceilândia - DF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Breitner Tavares

2009-06-01

Full Text Available This article makes use of some theoretical landmarks of the theory of the city to after rethink the trajectory of Brasilia in the first years its inauguration in 1960. Initially, a quarrel is become fulfilled, in terms of its process of urban segregation and its consequences in terms of the sprouting , of informal places of commerce. After that, while empiric reference, appeals itself the trajectory of the city of Ceilândia – DF, as consequence of the fast transformation of the urban landscape of Brasília. Furthermore, the sprouting of spaces of sociability of actors will be argued insurgent citizens who faces the exclusion of the modern city from the redefinition of practical solidarity as free market of exchanges and fairs as the case of the Feira do Rolo, a kind of flea market, that in relation to other markets, offers to the consumer many products for cheaper prices. Consequently, the fair simultaneously constitutes a commercial alternative for a working class community; and one has left of the significant collective memory of the city, an immaterial heritage that has been redefined permanently by its inhabitants.

Political skill: explaining the effects of nonnative accent on managerial hiring and entrepreneurial investment decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Laura; Frideger, Marcia; Pearce, Jone L

2013-11-01

We propose and test a new theory explaining glass-ceiling bias against nonnative speakers as driven by perceptions that nonnative speakers have weak political skill. Although nonnative accent is a complex signal, its effects on assessments of the speakers' political skill are something that speakers can actively mitigate; this makes it an important bias to understand. In Study 1, White and Asian nonnative speakers using the same scripted responses as native speakers were found to be significantly less likely to be recommended for a middle-management position, and this bias was fully mediated by assessments of their political skill. The alternative explanations of race, communication skill, and collaborative skill were nonsignificant. In Study 2, entrepreneurial start-up pitches from national high-technology, new-venture funding competitions were shown to experienced executive MBA students. Nonnative speakers were found to have a significantly lower likelihood of receiving new-venture funding, and this was fully mediated by the coders' assessments of their political skill. The entrepreneurs' race, communication skill, and collaborative skill had no effect. We discuss the value of empirically testing various posited reasons for glass-ceiling biases, how the importance and ambiguity of political skill for executive success serve as an ostensibly meritocratic cover for nonnative speaker bias, and other theoretical and practical implications of this work. (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Dental Stem Cell Migration on Pulp Ceiling Cavities Filled with MTA, Dentin Chips, or Bio-Oss

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania Lymperi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available MTA, Bio-Oss, and dentin chips have been successfully used in endodontics. The aim of this study was to assess the adhesion and migration of dental stem cells on human pulp ceiling cavities filled with these endodontic materials in an experimental model, which mimics the clinical conditions of regenerative endodontics. Cavities were formed, by a homemade mold, on untouched third molars, filled with endodontic materials, and observed with electron microscopy. Cells were seeded on cavities’ surface and their morphology and number were analysed. The phenomenon of tropism was assessed in a migration assay. All three materials demonstrated appropriate microstructures for cell attachment. Cells grew on all reagents, but they showed a differential morphology. Moreover, variations were observed when comparing cells numbers on cavity’s filling versus the surrounding dentine disc. The highest number of cells was recorded on dentin chips whereas the opposite was true for Bio-Oss. This was confirmed in the migration assay where a statistically significant lower number of cells migrated towards Bio-Oss as compared to MTA and dentin chips. This study highlights that MTA and dentin chips have a greater potential compared to Bio-Oss regarding the attraction of dental stem cells and are good candidates for bioengineered pulp regeneration.

Environmental burden by nitrogen from agriculture in the Netherlands. Outline of effects of manure and ammonia measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kros, J.; De Vries, W.; Oenema, O.

2004-01-01

The nitrogen emission ceiling has been introduced to be able to assess the effectiveness of measures to control manure and ammonia. This integral method shows the effects of several policy options on the release of nitrogen from the agricultural sector into the environment on a regional scale [nl

The status of women at one academic medical center. Breaking through the glass ceiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Nickerson, K G; Bennett, N M; Estes, D; Shea, S

1990-10-10

Despite recent gains in admission to medical school and in obtaining junior faculty positions, women remain underrepresented at senior academic ranks and in leadership positions in medicine. This discrepancy has been interpreted as evidence of a "glass ceiling" that prevents all but a few exceptional women from gaining access to leadership positions. We analyzed data from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, for all faculty hired from 1969 through 1988 and found that the likelihood of promotion on the tenure track was 0.40 for women and 0.48 for men (ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.56 to 1.20); on the clinical track the likelihood of promotion was 0.75 for women and 0.72 for men (ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.56 to 1.94). Additional analysis of current faculty showed that in the academic year 1988-1989 the proportion of women at each tenure track rank at the College of Physicians & Surgeons equaled or exceeded the national proportion of women graduating from medical school, once allowance was made for the average time lag necessary to attain each rank. On the clinical track women were somewhat overrepresented, particularly at the junior rank. National data that describe medical school faculty, which combine tenure and clinical tracks, showed that in 1988 women were proportionately represented at each rank once the lead time from graduation was considered. We conclude that objective evidence shows that women can succeed and are succeeding in gaining promotions in academic medicine.

Closeness to God among those doing God's work: a spiritual well-being measure for clergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Proeschold-Bell, Rae Jean; Yang, Chongming; Toth, Matthew; Corbitt Rivers, Monica; Carder, Kenneth

2014-06-01

Measuring spiritual well-being among clergy is particularly important given the high relevance of God to their lives, and yet its measurement is prone to problems such as ceiling effects and conflating religious behaviors with spiritual well-being. To create a measure of closeness to God for Christian clergy, we tested survey items at two time points with 1,513 United Methodist Church clergy. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated support for two, six-item factors: Presence and Power of God in Daily Life, and Presence and Power of God in Ministry. The data supported the predictive and concurrent validity of the two factors and evidenced high reliabilities without ceiling effects. This Clergy Spiritual Well-being Scale may be useful to elucidate the relationship among dimensions of health and well-being in clergy populations.

Bric, Ceiling and base

OpenAIRE

Roda Jean-Marc; Noor Aini Zakaria; Lim Hin Fui; Ismariah Ahmad

2012-01-01

The acronym of BRIC is becoming widely-known as its use by the media increases. BRIC stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and it is the acronym that captures the new importance and effect of these new big engines of globalisation. These giant countries with their dynamics, thirst of resources and industrial development are now reshaping the international trade. The BRIC dynamics now creates major ripple effects in all economic sectors. The exponential growth of BRIC economic activities hav...

Validity and internal consistency of a whiplash-specific disability measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinfold, Melanie; Niere, Ken R; O'Leary, Elizabeth F; Hoving, Jan Lucas; Green, Sally; Buchbinder, Rachelle

2004-02-01

Cross-sectional study of patients with whiplash-associated disorders investigating the internal consistency, factor structure, response rates, and presence of floor and ceiling effects of the Whiplash Disability Questionnaire (WDQ). The aim of this study was to confirm the appropriateness of the proposed WDQ items. Whiplash injuries are a common cause of pain and disability after motor vehicle accidents. Neck disability questionnaires are often used in whiplash studies to assess neck pain but lack content validity for patients with whiplash-associated disorders. The newly developed WDQ measures functional limitations associated with whiplash injury and was designed after interviews with 83 patients with whiplash in a previous study. Researchers sought expert opinion on items of the WDQ, and items were then tested on a clinical whiplash population. Data were inspected to determine floor and ceiling effects, response rates, factor structure, and internal consistency. Packages of questionnaires were distributed to 55 clinicians, whose patients with whiplash completed and returned 101 questionnaires to researchers. No substantial floor or ceiling effects were identified on inspection of data. The overall floor effect was 12%, and the overall ceiling effect was 4%. Principal component analysis identified one broad factor that accounted for 65% of the variance in responses. Internal consistency was high; Cronbach's alpha = 0.96. Results of the study supported the retention of the 13 proposed items in a whiplash-specific disability questionnaire. Dependent on the results of further psychometric testing, the WDQ is likely to be an appropriate outcome measure for patients with whiplash.

Shielding analysis of the IEM cell offset adapter plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simons, R.L.

1995-01-01

The adapter plate for the Interim Examination and Maintenance (IEM) cell ten foot ceiling valve was modified so that the penetration through the valve is offset to the north side of the steel plate. The modifications required that the shielding effectiveness be evaluated for several operating conditions. The highest gamma ray dose rate (51 mrem/hr) occurs when a Core Component Container (CCC) with six high burn-up driver fuel assemblies is transferred into or out of Solid Waste Cask (SWC). The neutron dose rate at the same source location is 2.5 mrem/hr. The total dose rate during the transfer is less than the 200 mrem/hr limit. If the ten foot ceiling valve is closed, the dose rate with twelve DFA in the cell will be less than 0.1 mrem/hr. However, with the ceiling valve open the dose rate will be as high as 12 mrem/hr. The latter condition will require controlled access to the area around the offset adapter plate when the ceiling valve is open. It was found that gaps in the shield block around the SWC floor valve will allow contact dose rates as high as 350 mrem/hr during the transfer of a fully loaded CCC. Although this situation does not pertain to the offset adapter plate, it will require controlled access around the SWC valve during the transfer of a fully loaded CCC

The Berg Balance Scale has high intra- and inter-rater reliability but absolute reliability varies across the scale: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Downs, Stephen; Marquez, Jodie; Chiarelli, Pauline

2013-06-01

What is the intra-rater and inter-rater relative reliability of the Berg Balance Scale? What is the absolute reliability of the Berg Balance Scale? Does the absolute reliability of the Berg Balance Scale vary across the scale? Systematic review with meta-analysis of reliability studies. Any clinical population that has undergone assessment with the Berg Balance Scale. Relative intra-rater reliability, relative inter-rater reliability, and absolute reliability. Eleven studies involving 668 participants were included in the review. The relative intrarater reliability of the Berg Balance Scale was high, with a pooled estimate of 0.98 (95% CI 0.97 to 0.99). Relative inter-rater reliability was also high, with a pooled estimate of 0.97 (95% CI 0.96 to 0.98). A ceiling effect of the Berg Balance Scale was evident for some participants. In the analysis of absolute reliability, all of the relevant studies had an average score of 20 or above on the 0 to 56 point Berg Balance Scale. The absolute reliability across this part of the scale, as measured by the minimal detectable change with 95% confidence, varied between 2.8 points and 6.6 points. The Berg Balance Scale has a higher absolute reliability when close to 56 points due to the ceiling effect. We identified no data that estimated the absolute reliability of the Berg Balance Scale among participants with a mean score below 20 out of 56. The Berg Balance Scale has acceptable reliability, although it might not detect modest, clinically important changes in balance in individual subjects. The review was only able to comment on the absolute reliability of the Berg Balance Scale among people with moderately poor to normal balance. Copyright © 2013 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by .. All rights reserved.

Cost effectiveness analysis of indoor radon control measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimoto, Kenzo

1989-01-01

The problem of radon 222 in buildings as a contributor to radiation exposure is described. Five different control methods and the dose reductions that would result from each are analysed. The annualized cost for each control measure was evaluated and the cost effectiveness of each control measure was calculated on the basis of dollars per person-sievert dose reduction. The use of unipolar ion generators for particle removal appears to be the most cost effective and the use of ceiling fans to increase air circulation the least cost effective. 3 figs., 1 tab

Evaluation of base, optimum and ceiling temperature for (Kochia scoparia L. Schard with application of Five-Parameters-Beta Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sabouri Rad

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Kochia (Kochia scoparia L. Schard is an annual, halophyte and drought resistant plant, that it can be irrigated with saline water and a valuable source for forage under drought and saline ecosystems. In order to evaluate germination characteristics of kochia, an experiment was conducted at Physiology laboratory of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during 2009. This experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications. Germination was evaluated at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C under dark germinator with 50-60 percentage relative humidity. The results showed that the highest germination percentage was obtained at 20-30°C and the lowest obtained at 40°C. The longest and the shortest period to 20 and 50 germination percentage were recorded to 5-10°C and 20-30°C, respectively. The longest and the shortest period to 80 percentage germination were belonging to 15 and 30°C, respectively. Based on Five Parameters Beta model, base, optimum and ceiling temperatures for kochia estimated 3.4, 25 and 43.3°C, respectively. However, seed of this plant is able to germinate in wide temperature range.

Advance care planning: the impact of Ceiling of Treatment plans in patients with Coordinate My Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Broadhurst, Helen Lucy; Droney, Joanne; Callender, Tom; Shaw, Amanda; Riley, Julia

2018-03-22

The aim of this evaluation is to describe the components and results of urgent care planning in Coordinate My Care (CMC), a digital clinical service for patients with life-limiting illness, for use if a patient is unable to make or express choices. Ceiling of treatment (CoT) plans were created detailing where the patient would like to receive their care and how aggressive medical interventions should be. A retrospective service evaluation was completed of all CMC records created between December 2015 and September 2016 (n=6854). CMC records were divided into two cohorts: those with a CoT plan and those without. The factors associated with these cohorts were reviewed including age, diagnosis, resuscitation status and preferences for place of death (PPD). Analysis of the non-mandatory free text section was carried out. Two-thirds of patients had recorded decisions about CoT. Regardless of which CoT option was chosen, for most patients, PPD was home or care home. Patients with a CoT plan were more likely to have a documented resuscitation status.Patients with a CoT were more likely to die in their PPD (82%vs71%, OR 1.79, pcare planning. Three facets of urgent care planning identified include PPD, CoT and resuscitation status. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Characteristics and performance of thin LaBr3(Ce) crystal for hard X-ray astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Manchanda, R. K.

2011-01-01

We have developed a new detector using thin lanthanum bromide crystal (32 × 3 mm) for use in X-ray astronomy. The instrument was launched in high altitude balloon flight on two different occasions, December 21, 2007, which reached a ceiling altitude of 4.3 mbs and April 25, 2008 reaching a ceiling altitude 2.8 mbs. The observed background counting rate at the ceiling altitude of 4 mbs was ˜4 × 10-3 ct cm-2 s-1 keV-1 sr-1. This paper describes the details of the experiment, the detector characteristics, and the background behaviour at the ceiling altitude.

Computational prediction of the effective temperature in the lying area of pig pens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerg, Bjarne; Rong, Li; Zhang, Guoqiang

2018-01-01

Using solid floor instead of drained or slatted floor in the lying areas of pig pens has distinct advantages in relation to animal welfare, odour abatement and ammonia emission, energy consumption and reduced building costs. However, pig producers often opt out of providing a solid floor due......, individually contribute to the combined effect of the thermal condition raising pigs are exposed to. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to estimate the relevant parameters and, finally, the ET. Furthermore, the developed ET equation was implemented in the CFD model as a Custom Field...... Function to calculate the distribution of ET in the animal occupied zone. It was assumed that a traditional diffuse ceiling air inlet would deliver the required airflow rate as long as the outdoor temperature was below 10. °C. At higher outdoor temperature, a ceiling-jet inlet above each pen was opened...

Luminous effectiveness of tubular light-guides in tropics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darula, Stanislav; Kittler, Richard; Kocifaj, Miroslav [ICA, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 9, Dubravska Road, 845 03 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2010-11-15

Novel tubular light-guides with a transparent hemispherical cupola placed on an unobstructed flat roof collect all sunlight and skylight available at ground level year round. This advantage is heightened in the dry and sunny tropical regions where the sun rises to very high altitudes and often the hours of sunshine last throughout the whole day. Hollow light-guides with very high inner specular reflectances can transport sunbeams downward into the windowless building core very effectively. Due to the tube's diameter and length and multiple reflections, complex illuminance patterns are produced on the underside of the tube, i.e. on top of the glazed ceiling aperture that illuminates the interior space or its working plane. This paper discusses several daylight conditions in tropical interiors illuminated by tubular light-guides. The recently published HOLIGILM calculation program and the user-friendly tool HOLIGILM 4.2 have facilitated the production of this paper. (author)

Examining the roles that changing harvested areas, closing yield-gaps, and increasing yield ceilings have had on crop production

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, M.; Ray, D. K.; Mueller, N. D.; Foley, J. A.

2011-12-01

-weighted result of area and yield contributions for each country, at each time-step. As part of our research we will generate historic figures and tabular data for every country-crop combination. Phase 3: In the final phase of our research, we attempt to demonstrate how different yield performers (for example, those growing crops at the yield floor vs. the yield ceiling) have utilized different area/yield strategies to increase agricultural production. To group individual pixels into performance quintiles, we utilize binning strategies from previous spatial yield-gap assessments. The results from this step will illustrate how the yield ceiling has improved over time vis-à-vis improvements in the yield floor. As we look forward to a more sustainable and productive agricultural future, we hope the results of this global analysis of our agricultural past can be utilized to identify both optimal and adverse strategies for agricultural growth.

Is there a glass ceiling for highly cited scientists at the top of research universities?

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannidis, John P A

2010-12-01

University leaders aim to protect, shape, and promote the missions of their institutions. I evaluated whether top highly cited scientists are likely to occupy these positions. Of the current leaders of 96 U.S. high research activity universities, only 6 presidents or chancellors were found among the 4009 U.S. scientists listed in the ISIHighlyCited.com database. Of the current leaders of 77 UK universities, only 2 vice-chancellors were found among the 483 UK scientists listed in the same database. In a sample of 100 top-cited clinical medicine scientists and 100 top-cited biology and biochemistry scientists, only 1 and 1, respectively, had served at any time as president of a university. Among the leaders of 25 U.S. universities with the highest citation volumes, only 12 had doctoral degrees in life, natural, physical or computer sciences, and 5 of these 12 had a Hirsch citation index m < 1.0. The participation of highly cited scientists in the top leadership of universities is limited. This could have consequences for the research and overall mission of universities.

Peer coaching and mentoring: a new model of educational intervention for safe patient handling in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Alamgir, Hasanat; Drebit, Sharla; Li, Helen Guiyun; Kidd, Catherine; Tam, Helen; Fast, Catherine

2011-08-01

To reduce the risk of patient handling-related musculoskeletal injury, overhead ceiling lifts have been installed in health care facilities. To increase ceiling lift usage for a variety of patient handling tasks, a peer coaching and mentoring program was implemented among the direct care staff in the long-term care subsector in British Columbia, Canada. They received a 4-day training program on body mechanics, ergonomics, patient-handling techniques, ceiling lift usage, in addition to coaching skills. A questionnaire was administered among staff before and after the intervention to evaluate the program's effectiveness. There were 403 and 200 respondents to the pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaires. In general, staff perceived the peer-coaching program to be effective. The number of staff who reported to be using ceiling lifts "often and always" went higher from 64.5% to 80.5% (<0.001) after coaching program implementation. Furthermore, staff reported that they were using the ceiling lifts for more types of tasks post-intervention. Staff reported that the peer coaching program has increased their safety awareness at work and confidence in using the ceiling lifts. The findings suggest that this educational model can increase the uptake of mechanical interventions for occupational health and safety initiatives. It appears that the training led to a greater awareness of the availability of or increased perceptions of the number of ceiling lifts, presumably through coaches advocating their use. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

In search of the glass ceiling: gender and recruitment to management in Norway's state bureaucracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Storvik, Aagoth Elise; Schøne, Pål

2008-12-01

There are still fewer female than male managers in Norway's state bureaucracy. This article asks if there are organizational barriers which prevent women from entering these positions. Is there really a glass ceiling, or must one look outside the organizational environment to find an explanation? Is it rather the case that the scarcity of female managers is caused by women's own preferences or their life situations outside work? Or do both contribute to the situation? The study shows that female managers are treated just as well as male managers in central parts of the state bureaucracy. Employers give equal shares of respect and attention to both genders. Female managers are encouraged to apply for the same number of jobs as men and are offered an equal number of jobs as men when they apply; in fact, women are offered more jobs than men, when one controls for the number of job applications. This indicates that organizational barriers are not the problem. The study also shows that there are no differences in work orientation between male and female managers. Female managers are just as ambitious as male managers. Nor do female managers find it more difficult than male managers to combine work and family life. So, how can one explain the low number of female managers? The study shows that one reason can be that female managers apply for management jobs less often than their male colleagues. The cause of this seems to be anticipated discrimination rather than lack of ambition or self-confidence. However, this slows down women's movement into higher management positions in the state bureaucracy.

Comparison between Different Air Distribution Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.

The aim of an air conditioning system is to remove excess heat in a room and replace room air with fresh air to obtain a high air quality. It is not sufficient to remove heat and contaminated air, it is also necessary to distribute and control the air movement in the room to create thermal comfort...... in the occupied zone. Most air distribution systems are based on mixing ventilation with ceiling or wall-mounted diffusers or on displacement ventilation with wall-mounted low velocity diffusers. New principles for room air distribution were introduced during the last decades, as the textile terminals mounted...... in the ceiling and radial diffusers with swirling flow also mounted in the ceiling. This paper addresses five air distribution systems in all, namely mixing ventilation from a wallmounted terminal, mixing ventilation from a ceiling-mounted diffuser, mixing ventilation from a ceiling-mounted diffuser...

Influence of ceiling systems on room temperature and energy efficiency in steel sheet deckings; Einfluss von Deckensystemen auf Raumtemperatur und Energieeffizienz im Stahlgeschossbau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doering, Bernd

2008-07-01

the thermal capacity of light-weight deck systems, but a proper design concerning the quantity of PCM and the possibility for night-time cooling is required. - The system using ducts for passing cold air during the night has advantages concerning the operation (for example, windows can be closed and supercooling can be avoided), but the stored heat is slightly below a conventional concrete slab. - All thermo-active systems show acceptable performance data. The results for the thermo-active steel deck panel is able to reach a cooling capability close to that of high-grade cooled ceilings. (orig.)

Effects of activity inhomogeneities in walls on the external gamma doses in rooms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feher, I; Andrasi, A; Koblinger, L; Zombori, P; Szabo, P P [Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest. Central Research Inst. for Physics

1984-01-01

The effects of activity inhomogeneities in the walls of a room on the free-in-air and spherical phantom doses are investigated. Calculations and measurements are carried out in a room where the ratios of the activity concentrations in the upper layer of the ceiling and floor are as large as 20 and 6, for the Ra and Th chains, respectively.

Evaluation of Various Retrofitting Concepts of Building Envelope for Offices Equipped with Large Radiant Ceiling Panels by Dynamic Simulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina Jordan

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In order to achieve significant savings in energy and an improved level of thermal comfort in retrofitted existing buildings, specific retrofitting concepts that combine new technologies and design need to be developed and implemented. Large radiant surfaces systems are now among the most promising future technologies to be used both in retrofitted and in new low-energy buildings. These kinds of systems have been the topic of several studies dealing with thermal comfort and energy utilization, but some specific issues concerning their possible use in various concepts for retrofitting are still poorly understood. In the present paper, some results of dynamic simulations, with the transient system simulation tool (TRNSYS model, of the retrofitted offices equipped with radiant ceiling panels are presented and thoroughly analysed. Based on a precise comparison of the results of these simulations with actual measurements in the offices, certain input data for the model were added, so that the model was consequently validated. The model was then applied to the evaluation of various concepts of building envelopes for office retrofitting. By means of dynamic simulations of indoor environment it was possible to determine the benefits and limitations of individual retrofitting concepts. Some specific parameters, which are relevant to these concepts, were also identified.

