Forest Stand Segmentation Using Airborne LIDAR Data and Very High Resolution Multispectral Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Dechesne, Clément; Mallet, Clément; Le Bris, Arnaud; Gouet, Valérie; Hervieu, Alexandre

2016-06-01

Forest stands are the basic units for forest inventory and mapping. Stands are large forested areas (e.g., ≥ 2 ha) of homogeneous tree species composition. The accurate delineation of forest stands is usually performed by visual analysis of human operators on very high resolution (VHR) optical images. This work is highly time consuming and should be automated for scalability purposes. In this paper, a method based on the fusion of airborne laser scanning data (or lidar) and very high resolution multispectral imagery for automatic forest stand delineation and forest land-cover database update is proposed. The multispectral images give access to the tree species whereas 3D lidar point clouds provide geometric information on the trees. Therefore, multi-modal features are computed, both at pixel and object levels. The objects are individual trees extracted from lidar data. A supervised classification is performed at the object level on the computed features in order to coarsely discriminate the existing tree species in the area of interest. The analysis at tree level is particularly relevant since it significantly improves the tree species classification. A probability map is generated through the tree species classification and inserted with the pixel-based features map in an energetical framework. The proposed energy is then minimized using a standard graph-cut method (namely QPBO with α-expansion) in order to produce a segmentation map with a controlled level of details. Comparison with an existing forest land cover database shows that our method provides satisfactory results both in terms of stand labelling and delineation (matching ranges between 94% and 99%).

Sit-to-Stand Movement in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: Relationship with Knee Extensor Torque and Social Participation

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dos Santos, Adriana Neves; Pavao, Silvia Leticia; Santiago, Paulo Roberto Pereira; Salvini, Tania de Fatima; Rocha, Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira

2013-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sit-to-stand (STS) movement, knee extensor torque and social participation in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Seven spastic hemiplegic CP patients (8.0 plus or minus 2.2 years), classified by the Gross Motor Function Classification System as I and II, and 18 typical children (8.4 plus or…

Effect of Stand-Off Distance on Impact Pressure of High Speed Water Jets

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Sittiwong, Wuttichai; Seehanam, Wirapan; Pianthong, Kulachate; Matthujak, Anirut

2010-06-01

High speed liquid jets may be applied to jet cutting, drilling and cleaning. Recently, in the automotive industries, the spray injection pressure becomes higher and higher to enhance the fuel mixing for the improved combustion efficiency. However, the ultra high injection pressure may cause the damage to the nozzle and also the combustion chamber. In the medical application, the high speed liquid injection might be applied for the drug delivery through the skin where the needle is not required anymore. From the above mentioned application, the investigation on the impact pressure of the high speed liquid jet relative to the stand-off distant is significant. The high speed liquid jets are generated by the projectile impact driven method. The high speed projectile is launched by the horizontal single stage powder gun. The experimental study focuses on the stand-off between 1.5 cm to 6.0 cm, while the nozzle contains approximately 1.5cm3 of water in its cavity. The nozzle conical angles are 30° and 60° with the orifice diameter of 0.7 mm. The jet velocities are measured by laser beam interruptions method. The target material is the Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) which the impact pressure is measured by using a piezoelectric Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) film. From the experiments, the maximum water jet velocity of 2290 m/s can be obtained from the 30° conical angle nozzle. The maximum impact pressures of nozzle conical angle of 30° and 60° are 3.4 GPa and 2.6 GPa respectively, at stand-off distance 3 cm. However, at the stand-off distance more than 3 cm, the impact pressure significantly decreases, because of aerodynamic drag, jets core break-up, and atomization of the water.

Reduced clot debris size using standing waves formed via high intensity focused ultrasound

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Guo, Shifang; Du, Xuan; Wang, Xin; Lu, Shukuan; Shi, Aiwei; Xu, Shanshan; Bouakaz, Ayache; Wan, Mingxi

2017-09-01

The feasibility of utilizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to induce thrombolysis has been demonstrated previously. However, clinical concerns still remain related to the clot debris produced via fragmentation of the original clot potentially being too large and hence occluding downstream vessels, causing hazardous emboli. This study investigates the use of standing wave fields formed via HIFU to disintegrate the thrombus while achieving a reduced clot debris size in vitro. The results showed that the average diameter of the clot debris calculated by volume percentage was smaller in the standing wave mode than in the travelling wave mode at identical ultrasound thrombolysis settings. Furthermore, the inertial cavitation dose was shown to be lower in the standing wave mode, while the estimated cavitation bubble size distribution was similar in both modes. These results show that a reduction of the clot debris size with standing waves may be attributed to the particle trapping of the acoustic potential well which contributed to particle fragmentation.

Introducing sit-stand desks increases classroom standing time among university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Jerome

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Excessive sedentary behavior has been associated with many negative health outcomes. While an understudied health topic, there is evidence that university students are excessively sedentary. Sit-stand desks have been shown to reduce sedentary time among pre-university students (ages 5–18years and sedentary workers but have not been tested in university classrooms. This study tested the effects of introducing sit-stand desks into a university classroom on student's classroom sitting and standing behaviors. Using a cross-over design, students received access to both traditional seated desks and sit-stand desks for six weeks. Data were collected between September and December, 2016. We recruited 304 healthy undergraduate university students enrolled in one of two small (25 seats classrooms at a large Midwestern university during the fall of 2016. Average minutes of standing/hour/student, average percent class time spent standing, and the number of sit-stand transitions/student/hour were directly observed with video camera surveillance. Participants stood significantly more (p<0.001 when provided access to sit-stand desks (7.2min/h/student; 9.3% of class time spent standing compared to when they had access to seated desks (0.7min/h/student; 1.6% of class time spent standing but no differences were observed for the number of sit-stand transitions (p=0.47. Students reported high favorability for the sit-stand desks and improvements in several student engagement and affective outcomes while using the sit-stand desks. These findings support introducing sit-stand desks in university classrooms as an approach to reduce sedentary behaviors of university students. Keywords: Sedentary, University students, Sit-stand desk

Healthy Concessions: High School Students' Responses to Healthy Concession Stand Changes

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Laroche, Helena H.; Hradek, Christine; Hansen, Kate; Hanks, Andrew S.; Just, David R.; Wansink, Brian

2017-01-01

Background: A previous sales data analysis demonstrated success in selling healthier items at a concession stand. Questions remained regarding student satisfaction and whether the intervention reached non-health-conscious students. Methods: Cross-sectional anonymous samples of students at a large midwestern high school were surveyed before and…

Free-standing 3D polyaniline-CNT/Ni-fiber hybrid electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuan; Fang, Yuzhu; Liu, Hong; Wu, Xiaoming; Lu, Yong

2012-04-01

Free-standing 3D macroscopic polyaniline (PANi)-carbon nanotube (CNT)-nickel fiber hybrids have been developed, and they deliver high specific capacitance (725 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and high energy density at high rates (~22 W h kg-1 at 2000 W kg-1, based on total electrode mass) with good cyclability.Free-standing 3D macroscopic polyaniline (PANi)-carbon nanotube (CNT)-nickel fiber hybrids have been developed, and they deliver high specific capacitance (725 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and high energy density at high rates (~22 W h kg-1 at 2000 W kg-1, based on total electrode mass) with good cyclability. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details on preparation, characterization, and electrochemical testing; Fig. S1-S8, Schemes S1 and S2. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr30252g

Fiber Optic Telemetry System for LLL High-Voltage Test Stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, J.P.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the Fiber Optic Telemetry System designed to operate in the hostile particle and electromagnetic radiation environment of the High Voltage Test Stand. It discusses system criteria, components, packaging, and performance. In all tests to date, the system exceeds its design goals with very comfortable margins. It is well advanced into the fabrication stages with all crucial components tested and only straightforward TTL (Transistor Transistor Logic) circuitry to be completed

High accuracy subwavelength distance measurements: A variable-angle standing-wave total-internal-reflection optical microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haynie, A.; Min, T.-J.; Luan, L.; Mu, W.; Ketterson, J. B.

2009-01-01

We describe an extension of the total-internal-reflection microscopy technique that permits direct in-plane distance measurements with high accuracy (<10 nm) over a wide range of separations. This high position accuracy arises from the creation of a standing evanescent wave and the ability to sweep the nodal positions (intensity minima of the standing wave) in a controlled manner via both the incident angle and the relative phase of the incoming laser beams. Some control over the vertical resolution is available through the ability to scan the incoming angle and with it the evanescent penetration depth.

Relative social standing and suicide ideation among Kenyan males: the interpersonal theory of suicide in context.

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Goodman, M L; Serag, H; Keiser, P K; Gitari, S; Raimer, B G

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between subjective social status and suicide ideation in a sample of young Kenyan men (age 18-34 years). Situating insights from the interpersonal theory of suicide within social determinants of health framework, we consider whether lower subjective social status predicts lower collective self-esteem (CSE), hopelessness, less meaning in life and more loneliness, and whether these characteristics mediate associations between subjective social status and suicide ideation. A community-based, semi-rural sample (n = 532) of young men, aged 18-34 years, was collected using a standardized questionnaire. The survey questionnaire included the following validated scale items: the short form of the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults, CSE, Herth Hope Index, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and the Modified Scale for Suicide Ideation. Regression and mediation analyses were used to test hypotheses. Nearly 12% of respondents reported suicide ideation. Suicide ideation was significantly more common among survey respondents who reported lower subjective social standing. In the first of two mediation models, we found that lower CSE and more loneliness mediate the association between lower subjective social status and suicide ideation. In the second model, we found that respondents with lower CSE and more loneliness expressed lower hope and meaning in life, which also mediated pathways to suicide ideation. Findings show a novel synthesis of social determinants literature with the interpersonal theory of suicide. Suicide ideation, along with other mental and social outcomes, may figure more prominently than previously appreciated in the benefits of socio-economic equality. Those who do not participate equally in socio-economic development may be at greater risk of engaging in suicide ideation and behaviors. Suicide prevention research and programmatic responses should adopt a health equity perspective to

Where do I stand? Examining the effects of leader-member exchange social comparison on employee work behaviors.

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Vidyarthi, Prajya R; Liden, Robert C; Anand, Smriti; Erdogan, Berrin; Ghosh, Samiran

2010-09-01

Taking an approach integrating principles of leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation with social comparison theory, we contend that subjective ratings by individuals of their LMX compared to the LMXs of coworkers (labeled LMX social comparison, or LMXSC) explain unique and meaningful variance in outcomes beyond LMX and the actual standing of those individuals in the LMX distribution, referred to as relative LMX, or RLMX. Our findings demonstrate that employees' perceptions of LMXSC are positively related beyond the effects of LMX and RLMX to job performance and citizenship behaviors. Further, we argue that LMXSC mediates the RLMX→outcomes relationships. Analyses showed that, in a sample of 254 employees nested in 50 work groups, a significant part of the effects of RLMX on job performance and citizenship behaviors was mediated through LMXSC after controlling for LMX. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Stand and within-stand factors influencing Golden-winged Warbler use of regenerating stands in the central Appalachian Mountains

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Marja H. Bakermans

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera is currently being considered for protected status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The creation of breeding habitat in the Appalachian Mountains is considered a conservation priority for this songbird, which is dependent on extensively forested landscapes with adequate availability of young forest. We modeled abundance of Golden-winged Warbler males in regenerating harvested forest stands that were 0-17 years postharvest at both mid-Appalachian and northeast Pennsylvania regional scales using stand and within-stand characteristics of 222 regenerating stands, 2010-2011. Variables that were most influential at the mid-Appalachian scale were different than those in the northeast region. Across the mid-Appalachian ecoregion, the proportion of young forest cover, i.e., shrub/scrub cover, within 1 km of regenerating stands best explained abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Golden-winged Warbler response was best explained by a concave quadratic relationship in which abundance was highest with 5-15% land in young forest cover. We also found evidence that the amount of herbaceous cover, i.e., the amount of grasses and forbs, within a regenerating stand positively influenced abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. In northeastern Pennsylvania, where young forest cover is found in high proportions, the distance to the nearest regenerating stand best explained variation in abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Abundance of Golden-winged Warblers was 1500 m away. When modeling within-stand features in the northeast region, many of the models were closely ranked, indicating that multiple variables likely explained Golden-winged Warbler response to within-stand conditions. Based on our findings, we have proposed several management guidelines for land managers interested in creating breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers using commercial timber operations. For example, we recommend when managing for

ESTIMATION OF STAND HEIGHT AND FOREST VOLUME USING HIGH RESOLUTION STEREO PHOTOGRAPHY AND FOREST TYPE MAP

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K. M. Kim

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Traditional field methods for measuring tree heights are often too costly and time consuming. An alternative remote sensing approach is to measure tree heights from digital stereo photographs which is more practical for forest managers and less expensive than LiDAR or synthetic aperture radar. This work proposes an estimation of stand height and forest volume(m3/ha using normalized digital surface model (nDSM from high resolution stereo photography (25cm resolution and forest type map. The study area was located in Mt. Maehwa model forest in Hong Chun-Gun, South Korea. The forest type map has four attributes such as major species, age class, DBH class and crown density class by stand. Overlapping aerial photos were taken in September 2013 and digital surface model (DSM was created by photogrammetric methods(aerial triangulation, digital image matching. Then, digital terrain model (DTM was created by filtering DSM and subtracted DTM from DSM pixel by pixel, resulting in nDSM which represents object heights (buildings, trees, etc.. Two independent variables from nDSM were used to estimate forest stand volume: crown density (% and stand height (m. First, crown density was calculated using canopy segmentation method considering live crown ratio. Next, stand height was produced by averaging individual tree heights in a stand using Esri’s ArcGIS and the USDA Forest Service’s FUSION software. Finally, stand volume was estimated and mapped using aerial photo stand volume equations by species which have two independent variables, crown density and stand height. South Korea has a historical imagery archive which can show forest change in 40 years of successful forest rehabilitation. For a future study, forest volume change map (1970s–present will be produced using this stand volume estimation method and a historical imagery archive.

Contrasting development of declining and living larch-spruce stands after a disturbance event: A case study from the High Tatra Mts.

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Šebeň Vladimír

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The decline of spruce stands caused by bark beetle outbreaks is a serious economic and ecological problem of forestry in Slovakia. In the preceding period, the decline affected mainly secondary spruce forests. Over the last decade, due to large bark-beetle outbreaks this problem has been observed also in natural spruce forests, even at high elevations. We dealt with this issue in a case study of short-term development of larch-spruce stands in the High Tatras (at a site called Štart. We compared the situation in the stand infested by bark beetles several years after the wind-throw in 2004 with the stand unaffected by bark beetles. We separately analysed the development of the mature (parent stands and the regeneration. The results indicated that forest decline caused by bark beetles significantly depended on the stand structure (mainly tree species composition, which affected the period of stand disintegration. Mortality of spruce trees slowed down biomass accumulation (and thus carbon sequestration in the forest ecosystem. In the new stand, pioneer tree species dominated (in the conditions of the High Tatras it is primarily rowan, although their share in the parent stand was negligible. The results showed different trends in the accumulation of below-ground and above-ground biomass in the declined and living stands. In the first years after the stand decline, rowan accumulated significantly more biomass than the main tree species, i.e. spruce. The reverse situation was under the surviving stand, where spruce trees accumulated more biomass than rowan. The different share of spruce and pioneer tree species, mainly rowan, affected the ratio between fixed (in woody parts of trees and rotating (in foliage carbon in the undergrowth. Forest die-back is a big source of carbon emissions from dead individuals, and the compensation of these losses in the form of carbon sequestration by future stands is a matter of several decades.

Three-dimensional instability of standing waves

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Zhu, Qiang; Liu, Yuming; Yue, Dick K. P.

2003-12-01

We investigate the three-dimensional instability of finite-amplitude standing surface waves under the influence of gravity. The analysis employs the transition matrix (TM) approach and uses a new high-order spectral element (HOSE) method for computation of the nonlinear wave dynamics. HOSE is an extension of the original high-order spectral method (HOS) wherein nonlinear wave wave and wave body interactions are retained up to high order in wave steepness. Instead of global basis functions in HOS, however, HOSE employs spectral elements to allow for complex free-surface geometries and surface-piercing bodies. Exponential convergence of HOS with respect to the total number of spectral modes (for a fixed number of elements) and interaction order is retained in HOSE. In this study, we use TM-HOSE to obtain the stability of general three-dimensional perturbations (on a two-dimensional surface) on two classes of standing waves: plane standing waves in a rectangular tank; and radial/azimuthal standing waves in a circular basin. For plane standing waves, we confirm the known result of two-dimensional side-bandlike instability. In addition, we find a novel three-dimensional instability for base flow of any amplitude. The dominant component of the unstable disturbance is an oblique (standing) wave oriented at an arbitrary angle whose frequency is close to the (nonlinear) frequency of the original standing wave. This finding is confirmed by direct long-time simulations using HOSE which show that the nonlinear evolution leads to classical Fermi Pasta Ulam recurrence. For the circular basin, we find that, beyond a threshold wave steepness, a standing wave (of nonlinear frequency Omega) is unstable to three-dimensional perturbations. The unstable perturbation contains two dominant (standing-wave) components, the sum of whose frequencies is close to 2Omega. From the cases we consider, the critical wave steepness is found to generally decrease/increase with increasing radial

Iterative development of Stand Up Australia: a multi-component intervention to reduce workplace sitting

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Sitting, particularly in prolonged, unbroken bouts, is widespread within the office workplace, yet few interventions have addressed this newly-identified health risk behaviour. This paper describes the iterative development process and resulting intervention procedures for the Stand Up Australia research program focusing on a multi-component workplace intervention to reduce sitting time. Methods The development of Stand Up Australia followed three phases. 1) Conceptualisation: Stand Up Australia was based on social cognitive theory and social ecological model components. These were operationalised via a taxonomy of intervention strategies and designed to target multiple levels of influence including: organisational structures (e.g. via management consultation), the physical work environment (via provision of height-adjustable workstations), and individual employees (e.g. via face-to-face coaching). 2) Formative research: Intervention components were separately tested for their feasibility and acceptability. 3) Pilot studies: Stand Up Comcare tested the integrated intervention elements in a controlled pilot study examining efficacy, feasibility and acceptability. Stand Up UQ examined the additional value of the organisational- and individual-level components over height-adjustable workstations only in a three-arm controlled trial. In both pilot studies, office workers’ sitting time was measured objectively using activPAL3 devices and the intervention was refined based on qualitative feedback from managers and employees. Results Results and feedback from participants and managers involved in the intervention development phases suggest high efficacy, acceptance, and feasibility of all intervention components. The final version of the Stand Up Australia intervention includes strategies at the organisational (senior management consultation, representatives consultation workshop, team champions, staff information and brainstorming session with information

Illustrating harvest effects on site microclimate in a high-elevation forest stand.

Science.gov (United States)

W.B. Fowler; T.D. Anderson

1987-01-01

Three-dimensional contour surfaces were drawn for physiologically active radiation (PAR) and air and soil temperatures from measurements taken at a high-elevation site (1450 m) near the crest of the Cascade Range in central Washington. Measurements in a clearcut were compared with measurements from an adjacent uncut stand. Data for 31 days in July and August 1985...

Rolling of molybdenum and niobium tubes on cold-rolling mill with high stiff stand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Potapov, I N; Shejkh-Ali, A D; Filimonov, G V; Lunev, A G

1984-03-01

To develop the technique of tube production the process of rolling is studied and comparative evaluation of the structure formed is carried out. It is shown that billets of rods deformed by screw rolling have the improved plastic properties and are deformed on cold-rolling mill (CRM) with a high degree of reduction without defect formation. High stiff stand of the CRM permits to produce high-quality molybdenum tubes.

Free-Standing Hybrid Graphene Paper Encapsulating Nanostructures for High Cycle-Life Supercapacitors.

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Jiao, Xinyan; Hao, Qingli; Xia, Xifeng; Lei, Wu; Ouyang, Yu; Ye, Haitao; Mandler, Daniel

2018-03-09

The incorporation of spacers between graphene sheets has been investigated as an effective method to improve the electrochemical performance of graphene papers (GPs) for supercapacitors. Here, we report the design of free-standing GP@NiO and GP@Ni hybrid GPs in which NiO nanoclusters and Ni nanoparticles are encapsulated into graphene sheets through electrostatic assembly and subsequent vacuum filtration. The encapsulated NiO nanoclusters and Ni nanoparticles can mitigate the restacking of graphene sheets, providing sufficient spaces for high-speed ion diffusion and electron transport. In addition, the spacers strongly bind to graphene sheets, which can efficiently improve the electrochemical stability. Therefore, at a current density of 0.5 A g -1 , the GP@NiO and GP@Ni electrodes exhibit higher specific capacitances of 306.9 and 246.1 F g -1 than the GP electrode (185.7 F g -1 ). The GP@NiO and GP@Ni electrodes exhibit capacitance retention of 98.7 % and 95.6 % after 10000 cycles, demonstrating an outstanding cycling stability. Additionally, the GP@NiO∥GP@Ni delivers excellent cycling stability (93.7 % after 10 000 cycles) and high energy density. These free-standing encapsulated hybrid GPs have great potential as electrode for high-performance supercapacitors. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Free-standing, well-aligned ordered mesoporous carbon nanofibers on current collectors for high-power micro-supercapacitors.

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Kang, Eunae; Jeon, Gumhye; Kim, Jin Kon

2013-07-21

The mesoporous carbon nanofiber arrays that stand on carbon-gold double-layer current collectors are synthesized by self-assembly of a PS-b-PEO copolymer and resol in AAO templates for a high-power micro-supercapacitor at high current densities.

Stand-alone induction generators for small water power schemes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harvey, Adam [Intermediate Technology Development Group, Rugby (United Kingdom); Smith, Nigel [Smith Associates, Nottingham (United Kingdom)

1996-04-01

Conventional technology for isolated power generation is the synchronous generator. Using stand-alone induction generators has proved to have tremendous advantages in remote regions of developing countries, where electricity has significant social benefits. (author)

Socialism in High School Social Studies Textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Richard

2012-01-01

This article concerns textbook analysis regarding the presentation of socialism in four leading high school social studies books, one in each of the following subjects: United States history, world history, United States government, and economics. Findings indicate that students relying on these texts to gain understanding of socialism and…

High-efficiency one-dimensional atom localization via two parallel standing-wave fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhiping; Wu, Xuqiang; Lu, Liang; Yu, Benli

2014-01-01

We present a new scheme of high-efficiency one-dimensional (1D) atom localization via measurement of upper state population or the probe absorption in a four-level N-type atomic system. By applying two classical standing-wave fields, the localization peak position and number, as well as the conditional position probability, can be easily controlled by the system parameters, and the sub-half-wavelength atom localization is also observed. More importantly, there is 100% detecting probability of the atom in the subwavelength domain when the corresponding conditions are satisfied. The proposed scheme may open up a promising way to achieve high-precision and high-efficiency 1D atom localization. (paper)

Universities, Public Priorities, and the Future of Ontario. A Brief to the Standing Committee on Social Development of the Legislature of Ontario. Publication No. 83-9.

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Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

This brief was submitted to the Standing Committee on Social Development of the Ontario Legislature in connection with Bill 42, which is intended to limit university deficits. The following concerns are examined: current university funding levels in relation to enrollment and student demand, research responsibilities, tuition fee levels, and…

Does an aggressor's target choice matter? Assessing change in the social network prestige of aggressive youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Naomi C Z; Hanish, Laura D; Santos, Carlos E

2017-07-01

Based on a social dominance approach, aggression is conceptualized as a strategy used to gain position, power, and influence within the peer network. However, aggression may only be beneficial when targeted against particular peers; both victims' social standing and the number of victims targeted may impact aggressors' social standing. The current study examined associations between aggressors' targeting tendencies (victims' social standing and number of victims) and aggressors' own social standing, both concurrently and over time. Analyses were conducted using three analytic samples of seventh and eighth grade aggressors (Ns ranged from 161 to 383, 49% girls; 50% Latina/o). Participants nominated their friends; nominations were used to calculate social network prestige. Peer nominations were used to identify aggressors and their victim(s). For each aggressor, number of victims and victims' social network prestige were assessed. Aggressors with more victims and with highly prestigious victims had higher social network prestige themselves, and they increased more in prestige over time than aggressors with fewer victims and less prestigious victims (though there were some differences across analytic samples). Findings have implications for the need to extend the social dominance approach to better address the links between aggressors and victims. Aggr. Behav. 43:364-374, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

I'm still standing: A longitudinal study on the effect of a default nudge.

Science.gov (United States)

Venema, Tina A G; Kroese, Floor M; De Ridder, Denise T D

2018-05-01

This study assessed the effect of a default nudge to reduce sedentary behaviour at work over time. A field study was conducted at a governmental organisation. In the present study, the default setting of sit-stand desks (SSDs) was changed from sitting to standing height during a two-week intervention. Stand-up working rates were calculated based on observations that were done prior to, during, two weeks after and two months after the intervention. Additionally, a pre-measure survey (n = 606) and post-measure survey (n = 354) were completed. Intention and social norms concerning stand-up working were compared for the 183 employees who completed both pre- and post-assessments (45.4% female, M age  = 44.21). Stand-up working rates raised from 1.82% in the baseline to 13.13% during the intervention. After the nudge was removed the percentage was 10.01% after two weeks and 7.78% after two months. A multilevel analysis indicated a significant increase in both intention and social norms after the nudge intervention. This study shows that a default nudge can increase stand-up working rates in offices with SSDs at least until two months after the nudge intervention.

BVOC emission in Norway spruce: the effect of stand structure, high temperature and ozone levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Pallozzi, Emanuele; Guidolotti, Gabriele; Večeřová, Kristýna; Esposito, Raffaela; Lusini, Ilaria; Juráň, Stanislav; Urban, Otmar; Calfapietra, Carlo

2015-04-01

Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) is a widely distributed conifer species in the boreal zone and mountain areas of central Europe and is a moderate emitter of volatile organic compounds (BVOC). Although the vaporization and diffusion processes from resin ducts were generally considered to be the main processes for monoterpene emissions in conifers, recently it has been showed that a significant portion (up to one third) of monoterpene emissions of Norway spruce can originate from novel biosynthesis, thus depending on photosynthetic processes. For this reason, both biosynthesis and emission are strongly influenced by the environment and the stand structure. They increase with both increasing light and temperature during the warmer periods, although those are the periods with the higher ozone concentration that usually act as an inhibitor of both assimilation and isoprenoids synthesis and emission. On the other hand, stand structure can play an important role, because the photosynthetic capacity is influenced by temperature and light conditions through the canopy. In order to assess the effects of stand structure, temperature and ozone on isoprenoids emission of Norway spruce we carried out field and laboratory experiments. In the experimental field campaigns we measured: assimilation and BVOC emission from needles of sun and shade layers within the canopy of the spruce forest present at the Bily Kriz experimental research site (Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains, 49° 33' N, 18° 32' E, NE of Czech Republic, 908 m a.s.l.). Moreover in the same layers we measured continuously concentration of BVOCs in the air using a PTR-TOF-MS. In laboratory we analyzed the effects of short-term exposure to high temperature and high ozone concentrations on branches of spruce trees collected at the Bily Kriz experimental research site. Preliminary results show that in Norway spruce both stand structure and environmental conditions influenced the gas exchange and BVOC emission rates

Seismic design method of free standing rack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniguchi, Katsuhiko; Okuno, Daisaku; Iwasaki, Akihisa; Nekomoto, Yoshitsugu; Matsuoka, Toshihiro

2013-01-01

For high earthquake resistance and ease of installation, free standing racks which are not anchored to the pool floor or walls has been adopted in many countries. Under the earthquake, the response of the free standing rack is highly nonlinear and involves a complex combination of motions (sliding, rocking, twisting, and turning) and impacts between the fuel assemblies and the fuel cell walls, rack-to-rack, and the pit floor and rack pedestals. We carried out seismic experiments on the full-scale rack model in water and dry conditions to obtain the fundamental data about free standing rack (sliding, rocking and turning motions). We have developed the nonlinear dynamic analysis method to predict seismic response for the free standing rack utilizing the full-scale test result and verified the analysis evaluation method of the rack by comparison of test result. (author)

Campaign Seeks Buy-In for High School Reforms: "Stand Up" Aims to Rouse Public Support

Science.gov (United States)

Robelen, Erik W.

2006-01-01

Kicked off the week of April 10, 2006 with a big plug on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," a new campaign spearheaded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is aiming to drum up public action to address what its organizers see as a crisis in America's public high schools. The Stand Up campaign comes as high schools have emerged as a focus of public-policy…

Standing footprint diagnostic method

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Y. F.; Fan, Y. B.; Li, Z. Y.; Newman, T.; Lv, C. S.; Fan, Y. Z.