Development of collaborative system of multicopter and Unmanned-Ground-Vehicle for exploration of the high altitude area in the building. Foldable-Arm-Multicopter and Tethered-Landing-System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiribayashi, Seiga; Nagatani, Keiji

2016-01-01

Since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, the robots for exploring the power station buildings have been working and developing. Each floor of the building has a high ceiling, and it is important to check the pipes near the ceiling. However, the existing robots used for exploring high places in the building have lift mechanisms attached to them and cannot climb stairs because of their heavy weight and little traveling performance. In this paper, we propose a system for exploring a high place of the upper floor by using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), especially multicopters and UGVs as substitutes for the lift-type robots. In the power station building, robots go through passageways to explore, so the size of the robots is defined by the width of the passageway. On the other hand, the multicopter is more efficient and can carry heavier payload when it uses large propellers. Therefore, we have developed a multicopter whose arm can fold when on the UGV to decrease the width of the robot and automatically extend when it flies. Furthermore, we have developed a tether-winding helipad to land the multicopter automatically with high accuracy. Finally, we have tested and confirmed the availability of the proposed system with the UGV. (author)

Noninvasive evaluation of the chronic influence of local air velocity from an air conditioner using salivary cortisol and skin caspase-14 as biomarkers of psychosomatic and environmental stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, M; Nishimiya, H

2012-01-01

To demonstrate the possibility of evaluating the chronic influence of local air velocity from an air conditioner using noninvasive biomarkers. Over a consecutive 5-day period, 16 healthy young male adults were exposed to air flow from a whole ceiling-type air conditioner (low local air velocity) and from a commercial concentrated exhaust air conditioner (high local air velocity). Salivary cortisol was used as an index of the psychological effects and caspase-14, collected from the stratum corneum, was used as a marker of environmental stress on the skin. Local air velocity generated from the whole ceiling-type air conditioner where the subject's head was positioned was one-seventh that of the exhaust air conditioner. After exposure to the exhaust air conditioner for 5 days, salivary cortisol decreased significantly from morning to evening and skin caspase-14 gradually increased during the day. A significant increase in hydration index from the morning to the evening was found with the whole ceiling-type air conditioner. The effects of chronic exposure to air movement generated by an air conditioner may be quantified by measurement of salivary cortisol and skin caspase-14.

Thermal simulation of different construction types in six climatic regions on heating and cooling loads

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kumirai, T

2012-10-01

Full Text Available reduces its heating and cooling loads the most. 3. Applying both roof and ceiling insulation should always be avoided. 4. Building insulation is an effective intervention in all climatic regions. 5. Slightly increasing the thermal mass of a wall... were designed to evaluate the following: ? Case A ? base case ? Case B ? insulated walls ? Case C ? insulated walls and insulated ceiling ? Case D ? insulated walls, insulated ceiling and roof ? Case E ? increased thermal mass wall and insulated...

Solidified package-storage device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takakura, Masahide

1998-01-01

Vitrification products such as high level radioactive liquid wastes are contained in a solidification package. A containing tube for vertically containing the solidification packages in multi-stages is disposed such that it passes through a ceiling slab. A shielding plug for preventing leakage of radiation from the solidification packages is fitted to an upper opening thereof. A lid of the containing tube is fitted above the plug. The lid is a carbon steel plate having a thickness of 10cm or more. A heat insulation layer comprising glass wool or rock wool is formed on the lower surface of the ceiling slab. A radiation shielding layer comprising such as an iron plate is formed on the lower surface of the heat insulation layer. Then, deterioration of the ceiling slug by heat can be prevented by the heat insulation layer even if high temperature cooling air flown from the upper opening of a ventilation tube should reach the lower surface of the ceiling slab. (I.N.)

Effects of Solar Photovoltaic Panels on Roof Heat Transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Dominguez, A.; Klessl, J.; Samady, M.; Luvall, J. C.

2010-01-01

Building Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is a major contributor to urban energy use. In single story buildings with large surface area such as warehouses most of the heat enters through the roof. A rooftop modification that has not been examined experimentally is solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays. In California alone, several GW in residential and commercial rooftop PV are approved or in the planning stages. With the PV solar conversion efficiency ranging from 5-20% and a typical installed PV solar reflectance of 16-27%, 53-79% of the solar energy heats the panel. Most of this heat is then either transferred to the atmosphere or the building underneath. Consequently solar PV has indirect effects on roof heat transfer. The effect of rooftop PV systems on the building roof and indoor energy balance as well as their economic impacts on building HVAC costs have not been investigated. Roof calculator models currently do not account for rooftop modifications such as PV arrays. In this study, we report extensive measurements of a building containing a flush mount and a tilted solar PV array as well as exposed reference roof. Exterior air and surface temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation were measured and thermal infrared (TIR) images of the interior ceiling were taken. We found that in daytime the ceiling surface temperature under the PV arrays was significantly cooler than under the exposed roof. The maximum difference of 2.5 C was observed at around 1800h, close to typical time of peak energy demand. Conversely at night, the ceiling temperature under the PV arrays was warmer, especially for the array mounted flat onto the roof. A one dimensional conductive heat flux model was used to calculate the temperature profile through the roof. The heat flux into the bottom layer was used as an estimate of the heat flux into the building. The mean daytime heat flux (1200-2000 PST) under the exposed roof in the model was 14.0 Watts per square meter larger than

Cross-border electricity market effects due to price caps in an emission trading system : An agent-based approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Richstein, J.C.; Chappin, E.J.L.; De Vries, L.J.

2014-01-01

The recent low CO2 prices in the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) have triggered a discussion whether the EU ETS needs to be adjusted. We study the effects of CO2 price floors and a price ceiling on the dynamic investment pathway of two interlinked electricity markets (loosely based

Effects of increased shielding on gamma-radiation levels within spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Haskins, P. S.; McKisson, J. E.; Weisenberger, A. G.; Ely, D. W.; Ballard, T. A.; Dyer, C. S.; Truscott, P. R.; Piercey, R. B.; Ramayya, A. V.; Camp, D. C.

The Shuttle Activation Monitor (SAM) experiment was flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-28) from 8 - 13 August, 1989 in a 57°, 300 km orbit. One objective of the SAM experiment was to determine the relative effect of different amounts of shielding on the gamma-ray backgrounds measured with similarly configured sodium iodide (NaI) and bismuth germante (BGO) detectors. To achieve this objective twenty-four hours of data were taken with each detector in the middeck of the Shuttle on the ceiling of the airlock (a high-shielding location) as well as on the sleep station wall (a low-shielding location). For the cosmic-ray induced background the results indicate an increased overall count rate in the 0.2 to 10 MeV energy range at the more highly shielded location, while in regions of trapped radiation the low shielding configuration gives higher rates at the low energy end of the spectrum.

Translation, adaptation and validation of the American short form Patient Activation Measure (PAM13) in a Danish version.

Science.gov (United States)

Maindal, Helle Terkildsen; Sokolowski, Ineta; Vedsted, Peter

2009-06-29

The Patient Activation Measure (PAM) is a measure that assesses patient knowledge, skill, and confidence for self-management. This study validates the Danish translation of the 13-item Patient Activation Measure (PAM13) in a Danish population with dysglycaemia. 358 people with screen-detected dysglycaemia participating in a primary care health education study responded to PAM13. The PAM13 was translated into Danish by a standardised forward-backward translation. Data quality was assessed by mean, median, item response, missing values, floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and average inter-item correlation) and item-rest correlations. Scale properties were assessed by Rasch Rating Scale models. The item response was high with a small number of missing values (0.8-4.2%). Floor effect was small (range 0.6-3.6%), but the ceiling effect was above 15% for all items (range 18.6-62.7%). The alpha-coefficient was 0.89 and the average inter-item correlation 0.38. The Danish version formed a unidimensional, probabilistic Guttman-like scale explaining 43.2% of the variance. We did however, find a different item sequence compared to the original scale. A Danish version of PAM13 with acceptable validity and reliability is now available. Further development should focus on single items, response categories in relation to ceiling effects and further validation of reproducibility and responsiveness.

Solar hybrid cooling system for high-tech offices in subtropical climate - Radiant cooling by absorption refrigeration and desiccant dehumidification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, K.F.; Chow, T.T.; Lee, C.K.; Lin, Z.; Chan, L.S.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A solar hybrid cooling system is proposed for high-tech offices in subtropical climate. → An integration of radiant cooling, absorption refrigeration and desiccant dehumidification. → Year-round cooling and energy performances were evaluated through dynamic simulation. → Its annual primary energy consumption was lower than conventional system up to 36.5%. → The passive chilled beams were more energy-efficient than the active chilled beams. - Abstract: A solar hybrid cooling design is proposed for high cooling load demand in hot and humid climate. For the typical building cooling load, the system can handle the zone cooling load (mainly sensible) by radiant cooling with the chilled water from absorption refrigeration, while the ventilation load (largely latent) by desiccant dehumidification. This hybrid system utilizes solar energy for driving the absorption chiller and regenerating the desiccant wheel. Since a high chilled water temperature generated from the absorption chiller is not effective to handle the required latent load, desiccant dehumidification is therefore involved. It is an integration of radiant cooling, absorption refrigeration and desiccant dehumidification, which are powered up by solar energy. In this study, the application potential of the solar hybrid cooling system was evaluated for the high-tech offices in the subtropical climate through dynamic simulation. The high-tech offices are featured with relatively high internal sensible heat gains due to the intensive office electric equipment. The key performance indicators included the solar fraction and the primary energy consumption. Comparative study was also carried out for the solar hybrid cooling system using two common types of chilled ceilings, the passive chilled beams and active chilled beams. It was found that the solar hybrid cooling system was technically feasible for the applications of relatively higher cooling load demand. The annual primary energy

Preferred Air Velocity and Local Cooling Effect of desk fans in warm environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simone, Angela; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2013-01-01

to compensate for higher environmental temperatures at the expense of no or relatively low energy consumption. When using desk fans, local air movement is generated around the occupant and a certain cooling effect is perceived. The impact of the local air movement generated by different air flow patterns......Common experiences, standards, and laboratory studies show that increased air velocity helps to offset warm sensation due to high environmental temperatures. In warm climate regions the opening of windows and the use of desk or ceiling fans are the most common systems to generate increased airflows......, and the possibility to keep comfortable conditions for the occupants in warm environments were evaluated in studies with human subjects. In an office-like climatic chamber, the effect of higher air velocity was investigated at room temperatures between 26°C to 34°C and at constant absolute humidity of 12.2 g...

The Glass Ceiling Conundrum: Illusory belief or Barriers that impede Women’s Career Advancement in the Workplace.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahim Ganiyu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Given the preponderance of women in the workforce, it remained a puzzle why the entry of women into higher managerial positions remains restricted and why the syndrome of ‘think manager think male is growing progressively? The objective of this paper is to examine the glass ceiling conundrum with a view of ascertain how it limits women’s career advancement in the workplace. Extensive review of literature was presented and discussed. The paper revealed that women are not making it to the very top of their career not as a result of lack of requisite qualifications, and experience etc.; but as a result of factors that are rooted in cultural, societal, organizational, individual and psychological factors that inhibit women career advancement.  Against the aforementioned background, the paper concludes that women advance marginally to certain level in corporate executive cadre, before they experience ‘glass ceiling’ that impedes their prospect of attaining senior executive position. Accordingly, women compared to men represent an insignificant fraction of those in managerial positions due to cultural prejudice, religion convictions, family related issues, individual and organizational influences. Similarly, inadequate opportunity to networks and seek sponsorship limits women progression to top managerial hierarchy. The study recommends the need to articulate policy frameworks that promote strong organizational culture and a more helpful and supportive environment to develop women leadership skills.  Similarly, there is need to promote sponsorship for women in a way and manner that safeguard the relationships between sponsors and protégés.

Distributional effects and structural change induced by various CAP Pillar 1 proposals; the case of the Czech Republic

OpenAIRE

Ratinger, Tomas; Foltyn, Ivan; Jelinek, Ladislav; Kristkova, Zuzana

2012-01-01

This paper deals with the potential effects of the CAP pillar 1 on farm incomes and structural changes. It uses a dynamic Computable General Equilibrium model and a specific analysis on distributional effects. The effect of payments ceiling in the current CAP 2020 proposal with subtracting labour costs will bring only insignificant payment reduction for most farmers except large extensive beef breeders whose direct payments will drop by 13% on average. However, if the condition on labour cost...

Psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) in depressed clinical samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Page, Andrew C; Hooke, Geoffrey R; Morrison, David L

2007-09-01

The psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995a) were examined in depressed psychiatric hospital samples. Three studies administered the DASS and other symptom measures at admission and discharge to consecutive adult hospital patients with a primary diagnosis of depression. Study 3 aimed to address problems with the DASS by extending the response options. Study 1 found that the DASS had good reliability and validity, was moderately sensitive to change, but the Depression Scale exhibited a ceiling effect. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure and the DASS continued to demonstrate good psychometric properties, but the ceiling effect was replicated. Study 3 found that by extending the response scale to include an additional option, the factor structure of the instrument as a whole was maintained, the sensitivity to treatment was increased, but the ceiling effect was only marginally reduced. The psychometric properties of the DASS were sound in clinically depressed samples, but the Depression Scale exhibited a ceiling effect that could not be resolved with minor changes to the scale. Suggestions for revisions of the DASS are made.

Effects of a thermal ceiling on postoperative hypothermia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henneberg, S; Eklund, A; Joachimsson, P O

1985-01-01

Moderate per- and postoperative hypothermia initiates an increased metabolism in the postoperative period. The subsequent demands on oxygen transport may be critical in poor risk patients. Nineteen healthy young women with moderate hypothermia after abdominal surgery were studied for 2 h...

High Burnup Effects Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barner, J.O.; Cunningham, M.E.; Freshley, M.D.; Lanning, D.D.

1990-04-01

This is the final report of the High Burnup Effects Program (HBEP). It has been prepared to present a summary, with conclusions, of the HBEP. The HBEP was an international, group-sponsored research program managed by Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories (BNW). The principal objective of the HBEP was to obtain well-characterized data related to fission gas release (FGR) for light water reactor (LWR) fuel irradiated to high burnup levels. The HBEP was organized into three tasks as follows: Task 1 -- high burnup effects evaluations; Task 2 -- fission gas sampling; and Task 3 -- parameter effects study. During the course of the HBEP, a program that extended over 10 years, 82 fuel rods from a variety of sources were characterized, irradiated, and then examined in detail after irradiation. The study of fission gas release at high burnup levels was the principal objective of the program and it may be concluded that no significant enhancement of fission gas release at high burnup levels was observed for the examined rods. The rim effect, an as yet unquantified contributor to athermal fission gas release, was concluded to be the one truly high-burnup effect. Though burnup enhancement of fission gas release was observed to be low, a full understanding of the rim region and rim effect has not yet emerged and this may be a potential area of further research. 25 refs., 23 figs., 4 tabs

A set of high quality colour images with Spanish norms for seven relevant psycholinguistic variables: the Nombela naming test.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-Martinez, Francisco Javier; Montoro, Pedro R; Laws, Keith R

2011-05-01

This paper presents a new corpus of 140 high quality colour images belonging to 14 subcategories and covering a range of naming difficulty. One hundred and six Spanish speakers named the items and provided data for several psycholinguistic variables: age of acquisition, familiarity, manipulability, name agreement, typicality and visual complexity. Furthermore, we also present lexical frequency data derived internet search hits. Apart from the large number of variables evaluated, these stimuli present an important advantage with respect to other comparable image corpora in so far as naming performance in healthy individuals is less prone to ceiling effect problems. Reliability and validity indexes showed that our items display similar psycholinguistic characteristics to those of other corpora. In sum, this set of ecologically valid stimuli provides a useful tool for scientists engaged in cognitive and neuroscience-based research.

[Pay for performance (P4P). Long-term effects and perspectives].

Science.gov (United States)

Schrappe, M; Gültekin, N

2011-02-01

After 10 years of experience and research, a wide array of results on evaluation and long-term effects of pay for performance (P4P) programs have been published. These data do not only give insight into most of the problems of implementation, but also into aspects which, in part, may attenuate the high expectations at the beginning of the discussion. P4P programs exhibit a ceiling effect, some improvements are reversed after incentives are cancelled, and improvements show opportunity costs as absent improvements for indicators, which are not object to financial incentives (in some cases for the same disease). These observations can be explained by the hypothesis that P4P programs have characteristics of fee-for-service reimbursement, if symmetric information is available for insurance and provider. P4P programs are local instruments. While integration of healthcare is considered as an important issue, they should be combined with programs and incentives which foster further vertical and horizontal integration. For Germany, further research in the implementation and effects of P4P programs is necessary.

Experimental study of the heat transfers and passive cooling potential of a ventilated plenum designed for uniform air distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Christian Anker; Lessing, Julian

2016-01-01

suspended ceiling to uniformly distribute the supply air to the occupied zone. This, in effect, increases the thermal mass of the room because the upper slab of the room no longer is isolated from the occupied zone. In this study, the cooling potential of a diffuse ceiling ventilation system is i...

Cost-effectiveness analysis of treatments for premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Rendas-Baum, Regina; Yang, Min; Gricar, Joseph; Wallenstein, Gene V

2010-01-01

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is reported to affect between 13% and 31% of women. Between 3% and 8% of women are reported to meet criteria for the more severe form of PMS, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Although PMDD has received increased attention in recent years, the cost effectiveness of treatments for PMDD remains unknown. To evaluate the cost effectiveness of the four medications with a US FDA-approved indication for PMDD: fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine and drospirenone plus ethinyl estradiol (DRSP/EE). A decision-analytic model was used to evaluate both direct costs (medication and physician visits) and clinical outcomes (treatment success, failure and discontinuation). Medication costs were based on average wholesale prices of branded products; physician visit costs were obtained from a claims database study of PMDD patients and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Clinical outcome probabilities were derived from published clinical trials in PMDD. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated using the difference in costs and percentage of successfully treated patients at 6 months. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to assess the impact of uncertainty in parameter estimates. Threshold values where a change in the cost-effective strategy occurred were identified using a net benefit framework. Starting therapy with DRSP/EE dominated both sertraline and paroxetine, but not fluoxetine. The estimated ICER of initiating treatment with fluoxetine relative to DRSP/EE was $US4385 per treatment success (year 2007 values). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves revealed that for ceiling ratios>or=$US3450 per treatment success, fluoxetine had the highest probability (>or=0.37) of being the most cost-effective treatment, relative to the other options. The cost-effectiveness acceptability frontier further indicated that DRSP/EE remained the option with the highest expected net monetary benefit for

Pharmaceutical policies: effects of cap and co-payment on rational use of medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Luiza, Vera Lucia; Chaves, Luisa A; Silva, Rondineli M; Emmerick, Isabel Cristina M; Chaves, Gabriela C; Fonseca de Araújo, Silvia Cristina; Moraes, Elaine L; Oxman, Andrew D

2015-05-08

Growing expenditures on prescription medicines represent a major challenge to many health systems. Cap and co-payment policies are intended as an incentive to deter unnecessary or marginal utilisation, and to reduce third-party payer expenditures by shifting parts of the financial burden from insurers to patients, thus increasing their financial responsibility for prescription medicines. Direct patient payment policies include caps (maximum numbers of prescriptions or medicines that are reimbursed), fixed co-payments (patients pay a fixed amount per prescription or medicine), co-insurance (patients pay a percentage of the price), ceilings (patients pay the full price or part of the cost up to a ceiling, after which medicines are free or are available at reduced cost) and tier co-payments (differential co-payments usually assigned to generic and brand medicines). This is the first update of the original review. To determine the effects of cap and co-payment (cost-sharing) policies on use of medicines, healthcare utilisation, health outcomes and costs (expenditures). For this update, we searched the following databases and websites: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (including the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group Specialised Register, Cochrane Library; MEDLINE, Ovid; EMBASE, Ovid; IPSA, EBSCO; EconLit, ProQuest; Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, ProQuest; PAIS International, ProQuest; INRUD Bibliography; WHOLIS, WHO; LILACS), VHL; Global Health Library WHO; PubMed, NHL; SCOPUS; SciELO, BIREME; OpenGrey; JOLIS Library Network; OECD Library; World Bank e-Library; World Health Organization, WHO; World Bank Documents & Reports; International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), WHO; ClinicalTrials.gov, NIH. We searched all databases during January and February 2013, apart from SciELO, which we searched in January 2012, and ICTRP and ClinicalTrials.gov, which we searched in March 2014. We defined

The effects of radiant cooling versus convective cooling on human eye tear film stability and blinking rate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Linette; Uth, Simon C.; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2014-01-01

The effect of indoor temperature, radiant and convective cooling on tear film stability and eye blink frequency was examined. 24 human subjects were exposed to the non-uniform environment generated by localised chilled beam and a chilled ceiling combined with overhead mixing ventilation. The subj......The effect of indoor temperature, radiant and convective cooling on tear film stability and eye blink frequency was examined. 24 human subjects were exposed to the non-uniform environment generated by localised chilled beam and a chilled ceiling combined with overhead mixing ventilation....... The subjects participated in four two-hour experiments. The room air temperature was kept at 26 °C or 28 °C. Tear film samples were collected after 30 min of acclimatisation and at the end of the exposures. Eye blinking frequency was analysed for the first and last 15 min of each exposure. The tear film...... stability decreased as the temperature increased. The highest number of subjects with unchanged or improved tear film quality was observed with the localised chilled beam at 26 °C. A trend was found between subjects who reported eye irritation and had a bad tear film quality....

Effect of Pyramidal Dome Geometry on the Acoustical Characteristics in A Mosque

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dg. H. Kassim

2014-12-01

Full Text Available As an important symbol in Islam, a mosque is built with architectural grandeur. Among the characteristics is its high ceiling and it is usually constructed with a typical spherical dome shape. Some mosques, however, are influenced by the local culture and the dome can be of a different shape, such as pyramidal, as found in mosques in Malacca, Malaysia. This paper presents an assessment of the internal acoustical characteristics of a mosque having a pyramidal dome. The study is conducted by means of computer simulation using CATT indoor acoustic software. Reverberation time and clarity are taken to evaluate the intelligibility of speech. The effect of the angle and height of the dome on the acoustical parameters is discussed. It is found that a pyramidal dome with a steeper angle contributes to poor acoustic clarity.

Proliferation kinetics of paramecium tetraurelia in balloon-borne experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croute, F.; Soleilhavoup, J.P.; Vidal, S.; Rousseille, R.; Planel, H.

1982-01-01

Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the effect of cosmic radiation, at a balloon-flight ceiling of about 36,500 m (120,000 ft) on single-cell organism proliferation. Paramecium tetraurelia were placed in air-tight containers and maintained at 25 degrees +/- 0.1 degrees C. Cellular growth was determined by cell count, either after recovery or during the flight, by means of an automatic fixation device. Dosimetry was performed by a tissue equivalent proportional counter and was of about 0.5 mrad/h. Flight ceiling duration ranged from 48 min - 22 h. A secondary stimulating effect of growth rate, preceded by a temporary decrease, was observed after recovery. Because of the high bacterial concentration in the trans-Mediterranean flight culture medium, the temporary drop of the growth rate, due to the radiolysis products, disappears. Researchers consider that the stimulating effect can be the result of enzymatic intracellular scavenging of radiolysis products generated in the cell

Translation, adaptation and validation of the American short form Patient Activation Measure (PAM13 in a Danish version

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sokolowski Ineta

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Patient Activation Measure (PAM is a measure that assesses patient knowledge, skill, and confidence for self-management. This study validates the Danish translation of the 13-item Patient Activation Measure (PAM13 in a Danish population with dysglycaemia. Methods 358 people with screen-detected dysglycaemia participating in a primary care health education study responded to PAM13. The PAM13 was translated into Danish by a standardised forward-backward translation. Data quality was assessed by mean, median, item response, missing values, floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and average inter-item correlation and item-rest correlations. Scale properties were assessed by Rasch Rating Scale models. Results The item response was high with a small number of missing values (0.8–4.2%. Floor effect was small (range 0.6–3.6%, but the ceiling effect was above 15% for all items (range 18.6–62.7%. The α-coefficient was 0.89 and the average inter-item correlation 0.38. The Danish version formed a unidimensional, probabilistic Guttman-like scale explaining 43.2% of the variance. We did however, find a different item sequence compared to the original scale. Conclusion A Danish version of PAM13 with acceptable validity and reliability is now available. Further development should focus on single items, response categories in relation to ceiling effects and further validation of reproducibility and responsiveness.

Speech interference and transmission on residential balconies with road traffic noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Naish, Daniel A; Tan, Andy C C; Nur Demirbilek, F

2013-01-01

Balcony acoustic treatments can mitigate the effects of community road traffic noise. To further investigate, a theoretical study into the effects of balcony acoustic treatment combinations on speech interference and transmission is conducted for various street geometries. Nine different balcony types are investigated using a combined specular and diffuse reflection computer model. Diffusion in the model is calculated using the radiosity technique. The balcony types include a standard balcony with or without a ceiling and with various combinations of parapet, ceiling absorption and ceiling shield. A total of 70 balcony and street geometrical configurations are analyzed with each balcony type, resulting in 630 scenarios. In each scenario the reverberation time, speech interference level (SIL) and speech transmission index (STI) are calculated. These indicators are compared to determine trends based on the effects of propagation path, inclusion of opposite buildings and difference with a reference position outside the balcony. The results demonstrate trends in SIL and STI with different balcony types. It is found that an acoustically treated balcony reduces speech interference. A parapet provides the largest improvement, followed by absorption on the ceiling. The largest reductions in speech interference arise when a combination of balcony acoustic treatments are applied.

The utility of the FIM+FAM for assessing traumatic brain injury day program outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Seel, Ronald T; Wright, Greg; Wallace, Tracey; Newman, Sary; Dennis, Leanne

2007-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of the FIM+FAM as a primary outcome measure for traumatic brain injury (TBI) comprehensive day programs. Retrospective data analysis. Single center, TBI comprehensive day program facility. A demographically and regionally diverse sample of 105 persons with moderate or severe TBI admitted to the Shepherd Pathways comprehensive TBI day rehabilitation program. Functional Independence Measure + Functional Assessment Measure (FIM+FAM). Twenty-eight percent or fewer of participants reached ceiling effects on 25 of the 30 FIM+FAM items at day program admission with only 2% of clients rated above ceiling score levels on the FIM+FAM total score. The criteria of Guyatt et al showed that 20 of the 30 FIM+FAM items showed clinically meaningful improvements in 60% or more of clients. On average, clients with TBI improved over 27 points on the FIM+FAM total score. Fifteen of 30 items showed ceiling effects of 33% or less at discharge where only 25% of clients exceeded the FIM+FAM total score ceiling threshold. Discharge FIM+FAM motor scale was a very good predictor of the need for additional single service physical therapy. However, reaching ceiling rating on the FIM+FAM cognitive scale demonstrated poor specificity (0.28) and negative predictive power (0.42) for the need for additional speech/cognitive therapy services. The FIM+FAM demonstrated utility as an outcome measure for TBI comprehensive day program treatment in the current milieu. Future research is required to replicate and extend the current findings.

Families' experiences of intensive care unit quality of care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hanne Irene; Gerritsen, Rik T; Koopmans, Matty

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to adapt and provide preliminary validation for questionnaires evaluating families' experiences of quality of care for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study took place in 2 European ICUs. Based on literature...... validity. RESULTS: A total of 110 family members participated. Response rate was 87%. For all questions, a median of 97% (94%-99%) was assessed as relevant, and a median of 98% (97%-100%), as understandable. Median ceiling effect was 41% (30%-47%). There was a median of 0% missing data (0%-1%). Test......-retest reliability showed a median weighted κ of 0.69 (0.53-0.83). Validation showed significant correlation between total scores and key questions. CONCLUSIONS: The questions were assessed as relevant and understandable, providing high face and content validity. Ceiling effects were comparable to similar...

"No Ceiling on Achievement": Breaking the Glass Ceiling or Hitting a Steel Plate in Urban Schools?

Science.gov (United States)

Firth, Ben; Melia, Victoria; Bergan, Dave; Whitby, Lisa

2014-01-01

This article, written by a team of research-active teachers who are also senior leaders in a large, urban, comprehensive high school in the North of England, reports on their joint teacher inquiry project. This work has school-wide significance, given recent history, progressing from being graded as a "failing" school by the Office for…

High latitude stratospheric electrical measurements in fair and foul weather under various solar conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holzworth, R.H.

1981-01-01

Stratospheric electric field and conductivity measurements during a wide variety of weather and solar conditions are presented. These data are all from high latitude sites in the months of either April or August. The vector electric field is determined by orthogonal double probes connected through high impedance inputs to differential electrometers. The direct conductivity measurement involves determining the relaxation time constant of the medium after refloating a shorted pair of separated probes. Vertical electric field data from several balloon flights with average duration of 18 h at ceiling in fair weather are shown to be well modeled by a simple exponential altitude dependent equation. Examples of solar flare and magnetospheric effects on stratospheric electric fields are shown. Data collected over electrified clouds and thunderstorms are presented along with a discussion of the thunderstorm related electric currents. Lightning stroke signatures in the stratosphere during a large thunderstorm are identified in the electric field data. Current surges through the stratosphere due to DC currents as well as the sferic are calculated. In nearly 1000 h of balloon data no direct solar influence is identified in these data except during major flares. (author)

Modeling long-term yield trends of Miscanthusxgiganteus using experimental data from across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lesur, Claire; Jeuffroy, Marie-Hélène; Makowski, David

2013-01-01

and the ceiling phases and (ii) to determine whether M. giganteus ceiling phase is followed by a decline phase where yields decrease across years. Data were analyzed through comparisons between a set of statistical growth models. The model that best fitted the experimental data included a decline phase....... The decline intensity and the value of several other model parameters, such as the maximum yield reached during the ceiling phase or the duration of the establishment phase, were highly variable. The highest maximum yields were obtained in the experiments located in the southern part of the studied area....... giganteus is known to have an establishment phase during which annual yields increased as a function of crop age, followed by a ceiling phase, the duration of which is unknown. We built a database including 16 European long-term experiments (i) to describe the yield evolution during the establishment...

Creating the perfect indoor environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kilbridge, K.

2002-08-01

The virtues of radiant heating over convection heating systems is extolled, by outlining the salient features of the various forms of radiant heating systems. Among those described are thermal storage systems, radiant ceiling panels, suspended ceiling systems, commercial and industrial systems, and floor warming systems. There are two types of thermal storage systems; one is similar in appearance to a convection system that is installed in each room at the wall. The other is installed in soil or sand under the concrete slab building foundation. Both systems take advantage of reduced electrical rates applicable to power drawn during off-peak hours. Radiant ceiling panels are comprised of gypsum panels that fit between the ceiling joists above a finished ceiling. Regardless of the particular model, these systems are completely concealed; there are no radiators or registers to interfere with furniture placement or decorating. They eliminate cold and hot spots, maintaining a temperature variation between ceiling and floor at less than one degree C. Suspended ceiling panels sit in the suspended ceiling grid work and are connected using industry-standard electrical box and connectors. They are particularly suitable for office buildings, basements, etc. Commercial and industrial systems are used to provide higher output, to spot-heat areas, or perimeter of buildings where the heat loss load is high. Panels come in various sizes and can be connected to an energy management system, allowing complete management of the environment levels for every office on every floor. Floor warming systems are most frequently used in kitchens, bathrooms, entrance ways and foyers. The central energy source is hydronic, which heats up the liquid heat transfer agent. The pipes or tubing fixed to the plywood flooring are embedded in a thin layer of concrete to radiate upwards through the marble, ceramic tile or stone outer flooring.

Navy Shipbuilding: Need to Document Rationale for the Use of Fixed-Price Incentive Contracts and Study Effectiveness of Added Incentives

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-01

share line and 120 percent ceiling price should be the norm , or starting point.8 The Director of Defense Pricing stated that he believes DOD’s...constructing nuclear submarines. We previously reported that this is in contrast to commercial ship buyers, who have an array of yards and suppliers to...overrun up until costs reached a specified point, with the government’s maximum liability capped at the ceiling price. Cost increases above target

The reliability and validity of the Turkish version of Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB-T) scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Iyigun, Gozde; Kirmizigil, Berkiye; Angin, Ender; Oksuz, Sevim; Can, Filiz; Eker, Levent; Rose, Debra J

2018-06-04

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the FAB(FAB-T) scale in the older Turkish adults. The reliability and validity of the scale was tested on 200 community-dwelling older adults. FAB-T scale was scored by different physiotherapists on different days to evaluate inter-rater and intrarater reliability. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was used for the evaluation of convergent validity, and the content validity of the FAB-T scale was investigated. The FAB-T scale showed very high inter- and intra-rater reliability. For inter-rater agreement, on the individual test items and total score ICC values were 0.92 (95 %CI; 0.90-0.94) and 0.96 (95% CI; 0.95-0.97) respectively. The intra-rater agreement, on the individual test items and total score ICC values were 0.93 (95 %CI; 0.91- 0.95) and 0.96 (95% CI; 0.95- 0.97) respectively. There was a good agreement between the FAB-T and BBS scales. A high correlation was found between the BBS and FAB-T scales [rho = 0.70 (%95 CI; 0.62-0.76)] indicating good convergent validity. Considering the content validity of the FAB-T scale, no floor (floor score: 0%) or ceiling (ceiling score: 6.5%) effect was detected. The FAB-T scale was successfully translated from the original English version (FAB) and demonstrated strong psychometric features. It was found that the FAB-T scale has very high inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Considering the convergent validity, the scale has high correlation with the BBS. The FAB-T has no floor and ceiling effect. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New airborne pathogen transport model for upper-room UVGI spaces conditioned by chilled ceiling and mixed displacement ventilation: Enhancing air quality and energy performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanaan, Mohamad; Ghaddar, Nesreen; Ghali, Kamel; Araj, Georges

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A model of bacteria transport is developed in CC/DV conditioned spaces with UVGI. • The model identifies buoyant, partially mixed, and fully mixed transport zones. • The predicted bacteria concentration agreed well with CFD results. • The higher the supply flow rate, the more restrictive is return air mixing ratio. • Upper-room UVGI results in higher return mixing and 33% in energy savings. - Abstract: The maximum allowable return air ratio in chilled ceiling (CC) and mixed displacement ventilation (DV) system for good air quality is regulated by acceptable levels of CO 2 concentration not to exceed 700 ppm and airborne bacterial count to satisfy World Health Organization (WHO) requirement for bacterial count not to exceed 500 CFU/m 3 . Since the CC/DV system relies on buoyancy effects for driving the contaminated air upwards, infectious particles will recirculate in the upper zone allowing effective utilization of upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) to clean return air. The aim of this work is to develop a new airborne bacteria transport plume-multi-layer zonal model at low computational cost to predict bacteria concentration distribution in mixed CC/DV conditioned room without and with upper-room UVGI installed. The results of the simplified model were compared with layer-averaged concentration predictions of a detailed and experimentally-validated 3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The comparison showed good agreement between bacteria transport model results and CFD predictions of room air bacteria concentration with maximum error of ±10.4 CFU/m 3 in exhaust air. The simplified model captured the vertical bacteria concentration distribution in room air as well as the locking effect of highest concentration happening at the stratification level. The developed bacteria transport model was used in a case study to determine the return air mixing ratio that minimizes energy consumption and maintains acceptable IAQ

Stable Low Cloud Phase II: Nocturnal Event Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bauman, William H., III; Barrett, Joe, III

2007-01-01

This report describes the work done by the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) in developing a database of nights that experienced rapid (formation in a stable atmosphere, resulting in ceilings at the Shuttle Landing Facility (TTS) that violated Space Shuttle Flight Rules (FR). This work is the second phase of a similar AMU task that examined the same phenomena during the day. In the first phase of this work, the meteorological conditions favoring the rapid formation of low ceilings include the presence of any inversion below 8000 ft, high relative humidity (RH) beneath the inversion and a clockwise turning of the winds from the surface to the middle troposphere (-15000 ft). The AMU compared and contrasted the atmospheric and thermodynamic conditions between nights with rapid low ceiling formation and nights with low ceilings resulting from other mechanisms. The AMU found that there was little to discern between the rapidly-forming ceiling nights and other low ceiling nights at TTS. When a rapid development occurred, the average RH below the inversions was 87% while non-events had an average RH of 79%. One key parameter appeared to be the vertical wind profile in the Cape Canaveral, FL radiosonde (XMR) sounding. Eighty-three percent of the rapid development events had veering winds with height from the surface to the middle troposphere (-15,000 ft) while 61% of the non-events had veering winds with height. Veering winds indicate a warm-advection regime, which supports large-scale rising motion and ultimately cloud formation in a moist environment. However, only six of the nights (out of 86 events examined) with low cloud ceilings had an occurrence of rapidly developing ceilings. Since only 7% rapid development events were observed in this dataset, it is likely that rapid low cloud development is not a common occurrence during the night, or at least not as common as during the day. In the AMU work on the daytime rapid low cloud development (Case and Wheeler 2005), nearly

Results of a Workshop on Health Effects of Crude Oil Exposures Related to Operation Desert Storm.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-02-01

Field, 15 miles south of Kuwait City. This field produces intermediate crude, API gravity from the high teens to the low 30’s, and has a subsurface...taste in the mouth. ANSI: (037.12-1974) anorexia . lassitude, slight but definite impairment o A0S ppm (eight-hour, time-weighted coordination and reaction... anorexia , pal- above the acceptable ceiling concen- pitation and extreme weakness. Loss of coordination tration for an eight-hour shift. maxi- was

SPECIFICATIONS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE LATTICE TEST REACTOR BUILDING 318 PROJECT CAH-100

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vitro Engineering Company

1964-07-15

This is the specifications for the High Temperature Lattice Test Reactor Building 318 and it is divided into the following 21 divisions or chapters: (1) Excavating, Backfill & Grading; (2) Reinforced Concrete; (3) Masonry; (4) Structural Steel & Miscellaneous Metal Items, Contents - Division V; (5) Plumbing, Process & Service Piping; (6) Welding; (7) Insulated Metal Siding; (8) Roof Decks & Roofing; (9) Plaster Partitions & Ceiling; (10) Standard Doors, Windows & Hardware; (11) Shielding Doors; (12) Sprinkler System & Fire Extinguishers, Contents - Division XIII; (13) Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning; (14) Painting, Protective Coating & Floor Covering, Contents - Division XV; (15) Electrical; (16) Communications & Alarm Systems; (17) Special Equipment & Furnishings; (18) Overhead Bridge Crane; (19) Prefabricated Steel Building; (20) Paved Drive; and (21) Landscaping & Irrigation Sprinklers.

The Self-Regulation Effect of Fertility Status on Inbreeding Aversion: When Fertile, Disgust Increases more in Response to Descriptions of One's Own than of Others' Inbreeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Antfolk

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The ovulatory shift modulates emotions related to female sexuality. Because fertility status only affects the individual's own opportunity cost, the adaptive value of this shift is expected to stem from self-regulation. To test this assumption we asked women to contemplate various inbreeding descriptions: 1 they themselves having sex with male relatives; 2 their sister having sex with their common male relatives; and 3 an unrelated woman having sex with her male relatives (in 1, but not 2 and 3, negative fitness consequences are affected by the participant's fertility. We dichotomized the dependent variable disgust (ceiling vs. non-ceiling and analyzed the interaction between fertility status and description type. The ovulatory shift was stronger in descriptions where they themselves were described as engaging in inbreeding. A smaller increase was also found in reactions to others engaging in inbreeding. We explain the latter effect as due to self-reflection.

Harvard and the Academic Glass Ceiling

Science.gov (United States)

Drago, Robert

2007-01-01

Drew Gilpin Faust was recently appointed president of Harvard University, and is the first female to hold the position. Women now lead half of the eight institutions that make up the Ivy League. But focusing on highly accomplished women such as Faust misses a larger point. Women may be taking faculty positions in record numbers, but most of those…

Radiation shielding analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, S.H.; Ha, C.W.; Kwon, S.K.; Lee, J.K.; Choi, H.S.

1982-01-01

The theoretical bases of radiation streaming analysis in power reactors, such as ducts or reactor cavity, have been investigated. Discrete ordinates-Monte Carlo or Monte Carlo-Monte Carlo coupling techniques are suggested for the streaming analysis of ducts or reactor cavity. Single albedo scattering approximation code (SINALB) has been developed for simple and quick estimation of gamma-ray ceiling scattering, where the ceiling is assumed to be semi-infinite medium. This code has been employed to calculate the gamma-ray ceiling scattering effects in the laboratory containing a Co-60 source. The SINALB is applicable to gamma-ray scattering, only where the ceiling is thicker than Σsup(-1) and the height is at least twice higher than the shield wall. This code can be used for the purpose of preliminary radiation shield design. The MORSE code has been improved to analyze the gamma-ray scattering problem with on approximation method in respect to the random walk and estimation processes. This improved MORSE code has been employed to the gamma-ray ceiling scattering problem. The results of the improved MORSE calculation are in good agreement with the SINALB and standard MORSE. (Author)

Ceiling effect of online user interests for the movies

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Jing; Zhang, Yi-Lu; Hu, Zhao-Long; Song, Wen-Jun; Hou, Lei; Guo, Qiang; Liu, Jian-Guo

2014-05-01

Online users' collective interests play an important role for analyzing the online social networks and personalized recommendations. In this paper, we introduce the information entropy to measure the diversity of the user interests. We empirically analyze the information entropy of the objects selected by the users with the same degree in both the MovieLens and Netflix datasets. The results show that as the user degree increases, the entropy increases from the lowest value at first to the highest value and then begins to fall, which indicates that the interests of the small-degree and large-degree users are more centralized, while the interests of normal users are more diverse. Furthermore, a null model is proposed to compare with the empirical results. In a null model, we keep the number of users and objects as well as the user degrees unchangeable, but the selection behaviors are totally random in both datasets. Results show that the diversity of the majority of users in the real datasets is higher than that the random case, with the exception of the diversity of only a fraction of small-degree users. That may because new users just like popular objects, while with the increase of the user experiences, they quickly become users of broad interests. Therefore, small-degree users' interests are much easier to predict than the other users', which may shed some light for the cold-start problem.

Experimental study of hydronic panels system and its environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diaz, Nestor Fonseca [University of Liege Belgium, Thermodynamics Laboratory, Campus du Sart Tilman, Bat: B49 - P33, B-4000 Liege (Belgium); Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica (Colombia)

2011-01-15

An experimental analysis of hydronic cooling or heating ceiling panels coupled to the building is present in this investigation as a part of the commissioning study of this system. Two test chambers are adapted in a way to reproduce the interaction of the system to the building (windows, internal thermal loads distribution, building structure and ventilation). A series of experimental tests were performed in which the main objective is to observe the influence of parameters such as the water mass flow rate, supply water temperature, thermal load distribution, window and ventilation system effects on the hydronic ceiling capacity and comfort conditions. Test results show that the influence of asymmetric surfaces temperatures inside the room, especially the window effect is not negligible. Then, it is clear that the cooling hydronic ceiling must be evaluated coupled to the building systems and structure. (author)

Experimental study of hydronic panels system and its environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fonseca Diaz, Nestor, E-mail: nestorfonseca5@hotmail.co [University of Liege Belgium, Thermodynamics Laboratory, Campus du Sart Tilman, Bat: B49 - P33, B-4000 Liege (Belgium); Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira, Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica (Colombia)

2011-01-15

An experimental analysis of hydronic cooling or heating ceiling panels coupled to the building is present in this investigation as a part of the commissioning study of this system. Two test chambers are adapted in a way to reproduce the interaction of the system to the building (windows, internal thermal loads distribution, building structure and ventilation). A series of experimental tests were performed in which the main objective is to observe the influence of parameters such as the water mass flow rate, supply water temperature, thermal load distribution, window and ventilation system effects on the hydronic ceiling capacity and comfort conditions. Test results show that the influence of asymmetric surfaces temperatures inside the room, especially the window effect is not negligible. Then, it is clear that the cooling hydronic ceiling must be evaluated coupled to the building systems and structure.

Dropped Ceiling

OpenAIRE

Tabet, Rayyane

2012-01-01

On December 2nd 1950 the first drop of Saudi oil arrived to Lebanon via the newly constructed Trans-Arabian Pipeline, the world's longest pipeline and the largest American private investment in a foreign land. The 30inch wide structure which spanned 1213 kilometers passing through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria to end in Lebanon had required 3 years of planning and surveying, 2 years of installation, the fabrication of 256,000 tons of steel tubes, the employment of 30,000 workers, the ratifi...

Breaking the glass ceiling: hollow OmniGuide fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Steven G.; Ibanescu, Mihai; Skorobogatiy, Maksim A.; Weisberg, Ori; Engeness, Torkel D.; Soljacic, Marin; Jacobs, Steven A.; Joannopoulos, John D.; Fink, Yoel

2002-04-01

We argue that OmniGuide fibers, which guide light within a hollow core by concentric multilayer films having the property of omnidirectional reflection, have the potential to lift several physical limitations of silica fibers. We show how the strong confinement in OmniGuide fibers greatly suppresses the properties of the cladding materials: even if highly lossy and nonlinear materials are employed, both the intrinsic losses and nonlinearities of silica fibers can be surpassed by orders of magnitude. This feat, impossible to duplicate in an index-guided fiber with existing materials, would open up new regimes for long-distance propagation and dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM). The OmniGuide-fiber modes bear a strong analogy to those of hollow metallic waveguides; from this analogy, we are able to derive several general scaling laws with core radius. Moreover, there is strong loss discrimination between guided modes, depending upon their degree of confinement in the hollow core: this allows large, ostensibly multi-mode cores to be used, with the lowest-loss TE01 mode propagating in an effectively single-mode fashion. Finally, because this TE01 mode is a cylindrically symmetrical ('azimuthally' polarized) singlet state, it is immune to polarization-mode dispersion (PMD), unlike the doubly-degenerate linearly-polarized modes in silica fibers that are vulnerable to birefringence.