2013-10-01

Center of pressure is commonly used to evaluate standing balance. Even though it is incomplete, no better evaluation method has been presented. We designed our experiment with three standing postures: standing with feet together, standing with feet shoulder width apart, and standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Our platform-based pressure system collected the instantaneous plantar pressure (standing footprint). A physical quantity of instantaneous standing footprint principal axis was defined, and it was used to construct an index to evaluate standing balance. Comparison between results from our newly established index and those from the center of pressure index to evaluate the stability of different standing postures revealed that the standing footprint principal axis index could better respond to the standing posture change than the existing one. Analysis indicated that the insensitive response to the relative position between feet and to the standing posture change from the center of pressure could be better detected by the standing footprint principal axis index. This predicts a wide application of standing footprint principal axis index when evaluating standing balance.

Using a stand-level model to predict light absorption in stands with vertically and horizontally heterogeneous canopies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David I Forrester

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background Forest ecosystem functioning is strongly influenced by the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (APAR, and therefore, accurate predictions of APAR are critical for many process-based forest growth models. The Lambert-Beer law can be applied to estimate APAR for simple homogeneous canopies composed of one layer, one species, and no canopy gaps. However, the vertical and horizontal structure of forest canopies is rarely homogeneous. Detailed tree-level models can account for this heterogeneity but these often have high input and computational demands and work on finer temporal and spatial resolutions than required by stand-level growth models. The aim of this study was to test a stand-level light absorption model that can estimate APAR by individual species in mixed-species and multi-layered stands with any degree of canopy openness including open-grown trees to closed canopies. Methods The stand-level model was compared with a detailed tree-level model that has already been tested in mixed-species stands using empirical data. Both models were parameterised for five different forests, including a wide range of species compositions, species proportions, stand densities, crown architectures and canopy structures. Results The stand-level model performed well in all stands except in the stand where extinction coefficients were unusually variable and it appears unlikely that APAR could be predicted in such stands using (tree- or stand-level models that do not allow individuals of a given species to have different extinction coefficients, leaf-area density or analogous parameters. Conclusion This model is parameterised with species-specific information about extinction coefficients and mean crown length, diameter, height and leaf area. It could be used to examine light dynamics in complex canopies and in stand-level growth models.

Flexible integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bigeng; Wu, Hao; Xin, Chenguang; Dai, Daoxin; Tong, Limin

2017-06-14

Silicon photonics has been developed successfully with a top-down fabrication technique to enable large-scale photonic integrated circuits with high reproducibility, but is limited intrinsically by the material capability for active or nonlinear applications. On the other hand, free-standing nanowires synthesized via a bottom-up growth present great material diversity and structural uniformity, but precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a great challenge. Here we report hybrid integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics with high flexibility by coupling free-standing nanowires onto target silicon waveguides that are simultaneously used for precise positioning. Coupling efficiency between a free-standing nanowire and a silicon waveguide is up to ~97% in the telecommunication band. A hybrid nonlinear-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a racetrack resonator for significantly enhanced optical modulation are experimentally demonstrated, as well as hybrid active-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides circuits for light generation. These results suggest an alternative approach to flexible multifunctional on-chip nanophotonic devices.Precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a challenge. Here, Chen et al. integrate free-standing nanowires into silicon waveguides and show all-optical modulation and light generation on silicon photonic chips.

Sitting and standing postures are corrected by adjustable furniture with lowered muscle tension in high-school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Koskelo, R; Vuorikari, K; Hänninen, O

2007-10-01

This study compared the effect of 24 months of adjustable school desks and chairs usage (the intervention) and traditional non-adjustable usage (the control condition) on sitting and standing postures, muscle strength, classroom muscle tension, pain and learning in 15 (8 female and 7 male) high-school students and 15 anthropometrically and gender matched control students from neighbouring schools. It was assessed whether any responses took place after growth cessation. In comparison with controls, the intervention group of students' sitting postures standing kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis became significantly better, both before and after growth cessation. Trunk muscle strength increased in the intervention students whose muscle tension during classes fell significantly in the trapezius and lumbar muscles, whereas in control students' lumbar tension increased. Headache and low-back pain correlated with neck-shoulder pain and trapezius muscle tension. Intervention students reported that they experienced benefits from the adjustable tables and chairs. They also received significantly better overall marks than the controls at the end of high school. It is concluded that the adjustable school desks and chairs promoted better sitting and standing postures, increased muscle strength, alleviated pain and appeared to be associated with better overall academic marks.

Practical research of free standing rack. Seismic experiment study on full scale free standing rack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwasaki, Akihisa; Nekomoto, Yoshitsugu; Morita, Hideyuki; Taniguchi, Katsuhiko; Okuno, Daisaku; Matsuoka, Toshihiro; Chigusa, Naoki

2015-01-01

The spent fuel taken out of a plant reactor is temporarily stored in a spent fuel rack. This fuel will often have to be stored in the rack for long periods before it can be moved to a reprocessing facility. Therefore, the spent fuel rack must have a high tolerance against big seismic loads. The free standing spent fuel rack has been developed as the optimal equipment meeting these requirements. It can be placed on the spent fuel pool floor without fixation to any support structure. Response of the free standing rack is reduced by the effect of the water and friction force on the spent fuel pool floor. For nuclear plant safety, it is necessary to understand the free standing rack behavior under earthquake in pools to verify the design of free standing racks and peripheral components. Several tests on a shaking table have been conducted on full-scale one free standing rack in air and in water, and sliding and rocking have been measured. The rack response is very complex and the study necessitates to take into account the sliding, the rocking, the effect of the water and of the arrangement of the fuel assemblies inside. (author)

High School Students’ Social Media Addiction

OpenAIRE

Deniz, Levent; Gürültü, Ercan

2018-01-01

Theaim of this study is to investigate high school students’ social mediaaddiction. The study was conducted with 473 students who were educated in2014-2015 academic year at 6 different schools in İstanbul, Eyüp disctrict.‘Social Media Addiction Scale’ developed by Tutgun, Ünal and Deniz (2015) wasused to determine the students’ social media addiction. The results in general showedthat high school students have a medium level social media addiction. Besides,it was also concluded that high scho...

High seed dispersal ability of Pinus canariensis in stands of contrasting density inferred from genotypic data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Unai López de Heredia

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: Models that combine parentage analysis from molecular data with spatial information of seeds and seedlings provide a framework to describe and identify the factors involved in seed dispersal and recruitment of forest species. In the present study we used a spatially explicit method (the gene shadow model in order to assess primary and effective dispersal in Pinus canariensis. Area of study: Pinus canariensis is endemic to the Canary Islands (Spain. Sampling sites were a high density forest in southern slopes of Tenerife and a low density stand in South Gran Canaria. Materials and methods: We fitted models based on parentage analysis from seeds and seedlings collected in two sites with contrasting stand density, and then compared the resulting dispersal distributions. Main results: The results showed that: 1 P. canariensis has a remarkable dispersal ability compared to other pine species; 2 there is no discordance between primary and effective dispersals, suggesting limited secondary dispersal by animals and lack of Janzen-Connell effect; and 3 low stand densities enhance the extent of seed dispersal, which was higher in the low density stand. Research highlights: The efficient dispersal mechanism of P. canariensis by wind inferred by the gene shadow model is congruent with indirect measures of gene flow, and has utility in reconstructing past demographic events and in predicting future distribution ranges for the species.

Free-standing 3D graphene/polyaniline composite film electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shiyong; Ma, Li; Gan, Mengyu; Fu, Shenna; Dai, Wenqin; Zhou, Tao; Sun, Xiaowu; Wang, Huihui; Wang, Huining

2015-12-01

The research paper describes polyaniline (PANI) nanowires array on flexible polystyrene microsphere/reduced graphene (PS/rGN) film is synthesized by dilute polymerization, and then the PS microspheres are removed to form free-standing three-dimensional (3D) rGN/PANI composite film. The chemical and structural properties of the 3D rGN/PANI film are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and the results confirm the 3D rGN/PANI film is synthesized successfully. When the film is used as a supercapacitor electrode, the maximum specific capacitance is as high as 740 F g-1 (or 581 F cm-3 for volumetric capacitance) at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 and the specific capacitance retains 87% of the initial after constant charge-discharge 1000 cycles at current density of 10 A g-1. It is believed that the free-standing 3D rGN/PANI film will have a great potential for application in supercapacitors.

Semantic segmentation of forest stands of pure species combining airborne lidar data and very high resolution multispectral imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Dechesne, Clément; Mallet, Clément; Le Bris, Arnaud; Gouet-Brunet, Valérie

2017-04-01

Forest stands are the basic units for forest inventory and mapping. Stands are defined as large forested areas (e.g., ⩾ 2 ha) of homogeneous tree species composition and age. Their accurate delineation is usually performed by human operators through visual analysis of very high resolution (VHR) infra-red images. This task is tedious, highly time consuming, and should be automated for scalability and efficient updating purposes. In this paper, a method based on the fusion of airborne lidar data and VHR multispectral images is proposed for the automatic delineation of forest stands containing one dominant species (purity superior to 75%). This is the key preliminary task for forest land-cover database update. The multispectral images give information about the tree species whereas 3D lidar point clouds provide geometric information on the trees and allow their individual extraction. Multi-modal features are computed, both at pixel and object levels: the objects are individual trees extracted from lidar data. A supervised classification is then performed at the object level in order to coarsely discriminate the existing tree species in each area of interest. The classification results are further processed to obtain homogeneous areas with smooth borders by employing an energy minimum framework, where additional constraints are joined to form the energy function. The experimental results show that the proposed method provides very satisfactory results both in terms of stand labeling and delineation (overall accuracy ranges between 84 % and 99 %).

Atomic motion in a high-intensity standing wave laser field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saez Ramdohr, L.F.

1987-01-01

This work discusses the effect of a high-intensity standing wave laser field on the motion of neutral atoms moving with a relatively high velocity. The analysis involves a detailed calculation of the force acting on the atoms and the calculation of the diffusion tensor associated with the fluctuations of the quantum force operator. The high-intensity laser field limit corresponds to a Rabi frequency much greater than the natural rate of the atom. The general results are valid for any atomic velocity. Results are then specialized to the case of slow and fast atoms where the Doppler shift of the laser frequency due to the atomic motion is either smaller or larger than the natural decay rate of the atom. The results obtained for the force and diffusion tensor are applied to a particular ideal experiment that studies the evolution of a fast atomic beam crossing a high-intensity laser beam. The theories developed previously, for a similar laser configuration, discuss only the low atomic velocities case and not the more realistic case of fast atoms. Here, an approximate solution of the equation for the distribution is obtained. Starting from the approximate distribution function, the deflection angle and dispersion angle for the atomic beam with respect to the free motion are calculated

Standing in the Hallway Improves Students' Understanding of Conformity

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Timothy J.; Haubner, Richard R.; Bodle, James H.

2013-01-01

To help beginning psychology students understand how they are influenced by social pressures to conform, we developed a demonstration designed to elicit their conformity to a small group of students standing in the hallway before class. Results showed the demonstration increased students' recognition of their own tendency to conform, knowledge of…

Detection and characterization of benthic filamentous algal stands (Cladophora sp.) on rocky substrata using a high-frequency echosounder

Science.gov (United States)

Depew, David C.; Stevens, Andrew W.; Smith, Ralph E.H.; Hecky, Robert E.

2009-01-01

A high-frequency echosounder was used to detect and characterize percent cover and stand height of the benthic filamentous green alga Cladophora sp. on rocky substratum of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Comparisons between in situ observations and estimates of the algal stand characteristics (percent cover, stand height) derived from the acoustic data show good agreement for algal stands that exceeded the height threshold for detection by acoustics (~7.5 cm). Backscatter intensity and volume scattering strength were unable to provide any predictive power for estimating algal biomass. A comparative analysis between the only current commercial software (EcoSAV™) and an alternate method using a graphical user interface (GUI) written in MATLAB® confirmed previous findings that EcoSAV functions poorly in conditions where the substrate is uneven and bottom depth changes rapidly. The GUI method uses a signal processing algorithm similar to that of EcoSAV but bases bottom depth classification and algal stand height classification on adjustable thresholds that can be visualized by a trained analyst. This study documents the successful characterization of nuisance quantities of filamentous algae on hard substrate using an acoustic system and demonstrates the potential to significantly increase the efficiency of collecting information on the distribution of nuisance macroalgae. This study also highlights the need for further development of more flexible classification algorithms that can be used in a variety of aquatic ecosystems.

Drive Stands

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Electrical Systems Laboratory (ESL)houses numerous electrically driven drive stands. A drive stand consists of an electric motor driving a gearbox and a mounting...

Transformation of solar radiation in Norway spruce stands into produced biomass - the effect of stand density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marková, I.; Marek, M.V.; Pokorný, R.

2011-01-01

The present paper is focused on the assessment of the effects of stand density and leaf area development on radiation use efficiency in the mountain cultivated Norway spruce stand. The young even-aged (17-years-old in 1998) plantation of Norway spruce was divided into two experimental plots differing in their stand density in 1995. During the late spring of 2001 next cultivating high-type of thinning of 15% intensity in a reduction of stocking density was performed. The PAR regime of investigated stands was continually measured since 1992. Total aboveground biomass (TBa) and TBa increment were obtained on the basis of stand inventory. The dynamic of LAI development showed a tendency to be saturated, i.e. the LAI value close to 11 seems to be maximal for the local conditions of the investigated mountain cultivated Norway spruce stand in the Beskids Mts. Remarkable stimuli (up to 17%) of LAI formation were started in 2002, i.e. as an immediate response to thinning. Thus, the positive effect of thinning on LAI increase was confirmed. The data set of absorbed PAR and produced TBa in the period 1998-2003 was processed by the linear regression of Monteith's model, which provided the values of the coefficient of solar energy conversion efficiency into biomass formation. The differences in biomass formation values between the dense and sparse plot after thinning amounted to 18%

Stand-alone XLIF

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, E. J.; Simony, A.; Hummel, Stefan

2015-01-01

and clinical/radiological results in 22 patients treated with XLIF procedure for DS or degenerative disc disease (DDD). Material and methods: 22 consecutive patients with DS underwent surgery with the XLIF stand-alone procedure, with follow-up of 24 months. Clinical outcome scores were collected. Complications......Introduction: Adult thoracolumbar degeneration is an increasing challenge in the aging population. With age the progressive degeneration of the discs leads to an asymmetric collapse and a thoracolumbar coronal plane deformity, a degenerative scoliosis (DS). Aim: To evaluate the complication rate......-year follow-up, with a 31.8% revision rate. Due to the high revision rate we recommend supplementary posterior instrumentation, to achieve a higher fusion rate. When considering XLIF-stand-alone procedure for DS or DDD without supplemental posterior instrumentation, only single-level disease should...

Introducing sit-stand desks increases classroom standing time among university students.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerome, Matthew; Janz, Kathleen F; Baquero, Barbara; Carr, Lucas J

2017-12-01

Excessive sedentary behavior has been associated with many negative health outcomes. While an understudied health topic, there is evidence that university students are excessively sedentary. Sit-stand desks have been shown to reduce sedentary time among pre-university students (ages 5-18 years) and sedentary workers but have not been tested in university classrooms. This study tested the effects of introducing sit-stand desks into a university classroom on student's classroom sitting and standing behaviors. Using a cross-over design, students received access to both traditional seated desks and sit-stand desks for six weeks. Data were collected between September and December, 2016. We recruited 304 healthy undergraduate university students enrolled in one of two small (25 seats) classrooms at a large Midwestern university during the fall of 2016. Average minutes of standing/hour/student, average percent class time spent standing, and the number of sit-stand transitions/student/hour were directly observed with video camera surveillance. Participants stood significantly more (p classrooms as an approach to reduce sedentary behaviors of university students.

Standing Wave Field Distribution in Graded-Index Antireflection Coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongxiang Deng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Standing wave field distributions in three classic types of graded-index antireflection coatings are studied. These graded-index antireflection coatings are designed at wavelengths from 200 nm to 1200 nm, which is the working wavelength range of high energy laser system for inertial-fusion research. The standing wave field distributions in these coatings are obtained by the numerical calculation of electromagnetic wave equation. We find that standing wave field distributions in these three graded-index anti-reflection coatings are quite different. For the coating with linear index distribution, intensity of standing wave field decreases periodically from surface to substrate with narrow oscillation range and the period is proportional to the incident wavelength. For the coating with exponential index distribution, intensity of standing wave field decreases periodically from surface to substrate with large oscillation range and the period is also proportional to the incident wavelength. Finally, for the coating with polynomial index, intensity of standing wave field is quickly falling down from surface to substrate without an obvious oscillation. We find that the intensity of standing wave field in the interface between coating and substrate for linear index, exponential index and polynomial index are about 0.7, 0.9 and 0.7, respectively. Our results indicate that the distributions of standing wave field in linear index coating and polynomial index coating are better than that in exponential index coating for the application in high energy laser system. Moreover, we find that the transmittance of linear index coating and polynomial index coating are also better than exponential index coating at the designed wavelength range. Present simulation results are useful for the design and application of graded-index antireflection coating in high energy laser system.

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-07-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm2) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-01-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm 2 ) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Series asymmetric supercapacitors based on free-standing inner-connection electrodes for high energy density and high output voltage

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Jiayou; Liu, Nishuang; Rao, Jiangyu; Ding, Longwei; Al Bahrani, Majid Raissan; Li, Luying; Su, Jun; Gao, Yihua

2014-11-01

Asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on free-standing membranes with high energy density and high output voltage are reported. MnO2 nanowire/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites and MoO3 nanobelt/CNT composites are selected as the anode and the cathode materials of the devices, respectively. The ASC has a high volumetric capacitance of 50.2 F cm-3 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1 and a high operation voltage window of 2.0 V. Especially, after a middle layer with an inner-connection structure was inserted between the anode and the cathode, the output voltage of the whole device can achieve 4.0 V. The full cell of series ASCs (SASC) with an inner-connection middle layer has a high energy density of 28.6 mW h cm-3 at a power density of 261.4 mW cm-3, and exhibits excellent cycling performance of 99.6% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. This strategy of designing the hybridized structure for SASCs provides a promising route for next-generation SCs with high energy density and high output voltage.Asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on free-standing membranes with high energy density and high output voltage are reported. MnO2 nanowire/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites and MoO3 nanobelt/CNT composites are selected as the anode and the cathode materials of the devices, respectively. The ASC has a high volumetric capacitance of 50.2 F cm-3 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1 and a high operation voltage window of 2.0 V. Especially, after a middle layer with an inner-connection structure was inserted between the anode and the cathode, the output voltage of the whole device can achieve 4.0 V. The full cell of series ASCs (SASC) with an inner-connection middle layer has a high energy density of 28.6 mW h cm-3 at a power density of 261.4 mW cm-3, and exhibits excellent cycling performance of 99.6% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. This strategy of designing the hybridized structure for SASCs provides a promising route for next-generation SCs with high energy density and high

Influence of real and virtual heights on standing balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleworth, Taylor W; Horslen, Brian C; Carpenter, Mark G

2012-06-01

Fear and anxiety induced by threatening scenarios, such as standing on elevated surfaces, have been shown to influence postural control in young adults. There is also a need to understand how postural threat influences postural control in populations with balance deficits and risk of falls. However, safety and feasibility issues limit opportunities to place such populations in physically threatening scenarios. Virtual reality (VR) has successfully been used to simulate threatening environments, although it is unclear whether the same postural changes can be elicited by changes in virtual and real threat conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of real and virtual heights on changes to standing postural control, electrodermal activity (EDA) and psycho-social state. Seventeen subjects stood at low and high heights in both real and virtual environments matched in scale and visual detail. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed increases with height, independent of visual environment, in EDA, anxiety, fear, and center of pressure (COP) frequency, and decreases with height in perceived stability, balance confidence and COP amplitude. Interaction effects were seen for fear and COP mean position; where real elicited larger changes with height than VR. This study demonstrates the utility of VR, as simulated heights resulted in changes to postural, autonomic and psycho-social measures similar to those seen at real heights. As a result, VR may be a useful tool for studying threat related changes in postural control in populations at risk of falls, and to screen and rehabilitate balance deficits associated with fear and anxiety. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SOCIAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS› SOCIALIZATION PROCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anzhelika Ahmetovna Novikova

2016-01-01

The article presents the social competence structure and diagnostic methods; described author matrix of diagnosis and determination of students’ social competence formed level in high school educational space.

Social Policy in Social Work PhD Programs in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Gal, John; Weiss-Gal, Idit

2018-01-01

While there has been a long-standing concern about the role of policy within social work education and social work practice, most of the emphasis has been on social work education at the BSW and MSW levels. This article examines policy education at the PhD level. It first explores how policy is taught in social work PhD programs in the United…

Numerical Investigation of Three-dimensional Instability of Standing Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Qiang; Liu, Yuming; Yue, Dick K. P.

2002-11-01

We study the three-dimensional instability of finite-amplitude standing waves under the influence of gravity using the transition matrix method. For accurate calculation of the transition matrices, we apply an efficient high-order spectral element method for nonlinear wave dynamics in complex domain. We consider two types of standing waves: (a) plane standing waves; and (b) standing waves in a circular tank. For the former, in addition to the confirmation of the side-band-like instability, we find a new three-dimensional instability for arbitrary base standing waves. The dominant component of the unstable disturbance is an oblique standing wave, with an arbitrary angle relative to the base flow, whose frequency is approximately equal to that of the base standing wave. Based on direct simulations, we confirm such a three-dimensional instability and show the occurrence of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam recurrence phenomenon during nonlinear evolution. For the latter, we find that beyond a threshold wave steepness, the standing wave with frequency Ω becomes unstable to a small three-dimensional disturbance, which contains two dominant standing-wave components with frequencies ω1 and ω_2, provided that 2Ω ω1 + ω_2. The threshold wave steepness is found to decrease/increase as the radial/azimuthal wavenumber of the base standing wave increases. We show that the instability of standing waves in rectangular and circular tanks is caused by third-order quartet resonances between base flow and disturbance.

Fabrication and characterization of free-standing, high-line-density transmission gratings for the vacuum UV to soft X-ray range

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goh, S.J.; Bastiaens, Hubertus M.J.; Vratzov, B.; Huang, Qiushi; Bijkerk, Frederik; Boller, Klaus J.

2015-01-01

We present state-of-the-art high resolution transmission gratings, applicable for spectroscopy in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and the soft X-ray (SRX) wavelength range, fabricated with a novel process using ultraviolet based nano imprint lithography (UV-NIL). Free-standing, high-line-density

Soil mercury distribution in adjacent coniferous and deciduous stands highly impacted by acid rain in the Ore Mountains, Czech Republic

Science.gov (United States)

Navrátil, Tomáš; Shanley, James B.; Rohovec, Jan; Oulehle, Filip; Šimeček, Martin; Houška, Jakub; Cudlín, Pavel

2016-01-01

Forests play a primary role in the cycling and storage of mercury (Hg) in terrestrial ecosystems. This study aimed to assess differences in Hg cycling and storage resulting from different vegetation at two adjacent forest stands - beech and spruce. The study site Načetín in the Czech Republic's Black Triangle received high atmospheric loadings of Hg from coal combustion in the second half of the 20th century as documented by peat accumulation rates reaching 100 μg m−2 y−1. In 2004, the annual litterfall Hg flux was 22.5 μg m−2 y−1 in the beech stand and 14.5 μg m−2 y−1 in the spruce stand. Soil concentrations and pools of Hg had a strong positive relation to soil organic matter and concentrations of soil sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N). O-horizon Hg concentrations ranged from 245 to 495 μg kg−1 and were greater in the spruce stand soil, probably as a result of greater dry Hg deposition. Mineral soil Hg concentrations ranged from 51 to 163 μg kg−1 and were greater in the beech stand soil due to its greater capacity to store organic carbon (C). The Hg/C ratio increased with depth from 0.3 in the O-horizon to 3.8 μg g−1 in the C horizon of spruce soil and from 0.7 to 2.7 μg g−1 in beech soil. The Hg/C ratio was greater at all mineral soil depths in the spruce stand. The organic soil Hg pools in beech and spruce stands (6.4 and 5.7 mg m−2, respectively) were considerably lower than corresponding mineral soil Hg pools (39.1 and 25.8 mg m−2). Despite the important role of S in Hg cycling, differences in soil Hg distribution at both stands could not be attributed to differences in soil sulfur speciation.

Thin, High-Flux, Self-Standing, Graphene Oxide Membranes for Efficient Hydrogen Separation from Gas Mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouša, Daniel; Friess, Karel; Pilnáček, Kryštof; Vopička, Ondřej; Lanč, Marek; Fónod, Kristián; Pumera, Martin; Sedmidubský, David; Luxa, Jan; Sofer, Zdeněk

2017-08-22

The preparation and gas-separation performance of self-standing, high-flux, graphene oxide (GO) membranes is reported. Defect-free, 15-20 μm thick, mechanically stable, unsupported GO membranes exhibited outstanding gas-separation performance towards H 2 /CO 2 that far exceeded the corresponding 2008 Robeson upper bound. Remarkable separation efficiency of GO membranes for H 2 and bulky C 3 or C 4 hydrocarbons was achieved with high flux and good selectivity at the same time. On the contrary, N 2 and CH 4 molecules, with larger kinetic diameter and simultaneously lower molecular weight, relative to that of CO 2 , remained far from the corresponding H 2 /N 2 or H 2 /CH 4 upper bounds. Pore size distribution analysis revealed that the most abundant pores in GO material were those with an effective pore diameter of 4 nm; therefore, gas transport is not exclusively governed by size sieving and/or Knudsen diffusion, but in the case of CO 2 was supplemented by specific interactions through 1) hydrogen bonding with carboxyl or hydroxyl functional groups and 2) the quadrupole moment. The self-standing GO membranes presented herein demonstrate a promising route towards the large-scale fabrication of high-flux, hydrogen-selective gas membranes intended for the separation of H 2 /CO 2 or H 2 /alkanes. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A test of high-dose verbenone for stand-level protection of lodgepole and whitebark pine from mountain pine beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) attacks

Science.gov (United States)

B. J. Bentz; S. Kegley; K. Gibson; R. Their

2005-01-01

The effcacy of verbenone as a stand-level protectant against mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, attacks was tested in lodgepole and whitebark pine stands at five geographically separated sites, including three consecutive years at one site. Forty and 20 high-dose pouches, with a verbenone emission rate up to 50 mg/d per pouch, were spaced in a grid...

The Undervalued Self: Social Class and Self-Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael W. Kraus

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Social class ranks people on the social ladder of society, and in this research we examine how perceptions of economic standing shape the way that individuals evaluate the self. Given that reminders of one’s own subordinate status in society are an indicator of how society values the self in comparison to others, we predicted that chronic lower perceptions of economic standing rank vis-à-vis others would explain associations between objective social class and negative self-evaluation, whereas situation-specific reminders of low economic standing would elicit negative self-evaluations, particularly in those from lower-class backgrounds. In Study 1, perceptions of social class rank accounted for the positive relationship between objective material resource measures of social class and self-esteem. In Study 2, lower-class individuals who received a low (versus equal share of economic resources in an economic game scenario reported more negative self-conscious emotions relative to upper-class individuals. Discussion focused on the implications of this research for understanding class-based cultural models of the self, and for how social class shapes self-evaluations chronically.

I Can Stand Learning: A Controlled Pilot Intervention Study on the Effects of Increased Standing Time on Cognitive Function in Primary School Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharina Wick

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Sedentarism is considered an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Thus, the present study investigated the effects of employing standing desks in classrooms on cognitive function. The intervention class (IG; n = 19 was supplied with standing desks and balance pads for 11 weeks. The control class (CG; n = 19 received lessons as usual. Standing time was assessed objectively (accelerometers and subjectively (self-report sheets, external classroom observers. The impact of standing on the digit span task and Eriksen flanker task was analysed. The standing time of the IG was higher during the school day in comparison to the CG (lesson: p = 0.004; break: p = 0.003. The intra-class correlation coefficient between self-reports and external observation was high (ICC = 0.94. The IG improved slightly on the Digit Span Task compared to CG. Employing standing desks for at least 1 h per school day serves as a feasible and effective opportunity to improve cognitive function.

Standing Up for Learning: A Pilot Investigation on the Neurocognitive Benefits of Stand-Biased School Desks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ranjana K. Mehta

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Standing desks have proven to be effective and viable solutions to combat sedentary behavior among children during the school day in studies around the world. However, little is known regarding the potential of such interventions on cognitive outcomes in children over time. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the neurocognitive benefits, i.e., improvements in executive functioning and working memory, of stand-biased desks and explore any associated changes in frontal brain function. 34 freshman high school students were recruited for neurocognitive testing at two time points during the school year: (1 in the fall semester and (2 in the spring semester (after 27.57 (1.63 weeks of continued exposure. Executive function and working memory was evaluated using a computerized neurocognitive test battery, and brain activation patterns of the prefrontal cortex were obtained using functional near infrared spectroscopy. Continued utilization of the stand-biased desks was associated with significant improvements in executive function and working memory capabilities. Changes in corresponding brain activation patterns were also observed. These findings provide the first preliminary evidence on the neurocognitive benefits of standing desks, which to date have focused largely on energy expenditure. Findings obtained here can drive future research with larger samples and multiple schools, with comparison groups that may in turn implicate the importance of stand-biased desks, as simple environmental changes in classrooms, on enhancing children’s cognitive functioning that drive their cognitive development and impact educational outcomes.

Stationary Density Variation Produced by a Standing Plasma Wave

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michelsen, Poul; Pécseli, Hans; Juul Rasmussen, Jens

1977-01-01

Measurements are presented of a stationary density modulation produced by a standing electron plasma wave. The experimental results are well explained by taking into account the ponderomotive forces on the electrons exerted by the high frequency field.......Measurements are presented of a stationary density modulation produced by a standing electron plasma wave. The experimental results are well explained by taking into account the ponderomotive forces on the electrons exerted by the high frequency field....

Mars attacks! About the introduction of social media in large organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van der Voort, H.G.; De Bruijn, J.A.; Sidorova, Y.; Arnaboldi, M.

2014-01-01

One major strategy to incorporate social media in the organizational structure is erecting a ‘social media hub’, a relatively independent organization within a standing organization. The standing organization with its divisions do not change, but the hub has considerable possibilities to operate

The front end test stand high performance H- ion source at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Faircloth, D C; Lawrie, S; Letchford, A P; Gabor, C; Wise, P; Whitehead, M; Wood, T; Westall, M; Findlay, D; Perkins, M; Savage, P J; Lee, D A; Pozimski, J K

2010-02-01

The aim of the front end test stand (FETS) project is to demonstrate that chopped low energy beams of high quality can be produced. FETS consists of a 60 mA Penning Surface Plasma Ion Source, a three solenoid low energy beam transport, a 3 MeV radio frequency quadrupole, a chopper, and a comprehensive suite of diagnostics. This paper details the design and initial performance of the ion source and the laser profile measurement system. Beam current, profile, and emittance measurements are shown for different operating conditions.

Modular high-throughput test stand for versatile screening of thin-film materials libraries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thienhaus, Sigurd; Hamann, Sven; Ludwig, Alfred

2011-01-01

Versatile high-throughput characterization tools are required for the development of new materials using combinatorial techniques. Here, we describe a modular, high-throughput test stand for the screening of thin-film materials libraries, which can carry out automated electrical, magnetic and magnetoresistance measurements in the temperature range of −40 to 300 °C. As a proof of concept, we measured the temperature-dependent resistance of Fe–Pd–Mn ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy materials libraries, revealing reversible martensitic transformations and the associated transformation temperatures. Magneto-optical screening measurements of a materials library identify ferromagnetic samples, whereas resistivity maps support the discovery of new phases. A distance sensor in the same setup allows stress measurements in materials libraries deposited on cantilever arrays. A combination of these methods offers a fast and reliable high-throughput characterization technology for searching for new materials. Using this approach, a composition region has been identified in the Fe–Pd–Mn system that combines ferromagnetism and martensitic transformation.

Mechanized systems for early stand tending in central and eastern Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryans, M.; St-Amour, M. [Forest Engineering Research Inst. of Canada, Pointe Claire, PQ (Canada)

1996-12-31

Machines are currently being used for early stand tending in central and eastern Canada, but account for only 1 to 2% of the annual total for mechanical treatments (including manual and motor-manual operations). Selective and non-selective systems are used, depending on the application and stand conditions. Plantation cleaning operations and precommercial thinning (spacing) of naturally regenerated and seeded stands have been mechanized. Selective methods, primarily for plantation cleaning, use equipment with specialized prime movers, booms and controls, and cutting heads. This paper describes the Canadian experience to date based on FERIC`s studies of successful and unsuccessful operations, and lists the key features of a machine suitable for use in selective treatments. Strip precommercial thinning is used in denser natural stands, but limited improvements in crop-tree growth occur unless a motor-manual follow-up releases crop trees in the leave strips. Most off-the-shelf brushcutting equipment is not optimal for this application, primarily because it is too wide to meet local spacing prescriptions. Some applications such as the spacing of older natural stands have proven difficult to mechanize. Technical, biological, operational , regulatory, economic and social constraints prevent wider use of mechanized systems. Nonetheless, some machines are in operational use, and mechanized plantation cleaning is tested in some regions as an alternative to herbicides. 11 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors with a low sub-threshold swing on free-standing GaN wafer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinke Liu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper reported AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs with low sub-threshold swing SS on free-standing GaN wafer. High quality AlGaN/GaN epi-layer has been grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD on free-standing GaN, small full-width hall maximum (FWHM of 42.9 arcsec for (0002 GaN XRD peaks and ultralow dislocation density (∼104-105 cm-2 were obtained. Due to these extremely high quality material properties, the fabricated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs achieve a low SS (∼60 mV/decade, low hysteresis of 54 mV, and high peak electron mobility μeff of ∼1456 cm2V-1s-1. Systematic study of materials properties and device characteristics exhibits that GaN-on-GaN AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are promising candidate for next generation high power device applications.

AORN Ergonomic Tool 4: Solutions for Prolonged Standing in Perioperative Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Nancy L; Nelson, Audrey; Matz, Mary W; Lloyd, John

2011-06-01

Prolonged standing during surgical procedures poses a high risk of causing musculoskeletal disorders, including back, leg, and foot pain, which can be chronic or acute in nature. Ergonomic Tool 4: Solutions for Prolonged Standing in Perioperative Settings provides recommendations for relieving the strain of prolonged standing, including the use of antifatigue mats, supportive footwear, and sit/stand stools, that are based on well-accepted ergonomic safety concepts, current research, and access to new and emerging technology. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Social Status in Norway and the Law of Jante: An Analysis of ISSP Social Inequality Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel R. PALAMARA

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This study examines International Social Survey Programme data from the 1999 social inequality module for evidence of Janteloven (‘the law of Jante’ in Norway – a widely known though often disputed description for aspects of Norwegian (and Scandinavian society relating to equality, norming and envy. Income equality and social status were examined using survey data across 26 countries. Norwegian respondents did not show a marked preference for income equality when asked to consider the actual and deserved income of high- versus low-status occupations. However, they did stand out in reporting a distinctly and significantly smaller mean difference in social status between a high-status occupation (the chairman of a large national corporation and a low-status occupation (an unskilled factory worker. Linear regression shows that the attitude towards social status is affected by the respondent’s level of education, but not by other personal factors. These attitudes could potentially be attributed to Janteloven, and are considered alongside the results of a small (n=30 online survey as well as popular media and academic portrayals.

Development of prolonged standing strain index to quantify risk levels of standing jobs.

Science.gov (United States)

Halim, Isa; Omar, Abdul Rahman

2012-01-01

Many occupations in industry such as metal stamping workers, electronics parts assembly operators, automotive industry welders, and lathe operators require working in a standing posture for a long time. Prolonged standing can contribute to discomfort and muscle fatigue particularly in the back and legs. This study developed the prolonged standing strain index (PSSI) to quantify the risk levels caused by standing jobs, and proposed recommendations to minimize the risk levels. Risk factors associated with standing jobs, such as working posture, muscles activity, standing duration, holding time, whole-body vibration, and indoor air quality, were the basis for developing the PSSI. All risk factors were assigned multipliers, and the PSSI was the product of those multipliers. Recommendations for improvement are based on the PSSI; however, extensive studies are required to validate their effectiveness. multipliers, and the PSSI was the product of those multipliers. Recommendations for improvement are based on the PSSI; however, extensive studies are required to validate their effectiveness.

STATUS OF X-BAND STANDING WAVE STRUCTURE STUDIES AT SLAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolgashev, Valery A.

2003-01-01

The linacs proposed for the Next Linear Collider (NLC) and Japanese Linear Collider (JLC) would contain several thousand X-Band accelerator structures that would operate at a loaded gradient of 50 MV/m. An extensive experimental and theoretical program is underway at SLAC, FNAL and KEK to develop structures that reliably operate at this gradient. The development of standing wave structures is a part of this program. The properties of standing wave structures allow them to operate at the loaded gradient in contrast to traveling wave structures that need conditioning to the unloaded gradient (65 MV/m for NLC/JLC). The gradients in the standing structures tested thus far have been limited by input coupler breakdowns. The behavior of these breakdowns is consistent with a model of pulsed heating due to high magnetic fields. New input couplers have been designed to reduce maximum magnetic fields. This paper discusses design considerations related to high power performance, wakefield suppression and results of high power tests of prototype standing wave structures

Suitability of high-current standing-wave linac technology for ultra-relativistic electron beam propagation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moir, D.C.; Faehl, R.J.; Newberger, B.S.; Thode, L.E.

1981-01-01

Near-term development of the existing PHERMEX standing-wave linac would provide a 40 to 60 MeV electron beam with a current of 3 kA capable of answering a number of fundamental issues concerning endoatmospheric, ultra-relativistic electron beam propagation. Inherent high-repetition rate and multiple-pulse capability would allow alternative propagation scenarios to be investigated. Much of the theoretical expertise required to support the technology development and time-resolved beam propagation experiments presently resides within the Theoretical Applications Division

The one-leg standing radiograph

OpenAIRE

Pinsornsak, P.; Naratrikun, K.; Kanitnate, S.; Sangkomkamhang, T.

2016-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the joint space width between one-leg and both-legs standing radiographs in order to diagnose a primary osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods Digital radiographs of 100 medial osteoarthritic knees in 50 patients were performed. The patients had undergone one-leg standing anteroposterior (AP) views by standing on the affected leg while a both-legs standing AP view was undertaken while standing on both legs. The severity of the osteoarthritis wa...

International Issues, High-Stakes Testing, and Border Pedagogy: Social Studies at Border High School

Science.gov (United States)

Cashman, Timothy G.; McDermott, Benjamin R.

2013-01-01

A recently constructed border wall stands within walking distance of Border High School (BHS) and was created to impede the flow of people, goods, fauna, and contraband from Mexico into the United States (U.S.). The reality, however, is that this geopolitical border is fluid, allowing connections between sociopolitical zones. The researchers…

Change in Acetabular Cup Orientation From Supine to Standing Position and Its Effect on Wear of Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene.

Science.gov (United States)

Teeter, Matthew G; Goyal, Prateek; Yuan, Xunhua; Howard, James L; Lanting, Brent A

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to measure acetabular cup position and wear of the highly crosslinked polyethylene liner in the supine and standing position for patients at a minimum of 10 years after the operation. A total of 38 patients were recruited at a mean of 12.5 years after the operation. All patients received a single acetabular cup design with a highly crosslinked liner and a 28-mm cobalt-chromium femoral head. Patients underwent supine and standing radiostereometric examinations in which the X-ray sources and detectors were positioned to obtain an anterior-posterior and cross-table lateral radiograph. Acetabular cup position and the three-dimensional wear rate were measured from the radiographs, and outcome scores were recorded for each patient. Anteversion significantly increased (P cup orientation and wear rate in either position. Highly crosslinked polyethylene is a forgiving bearing material. Although adherence to the traditional acetabular position target zone is recommended, ensuring hip stability and consideration of the patient's functional position are also important objectives to consider for the acetabular position. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The undervalued self: social class and self-evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Michael W; Park, Jun W

2014-01-01

Social class ranks people on the social ladder of society, and in this research we examine how perceptions of economic standing shape the way that individuals evaluate the self. Given that reminders of one's own subordinate status in society are an indicator of how society values the self in comparison to others, we predicted that chronic lower perceptions of economic standing vis-à-vis others would explain associations between objective social class and negative self-evaluation, whereas situation-specific reminders of low economic standing would elicit negative self-evaluations, particularly in those from lower-class backgrounds. In Study 1, perceptions of social class rank accounted for the positive relationship between objective material resource measures of social class and self-esteem. In Study 2, lower-class individuals who received a low (versus equal) share of economic resources in an economic game scenario reported more negative self-conscious emotions-a correlate of negative self-evaluation-relative to upper-class individuals. Discussion focused on the implications of this research for understanding class-based cultural models of the self, and for how social class shapes self-evaluations chronically.

Measurements of high energy photons in Z-pinch experiments on primary test stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Si, Fenni; Zhang, Chuanfei; Xu, Rongkun; Yuan, Xi; Huang, Zhanchang; Xu, Zeping; Ye, Fan; Yang, Jianlun; Ning, Jiamin; Hu, Qingyuan; Zhu, Xuebin

2015-01-01

High energy photons are measured for the first time in wire-array Z-pinch experiments on the Primary Test Stand (PTS) which delivers a current up to 8 MA with a rise time of 70 ns. A special designed detecting system composed of three types of detectors is used to measure the average energy, intensity, and pulse waveform of high energy photons. Results from Pb-TLD (thermoluminescence dosimeter) detector indicate that the average energy is 480 keV (±15%). Pulse shape of high energy photons is measured by the photodiode detector consisted of scintillator coupled with a photodiode, and it is correlated with soft x-ray power by the same timing signal. Intensity is measured by both TLD and the photodiode detector, showing good accordance with each other, and it is 10 10 cm −2 (±20%) at 2 m in the horizontal direction. Measurement results show that high energy photons are mainly produced in pinch regions due to accelerated electrons. PTS itself also produces high energy photons due to power flow electrons, which is one order smaller in amplitude than those from pinch region

Reineke’s stand density index: a quantitative and non-unitless measure of stand density

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis L. VanderSchaaf

2013-01-01

When used as a measure of relative density, Reineke’s stand density index (SDI) can be made unitless by relating the current SDI to a standard density but when used as a quantitative measure of stand density SDI is not unitless. Reineke’s SDI relates the current stand density to an equivalent number of trees per unit area in a stand with a quadratic mean diameter (Dq)...

Detecting Multi-layered Forest Stands Using High Density Airborne LiDAR Data. GI_Forum|GI_Forum 2015 – Geospatial Minds for Society|

OpenAIRE

Schultz, Alfred; Mund, Jan-Peter; Körner, Michael; Wilke, Robert

2016-01-01

Since two decades, the use of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and Airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) has become very prominent in analysing 3D forest structures (AKAY et al. 2009). The potential of full waveform analysis of high density Airborne LiDAR data (ALS) for the detection and structural analysis of multi-layered forest stands is not yet well investigated (JASKIERNIAK et al. 2011), although ALS data provide exact information on tree heights of multi-layered forest stands usi...

Social Struggles as Epistemic Struggles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.A. Icaza Garza (Rosalba); R. Vázquez (Rolando)

2013-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ This contribution offers a view on social struggles as epistemic struggles to critically engage with the Activism 2010+ debate. Our core idea is that social struggles that stand up against depoliticization, economic exploitation and cultural alienation cannot be

Subjective Social Standing and Conflict Tactics Among Young Kenyan Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Michael L; Serag, Hani; Raimer-Goodman, Lauren; Keiser, Philip; Gitari, Stanley

2017-09-01

Efforts to reduce intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa generally approach the issue through the lens of women's empowerment. These efforts include foci on women's relative power in the relationship, educational background, and earning potential. The social status of men has largely been ignored, reducing the potential to involve them in efforts to demote intimate partner violence. In this study we consider whether a man's perceived social status predicts conflict tactics, and whether these tactics are mediated by loneliness and collective self-esteem from a community-based sample in semi-rural Kenya (n = 263). We find that men who reported lower perceived social status also reported significantly more frequent violent conflicts with their intimate partners. This association was significantly, and completely, mediated by lower collective self-esteem and higher loneliness. There was no direct association between subjective social status and negotiation-based conflict tactics, although there was an indirect association. Men with higher perceived social status reported higher collective self-esteem, and men with higher collective self-esteem reported more negotiation-based conflict tactics. These findings inform efforts to reduce intimate partner violence by involving men, showing potential to reduce violence by building self-esteem among men-particularly those with lower perceived social status. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

Social media influencer marketing

OpenAIRE

Isosuo, Heli

2016-01-01

The marketing field is changing simultaneously with the digital world. Social media is getting more and more important to marketers, and there is a need to stand out in the social media noise. Social media influencer marketing could be a good alternative to other types of marketing. A need from the consignor and the interest of the author were the motivations for conducting the study. Sääskilahti Consulting has a social media influencer network Somevaikuttajat, which is offering social media ...

SOCIAL MARGINALIZATION AND HEALTH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjana Bogdanović

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The 20th century was characterized by special improvement in health. The aim of WHO’s policy EQUITY IN HEALTH is to enable equal accessibility and equal high quality of health care for all citizens. More or less some social groups have stayed out of many social systems even out of health care system in the condition of social marginalization. Phenomenon of social marginalization is characterized by dynamics. Marginalized persons have lack of control over their life and available resources. Social marginalization stands for a stroke on health and makes the health status worse. Low socio-economic level dramatically influences people’s health status, therefore, poverty and illness work together. Characteristic marginalized groups are: Roma people, people with AIDS, prisoners, persons with development disorders, persons with mental health disorders, refugees, homosexual people, delinquents, prostitutes, drug consumers, homeless…There is a mutual responsibility of community and marginalized individuals in trying to resolve the problem. Health and other problems could be solved only by multisector approach to well-designed programs.

Social and moral maturity of high-school students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvana Gasar

2005-02-01

Full Text Available The level of social and moral maturity of high-school students was examined. There were almost no significant differences between the students of two different educational programs. In general, the students' level of social and moral maturity is satisfyingly high, but their social skills are not quite appropriately developed. The results of behaviour in school situations reveal a quite unpleasant picture of interpersonal relations, which is probably a reflection of social relations in society. The absence of correlations between both components of maturity and social skills shows the gap between human's reasoning and behaviour. Students know, which behaviour is moral and socially adapted, but they do not always act in congruence with that, because existing social relations often encourage different behaviour.

Validation of the VitaBit Sit–Stand Tracker: Detecting Sitting, Standing, and Activity Patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathalie M. Berninger

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Sedentary behavior (SB has detrimental consequences and cannot be compensated for through moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA. In order to understand and mitigate SB, tools for measuring and monitoring SB are essential. While current direct-to-customer wearables focus on PA, the VitaBit validated in this study was developed to focus on SB. It was tested in a laboratory and in a free-living condition, comparing it to direct observation and to a current best-practice device, the ActiGraph, on a minute-by-minute basis. In the laboratory, the VitaBit yielded specificity and negative predictive rates (NPR of above 91.2% for sitting and standing, while sensitivity and precision ranged from 74.6% to 85.7%. For walking, all performance values exceeded 97.3%. In the free-living condition, the device revealed performance of over 72.6% for sitting with the ActiGraph as criterion. While sensitivity and precision for standing and walking ranged from 48.2% to 68.7%, specificity and NPR exceeded 83.9%. According to the laboratory findings, high performance for sitting, standing, and walking makes the VitaBit eligible for SB monitoring. As the results are not transferrable to daily life activities, a direct observation study in a free-living setting is recommended.

Test Stand for Linear Induction Accelerator Optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ong, M; DeHope, B; Griffin, K; Goerz, D; Kihara, R; Vogtlin, G; Zentler, J M; Scarpetti, R

2003-01-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has designed and constructed a test stand to improve the voltage regulation in our Flash X-Ray (FXR) accelerator cell. The goal is to create a more mono-energetic electron beam that will create an x-ray source with a smaller spot size. Studying the interaction of the beam and pulse-power system with the accelerator cell will improve the design of high-current accelerators at Livermore and elsewhere. On the test stand, a standard FXR cell is driven by a flexible pulse-power system and the beam current is simulated with a switched center conductor. The test stand is fully instrumented with high-speed digitizers to document the effect of impedance mismatches when the cell is operated under various full-voltage conditions. A time-domain reflectometry technique was also developed to characterize the beam and cell interactions by measuring the impedance of the accelerator and pulse-power component. Computer models are being developed in parallel with the testing program to validate the measurements and evaluate different design changes. Both 3D transient electromagnetic and circuit models are being used

In Situ Synthesis of Vertical Standing Nanosized NiO Encapsulated in Graphene as Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jinghuang; Jia, Henan; Liang, Haoyan; Chen, Shulin; Cai, Yifei; Qi, Junlei; Qu, Chaoqun; Cao, Jian; Fei, Weidong; Feng, Jicai

2018-03-01

NiO is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors. Herein, the novel vertically standing nanosized NiO encapsulated in graphene layers (G@NiO) are rationally designed and synthesized as nanosheet arrays. This unique vertical standing structure of G@NiO nanosheet arrays can enlarge the accessible surface area with electrolytes, and has the benefits of short ion diffusion path and good charge transport. Further, an interconnected graphene conductive network acts as binder to encapsulate the nanosized NiO particles as core-shell structure, which can promote the charge transport and maintain the structural stability. Consequently, the optimized G@NiO hybrid electrodes exhibit a remarkably enhanced specific capacity up to 1073 C g -1 and excellent cycling stability. This study provides a facial strategy to design and construct high-performance metal oxides for energy storage.

Learning to Stand: The Acceptability and Feasibility of Introducing Standing Desks into College Classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto M. Benzo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Prolonged sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for multiple negative health outcomes. Evidence supports introducing standing desks into K-12 classrooms and work settings to reduce sitting time, but no studies have been conducted in the college classroom environment. The present study explored the acceptability and feasibility of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. A total of 993 students and 149 instructors completed a single online needs assessment survey. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the fall semester of 2015 at a large Midwestern University. The large majority of students (95% reported they would prefer the option to stand in class. Most students (82.7% reported they currently sit during their entire class time. Most students (76.6% and instructors (86.6% reported being in favor of introducing standing desks into college classrooms. More than half of students and instructors predicted having access to standing desks in class would improve student’s “physical health”, “attention”, and “restlessness”. Collectively, these findings support the acceptability of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. Future research is needed to test the feasibility, cost-effectiveness and efficacy of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. Such studies would be useful for informing institutional policies regarding classroom designs.

Stand-alone photovoltaic applications. Lessons learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loois, G.; Van Hemert, B.

1999-02-01

world, France analyses in Chapter 5 the institutional aspects: what are the different roles for all possible actors, not only in the planning and implementation phases but also in the aftersales area. Legal aspects and the need for international standards are also discussed. In Chapter 6, on social aspects, Spain uses the Garrotxa rural electrification project to demonstrate the importance of user involvement in all stages of the project cycle. Chapter 7, written by Canada and Australia, gives an insight into the technical aspects of stand-alone PV. In Chapter 8, The Netherlands looks at the future: starting from the lessons we have learned, and the main challenges of the next decade are explored in order to open gigawatt markets for SAPV. The showcases of the second part are grouped according to the three categories: service applications, remote buildings and island systems, and thereafter presented alphabetically by country. 28 refs

Performance review of an indigenously developed high power test stand built for the Indian S-band 5 MW pulsed klystron development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shrivastava, Purushottam; Baxy, D.; Mulchandani, J.; Hannurkar, P.R.; Joshi, L.M.

2003-01-01

CAT took up development of 5 MW S-Band klystrons indigenously in collaboration with CEERI Pilani. The development of klystron prototype is completed. These klystrons are very crucial devices, for energizing the 10-20 MeV electron accelerators, which are developed in the country for various industrial, medical and scientific applications. A test station has been developed indigenously at CAT for these klystrons. It consists of a 12 MW peak power 130 kV klystron pulse modulator, a 1 : 10 pulse transformer, 130 kV high voltage deck having high voltage pulse divider, pulse current transformer as well indigenously built klystron socket, filament supplies, klystron support structure and pulse transformer oil tank. After development/rigorous testing the test stand was shifted to CEERI and was installed and commissioned there by CAT. Gun collector test module and prototypes of the 5 MW klystron were tested, aged and conditioned at high power using this test stand. The details of the system / test results are discussed

Stand for testing the electrical race car engine

Science.gov (United States)

Baier, M.; Franiasz, J.; Mierzwa, P.; Wylenzek, D.

2015-11-01

An engine test stand created especially for research of electrical race car is described in the paper. The car is an aim of Silesian Greenpower project whose participants build and test electrical vehicles to take part in international races in Great Britain. The engine test stand is used to test and measure the characteristics of vehicles and their engines. It has been designed particularly to test the electric cars engineered by students of Silesian Greenpower project. The article contains a description how the test stand works and shows its versatility in many areas. The paper presents both construction of the test stand, control system and sample results of conducted research. The engine test stand was designed and modified using PLM Siemens NX 8.5. The construction of the test stand is highly modular, which means it can be used both for testing the vehicle itself or for tests without the vehicle. The test stand has its own wheel, motor, powertrain and braking system with second engine. Such solution enables verifying various concepts without changing the construction of the vehicle. The control system and measurement system are realized by enabling National Instruments product myRIO (RIO - Reconfigurable Input/Output). This controller in combination with powerful LabVIEW environment performs as an advanced tool to control torque and speed simultaneously. It is crucial as far as the test stand is equipped in two motors - the one being tested and the braking one. The feedback loop is realized by an optical encoder cooperating with the rotor mounted on the wheel. The results of tests are shown live on the screen both as a chart and as single values. After performing several tests there is a report generated. The engine test stand is widely used during process of the Silesian Greenpower vehicle design. Its versatility enables powertrain testing, wheels and tires tests, thermal analysis and more.

INTRODUCING NOVEL GENERATION OF HIGH ACCURACY CAMERA OPTICAL-TESTING AND CALIBRATION TEST-STANDS FEASIBLE FOR SERIES PRODUCTION OF CAMERAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Nekouei Shahraki

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The recent advances in the field of computer-vision have opened the doors of many opportunities for taking advantage of these techniques and technologies in many fields and applications. Having a high demand for these systems in today and future vehicles implies a high production volume of video cameras. The above criterions imply that it is critical to design test systems which deliver fast and accurate calibration and optical-testing capabilities. In this paper we introduce new generation of test-stands delivering high calibration quality in single-shot calibration of fisheye surround-view cameras. This incorporates important geometric features from bundle-block calibration, delivers very high (sub-pixel calibration accuracy, makes possible a very fast calibration procedure (few seconds, and realizes autonomous calibration via machines. We have used the geometrical shape of a Spherical Helix (Type: 3D Spherical Spiral with special geometrical characteristics, having a uniform radius which corresponds to the uniform motion. This geometrical feature was mechanically realized using three dimensional truncated icosahedrons which practically allow the implementation of a spherical helix on multiple surfaces. Furthermore the test-stand enables us to perform many other important optical tests such as stray-light testing, enabling us to evaluate the certain qualities of the camera optical module.

Stand up for epilepsy San Diego photo-shoot: a personal odyssey.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufman, Kenneth R; Kaufman, Nathaniel D

2013-06-01

Stigma towards epilepsy results in barriers to social integration, education, employment, and marriage, with increased divorce rates. There is a societal need to realise that many persons with epilepsy (PWE) lead normal lives and can be highly educated with effective employment. Integration of PWE into sports is therapeutic both for PWE (decreased seizure frequency, decreased comorbid conditions, and increased psychosocial skills) and society. Stand Up For Epilepsy (SUFE), overseen by the ILAE Task Force on Sports and Epilepsy, is an international project in which action photographs with PWE were taken as a means to destigmatise epilepsy. This autobiographical narrative describes how SUFE initiated effective athlete-PWE interactions with positive PWE, athlete, and parent responses. Expansion of SUFE is recommended to further destigmatise epilepsy. Participation in SUFE can serve as a personal odyssey for PWE.

Multi-Purpose Test Stand

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Multi-Purpose Test Stand is used for a wide variety of tests. The Stand is designed to be rotated through a range of fixed yaw positions to allow engines to be...

Southern pine beetle in loblolly pine: simulating within stand interactions using the process model SPBLOBTHIN

Science.gov (United States)

Brian Strom; J. R. Meeker; J. Bishir; James Roberds; X. Wan

2016-01-01

Pine stand density is a key determinant of damage resulting from attacks by the southern pine beetle (SPB, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.). High-density stands of maturing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) are at high risk for losses to SPB, and reducing stand density is the primary tool available to forest managers for preventing and mitigating damage. Field studies are...

Social class & risk preferences and behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Kish-Gephart, Jennifer J

2017-12-01

This paper reviews recent work regarding the link between one's societal ranking (or social class), and risk preferences and behavior. While the topic of social class and its relationship to risk has been studied only tentatively in psychology, preliminary evidence suggests that experiences with rank, access to resources, and movement between classes have a meaningful impact on people's risk preferences and behaviors. Yet, a clear pattern of results remains elusive. Some studies suggest that lower social class standing is related to risk aversion, while others suggest it is related to risk taking. These mixed results highlight the need for future research that examines when and why lower social class standing is related to more or less risky decisions. By shedding light on this important phenomenon, the hope is to offer intervention opportunities that influence policies and mitigate inequality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing silvicultural systems based on partial cutting in western hemlock–Sitka spruce stands of southeast Alaska.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert L. Deal; J.C. Tappeiner; Paul E. Hennon

2002-01-01

The effects of partial cutting on species composition, stand structure and growth, tree size distribution, and tree disease and mortality were evaluated on 73 plots in 18 stands that were harvested 12–96 years ago in southeast Alaska. Partially-cut stands had diverse and highly complex stand structures similar to uncut stands. Sitka spruce was maintained in mixed...

Standing Postural Control in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Yi Huey; Partridge, Katie; Girdler, Sonya; Morris, Susan L.