Biological effects of high-energy radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, S.B.

1976-01-01

The biological effects of high-energy radiation are reviewed, with emphasis on the effects of the hadronic component. Proton and helium ion effects are similar to those of the more conventional and sparsely ionizing x- and γ-radiation. Heavy-ions are known to be more biologically effective, but the long term hazard from accumulated damage has yet to be assessed. Some evidence of widely varying but dramatically increased effectiveness of very high-energy (approximately 70 GeV) hadron beams is reviewed. Finally, the importance of the neutron component in many situations around high-energy accelerators is pointed out

Economic evaluation of Internet-based problem-solving guided self-help treatment in comparison with enhanced usual care for depressed outpatients waiting for face-to-face treatment: A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolovos, Spyros; Kenter, Robin M F; Bosmans, Judith E; Beekman, Aartjan T F; Cuijpers, Pim; Kok, Robin N; van Straten, Annemieke

2016-08-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions for depression in comparison with usual care. However, evidence on the cost-effectiveness of these interventions when delivered in outpatient clinics is lacking. The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of an Internet-based problem-solving guided self-help intervention in comparison with enhanced usual care for outpatients on a waiting list for face-to-face treatment for major depression. After the waiting list period, participants from both groups received the same treatment at outpatient clinics. An economic evaluation was performed alongside a randomized controlled trial with 12 months follow-up. Outcomes were improvement in depressive symptom severity (measured by CES-D), response to treatment and Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs). Statistical uncertainty around cost differences and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated using bootstrapping. Mean societal costs for the intervention group were €1579 higher than in usual care, but this was not statistically significant (95% CI - 1395 to 4382). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that the maximum probability of the intervention being cost-effective in comparison with usual care was 0.57 at a ceiling ratio of €15,000/additional point of improvement in CES-D, and 0.25 and 0.30 for an additional response to treatment and an extra QALY respectively, at a ceiling ratio of €30,000. Sensitivity analysis showed that from a mental healthcare provider perspective the probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 0.68 for a ceiling ratio of 0 €/additional unit of effect for the CES-D score, response to treatment and QALYs. As the ceiling ratio increased this probability decreased, because the mean costs in the intervention group were lower than the mean costs in the usual care group. The patients in the intervention group showed low adherence to the Internet-based treatment

The interpretation of the figure of the prophet Jonah by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel: anatomical urological vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Leonardo Oliveira; Zani, Emerson Luis; Alonso, Joao Carlos; Simoes, Fabiano Andre; Rejowski, Ronald Finamore; Barreto, Gilson

2012-01-01

A detailed analysis in the iconography and pictorial appearance of the scene of the "Prophet Jonah" painted by the artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between the years 1508 and 1512. Literature review on the Italian Renaissance period and the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti and analysis of historical aspects of the evolution of studies of human anatomy in this period and the works of the artist. A comparative analysis of the representation of the figure of the fish on the left thigh of "Jonah " with a cross section of penis shows a curious similarity. The pictorial and iconographic analysis reveals an intensity of light on the pubic area and the position of the prophet with the legs spread apart and left hand placed on this region. A tube-shaped cloth covers the region and the angel at the side seems to be looking at this anatomical region of "Jonah". In fact, sets of iconographic and pictorial relate to the deciphered code. This description helps to confirm the relationship of the Renaissance art with the human anatomy; science has been much studied in this period. The design of a cross section of the penis is revealed with the two cavernous bodies with the septum between them and the spongy body. Considering the circumstances in which Michelangelo had painted, subjectivity was fundamental due to religious motivations added to the vigorous implications of a limited scientific knowledge typical of that era.

Effects of acoustic ceiling units on the cooling performance of thermally activated building systems (TABS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lacarte, Luis Marcos Domínguez; Rage, Niels; Kazanci, Ongun Berk

2017-01-01

Europe, with a building stock responsible for about 40% of the total energy use, needs to reduce the primary energy use in buildings in order to meet the 2020 energy targets of the European Union. High temperature cooling and low temperature heating systems, and as an example, Thermally Activated...

Comparing the responsiveness of functional outcome assessment measures for trauma registries.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Owen D; Gabbe, Belinda J; Sutherland, Ann M; Wolfe, Rory; Forbes, Andrew B; Cameron, Peter A

2011-07-01

Measuring long-term disability and functional outcomes after major trauma is not standardized across trauma registries. An ideal measure would be responsive to change but not have significant ceiling effects. The aim of this study was to compare the responsiveness of the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), GOS-Extended (GOSE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and modified FIM in major trauma patients, with and without significant head injuries. Patients admitted to two adult Level I trauma centers in Victoria, Australia, who survived to discharge from hospital, were aged 15 years to 80 years with a blunt mechanism of injury, and had an estimated Injury Severity Score >15 on admission, were recruited for this prospective study. The instruments were administered at baseline (hospital discharge) and by telephone interview 6 months after injury. Measures of responsiveness, including effect sizes, were calculated. Bootstrapping techniques, and floor and ceiling effects, were used to compare the measures. Two hundred forty-three patients participated, of which 234 patients (96%) completed the study. The GOSE and GOS were the most responsive instruments in this major trauma population with effect sizes of 5.3 and 4.4, respectively. The GOSE had the lowest ceiling effect (17%). The GOSE was the instrument with greatest responsiveness and the lowest ceiling effect in a major trauma population with and without significant head injuries and is recommended for use by trauma registries for monitoring functional outcomes and benchmarking care. The results of this study do not support the use of the modified FIM for this purpose.

Effect of Air Stability on the Dispersal of Exhaled Contaminant in Rooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Chunwen; Gong, Guangcai; Nielsen, Peter V.

2013-01-01

the manikin, indicating that the person who exhales the contaminant may not be polluted by himself as the protective effect of the thermal boundary layer around the body, especially in stable condition with two concentration zones and clean air drawn from the inlets. However, other persons facing......Experiments are conducted in a full-scale chamber equipped with whole floor and whole ceiling supply or exhaust to form approximately zero and larger temperature gradients corresponding to unstable and stable air conditions. It can be observed that the air with smoke exhaled from a life...

Study on the main control room design for Hamaoka Unit No.5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuruta, Tadakazu; Sakamoto, Minoru; Maruyama, Tohru; Saito, Tadashi

2000-01-01

The main control room of nuclear power station is important to operate the power station and to promote public acceptance of nuclear power station. To enhance them, there is an idea of high ceiling control room with a gallery room located in backside middle upper floor. The control room is expected to enhance habitability and to offer visitors the fine view of the control room. In this study, psychological and physiological influence of such a high ceiling control room design on operators was investigated first. And then some human engineering requirements for desirable main control room were identified. A control room (ceiling height: about 5 meters) adequate to the requirements was designed, and finally the validity of the design was verified by means of full mockup model room tests. The results of this study are applied to the main control room design of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Unit No.5 (Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.) (author)

Component for the manufacture of sound and thermally insulating shell for walls, ceilings or floors. Baueelement fuer die Herstellung einer schall- und/oder waermedaemmenden Vorsatzschale fuer Waende, Decken und Boeden

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muehldorfer, H

1977-07-04

The invention concerns a component for the manufacture of a sound and/or thermally insulating shell for walls, ceilings or floors, which can be connected to these and is used directly to carry the cover plates or the plaster as an ouside shell. The problem is solved by having the component consisting of two spring loaded connected profiles, whose free ends, as seen in cross section, overlap with play in the operating position. There is a pin to connect the two profiles, which passes through openings in the free ends of the profiles and is elastically supported in them. The profiles may be made of metal, wood or plastic material. Compared with the well known ''swinging timbers'', the component is distinguished by the fact that the whole cladding can be covered with fibrous feld, instead of the strips of fibrous felt between the rows of swinging timbers, and the component can therefore be fixed to the wall.

The Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 outcome measure is superior to UK FIM+FAM in a British military population.

Science.gov (United States)

McGilloway, Emer; Mitchell, James; Dharm-Datta, Shreshth; Roberts, Andrew; Tilley, Haydn; Etherington, John

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the most appropriate rehabilitation outcome measure for use in a young adult population with acquired brain injury. A 2-year prospective study of patients admitted to a UK military neuro-rehabilitation unit with acquired brain injury to compare the appropriateness of the Functional Independence Measure/Functional Assessment Measure (FIM+FAM) vs the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory Version 4 (MPAI-4) in assessing outcomes. Patients were assessed at admission, discharge and at 4-month follow-up using FIM+FAM and MPAI-4. The FIM+FAM total motor score showed a marked ceiling affect, 42% of patients scored the maximum on admission rising to 80% at discharge. The MPAI-4 did not show significant ceiling effects. The other sub-scales of FIM+FAM and MPAI-4 were generally comparable, no more than 17% achieved ceiling at follow-up. This is the first comparative study of FIM+FAM and MPAI-4 in a young adult military population following acquired brain injury. All patients showed improvements in both outcome measures following intensive inpatient rehabilitation. However, the MPAI-4 did not show ceiling effects in motor scores. This measure was, therefore, found to be more appropriate in the cohort.

Il controllo quantitativo del credito: i "massimali" come strumento di politica monetaria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. COTULA

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Generally speaking, the application of credit ceilings confronts the monetary authorities with a number of political and technical problems, such as the acceptability of distortions of and limits to market forces, the difficulty of administrative controls, and so on. Moreover, a systematic analysis of the economic implications of credit ceilings still has to be made, probably because of the novelty of these policy instruments. The present paper studies the effects and scope of the application of credit ceilings, whether they be considered a substitute for monetary base management or as an additional tool. The analysis is developed on the assumption that the banking system is made of a single large bank with many branches.JEL: E51, E52, G28

The quadratic relationship between difficulty of intelligence test items and their correlations with working memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz eSmoleń

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Fluid intelligence (Gf is a crucial cognitive ability that involves abstract reasoning in order to solve novel problems. Recent research demonstrated that Gf strongly depends on the individual effectiveness of working memory (WM. We investigated a popular claim that if the storage capacity underlay the WM-Gf correlation, then such a correlation should increase with an increasing number of items or rules (load in a Gf test. As often no such link is observed, on that basis the storage-capacity account is rejected, and alternative accounts of Gf (e.g., related to executive control or processing speed are proposed. Using both analytical inference and numerical simulations, we demonstrated that the load-dependent change in correlation is primarily a function of the amount of floor/ceiling effect for particular items. Thus, the item-wise WM correlation of a Gf test depends on its overall difficulty, and the difficulty distribution across its items. When the early test items yield huge ceiling, but the late items do not approach floor, that correlation will increase throughout the test. If the early items locate themselves between ceiling and floor, but the late items approach floor, the respective correlation will decrease. For a hallmark Gf test, the Raven test, whose items span from ceiling to floor, the quadratic relationship is expected, and it was shown empirically using a large sample and two types of WMC tasks. In consequence, no changes in correlation due to varying WM/Gf load, or lack of them, can yield an argument for or against any theory of WM/Gf. Moreover, as the mathematical properties of the correlation formula make it relatively immune to ceiling/floor effects for overall moderate correlations, only minor changes (if any in the WM-Gf correlation should be expected for many psychological tests.

The quadratic relationship between difficulty of intelligence test items and their correlations with working memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolen, Tomasz; Chuderski, Adam

2015-01-01

Fluid intelligence (Gf) is a crucial cognitive ability that involves abstract reasoning in order to solve novel problems. Recent research demonstrated that Gf strongly depends on the individual effectiveness of working memory (WM). We investigated a popular claim that if the storage capacity underlay the WM-Gf correlation, then such a correlation should increase with an increasing number of items or rules (load) in a Gf-test. As often no such link is observed, on that basis the storage-capacity account is rejected, and alternative accounts of Gf (e.g., related to executive control or processing speed) are proposed. Using both analytical inference and numerical simulations, we demonstrated that the load-dependent change in correlation is primarily a function of the amount of floor/ceiling effect for particular items. Thus, the item-wise WM correlation of a Gf-test depends on its overall difficulty, and the difficulty distribution across its items. When the early test items yield huge ceiling, but the late items do not approach floor, that correlation will increase throughout the test. If the early items locate themselves between ceiling and floor, but the late items approach floor, the respective correlation will decrease. For a hallmark Gf-test, the Raven-test, whose items span from ceiling to floor, the quadratic relationship is expected, and it was shown empirically using a large sample and two types of WMC tasks. In consequence, no changes in correlation due to varying WM/Gf load, or lack of them, can yield an argument for or against any theory of WM/Gf. Moreover, as the mathematical properties of the correlation formula make it relatively immune to ceiling/floor effects for overall moderate correlations, only minor changes (if any) in the WM-Gf correlation should be expected for many psychological tests.

Comparing and Merging Observation Data from Ka-Band Cloud Radar, C-Band Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave Radar and Ceilometer Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liping Liu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Field experiment in South China was undertaken to improve understanding of cloud and precipitation properties. Measurements of the vertical structures of non-precipitating and precipitating clouds were obtained using passive and active remote sensing equipment: a Ka-band cloud radar (CR system, a C-band frequency modulated continuous wave vertical pointing radar (CVPR, a microwave radiometer and a laser ceilometer (CEIL. CR plays a key role in high-level cloud observation, whereas CVPR is important for observing low- and mid-level clouds and heavy precipitation. CEIL helps us diminish the effects of “clear-sky” in the planetary boundary layer. The experiment took place in Longmen, Guangdong Province, China from May to September of 2016. This study focuses on evaluating the ability of the two radars to deliver consistent observation data and develops an algorithm to merge the CR, CVPR and CEIL data. Cloud echo base, thickness, frequency of observed cloud types and reflectivity vertical distributions are analyzed in the radar data. Comparisons between the collocated data sets show that reflectivity biases between the CR three operating modes are less than 2 dB. The averaged difference between CR and CVPR reflectivity can be reduced with attenuation correction to 3.57 dB from the original 4.82 dB. No systemic biases were observed between velocity data collected in the three CR modes and CVPR. The corrected CR reflectivity and velocity data were then merged with the CVPR data and CEIL data to fill in the gaps during the heavy precipitation periods and reduce the effects of Bragg scattering and fog on cloud observations in the boundary layer. Meanwhile, the merging of velocity data with different Nyquist velocities and resolutions diminishes velocity folding to provide fine-grain information about cloud and precipitation dynamics. The three daily periods in which low-level clouds tended to occur were at sunrise, noon and sunset and large

The interpretation of the figure of the prophet Jonah by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the sistine chapel: anatomical urological vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Oliveira Reis

2012-06-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE:A detailed analysis in the iconography and pictorial appearance of the scene of the "Prophet Jonah" painted by the artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564 on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between the years 1508 and 1512. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Literature review on the Italian Renaissance period and the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti and analysis of historical aspects of the evolution of studies of human anatomy in this period and the works of the artist. RESULTS:A comparative analysis of the representation of the figure of the fish on the left thigh of "Jonah" with a cross section of penis shows a curious similarity. The pictorial and iconographic analysis reveals an intensity of light on the pubic area and the position of the prophet with the legs spread apart and left hand placed on this region. A tube-shaped cloth covers the region and the angel at the side seems to be looking at this anatomical region of "Jonah". In fact, sets of iconographic and pictorial relate to the deciphered code. CONCLUSIONS: This description helps to confirm the relationship of the Renaissance art with the human anatomy; science has been much studied in this period. The design of a cross section of the penis is revealed with the two cavernous bodies with the septum between them and the spongy body. Considering the circumstances in which Michelangelo had painted, subjectivity was fundamental due to religious motivations added to the vigorous implications of a limited scientific knowledge typical of that era.

A case for the introduction of numerical fiscal rules in the Serbian Constitution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Begović Boris

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The recommendation of numerical fiscal rules in Serbia, presented in this paper, is based on the inherent bias of fiscal policy towards expenditure, and consequently continuous fiscal deficit and excessive sovereign debt. It is recommended that simple and straightforward numeric fiscal rules should be introduced into the Serbian Constitution. There should be two cumulative numerical fiscal rules, the first regarding the ceiling on sovereign debt and the second regarding the ceiling on net new borrowing. Neither of the rules may be violated. The ceiling on the debt level should be prescribed by the Constitution. The ceiling on new net borrowing should depend on the distance of the sovereign debt from the debt ceiling. An illustrative example is provided, with a debt ceiling of 60%. However, the Fiscal Council should specify a specific sovereign debt ceiling as part of the proposed constitutional amendment.

Simulation comparison between natural and hybrid ventilation by fans at night time for severe hot climate (Aswan, Egypt)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rizk, A. [Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, Tanta (Egypt); El-Deberky, A. [Department of Architecture, Faculty of Fine Arts, Minya University, Minya (Egypt); Guirguis, N. M. [Housing and Building Research Center, Cairo (Egypt)

2010-07-01

During the summer in Aswan, Egypt, indoor temperatures rise to a level exceeding thermal comfort. Due to the lag time of the building's envelope, temperature at night is higher inside than outside during the overheated period. The aim of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of ceiling and wall falls in lowering indoor air temperature at night. Computer simulations were carried out with ANSYS FLOTRAN computational fluid dynamic on a single room; 3 models were studied: natural ventilation, hybrid ventilation with a wall fan and hybrid ventilation with a ceiling fan. Results showed that hybrid ventilation fan is more effective in decreasing the temperature than natural cross ventilation alone and it was found that a wall fan is better than a ceiling fan. This study demonstrated that using hybrid ventilation with a side fan is the best option to reduce the air temperature in a room in Aswan, Egypt.

Fire simulation of pool fire with effects of a ventilation controlled compartment by using a fire model, CFAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Yasuo; Suto, Hitoshi; Shirai, Koji; Eguchi, Yuzuru; Matsuyama, Ken

2015-01-01

The basic performance for numerical analysis of fire parameters in a compartment by using a zone model, CFAST (Consolidated model of Fire growth And Smoke Transport), which has been widely applied for fire protection design of buildings, was examined. Special attentions were paid to the effects of compartment geometry under poor ventilation conditions with mechanical systems. The simulations were carried out under conditions corresponding to previous experiments, in which fire parameters have been precisely measured. The comparison between numerical simulations and experiments indicated that the CFAST principally has a capability to represent the time-histories of air-temperature in the high air-temperature layer generated in the vicinity of ceiling of the compartment, by applying the proper boundary conditions. These results suggest that numerical analysis for time-series of air temperature and smoke concentration in compartments must be a powerful tool for discussion on validity of fire protection schemes. (author)

Symmetry or asymmetry -- Comfort is the question. (A study of the second floor of the west office wing of the Water Pollution Control Laboratory in Portland, Oregon.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez, A.F.; Gaba, P.; Kowitanupong, C.

1999-07-01

This article explores the effects of an asymmetric distribution of building components, and their relation to human comfort. The studied building was the Water Pollution Control Laboratory in Portland, Oregon. This project, designed by the Miller/Hull Partnership, provides the perfect conditions to do such a study since it has very different ceiling heights within the same space, and an asymmetric distribution of the fenestration as well. Findings show that: (a) Variable ceiling heights affect the quantity of daylight received, and also affect the quality and distribution of electric light; (b) An asymmetric distribution of the fenestration creates very different conditions in both the luminous and thermal environments; and (c) The design of lighting and HVAC systems must take into consideration variations in ceiling height and the position of the fenestration into the space.

Most efficient questionnaires to measure quality of life, physical function, and pain in patients with metastatic spine disease: a cross-sectional prospective survey study.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulino Pereira, Nuno Rui; Janssen, Stein J; Raskin, Kevin A; Hornicek, Francis J; Ferrone, Marco L; Shin, John H; Bramer, Jos A M; van Dijk, Cornelis Nicolaas; Schwab, Joseph H

2017-07-01

Assessing quality of life, functional outcome, and pain has become important in assessing the effectiveness of treatment for metastatic spine disease. Many questionnaires are able to measure these outcomes; few are validated in patients with metastatic spine disease. As a result, there is no consensus on the ideal questionnaire to use in these patients. Our study aim was to assess whether certain questionnaires measuring quality of life, functional outcome, and pain (1) correlated with each other, (2) measured the construct they claim to measure, (3) had good coverage-floor and ceiling effects, (4) were reliable, and (5) whether there were differences in completion time between them. This is a prospective cross-sectional survey study from three outpatient clinics (two orthopedic oncology clinics and one neurosurgery clinic) from two affiliated tertiary hospital care centers. We included 100 consecutive patients with metastatic spine disease between July 2014 and February 2016. We excluded non-English-speaking patients. The following questionnaires were given in random order: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) or Neck Disability Index (NDI), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function, PROMIS Pain Intensity, EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), and the Spine Oncology Study Group Outcome Questionnaire (SOSG-OQ). We used exploratory factor analysis-correlating questionnaires with an underlying mathematically derived trait-to assess if questionnaires measured the same concept. Coverage was assessed by floor and ceiling effects, and reliability was assessed by standard error of measurement as a function of ability. Differences in completion times were tested using the Friedman test. Questionnaires measured the construct they were developed for, as demonstrated with high correlations (>0.7) with the underlying trait. A floor effect was present in the PROMIS Pain Intensity (7.0%), ODI or NDI (4.0%), and the PROMIS Physical Function (1

Effects of long-term salinity on the growth of the halophyte Spartina ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

use

2011-12-07

Dec 7, 2011 ... randomized design in a glass-covered greenhouse with natural temperature and light. The interior of the greenhouse ceiling was draped with 30% shade ... Scientific, Great Amwell, Herts, UK) in the growth chamber. Statistical ...

Cost-effectiveness of pressure-relieving devices for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleurence, Rachael L

2005-01-01

The cost-effectiveness of alternating pressure-relieving devices, mattress replacements, and mattress overlays compared with a standard hospital (high-specification foam mattress) for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in hospital patients in the United Kingdom was investigated. A decision-analytic model was constructed to evaluate different strategies to prevent or treat pressure ulcers. Three scenarios were evaluated: the prevention of pressure ulcers, the treatment of superficial ulcers, and the treatment of severe ulcers. Epidemiological and effectiveness data were obtained from the clinical literature. Expert opinion using a rating scale technique was used to obtain quality of life data. Costs of the devices were obtained from manufacturers, whereas costs of treatment were obtained from the literature. Uncertainty was explored through probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Using 30,000 pounds sterling/QALY (quality-adjusted life year) as the decision-maker's cut off point (the current UK standard), in scenario 1 (prevention), the cost-effective strategy was the mattress overlay at 1, 4, and 12 weeks. In scenarios 2 and 3, the cost-effective strategy was the mattress replacement at 1, 4, and 12 weeks. Standard care was a dominated intervention in all scenarios for values of the decision-maker's ceiling ratio ranging from 5,000 pounds sterling to 100,000 pounds sterling/QALY. However, the probabilistic sensitivity analysis results reflected the high uncertainty surrounding the choice of devices. Current information suggests that alternating pressure mattress overlays may be cost-effective for the prevention of pressure ulcers, whereas alternating pressure mattress replacements appears to be cost-effective for the treatment of superficial and severe pressure ulcers.