2017-01-01

Impairments in postural control affect the development of motor and social skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review compared the effect of different sensory conditions on static standing postural control between ASD and neurotypical individuals. Results from 19 studies indicated a large difference in postural control…

An analytical model of stand dynamics as a function of tree growth, mortality and recruitment: the shade tolerance-stand structure hypothesis revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Zavala, Miguel A; Angulo, Oscar; Bravo de la Parra, Rafael; López-Marcos, Juan C

2007-02-07

Light competition and interspecific differences in shade tolerance are considered key determinants of forest stand structure and dynamics. Specifically two main stand diameter distribution types as a function of shade tolerance have been proposed based on empirical observations. All-aged stands of shade tolerant species tend to have steeply descending, monotonic diameter distributions (inverse J-shaped curves). Shade intolerant species in contrast typically exhibit normal (unimodal) tree diameter distributions due to high mortality rates of smaller suppressed trees. In this study we explore the generality of this hypothesis which implies a causal relationship between light competition or shade tolerance and stand structure. For this purpose we formulate a partial differential equation system of stand dynamics as a function of individual tree growth, recruitment and mortality which allows us to explore possible individual-based mechanisms--e.g. light competition-underlying observed patterns of stand structure--e.g. unimodal or inverse J-shaped equilibrium diameter curves. We find that contrary to expectations interspecific differences in growth patterns can result alone in any of the two diameter distributions types observed in the field. In particular, slow growing species can present unimodal equilibrium curves even in the absence of light competition. Moreover, light competition and shade intolerance evaluated both at the tree growth and mortality stages did not have a significant impact on stand structure that tended to converge systematically towards an inverse J-shaped curves for most tree growth scenarios. Realistic transient stand dynamics for even aged stands of shade intolerant species (unimodal curves) were only obtained when recruitment was completely suppressed, providing further evidence on the critical role played by juvenile stages of tree development (e.g. the sampling stage) on final forest structure and composition. The results also point out the

Climatic factors controlling the productivity of pine stands. A model-based analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMurtrie, R.E.; Gholz, H.L.; Linder, S.; Gower, S.T.

1994-01-01

A process-based forest growth model, BIOMASS, is applied to stands of four pine species (Pinus elliottii, P. radiata, P. resinosa, and P. sylvestris) growing in five sub-tropical, temperate and boreal environments (in Australia, New Zealand, Florida, Sweden and Wisconsin). Measured annual above-ground net primary production (ANPP) at these sites ranges from 0.2 to 1.6 kg C m -2 . After establishing that simulated ANPP closely matches biomass production measured for the various stands, we analyse model runs to relate simulated productivity to absorbed photosynthetically-active radiation (APAR). Annual photosynthetic productivity (or gross primary production, GPP) simulated for the five stands is linearly related to utilizable APAR, derived by estimating the extent to which photosynthesis is limited by soil water deficit, high air saturation vapor deficit or low temperature. The reduction of GPP due to incomplete radiation interception is 10 to 25% for stands with high leaf area index (LAI) in Australia, New Zealand and Wisconsin and 50 to 60% for low LAI stands in Florida and Sweden. Gross carbon gain is reduced by a further 50 to 70% at sites experiencing cold winters (Sweden and Wisconsin), summer drought (Australia) or high summer humidity deficits (Australia and Wisconsin). Simulated carbon losses due to above-ground respiration average 50% of GPP, but are highly variable among the sites due to large differences in live biomass and tissue nitrogen concentrations. This results in a weaker relationship between simulated NPP and APAR. (au) 93 refs

Thinning in artificially regenerated young beech stands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novák Jiří

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Although beech stands are usually regenerated naturally, an area of up to 5,000 ha year−1 is artificially regenerated by beech in the Czech Republic annually. Unfortunately, these stands often showed insufficient stand density and, consequently, lower quality of stems. Therefore, thinning methods developed for naturally regenerated beech stands are applicable with difficulties. The paper evaluates the data from two thinning experiments established in young artificially regenerated beech stands located in different growing conditions. In both experiments, thinning resulted in the lower amount of salvage cut in following years. Positive effect of thinning on periodic stand basal area increment and on periodic diameter increment of dominant trees was found in the beech stand located at middle elevations. On the other hand, thinning effects in mountain conditions were negligible. Thinning focusing on future stand quality cannot be commonly applied in artificially regenerated beech stands because of their worse initial quality and lower density. However, these stands show good growth and response to thinning, hence their management can be focused on maximising beech wood production.

Online Social Networks: Essays on Membership, Privacy, and Structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hofstra, B.

2017-01-01

The structure of social networks is crucial for obtaining social support, for meaningful connections to unknown social groups, and to overcome prejudice. Yet, we know little about the structure of social networks beyond those contacts that stand closest to us. This lack of knowledge results from a

A method to achieve comparable thermal states of car brakes during braking on the road and on a high-speed roll-stand

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Andrzej

2010-01-01

The temperature of a brake friction surface influences significantly the braking effectiveness. The paper describes a heat transfer process in car brakes. Using a developed program of finite element method, the temperature distributions in brake rotors (disc and drum brake) of a light truck have been calculated. As a preliminary consistency criterion of the brake thermal state in road and roll-stand braking conditions, a balance of the energy cumulated in the brake rotor has been taken into account. As the most reliable consistency criterion an equality of average temperatures of the friction surface has been assumed. The presented method allows to achieve on a roll-stand the analogical thermal states of automotive brakes, which are observed during braking in road conditions. Basing on this method, it is possible to calculate the braking time and force for a high-speed roll-stand. In contrast to the previous papers of the author, new calculation results have been presented.

Social Media Use as Urban Acupuncture for Empowering Socially Challenged Communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Messeter, Jörn

2015-01-01

counteract negative influences in the community, e.g., drug abuse and gangsterism. Interviews with staff and participants reveal that use of social media in the context of a socially challenged community results in social media use, and connections between online and offline activities, that stands...... in contrast to earlier social media research. These differences may inform design and social innovation for disruptive interaction to address negative influences, such as drugs and gangsterism, in socially challenged communities.......This article explores potential roles of social media in community empowerment, based on a study of a non-profit NGO in a socially challenged suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. In particular, it focuses on the relation between on-line and off-line behavior, and how the use of social media can...

Refrigeration system having standing wave compressor

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Timothy S.

1992-01-01

A compression-evaporation refrigeration system, wherein gaseous compression of the refrigerant is provided by a standing wave compressor. The standing wave compressor is modified so as to provide a separate subcooling system for the refrigerant, so that efficiency losses due to flashing are reduced. Subcooling occurs when heat exchange is provided between the refrigerant and a heat pumping surface, which is exposed to the standing acoustic wave within the standing wave compressor. A variable capacity and variable discharge pressure for the standing wave compressor is provided. A control circuit simultaneously varies the capacity and discharge pressure in response to changing operating conditions, thereby maintaining the minimum discharge pressure needed for condensation to occur at any time. Thus, the power consumption of the standing wave compressor is reduced and system efficiency is improved.

Optimization of the stand for test of hybrid rocket engines of solid fuel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zolotorev Nikolay

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the paper the laboratory experimental stand of the hybrid rocket engine of solid fuel to study ballistic parameters of the engine at burning of high-energy materials in flow of hot gas is presented. Mixture of air with nitrogen with a specified content of active oxygen is used as a gaseous oxidizer. The experimental stand has modular design and consists of system of gas supply, system of heating of gas, system for monitoring gas parameters, to which a load cell with a model engine was connected. The modular design of the stand allows to change its configuration under specific objective. This experimental stand allows to conduct a wide range of the pilot studies at interaction of a hot stream of gas with samples high-energy materials.

Powerful versus Popular: Definition and Distinction of Social Vocabulary in the Middle School

Science.gov (United States)

Burwell, Julie; Stone, Robert

2012-01-01

Two middle school teachers consider the function of the word popular in middle school life and illustrate that the lesser used term powerful is often more applicable. They offer an alternative vocabulary for social standing and examine the factors that can influence that standing. By discussing the manifold ways that the social life of students…

The Social Dynamics of Innovation Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutten, Roel; Benneworth, Paul Stephen; Irawati, Dessy; Boekema, Frans

2014-01-01

The social dynamics of innovation networks captures the important role of trust, social capital, institutions and norms and values in the creation of knowledge in innovation networks. In doing so, this book connects to a long-standing debate on the socio-spatial context of innovation in economic

The Influence of Residual Stand Densities on Regeneration in Sugar Maple Stands

Science.gov (United States)

Carl H. Tubbs

1968-01-01

Studies of regeneration 2, 5, and 10 years after cutting mature and overmature sugar maple stands to several residual densities show that (1) sugar maple is still the predominant species under all stand densities (2) nearly all regeneration reaching larger size classes became established before cutting (3) heavier cuttings (30, 50, and 70 square feet) are more rapidly...

Does human body odor represent a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness?

Science.gov (United States)

Lübke, Katrin T; Croy, Ilona; Hoenen, Matthias; Gerber, Johannes; Pause, Bettina M; Hummel, Thomas

2014-01-01

Across a wide variety of domains, experts differ from novices in their response to stimuli linked to their respective field of expertise. It is currently unknown whether similar patterns can be observed with regard to social expertise. The current study therefore focuses on social openness, a central social skill necessary to initiate social contact. Human body odors were used as social cues, as they inherently signal the presence of another human being. Using functional MRI, hemodynamic brain responses to body odors of women reporting a high (n = 14) or a low (n = 12) level of social openness were compared. Greater activation within the inferior frontal gyrus and the caudate nucleus was observed in high socially open individuals compared to individuals low in social openness. With the inferior frontal gyrus being a crucial part of the human mirror neuron system, and the caudate nucleus being implicated in social reward, it is discussed whether human body odor might constitute more of a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness compared to individuals low in social openness process.

Planter unit test stand

Science.gov (United States)

A planter test stand was developed to evaluate individual row-crop metering units in early 2013. This test stand provided the ability to quantify actual seed metering in terms of population, seed spacing, skips, and multiples over a range of meter RPMs and vacuum pressures. Preliminary data has been...

Effects of deer exclosures on oak regeneration in closed-canopy stands

Science.gov (United States)

Angela M. Yuska; Kim C. Steiner; James C. Finley

2008-01-01

Studies of the effects of high deer densities on forest regeneration have shown altered species composition and reduced diversity in stands regenerating after harvest. The effects of browsing in fully stocked, undisturbed stands are less well known but important, as establishment of seedlings of oaks and other species prior to disturbance is very important for self-...

24 CFR 206.37 - Credit standing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... CONVERSION MORTGAGE INSURANCE Eligibility; Endorsement Eligible Mortgagors § 206.37 Credit standing. Each mortgagor must have a general credit standing satisfactory to the Secretary. ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Credit standing. 206.37 Section 206...

Acoustic radiation force on a sphere in standing and quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam tweezers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitri, F.G.

2008-01-01

Starting from the exact acoustic scattering from a sphere immersed in an ideal fluid and centered along the propagation axis of a standing or quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam, explicit partial-wave representations for the radiation force are derived. A standing or a quasi-standing acoustic field is the result of propagating two equal or unequal amplitude zero-order Bessel beams, respectively, along the same axis but in opposite sense. The Bessel beam is characterized by the half-cone angle β of its plane wave components, such that β = 0 represents a plane wave. It is assumed here that the half-cone angle β for each of the counter-propagating acoustic Bessel beams is equal. Fluid, elastic and viscoelastic spheres immersed in water are treated as examples. Results indicate the capability of manipulating spherical targets based on their mechanical and acoustical properties. This condition provides an impetus for further designing acoustic tweezers operating with standing or quasi-standing Bessel acoustic waves. Potential applications include particle manipulation in micro-fluidic lab-on-chips as well as in reduced gravity environments

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Midwest Social Workers: Where Do They Stand?

Science.gov (United States)

Gaston, N Rose; Randall, Jill M; Kiesel, Lisa R

2018-01-01

Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is explicitly legal in five states and by court decision in one. Legislative bills have been introduced in other states including Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. This quantitative study was designed to understand Midwest, hospice and palliative care at end-of-life social workers' attitudes toward PAS, preferred terminology, perception of preparedness for the implementation, and awareness of PAS legislation in their state. Sixty-two social workers from Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin completed an anonymous online survey. The results indicated that over one-half of the participants supported PAS legislation and is consistent with previous research on social workers across the country. While there was a range of perceived preparedness for implementation, a majority felt moderately to very prepared. Professional and personal values as well as professional experience influenced their perceived preparedness. Few social workers had accurate awareness of PAS legislation in their state or had attended workshops/events for further education or as a policy advocate. To practice competently and advocate at all levels of practice, hospice and palliative care at end-of-life social workers' need to understand their own attitudes and values toward PAS and pursue additional education around this ethical issue.

Temporal changes in vegetation of a virgin beech woodland remnant: stand-scale stability with intensive fine-scale dynamics governed by stand dynamic events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tibor Standovár

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this resurvey study is to check if herbaceous vegetation on the forest floor exhibits overall stability at the stand-scale in spite of intensive dynamics at the scale of individual plots and stand dynamic events (driven by natural fine scale canopy gap dynamics. In 1996, we sampled a 1.5 ha patch using 0.25 m² plots placed along a 5 m × 5 m grid in the best remnant of central European montane beech woods in Hungary. All species in the herbaceous layer and their cover estimates were recorded. Five patches representing different stand developmental situations (SDS were selected for resurvey. In 2013, 306 plots were resurveyed by using blocks of four 0.25 m² plots to test the effects of imperfect relocation. We found very intensive fine-scale dynamics in the herbaceous layer with high species turnover and sharp changes in ground layer cover at the local-scale (< 1 m2. A decrease in species richness and herbaceous layer cover, as well as high species turnover, characterized the closing gaps. Colonization events and increasing species richness and herbaceous layer cover prevailed in the two newly created gaps. A pronounced decrease in the total cover, but low species turnover and survival of the majority of the closed forest specialists was detected by the resurvey at the stand-scale. The test aiming at assessing the effect of relocation showed a higher time effect than the effect of imprecise relocation. The very intensive fine-scale dynamics of the studied beech forest are profoundly determined by natural stand dynamics. Extinction and colonisation episodes even out at the stand-scale, implying an overall compositional stability of the herbaceous vegetation at the given spatial and temporal scale. We argue that fine-scale gap dynamics, driven by natural processes or applied as a management method, can warrant the survival of many closed forest specialist species in the long-run. Nomenclature: Flora Europaea (Tutin et al. 2010 for

Beam Extraction for 1-MV Electrostatic Accelerator at the 300 kV Test Stand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sae-Hoon; Kim, Yu-Seok [Dongguk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Hyeok-Jung; Cho, Yong-Sub [KOMAC, Gyeongju (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The Korea Multipurpose Accelerator Complex (KOMAC) has been developing a 300-kV test stand for a 1-MV electrostatic accelerator ion source. The ion source in the high-pressure vessel is required to have a high reliability. The test stand has been proposed and developed to confirm the stable operating conditions of the ion source. The ion source will be tested at the test stand to verify the long-time operating conditions. The test stand comprises a 300-kV high-voltage terminal, a battery for the ion-source power, a 60-Hz inverter, 200-MHz RF power, a 5-kV extraction power supply, a 300-kV accelerating tube, and a vacuum system. A beam extraction experiment for the test stand was performed, and the beam current was measured using a faraday cup in the chamber. A beam extraction results for the RF ion source will be presented. Beam extraction from the RF ion source of the test stand is verified by measuring the beam current with a faraday cup in the chamber. Thus far NI Labview, PLC and faraday cup have been used to measure the beam current. The OPC server is useful for monitoring the PLC values. The average beam current of (a), (b) and (c) shown in figure 2 are 110.241µA, 105.8597µA and 103.5278µA respectively.

Does human body odor represent a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin T Lübke

Full Text Available Across a wide variety of domains, experts differ from novices in their response to stimuli linked to their respective field of expertise. It is currently unknown whether similar patterns can be observed with regard to social expertise. The current study therefore focuses on social openness, a central social skill necessary to initiate social contact. Human body odors were used as social cues, as they inherently signal the presence of another human being. Using functional MRI, hemodynamic brain responses to body odors of women reporting a high (n = 14 or a low (n = 12 level of social openness were compared. Greater activation within the inferior frontal gyrus and the caudate nucleus was observed in high socially open individuals compared to individuals low in social openness. With the inferior frontal gyrus being a crucial part of the human mirror neuron system, and the caudate nucleus being implicated in social reward, it is discussed whether human body odor might constitute more of a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness compared to individuals low in social openness process.

Bilateral Posterior Native Hip Dislocations after Fall from Standing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane Xiao

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We present a case of bilateral posterior native hip dislocations after a fall from standing. This exceedingly rare diagnosis is classically associated with younger patients whose bones are strong enough to dislocate rather than fracture in the setting of a high-momentum collision. We present an unusual case of an 88-year-old male with native hips who sustained a low-energy collision after falling from standing and was found to have bilateral posterior hip dislocations without associated pelvis or femur fractures.

The effect of a sit-stand workstation intervention on daily sitting, standing and physical activity: protocol for a 12 month workplace randomised control trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Jennifer; Mansfield, Louise; Kay, Tess; McConnell, Alison K

2015-02-15

A lack of physical activity and excessive sitting can contribute to poor physical health and wellbeing. The high percentage of the UK adult population in employment, and the prolonged sitting associated with desk-based office-work, make these workplaces an appropriate setting for interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity. This pilot study aims to determine the effect of an office-based sit-stand workstation intervention, compared with usual desk use, on daily sitting, standing and physical activity, and to examine the factors that underlie sitting, standing and physical activity, within and outside, the workplace. A randomised control trial (RCT) comparing the effects of a sit-stand workstation only and a multi-component sit-stand workstation intervention, with usual desk-based working practice (no sit-stand workstation) will be conducted with office workers across two organisations, over a 12 month period (N = 30). The multicomponent intervention will comprise organisational, environmental and individual elements. Objective data will be collected at baseline, and after 2-weeks, 3-months, 6-months and 12-months of the intervention. Objective measures of sitting, standing, and physical activity will be made concurrently (ActivPAL3™ and ActiGraph (GT3X+)). Activity diaries, ethnographic participant observation, and interviews with participants and key organisational personnel will be used to elicit understanding of the influence of organisational culture on sitting, standing and physical activity behaviour in the workplace. This study will be the first long-term sit-stand workstation intervention study utilising an RCT design, and incorporating a comprehensive process evaluation. The study will generate an understanding of the factors that encourage and restrict successful implementation of sit-stand workstation interventions, and will help inform future occupational wellbeing policy and practice. Other strengths include the

Food Irradiation. Standing legislation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdejo S, M.

1997-01-01

The standing legislation in Mexico on food irradiation matter has its basis on the Constitutional Policy of the Mexican United States on the 4 Th. article by its refers to Secretary of Health, 27 Th. article to the Secretary of Energy and 123 Th. of the Secretary of Work and Social Security. The laws and regulations emanated of the proper Constitution establishing the general features which gives the normative frame to this activity. The general regulations of Radiological Safety expedited by the National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards to state the specifications which must be fulfill the industrial installations which utilizing ionizing radiations, between this line is founded, just as the requirements for the responsible of the radiological protection and the operation of these establishments. The project of Regulation of the General Health Law in matter of Sanitary Control of Benefits and Services, that in short time will be officialized, include a specific chapter on food irradiation which considers the International Organizations Recommendations and the pertaining harmonization stated for Latin America, which elaboration was in charge of specialized group where Mexico was participant. Additionally, the Secretary of Health has a Mexican Official Standard NOM-033-SSA1-1993 named 'Food irradiation; permissible doses in foods, raw materials and support additives' standing from the year 1995, where is established the associated requirements to the control registers, service constancies and dose limits for different groups of foods, moreover of the specific guidelines for its process. This standard will be adequate considering the updating Regulation of Benefits and Services and the limits established the Regulation for Latin America. The associated laws that cover in general terms it would be the requirements for food irradiation although such term is not manageable. (Author)

Differentiating High-Functioning Autism and Social Phobia

Science.gov (United States)

Tyson, Katherine E.; Cruess, Dean G.

2012-01-01

Both high-functioning autism (HFA) and social phobia (SP) involve profound social interaction deficits. Although these disorders share some similar symptoms, they are conceptualized as distinct. Because both HFA and SP are defined behaviorally, the degree of overlap between the two disorders may result in misinterpretation of symptoms. However,…

Peer effects in unethical behavior: standing or reputation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Pascual-Ezama

Full Text Available Recent empirical evidence shows that working in an unsupervised, isolated situation under competition, can increase dishonest behavior to achieve prestige. However, could working in a common space, in the presence of colleagues affect cheating? Here, we examine how familiar-peer influence, supervision and social incentives affect worker performance and dishonest behavior. First, we show that working in the presence of peers is an effective mechanism to constrain honest/dishonest behavior compared to an isolated work situation (experiment 1. Second, we demonstrate that the mere suspicion of dishonesty from another peer is not enough to affect individual cheating behavior (experiment 2, suggesting that reputation holds great importance in a worker's self-image acting as a strong social incentives. Third, we show that when the suspicion of dishonesty increases with multiple peers behaving dishonestly, the desire to increase standing is sufficient to nudge individuals' behavior back to cheating at the same levels as isolated situations (experiment 3.

Axial acoustic radiation force on rigid oblate and prolate spheroids in Bessel vortex beams of progressive, standing and quasi-standing waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitri, F G

2017-02-01

The analysis using the partial-wave series expansion (PWSE) method in spherical coordinates is extended to evaluate the acoustic radiation force experienced by rigid oblate and prolate spheroids centered on the axis of wave propagation of high-order Bessel vortex beams composed of progressive, standing and quasi-standing waves, respectively. A coupled system of linear equations is derived after applying the Neumann boundary condition for an immovable surface in a non-viscous fluid, and solved numerically by matrix inversion after performing a single numerical integration procedure. The system of linear equations depends on the partial-wave index n and the order of the Bessel vortex beam m using truncated but converging PWSEs in the least-squares sense. Numerical results for the radiation force function, which is the radiation force per unit energy density and unit cross-sectional surface, are computed with particular emphasis on the amplitude ratio describing the transition from the progressive to the pure standing waves cases, the aspect ratio (i.e., the ratio of the major axis over the minor axis of the spheroid), the half-cone angle and order of the Bessel vortex beam, as well as the dimensionless size parameter. A generalized expression for the radiation force function is derived for cases encompassing the progressive, standing and quasi-standing waves of Bessel vortex beams. This expression can be reduced to other types of beams/waves such as the zeroth-order Bessel non-vortex beam or the infinite plane wave case by appropriate selection of the beam parameters. The results for progressive waves reveal a tractor beam behavior, characterized by the emergence of an attractive pulling force acting in opposite direction of wave propagation. Moreover, the transition to the quasi-standing and pure standing wave cases shows the acoustical tweezers behavior in dual-beam Bessel vortex beams. Applications in acoustic levitation, particle manipulation and acousto

Selection in the social network: effects of chronic diseases.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tijhuis, M.A.R.; Flap, H.D.; Foets, M.; Groenewegen, P.P.

1998-01-01

Background: this article deals with the consequences of disease for someone's personal social network. It is hypothesized that the duration of a socially severe disease will affect the social network in such a way that the proportions of women, kin, long-standing relationships and people living

Stand for visual ultrasonic testing of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czajkowski, W.; Borek-Kruszewska, E.

2001-01-01

A stand for visual and ultrasonic testing of spent fuel, constructed under Strategic Governmental Programme for management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, is presented in the paper. The stand, named 'STEND-1', built up at the Institute of Atomic Energy in Swjerk, is appointed for underwater visual testing of spent fuel elements type MR6 and WWR by means of TV-CCD camera and image processing system and for ultrasonic scanning of external surface of these elements by means of video scan immersion transducer and straight UHT connector. 'STEND-1' is built using flexible in use, high-tensile, anodized aluminum profiles. All the profiles feature longitudinal grooves to accommodate connecting elements and for the attachment of accessories at any position. They are also characterised by straight-through core bores for use with standard fastening elements and to accommodate accessory components. Stand, equipped with automatic control and processing system based on personal computer, may be manually or automatically controlled. Control system of movements of the camera in the vertical axis and rotational movement of spent fuel element permits to fix chosen location of fuel element with accuracy better than 0.1 mm. High resolution of ultrasonic method allows to record damages of outer surface of order 0.1 mm. The results of visual testing of spent fuel are recorded on video tape and then may be stored on the hard disc of the personal computer and presented in shape of photo or picture. Only selected damage surfaces of spent fuel elements are tested by means of ultrasonic scanning. All possibilities of the stand and results of visual testing of spent fuel type WWR are presented in the paper. (author)

Data acquisition system for PLT Neutral Beam Test Stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francis, J.E. Jr.; Hammons, C.E.

1977-01-01

The PLT Neutral Beam Test Stand at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was constructed to test and condition powerful neutral beam sources for the Princeton Large Torus experiment at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The data acquisition system for the test stand monitors the beam characteristics and power output to determine if the beam is operating at its design specifications. The high speed of the computer system is utilized to provide near-real-time analysis of experimental data. The analysis of the data is presented as numerical tabulation and graphic display

Social Cognitive Mediators of Sociodemographic Differences in Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siu Hing Lo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This study examined if and how sociodemographic differences in colorectal cancer (CRC screening uptake can be explained by social cognitive factors. Methods. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with individuals aged 60–70 years (n=1309 living in England as part of a population-based omnibus survey. Results. There were differences in screening uptake by SES, marital status, ethnicity, and age but not by gender. Perceived barriers (stand. b=-0.40, p<0.001, social norms (stand. b=0.33, p<0.001, and screening knowledge (stand. b=0.17, p<0.001 had independent associations with uptake. SES differences in uptake were mediated through knowledge, social norms, and perceived barriers. Ethnic differences were mediated through knowledge. Differences in uptake by marital status were primarily mediated through social norms and to a lesser extent through knowledge. Age differences were largely unmediated, except for a small mediated effect via social norms. Conclusions. Sociodemographic differences in CRC screening uptake were largely mediated through social cognitive factors. Impact. Our findings suggest that multifaceted interventions might be needed to reduce socioeconomic inequalities. Ethnic differences might be reduced through improved screening knowledge. Normative interventions could emphasise screening as an activity endorsed by important others outside the immediate family to appeal to a wider audience.

Rethinking the health consequences of social class and social mobility.

Science.gov (United States)

Simandan, Dragos

2018-03-01

The task of studying the impact of social class on physical and mental health involves, among other things, the use of a conceptual toolbox that defines what social class is, establishes how to measure it, and sets criteria that help distinguish it from closely related concepts. One field that has recently witnessed a wealth of theoretical and conceptual research on social class is psychology, but geographers' and sociologists' attitude of diffidence toward this "positivistic" discipline has prevented them from taking advantage of this body of scholarship. This paper aims to highlight some of the most important developments in the psychological study of social class and social mobility that speak to the long-standing concerns of health geographers and sociologists with how social position, perceptions, social comparisons, and class-based identities impact health and well-being. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Market Potential Study for Standing Cabin Concept for Domestic Low-Cost Commercial Airlines in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Romli, Fairuz I.; Dasuki, Norhafizah; Yazdi Harmin, Mohammad

2016-02-01

An affordable air transportation has become the operational aim of many airlines these days. This is to cater the growing air travel demands from people of different social and economic status. One of the revolutionary proposals to reduce the operational costs, hence the flight ticket price, is by introducing the so-called standing cabin concept. This concept involves transporting passengers during the entire flight in their standing position with a proper support of a vertical seat. As can be expected with many new inventions, despite its clear advantages, the concept has been met with mixed reactions from the public. This study intends to establish whether the standing cabin concept has a market potential to be implemented for domestic flights in Malaysia. The public perception is determined from collected data through a survey done at two major local low-cost airport terminals. It can be concluded from the results that the concept has a good market potential for application on flights with duration of less than two hours.

Acoustic radiation force on an air bubble and soft fluid spheres in ideal liquids: example of a high-order Bessel beam of quasi-standing waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitri, F G

2009-04-01

The partial wave series for the scattering of a high-order Bessel beam (HOBB) of acoustic quasi-standing waves by an air bubble and fluid spheres immersed in water and centered on the axis of the beam is applied to the calculation of the acoustic radiation force. A HOBB refers to a type of beam having an axial amplitude null and an azimuthal phase gradient. Radiation force examples obtained through numerical evaluation of the radiation force function are computed for an air bubble, a hexane, a red blood and mercury fluid spheres in water. The examples were selected to illustrate conditions having progressive, standing and quasi-standing waves with appropriate selection of the waves' amplitude ratio. An especially noteworthy result is the lack of a specific vibrational mode contribution to the radiation force determined by appropriate selection of the HOBB parameters.

Beam Profile Measurement of 300 kV Ion Source Test Stand for 1 MV Electrostatic Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sae-Hoon; Kim, Yu-Seok; Kim, Dae-Il; Kwon, Hyeok-Jung; Cho, Yong-Sub

2015-01-01

In this paper, RF ion source, test stand of the ion source and its test results are presented. Beam profile was measured at the downstream from the accelerating tube and at the beam dump by using BPM and wire scanner. The RF ion source of the test stand is verified by measuring the total beam current with a faraday cup in the chamber. The KOMAC (KOrea Multi-purpose Accelerator Complex) has been developing a 300 kV ion source test stand for a 1 MV electrostatic accelerator. An ion source and accelerating tube will be installed in a high pressure vessel. The ion source in a high pressure vessel requires high reliability. To confirm the stable operation of the ion source, a test stand was proposed and developed. The ion source will be tested at the test stand to verify its long-term operation conditions. The test stand consists of a 300 kV high voltage terminal, a battery for the ion source power, a 60 Hz inverter, a 200 MHz RF power, a 5 kV extraction power supply, a 300 kV accelerating tube, and a vacuum system. The beam profile monitor was installed at the downstream from the accelerating tube. Wire scanner and faraday-cup was installed at the end of the chamber

Beam Profile Measurement of 300 kV Ion Source Test Stand for 1 MV Electrostatic Accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sae-Hoon; Kim, Yu-Seok [Dongguk University, Gyeonju (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dae-Il; Kwon, Hyeok-Jung; Cho, Yong-Sub [Korea Multipurpose Accelerator Complex, Gyeongju (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

In this paper, RF ion source, test stand of the ion source and its test results are presented. Beam profile was measured at the downstream from the accelerating tube and at the beam dump by using BPM and wire scanner. The RF ion source of the test stand is verified by measuring the total beam current with a faraday cup in the chamber. The KOMAC (KOrea Multi-purpose Accelerator Complex) has been developing a 300 kV ion source test stand for a 1 MV electrostatic accelerator. An ion source and accelerating tube will be installed in a high pressure vessel. The ion source in a high pressure vessel requires high reliability. To confirm the stable operation of the ion source, a test stand was proposed and developed. The ion source will be tested at the test stand to verify its long-term operation conditions. The test stand consists of a 300 kV high voltage terminal, a battery for the ion source power, a 60 Hz inverter, a 200 MHz RF power, a 5 kV extraction power supply, a 300 kV accelerating tube, and a vacuum system. The beam profile monitor was installed at the downstream from the accelerating tube. Wire scanner and faraday-cup was installed at the end of the chamber.

Object-oriented classification of forest structure from light detection and ranging data for stand mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Alicia A. Sullivan; Robert J. McGaughey; Hans-Erik Andersen; Peter. Schiess

2009-01-01

Stand delineation is an important step in the process of establishing a forest inventory and provides the spatial framework for many forest management decisions. Many methods for extracting forest structure characteristics for stand delineation and other purposes have been researched in the past, primarily focusing on high-resolution imagery and satellite data. High-...

Fire social science research–selected highlights.

Science.gov (United States)

Armando González-Cabán; Richard W. Haynes; Sarah McCaffrey; Evan Mercer; Alan Watson

2007-01-01

Forest Service Research and Development has a long-standing component of social fire science that since 2000 has expanded significantly. Much of this new work focuses on research that will increase understanding of the social and economic issues connected with wildland fire and fuels management. This information can enhance the ability of agencies and communities to...

Social capital and physical activity among Croatian high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, D; Doubova, S V; Kawachi, I

2016-06-01

To examine factors associated with regular physical activity in Croatian adolescents. A cross-sectional survey among high school students was carried out in the 2013/14 school year. A survey was conducted among 33 high schools in Zagreb City, Croatia. Participants were students aged 17-18 years. The dependent variables were regular moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and overall physical activity measured by the short version of International Physical Activity Questionnaire and defined as 60 min or more of daily physical activity. The independent variables included family, neighborhood, and high school social capital. Other study covariates included: socio-economic status, self-rated health, psychological distress and nutritional status. The associations between physical activity and social capital variables were assessed separately for boys and girls through multiple logistic regression and inverse probability weighting in order to correct for missing data bias. A total of 1689 boys and 1739 girls responded to the survey. A higher percentage of boys reported performing regular vigorous and moderate physical activity (59.4%) and overall physical activity (83.4%), comparing with the girls (35.4% and 70%, respectively). For boys, high family social capital and high informal social control were associated with increased odds of regular MVPA (1.49, 95%CI: 1.18 - 1.90 and 1.26, 95%CI: 1.02 - 1.56, respectively), compared to those with low social capital. For girls, high informal social control was associated with regular overall physical activity (OR 1.38, 95% CI: 1.09 - 1.76). High social capital is associated with regular MVPA in boys and regular overall activity in girls. Intervention and policies that leverage community social capital might serve as an avenue for promotion of physical activity in youth. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbeam high-resolution diffraction and x-ray standing wave methods applied to semiconductor structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazimirov, A; Bilderback, D H; Huang, R; Sirenko, A; Ougazzaden, A

2004-01-01

A new approach to conditioning x-ray microbeams for high angular resolution x-ray diffraction and scattering techniques is introduced. We combined focusing optics (one-bounce imaging capillary) and post-focusing collimating optics (miniature Si(004) channel-cut crystal) to generate an x-ray microbeam with a size of 10 μm and ultimate angular resolution of 14 μrad. The microbeam was used to analyse the strain in sub-micron thick InGaAsP epitaxial layers grown on an InP(100) substrate by the selective area growth technique in narrow openings between the oxide stripes. For the structures for which the diffraction peaks from the substrate and the film overlap, the x-ray standing wave technique was applied for precise measurements of the strain with a Δd/d resolution of better than 10 -4 . (rapid communication)

Seed yield and protein content in sunflower depending on stand density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balalić Igor M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of stand density on seed yield and protein content in sunflower hybrids. The field experiment was carried out at Rimski Šančevi location. Six NS sunflower hybrids were examined. Five hybrids are confectionery (NS Goliat, NS Slatki, NS Gricko, Vranac and Cepko, and one is used for bird food (NS-H-6485. The trial was arranged as randomized complete block design (RCBD with four replications. Sowing was done with six different densities (from 20,000 to 70,000 plants per hectare, with an increment of 10,000 plants per hectare. Analysis of variance (ANOVA showed that the effect of hybrid, stand density and hybrid × stand density interation were highly significant for seed yield and protein content. The highest seed yield, on the basis of average for all densities, was found in NS-H-6485 (4.77 t ha-1 and in NS Gricko (4.43 t ha-1. Average seed yield of hybrids significantly increased up to 50,000 plants per ha-1, when it reached the value of 4.50 t ha-1, and then decreased. Significantly higher protein content, taking into account all stand densities, showed hybrid Cepko (16.94%. Protein content, above the overall average value, was achieved in hybrid Vranac (16.11%. The high­est protein content in the average for all six hybrids was at the lowest stand density (20,000 plants per ha-1, and then decreased up to higher densities. The results showed that stand density had significant effect on seed yield and protein content in sunflower hybrids. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31025: The development of new cultivars and improving the technology of producing oil plant species for different purposes

Acute and long-term effects of irradiation on pine (Pinus silvestris) stands post-Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arkhipov, N.P.; Kuchma, N.D.; Askbrant, S.; Pasternak, P.S.; Musica, V.V.

1994-01-01

The effect of ionizing irradiation on the viability of pine stands after the fallout from the damaged nuclear energy plant at Chernobyl (ChNPP) was shown within the territory of the 10-km zone. During the period 1986-1991, irradiated and damaged forest stands, so-called 'red forest', located in this area were systematically classified by observation. Mortality rate, re-establishment, development of tree canopies, reproduction anomalies and stand viability were shown to be dependent on absorbed irradiation dose, on the age of the stand and on forest composition. For pine stands in the acutely affected zone, doses of more than 60 Gy resulted in a massive mortality and no regeneration of pine trees since 1987. The injured trees had burned or had dried-up. The drying process was accelerated by a massive production of pathogenic insects invading the dying trees. Specifically, irradiation doses of 10-60 Gy, 1-10 Gy and 0.1-1 Gy caused high, medium and low injury to the forest stands, respectively. Doses of less than 0.1 Gy did not cause any visible damage to the trees. In 1987, repair processes were displayed by the tree canopies and practically the entire viability of the forest stands had recovered except for trees in the acute and highly affected zones. The young forest was reestablished in the same place as the perished trees and new pine saplings were planted on the reclaimed areas

Acute and long-term effects of irradiation on pine (Pinus silvestris) stands post-Chernobyl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arkhipov, N.P.; Kuchma, N.D. (Department of Radiology and Land Restoration, Pripyat Research and Industrial Association, Chernobyl (Ukraine)); Askbrant, S. (National Radiation Protection Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)); Pasternak, P.S.; Musica, V.V. (Lyes Research and Industrial Association, Kharykov (Ukraine))

1994-10-14

The effect of ionizing irradiation on the viability of pine stands after the fallout from the damaged nuclear energy plant at Chernobyl (ChNPP) was shown within the territory of the 10-km zone. During the period 1986-1991, irradiated and damaged forest stands, so-called 'red forest', located in this area were systematically classified by observation. Mortality rate, re-establishment, development of tree canopies, reproduction anomalies and stand viability were shown to be dependent on absorbed irradiation dose, on the age of the stand and on forest composition. For pine stands in the acutely affected zone, doses of more than 60 Gy resulted in a massive mortality and no regeneration of pine trees since 1987. The injured trees had burned or had dried-up. The drying process was accelerated by a massive production of pathogenic insects invading the dying trees. Specifically, irradiation doses of 10-60 Gy, 1-10 Gy and 0.1-1 Gy caused high, medium and low injury to the forest stands, respectively. Doses of less than 0.1 Gy did not cause any visible damage to the trees. In 1987, repair processes were displayed by the tree canopies and practically the entire viability of the forest stands had recovered except for trees in the acute and highly affected zones. The young forest was reestablished in the same place as the perished trees and new pine saplings were planted on the reclaimed areas.

[Migrants of high social status in Germany].

Science.gov (United States)

Glebe, G

1997-01-01

"The accelerating economic globalization has created a growing demand for highly skilled labourers. As a result, there has been an increase in highly skilled and high-status migrants to Germany, especially to the urban agglomerations with global city functions. This migration process is carried mostly by the internal labour and job movement of multinational companies. In the urban centres these groups of migrants follow specific patterns of spatial organization and segregation with regard to their place of residence. But they also have other distinctive difference to the migrants with a lower social status, such as higher social acceptance in their host country, the transitory character of their stay in Germany, and their intentions to return to their home countries." (EXCERPT)

Sea level high stand in Marine Isotope Stage 5e: evidence from coral terraces in Sumba Island, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

LU, Y.; Rigaud, S.; Leclerc, F.; Liu, X.; Chiang, H. W.; Djamil, Y. S.; Meilano, I.; Bijaksana, S.; Abidin, H. Z.; Tapponnier, P.; Wang, X.

2017-12-01

Uplifted coral reef terraces, possibly spanning the last one million years, are extensively exposed along the northern coast of Sumba Island, Indonesia. We collected a suite of fossil coral samples from the inner edges of terraces at Cape Laundi to study past sea level change, particularly that during the marine isotope stage 5e. These samples were dated by the high-precision U/Th disequilibrium dating methods. For those with δ234U-initial values beyond the range of 145±7‰[1,2] , the open-system model by Thompson et al. [3] was then applied to correct their ages. Only less than 20% of the samples could not derive reasonable ages after the correction, and their abnormally high δ234U-initial values (> 180‰) seem to suggest a limitation of open-system correction with the current model. After the correction of long-term uplift rate of 0.3 mm/kyr, we found that the relative sea level at Cape Laundi, Sumba was 7 m during MIS5e and then dropped to -20 m during the MIS5a and 5c. More importantly, our results indicate that sea level reached a high stand at 129±0.6 ka, supported by both U/Th dates on pristine corals and open-system model corrected ages. In line with the sea level reconstruction from western Australia, our results do not support a second and higher sea level during MIS5e. Moreover, there is no significant lead or lag between the timing of sea level high stand in Sumba and the peak of Northern Hemisphere summer insolation. 1. Robinson et al. (2004) Science. 305: 851-854 2. Cheng et al. (2013) Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 371-372: 82-91 3. Thompson et al. (2003) Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 210: 365-381

The frequency of forest fires in Scots pine stands of Tuva, Russia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivanova, G A; Kukavskaya, E A [Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, V N Sukachev Institute of Forest, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036 (Russian Federation); Ivanov, V A [Siberian State Technological University, Krasnoyarsk, 660049 (Russian Federation); Soja, A J, E-mail: GAIvanova@ksc.krasn.r [National Institute of Aerospace, Resident at NASA Langley Research Center, MS 420, Hampton, VA 23681-2199 (United States)

2010-01-15

Forest fires resulting from long periods of drought cause extensive forest ecosystem destruction and can impact on the carbon balance and air quality and feed back to the climate system, regionally and globally. Past fire frequency is reconstructed for Tuvan Scots pine stands using dendrochronology and statistics. Central Tuvan Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands are subject to annual fire regimes; however high intensity fires are rare but they are responsible for most of the damage. Low, medium, and high severity fires have shaped the multi-story Scots pine communities, locally and regionally. Fire type and frequency are directly related to weather and climate and are also dependent on anthropogenic influences. The primary dry period, which promotes fire ignition and spread, in Tuva occurs in April and May. In some years, the precipitation deficit combined with high air temperatures induces long periods of drought. Unlike the typical surface fire regime, forest fires that burn during these extreme droughts often become crown fires that result in substantial forest damage and carbon release. The mean fire interval (MFI) is found to be 10.4 years in Balgazyn stands, and the landscape-scale MFI is 22.4 years. High severity, stand-replacing crown fires have a longer MFI. The warmer and dryer weather that is predicted by global climate models is evident in Tuva, and we believe that these changes in weather and climate have resulted in increased fire intensity and severity, rather than fire frequency in the Tuvan region.

The frequency of forest fires in Scots pine stands of Tuva, Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanova, G A; Kukavskaya, E A; Ivanov, V A; Soja, A J

2010-01-01

Forest fires resulting from long periods of drought cause extensive forest ecosystem destruction and can impact on the carbon balance and air quality and feed back to the climate system, regionally and globally. Past fire frequency is reconstructed for Tuvan Scots pine stands using dendrochronology and statistics. Central Tuvan Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands are subject to annual fire regimes; however high intensity fires are rare but they are responsible for most of the damage. Low, medium, and high severity fires have shaped the multi-story Scots pine communities, locally and regionally. Fire type and frequency are directly related to weather and climate and are also dependent on anthropogenic influences. The primary dry period, which promotes fire ignition and spread, in Tuva occurs in April and May. In some years, the precipitation deficit combined with high air temperatures induces long periods of drought. Unlike the typical surface fire regime, forest fires that burn during these extreme droughts often become crown fires that result in substantial forest damage and carbon release. The mean fire interval (MFI) is found to be 10.4 years in Balgazyn stands, and the landscape-scale MFI is 22.4 years. High severity, stand-replacing crown fires have a longer MFI. The warmer and dryer weather that is predicted by global climate models is evident in Tuva, and we believe that these changes in weather and climate have resulted in increased fire intensity and severity, rather than fire frequency in the Tuvan region.

Planned Experiments on the Princeton Advanced Test Stand

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanov, A.; Gilson, E. P.; Grisham, L.; Kaganovich, I.; Davidson, R. C.

2010-11-01

The Princeton Advanced Test Stand (PATS) device is an experimental facility based on the STS-100 high voltage test stand transferred from LBNL. It consists of a multicusp RF ion source, a pulsed extraction system capable of forming high-perveance 100keV ion beams, and a large six-foot-long vacuum with convenient access for beam diagnostics. This results in a flexible system for studying high perveance ion beams relevant to NDCX-I/II, including experiments on beam neutralization by ferroelectric plasma sources (FEPS) being developed at PPPL. Research on PATS will concern the basic physics of beam-plasma interactions, such as the effects of volume neutralization on beam emittance, as well as optimizing technology of the FEPS. PATS combines the advantage of an ion beam source and a large-volume plasma source in a chamber with ample access for diagnostics, resulting in a robust setup for investigating and improving relevant aspects of neutralized drift. There are also plans for running the ion source with strongly electro-negative gases such as chlorine, making it possible to extract positive or negative ion beams.

[Effects of crop tree release on stand growth and stand structure of Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jian-qiang; Wang, Yi-xiang; Yang, Yi; Zhu, Ting-ting; Zhu, Xu-dan

2015-02-01

Crop trees were selected in a 26-year-old even-aged Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation in Lin' an, and compared in plots that were released and unreleased to examine growth and structure responses for 3 years after thinning. Crop tree release significantly increased the mean increments of diameter and volume of individual tree by 1.30 and 1.25 times relative to trees in control stands, respectively. The increments of diameter and volume of crop trees were significantly higher than those of general trees in thinning plots, crop trees and general trees in control plots, which suggested that the responses from different tree types to crop tree release treatment were different. Crop tree release increased the average distances of crop trees to the nearest neighboring trees, reducing competition among crop trees by about 68.2%. 3-year stand volume increment for thinning stands had no significant difference with that of control stands although the number of trees was only 81.5% of the control. Crop trees in thinned plots with diameters over than 14 cm reached 18.0% over 3 years, compared with 12.0% for trees without thinning, suggesting that crop tree release benefited the larger individual trees. The pattern of tree locations in thinning plots tended to be random, complying with the rule that tree distribution pattern changes with growth. Crop tree release in C. lanceolata plantation not only promoted the stand growth, but also optimized the stand structure, benefiting crop trees sustained rapid growth and larger diameter trees production.

Consequences of the armed conflict in the urban social order. Te case of the high ground of San Cristobal locality. Bogotá 1990-2010.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angie Catherine Callejas Téllez

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article considers the period understood between 1990 and  2010, when the actions of armed groups in the high ground of  San Cristóbal were clearer in order to keep territorial control,  especially over the routes of  communication with other municipalities. Here, elements that make possible the comprehension  of the current context of  the observed territory stand out, for  which a sketch of the history of  the locality was made, and three  key points in which the armed groups had an impact were developed: the configuration of the space, the social relations and the  political participation

Logging in hardwood stands established on farm land

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjoerheden, R.

1992-01-01

Performance and costs for different harvesting systems in broad leaf stands established on former tillage is presented. The calculations, combined with a forecast of the market development, shows that it is risky to aim production exclusively at bulk products as fibre or fibre/energy. The harvest of fibre or energy wood can, however, be used as a means to increase profitability of a silvicultural programme aimed at production of high quality hardwood lumber. Management and logging in these stands will be carried out with small scale technology, often by the private forest owner. Todays large scale systems are not competitive in these stands. The cost calculations show that we lack economically sound systems for harvesting stands in the interval up to 5 cm DBH. The lowest logging cost for these stands was calculated for motor manual felling and chipping with a chipper/dumper mounted on a farm tractor. This alternative is competitive also in the interval 5-10 cm DBH but there is a number of other feasible systems, e.g. off-road chippers processing motor manually felled and piled trees. Tree section systems with extraction by forwarder or a farm tractor with grapple loader and a bogic trailer operates at low costs to roadside but costs for processing and, maybe, a more expensive secondary transportation must then be added. For thinnings in the interval 10-25 cm DBH tree chipping is the most cost efficient if only energy assortments is to be harvested. However, at the current price relations between energy wood and pulpwood tree section systems are preferable also in stands over 10 cm since it allows a combined harvest of fibre and energy. For the same reason, the seemingly most interesting system in later thinnings is a system with differentiated processing. The term denotes a system where pulpwood is cut motor manually down to 12.5 cm and extracted by forwarder or farm tractor. The remaining tops and branches are processed by an off-road chipper. (36 refs., 11 figs.)

Are High Quality Schools Enough to Close the Achievement Gap? Evidence from a Social Experiment in Harlem. NBER Working Paper No. 15473

Science.gov (United States)

Dobbie, Will; Fryer, Roland G., Jr.

2009-01-01

Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ), which combines community investments with reform minded charter schools, is one of the most ambitious social experiments to alleviate poverty of our time. We provide the first empirical test of the causal impact of HCZ on educational outcomes, with an eye toward informing the long-standing debate whether schools alone…

Social understanding of high-ability children in middle and late childhood

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boor-Klip, H.J.; Cillessen, A.H.N.; Hell, J.G. van

2014-01-01

Despite its importance in social development, social understanding has hardly been studied in high-ability children. This study explores differences in social understanding between children in high-ability and regular classrooms, specifically theory of mind (ToM) and perception accuracy, as well as

Stand quality management in a late-rotation, red oak-sweetgum stand in east Mississippi: preliminary results following thinning

Science.gov (United States)

James S. Meadows; Daniel A. Skojac

2012-01-01

Stand quality management is a new management strategy in which thinning prescriptions are based solely on tree quality rather than a quantitative level of residual stand density. As long as residual density falls within fairly broad limits, prescriptions are based on tree quality alone. We applied four thinning prescriptions based on stand quality management, along...

Stand development and yields of Appalachian hardwood stands managed with single-tree selection for at least 30 years

Science.gov (United States)

Neil I Lamson; H. Clay Smith; H. Clay Smith

1991-01-01

Appalachian hardwood stands in West Virginia were managed for 30 or more years using single-tree selection regeneration practices. Stand yield data suggest that current stand growth will provide economical harvest cuts for several future cutting cycles. This case study indicates that the single-tree selection practice has potential for landowners who want to maintain...

Leadership Role of Social Entrepreneurs in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Shrestha Sainju, Romisha

2016-01-01

This thesis attempts to investigate how the leading social entrepreneurs understand and enact their leadership role within the Nepali context and how they address the leadership challenges. Taking the social constructivist stand point, I have conducted my research combining two research methods, multiple case study analysis and portrait analysis. The research concludes that the background and earlier life histories of social entrepreneurs, their determination to bring change in the society an...

Social innovation research: a new stage in innovation analysis?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessop, Bob; Moulaert, Frank; Hulgård, Lars

2013-01-01

Social innovation is a la mode. The significance that various mainstream strategy and policy documents accord to social innovation varies greatly. Nonetheless, one commonality stands out: they interpret it in economic, indeed often in narrowly market-economic, terms. In this chapter we challenge...

The Use of Skilled Strategies in Social Interactions by Groups High and Low in Self-Reported Social Skill

Science.gov (United States)

Channon, Shelley; Collins, Ruth; Swain, Eleanor; Young, Mary-Beth; Fitzpatrick, Sian

2012-01-01

Individuals high or low in self-reported social skill were recruited opportunistically. When presented with everyday social scenarios ending with an awkward request or offer, the high social skill participants more often used sophisticated strategies that showed greater consideration for all parties. By contrast, the low skill participants were…

Mixing Effects in Norway Spruce—European Beech Stands Are Modulated by Site Quality, Stand Age and Moisture Availability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Léa Houpert

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Although mixing tree species is considered an efficient risk-reduction strategy in the face of climate change, the conditions where mixtures are more productive than monocultures are under ongoing debate. Generalizations have been difficult because of the variety of methods used and due to contradictory findings regarding the effects of the species investigated, mixing proportions, and many site and stand conditions. Using data from 960 plots of the Swiss National Forest Inventory data, we assessed whether Picea abies (L. Karst–Fagus sylvatica L. mixed stands are more productive than pure stands, and whether the mixing effect depends on site- or stand-characteristics. The species proportions were estimated using species proportion by area, which depends on the maximum stand basal area of an unmanaged stand (BAmax. Four different alternatives were used to estimate BAmax and to investigate the effect of these differing alternatives on the estimated mixture effect. On average, the mixture had a negative effect on the growth of Picea abies. However, this effect decreased as moisture availability increased. Fagus sylvatica grew better in mixtures and this effect increased with site quality. A significant interaction between species proportions and quadratic mean diameter, a proxy for stand age, was found for both species: the older the stand, the better the growth of Fagus sylvatica and the lower the growth of Picea abies. Overyielding was predicted for 80% of the investigated sites. The alternative to estimate BAmax weakly modulated the estimated mixture effect, but it did not affect the way mixing effects changed with site characteristics.

Economic evaluation of intermediate operations in oak stands

Science.gov (United States)

Henry H. Webster; John C., Jr. Meadows

1971-01-01

Economic evaluation of forest-management opportunities is a vital ingredient of effective forestry programs. Choices among management opportunities are necessary because opportunities inevitably exceed funds available, and they are important because opportunities commonly range from highly productive to decidedly unproductive. Economic evaluation in oak stands shows a...

Social Understanding of High-Ability Children in Middle and Late Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Boor-Klip, Henrike J.; Cillessen, Antonius H. N.; van Hell, Janet G.

2014-01-01

Despite its importance in social development, social understanding has hardly been studied in high-ability children. This study explores differences in social understanding between children in high-ability and regular classrooms, specifically theory of mind (ToM) and perception accuracy, as well as associations between individual characteristics…

The Stimulus test stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christofek, L.; Rapidis, P.; Reinhard, A.; Fermilab

2005-01-01

The Stimulus Test Stand was originally constructed and assembled for testing the SVX2 ASIC readout and then upgraded for SVX3 ASIC prototyping and testing. We have modified this system for SVX4 ASIC [1] prototype testing. We described the individual components below. Additional details for other hardware for SVX4 testing can be found in reference [2]. We provide a description of the Stimulus Test Stand used for prototype testing of the SVX4 chip

High & mighty: Implicit associations between space and social status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie eGagnon

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Figurative language, the built environment, and our perceptuo-motor experiences frequently associate social status with physical space. Linguistic references such as high status or climbing the corporate ladder, and built places such as the U.S. Capitol building link social and physical hierarchies. In three experiments we examine the source and extent of these associations by testing whether people implicitly associate abstract social status indicators with concrete representations of spatial topography (level versus mountainous land and relatively abstract representations of cardinal direction (south and north. Experiment 1 demonstrates speeded performance during an Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald et al., 1998 when average social status is paired with level topography and high status with mountainous topography. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrate a similar effect but with relatively abstract representations of cardinal direction (south and north, with speeded performance when average and powerful social status are paired with south and north coordinate space, respectively. Abstract concepts of social status are perceived and understood in an inherently spatial world, resulting in powerful associations between abstract social concepts and concrete and abstract notions of physical axes. These associations may prove influential in guiding daily judgments and actions.

The Influence of Social Networks and Social Support on Health Among Older Koreans at High Risk of Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Soondool; Jeon, Haesang; Song, Ahyoung

Despite compelling evidence showing that social networks and social support are associated with depression, relatively little research is available on this topic for older Koreans at high risk of depression. This article aimed to examine the relationship among different types of social networks (family vs. friends), social support (instrumental vs. emotional), and perceived general health among older Koreans at high risk of depression. We would then test for possible differences in pathways between two age groups (60-74 years vs. 75 years and older). Using data from the 2008 Survey of Elderly Life and Welfare Need, age 60-74 years (n = 2,815) and age 75 years and older (n = 1,784) were analyzed separately. Path analyses were used to examine the relationships among social network, support, and health among Korean older adults at high risk of depression. Findings highlighted the complex associations among social networks, social support, and perceived general health within old age. Moreover, this study called attention to the negative association between instrumental support from family networks and perceived general health among older Koreans aged 60-74 years at high risk of depression. The work discussed in this article would help inform the design of much needed and effective social intervention programs for the growing number of Korean older adults with depression.

Energy expended and knee joint load accumulated when walking, running, or standing for the same amount of time.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Ross H; Edwards, W Brent; Deluzio, Kevin J

2015-01-01

Evidence suggests prolonged bouts of sitting are unhealthy, and some public health messages have recently recommended replacing sitting with more standing. However, the relative benefits of replacing sitting with standing compared to locomotion are not known. Specifically, the biomechanical consequences of standing compared to other sitting-alternatives like walking and running are not well known and are usually not considered in studies on sitting. We compared the total knee joint load accumulated (TKJLA) and the total energy expended (TEE) when performing either walking, running, or standing for a common exercise bout duration (30 min). Walking and running both (unsurprisingly) had much more TEE than standing (+300% and +1100%, respectively). TKJLA was similar between walking and standing and 74% greater in running. The results suggest that standing is a poor replacement for walking and running if one wishes to increases energy expenditure, and may be particularly questionable for use in individuals at-risk for knee osteoarthritis due to its surprisingly high TKJLA (just as high as walking, 56% of the load in running) and the type of loading (continuous compression) it places on cartilage. However, standing has health benefits as an "inactivity interrupter" that extend beyond its direct energy expenditure. We suggest that future studies on standing as an inactivity intervention consider the potential biomechanical consequences of standing more often throughout the day, particularly in the case of prolonged bouts of standing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 880.2700 - Stand-on patient scale.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Stand-on patient scale. 880.2700 Section 880.2700... Devices § 880.2700 Stand-on patient scale. (a) Identification. A stand-on patient scale is a device intended for medical purposes that is used to weigh a patient who is able to stand on the scale platform...

Modeling of SAR returns from a red pine stand

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, R. H.; Kilic, O.; Chauhan, N. S.; Ranson, J.