The effectiveness of platform screen doors for the prevention of subway suicides in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Yong Woon; Kang, Sung Jin; Matsubayashi, Tetsuya; Sawada, Yasuyuki; Ueda, Michiko

2016-04-01

Subway suicide can significantly impact the general public. Platform Screen Doors (PSDs) are considered to be an effective strategy to prevent suicides at subway stations, but the evidence on their effectiveness is limited. We assessed the effectiveness of installing half- and full-height platform screen doors in reducing subway suicides using Poisson regression analysis. Ten-year monthly panel data for 121 subway stations between 2003 and 2012 in the Seoul metropolitan area were used for the analysis. We found that installing PSDs decreases fatal suicide cases by 89% (95% CI: 57-97%). We also found that the installation of full-height PSDs resulted in the elimination of subway suicides by completely blocking access to the track area; however, half-height PSDs, which do not extend to the ceiling of the platform, were not as effective as full-height ones. Our findings were based on the data from a single subway operator for a limited period of time. Accordingly, we did not consider the possibility that some passengers choose to die at a station run by other operators. Our study did not examine the potential substitution effects of other suicide methods. Installing physical barriers at subway stations can be an effective strategy to reduce the number of subway suicides; however, half-height PSDs are not as effective as full-height ones, even when they are as high as the height of an adult. Thus, these barriers should be made high enough so that nobody can climb over them. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Afghan Ministry of Defense Headquarters: $154.7 Million Building Appears Well Built, but Has Several Construction Issues that Should Be Assessed

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-01

drop ceiling is a secondary ceiling , hung below the main structural ceiling . Failure of these components in an earthquake has the potential to cause ...complete breaks in the floors, walls, and ceilings that divide the building into discrete sections. The objectives of this inspection were to...deficiencies, including the need to install a fire- rated glass entry door. An AFCEC official told us that all three deficiencies have since been corrected

The effects of covering materials on indoor Rn concentrations in offices in Hong Kong

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, K.N.; Cheung, T.; Young, E.C.M.; Mui, W.N.; Tang, K.K.

2000-01-01

The variation of Rn concentrations in 134 offices with different covering materials cladded on internal building surfaces, including walls, ceilings and floors, were measured. The three commonest combinations (87 sites) of covering materials for the walls, ceilings and floors in Hong Kong are (A): wall paper, fibre board, carpet; (B): paint, paint and plastic tile and (C): paint, fibre board, plastic tile. The average Rn concentrations for combinations (A) and (B) were about the same, while that for combination (C) was significantly lower than those for (A) and (B). A person working in an office with combination (C) can receive an average annual tracheobronchial equivalent dose smaller than one working in an office with combinations (A) and (B) by an amount as large as 0.8 mSv

The market equilibrium of OPEC's pricing mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammoudeh, S.; Madan, V.

1990-01-01

At least twice a year, oil ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meet in Vienna or Geneva to adjust the group's output ceiling to eliminate discrepancies between the market price and the target price. If the market imbalances are persistent, then the target price is also adjusted. Often, OPEC's members differ in their assessment of future market demand for their oil and, thus, present different views on the need to adjust the output celing and the target price. During periods of downward pressures on oil prices, the high absorbers of capital (i.e., oil revenues) prefer a speedy downward adjustment to the celing, while the low absorbers are slow to react. However, in the event of tightening markets, the low absorbers usually respond by exceeding their quotas before agreeing on a ceiling adjustment. Therefore, OPEC nations have different desirable speeds of adjustment. This paper specifies and examines the stability of OPEC's pricing mechanism. It presents a strategy which would enable the organization to achieve a target price-based market equilibrium with increased rapidity through the appropriate manipulation of the speed of output ceiling adjustment. This strategy is applied using data on market and target prices, actual output, and output ceilings for the first quarter of 1991. The main finding is that, given the target price, OPEC's equilibrium market demand is significantly lower than the assigned output ceiling. Production should have been reduced by at least 3 million barrels a day for OPEC to realize the $21 per barrel target price in the first quarter of 1991. Seasonal factors can cause slight variations in this output but would not bring out compatibility between the target price and the output ceiling within a reasonable period of time unless OPEC follows an activist policy of output adjustment. 3 figs., 1 tab

[Newly developed monitor for IVR: liquid crystal display (LCD) replaced with cathode ray tube (CRT)].

Science.gov (United States)

Ichida, Takao; Hosogai, Minoru; Yokoyama, Kouji; Ogawa, Takayoshi; Okusako, Kenji; Shougaki, Masachika; Masai, Hironao; Yamada, Eiji; Okuyama, Kazuo; Hatagawa, Masakatsu

2004-09-01

For physicians who monitor images during interventional radiology (VR), we have built and been using a system that employs a liquid crystal display (LCD) instead of the conventional cathode ray tube (CRT). The system incorporates a ceiling-suspension-type monitor (three-display monitor) with an LCD on each of the three displays for the head and abdominal regions and another ceiling-suspension-type monitor (5-display monitor) with an LCD on each display for the cardiac region. As these monitors are made to be thin and light in weight, they can be placed in a high position in the room, thereby saving space and allowing for more effective use of space in the X-ray room. The system has also improved the efficiency of operators in the IVR room. The three-display folding mechanism allows the displays to be viewed from multiple directions, thereby improving the environment so that the performance of IVR can be observed.

Modification method for increasing inner capacity of PWR type reactor container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toda, Shiro; Matsumoto, Mitsutaka

1998-01-01

A reactor container has a cylindrical wall portion and a dome-like ceiling portion. The upper portion of the cylindrical wall portion where the cross section is gradually reduced is cut off to from a circular step portion. A steel plate having an arcuate cross section having an inner surface being in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the ceiling portion is placed on the annular step portion, joined by welding to form a raised cylindrical portion. A raised ceiling portion having the same shape as the ceiling portion is constituted by weld-assembling of steel plates on the upper portion of the raised cylindrical portion. Through holes for air ventilation are perforated on the ceiling portion, and concrete is placed on the outer sides of the cylindrical wall portion, the raised cylindrical portion and the raised ceiling portion to form a concrete layer. Since the raised cylindrical portion and the raised ceiling portion can thus be constituted with no access to the inside of an existent reactor container, radiation exposure can be avoided. (I.N.)

FY1995 development of highly qualified less invasive surgery system; 1995 nendo higly qualified LIS (teishinshu geka shujutsu) system no sogoteki kaihatsu kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

The risk of complications related to high pressure pneumo-peritoneum as well as the restrictions applied to the maneuvering limit further development of laparoscope surgery in various fields. To eliminate such restrictions, we developed the original method of gasless laparoscopic surgery, namely the abdominal wall lifting with double subcutaneous wiring and adjustable plate lifting. These include (1) the ceiling and the lateral wall is much higher and wider than the pneumoperitoneal method (2) less post-operative pain due to non-injury of nerves and muscle layers, and (3) the shape of lifting area and the lifting direction can be adjusted for different cases, and (4) ability to perform extremely difficult cases of severe intraabdominal adhesions. The ultimate goal of this research project is the achievement of truly safe and secure operative method of minimally invasive surgery. Some of the new laparoscopic instruments we invented include the 'Ojigi' rotatable spatula, several motor forceps and sensory forceps. In gasless laparoscopic surgery, the effective intraabdominal space creation is done by the abdominal wall lifting with double subcutaneous wiring and adjustable plate lifting. In addition, the newly developed rotatable operating table is extremely effective in maximizing the intraabdominal space. To improve the visual quality of laparoscope surgery, we developed several advanced cameras which take advantages of high definition TV and three dimensional display. (NEDO)

Compression test of cold-formedsteel perforated profile with steel sheathing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shamanin Aleksandr Yur’evich

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The subject of this paper is the stability and strength of cold-formed and perforated steel sigma-section columns with steel sheathing of different thickness. Ceilings with and without steel sheathing of different thickness are tested to failure in compression on a laboratory machine, which was based on a manual hydraulic jack. Series of 4 experiments with full-scale walls (2.5 m height were carried out. Also, for examination of the role of boundary conditions, the sheet in a ceiling is either left free or connected to base with screws.In civil engineering there are many experiments and methodologies for calculating the strength and buckling of ceiling with the sheathing of various materials, such as oriented strand board and gypsum board. However, for producing superstructures of ships the materials with high plastic properties and strength characteristics are required. For example steel possesses such properties. It was the main reason for conducting a series of experiments and studying the behavior of cold-formed steel columns with steel sheathing. During the experiments the deformation of the cross-section of three equally spaced cross sections was determined, as well as the axial deformation of the central column in the ceiling with steel sheathing.The test results showed the influence of the thickness of sheathing and boundary condition of a sheet on the strength and buckling of ceiling. According to the results of the tests it is necessary to evaluate the impact of the sheathing made of different materials and if necessary to carry out further tests.

Biological effectiveness of high-energy protons - Target fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cucinotta, F.A.; Katz, R.; Wilson, J.W.; Townsend, L.W.; Shinn, J.; Hajnal, F.

1991-01-01

High-energy protons traversing tissue produce local sources of high-linear-energy-transfer ions through nuclear fragmentation. The contribution of these target fragments to the biological effectiveness of high-energy protons using the cellular track model is examined. The effects of secondary ions are treated in terms of the production collision density using energy-dependent parameters from a high-energy fragmentation model. Calculations for mammalian cell cultures show that at high dose, at which intertrack effects become important, protons deliver damage similar to that produced by gamma rays, and with fragmentation the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of protons increases moderately from unity. At low dose, where sublethal damage is unimportant, the contribution from target fragments dominates, causing the proton effectiveness to be very different from that of gamma rays with a strongly fluence-dependent RBE. At high energies, the nuclear fragmentation cross sections become independent of energy. This leads to a plateau in the proton single-particle-action cross section, below 1 keV/micron, since the target fragments dominate. 29 refs

Effects of cosmic radiation on devices and embedded systems in aircrafts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prado, Adriane C.M.; Federico, Claudio A.; Pereira Junior, Evaldo C.F.; Goncalez, Odair L., E-mail: claudiofederico@ieav.cta.br, E-mail: odairlelisgoncalez@gmail.com, E-mail: adriane.acm@hotmail.com, E-mail: evaldocarlosjr@gmail.com [Instituto de Estudos Avancados (IEAV/DCTA), Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil)

2013-07-01

Modern avionics systems use new electronic technologies devices that, due to their high degree of sophistication and miniaturization, are more susceptible to the effects of ionizing radiation, particularly the effect called 'Single Event Effect' (SEE) produced by neutron. Studies regarding the effects of radiation on electronic systems for space applications, such as satellites and orbital stations, have already been in progress for several years. However, tolerance requirements and specific studies, focusing on testing dedicated to avionics, have caused concern and gained importance in the last decade as a result of the accidents attributed to SEE in aircraft. Due to the development of a higher ceiling, an increase in airflow and a greater autonomy of certain aircrafts, the problem regarding the control of ionizing radiation dose received by the pilots, the crew and sensitive equipment became important in the areas of occupational health, radiation protection and flight safety. This paper presents an overview of the effects of ionizing radiation on devices and embedded systems in aircrafts, identifying and classifying these effects in relation to their potential risks in each device class. The assessment of these effects in avionics is a very important and emerging issue nowadays, which is being discussed by groups of the international scientific community; however, in South America, groups working in this area are still unknown. Consequently, this work is a great contribution and significantly valuable to the area of aeronautical engineering and flight safety associated to the effects of radiation on electronic components embedded in aircraft. (author)

Effects of cosmic radiation on devices and embedded systems in aircrafts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prado, Adriane C.M.; Federico, Claudio A.; Pereira Junior, Evaldo C.F.; Goncalez, Odair L.

2013-01-01

Modern avionics systems use new electronic technologies devices that, due to their high degree of sophistication and miniaturization, are more susceptible to the effects of ionizing radiation, particularly the effect called 'Single Event Effect' (SEE) produced by neutron. Studies regarding the effects of radiation on electronic systems for space applications, such as satellites and orbital stations, have already been in progress for several years. However, tolerance requirements and specific studies, focusing on testing dedicated to avionics, have caused concern and gained importance in the last decade as a result of the accidents attributed to SEE in aircraft. Due to the development of a higher ceiling, an increase in airflow and a greater autonomy of certain aircrafts, the problem regarding the control of ionizing radiation dose received by the pilots, the crew and sensitive equipment became important in the areas of occupational health, radiation protection and flight safety. This paper presents an overview of the effects of ionizing radiation on devices and embedded systems in aircrafts, identifying and classifying these effects in relation to their potential risks in each device class. The assessment of these effects in avionics is a very important and emerging issue nowadays, which is being discussed by groups of the international scientific community; however, in South America, groups working in this area are still unknown. Consequently, this work is a great contribution and significantly valuable to the area of aeronautical engineering and flight safety associated to the effects of radiation on electronic components embedded in aircraft. (author)

Nb effect on Zr-alloy oxidation under high pressure steam at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Kwangheon; Yang, Sungwoo; Kim, Kyutae

2005-01-01

The high-pressure steam effects on the oxidation of Zircaloy-4 (Zry-4) and Zirlo (Zry-1%Nb) claddings at high temperature have been analyzed. Test temperature range was 700-900degC, and pressures were 1-150 bars. High pressure-steam enhances oxidation of Zry-4, and the dependency of enhancement looks exponential to steam pressure. The origin of the oxidation enhancement turned out to be the formation of cracks in oxide. The loss of tetragonal phase by high-pressure steam seems related to the crack formation. Addition of Nb as an alloying element to Zr alloy reduces significantly the steam pressure effects on oxidation. The higher compressive stresses and the smaller fraction of tetragonal oxides in Zry-1%Nb seem to be the diminished effect of high-pressure steam on oxidation. (author)

Environmental burden by nitrogen from agriculture in the Netherlands. Outline of effects of manure and ammonia measures; Milieubelasting door stikstof uit de Nederlandse landbouw. Verkenning effecten mest- en ammoniakmaatregelen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kros, J.; De Vries, W.; Oenema, O. [Divisie Bodem, Alterra, Wageningen Universiteit en Research Centrum, Wageningen (Netherlands)

2004-03-01

The nitrogen emission ceiling has been introduced to be able to assess the effectiveness of measures to control manure and ammonia. This integral method shows the effects of several policy options on the release of nitrogen from the agricultural sector into the environment on a regional scale. [Dutch] Het stikstofplafond is geintroduceerd om de effectiviteit van mest- en ammoniak-maatregelen te beoordelen. Deze integrale methodiek laat op een transparante en samenhangende wijze zien wat de effecten zijn van diverse mogelijke (beleids)maatregelen op de stikstofverliezen uit de landbouw naar het milieu op regionale schaal.

Numerical simulation of the effects of hanging sound absorbers on TABS cooling performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rage, Nils; Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2016-01-01

simulating a two-person office of 20 m2, with a typical cooling load of 42 W/m2. The results show that covering 60% of the ceiling surface with sound absorbers hanging at 300 mm from the ceiling active deck is expected to reduce the cooling capacity coefficient of TABS by 15.8%. This drops to 25......Recently there has been a considerable increase in the use of Thermally-Active Building Systems (TABS) in Europe as an energy-efficient and economical cooling and heating solution for buildings. However, this widespread solution requires large uncovered hard surfaces indoors, which can lead...... to a degradation of the room acoustic comfort. Therefore, challenges arise when this system has to be combined with acoustic requirements. Soffit-hanging sound absorbers embody a promising solution. This study focuses on quantifying their impact on the cooling performance of TABS, assessed by means of the cooling...

Effects of ambient particulate matter on aerobic exercise performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dale R. Wagner

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background/Objective: Wintertime thermal inversions in narrow mountain valleys create a ceiling effect, increasing concentration of small particulate matter (PM2.5. Despite potential health risks, many people continue to exercise outdoors in thermal inversions. This study measured the effects of ambient PM2.5 exposure associated with a typical thermal inversion on exercise performance, pulmonary function, and biological markers of inflammation. Methods: Healthy, active adults (5 males, 11 females performed two cycle ergometer time trials outdoors in a counterbalanced design: 1 low ambient PM2.5 concentrations ( .05 for PM2.5 concentration and the measured variables. Conclusion: An acute bout of vigorous exercise during an AQI of “yellow” did not diminish exercise performance in healthy adults, nor did it have a negative effect on pulmonary function or biological health markers. These variables might not be sensitive to small changes from acute, mild PM2.5 exposure. Keywords: Air pollution, Cycle ergometry, Pulmonary function, Time trial, Vigorous exercise

Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Women in School Administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Jean A.

Consistent with national trends, white males hold the majority of public school administrator positions in North Carolina. This paper examines the barriers and underlying assumptions that have prevented women and minorities from gaining access to high-level positions in educational administration. These include: (1) the assumption that leadership…

Simulation of thermal indoor climate in buildings by using human Projected Area Factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Jørgen Erik

2009-01-01

Nowadays many new and old buildings in Denmark have large glass surfaces. This is a consequence of the technical development of windows with low U-values that has made it possible to build houses with windows from floor to ceiling in northern climates. On the other hand if one is sitting close to...... for dynamic building thermal analysis. The method is demonstrated in a newer apartment with windows from floor to ceiling and shows how impotent it is to include the radiant effect from the glass sur-faces and how it influences the indoor thermal climate significantly.......Nowadays many new and old buildings in Denmark have large glass surfaces. This is a consequence of the technical development of windows with low U-values that has made it possible to build houses with windows from floor to ceiling in northern climates. On the other hand if one is sitting close...

An Effectiveness Trial of Contingency Management in a Felony Preadjudication Drug Court

Science.gov (United States)

Marlowe, Douglas B; Festinger, David S; Dugosh, Karen L; Arabia, Patricia L; Kirby, Kimberly C

2008-01-01

This study evaluated a contingency management (CM) program in a drug court. Gift certificates for compliance were delivered at 4- to 6-week intervals (total value  =  $390.00). Participants in one condition earned gift certificates that escalated by $5.00 increments. Participants in a second condition began earning higher magnitude gift certificates, and the density of reinforcement was gradually decreased. No main effects of CM were detected, which appears to be attributable to a ceiling effect from the intensive contingencies already delivered in the drug court and the low density of reinforcement. Preplanned interaction analyses suggested that participants with more serious criminal backgrounds might have performed better in the CM conditions. This suggests that CM programs may be best suited for more incorrigible drug offenders. PMID:19192860

Precipitation Kinetics of Cr2N in High Nitrogen Austenitic Stainless Steel

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SHI Feng; WANG Li-jun; CUI Wen-fang; LIU Chun-ming

2008-01-01

The precipitation behavior of Cr2N during isothermal aging in the temperature range from 700℃to 950℃ in Fe-18Cr-12Mn-0.48N(in mass percent)high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel,including morphology and content of precipitate,was investigated using optical microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and transmission electron microscopy.The isothermal precipitation kinetics curve of Cr2N and the corresponding precipitation activation energy were obtained.The results show that Cr2N phase precipitates in a cellular way and its morphology is transformed from initial granular precipitates to lamellar ones in the cell with increasing aging time.The nose temperature of Cr2N precipitation is about 800℃,with a corresponding incubation period of 30 min,and the ceiling temperature of Cr2N precipitation is 950℃.The diffusion activation energy of Cr2N precipitation is 296 kJ/mol.

Electrical and photoelectric properties of Si-based metal–insulator–semiconductor structures with Au nanoparticles at the insulator–semiconductor interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koryazhkina, M. N., E-mail: mahavenok@mail.ru; Tikhov, S. V.; Gorshkov, O. N.; Kasatkin, A. P.; Antonov, I. N. [Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod (NNSU) (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

It is shown that the formation of Au nanoparticles at the insulator–silicon interface in structures with a high density of surface states results in a shift of the Fermi-level pinning energy at this interface towards the valence-band ceiling in silicon and in increasing the surface-state density at energies close to the Fermi level. In this case, a band with a peak at 0.85 eV arises on the photosensivity curves of the capacitor photovoltage, which is explained by the photoemission of electrons from the formed Au-nanoparticle electron states near the valence-band ceiling in silicon.

Energy Performance and CO2 Emissions of HVAC Systems in Commercial Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafat Al-Waked

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Energy performance of buildings has attracted much attention among building physicists and engineers worldwide. The effects of building heating; ventilation; and air conditioning (HVAC systems’ design upgrade on the building energy performance are the focus of the current study. The adopted HVAC system consisted of chilled ceiling and chilled beam systems served by a centrifugal water chiller. An energy simulation study was undertaken in accordance with the national Australian built environment rating system-rules for collecting and using data. A three-dimensional simulation study was carried out utilizing the virtual environment-integrated environmental solutions software. Results from the current study have shown the importance of utilizing energy-efficient HVAC systems and HVAC strategies for achieving a high building energy star rating. Recommended strategies in order to achieve the nominated star rating; as predicted by the simulation analysis; were presented. Moreover; the effects of solar radiation inside the building atrium were significant; which cannot be overcome by simply installing a low shading coefficient glazing type at the atrium skylight. In addition to providing chilled ceiling technology; a high efficiency chiller and low energy lighting; it is recommended that the building be well tuned during the commissioning period. The current approach could be extended to accommodate higher energy ratings of commercial buildings at different locations worldwide.

WOMEN IN SCIENCE & EDUCATION IN TURKEY Hayrunnisa Bolay ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

ranjeetha

GLASS CEILING EFFECT IN ACADEMIC CAREER. Professor. Associate. Prof .... NEUROBIOLOGY: COGNITIVE PERFORMANCES. Women favors. Men favors ... (responsible for problem- solving, planning, decision- making), and the limbic.

Is There a ‘Glass Ceiling’ for Female Managers in Singapore Organizations?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vlado Dimovski

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This study presents an overview of glass-ceiling type barriers inorganizations based on the perceptions of a sample of Singaporemid-level women managers. Previous studies indicated the existenceof a glass ceiling in organizations and presented strategicrecommendations with regard to what corporations could do toremove or reduce the glass ceiling. This study investigates howwomen in middle management perceive their career advancementopportunities and what they consider their organizations tobe doing to support their advancement. Glass ceiling and informalstructures in the organizations will be analyzed from the aspectsof corporate climate, corporate practices, and corporate culture.The relevant questions are derived from the model developed byBergman and Hallberg (2002. This study aims to answer whetherthere is a glass ceiling present in Singapore companies. The studybegins with an introduction of the concept of a glass ceiling thatprevents women from advancing, and then continues with previousstudies on corporate climate, corporate practices and corporateculture, and data analysis of samples from Singapore organizations.The findings show that women middle managers inSingapore organizations face a glass ceiling in their working environmentwhich, for example, inhibits the promotion of femalemanagers, and entails a barrier to the career development opportunitiesof women presents that women do not have enough organizationalsupport, including networking, mentoring, and familyfriendly initiatives.