1992-01-01

Bright P-band radar returns from red pine forests have been observed on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images in Bangor, Maine. A plot of red pine trees was selected for the characterization and modeling to understand the cause of the high P-band returns. The red pine stand under study consisted of mature trees. Diameter at breast height (DBH) measurements were made to determine stand density as a function of tree diameter. Soil moisture and bulk density measurements were taken along with ground rough surface profiles. Detailed biomass measurements of the needles, shoots, branches, and trunks were also taken. These site statistics have been used in a distorted Born approximation model of the forest. Computations indicate that the direct-reflected or the double-bounce contributions from the ground are responsible for the high observed P-band returns for HH polarization.

Advance reproduction and other stand characteristics in Pennsylvania and French stands of northern red oak

Science.gov (United States)

Kim C. Steiner; Marc D. Abrams; Todd W. Bowersox

1993-01-01

The frequent scarcity of northern red oak (NRO) advance reproduction raises questions about its regeneration potential under prevailing stand conditions in eastern North America. In contrast, NRO plantations in France typically contain abundant advance reproduction. The purpose of this study was to document stand conditions in Pennsylvania (PA) and southwestern France...

Stand-Alone Ethics, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability Course Requirements: A Snapshot from Australia and New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn R.; Wymer, Walter

2010-01-01

This article analyzes the extent to which Australian and New Zealand marketing educators use dedicated or stand-alone courses to equip students with alternative views of business. A census of marketing programs in degree-granting universities was conducted. Program brochures were obtained via the Internet and were content analyzed. This study…

WHERE DOES CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY STAND IN RELATION TO SUSTAINABILITY?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy Diana Panta

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The business competitive landscape of today is shaped by new challenges. In order to outperform their peers, companies seek to seize opportunities and manage the risks associated with the challenges that arise. To this adds the pressure of societies on organizations to be more transparent, ethical and responsible. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR and sustainability come in response to this increasing demand of societies by being a pivotal tool in the business area. Organizations of the 21st century can no longer ignore CSR and sustainability and should follow the steps of integrating them across all departments as part of their strategic policy. Sustainable organizations are required to direct their interest beyond the economical factor and extend their goals towards environmental and social aspects. By integrating environmental and social concerns in the daily operations of a company, new models of doing business emerge and a synergy with various stakeholder groups takes place. Although a significant amount of attention has been headed towards the conceptualisation of CSR and sustainability, they both remain contested concepts. Therefore, the present paper depicts the effort to follow the emergence and conceptualization of CSR and sustainability from their origins, to introduce the changing meaning of CSR and to bridge the gap between the two concepts. Through literature review, the paper will provide relevant theoretical underpinnings that link CSR and sustainability.

Dynamic Social Networks in High Performance Football Coaching

Science.gov (United States)

Occhino, Joseph; Mallett, Cliff; Rynne, Steven

2013-01-01

Background: Sports coaching is largely a social activity where engagement with athletes and support staff can enhance the experiences for all involved. This paper examines how high performance football coaches develop knowledge through their interactions with others within a social learning theory framework. Purpose: The key purpose of this study…

Economic considerations of managing stands

Science.gov (United States)

Gary W. Miller

1989-01-01

Managing central hardwood stands involves making choices. Each year landowners face at least three alternatives for managing a stand: (1) allow it to grow undisturbed, (2) undertake a partial or complete commercial harvest, or (3) culture the timber crop through a precommercial investment. Each activity affects long-term monetary returns. The "best" choice in...

Social and financial resources and high-risk alcohol consumption among older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Moos, Rudolf H; Brennan, Penny L; Schutte, Kathleen K; Moos, Bernice S

2010-04-01

This study examined long-term mutual predictive associations between social and financial resources and high-risk alcohol consumption in later life. A sample of 55- to 65-year-old older adults (n = 719) was surveyed at baseline and 10 years and 20 years later. At each contact point, participants completed an inventory that assessed social and financial resources and alcohol consumption. Over the 20-year interval, there was evidence of both social causation and social selection processes in relation to high-risk alcohol consumption. In support of a social causation perspective, higher levels of some social resources, such as participation in social activities, friends' approval of drinking, quality of relationship with spouse, and financial resources, were associated with a subsequent increased likelihood of high-risk alcohol consumption. Conversely, indicating the presence of social selection, high-risk alcohol consumption was associated with subsequent higher levels of friends' approval of drinking and quality of the spousal relationship, but lower quality of relationships with extended family members. These findings reflect mutual influence processes in which older adults' social resources and high-risk alcohol consumption can alter each other. Older adults may benefit from information about how social factors can affect their drinking habits; accordingly, information about social causation effects could be used to guide effective prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing the risk that late-life social factors may amplify their excessive alcohol consumption.

Providing Focus via a Social Media Exploitation Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

The results showed that social networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Plus, Tumblr, Instagram , etc.) stand out as a...Targeting  Standing products  Basic intelligence (baseline)  Country reports Images (e.g. Instagram , Militaryphotos.net) Video (e.g. YouTube...Luckily this is of also significant concern to marketer and hence, the business world is working hard on this problem. One way to understand who is

Isotope separation by standing waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altshuler, S.

1984-01-01

The separation of isotopes is accomplished by scattering a beam of particles from a standing electromagnetic wave. The particles may consist of either atoms or molecules, the beam having in either case a desired isotope and at least one other. The particle beam is directed so as to impinge on the standing electromagnetic wave, which may be a light wave. The particles, that is, the atomic or molecular quantum-mechanical waves, see basically a diffraction grating corresponding to the troughs and peaks of the electromagnetic wave. The frequency of the standing electromagnetic wave substantially corresponds to an internal energy level-transition of the desired isotope. Accordingly, the desired isotope is spatially separated by being scattered or diffracted. (author)

Remote sensing estimates of stand-replacement fires in Russia, 2002–2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krylov, Alexander; Potapov, Peter; Loboda, Tatiana; Tyukavina, Alexandra; Turubanova, Svetlana; Hansen, Matthew C; McCarty, Jessica L

2014-01-01

The presented study quantifies the proportion of stand-replacement fires in Russian forests through the integrated analysis of Landsat and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data products. We employed 30 m Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus derived tree canopy cover and decadal (2001–2012) forest cover loss (Hansen et al 2013 High-resolution global maps of 21st-century forest cover change Science 342 850–53) to identify forest extent and disturbance. These data were overlaid with 1 km MODIS active fire (earthdata.nasa.gov/data/near-real-time-data/firms) and 500 m regional burned area data (Loboda et al 2007 Regionally adaptable dNBR-based algorithm for burned area mapping from MODIS data Remote Sens. Environ. 109 429–42 and Loboda et al 2011 Mapping burned area in Alaska using MODIS data: a data limitations-driven modification to the regional burned area algorithm Int. J. Wildl. Fire 20 487–96) to differentiate stand-replacement disturbances due to fire versus other causes. Total stand replacement forest fire area within the Russian Federation from 2002 to 2011 was estimated to be 17.6 million ha (Mha). The smallest stand-replacement fire loss occurred in 2004 (0.4 Mha) and the largest annual loss in 2003 (3.3 Mha). Of total burned area within forests, 33.6% resulted in stand-replacement. Light conifer stands comprised 65% of all non-stand-replacement and 79% of all stand-replacement fire in Russia. Stand-replacement area for the study period is estimated to be two times higher than the reported logging area. Results of this analysis can be used with historical fire regime estimations to develop effective fire management policy, increase accuracy of carbon calculations, and improve fire behavior and climate change modeling efforts. (paper)

Woodland: dynamics of average diameters of coniferous tree stands of the principal forest types

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. A. Ziganshin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The analysis of age dynamics of average diameters of deciduous tree stands of different forest types at Highland Khamar-Daban (natural woodland in South-East Baikal Lake region has been done. The aggregate data of average tree, the analysis of age dynamics of average diameters of a deciduous tree stands of stand diameters by age classes, as well as tree stand current periodic and overall average increment are presented and discussed in the paper. Forest management appraisal is done. The most representative forest types have been selected to be analyzed. There were nine of them including three Siberian stone pine Pinus sibirica Du Tour stands, three Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb. stands, one Siberian spruce Picea obovata Ledeb. stand, and two dwarf Siberian pine Pinus pumila (Pallas Regel stands. The whole high-altitude range of mountain taiga has been evaluated. Mathematical and statistic indicators have been calculated for every forest type. Stone pine stands are the largest. Dynamics of mean diameters of forest stands have been examined by dominant species for every forest type. Quite a number of interesting facts have been elicited. Generally, all species have maximal values of periodic annual increment that is typical for young stands, but further decrease of increment is going on differently and connects to the different lifetime of wood species. It is curious that annual increment of the dwarf Siberian pine stands almost does not decrease with aging. As for mean annual increment, it is more stable than periodic annual increment. From the fifth age class (age of stand approaching maturity mean annual increment of cedar stands varies from 0.20 to 0.24 cm per year; from 0.12–0.15 to 0.18–0.21 cm per year – in fir stands; from 0.18 to 0.24 cm per year – in spruce stands; and from 0.02–0.03 to 0.05–0.06 cm per year – in draft pine stands. Mean annual increment of dwarf Siberian pine increases with aging and increment of other

Dynamics of Connecticut hemlock stands

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey S. Ward; David M. Smith

2000-01-01

The stand dynamics and production of two one-acre plots of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L) in Connecticut have been followed for more than six decades. Data were recorded for all individual trees. One plot (Saltonstall) was established in 1924 after the removal of a hardwood overstory. This stand had a nearly pure, almost fully closed understory...

Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS) Detects Individual Variation in Social Responsiveness for Captive Chimpanzees

Science.gov (United States)

Faughn, Carley; Marrus, Natasha; Pruett, John R.; Shuman, Jeremy; Ross, Stephen R.; Constantino, John N.; Povinelli, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

Comparative studies of social responsiveness, a core impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), will enhance our understanding of typical and atypical social behavior. We previously reported a quantitative, cross-species (human–chimpanzee) social responsiveness measure, which included the development of the Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS). Here, we augment our prior CSRS sample with 25 zoo chimpanzees at three sites: combined N = 54. The CSRS demonstrated strong interrater reliability, and low-ranked chimpanzees, on average, displayed higher CSRS scores. The CSRS continues to discriminate variation in chimpanzee social responsiveness, and the association of higher scores with lower chimpanzee social standing has implications for the relationship between autistic traits and human social status. Continued comparative investigations of social responsiveness will enhance our understanding of underlying impairments in ASD, improve early diagnosis, and inform future therapies. PMID:25312279

Stand-alone front-end system for high- frequency, high-frame-rate coded excitation ultrasonic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jinhyoung; Hu, Changhong; Shung, K Kirk

2011-12-01

A stand-alone front-end system for high-frequency coded excitation imaging was implemented to achieve a wider dynamic range. The system included an arbitrary waveform amplifier, an arbitrary waveform generator, an analog receiver, a motor position interpreter, a motor controller and power supplies. The digitized arbitrary waveforms at a sampling rate of 150 MHz could be programmed and converted to an analog signal. The pulse was subsequently amplified to excite an ultrasound transducer, and the maximum output voltage level achieved was 120 V(pp). The bandwidth of the arbitrary waveform amplifier was from 1 to 70 MHz. The noise figure of the preamplifier was less than 7.7 dB and the bandwidth was 95 MHz. Phantoms and biological tissues were imaged at a frame rate as high as 68 frames per second (fps) to evaluate the performance of the system. During the measurement, 40-MHz lithium niobate (LiNbO(3)) single-element lightweight (<;0.28 g) transducers were utilized. The wire target measure- ment showed that the -6-dB axial resolution of a chirp-coded excitation was 50 μm and lateral resolution was 120 μm. The echo signal-to-noise ratios were found to be 54 and 65 dB for the short burst and coded excitation, respectively. The contrast resolution in a sphere phantom study was estimated to be 24 dB for the chirp-coded excitation and 15 dB for the short burst modes. In an in vivo study, zebrafish and mouse hearts were imaged. Boundaries of the zebrafish heart in the image could be differentiated because of the low-noise operation of the implemented system. In mouse heart images, valves and chambers could be readily visualized with the coded excitation.

A self-standing hydrogel neutral electrolyte for high voltage and safe flexible supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Batisse, N.; Raymundo-Piñero, E.

2017-04-01

The development of safe flexible supercapacitors implies the use of new non-liquid electrolytes for avoiding device leakage which combine mechanical properties and electrochemical performance. In this sense, hydrogel electrolytes composed of a solid non-conductive matrix holding an aqueous electrolytic phase are a reliable solution. In this work, we propose a green physical route for producing self-standing hydrogel films from a PVA polymer based on the freezing/thawing method without using chemical cross-linking agents. Moreover, a neutral electrolytic phase as Na2SO4 is used for reaching higher cell voltages than in an acidic or basic electrolyte. Such new PVA-Na2SO4 hydrogel electrolyte, which also acts as separator, allows reaching voltages windows as high as 1.8 V in a symmetric carbon/carbon supercapacitor with optimal capacitance retention through thousands of cycles. Additionally, in reason of the fast mobility of the ions inside of the polymeric matrix, the hydrogel electrolyte based supercapacitor keeps the power density of the liquid electrolyte device.

The Focus of Intervention for Adolescent Social Anxiety: Communication Skills or Self-Esteem

Science.gov (United States)

Bowles, Terence V.

2017-01-01

Social skills training is a long-standing intervention for adolescents with social anxiety, while self-esteem is often ignored. However, there is little evidence suggesting that those with social anxiety require social skills training or interventions associated with self-esteem. The aim of the research was to investigate whether social skills and…

The stand prototype of minimum power NRE reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belogurov, A.I.; Grigorenko, L.N.; Mamontov, Yu.I.; Rachuk, V.S.; Stukalov, A.I.; Konyukhov, G.V.

1995-01-01

For ensuring of full-scale development of nuclear rocket engine (NRE) reactor was created stand prototype (reactor IRGIT?) The main differences of its are as follows: 1) Fasteners of technologies channels contents fuel assemblies in bottom are worked out the split. It is provides possibility a distance channels change without disassembly of reactor stand prototype from stand; 2) Cooling of the vessels, the moderator, the reflector and the barrel actuate is carried out by hydrogen; 3) The lower bottom modified for organization the hydrogen efflux in the form a reactor jet; 4) Radiation defence is introduced as part of stand prototype for ensuring of serviceability of stand accessories and tests routine service; 5) Each technology channels is provided of critical nozzle; 6) Control, regulation and defence of reactor has being carried out on stand system

Application of Lidar remote sensing to the estimation of forest canopy and stand structure

Science.gov (United States)

Lefsky, Michael Andrew

A new remote sensing instrument, SLICER (Scanning Lidar Imager of Canopies by Echo Recovery), has been applied to the problem of remote sensing the canopy and stand structure of two groups of deciduous forests, Tulip Poplar-Oak stands in the vicinity of Annapolis, MD. and bottomland hardwood stands near Williamston, NC. The ability of the SLICER instrument to remotely sense the vertical distribution of canopy structure (Canopy Height Profile), bulk canopy transmittance, and several indices of canopy height has been successfully validated using twelve stands with coincident field and SLICER estimates of canopy structure. Principal components analysis has been applied to canopy height profiles from both field sites, and three significant factors were identified, each closely related to the amount of foliage in a recognizable layer of the forest, either understory, midstory, or overstory. The distribution of canopy structure to these layers is significantly correlated with the size and number of stems supporting them. The same layered structure was shown to apply to both field and SLICER remotely sensed canopy height profiles, and to apply to SLICER remotely sensed canopy profiles from both the bottomland hardwood stands in the coastal plain of North Carolina, and to mesic Tulip-Poplars stands in the upland coastal plain of Maryland. Linear regressions have demonstrated that canopy and stand structure are correlated to both a statistically significant and useful degree. Stand age and stem density is more highly correlated to stand height, while stand basal area and aboveground biomass are more closely related to a new measure of canopy structure, the quadratic mean canopy height. A geometric model of canopy structure has been shown to explain the differing relationships between canopy structure and stand basal area for stands of Eastern Deciduous Forest and Douglas Fir Forest.

Future directions in standing-wave photoemission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, Alexander X.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Probing magnetic properties at the buried interface with SW-MCD. • Probing electronic structure at the buried interface with resonant SW-XPS and SW-HAXPES. • Probing momentum-resolved electronic structure at a buried interface with SWARPES. • Adding depth resolution to photoemission microscopy with standing-wave excitation. • Standing-wave localization, total reflection and waveguide effects. - Abstract: Over the past decade, standing-wave photoemission (SW-XPS) has evolved into a powerful and versatile non-destructive technique for probing element-specific electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of buried layers and interfaces with sub-nanometer depth resolution. In this article, I will discuss several promising future directions in this emergent field stemming from experimental and theoretical studies wherein SW-XPS is combined with other X-ray techniques, such as magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES), angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES), and photoemission microscopy (PEEM), adding extra dimensions to the measurement and thus widening the scope of scientific and technological questions accessible via the use of standing waves. I will further discuss examples of recently developed methods for X-ray standing-wave data analysis, which yield layer-resolved matrix-element-weighted densities of states at interfaces as well as Ångstrom-level changes in periodicity of synthetic superlattices. Finally, I will explore the possibility of localizing the standing waves near the surface and within a buried layer by the use of aperiodic superlattices, total reflection, and X-ray waveguide effects

Future directions in standing-wave photoemission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, Alexander X., E-mail: axgray@temple.edu

2014-08-15

Highlights: • Probing magnetic properties at the buried interface with SW-MCD. • Probing electronic structure at the buried interface with resonant SW-XPS and SW-HAXPES. • Probing momentum-resolved electronic structure at a buried interface with SWARPES. • Adding depth resolution to photoemission microscopy with standing-wave excitation. • Standing-wave localization, total reflection and waveguide effects. - Abstract: Over the past decade, standing-wave photoemission (SW-XPS) has evolved into a powerful and versatile non-destructive technique for probing element-specific electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of buried layers and interfaces with sub-nanometer depth resolution. In this article, I will discuss several promising future directions in this emergent field stemming from experimental and theoretical studies wherein SW-XPS is combined with other X-ray techniques, such as magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES), angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES), and photoemission microscopy (PEEM), adding extra dimensions to the measurement and thus widening the scope of scientific and technological questions accessible via the use of standing waves. I will further discuss examples of recently developed methods for X-ray standing-wave data analysis, which yield layer-resolved matrix-element-weighted densities of states at interfaces as well as Ångstrom-level changes in periodicity of synthetic superlattices. Finally, I will explore the possibility of localizing the standing waves near the surface and within a buried layer by the use of aperiodic superlattices, total reflection, and X-ray waveguide effects.

Damage Detection on Thin-walled Structures Utilizing Laser Scanning and Standing Waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Se Hyeok; Jeon, Jun Young; Kim, Du Hwan; Park, Gyuhae [Chonnam Nat’l Univ., Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Kang, To; Han, Soon Woo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-05-15

This paper describes wavenumber filtering for damage detection using single-frequency standing wave excitation and laser scanning sensing. An embedded piezoelectric sensor generates ultrasonic standing waves, and the responses are measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer and mirror tilting device. After scanning, newly developed damage detection techniques based on wavenumber filtering are applied to the full standing wave field. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed techniques, several experiments were performed on composite plates with delamination and aluminum plates with corrosion damage. The results demonstrated that the developed techniques could be applied to various structures to localize the damage, with the potential to improve the damage detection capability at a high interrogation speed.

Clinical outcome of stand-alone ALIF compared to posterior instrumentation for degenerative disc disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Udby, Peter M.; Bech-Azeddine, Rachid

2015-01-01

The objective of the article was to: a) present results from a case cohort pilot study comparing stand-alone ALIF and TLIF and, b) review the literature on studies comparing the clinical outcome of stand-alone ALIF with posterior instrumentation including TLIF or PLIF, in patients with disabling...... low back pain resulting from degenerative disc disease. ALIF surgery has previously been linked with certain high risk complications and unfavorable long term fusion results. Newer studies suggest that stand-alone ALIF can possibly be advantageous compared to other types of posterior instrumented...

Social rank and social cooperation: Impact of social comparison processes on cooperative decision-making.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Gong

Full Text Available Successful navigation of our complex social world requires the capability to recognize and judge the relative status of others. Hence, social comparison processes are of great importance in our interactions, informing us of our relative standing and in turn potentially motivating our behavior. However, so far few studies have examined in detail how social comparison can influence interpersonal decision-making. One aspect of social decision-making that is of particular importance is cooperative behavior, and identifying means of maintaining and promoting cooperation in the provision of public goods is of vital interest to society. Here, we manipulated social comparison by grading performance rankings on a reaction time task, and then measured cooperative decisions via a modified Public Goods Game (PGG. Findings revealed that individuals ranked highest tended to be more cooperative as compared to those who placed in the bottom rank. Interestingly, this effect was regardless of whether the comparison group members were the subsequent players in the PGG or not, and this effect was stronger in those with higher social orientation. In summary, the present research shows how different social comparison processes (assessed via social rankings can operate in our daily interaction with others, demonstrating an important effect on cooperative behavior.

Free-standing ultrathin CoMn2O4 nanosheets anchored on reduced graphene oxide for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Guoxin; Lu, Shiyao; Xiang, Yang; Dong, Bitao; Yan, Wei; Ding, Shujiang

2015-11-21

Ultrathin CoMn2O4 nanosheets supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are successfully synthesized through a simple co-precipitation method with a post-annealing treatment. With the assistance of citrate, the free-standing CoMn2O4 ultrathin nanosheets can form porous overlays on both sides of the rGO sheets. Such a novel hybrid nanostructure can effectively promote charge transport and accommodate volume variation upon prolonged charge/discharge cycling. When evaluated as a promising electrode for supercapacitors in a 6 M KOH solution electrolyte, the hybrid nanocomposites demonstrate highly enhanced capacitance and excellent cycling stability.

Relationship of Tree Stand Heterogeneity and Forest Naturalness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BARTHA, Dénes

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of our study was to investigate if compositional (tree species richness andstructural (vertical structure, age-structure, patterns of canopy closure heterogeneity of the canopylayer is related to individual naturalness criteria and to overall forest naturalness at the stand scale. Thenaturalness values of the assessed criteria (tree species composition, tree stand structure, speciescomposition and structure of shrub layer and forest floor vegetation, dead wood, effects of game, sitecharacteristics showed similar behaviour when groups of stands with different heterogeneity werecompared, regardless of the studied aspect of canopy heterogeneity. The greatest difference was foundfor criteria describing the canopy layer. Composition and structure of canopy layer, dead wood andtotal naturalness of the stand differed significantly among the stand groups showing consistentlyhigher values from homogeneous to the most heterogeneous group. Naturalness of the compositionand structure of the shrub layer is slightly but significantly higher in stands with heterogeneous canopylayer. Regarding other criteria, significant differences were found only between the homogeneous andthe most heterogeneous groups, while groups with intermediate level of heterogeneity did not differsignificantly from one extreme. However, the criterion describing effects of game got lowernaturalness values in more heterogeneous stands. Naturalness of site characteristics did not differsignificantly among the groups except for when stands were grouped based on pattern of canopyclosure. From the practical viewpoint it is shown that purposeful forestry operations affecting thecanopy layer cause changes in compositional and structural characteristics of other layers as well as inoverall stand scale forest naturalness.

Converting partially-stocked aspen stands to fully-stocked stands in the Lake States: an economic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey T. Olson; Allen L. Lundgren

1978-01-01

The 1968 Wisconsin Forest Survey showed large areas of aspen type that are not considered fully stocked. The economic feasibility of converting partially-stocked stands to full stocking is examined, and a rule presented for determining when a partially-stocked stand should be harvested to maximize its present value.

An explorative qualitative study to determine the footwear needs of workers in standing environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Jennifer; Williams, Anita E; Nester, Christopher

2017-01-01

Many work places require standing for prolonged periods of time and are potentially damaging to health, with links to musculoskeletal disorders and acute trauma from workplace accidents. Footwear provides the only interaction between the body and the ground and therefore a potential means to impact musculoskeletal disorders. However, there is very limited research into the necessary design and development of footwear based on both the physical environmental constraints and the personal preference of the workers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore workers needs for footwear in the 'standing' workplace in relation to MSD, symptoms, comfort and design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from demanding work environments that require standing for high proportions of the working day. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the results and gain an exploratory understanding into the footwear needs of these workers. Interviews revealed the environmental demands and a very high percentage of musculoskeletal disorders, including day to day discomfort and chronic problems. It was identified that when designing work footwear for standing environments, the functionality of the shoe for the environment must be addressed, the sensations and symptoms of the workers taken into account to encourage adherence and the decision influencers should be met to encourage initial footwear choice. Meeting all these criteria could encourage the use of footwear with the correct safety features and comfort. Development of the correct footwear and increased education regarding foot health and footwear choice could help to reduce or improve the effect of the high number of musculoskeletal disorders repeatedly recorded in jobs that require prolonged periods of standing. This study provides a unique insight into the footwear needs of some workers in environments that require prolonged standing. This user based enquiry has provided information which is important

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy poses physical injury risk to surgeons: analysis of hand technique and standing position.

Science.gov (United States)

Youssef, Yassar; Lee, Gyusung; Godinez, Carlos; Sutton, Erica; Klein, Rosemary V; George, Ivan M; Seagull, F Jacob; Park, Adrian

2011-07-01

This study compares surgical techniques and surgeon's standing position during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), investigating each with respect to surgeons' learning, performance, and ergonomics. Little homogeneity exists in LC performance and training. Variations in standing position (side-standing technique vs. between-standing technique) and hand technique (one-handed vs. two-handed) exist. Thirty-two LC procedures performed on a virtual reality simulator were video-recorded and analyzed. Each subject performed four different procedures: one-handed/side-standing, one-handed/between-standing, two-handed/side-standing, and two-handed/between-standing. Physical ergonomics were evaluated using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Mental workload assessment was acquired with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). Virtual reality (VR) simulator-generated performance evaluation and a subjective survey were analyzed. RULA scores were consistently lower (indicating better ergonomics) for the between-standing technique and higher (indicating worse ergonomics) for the side-standing technique, regardless of whether one- or two-handed. Anatomical scores overall showed side-standing to have a detrimental effect on the upper arms and trunk. The NASA-TLX showed significant association between the side-standing position and high physical demand, effort, and frustration (p<0.05). The two-handed technique in the side-standing position required more effort than the one-handed (p<0.05). No difference in operative time or complication rate was demonstrated among the four procedures. The two-handed/between-standing method was chosen as the best procedure to teach and standardize. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy poses a risk of physical injury to the surgeon. As LC is currently commonly performed in the United States, the left side-standing position may lead to increased physical demand and effort, resulting in ergonomically unsound conditions for

Blood pressure associates with standing balance in elderly outpatients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jantsje H Pasma

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the association of blood pressure measurements in supine and standing position after a postural change, as a proxy for blood pressure regulation, with standing balance in a clinically relevant cohort of elderly, is of special interest as blood pressure may be important to identify patients at risk of having impaired standing balance in routine geriatric assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional cohort study, 197 community-dwelling elderly referred to a geriatric outpatient clinic of a middle-sized teaching hospital were included. Blood pressure was measured intermittently (n = 197 and continuously (subsample, n = 58 before and after a controlled postural change from supine to standing position. The ability to maintain standing balance was assessed during ten seconds of side-by-side, semi-tandem and tandem stance, with both eyes open and eyes closed. Self-reported impaired standing balance and history of falls were recorded by questionnaires. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between blood pressure and 1 the ability to maintain standing balance; 2 self-reported impaired standing balance; and 3 history of falls, adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Blood pressure decrease after postural change, measured continuously, was associated with reduced ability to maintain standing balance in semi-tandem stance with eyes closed and with increased self-reported impaired standing balance and falls. Presence of orthostatic hypotension was associated with reduced ability to maintain standing balance in semi-tandem stance with eyes closed for both intermittent and continuous measurements and with increased self-reported impaired standing balance for continuous measurements. CONCLUSION: Continuous blood pressure measurements are of additional value to identify patients at risk of having impaired standing balance and may therefore be useful in routine geriatric care.

The Effects of Experimentally Manipulated Social Status on Acute Eating Behavior: A Randomized, Crossover Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cardel, MI; Johnson, SL; Beck, J; Dhurandhar, E; Keita, AD; Tomczik, AC; Pavela, G; Huo, T; Janicke, DM; Muller, K; Piff, PK; Peters, JC; Hill, JO; Allison, DB

2016-01-01

Both subjective and objectively measured social status has been associated with multiple health outcomes, including weight status, but the mechanism for this relationship remains unclear. Experimental studies may help identify the causal mechanisms underlying low social standing as a pathway for obesity. Our objective was to investigate the effects of experimentally manipulated social status on ad libitum acute dietary intakes and stress-related outcomes as potential mechanisms relating social status and weight. This was a pilot feasibility, randomized, crossover study in Hispanic young adults (n=9; age 19–25; 67% female; BMI ≥18.5 and ≤30 kg/m2). At visit 1, participants consumed a standardized breakfast and were randomized to a high social status position (HIGH) or low social status position (LOW) in a rigged game of Monopoly™. The rules for the game differed substantially in terms of degree of ‘privilege’ depending on randomization to HIGH or LOW. Following Monopoly™, participants were given an ad libitum buffet meal and energy intakes (kcal) were estimated by pre- and post-weighing foods consumed. Stress-related markers were measured at baseline, after the game of Monopoly™, and after lunch. Visit 2 used the same standardized protocol; however, participants were exposed to the opposite social status condition. When compared to HIGH, participants in LOW consumed 130 more calories (p=0.07) and a significantly higher proportion of their daily calorie needs in the ad libitum buffet meal (39% in LOW versus 31% in HIGH; p=0.04). In LOW, participants reported decreased feelings of pride and powerfulness following Monopoly™ (p=0.05) and after their lunch meal (p=0.08). Relative to HIGH, participants in LOW demonstrated higher heart rates following Monopoly™ (p=0.06), but this relationship was not significant once lunch was consumed (p=0.31). Our pilot data suggest a possible causal relationship between experimentally manipulated low social status

The effects of experimentally manipulated social status on acute eating behavior: A randomized, crossover pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardel, M I; Johnson, S L; Beck, J; Dhurandhar, E; Keita, A D; Tomczik, A C; Pavela, G; Huo, T; Janicke, D M; Muller, K; Piff, P K; Peters, J C; Hill, J O; Allison, D B

2016-08-01

Both subjective and objectively measured social status has been associated with multiple health outcomes, including weight status, but the mechanism for this relationship remains unclear. Experimental studies may help identify the causal mechanisms underlying low social standing as a pathway for obesity. Our objective was to investigate the effects of experimentally manipulated social status on ad libitum acute dietary intakes and stress-related outcomes as potential mechanisms relating social status and weight. This was a pilot feasibility, randomized, crossover study in Hispanic young adults (n=9; age 19-25; 67% female; BMI ≥18.5 and ≤30kg/m(2)). At visit 1, participants consumed a standardized breakfast and were randomized to a high social status position (HIGH) or low social status position (LOW) in a rigged game of Monopoly™. The rules for the game differed substantially in terms of degree of 'privilege' depending on randomization to HIGH or LOW. Following Monopoly™, participants were given an ad libitum buffet meal and energy intakes (kcal) were estimated by pre- and post-weighing foods consumed. Stress-related markers were measured at baseline, after the game of Monopoly™, and after lunch. Visit 2 used the same standardized protocol; however, participants were exposed to the opposite social status condition. When compared to HIGH, participants in LOW consumed 130 more calories (p=0.07) and a significantly higher proportion of their daily calorie needs in the ad libitum buffet meal (39% in LOW versus 31% in HIGH; p=0.04). In LOW, participants reported decreased feelings of pride and powerfulness following Monopoly™ (p=0.05) and after their lunch meal (p=0.08). Relative to HIGH, participants in LOW demonstrated higher heart rates following Monopoly™ (p=0.06), but this relationship was not significant once lunch was consumed (p=0.31). Our pilot data suggest a possible causal relationship between experimentally manipulated low social status and

Electrospun N-Doped Porous Carbon Nanofibers Incorporated with NiO Nanoparticles as Free-Standing Film Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors and CO2 Capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qi; Guo, Jiangna; Xu, Dan; Guo, Jianqiang; Ou, Xu; Hu, Yin; Qi, Haojun; Yan, Feng

2018-04-01

Carbon nanofibers (CNF) with a 1D porous structure offer promising support to encapsulate transition-metal oxides in energy storage/conversion relying on their high specific surface area and pore volume. Here, the preparation of NiO nanoparticle-dispersed electrospun N-doped porous CNF (NiO/PCNF) and as free-standing film electrode for high-performance electrochemical supercapacitors is reported. Polyacrylonitrile and nickel acetylacetone are selected as precursors of CNF and Ni sources, respectively. Dicyandiamide not only improves the specific surface area and pore volume, but also increases the N-doping level of PCNF. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between NiO nanoparticles (NPs) and PCNF, the prepared free-standing NiO/PCNF electrodes show a high specific capacitance of 850 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 in 6 m KOH aqueous solution, good rate capability, as well as excellent long-term cycling stability. Moreover, NiO NPs dispersed in PCNF and large specific surface area provide many electroactive sites, leading to high CO 2 uptake, and high-efficiency CO 2 electroreduction. The synthesis strategy in this study provides a new insight into the design and fabrication of promising multifunctional materials for high-performance supercapacitors and CO 2 electroreduction. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Social inequality and death as illustrated in late-medieval death dances

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.P. Mackenbach (Johan)

1995-01-01

textabstractLate-medieval murals and books of the then-popular "dances of death" usually represented the living according to their social standing. These works of art thus provide an interesting opportunity to study the relationship between social inequality and death

A stand-replacing fire history in upper montane forests of the southern Rocky Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Margolis, E.Q.; Swetnam, T.W.; Allen, Craig D.

2007-01-01

Dendroecological techniques were applied to reconstruct stand-replacing fire history in upper montane forests in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Fourteen stand-replacing fires were dated to 8 unique fire years (1842–1901) using four lines of evidence at each of 12 sites within the upper Rio Grande Basin. The four lines of evidence were (i) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) inner-ring dates, (ii) fire-killed conifer bark-ring dates, (iii) tree-ring width changes or other morphological indicators of injury, and (iv) fire scars. The annual precision of dating allowed the identification of synchronous stand-replacing fire years among the sites, and co-occurrence with regional surface fire events previously reconstructed from a network of fire scar collections in lower elevation pine forests across the southwestern United States. Nearly all of the synchronous stand-replacing and surface fire years coincided with severe droughts, because climate variability created regional conditions where stand-replacing fires and surface fires burned across ecosystems. Reconstructed stand-replacing fires that predate substantial Anglo-American settlement in this region provide direct evidence that stand-replacing fires were a feature of high-elevation forests before extensive and intensive land-use practices (e.g., logging, railroad, and mining) began in the late 19th century.

A social negotiation of hope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ungruhe, Christian; Esson, James

2017-01-01

This article examines the present-day perception among boys and young men in West Africa that migration through football offers a way of achieving social standing and improving their life chances. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork among footballers in urban southern Ghana between 2010 and 2016, we...... argue that young people’s efforts to make it abroad and “become a somebody” through football is not merely an individual fantasy; it is rather a social negotiation of hope to overcome widespread social immobility in the region. It is this collective practice among a large cohort of young males...

Canopy transpiration of pure and mixed forest stands with variable abundance of European beech

Science.gov (United States)

Gebauer, Tobias; Horna, Viviana; Leuschner, Christoph

2012-06-01

SummaryThe importance of tree species identity and diversity for biogeochemical cycles in forests is not well understood. In the past, forestry has widely converted mixed forests to pure stands while contemporary forest policy often prefers mixed stands again. However, the hydrological consequences of these changes remain unclear. We tested the hypotheses (i) that significant differences in water use per ground area exist among the tree species of temperate mixed forests and that these differences are more relevant for the amount of stand-level canopy transpiration (Ec) than putative complementarity effects of tree water use, and (ii) that the seasonal patterns of Ec in mixed stands are significantly influenced by the identity of the present tree species. We measured xylem sap flux during 2005 (average precipitation) and 2006 (relatively dry) synchronously in three nearby old-growth forest stands on similar soil differing in the abundance of European beech (pure beech stand, 3-species stand with 70% beech, 5-species stand with sapwood area basis, reflecting a considerable variation in hydraulic architecture and leaf conductance regulation among the co-existing species. Moreover, transpiration per crown projection area (ECA) also differed up to 5-fold among the different species in the mixed stands, probably reflecting contrasting sapwood/crown area ratios. We conclude that Ec is not principally higher in mixed forests than in pure beech stands. However, tree species-specific traits have an important influence on the height of Ec and affect its seasonal variation. Species with a relatively high ECA (notably Tilia) may exhaust soil water reserves early in summer, thereby increasing drought stress in dry years and possibly reducing ecosystem stability in mixed forests.

A Motion Control of a Robotic Walker for Continuous Assistance during Standing, Walking and Seating Operation

OpenAIRE

Chugo, Daisuke; Takase, Kunikatsu

2010-01-01

In this paper, we develop an active walker system for standing, walking and seating operation continuously which cooperates the developed standing assistance system with safety and stability. For realizing these conditions, our walker coordinates the assisting position cooperating the standing assistance manipulator according to the posture of the patient. Furthermore, our walker adjusts a seating position when the patient sit down which has high risk for falling down. Using our proposed syst...

Modelling canopy fuel and forest stand variables and characterizing the influence of thinning in the stand structure using airborne LiDAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Hevia

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Forest fires are a major threat in NW Spain. The importance and frequency of these events in the area suggests the need for fuel management programs to reduce the spread and severity of forest fires. Thinning treatments can contribute for fire risk reduction, because they cut off the horizontal continuity of forest fuels. Besides, it is necessary to conduct a fire risk management based on the knowledge of fuel allocation, since fire behaviour and fire spread study is dependent on the spatial factor. Therefore, mapping fuel for different silvicultural scenarios is essential. Modelling forest variables and forest structure parameters from LiDAR technology is the starting point for developing spatially explicit maps. This is essential in the generation of fuel maps since field measurements of canopy fuel variables is not feasible. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of LiDAR technology to estimate canopy fuel variables and other stand variables, as well as to identify structural differences between silvicultural managed and unmanaged P. pinaster Ait. stands. Independent variables (LiDAR metrics of greater explanatory significance were identified and regression analyses indicated strong relationships between those and field-derived variables (R2 varied between 0.86 and 0.97. Significant differences were found in some LiDAR metrics when compared thinned and unthinned stands. Results showed that LiDAR technology allows to model canopy fuel and stand variables with high precision in this species, and provides useful information for identifying areas with and without silvicultural management.

Reduction of Social Inequality in High School

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Ulla Højmark

2014-01-01

This article explores structures in the learning environment at the classroom level that can contribute to reduction of social inequality in education. It draws on qualitative observation studies of Latino’s in high schools in New York City, USA, by a Danish researcher. The purpose of this article...... is to explore ‘good examples’ from an outsider’s perspective and there by create an empirical and theoretical focus on how school characteristics and structures cross boarders are connected to the reduction of social inequality in education....

Association between participation in social activity and physical fitness in community-dwelling older Japanese adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Haeuchi, Yuka; Honda, Takanori; Chen, Tao; Narazaki, Kenji; Chen, Sanmei; Kumagai, Shuzo

2016-01-01

Purpose This study aimed to examine the relationship between participation in social activity and both, composite and individual measures of physical fitness in community-dwelling older adults.Methods This study was conducted using baseline data from the Sasaguri Genkimon Study (SGS), a longitudinal cohort study conducted in 2011. Participants were 1,365 community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years or above, who did not require certified nursing care and who resided in Sasaguri, a town located east of the Fukuoka metropolitan area. Participation in social activity was assessed by asking participants whether they engaged in any of eight social activities. Physical fitness tests assessed participants' handgrip strength and knee extension strength as measures of muscle strength, and their one-leg standing time, 5-m maximum gait speed, and 5-repetition sit-to-stand rate as measures of their physical performance. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between participation in social activity and each measure of physical fitness, adjusting for sex; age; body mass index; socioeconomic status; solitary living; exercise, habitual drinking and smoking; accelerometer-measured, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; cognitive function; instrumental activities of daily living; distress; social network; and comorbidities.Results A total of 83.6% of the participants were engaged in at least one social activity. After adjusting for potential confounders, engagement in social activity was positively associated with a higher composite physical fitness score, faster gait speed and 5-repetition sit-to-stand rate, and longer one-leg standing time (P=0.008, P=0.030, P=0.034, and P=0.009, respectively).Conclusion Participation in social activity was significantly associated with physical fitness, specifically those related to locomotive function. These associations were independent of various confounders including

High visual working memory capacity in trait social anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Moriya, Jun; Sugiura, Yoshinori

2012-01-01

Working memory capacity is one of the most important cognitive functions influencing individual traits, such as attentional control, fluid intelligence, and also psychopathological traits. Previous research suggests that anxiety is associated with impaired cognitive function, and studies have shown low verbal working memory capacity in individuals with high trait anxiety. However, the relationship between trait anxiety and visual working memory capacity is still unclear. Considering that people allocate visual attention more widely to detect danger under threat, visual working memory capacity might be higher in anxious people. In the present study, we show that visual working memory capacity increases as trait social anxiety increases by using a change detection task. When the demand to inhibit distractors increased, however, high visual working memory capacity diminished in individuals with social anxiety, and instead, impaired filtering of distractors was predicted by trait social anxiety. State anxiety was not correlated with visual working memory capacity. These results indicate that socially anxious people could potentially hold a large amount of information in working memory. However, because of an impaired cognitive function, they could not inhibit goal-irrelevant distractors and their performance decreased under highly demanding conditions.

Microfabrication in free-standing gallium nitride using UV laser micromachining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, E.; Howard, H.; Conneely, A.; O'Connor, G.M.; Illy, E.K.; Knowles, M.R.H.; Edwards, P.R.; Martin, R.W.; Watson, I.M.; Dawson, M.D.

2006-01-01

Gallium nitride (GaN) and related alloys are important semiconductor materials for fabricating novel photonic devices such as ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Recent technical advances have made free-standing GaN substrates available and affordable. However, these materials are strongly resistant to wet chemical etching and also, low etch rates restrict the use of dry etching. Thus, to develop alternative high-resolution processing for these materials is increasingly important. In this paper, we report the fabrication of microstructures in free-standing GaN using pulsed UV lasers. An effective method was first developed to remove the re-deposited materials due to the laser machining. In order to achieve controllable machining and high resolution in GaN, machining parameters were carefully optimised. Under the optimised conditions, precision features such as holes (through holes, blind or tapered holes) on a tens of micrometer length scale have been machined. To fabricate micro-trenches in GaN with vertical sidewalls and a flat bottom, different process strategies of laser machining were tested and optimised. Using this technique, we have successfully fabricated high-quality micro-trenches in free-standing GaN with various widths and depths. The approach combining UV laser micromachining and other processes is also discussed. Our results demonstrate that the pulsed UV laser is a powerful tool for fabricating precision microstructures and devices in gallium nitride

SSRL photocathode RF gun test stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, M.; Baltay, M.; Boyce, A.

1995-01-01

A photocathode RF gun test stand designed for the production and study of high brightness electron beams will be constructed at SSRL. The beam will be generated from a laser driven third generation photocathode RF gun being developed in collaboration with BNL, LBL, and UCLA. The 3-5 [MeV] beam from the gun will be accelerated using a SLAC three meter S-band accelerator section, in order to achieve the desired low emittance beam, emittance compensation with solenoidal focusing will be employed

Evidence, Ethics & Social Policy Dilemmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven I. Miller

1993-07-01

Full Text Available Within the philosophy of the social sciences, the relationship between evidence, ethics, and social policy is in need of further analysis. The present paper is an attempt to argue that while important social policies can, and perhaps ought to be, grounded in ethical theory, they are seldom articulated in this fashion due to the ambiguity surrounding the "evidence condition." Using a consequentialist-utilitarian framework, and a case study of a policy dilemma, the authors analyze the difficulties associated with resolving policy-based dilemmas which must appeal to evidential support as a justification for an ethical stand. Implication for the relevance of ethics to social policy formulation are discussed in detail.

Water and Energy Balances of Loblolly Pine Plantation Forests during a Full Stand Rotation

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, G.; Mitra, B.; Domec, J. C.; Gavazi, M.; Yang, Y.; Tian, S.; Zietlow, D.; McNulty, S.; King, J.; Noormets, A.

2017-12-01

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in the southern U.S. are well recognized for their ecosystem services in supplying clean and stable water and mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration and solar energy partitioning. Since 2004, we have monitored energy, water, and carbon fluxes in a chronosequence of three drained loblolly pine plantations using integrated methods that include eddy covariance, sap flux, watershed hydrometeorology, remote sensing, and process-based simulation modeling. Study sites were located on the eastern North Carolina coastal plain, representing highly productive ecosystems with high groundwater table, and designated in the Ameriflux network as NC1 (0-10 year old), NC2 (12-25 year old) and NC3 (0-3 years old). The 13-year study spanned a wide range of annual precipitation (900-1600 mm/yr) including two exceptionally dry years during 2007-2008. We found that the mature stand (NC2) had higher net radiation (Rn) flux due to its lower albedo (α =0.11-12), compared with the young stands (NC1, NC3) (α=0.15-0.18). Annually about 75%-80% of net radiation was converted to latent heat in the pine plantations. In general, the mature stand had higher latent heat flux (LE) (i.e. evapotranspiration (ET)) rates than the young stands, but ET rates were similar during wet years when the groundwater table was at or near the soil surface. During a historic drought period (i.e., 2007-2008), total stand annual ET exceeded precipitation, but decreased about 30% at NC2 when compared to a normal year (e.g., 2006). Field measurements and remote sensing-based modeling suggested that annual ET rates increased linearly from planting age (about 800 mm) to age 15 (about 1050 mm) and then stabilized as stand leaf area index leveled-off. Over a full stand rotation, approximately 70% (young stand) to 90% (mature stand) of precipitation was returned to the atmosphere through ET. We conclude that both climatic variability and canopy structure controlled the

High-temperature Infrared Transmission of Free-standing Diamond Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HEI Li-fu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The combination of low absorption and extreme mechanical and thermal properties make diamond a compelling choice for some more extreme far infrared (8-12 μm window applications. The optical properties of CVD diamond at elevated temperatures are critical to many of these extreme applications. The infrared transmission of free-standing diamond films prepared by DC arc plasma jet were studied at temperature varied conditions. The surface morphology, structure feature and infrared optical properties of diamond films were tested by optical microscope, X-ray diffraction, laser Raman and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show that the average transmittance for 8-12μm is decreased from 65.95% at 27℃ to 52.5% at 500℃,and the transmittance drop is in three stages. Corresponding to the drop of transmittance with the temperature, diamond film absorption coefficient increases with the rise of temperature. The influence of the change of surface state of diamond films on the optical properties of diamond films is significantly greater than the influence on the internal structure.

1 MW, 352.2 MHz, CW and Pulsed RF test stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badapanda, M.K.; Tripathi, Akhilesh; Upadhyay, Rinki; Tyagi, Rajiv; Hannurkar, P.R.

2011-01-01

A 1 MW, 352.2 MHz, RF test stand based on Thales make TH 2089 klystron amplifier is being developed at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore for characterization and qualification of RF components, cavities and related subsystems. Provision to vary RF power from 50 kW to 1 MW with adequate flexibility for testing wide range of HV components, RF components and cavities is incorporated in this test stand. The paper presents a brief detail of various power supplies like high voltage cathode bias power supply, modulating anode power supply, filament power supply, electromagnet power supplies and ion pump power supplies along with their interconnections for biasing TH 2089 klystron amplifier. A digital control and interlock system is being developed to realize proper sequence of operation of various power supplies and to monitor the status of crucial parameters in this test set up. This RF test stand will be a unique national facility, capable of providing both CW and pulse RF power for realizing reliable RF power sources for various projects including the development of high energy proton linac under ADSS program of the Department of Atomic Energy. (author)

StandsSIM-MD: a Management Driven forest SIMulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreiro, S.; Rua, J.; Tomé, M.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study. The existing stand level forest simulators available in Portugal were not developed with the aim of including up-to-date model versions and were limited in terms of accounting for forest management. The simulators’ platform, sIMfLOR was recently created to implement different growth models with a common philosophy. The objective was developing one easily-updatable, user-friendly, forest management and climate change sensitive simulator capable of projecting growth for the main tree species in Portugal. Area of the study: Portugal. Material and methods: The new simulator was programmed in a modular form consisting of several modules. The growth module integrates different forest growth and yield models (empirical and process-based) for the main wood production tree species in Portugal (eucalypt, umbrella and maritime pines); whereas the management module drives the growth projections along the planning horizon according to a range of forest management approaches and climate (at present only available for eucalypt). Main results: The main result is the StandsSIM-MD Management Driven simulator that overcomes the limitations of the existing stand level simulators. It is a step forward when compared to the models currently available in the sIMfLOR platform covering more tree species, stand structures and stand compositions. It is focused on end-users and it is based on similar concepts regarding the generation of required inputs and generated outputs. Research highlights: Forest Management Driven simulations approach. Multiple Prescriptions-Per-Stand functionality. StandsSIM-MD can be used to support landowners decisions on stand forest management. StandsSIM-MD simulations at regional level can be combined with optimization routines. (Author)

Field control in a standing wave structure at high average beam power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKeown, J.; Fraser, J.S.; McMichael, G.E.

1976-01-01

A 100% duty factor electron beam has been accelerated through a graded-β side-coupled standing wave structure operating in π/2 mode. Three non-interacting control loops are necessary to provide the accelerating field amplitude and phase and to control structure resonance. The principal disturbances have been identified and measured over the beam current range of 0 to 20 mA. Design details are presented of control loops which regulate the accelerating field amplitude to +-0.3% and its phase to +-0.5 deg for 50% beam loading. (author)

Desk-based workers' perspectives on using sit-stand workstations: a qualitative analysis of the Stand@Work study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chau, J.Y.; Daley, M.; Srinivasan, A.; Dunn, S.; Bauman, A.E.; van der Ploeg, H.P.

2014-01-01

Background: Prolonged sitting time has been identified as a health risk factor. Sit-stand workstations allow desk workers to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the working day, but not much is known about their acceptability and feasibility. Hence, the aim of this study was to

The importance of corporate social responsibility for advertising of social capital in small and medium enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rogério Rodrigues da Silva

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Social, economic and technological changes within the modern world have transformed the role of companies before society and, through this prism, the issue of Corporative Social Responsibility stands out. However, for small and mediumsized companies, there are several limitations which prevent their management to benefit from a bigger integration in such matter. As a means of overcoming obstacles, a broader application of social capital concept is been attemptively set through stronger trust bonds, belief and norm sharing, and social network interaction. Therefore, the present study aims to present the theory of social capital and link it to Corporative Social Responsibility and comprehend their interactions, applicability and gains applied to small and medium enterprises. It is also pointed out some variables which may serve to measure Corporative Social Responsibility and Social Capital in future researches.

Facebook and socializing among high school students

OpenAIRE

Kordić, Boris; Babić, Lepa

2011-01-01

Facebook is currently the most popular friend-networking site in the world. The concept of friends on social networking site does not coincide with the notion of friends in real life. Nevertheless, Facebook is a social network that is based on real friends with the possibility of accepting strangers. In a study on a sample of 150 pupils from High School of Economics, we found that all have a profile on Facebook, the majority spends two hours a day on Facebook and has over a hundred Facebook f...

Ecological and phytopathological status of birch stands on the territory of Krasnoyarsk group of districts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Tatarintsev

2015-04-01

Full Text Available According to inspection data, the health and vital status of birch (Betula pendula Roth. stands in Krasnoyarsk group of lands (southern part of Central Siberia were estimated (established as satisfactory in general; about half of birch stands near urbanized areas were weakened. The condition of stands decreased significantly with increased recreation use, the effect of technogenic pollution was negligible. The most valuable (important representatives of pathogenic biota identified on birch trees were infestations of necrotic cancer and rot diseases. In birch stands the bacterial dropsy was found to be widespread (agent of infection – Erwinia multivora Scz.-Parf, occurrence of the disease ranged from a single ill tree up to 10–38 % of the stands. The birch stands in taiga areas were affected to a greater extent than in forest-steppe; there were high yield class stands on moist soils. Prevalence of bacteriosis rose with increasing stand age and density and not dependent on recreation use level. Trees with dropsy are dead in fact or potentially. In taiga birch forests the infection and rot of roots was caused by honey agaric (Armillaria mellea sensu lato, that lead to single or, rarely, group tree drying and the fungus usually eliminated already weakened trees. Wood biomass was destroyed by complex of aphyllophorous Hymenomycetes, their hemiparasitic species caused stem rots that decreased stand marketability and also resulted in rot-realated wind-break accumulation. Occurrence of rot was significantly higher in second growth birch stands, possibly above 20 %; the relationship between rot prevalence and forest assessment was not revealed.

Social Media, Privacy, and Self-Disclosure: The Turbulence Caused by Social Media’s Affordances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabine Trepte

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The struggle we currently perceive in terms of social media privacy may be the result of the incompatible natures of “warm” and “cold” affordances. Whereas social media’s warm affordances reflect long-standing privacy routines and expectations, cold affordances seem to challenge and sometimes violate them. Sharing under the realm of warm affordances means sharing according to the routines and habits we know. Sharing under the realm of cold affordances means understanding social media’s terms and conditions and how they reflect on our relationships and experiences - similar to assimilating to a new culture that seems opaque and constantly in flux.

Multi-muscle electrical stimulation and stand training: Effects on standing.

Science.gov (United States)

Momeni, Kamyar; Ramanujam, Arvind; Garbarini, Erica L; Forrest, Gail F

2018-02-15

To examine the biomechanical and neuromuscular effects of a longitudinal multi-muscle electrical stimulation (submaximal intensities) training of the lower limbs combined with/without activity-based stand training, on the recovery of stability and function for one individual with spinal cord injury (SCI). Single-subject, longitudinal study. Neuroplasticity laboratory. A 34-year-old male, with sensory- and motor-complete SCI (C5/C6). Two consecutive interventions: 61 hours of supine, lower-limb ES (ES-alone) and 51 hours of ES combined with stand training using an overhead body-weight support system (ST + ES). Clinical measures, trunk stability, and muscle activity were assessed and compared across time points. Trunk Stability Limit (TSL) determined improvements in trunk independence. Functional clinical values increased after both interventions, with further increases post ST + ES. Post ES-alone, trunk stability was maintained at 81% body-weight (BW) loading before failure; post ST + ES, BW loading increased to 95%. TSL values decreased post ST + ES (TSL A/P =54.0 kg.cm, TSL M/L =14.5 kg.cm), compared to ES-alone (TSL A/P =8.5 kg.cm, TSL M/L =3.9 kg.cm). Trunk muscle activity decreased post ST + ES training, compared to ES-alone. Neuromuscular and postural trunk control dramatically improved following the multi-muscle ES of the lower limbs with stand training. Multi-muscle ES training paradigm of the lower limb, using traditional parameters, may contribute to the functional recovery of the trunk.

Non-radioactive stand-in for radioactive contamination. I. Non-radioactive tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohe, M.J.; Rankin, W.N.; Postles, R.L.

1985-01-01

Candidate non-radioactive materials for use as a stand-in for radioactive contamination during application of a high-pressure, hot water decontamination were identified and evaluated. A stand-in for radioactive contamination is needed to evaluate the decontaminability of replacement canyon cranes at the manufacturers location where actual radioactive contamination cannot be used. This evaluation was conducted using high-pressure, hot-water at 420 psi, 190 0 F, and 20 gal/min through a 1/8-in.-diam nozzle, the decontamination technique preferred by SRP Separations Department for this application. A non-radioactive stand-in for radioactive contamination was desired that would be removed by direct blast stream contact but would remain intact on surfaces where direct contact does not occur. This memorandum describes identification of candidate non-radioactive stand-in materials and evaluation of these materials in screening tests and tests with high-pressure, hot-water blasting. The following non-radioactive materials were tested: carpenter's line chalk; typing correction fluid; dye penetrant developer; latex paint with attapulyite added; unaltered latex paint; gold enamel; layout fluid; and black enamel. Results show that blue layout fluid and gold enamel have similar adherence that is within the range expected for actual radioactive contamination. White latex paint has less adherence than expected for actual radioactive contamination. The film was removed at a rate of 2 . Black enamel has more adherence than expected from actual radioactive contamination. In these tests ASTM No. 2B surfaces were harder to clean than either ASTM No. 1 or electropolished surfaces which had similar cleaning properties. A 90 0 blast angle was more effective than a 45 0 blast angle. In these tests there was no discernible effect of blast distance between 1 and 3 ft

Improvement in the physiological function and standing stability based on kinect multimedia for older people.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chih-Chen

2016-04-01

[Purpose] The increase in the Taiwanese older population is associated with age-related inconveniences. Finding adequate and simple physical activities to help the older people maintaining their physiological function and preventing them from falls has become an urgent social issue. [Subjects and Methods] This study aimed to design a virtual exercise training game suitable for Taiwanese older people. This system will allow for the maintenance of the physiological function and standing stability through physical exercise, while using a virtual reality game. The participants can easily exercise in a carefree, interactive environment. This study will use Kinect for Windows for physical movement detection and Unity software for virtual world development. [Results] Group A and B subjects were involved in the exercise training method of Kinect interactive multimedia for 12 weeks. The results showed that the functional reach test and the unipedal stance test improved significantly. [Conclusion] The physiological function and standing stability of the group A subjects were examined at six weeks post training. The results showed that these parameters remained constant. This proved that the proposed system provide substantial support toward the preservation of the Taiwanese older people' physiological function and standing stability.