Constructive systems, load-bearing and enclosing structures of high-rise buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Anatol'evna Korol', Elena; Olegovna Kustikova, Yuliya

2018-03-01

As the height of the building increases, loads on load-carrying structures increase dramatically, and as a result of the development of high-rise construction, several structural systems of such buildings have been developed: frame, frame-frame, cross-wall, barrel, box-type, box-to-wall ("pipe in pipe", "Trumpet in the farm"), etc. In turn, the barrel systems have their own versions: cantilever support of the ceilings on the trunk, suspension of the outer part of the overlap to the upper carrying console "hanging house" or its support by means of the walls on the lower bearing cantilever, intermediate position of the supporting cantilevers in height to the floor, from a part of floors. The object of the study are the structural solutions of high-rise buildings. The subject of the study is the layout of structural schemes of high-rise buildings, taking into account the main parameters - altitude (height), natural climatic conditions of construction, materials of structural elements and their physical and mechanical characteristics. The purpose of the study is to identify the features and systematization of structural systems of high-rise buildings and the corresponding structural elements. The results of the research make it possible, at the stage of making design decisions, to establish rational parameters for the correspondence between the structural systems of high-rise buildings and their individual elements.

Bearing capacity check of aluminum profiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Grigoraşenco

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Because of suspended ceiling options to be customizable they are the choice for implementation in spaces like offices buildings, schools, hospitals and commercial premises. Recent problems with suspended gypsum ceilings falling in some commercial premises led to verification by tensile test and flexural bearing capacity of 5 types of aluminum elements used to suspend the ceilings.

The responsiveness of the Lucerne ICF-based Multidisciplinary Observation Scale (LIMOS: a comparison with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM and the Barthel Index (BI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Vanbellingen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Good responsive functional outcome measures are important to measure change in stroke patients. The aim of study was to compare the internal and external responsiveness, floor and ceiling effects of the motor, cognition & communication subscales of the Lucerne ICF-based Multidisciplinary Observation Scale (LIMOS with the motor and cognition subscales of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM, and the Barthel Index (BI, in a large cohort of stroke patients.Methods: One hundred and eighteen stroke patients participated in this study. Admission and discharge score distributions of the LIMOS motor, LIMOS cognition & communication, FIM motor and FIM cognition, and BI were analyzed based on skewness and kurtosis. Floor and ceiling effects of the scales were determined. Internal responsiveness was assessed with t-tests, effect sizes (ES and standardized response means (SRMs. External responsiveness was investigated with linear regression analyses.Results: The LIMOS motor and LIMOS cognition & communication subscales were more responsive, expressed by higher effect sizes (ES = 0.65, SRM = 1.17 and ES = 0.52, SRM = 1.17 respectively as compared with FIM motor (ES = 0.54, SRM = 0.96 and FIM cognition (ES = 0.41, SRM = 0.88, and the BI (ES = 0.41, SRM = 0.65. The LIMOS subscales showed neither floor nor ceiling effects at admission and discharge (all < 15%. In contrast, ceiling effects were found for the FIM motor (16%, FIM cognition (15% at discharge and the BI (at admission (22% and discharge (43%. LIMOS motor and LIMOS cognition & communication subscales significantly correlated (p < 0.0001 with a change in the FIM motor and FIM cognition subscales, suggesting good external responsiveness.Conclusions: We found that the LIMOS motor and LIMOS cognition & communication, which are ICF-based multidisciplinary standardized observation scales, might have the potential to better detect changes in functional outcome of stroke patients, compared to

Effect of Environmental Parameters on the Biocidal Performance of Iodine-Treated Filters

Science.gov (United States)

2008-01-01

70(7): pp. 34–48. 17. Chang, J.C.S., Foarde, K.K., and VanOsdell, D.W., Growth evaluation of fungi ( Penicillium and Aspergillus Spp) on ceiling...enhancing Bacillus sp . spore production. 1998, Manassas, Va.: American Type Culture Collection. 56. Ricca, E. and Cutting, S.M., Review emerging

Highly efficient fully transparent inverted OLEDs

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, J.; Winkler, T.; Hamwi, S.; Schmale, S.; Kröger, M.; Görrn, P.; Johannes, H.-H.; Riedl, T.; Lang, E.; Becker, D.; Dobbertin, T.; Kowalsky, W.

2007-09-01

One of the unique selling propositions of OLEDs is their potential to realize highly transparent devices over the visible spectrum. This is because organic semiconductors provide a large Stokes-Shift and low intrinsic absorption losses. Hence, new areas of applications for displays and ambient lighting become accessible, for instance, the integration of OLEDs into the windshield or the ceiling of automobiles. The main challenge in the realization of fully transparent devices is the deposition of the top electrode. ITO is commonly used as transparent bottom anode in a conventional OLED. To obtain uniform light emission over the entire viewing angle and a low series resistance, a TCO such as ITO is desirable as top contact as well. However, sputter deposition of ITO on top of organic layers causes damage induced by high energetic particles and UV radiation. We have found an efficient process to protect the organic layers against the ITO rf magnetron deposition process of ITO for an inverted OLED (IOLED). The inverted structure allows the integration of OLEDs in more powerful n-channel transistors used in active matrix backplanes. Employing the green electrophosphorescent material Ir(ppy) 3 lead to IOLED with a current efficiency of 50 cd/A and power efficiency of 24 lm/W at 100 cd/m2. The average transmittance exceeds 80 % in the visible region. The on-set voltage for light emission is lower than 3 V. In addition, by vertical stacking we achieved a very high current efficiency of more than 70 cd/A for transparent IOLED.

Characteristics and performance of thin LaBr3(Ce) crystal for X-ray astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Manchanda, R. K.

Lanthanum Bromide crystal is the latest among the family of the scintillation counters and has an advantage over conventional room temperature detectors. It has a high atomic number, high light yield, and fast decay time compared to NaI(Tl) crystal and therefore, the energy resolution, of LaBr3 detector is superior and it has higher detection efficiency. In recent past, laboratory studies have been generally made using thick crystal geometry (1.5×1.5-inch and 2×2-inch). Similarly, simulation studies are also in progress for the use of LaBr3 detectors in the ground based high energy physics experiments. The detector background counting rate of LaBr3 crystal is affected by the internal radioactivity and is due to naturally occurring radioisotopes 138La and 227Ac, similar to the sodium Iodide detector which is affected by the iodine isotopes. We have developed a new detector using thin lanthanum bromide crystal (3×30-mm) for use in X-ray astronomy. The instrument was launched in high altitude balloon flight on Dec. 21, 2007, which reached a ceiling altitude of 4.3 mbs. A background counting rate of 1.6 ×10-2 ct cm-2 s-1 keV-1 sr-1 was observed at the ceiling altitude. This paper describes the details of the electronics hardware, energy resolution and the background characteristics of the detector at ceiling altitude

Collusion through price ceilings? In search of a focal-point effect

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Engelmann, Dirk; Müller, W.

2011-01-01

Roč. 79, č. 3 (2011), s. 291-302 ISSN 0167-2681 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : collusion * competition policy * experimental economics Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 1.006, year: 2011

Heat and mass transfer in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristoffersen, Astrid Rusaas

2005-01-01

downdraft table should be ventilated from above, behind the worker, and from the sides to assure that the airflow is directed towards the downdraft table in all directions. In addition, the worker should wear an airvest to reduce the contamination of the air in his breathing zone. The contaminated area of the room was found by releasing passive tracer into the calculated airflow field. Simulation of passive tracer must be released into an airflow field converged to a residual less than 10''Λ (-4) to achieve conservation of the tracer mass. Simulation of airflow with thermal buoyancy is more challenging to get to converge. The challenge increases as the Rayleigh number increases. Rooms will always have a high Rayleigh number (in the range 10 Λ (-9) - 1 Λ (-12) and is challenging to simulate. The third and fourth papers discussed heating in residential buildings by low temperature heating systems. Heating in Norway has traditionally been performed by high temperature convective ovens. These heating systems affect the air transport by convection. Low temperature heating systems require large heating surfaces, and heats surfaces in the building like floors, ceiling and walls. Low temperature heated surfaces have less influence on the airflow pattern in the building. A well-insulated room will give an even distribution of the temperature, and is therefore less sensitive to the position (ceiling, floor, and wall) of the heated surface. The third paper titled ''Comparison of low temperature ceiling heating and floor heating systems in well-insulated buildings'' compared the performance of ceiling and floor low temperature heating systems. The ceiling heating system had a relative stronger radiant heat flux than the floor heating system. However, the floor heating system had a stronger convective heat flux than the ceiling system. For a given temperature difference between the heated surface and operative temperature a floor heating system delivers more heat to the room than a

Radiation effects of high and low doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Naggar, A.M.

1998-01-01

The extensive proliferation of the uses and applications of atomic and nuclear energy resulted in possible repercussions on human health. The prominent features of the health hazards that may be incurred after exposure to high and low radiation doses are discussed. The physical and biological factors involved in the sequential development of radiation health effects and the different cellular responses to radiation injury are considered. The main criteria and features of radiation effects of high and low doses are comprehensively outlined

The state of knowledge of astronaut radiation protection principles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boszkiewicz, T.

1986-01-01

Different noxious agents such as accelerations, vibration, weightlessness, emotional tention, microclimate of hermetic space-ship or orbital station and cosmic radiation act on organism during space flight. No health hazardous radioactive radiation intensity or harmful influence on astronaut organism are observed during the not-long-lasted flights on low ceilings. But scientific researches show the danger exists in case of longlasted flights on high ceilings particularly during interplanetary flights, so it is necessary to undertake suitable countermeasures. The problem is even more important because the parallel activity of radioactive radiation and some more noxious agents can be very harmfull even with the small radiation dose. 8 refs. (author)

Acid-activated bentonite (Maghnite-H +) as a novel catalyst for the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2018-03-23

Mar 23, 2018 ... The reaction was investigated in bulk, taking into account the effect of time, temperature ..... The thermogram presents a glass tran- sition, exothermic ... C; we assume that this is the ceiling temperature; this. Table 1. Effect of ...

Performance of Radiant Heating Systems of Low-Energy Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Sarbu, Ioan; Mirza, Matei; Crasmareanu, Emanuel

2017-10-01

After the introduction of plastic piping, the application of water-based radiant heating with pipes embedded in room surfaces (i.e., floors, walls, and ceilings), has significantly increased worldwide. Additionally, interest and growth in radiant heating and cooling systems have increased in recent years because they have been demonstrated to be energy efficient in comparison to all-air distribution systems. This paper briefly describes the heat distribution systems in buildings, focusing on the radiant panels (floor, wall, ceiling, and floor-ceiling). Main objective of this study is the performance investigation of different types of low-temperature heating systems with different methods. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the energy, environmental, and economic performances of floor, wall, ceiling, and floor-ceiling heating using numerical simulation with Transient Systems Simulation (TRNSYS) software is performed. This study showed that the floor-ceiling heating system has the best performance in terms of the lowest energy consumption, operation cost, CO2 emission, and the nominal boiler power. The comparison of the room operative air temperatures and the set-point operative air temperature indicates also that all radiant panel systems provide satisfactory results without significant deviations.

Friction, Fretting and Wear: Emerging Materials and Technologies

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

across smooth walls and high ceilings while intelligent humans continue to slip and .... mance of internal combustion engines, artificial hip and knee implants and ... the intrinsic advantages of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) strengthening steel ...

Designing questionnaires: healthcare survey to compare two different response scales

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background A widely discussed design issue in patient satisfaction questionnaires is the optimal length and labelling of the answering scale. The aim of the present study was to compare intra-individually the answers on two response scales to five general questions evaluating patients’ perception of hospital care. Methods Between November 2011 and January 2012, all in-hospital patients at a Swiss University Hospital received a patient satisfaction questionnaire on an adjectival scale with three to four labelled categories (LS) and five redundant questions displayed on an 11-point end-anchored numeric scale (NS). The scales were compared concerning ceiling effect, internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), individual item answers (Spearman’s rank correlation), and concerning overall satisfaction by calculating an overall percentage score (sum of all answers related to the maximum possible sum). Results The response rate was 41% (2957/7158), of which 2400 (81%) completely filled out all questions. Baseline characteristics of the responders and non-responders were similar. Floor and ceiling effect were high on both response scales, but more pronounced on the LS than on the NS. Cronbach’s alpha was higher on the NS than on the LS. There was a strong individual item correlation between both answering scales in questions regarding the intent to return, quality of treatment and the judgement whether the patient was treated with respect and dignity, but a lower correlation concerning satisfactory information transfer by physicians or nurses, where only three categories were available in the LS. The overall percentage score showed a comparable distribution, but with a wider spread of lower satisfaction in the NS. Conclusions Since the longer scale did not substantially reduce the ceiling effect, the type of questions rather than the type of answering scale could be addressed with a focus on specific questions about concrete situations instead of general questions

Trip setpoint analysis for the reactor protection system of an advanced integral reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Soo Hyung; Kim, Soo Hyung; Chung, Young Jong; Zee, Sung Quun

2007-01-01

The trip setpoints for the reactor protection system of a 65-MWt advanced integral reactor have been analyzed through sensitivity evaluations by using the Transients and Setpoint Simulation/System-integrated Modular Reactor code. In the analysis, an inadvertent control rod withdrawal event has been considered as an initiating event because this event results in the worst consequences from the viewpoint of the minimum critical heat flux ratio and its consequences are considerably affected by the trip setpoints. Sensitivity evaluations have been performed by changing the trip setpoints for the ceiling of a variable overpower trip (VOPT) function and the pressure of a high pressurizer pressure trip function. Analysis results show that a VOPT function is an effective means to satisfy the acceptance criteria as the control rod rapidly withdraws: on the other hand, a high pressurizer pressure trip function is an essential measure to preserve the safety margin in the case of a slow withdrawal of the control rod because a reactor trip by a VOPT function does not occur in this case. It is also shown that the adoptions of 122.2% of the rated core power and 16.25 MPa as the trip setpoint for the ceiling of a VOPT function and the pressure of a high pressurizer pressure trip function are good selections to satisfy the acceptance criteria

Rigorous Training of Dogs Leads to High Accuracy in Human Scent Matching-To-Sample Performance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Marchal

Full Text Available Human scent identification is based on a matching-to-sample task in which trained dogs are required to compare a scent sample collected from an object found at a crime scene to that of a suspect. Based on dogs' greater olfactory ability to detect and process odours, this method has been used in forensic investigations to identify the odour of a suspect at a crime scene. The excellent reliability and reproducibility of the method largely depend on rigor in dog training. The present study describes the various steps of training that lead to high sensitivity scores, with dogs matching samples with 90% efficiency when the complexity of the scents presented during the task in the sample is similar to that presented in the in lineups, and specificity reaching a ceiling, with no false alarms in human scent matching-to-sample tasks. This high level of accuracy ensures reliable results in judicial human scent identification tests. Also, our data should convince law enforcement authorities to use these results as official forensic evidence when dogs are trained appropriately.

Natural Attenuation of the Persistent Chemical Warfare Agent ...

Science.gov (United States)

Report This project studied the influence of temperature on the natural attenuation of VX from five types of porous/permeable materials: unsealed concrete, plywood, rubber escalator handrail, high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, and acoustic ceiling tile.

High temperature effects on compact-like structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bazeia, D.; Lima, E.E.M.; Losano, L. [Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Departamento de Fisica, Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil)

2016-08-15

In this work we investigate the transition from kinks to compactons at high temperatures. We deal with a family of models, described by a real scalar field with standard kinematics, controlled by a single parameter, real and positive. The family of models supports kink-like solutions, and the solutions tend to become compact when the parameter increases to larger and larger values. We study the one-loop corrections at finite temperature, to see how the thermal effects add to the effective potential. The results suggest that the symmetry is restored at very high temperatures. (orig.)

Acquisition of a High-Resolution High-Intensity X-ray Diffractometer for Research and Education

Science.gov (United States)

2015-07-20

exhaust air from the chiller is routed directly into the plenum above the  ceiling  tiles, where  it is accepted by the air handlers. A floor sink was...scattering  Not yet demonstrated  Texture, pole figures  Not yet demonstrated  Crystallography  Good   Non‐cubic  crystals   Basic     3      Figure 1...Dean for  Research, College of  Engineering   Crystal  structure of complex metal  oxides  Research  100+  2000  Federal grant  Ferroelectrics

High spin effects in superdense matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowers, R.L.; Gleeson, A.M.; Pedigo, R.D.

1978-04-01

A model of relativistic interacting superdense matter with vector, scalar and symmetric second rank tensor exchange is developed. The Green's functions of the model are solved in the self consistent Hartree approximation. The contributions of the symmetric second rank tensor are emphasized. It is found that these high spin contributions effect the superdense matter at densities just beyond those predicted to occur in neutron star matter or nuclear collisions. The spin-two effects do produce an unusual asymptotic dependence, p = - 1 / 3 epsilon. This effect is examined in a simple model of the early universe

Reliability and validity of the Impact of Event Scale (IES): version for Brazilian burn victims.

Science.gov (United States)

Echevarria-Guanilo, Maria E; Dantas, Rosana A S; Farina, Jayme A; Alonso, Jordi; Rajmil, Luis; Rossi, Lídia A

2011-06-01

The aims of this study were to assess the internal reliability (internal consistency), construct validity, sensitivity and ceiling and floor effects of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Methodological research design. The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the IES was applied to a group of 91 burned patients at three times: the first week after the burn injury (time one), between the fourth and the sixth months (time two) and between the ninth and the 12th months (time three). The internal consistency, construct validity (convergent and dimensionality), sensitivity and ceiling and floor effects were tested. Cronbach's alpha coefficients showed high internal consistency for the total scale (0·87) and for the domains intrusive thoughts (0·87) and avoidance responses (0·76). During the hospitalisation (time one), the scale showed low and positive correlations with pain measures immediately before (r=0·22; pnegative correlations with self-esteem (r=-0·52; plow and negative with the Bodily pain (r=-0·24; pimpact of the event in the group of patients under analysis. The Impact of Event Scale can be used in research and clinical practice to assess nursing interventions aimed at decreasing stress during rehabilitation. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effect of using low-polluting building materials and increasing ventilation on perceived indoor air quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wargocki, P.; Zuczek, P. (International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)); Knudsen, Henrik N. (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg Univ., Hoersholm (DK))

2007-07-01

The potential of improving perceived air quality indoors was quantified when low-polluting materials are used and when building ventilation is increased. This was done by studying the relationships between ventilation rate and the perceived indoor air quality. A sensory panel assessed the air quality in test rooms ventilated with realistic outdoor air supply rates, where combinations of high- and low-polluting wall, floor and ceiling materials were set up. These materials were ranked as high- and low-polluting using sensory assessments of air quality in small-scale glass chambers, where they were tested individually. Substituting materials ranked as high-polluting with materials ranked as lower-polluting improved the perceived air quality in the test rooms. This improvement was greater than what was achieved by a realistic increase of the ventilation rate in the test rooms. Thus reducing pollution emitted from building materials that affects the perceived air quality has a considerable potential of limiting the energy for ventilation without compromising indoor air quality. (au)

Extremely high frequency RF effects on electronics.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loubriel, Guillermo Manuel; Vigliano, David; Coleman, Phillip Dale; Williams, Jeffery Thomas; Wouters, Gregg A.; Bacon, Larry Donald; Mar, Alan

2012-01-01

The objective of this work was to understand the fundamental physics of extremely high frequency RF effects on electronics. To accomplish this objective, we produced models, conducted simulations, and performed measurements to identify the mechanisms of effects as frequency increases into the millimeter-wave regime. Our purpose was to answer the questions, 'What are the tradeoffs between coupling, transmission losses, and device responses as frequency increases?', and, 'How high in frequency do effects on electronic systems continue to occur?' Using full wave electromagnetics codes and a transmission-line/circuit code, we investigated how extremely high-frequency RF propagates on wires and printed circuit board traces. We investigated both field-to-wire coupling and direct illumination of printed circuit boards to determine the significant mechanisms for inducing currents at device terminals. We measured coupling to wires and attenuation along wires for comparison to the simulations, looking at plane-wave coupling as it launches modes onto single and multiconductor structures. We simulated the response of discrete and integrated circuit semiconductor devices to those high-frequency currents and voltages, using SGFramework, the open-source General-purpose Semiconductor Simulator (gss), and Sandia's Charon semiconductor device physics codes. This report documents our findings.

Finding new superconductors: the spin-fluctuation gateway to high Tc and possible room temperature superconductivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pines, David

2013-10-24

We propose an experiment-based strategy for finding new high transition temperature superconductors that is based on the well-established spin fluctuation magnetic gateway to superconductivity in which the attractive quasiparticle interaction needed for superconductivity comes from their coupling to dynamical spin fluctuations originating in the proximity of the material to an antiferromagnetic state. We show how lessons learned by combining the results of almost three decades of intensive experimental and theoretical study of the cuprates with those found in the decade-long study of a strikingly similar family of unconventional heavy electron superconductors, the 115 materials, can prove helpful in carrying out that search. We conclude that, since Tc in these materials scales approximately with the strength of the interaction, J, between the nearest neighbor local moments in their parent antiferromagnetic state, there may not be a magnetic ceiling that would prevent one from discovering a room temperature superconductor.

ELECTRON CLOUD EFFECTS IN HIGH INTENSITY PROTON ACCELERATORS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, J.; Macek, R.J.

2002-01-01

One of the primary concerns in the design and operation of high-intensity proton synchrotrons and accumulators is the electron cloud and associated beam loss and instabilities. Electron-cloud effects are observed at high-intensity proton machines like the Los Alamos National Laboratory's PSR and CERN's SPS, and investigated experimentally and theoretically. In the design of next-generation high-intensity proton accelerators like the Spallation Neutron Source ring, emphasis is made in minimizing electron production and in enhancing Landau damping. This paper reviews the present understanding of the electron-cloud effects and presents mitigation measures

The international Hip Outcome Tool-33 (iHOT-33): multicenter validation and translation to Spanish.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Ibán, Miguel Angel; Seijas, Roberto; Sallent, Andrea; Ares, Oscar; Marín-Peña, Oliver; Muriel, Alfonso; Cuéllar, Ricardo

2015-05-20

The international Hip Outcome Tool-33 (iHOT-33) is a 33-item self administered outcome measure based on a Visual Analogue Scale response format designed for young and active population with hip pathology. The aim of the present study is to translate and validate the iHOT-33 into Spanish. 97 patients undergoing hip arthroscopy were included in this prospective and multicenter study performed between January 2012 and May 2014. Crosscultural adaptation was used to translate iHOT-33 into Spanish. Patients completed the questionnaire before and after surgery. Feasibility, reliability, internal consistency, construct validity (correlation with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), ceiling and floor effects and sensitivity to change were assessed for the present study. Mean age was 48 years old. Feasibility: 41.2 % patients had no blank questions, and 71.3 % of patients had fulfilled all but one or two questions. Reliability: ICC for the global questionnaire was 0.97, showing that the questionnaire is highly reproducible. Internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha was 0.98 for the global questionnaire. Construct validity: there was a high correlation with WOMAC (correlation coefficient >0.5). The Ceiling effect (taking into account the minimum detectable change) was 12.1 % and the floor effect was 21.6 %, for the global questionnaire. Large sensitivity to change was shown. the Spanish version of iHOT-33 has shown to be feasible, reliable and sensible to changes for patients undergoing hip arthroscopy. This validated translation of iHOT-33 allows for comparisons between studies involving either Spanish- or English-speaking patients. Prognostic study, Level I.

A study of the utility of heat collectors in reducing the response time of automatic fire sprinklers located in production modules of Building 707

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shanley, J.H. Jr.; Budnick, E.K. Jr.

1990-01-01

Several of the ten production Modules in Building 707 at the Department of Energy Rocky Flats Plant recently underwent an alteration which can adversely affect the performance of the installed automatic fire sprinkler systems. The Modules have an approximate floor to ceiling height of 17.5 ft. The alterations involved removing the drop ceilings in the Modules which had been at a height of 12 ft above the floor. The sprinkler systems were originally installed with the sprinkler heads located below the drop ceiling in accordance with the nationally recognized NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Automatic Sprinkler Systems. The ceiling removal affects the sprinkler's response time and also violates NFPA 13. The scope of this study included evaluation of the feasibility of utilizing heat collectors to reduce the delays in sprinkler response created by the removal of the drop ceilings. The study also includes evaluation of substituting quick response sprinklers for the standard sprinklers currently in place, in combination with a heat collector

Psychometric properties of the Calgary Cambridge guides to assess communication skills of undergraduate medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmenroth-Nayda, Anne; Heinemann, Stephanie; Nolte, Catharina; Fischer, Thomas; Himmel, Wolfgang

2014-12-06

The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the short version of the Calgary Cambridge Guides and to decide whether it can be recommended for use in the assessment of communications skills in young undergraduate medical students. Using a translated version of the Guide, 30 members from the Department of General Practice rated 5 videotaped encounters between students and simulated patients twice. Item analysis should detect possible floor and/or ceiling effects. The construct validity was investigated using exploratory factor analysis. Intra-rater reliability was measured in an interval of 3 months, inter-rater reliability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient. The score distribution of the items showed no ceiling or floor effects. Four of the five factors extracted from the factor analysis represented important constructs of doctor-patient communication The ratings for the first and second round of assessing the videos correlated at 0.75 (p<0.0001). Intraclass correlation coefficients for each item ranged were moderate and ranged from 0.05 to 0.57. Reasonable score distributions of most items without ceiling or floor effects as well as a good test-retest reliability and construct validity recommend the C-CG as an instrument for assessing communication skills in undergraduate medical students. Some deficiencies in inter-rater reliability are a clear indication that raters need a thorough instruction before using the C-CG.

Comparison of scoring approaches for the NEI VFQ-25 in low vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Dougherty, Bradley E; Bullimore, Mark A

2010-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate different approaches to scoring the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) in patients with low vision including scoring by the standard method, by Rasch analysis, and by use of an algorithm created by Massof to approximate Rasch person measure. Subscale validity and use of a 7-item short form instrument proposed by Ryan et al. were also investigated. NEI VFQ-25 data from 50 patients with low vision were analyzed using the standard method of summing Likert-type scores and calculating an overall average, Rasch analysis using Winsteps software, and the Massof algorithm in Excel. Correlations between scores were calculated. Rasch person separation reliability and other indicators were calculated to determine the validity of the subscales and of the 7-item instrument. Scores calculated using all three methods were highly correlated, but evidence of floor and ceiling effects was found with the standard scoring method. None of the subscales investigated proved valid. The 7-item instrument showed acceptable person separation reliability and good targeting and item performance. Although standard scores and Rasch scores are highly correlated, Rasch analysis has the advantages of eliminating floor and ceiling effects and producing interval-scaled data. The Massof algorithm for approximation of the Rasch person measure performed well in this group of low-vision patients. The validity of the subscales VFQ-25 should be reconsidered.

Cooperative binding mitigates the high-dose hook effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Ranjita Dutta; Rosenmund, Christian; Stefan, Melanie I

2017-08-14

The high-dose hook effect (also called prozone effect) refers to the observation that if a multivalent protein acts as a linker between two parts of a protein complex, then increasing the amount of linker protein in the mixture does not always increase the amount of fully formed complex. On the contrary, at a high enough concentration range the amount of fully formed complex actually decreases. It has been observed that allosterically regulated proteins seem less susceptible to this effect. The aim of this study was two-fold: First, to investigate the mathematical basis of how allostery mitigates the prozone effect. And second, to explore the consequences of allostery and the high-dose hook effect using the example of calmodulin, a calcium-sensing protein that regulates the switch between long-term potentiation and long-term depression in neurons. We use a combinatorial model of a "perfect linker protein" (with infinite binding affinity) to mathematically describe the hook effect and its behaviour under allosteric conditions. We show that allosteric regulation does indeed mitigate the high-dose hook effect. We then turn to calmodulin as a real-life example of an allosteric protein. Using kinetic simulations, we show that calmodulin is indeed subject to a hook effect. We also show that this effect is stronger in the presence of the allosteric activator Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), because it reduces the overall cooperativity of the calcium-calmodulin system. It follows that, surprisingly, there are conditions where increased amounts of allosteric activator actually decrease the activity of a protein. We show that cooperative binding can indeed act as a protective mechanism against the hook effect. This will have implications in vivo where the extent of cooperativity of a protein can be modulated, for instance, by allosteric activators or inhibitors. This can result in counterintuitive effects of decreased activity with increased concentrations of

Gender, community affairs and public relations practice in Ghanaian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

However, the field being feminized faces the realities of gender-bias, glass ceiling effects, ... Results further indicate that culture, customs and traditions temper the ... diversity management and gender equity in Ghanaian mining environments.

High degree modes and instrumental effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korzennik, S G [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States); Rabello-Soares, M C; Schou, J [Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States)], E-mail: skorzennik@cfa.harvard.edu

2008-10-15

Full-disk observations taken with the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, or the upgraded Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) instruments, have enough spatial resolution to resolve modes up to {iota} = 1000 if not {iota} = 1500. The inclusion of such high-degree modes (i.e., {iota} {<=} 1000) improves dramatically inferences near the surface. Unfortunately, observational and instrumental effects cause the characterization of high degree modes to be quite complicated. Indeed, the characteristics of the solar acoustic spectrum are such that, for a given order, mode lifetimes get shorter and spatial leaks get closer in frequency as the degree of a mode increases. A direct consequence of this property is that individual modes are resolved only at low and intermediate degrees. At high degrees the individual modes blend into ridges and the power distribution of the ridge defines the ridge central frequency, masking the underlying mode frequency. An accurate model of the amplitude of the peaks that contribute to the ridge power distribution is needed to recover the underlying mode frequency from fitting the ridge. We present a detailed discussion of the modeling of the ridge power distribution, and the contribution of the various observational and instrumental effects on the spatial leakage, in the context of the MDI instrument. We have constructed a physically motivated model (rather than an ad hoc correction scheme) that results in a methodology that can produce unbiased estimates of high-degree modes. This requires that the instrumental characteristics are well understood, a task that has turned out to pose a major challenge. We also present our latest results, where most of the known instrumental and observational effects that affect specifically high-degree modes were removed. These new results allow us to focus our attention on changes with solar activity. Finally, we present variations of mode

Effective like- and unlike-pair interactions at high pressure and high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ree, F.H.; van Thiel, M.

1991-05-01

We describe how information on effective interactions of chemical species involving C, O, and N atoms at high pressure and high temperature may be inferred from available shock wave data of NO and CO. Our approach uses a modern statistical mechanical theory and a detailed equation of state (EOS) model for the condensed phases of carbon

Construct Validity of the Chinese Version of the Activities of Daily Living Rating Scale III in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

En-Chi Chiu

Full Text Available The Chinese version of the Activities of Daily Living Rating Scale III (ADLRS-III, which has 10 domains, is commonly used for assessing activities of daily living (ADL in patients with schizophrenia. However, construct validity (i.e., unidimensionality for each domain of the ADLRS-III is unknown, limiting the explanations of the test results.This main purpose of this study was to examine unidimensionality of each domain in the ADLRS-III. We also examined internal consistency and ceiling/floor effects in patients with schizophrenia.From occupational therapy records, we obtained 304 self-report data of the ADLRS-III. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was conducted to examine the 10 one-factor structures. If a domain showed an insufficient model fit, exploratory factor analysis (EFA was performed to investigate the factor structure and choose one factor representing the original construct. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha (α. Ceiling and floor effects were determined by the percentage of patients with the maximum and minimum scores in each domain, respectively.CFA analyses showed that 4 domains (i.e., leisure, picture recognition, literacy ability, communication tools use had sufficient model fits. These 4 domains had acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.79-0.87 and no ceiling/floor effects, except the leisure domain which had a ceiling effect. The other 6 domains showed insufficient model fits. The EFA results showed that these 6 domains were two-factor structures.The results supported unidimensional constructs of the leisure, picture recognition, literacy ability, and communication tool uses domains. The sum scores of these 4 domains can be used to represent their respective domain-specific functions. Regarding the 6 domains with insufficient model fits, we have explained the two factors of each domain and chosen one factor to represent its original construct. Future users may use the items from the chosen factors to

ELECTRON CLOUD EFFECTS IN HIGH INTENSITY PROTON ACCELERATORS.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

WEI,J.; MACEK,R.J.

2002-04-14

One of the primary concerns in the design and operation of high-intensity proton synchrotrons and accumulators is the electron cloud and associated beam loss and instabilities. Electron-cloud effects are observed at high-intensity proton machines like the Los Alamos National Laboratory's PSR and CERN's SPS, and investigated experimentally and theoretically. In the design of next-generation high-intensity proton accelerators like the Spallation Neutron Source ring, emphasis is made in minimizing electron production and in enhancing Landau damping. This paper reviews the present understanding of the electron-cloud effects and presents mitigation measures.

The concise cognitive test for dementia screening: reliability and effects of demographic variables as compared to the mini mental state examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, Srikanth

2010-01-01

The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is widely used for dementia screening but has several shortcomings such as prominent ceiling effects, inadequate sensitivity to mild cognitive impairment, and uneven sampling of the major cognitive domains. In this study, we pilot a new dementia screening test - the Concise Cognitive Test (CONCOG) - designed to overcome the above short comings and describe the reliability measures and age, education, and gender effects. The CONCOG has a total score of 30, and has subtests for orientation, naming, registration, free recall and recognition of four words, semantic verbal fluency and copying. Participants were screened to exclude those with any neurological or psychiatric disease, simultaneously administered the CONCOG, and a Hybrid Mini Mental State Examination (HMMSE) adapted from Folstein's MMSE and Ganguli's Hindi Mental State Examination. The study sample had 204 subjects over the age of 60 years with a mean of 73 years and education level of 8 (4.5) years. Internal consistency for the CONCOG (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.74, inter-rater reliability (Kendall's tau-b) was 0.9, and the one-month test-retest reliability (Kendall's tau-b) was 0.7. Age and education level, but not gender, significantly influenced performance on both scales. Although the influence of age on the two scales was to a similar degree, the HMMSE was more affected by education than the CONCOG. Of 204 subjects, only 12 (5.7%) subjects obtained the maximum score on the CONCOG compared with 30 (14.1%) subjects on the HMMSE. The CONCOG took less than 10 minutes to complete in this sample. Age and education stratified norms are presented for the CONCOG. The CONCOG is a reliable cognitive screening measure. It has negligible ceiling effects, is less influenced by education compared with the HMMSE, and offers subscale scores for the major cognitive domains.

Work Functioning Among Firefighters: A Comparison Between Self-Reported Limitations and Functional Task Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDermid, Joy C; Tang, Kenneth; Sinden, Kathryn E; D'Amico, Robert

2018-05-25

Purpose Performance-based and disease indicators have been widely studied in firefighters; self-reported work role limitations have not. The aim of this study was to describe the distributions and correlations of a generic self-reported Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ-26) and firefighting-specific task performance-based tests. Methods Active firefighters from the City of Hamilton Fire Services (n = 293) were recruited. Participants completed the WLQ-26 to quantify on-the-job difficulties over five work domains: work scheduling (4 items), output demands (7 items), physical demands (8 items), mental demands (4 items), and social demands (3 items). A subset of participants (n = 149) were also assessed on hose drag and stair climb with a high-rise pack performance-based tests. Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to compare item/subscale performance; and to describe the inter-relationships between tests. Results The mean WLQ-26 item scores (/5) ranged from 4.1 to 4.4 (median = 5 for all items); most firefighters (54.5-80.5%) selected "difficult none of the time" response option on all items. A substantial ceiling effect was observed across all five WLQ-26 subscales as 44.0-55.6% were in the highest category. Subscale means ranged from 61.8 (social demands) to 78.7 (output demands and physical demands). Internal consistency exceeded 0.90 on all subscales. For the hose drag task, the mean time-to-completion was 48.0 s (SD = 14.5; range 20.4-95.0). For the stair climb task, the mean time-to-completion was 76.7 s (SD = 37.2; range 21.0-218.0). There were no significant correlations between self-report work limitations and performance of firefighting tasks. Conclusions The WLQ-26 measured five domains, but had ceiling effects in firefighters. Performance-based testing showed wider score range, lacked ceiling effects and did not correlate to the WLQ-26. A firefighter-specific, self-report role functioning scale may be needed to identify

Is There a ‘Glass Ceiling’ for Female Managers in Singapore Organizations?

OpenAIRE

Vlado Dimovski; Miha Skerlavaj; Mandy Mok Kim Man

2010-01-01

This study presents an overview of glass-ceiling type barriers in organizations based on the perceptions of a sample of Singapore mid-level women managers. Previous studies indicated the existence of a glass ceiling in organizations and presented strategic recommendations with regard to what corporations could do to remove or reduce the glass ceiling. This study investigates how women in middle management perceive their career advancement opportunities and what they consider their organizatio...

Quiet pupils can be effective learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunnhildur Óskarsdóttir

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the importance for pupils’ learning of being generally visibly active participant in a classroom discussion. A class of six year-old pupils was taught about the human skeletal system and other organs. To determine what they had learnt, they were asked to produce drawings before and after the course of teaching. The pupils’ participation in the class discussion during the course of teaching was given values on a scale from 1–8, the most talkative receiving the value 1 and the least talkative (or most quiet the value 8. The study showed that the less talkative the pupils were in the discussion the more they gained from the teaching. The results could not be accounted for by ceiling effects and similar patterns obtained across the materials used support the robustness of the findings. The study suggests that it cannot be assumed that participating in classroom discussion during the learning process is a necessary precondition for learning.

Construct Validity and Reliability of Structured Assessment of endoVascular Expertise in a Simulated Setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech, B; Lönn, L; Falkenberg, M

2011-01-01

Objectives To study the construct validity and reliability of a novel endovascular global rating scale, Structured Assessment of endoVascular Expertise (SAVE). Design A Clinical, experimental study. Materials Twenty physicians with endovascular experiences ranging from complete novices to highly....... Validity was analysed by correlating experience with performance results. Reliability was analysed according to generalisability theory. Results The mean score on the 29 items of the SAVE scale correlated well with clinical experience (R = 0.84, P ... with clinical experience (R = -0.53, P validity and reliability of assessment with the SAVE scale was high when applied to performances in a simulation setting with advanced realism. No ceiling effect...

Energy-efficient two-hop LTE resource allocation in high speed trains with moving relays

KAUST Repository

Alsharoa, Ahmad M.

2014-05-01

High-speed railway system equipped with moving relay stations placed on the middle of the ceiling of each train wagon is investigated. The users inside the train are served in two hops via the 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. The objective of this work is to maximize the number of served users by respecting a specific quality-of-service constraint while minimizing the total power consumption of the eNodeB and the moving relays. We propose an efficient algorithm based on the Hungarian method to find the optimal resource allocation over the LTE resource blocks in order to serve the maximum number of users with the minimum power consumption. Moreover, we derive a closed-form expression for the power allocation problem. Our simulation results illustrate the performance of the proposed scheme and compare it with various previously developed algorithms as well as with the direct transmission scenario. © 2014 IFIP.

Enhancing GIS Capabilities for High Resolution Earth Science Grids

Science.gov (United States)

Koziol, B. W.; Oehmke, R.; Li, P.; O'Kuinghttons, R.; Theurich, G.; DeLuca, C.

2017-12-01

Applications for high performance GIS will continue to increase as Earth system models pursue more realistic representations of Earth system processes. Finer spatial resolution model input and output, unstructured or irregular modeling grids, data assimilation, and regional coordinate systems present novel challenges for GIS frameworks operating in the Earth system modeling domain. This presentation provides an overview of two GIS-driven applications that combine high performance software with big geospatial datasets to produce value-added tools for the modeling and geoscientific community. First, a large-scale interpolation experiment using National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) catchments, a high resolution rectilinear CONUS grid, and the Earth System Modeling Framework's (ESMF) conservative interpolation capability will be described. ESMF is a parallel, high-performance software toolkit that provides capabilities (e.g. interpolation) for building and coupling Earth science applications. ESMF is developed primarily by the NOAA Environmental Software Infrastructure and Interoperability (NESII) group. The purpose of this experiment was to test and demonstrate the utility of high performance scientific software in traditional GIS domains. Special attention will be paid to the nuanced requirements for dealing with high resolution, unstructured grids in scientific data formats. Second, a chunked interpolation application using ESMF and OpenClimateGIS (OCGIS) will demonstrate how spatial subsetting can virtually remove computing resource ceilings for very high spatial resolution interpolation operations. OCGIS is a NESII-developed Python software package designed for the geospatial manipulation of high-dimensional scientific datasets. An overview of the data processing workflow, why a chunked approach is required, and how the application could be adapted to meet operational requirements will be discussed here. In addition, we'll provide a general overview of OCGIS

High-resolution investigations of edge effects in neutron imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strobl, M.; Kardjilov, N.; Hilger, A.; Kuehne, G.; Frei, G.; Manke, I.

2009-01-01

Edge enhancement is the main effect measured by the so-called inline or propagation-based neutron phase contrast imaging method. The effect has originally been explained by diffraction, and high spatial coherence has been claimed to be a necessary precondition. However, edge enhancement has also been found in conventional imaging with high resolution. In such cases the effects can produce artefacts and hinder quantification. In this letter the edge effects at cylindrical shaped samples and long straight edges have been studied in detail. The enhancement can be explained by refraction and total reflection. Using high-resolution imaging, where spatial resolutions better than 50 μm could be achieved, refraction and total reflection peaks - similar to diffraction patterns - could be separated and distinguished.

Thermal comfort and ventilation effectiveness in an office room with radiant floor cooling and displacement ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krajcik, Michal; Tomasi, Roberta; Simone, Angela

2016-01-01

conditions, varying the nominal air change rate from 4.5h-1 down to 1.5h-1. Contaminant removal and mean-age-of-air measurements were performed to characterize the ventilation effectiveness and air velocity; air and operative temperature profiles were measured, together with thermal manikin equivalent...... temperatures, to evaluate the thermal environment. The combined system was able to achieve good ventilation effectiveness close to a heat source, so that in the occupant's breathing zone the ventilation effectiveness was significantly better than for ideal mixing, even at a nominal air change rate as low as 1......% at the highest nominal air change rate of 4.5h-1, even for an occupant sitting 1 meter in front of the supply diffuser, the local thermal discomfort occasioned by the excessive vertical temperature differences gives chilled ceilings the advantage over chilled floors for use with displacement ventilation....

Study of water retention capacity in mortars with the incorporation of exhaust powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Helena Ravache Samy; Valentina, Luiz Veriano Oliveira Dalla; Priscila Warch

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to suggest the incorporation of exhaust powder waste in mortars for laying and coating walls and ceilings, to evaluate the representative proportions through mixture design, aiming for a satisfactory performance of the analyzed property and the water retention capacity. In the experimental procedure ten mixtures were performed with consistence index of 230±10mm. The surface response generated showed a water retention capacity in mortar varying from 88% to 95%, which could be classified as normal and high. In relation to the water retention, the incorporation of foundry exhaust powder waste in the studied proportions is viable in mortars for laying and coating walls and ceilings. (author)

Can painted glass felt or glass fibre cloth be used as vapour barrier?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Khattam, Amira; Andersen, Mie Them; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard

2014-01-01

In most Nordic homes the interior surfaces of walls and ceilings have some kind of surface treatment for aesthetical reasons. The treatments can for example be glass felt or glass fibre cloth which are painted afterwards. To evaluate the hygrothermal performance of walls and ceilings...... treatments. The surface treatments were glass felt or glass fibre cloth with different types of paints or just paint. The paint types were acrylic paint and silicate paint. The results show that the paint type has high influence on the water vapour resistance while the underlay i.e. glass felt or glass fibre...... acrylic paint on glass felt or glass fibre cloth cannot be used instead of a vapour barrier....

Pharmaceutical pricing, price controls, and their effects on pharmaceutical sales and research and development expenditures in the European Union.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Ronald J

2004-08-01

Each country in the European Union (EU) currently employs direct price controls or permutations of direct price controls, such as reference pricing or limitations on returns to capital. Some countries also use volume controls. A new proposal that is being discussed would have all of the countries in the EU adopt uniform pricing for each pharmaceutical. This paper analyzes the economic effects of free-market pricing individual-country price controls, and uniform EU price controls. Microeconomic and mathematical models were used to simulate and predict probable economic outcomes in a comparative static setting. Price controls may be in the form of price ceilings or price floors. Both forms of price control generate deadweight economic losses in the short run and long run. A uniform EU price for each pharmaceutical sold there would have elements of a price ceiling in some of the countries and of a price floor in other countries. The deadweight loss incurred would be a function of the level at which the uniform price was set by the EU and the price elasticity of demand for each pharmaceutical in each country. Economic efficiency is maximized in both the short run and long run when prices are set in freely competitive markets. An additional important dimension of Ramsey pricing within a competitive context is that it generates funds for investment in pharmaceutical research and development, which enhances economic efficiency in the long run.

Effects of high-order deformation on high-K isomers in superheavy nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, H. L.; Bertulani, C. A.; Xu, F. R.; Walker, P. M.

2011-01-01

Using, for the first time, configuration-constrained potential-energy-surface calculations with the inclusion of β 6 deformation, we find remarkable effects of the high-order deformation on the high-K isomers in 254 No, the focus of recent spectroscopy experiments on superheavy nuclei. For shapes with multipolarity six, the isomers are more tightly bound and, microscopically, have enhanced deformed shell gaps at N=152 and Z=100. The inclusion of β 6 deformation significantly improves the description of the very heavy high-K isomers.

Armored glass university ceilings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Guil Bozal

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The barriers that women face to occupy the highest professional positions are well studied, yet they persist. The employment situation of women has improved, but the positions of power are still predominantly in male hands, as if men continually seek new mechanisms to keep, like viruses that change every year to survive the way vaccines. Barriers persist, although in recent decades women have managed to overcome in quantity and quality to men among university students. Women are still unable to access the best academic positions. Among university faculty only reach 40% and full professor position remain masculinized, having managed to reach the women -after many efforts and some policies- measures only 20%, which is seen clearly insufficient given their greater training. Against this background, the future is difficult, unless the university decided to endorse the cause of equality, going to assume its role of reference for the new generations and to other organizations and society in general.

Assessing self-reported disability in a low-literate population with chronic low back pain: cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing of Igbo Roland Morris disability questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Igwesi-Chidobe, Chinonso N; Obiekwe, Chinwe; Sorinola, Isaac O; Godfrey, Emma L

2017-12-14

Cross-culturally adapt and validate the Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Cross-cultural adaptation, test-retest, and cross-sectional psychometric testing. Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire was forward and back translated by clinical/non-clinical translators. An expert committee appraised the translations. Twelve participants with chronic low back pain pre-tested the measure in a rural Nigerian community. Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha; test-retest reliability using intra-class correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plot; and minimal detectable change were investigated in a convenient sample of 50 people with chronic low back pain in rural and urban Nigeria. Pearson's correlation analyses using the eleven-point box scale and back performance scale, and exploratory factor analysis were used to examine construct validity in a random sample of 200 adults with chronic low back pain in rural Nigeria. Ceiling and floor effects were investigated in the two samples. Modifications gave the option of interviewer-administration and reflected Nigerian social context. The measure had excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC =0.84), moderately high correlations (r > 0.6) with performance-based disability and pain intensity, and a predominant uni-dimensional structure, with no ceiling or floor effects. Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure of pain-related disability. Implications for rehabilitation Low back pain is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide, and is particularly prevalent in rural Nigeria, but there are no self-report measures to assess its impact due to low literacy rates. This study describes the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of a core self-report back pain specific disability measure in a low-literate Nigerian population. The Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure of self

The Effects of Drug-Induced Alterations of the Autonomic Nervous System on the Responses of Mammals to Oxygen Deprivation

Science.gov (United States)

1952-06-01

Review of the literature showed that this relation was well established for distension of the isolated carotid sinus (i) but not for carotid...observation did not differ control exposure the altitude ceiling between the twQ groups. Muscular was significantly (P==0.01) raised fasciculations

Effects of high mean stress on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of PWA 1480

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumdar, S.; Antolovich, S.; Milligan, W.

1985-03-01

PWA 1480 is a potential candidate material for use in the high-pressure fuel turbine blade of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. As an engine material it will be subjected to high-cycle fatigue loading superimposed on a high mean stress due to combined centrifugal and thermal loadings. This paper describes results obtained in an ongoing program to determine the effects of a high mean stress on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of this material

Herbal Highs: Review on Psychoactive Effects and Neuropharmacology.

Science.gov (United States)

Graziano, Silvia; Orsolini, Laura; Rotolo, Maria Concetta; Tittarelli, Roberta; Schifano, Fabrizio; Pichini, Simona

2017-01-01

A new trend among users of new psychoactive substances' the consumption of "herbal highs": plant parts containing psychoactive substances. Most of the substances extracted from herbs, in old centuries were at the centre of religious ceremonies of ancient civilizations. Currently, these herbal products are mainly sold by internet web sites and easily obtained since some of them have no legal restriction. We reviewed psychoactive effects and neuropharmacology of the most used "herbal highs" with characterized active principles, with studies reporting mechanisms of action, pharmacological and subjective effects, eventual secondary effects including intoxications and/or fatalities Method: The PubMed database was searched using the following key.words: herbal highs, Argyreia nervosa, Ipomoea violacea and Rivea corymbosa; Catha edulis; Datura stramonium; Piper methysticum; Mitragyna speciosa. Psychoactive plants here reviewed have been known and used from ancient times, even if for some of them limited information still exist regarding subjective and neuropharmacological effects and consequent eventual toxicity when plants are used alone or in combination with "classical" drugs of abuse. Some "herbal highs" should be classified as harmful drugs since chronic administration has been linked with addiction and cognitive impairment; for some others taking into consideration only the recent trends of abuse, studies investigating these aspects are lacking. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Effect of microstructure on the high temperature strength of nitride

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Effect of microstructure on the high temperature strength of nitride bonded silicon carbide composite. J Rakshit P K Das. Composites Volume ... The effect of these parameters on room temperature and high temperature strength of the composite up to 1300°C in ambient condition were studied. The high temperature flexural ...

Effect of high-oxygen and high-carbon-dioxide atmospheres on strawberry flavor and other quality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, A G; Sanz, C

2001-05-01

The effect of high-oxygen atmospheres on strawberry flavor was studied. Strawberry fruits (Fragariax ananassa Duch. cv. Camarosa) were stored at 8 degrees C in four different atmospheres: air, 5% O(2)/20% CO(2), 80% O(2)/20% CO(2), and 90% O(2)/10% CO(2). Changes in several quality parameters were evaluated. Atmospheres combining high O(2) and high CO(2) were the most effective in preventing fungal growth and enhancing strawberry firmness. Other quality parameters such as color, titrable acidity, sugars and organic acids distribution, off-flavor development, and aroma were only mildly affected by superatmospheric O(2) levels. After one week of storage, unexpected high contents of off-flavor related compounds were found in the 80% O(2)/20% CO(2) and 90% O(2)/10% CO(2) atmospheres. Evidence of an altered ester biosynthesis was also found in fruits stored under these high-O(2) atmospheres. Data obtained suggest that stress induced by high CO(2) and stress induced by high O(2) have an additive effect on strawberry flavor alteration.

Beam dynamics studies of the ISOLDE post-accelerator for the high intensity and energy upgrade

CERN Document Server

Fraser, M A

2012-01-01

The High Intensity and Energy (HIE) project represents a major upgrade of the ISOLDE (On-Line Isotope Mass Separator) nuclear facility at CERN with a mandate to significantly increase the energy, intensity and quality of the radioactive nuclear beams provided to the European nuclear physics community for research at the forefront of topics such as nuclear structure physics and nuclear astrophysics. The HIE-ISOLDE project focuses on the upgrade of the existing Radioactive ion beam EXperiment (REX) post-accelerator with the addition of a 40MVsuperconducting linac comprising 32 niobium sputter-coated copper quarter-wave cavities operating at 101.28 MHz and at an accelerating gradient close to 6 MV/m. The energy of post-accelerated radioactive nuclear beams will be increased from the present ceiling of 3 MeV/u to over 10 MeV/u, with full variability in energy, and will permit, amongst others, Coulomb interaction and few-nucleon transfer reactions to be carried out on the full inventory of radionuclides available ...

Beam Dynamics Studies of the ISOLDE Post-accelerator for the High Intensity and Energy Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Fraser, Matthew Alexander; Pasini, M

2012-01-01

The High Intensity and Energy (HIE) project represents a major upgrade of the ISOLDE (On-Line Isotope Mass Separator) nuclear facility at CERN with a mandate to significantly increase the energy, intensity and quality of the radioactive nuclear beams provided to the European nuclear physics community for research at the forefront of topics such as nuclear structure physics and nuclear astrophysics. The HIE-ISOLDE project focuses on the upgrade of the existing Radioactive ion beam EXperiment (REX) post-accelerator with the addition of a 40MVsuperconducting linac comprising 32 niobium sputter-coated copper quarter-wave cavities operating at 101.28 MHz and at an accelerating gradient close to 6 MV/m. The energy of post-accelerated radioactive nuclear beams will be increased from the present ceiling of 3 MeV/u to over 10 MeV/u, with full variability in energy, and will permit, amongst others, Coulomb interaction and few-nucleon transfer reactions to be carried out on the full inventory of radionuclides available ...

Cost-effectiveness of different strategies for diagnosis of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women presenting in primary care

Science.gov (United States)

Coupé, Veerle M. H.; Knottnerus, Bart J.; Geerlings, Suzanne E.; Moll van Charante, Eric P.; ter Riet, Gerben

2017-01-01

additional correctly classified patient. Conclusion Depending on decision makers’ willingness to pay for one additional correctly classified woman, the strategy consisting of performing a history and dipstick simultaneously (ceiling ratios between €10 and €17) or performing a sediment if history and subsequent dipstick are negative (ceiling ratios between €17 and €118) are the most cost-effective strategies to diagnose a UTI. PMID:29186185

Cost-effectiveness of different strategies for diagnosis of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women presenting in primary care.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith E Bosmans

patient.Depending on decision makers' willingness to pay for one additional correctly classified woman, the strategy consisting of performing a history and dipstick simultaneously (ceiling ratios between €10 and €17 or performing a sediment if history and subsequent dipstick are negative (ceiling ratios between €17 and €118 are the most cost-effective strategies to diagnose a UTI.

Cost-effectiveness of different strategies for diagnosis of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women presenting in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosmans, Judith E; Coupé, Veerle M H; Knottnerus, Bart J; Geerlings, Suzanne E; Moll van Charante, Eric P; Ter Riet, Gerben

2017-01-01

. Depending on decision makers' willingness to pay for one additional correctly classified woman, the strategy consisting of performing a history and dipstick simultaneously (ceiling ratios between €10 and €17) or performing a sediment if history and subsequent dipstick are negative (ceiling ratios between €17 and €118) are the most cost-effective strategies to diagnose a UTI.

High-accuracy self-mixing interferometer based on single high-order orthogonally polarized feedback effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Zhaoli; Qu, Xueming; Tan, Yidong; Tan, Runtao; Zhang, Shulian

2015-06-29

A simple and high-accuracy self-mixing interferometer based on single high-order orthogonally polarized feedback effects is presented. The single high-order feedback effect is realized when dual-frequency laser reflects numerous times in a Fabry-Perot cavity and then goes back to the laser resonator along the same route. In this case, two orthogonally polarized feedback fringes with nanoscale resolution are obtained. This self-mixing interferometer has the advantages of higher sensitivity to weak signal than that of conventional interferometer. In addition, two orthogonally polarized fringes are useful for discriminating the moving direction of measured object. The experiment of measuring 2.5nm step is conducted, which shows a great potential in nanometrology.

Evaluation of the scope and practice of oral and maxillofacial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-11-27

Nov 27, 2014 ... that developed as a result of the need to treat servicemen injured in ... for effective organization of training, health care planning .... Similarly McNally found 5% female applicants to oral and ... maxillofacial surgeons in Australia worked in both private .... Glass ceiling, preference, prejudice or cohort effect?

Effect of effective grain size on Charpy impact properties of high-strength bainitic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Sang Yong; Han, Seung Youb; Lee, Sung Hak; Hwang, Byoung Chul; Lee, Chang Gil

2008-01-01

This study is concerned with the effect of Cu and B addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength bainitic steels. Six kinds of steels were fabricated by varying alloying elements and hot-rolling conditions, and their microstructures and tensile and Charpy impact properties were investigated. Their effective grain sizes were also characterized by the electron back-scatter diffraction analysis. The tensile test results indicated that the B- or Cu-containing steels had the higher yield and tensile strengths than the B- or Cu-free steels because their volume fractions of bainitic ferrite and martensite were quite high. The B- or Cu-free steels had the higher upper shelf energy than the B- or Cu-containing steels because of their higher volume fraction of granular bainite. In the steel containing 10 ppm B without Cu, the best combination of high strengths, high upper shelf energy, and low energy transition temperature could be obtained by the decrease in the overall effective grain size due to the presence of bainitic ferrite having smaller effective grain size

High pressure effects on fruits and vegetables

OpenAIRE

Timmermans, R.A.H.; Matser, A.M.

2016-01-01

The chapter provides an overview on different high pressure based treatments (high pressure pasteurization, blanching, pressure-assisted thermal processing, pressure-shift freezing and thawing) available for the preservation of fruits and vegetable products and extending their shelf life. Pressure treatment can be used for product modification through pressure gelatinization of starch and pressure denaturation of proteins. Key pressure–thermal treatment effects on vitamin, enzymes, flavor, co...

Effects of Comprehensive, Multiple High-Risk Behaviors Prevention Program on High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Collier, Crystal

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the effect of a multiple high-risk behaviors prevention program applied comprehensively throughout an entire school-system involving universal, selective, and indicated levels of students at a local private high school during a 4-year period. The prevention program was created based upon the…

The influence of low air pressure on horizontal flame spread over flexible polyurethane foam and correlative smoke productions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu, Ran; Zeng, Yi; Fang, Jun; Zhang, Yongming

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Quasi two-dimensional flame spreading behavior of flexible polyurethane (FPU) foam was investigated. • Theoretical correlation of pressure effects on global burning rate was proposed. • The influence of pressure on plume and ceiling jet temperatures was studied theoretically. • Pressure effects on soot formation and CO concentration were analyzed. - Abstract: Pressure effects on quasi two-dimensional flexible polyurethane (FPU) foam flame spreading behavior, typical product concentrations, and smoke detector responses were investigated by comparative experiments under different ambient pressures of 99.8 kPa (in Hefei) and 66.5 kPa (in Lhasa), respectively. First, significant decreases of flame spreading velocity and burning rate were observed under low pressure condition. Averaged global burning rate was found to be dependent on pressure, with an exponential factor of 4/3 theoretically based on pressure modeling. Second, the maximum temperature at a given position in axial thermal plume showed insensitivity to pressure, yet the maximum temperature in ceiling jet was obviously higher. Third, the low pressure was shown to have no effect on soot particles size distribution by scan electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. However, the soot number concentration decreased with reduced pressure attributed to the much slower soot formation rate under low pressure. This result would further have an interesting influence on the response signals of photoelectric detector and ionization detector. Finally, the pressure effects on variation of CO and O_2 volume concentration were discussed. Considering the relatively small heat release rate for FPU foam selected, the CO concentration in the far-field ceiling jet low under low pressure was found to be lower for the enhanced diffusive effect.

Use of natural zeolite-supplemented litter increased broiler production

African Journals Online (AJOL)

smyo

aimed at elucidating the effects of combinations of these products as litter on poultry production, such as .... The bulbs on the ceiling were used ... sample, curved fibrous and acicular mordenites were derived from volcanic glass (Figure 2b).

The Harris hip score: Do ceiling effects limit its usefulness in orthopedics?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wamper, K.E.; Sierevelt, I.N.; Poolman, R.W.; Bhandari, M.; Haverkamp, D.

2010-01-01

The Harris hip score (HHS), a disease-specific health status scale that is frequently used to measure the outcome of total hip arthroplasty, has never been validated properly. A questionnaire is suitable only when all 5 psychometric properties are of sufficient quality. We questioned the usefulness

Degassing driving crystallization of plagioclase phenocrysts in lava tube stalactites on Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzafame, Gabriele; Ferlito, Carmelo

2014-10-01

Basaltic lava flows can form tubes in response to the cooling of the outer surface. We collected lava stalactites (frozen lava tears) and sampled lava from the ceilings of three lava tubes on Mount Etna. Comparison of the petrographic characters between ceiling lavas and relative stalactites reveals surprising differences in the groundmass textures and crystal compositions. Major and trace element contents in stalactites show only a slight increase in alkali and SiO2 compared to ceiling lava, whereas significant differences exist in composition and textures between plagioclases within the ceiling lava and those within the stalactites, being in the last case definitively more An-rich. We advance the hypothesis that the high temperature reached in the cave caused the exsolution of the volatiles still trapped in the dripping melt. The volatiles, mainly H2O, formed bubbles and escaped from the melt; such a water-loss might have promoted the silicate polymerization in the stalactites resulting in the growth of An-rich plagioclase phenocrysts. Our results have important implications: in fact plagioclase phenocrysts are usually associated with intratelluric growth and are often considered as the main petrologic evidence for the existence of a magma chamber. The textural and chemical features of plagioclases in stalactites prove that phenocryst growth in syn to post-eruptive conditions is plausible and clearly explains the relatively low viscosity of many phenocryst-rich lava flows on Mount Etna, as well as on many other volcanoes around the world. Therefore, we can conclude that plagioclase phenocrysts cannot exclusively be considered as having originated within a magma chamber.

Experimental and Numerical Study of the Effects of Acoustic Sound Absorbers on the Cooling Performance of Thermally Active Building Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Domínguez, L. Marcos; Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Rage, Nils

2017-01-01

Free-hanging horizontal and vertical sound absorbers are commonly used in buildings for room acoustic control; however, when these sound absorbers are used in combination with Thermally Active Building Systems, they will decrease the cooling performance of Thermally Active Building Systems...... and this will affect the thermal indoor environment in that space. Therefore, it is crucial to be able to quantify and model these effects in the design phase. This study quantifies experimentally the effects of horizontal and vertical free-hanging sound absorbers on the cooling performance of Thermally Active......%, respectively. With vertical sound absorbers, the decrease in cooling performance was 8%, 12%, and 14% for the corresponding cases, respectively. The numerical model predicted closely the cooling performance reduction, air temperatures and ceiling surface temperatures in most cases, while there were differences...

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Behavior of High Temperature Solders: Effects of High Temperature Aging

Science.gov (United States)

Hasnine, M.; Tolla, B.; Vahora, N.

2018-04-01

This paper explores the effects of aging on the mechanical behavior, microstructure evolution and IMC formation on different surface finishes of two high temperature solders, Sn-5 wt.% Ag and Sn-5 wt.% Sb. High temperature aging showed significant degradation of Sn-5 wt.% Ag solder hardness (34%) while aging has little effect on Sn-5 wt.% Sb solder. Sn-5 wt.% Ag experienced rapid grain growth as well as the coarsening of particles during aging. Sn-5 wt.% Sb showed a stable microstructure due to solid solution strengthening and the stable nature of SnSb precipitates. The increase of intermetallic compound (IMC) thickness during aging follows a parabolic relationship with time. Regression analysis (time exponent, n) indicated that IMC growth kinetics is controlled by a diffusion mechanism. The results have important implications in the selection of high temperature solders used in high temperature applications.

Saving energy by using underfloor-air-distribution (UFAD) system in commercial buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alajmi, Ali; El-Amer, Wid

2010-01-01

The number of attempts by researchers to reduce building energy consumption has increased, ever since global warming became a serious issue. In this trend, a relatively new approach of air distribution, underfloor-air-distribution system (UFAD), has been widely used in new commercial buildings. This technique is simply accomplished by supplying air through a raised floor using different types of distribution configurations and outlets. In UFAD, the air is directly supplied to the occupants' area (occupied zone) causing occupants plumes and zone heat load stratify to the upper layer of the zone (unoccupied zone), which are later extracted from return points at high level. This flow pattern gives UFAD the advantage of using less energy than a conventional air-distribution system, ceiling-based air distribution (CBAD) due to lower pressure drop and lower air flow rate. This paper investigates the effectiveness of UFAD systems in commercial buildings for various types of application and at different air supply temperatures in a hot climate (The State of Kuwait). The findings show that UFAD has a significant saving of energy compared to CBAD (∼30%); in particular with high ceiling building types, as well as providing satisfactory comfort conditions for the occupants. Ultimately, more investigations should be done on conventional building heights (offices) to optimize the utilization of thermal stratification at design and operation stages.

The high density effects in the Drell-Yan process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betemps, M.A.; Gay Ducati, M.B.; Ayala Filho, A.L.

2003-01-01

The high density effects in the Drell-Yan process (q q-bar → γ * →l + l - ) are investigated for pA collisions at RHIC and LHC energies. In particular, we use a set of nuclear parton distributions that describes the present nuclear eA and pA data in the DGLAP approach including the high density effects introduced in the perturbative Glauber-Mueller approach. (author)

Real-time modeling of heat distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Hendrik F.; Li, Hongfei; Yarlanki, Srinivas

2018-01-02

Techniques for real-time modeling temperature distributions based on streaming sensor data are provided. In one aspect, a method for creating a three-dimensional temperature distribution model for a room having a floor and a ceiling is provided. The method includes the following steps. A ceiling temperature distribution in the room is determined. A floor temperature distribution in the room is determined. An interpolation between the ceiling temperature distribution and the floor temperature distribution is used to obtain the three-dimensional temperature distribution model for the room.

(REPTILIA, AGAMIDAE).

African Journals Online (AJOL)

placed on a glass plate, three of which were glued in place; the lizard ..... which most efficiently effect the communication and arouse the female would be ..... perature, and when the thermal ceiling is reached they must actively seek shade.

Effect of phosphorus on hot ductility of high purity iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abiko, K.; Liu, C.M.; Ichikawa, M..; Suenaga, H.; Tanino, M.

1995-01-01

Tensile tests on high purity Fe-P alloys with 0, 0.05 and 0.1 mass%P were carried out at temperatures between 300 K and 1073 K to clarify the intrinsic effect of phosphorus on the mechanical properties of iron at elevated temperatures. Microstructures of as-quenched, interrupted and ruptured specimens were observed. Experimental results show that the addition of phosphorus causes a remarkable increase in proof stress of high purity iron at 300 K, but the increase in proof stress by phosphorus decreases with increasing test temperature. The strengthening effect of phosphorus reduces to zero at 1073 K. High purity iron and Fe-P alloys rupture at almost 100% reduction in area at the whole test temperatures. However, Fe-P alloys show much larger elongation at test temperatures above 773 K than high purity iron. The increased elongation of high purity iron by addition of phosphorus was shown to be related to the effect of phosphorus on dynamic recovery and recrystallization of iron as its intrinsic effect. (orig.)

Mumps vaccine effectiveness in highly immunized populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez, Angela; Torner, Núria; Castilla, Jesús; Batalla, Joan; Godoy, Pere; Guevara, Marcela; Carnicer, Dolors; Caylà, Joan; Rius, Cristina; Jansà, Josep Maria

2010-04-30

The aim of the study was to investigate effectiveness of mumps MMR component in communities with high MMR coverage. Outbreak-related cases of mumps born between 1995 and 2005 notified to Navarre and Catalonia public health services during the period 2005-2007 were studied. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) and their 95%CI were calculated using the screening method. Of 47 confirmed, 85.1% immunized with at least one dose (1MMR) and 44.9% with two (2MMR). Estimated VE was 85.4% (95%CI: 67.3-93.4) for 1MMR and 88.5% (95%CI: 78.1-93.9) for 2MMR. High 2MMR coverage, improved confirmation techniques and further VE studies with all confirmed cases are needed to prevent further outbreaks. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

German version of the Community Balance and Mobility Scale : Translation and evaluation of measurement properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordt, Katharina; Mikolaizak, A Stefanie; Nerz, Corinna; Barz, Carolin; Gerhardy, Thomas; Weber, Michaela; Becker, Clemens; Schwenk, Michael

2018-02-12

Tools to detect subtle balance deficits in high-functioning community-dwelling older adults are lacking. The Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CBM) is a valuable tool to measure balance deficits in this group; however, it is not yet available in the German language. The aim was 1) to translate and cross-culturally adapt the CBM into the German language and 2) to investigate the measurement properties of the German CBM (G-CBM). The original CBM was translated into the German language according to established guidelines. A total of 51 older adults (mean age 69.9 ± 7.1 years) were recruited to measure construct validity by comparing the G‑CBM against standardized balance and/or mobility assessments including the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), 3 m Tandem Walk (3MTW), 8 Level Balance Scale (8LBS), 30 s Chair Stand Test (30CST), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, gait speed, and the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I). Intrarater and interrater reliability and internal consistency reliability were estimated using intraclass correlations (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. Ceiling effects were calculated as the percentage of the sample scoring the maximum score. The G‑CBM correlated excellently with FAB and BBS (ρ = 0.78-0.85; P balance deficits in older high-functioning adults. The absence of ceiling effects emphasizes the use of this scale in this cohort. The G‑CBM can now be utilized in clinical practice.