StandsSIM-MD: a Management Driven forest SIMulator

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Susana Barreiro

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: The existing stand level forest simulators available in Portugal were not developed with the aim of including up-to-date model versions and were limited in terms of accounting for forest management. The simulators’ platform, sIMfLOR was recently created to implement different growth models with a common philosophy. The objective was developing one easily-updatable, user-friendly, forest management and climate change sensitive simulator capable of projecting growth for the main tree species in Portugal. Area of the study: Portugal. Material and methods: The new simulator was programmed in a modular form consisting of several modules. The growth module integrates different forest growth and yield models (empirical and process-based for the main wood production tree species in Portugal (eucalypt, umbrella and maritime pines; whereas the management module drives the growth projections along the planning horizon according to a range of forest management approaches and climate (at present only available for eucalypt. Main results: The main result is the StandsSIM-MD Management Driven simulator that overcomes the limitations of the existing stand level simulators. It is a step forward when compared to the models currently available in the sIMfLOR platform covering more tree species, stand structures and stand compositions. It is focused on end-users and it is based on similar concepts regarding the generation of required inputs and generated outputs. Research highlights: -          Forest Management Driven simulations approach -          Multiple Prescriptions-Per-Stand functionality -          StandsSIM-MD can be used to support landowners decisions on stand forest management -          StandsSIM-MD simulations at regional level can be combined with optimization routines Keywords: Forest simulator, Forest Management Approaches; StandsSIM-MD; forest management.

Compatible growth models and stand density diagrams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, N.J.; Brand, D.G.

1988-01-01

This paper discusses a stand average growth model based on the self-thinning rule developed and used to generate stand density diagrams. Procedures involved in testing are described and results are included

Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016: A commentary.

Science.gov (United States)

Timms, Olinda

2018-01-01

Soon after the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 was approved by the Cabinet for introduction into Parliament in 2016, it was submitted for review to a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare. The report of this committee, The 102nd Report on the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 was laid on the table of the Lok Sabha and presented to the Rajya Sabha on August 10, 2017. It contains hearings with stakeholders and witnesses and a review of relevant documents and related legislation. The comments of the Parliamentary Standing Committee are wide ranging and pertinent, seeking to fill the gaps and explain and rationalise the statute and includes responses from the Department of Health Research. This commentary seeks to analyse the recommendations of the Committee, exploring some of the ethical, legal, and social implications of surrogacy arrangements in our country, where diverse viewpoints and strong sentiments can encounter difficult ground realities.

Advocacy Week: A Model to Prepare Clinical Social Workers for Lobby Day

Science.gov (United States)

Kilbane, Teresa; Pryce, Julia; Hong, Philip Young P.

2013-01-01

Legislative advocacy is an important and long-standing skill in social work. However, this role cannot be left solely to social workers who specialize in macro and policy practice. Rather, clinical social workers who assist clients as they face "private" troubles (Mills, 1959) also need to face the structural barriers that contribute to…

Experience with the selection method in pine stands in the southern United States, with implications for future application

Science.gov (United States)

James M. Guldin

2011-01-01

The selection method applied in shade-intolerant pine stands in the southern United States has been shown to be an effective method of uneven-aged silviculture, but it is becoming less frequently practiced for a variety of reasons. Economically, the high value of standing timber puts fully stocked uneven-aged pine stands at risk of liquidation if the timberland is sold...

Adolescent standing postural response to backpack loads: a randomised controlled experimental study

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Pirunsan Ubon

2002-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Backpack loads produce changes in standing posture when compared with unloaded posture. Although 'poor' unloaded standing posture has been related to spinal pain, there is little evidence of whether, and how much, exposure to posterior load produces injurious effects on spinal tissue. The objective of this study was to describe the effect on adolescent sagittal plane standing posture of different loads and positions of a common design of school backpack. The underlying study aim was to test the appropriateness of two adult 'rules-of-thumb'-that for postural efficiency, backpacks should be worn high on the spine, and loads should be limited to 10% of body weight. Method A randomised controlled experimental study was conducted on 250 adolescents (12–18 years, randomly selected from five South Australian metropolitan high schools. Sagittal view anatomical points were marked on head, neck, shoulder, hip, thigh, knee and ankle. There were nine experimental conditions: combinations of backpack loads (3, 5 or 10% of body weight and positions (backpack centred at T7, T12 or L3. Sagittal plane photographs were taken of unloaded standing posture (baseline, and standing posture under the experimental conditions. Posture was quantified from the x (horizontal coordinate of each anatomical point under each experimental condition. Differences in postural response were described, and differences between conditions were determined using Analysis of Variance models. Results Neither age nor gender was a significant factor when comparing postural response to backpack loads or conditions. Backpacks positioned at T7 produced the largest forward (horizontal displacement at all the anatomical points. The horizontal position of all anatomical points increased linearly with load. Conclusion There is evidence refuting the 'rule-of-thumb' to carry the backpack high on the back. Typical school backpacks should be positioned with the centre at waist or

Time-course of attentional bias for positive social words in individuals with high and low social anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hongyu; Li, Songwei; Qian, Mingyi; Yang, Peng; Wang, Xiaoling; Lin, Muyu; Yao, Nisha

2014-07-01

Although accumulating research demonstrates the association between attentional bias and social anxiety, the bias for positive stimuli has so far not been adequately studied. The aim is to investigate the time-course of attentional bias for positive social words in participants with high and low social anxiety. In a modified dot-probe task, word-pairs of neutral and positive social words were randomly presented for 100, 500, and 1250 milliseconds in a nonclinical sample of students to test their attentional bias. Non-significant interaction of Group × Exposure Duration was found. However, there was a significant main effect of group, with significantly different response latencies between the high social anxiety (HSA) and low social anxiety (LSA) groups in the 100 ms condition, without for 500 or 1250 ms. With respect to attentional bias, the LSA group showed enhanced preferential attention for positive social words to which the HSA group showed avoidance in the 100 ms condition. In the 500 ms condition, preferential attention to positive social words was at trend in the LSA group, relative to the HSA group. Neither group showed attentional bias in the 1250 ms condition. These findings extend recent research about the attention training program and add to the empirical literature suggesting that the initial avoidance of positive stimuli may contribute to maintaining social anxiety.

Management alternatives of energy wood thinning stands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heikkilae, Jani; Siren, Matti; Aeijaelae, Olli

2007-01-01

Energy wood thinning has become a feasible treatment alternative of young stands in Finland. Energy wood thinnings have been carried out mainly in stands where precommercial thinning has been neglected and the harvesting conditions for industrial wood thinning are difficult. Despite of its positive effects on harvesting costs and on renewable energy potential, whole-tree harvesting has been constantly criticized for causing growth loss. In this paper, the profitability of energy wood thinning was studied in 20 Scots pine-dominated stands where energy wood thinning was carried out. The growth of the stands after thinning was predicted with the help of Motti-stand simulator. Entire rotation time of the stands was simulated with different management alternatives. The intensity of first thinning and recovery level of logging residues varied between alternatives. In order to attain acceptable harvesting conditions, industrial wood thinning had to be delayed. The effect of energy wood thinning on subsequent stem wood growth was almost the same as in conventional thinning. Whole-tree harvesting for energy proved to be profitable alternative if the stumpage price is around 3EUR m -3 , the interest rate is 3% or 5% and the removal of pulpwood is less than 20 m 3 ha -1 . If the harvestable pulpwood yield is over 20 m 3 ha -1 , integrated harvesting of industrial and energy wood or delayed industrial wood harvesting becomes more profitable. (author)

The Influence of Social Networks on High School Students' Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Shanab, Emad; Al-Tarawneh, Heyam

2015-01-01

Social networks are becoming an integral part of people's lives. Students are spending much time on social media and are considered the largest category that uses such application. This study tries to explore the influence of social media use, and especially Facebook, on high school students' performance. The study used the GPA of students in four…

Human social genomics.

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Steven W Cole

2014-08-01

Full Text Available A growing literature in human social genomics has begun to analyze how everyday life circumstances influence human gene expression. Social-environmental conditions such as urbanity, low socioeconomic status, social isolation, social threat, and low or unstable social status have been found to associate with differential expression of hundreds of gene transcripts in leukocytes and diseased tissues such as metastatic cancers. In leukocytes, diverse types of social adversity evoke a common conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA characterized by increased expression of proinflammatory genes and decreased expression of genes involved in innate antiviral responses and antibody synthesis. Mechanistic analyses have mapped the neural "social signal transduction" pathways that stimulate CTRA gene expression in response to social threat and may contribute to social gradients in health. Research has also begun to analyze the functional genomics of optimal health and thriving. Two emerging opportunities now stand to revolutionize our understanding of the everyday life of the human genome: network genomics analyses examining how systems-level capabilities emerge from groups of individual socially sensitive genomes and near-real-time transcriptional biofeedback to empirically optimize individual well-being in the context of the unique genetic, geographic, historical, developmental, and social contexts that jointly shape the transcriptional realization of our innate human genomic potential for thriving.

Systematic Multi-variable H-infinity Control Design for Primary Frequency Regulation in Stand-alone Microgrids with High Penetration of Renewable Energy Sources

OpenAIRE

Lam , Quang Linh; Bratcu , Antoneta Iuliana; Riu , Delphine

2016-01-01

International audience; In this paper, a systematic design of a robust multi-variable control structure for primary frequency regulation in microgrids with high rate of renewable source penetration is proposed. The considered microgrid represents a diesel-photovoltaic-supercapacitor hybrid power generation system operating in stand-alone mode. The proposed control structure relies on a two-level architecture: classical PI-based current tracking controllers are placed on the low control level ...

The Place of Community in Social Work Practice Research: Conceptual and Methodological Developments

Science.gov (United States)

Coulton, Claudia

2005-01-01

Community is widely acknowledged as a fundamental aspect of social work practice, and this formulation distinguishes social work from other professions. Because of this long-standing tradition, social work needs to make a greater investment in producing scientific knowledge to enable community change and to incorporate community context into…

Take a Stand!

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danquah, I. H.; Kloster, S.; Holtermann, A.

2017-01-01

workers in total) were cluster randomized for intervention or control. The intervention included the appointment of local ambassadors, management support, environmental changes, a lecture and a workshop. Sitting time was measured using an ActiGraph GT3X+ fixed on the thigh. Data were processed using Acti4......Background: Prolonged sitting time has been associated with adverse health outcomes. Interventions at work may contribute to reduced sitting. The objective was to test if a multicomponent work-based intervention can reduce sitting time and the number of prolonged sitting periods (> 30 min......), increase the number of sit-to-stand transitions and decrease waist circumference and body fat percentage among office workers. Primary outcomes were: change in sitting time, prolonged sitting periods and sit-to-stand transitions at followup 1 month later. Methods: At four workplaces, 19 offices (317...

Transpalpebral eye enucleation in the standing horse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christophersen, Mogens Teken

Transpalpebral eye enucleation in the standing horse. The Nordic Equine Veterinary Conference, Proceedings, Copenhagen. Denmark. Nov. 2011.......Transpalpebral eye enucleation in the standing horse. The Nordic Equine Veterinary Conference, Proceedings, Copenhagen. Denmark. Nov. 2011....

Stocking equations for regeneration in mixed oak stands

Science.gov (United States)

Songlin Fei; Kim C. Steiner; James C. Finley

2007-01-01

Regeneration stocking equations for mixed-oak stands were developed based on data collected from nearly 14,000 plots in the central Appalachians. Maximum stand density was identified by plotting aggregate height against number of seedlings per plot, and was used as the reference level of the average maximum stand density (100 percent stocking or A-level stocking)....

The antiquity and evolutionary history of social behavior in bees.

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Sophie Cardinal

Full Text Available A long-standing controversy in bee social evolution concerns whether highly eusocial behavior has evolved once or twice within the corbiculate Apidae. Corbiculate bees include the highly eusocial honey bees and stingless bees, the primitively eusocial bumble bees, and the predominantly solitary or communal orchid bees. Here we use a model-based approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of eusociality and date the antiquity of eusocial behavior in apid bees, using a recent molecular phylogeny of the Apidae. We conclude that eusociality evolved once in the common ancestor of the corbiculate Apidae, advanced eusociality evolved independently in the honey and stingless bees, and that eusociality was lost in the orchid bees. Fossil-calibrated divergence time estimates reveal that eusociality first evolved at least 87 Mya (78 to 95 Mya in the corbiculates, much earlier than in other groups of bees with less complex social behavior. These results provide a robust new evolutionary framework for studies of the organization and genetic basis of social behavior in honey bees and their relatives.

Juvenile offenders: competence to stand trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Soulier, Matthew

2012-12-01

This article details the legal background and assists the reader in the preparation and practical conduct of evaluations regarding juvenile adjudicative competency. The material is presented to be useful as a guide to direct questions of competency and covers aspects of evaluation that include: legal standard for competency to stand trial, developmental immaturity, current practice in juvenile competency to stand trial, forensic evaluation of juvenile competency to stand trial, organizing the evaluation, collateral sources of information, psychiatric evaluation of juvenile adjudicative competency, assessment of mental disorder and intellectual disability, assessment of developmental status, assessment of functional abilities for adjudicative competence, and reaching the forensic opinion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the difference between traveling-wave and standing-wave thermoacoustic engines - A simple analytical model for the standing-wave one

Science.gov (United States)

Yasui, Kyuichi; Kozuka, Teruyuki; Yasuoka, Masaki; Kato, Kazumi

2015-11-01

There are two major categories in a thermoacoustic prime-mover. One is the traveling-wave type and the other is the standing-wave type. A simple analytical model of a standing-wave thermoacoustic prime-mover is proposed at relatively low heat-flux for a stack much shorter than the acoustic wavelength, which approximately describes the Brayton cycle. Numerical simulations of Rott's equations have revealed that the work flow (acoustic power) increases by increasing of the amplitude of the particle velocity (| U|) for the traveling-wave type and by increasing cosΦ for the standing-wave type, where Φ is the phase difference between the particle velocity and the acoustic pressure. In other words, the standing-wave type is a phase-dominant type while the traveling-wave type is an amplitude-dominant one. The ratio of the absolute value of the traveling-wave component (| U|cosΦ) to that of the standing-wave component (| U|sinΦ) of any thermoacoustic engine roughly equals the ratio of the absolute value of the increasing rate of | U| to that of cosΦ. The different mechanism between the traveling-wave and the standing-wave type is discussed regarding the dependence of the energy efficiency on the acoustic impedance of a stack as well as that on ωτα, where ω is the angular frequency of an acoustic wave and τα is the thermal relaxation time. While the energy efficiency of the traveling-wave type at the optimal ωτα is much higher than that of the standing-wave type, the energy efficiency of the standing-wave type is higher than that of the traveling-wave type at much higher ωτα under a fixed temperature difference between the cold and the hot ends of the stack.

Social relationships in young adults at ultra high risk for psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Robustelli, Briana L; Newberry, Raeana E; Whisman, Mark A; Mittal, Vijay A

2017-01-01

Studies suggest that individuals with schizophrenia have smaller social networks and less satisfying relationships. However, much is still unknown about the typical quantity and quality of social relationships in young adults during the ultra high-risk (UHR) period. Investigating these relationships holds significant importance for improving understanding of etiological processes, mapping the social environment, and highlighting treatment targets in a critical period. A total of 85 participants (44 UHR and 41 healthy controls) completed measures examining the participants' social relationships, social support, and loneliness. Mean differences between the UHR and healthy control participants and associations between social relationships and symptoms and functioning were examined. Results indicated significant differences between groups on several indices. Specifically, the UHR youth reported fewer close friends, less diverse social networks, less perceived social support, poorer relationship quality with family and friends, and more loneliness. Notably, within the UHR group, being lonely and having fewer and worse quality relationships was associated with greater symptom severity and lower overall functioning. This study suggests that youth at high-risk of developing psychosis have fewer and poorer quality social relationships. Interventions that focus on increasing the quantity and quality of young adults' social networks may be beneficial for this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement in the physiological function and standing stability based on kinect multimedia for older people

OpenAIRE

Chen, Chih-Chen

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The increase in the Taiwanese older population is associated with age-related inconveniences. Finding adequate and simple physical activities to help the older people maintaining their physiological function and preventing them from falls has become an urgent social issue. [Subjects and Methods] This study aimed to design a virtual exercise training game suitable for Taiwanese older people. This system will allow for the maintenance of the physiological function and standing stabili...

A Novel High-Frequency Voltage Standing-Wave Ratio-Based Grounding Electrode Line Fault Supervision in Ultra-High Voltage DC Transmission Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yufei Teng

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the fault monitoring performance of grounding electrode lines in ultra-high voltage DC (UHVDC transmission systems, a novel fault monitoring approach based on the high-frequency voltage standing-wave ratio (VSWR is proposed in this paper. The VSWR is defined considering a lossless transmission line, and the characteristics of the VSWR under different conditions are analyzed. It is shown that the VSWR equals 1 when the terminal resistance completely matches the characteristic impedance of the line, and when a short circuit fault occurs on the grounding electrode line, the VSWR will be greater than 1. The VSWR will approach positive infinity under metallic earth fault conditions, whereas the VSWR in non-metallic earth faults will be smaller. Based on these analytical results, a fault supervision criterion is formulated. The effectiveness of the proposed VSWR-based fault supervision technique is verified with a typical UHVDC project established in Power Systems Computer Aided Design/Electromagnetic Transients including DC(PSCAD/EMTDC. Simulation results indicate that the proposed strategy can reliably identify the grounding electrode line fault and has strong anti-fault resistance capability.

Solar Charged Stand Alone Inverter

OpenAIRE

M.Vasugi; Prof R.Jayaraman

2014-01-01

This paper deals with solar powered stand alone inverter which converts the variable dc output of a photovoltaic solar panel into ac that can be fed to loads. Stand alone inverters are used in systems where the inverter get its energy from batteries charged by photo voltaic arrays. A charge controller limits the rate at which electric current is added to or drawn from electric batteries. This charge discharge controller is needed to prevent the battery from being overcharged o...

Litterfall and litter decomposition in chestnut high forest stands in northern Portugal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patricio, M. S.; Nunes, L. F.; Pereira, E. L.

2012-11-01

This research aimed to: estimate the inputs of litterfall; model the decomposition process and assess the rates of litter decay and turnover; study the litter decomposition process and dynamics of nutrients in old chestnut high forests. This study aimed to fill a gap in the knowledge of chestnut decomposition process as this type of ecosystems have never been modeled and studied from this point of view in Portugal. The study sites are located in the mountains of Marao, Padrela and Bornes in a west-to-east transect, across northern Portugal, from a more-Atlantic-to-lessmaritime influence. This research was developed on old chestnut high forests for quality timber production submitted to a silviculture management close-to-nature. We collected litterfall using littertraps and studied decomposition of leaf and bur litter by the nylon net bag technique. Simple and double exponential models were used to describe the decomposition of chestnut litterfall incubated in situ during 559 days. The results of the decomposition are discussed in relation to the initial litter quality (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and the decomposition rates. Annually, the mature chestnut high-forest stands (density 360-1,260 tree ha1, age 55-73 years old) restore 4.9 Mg DM ha–1 of litter and 2.6 Mg ha{sup -}1 yr{sup -}1 of carbon to the soil. The two-component litter decay model proved to be more biologically realistic, providing a decay rate for the fast initial stage (46-58 yr{sup -}1for the leaves and 38-42 yr{sup -}1for the burs) and a decay rate related to the recalcitrant pool (0.45-0.60 yr{sup -}1for the leaves and 0.22-0.36 yr{sup -}1for the burs). This study pointed to some decay patterns and release of bioelements by the litterfall which can be useful for calibrating existing models and indicators of sustainability to improve both silvicultural and environmental approaches for the management of chestnut forests. (Author) 45 refs.

Strict Slaves of Slogans: Response to ''The Social Work Cartel''

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, William M.

2016-01-01

The corruption of the social work enterprise is not simply episodic but systemic and long-standing including education, research, governance, and practice. Reform is unlikely since the constituency within the field and outside of it that wishes to change the situation is small and ineffective. The corruption of social work reflects the unfortunate…

Conjunction of standing wave and resonance in asymmetric nanowires: a mechanism for thermal rectification and remote energy accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yue-Yang; Zhou, Wu-Xing; Chen, Ke-Qiu

2015-12-02

As an important way to control and manage heat transport, thermal rectification has become an elementary issue in the field of phononics and plays a key role in the designing of thermal devices. Here we investigate systematically the standing wave and the accompanying resonance process in asymmetric nanowires to understand the standing wave itself and its great effect on thermal rectification. Results show that the standing wave is sensitive to both the structural and thermal properties of the material, and its great effect on enhancing the thermal rectification is realized not only by the energy-localization nature of the standing wave, but also by the resonance-caused large amplitude and high energy of the standing wave.

Twenty-four years after theYellowstone Fires: Are postfire lodgepole pine stands converging in structure and function?

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Monica G; Whitby, Timothy G; Tinker, Daniel B; Romme, William H

2016-05-01

Disturbance and succession have long been of interest in ecology, but how landscape patterns of ecosystem structure and function evolve following large disturbances is poorly understood. After nearly 25 years, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) forests that regenerated after the 1988 Yellowstone Fires (Wyoming, USA) offer a prime opportunity to track the fate of disturbance-created heterogeneity in stand structure and function in a wilderness setting. In 2012, we resampled 72 permanent plots to ask (1) How have postfire stand structure and function changed between 11 and 24 yr postfire, and what variables explain these patterns and changes? (2) How has landscape-level (among-stand) variability in postfire stand structure and function changed between 11 and 24 yr postfire? We expected to see evidence of convergence beginning to emerge, but also that initial postfire stem density would still determine trajectories of biomass accumulation. After 24 yr, postfire lodgepole pine density remained very high (mean = 21,738 stems/ha, range = 0-344,067 stems/ha). Stem density increased in most plots between 11 and 24 yr postfire, but declined sharply where 11-yr-postfire stem density was > 72,000 stems/ha. Stems were small in high-density stands, but stand-level lodgepole pine leaf area, foliage biomass, and live aboveground biomass increased over time and with increasing stem density. After 24 yr, mean annual lodgepole pine aboveground net primary production (ANPP) was high (mean = 5 Mg · ha⁻¹ · yr⁻¹, range = 0-16.5 Mg · ha⁻¹ · yr⁻¹). Among stands, lodgepole pine ANPP increased with stem density, which explained 69% of the variation; another 8% of the variation was explained by environmental covariates. Early patterns of postfire lodgepole pine regeneration, which were contingent on prefire serotiny and fire severity, remained the dominant driver of stand structure and function. We observed mechanisms that would lead to convergence in stem density

A Meta-Analytic Review of Stand-Alone Interventions to Improve Body Image.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica M Alleva

Full Text Available Numerous stand-alone interventions to improve body image have been developed. The present review used meta-analysis to estimate the effectiveness of such interventions, and to identify the specific change techniques that lead to improvement in body image.The inclusion criteria were that (a the intervention was stand-alone (i.e., solely focused on improving body image, (b a control group was used, (c participants were randomly assigned to conditions, and (d at least one pretest and one posttest measure of body image was taken. Effect sizes were meta-analysed and moderator analyses were conducted. A taxonomy of 48 change techniques used in interventions targeted at body image was developed; all interventions were coded using this taxonomy.The literature search identified 62 tests of interventions (N = 3,846. Interventions produced a small-to-medium improvement in body image (d+ = 0.38, a small-to-medium reduction in beauty ideal internalisation (d+ = -0.37, and a large reduction in social comparison tendencies (d+ = -0.72. However, the effect size for body image was inflated by bias both within and across studies, and was reliable but of small magnitude once corrections for bias were applied. Effect sizes for the other outcomes were no longer reliable once corrections for bias were applied. Several features of the sample, intervention, and methodology moderated intervention effects. Twelve change techniques were associated with improvements in body image, and three techniques were contra-indicated.The findings show that interventions engender only small improvements in body image, and underline the need for large-scale, high-quality trials in this area. The review identifies effective techniques that could be deployed in future interventions.

Development of small C-band standing-wave accelerator structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, S.; Takahashi, A.; Hisanaga, N.; Sekido, H.; Yoshizumi, A.

2000-01-01

We have newly developed a compact C-band (5712 MHz) standing-wave accelerator for the medical product/waste sterilization applications. The accelerator consists of an electron gun operating at 25 kV DC followed by a single-cell pre-buncher and 3-cell buncher section, and 11-cell of the side-coupled standing-wave accelerating structure. The total length including the electron gun is about 600 mm. The first high-power test was performed in March 2000, where the accelerator successively generated the electron beam of 9 MeV energy and 160 mA peak-current at 3.8 MW RF input power. Mitsubishi Heavy Industry starts to serve the sterilization systems using C-band accelerator reported here, and also supplies the accelerator components for the medical oncology applications. (author)

Evaluating growth performance of young stands

Science.gov (United States)

A. L. Roe; R. E. Benson

1966-01-01

A simple procedure for evaluating the diameter growth of young stands in relation to potential growth is described. A comparison technique is developed which contrasts relative diameter of crop trees to the relative diameter growth of the last decade to show the condition and trend of growth in the stand. The method is objective, easy to use, and has several...

High technology at 'General Turbo', DH 12/13 balance-over speed testing stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuta, Florian Nicolae; Vasiliu, Dinu; Mauna, Traian

2005-01-01

'General Turbo' activity started in 1970 including building the balancing and over speed stand. DH 12/13 is the latest up-to-date facility of this type, the best one of the five in Europe, and was commissioned in 2004. The facility was especially built to be used for Romanian Nuclear Power Plant rotor testing and also for thermal very big rotors. The paper underlines the main attributes and the components of the facility DH 12/13 based on the Schenck technology. (authors)

Impact of selected risk factors on expected lifetime without long-standing, limiting illness in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik; Juel, Knud; Davidsen, Michael

2007-01-01

long-standing, limiting illness was 8-10 years shorter among sedentary than physically active people. Obesity shortened lifetime without illness by 5 years for men and ten years for women. CONCLUSION: The results of this study could be used in health policy-making, as the potential gains in public......OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impacts of tobacco smoking, high alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and overweight on expected lifetime with and without long-standing, limiting illness. METHODS: Life tables for each level of exposure to the risk factors were constructed, mainly on the basis......-olds was 9-10 years shorter for heavy smokers than for those who never smoke, and all the lifetime lost would have been without long-standing, limiting illness. Similarly, all 5 years of expected lifetime lost by men with high alcohol consumption would have been without illness. The expected lifetime without...

The risk of varicose veins in standing female workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony Hidayat

2013-07-01

samples were selected purposively who met inclusion criteria among female workers who work in the position of standing work. Data were collected by interview, physical examination and observation of the position of standing work. To determine the dominant factors for varicose veins, data processing was using relative risk approach. Results: A number 111 out of 152 employees worked in a lot of work standing position participated the study, and who had varicose veins and leg or foot as was 52.3% (53 people. The majority of respondents aged 18-35 years, had total work period of 3-17 years, and worked in a lot of work standing position. Those who had a family history of varicose veins were 13.5%, taking oral contraceptive were 11.71%, has a habit of exercise (18.0%, and high heels (11.7%. Age, use of oral contraceptives, use of high heels, exercise habits, work standing position, place of work, and working period did not associate with varicose veins. Employees who had than did not have family history of varicose veins had 69% higher risk of suffering from varicose veins [relative risk (RR = 1.69, P = 0.121].Conclusion: Employees who had family history of varicose veins had higher risk suffering varicose veins. (Health Science Indones 2013;1:47-50Keywords: varicose veins, position of standing work

A Forgotten Social Science?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martin-Nielsen, Janet

2011-01-01

The post–World War II era was one of great triumph for American linguists—and yet linguistics is all but absent from the historical literature on postwar social science. This paper aims to illuminate this curious situation: to understand its provenance, evaluate its merits, and contextualize...... of linguistics has led to a parallel isolation in the historical literature. Ultimately, this paper poses a pivotal and timely question: How is the postwar social science space construed within the existing historiographic framework, and how should it be construed in order to maximize understanding? I propose...... it broadly. I argue that the historiographic lacuna results from two factors: (1) the opt-out of linguists from the wider American social science community, and (2) historical-developmental and -orientational factors that stand linguistics apart from the social science mainstream. The resultant isolation...

Tree-, stand- and site-specific controls on landscape-scale patterns of transpiration

Science.gov (United States)

Kathrin Hassler, Sibylle; Weiler, Markus; Blume, Theresa

2018-01-01

Transpiration is a key process in the hydrological cycle, and a sound understanding and quantification of transpiration and its spatial variability is essential for management decisions as well as for improving the parameterisation and evaluation of hydrological and soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer models. For individual trees, transpiration is commonly estimated by measuring sap flow. Besides evaporative demand and water availability, tree-specific characteristics such as species, size or social status control sap flow amounts of individual trees. Within forest stands, properties such as species composition, basal area or stand density additionally affect sap flow, for example via competition mechanisms. Finally, sap flow patterns might also be influenced by landscape-scale characteristics such as geology and soils, slope position or aspect because they affect water and energy availability; however, little is known about the dynamic interplay of these controls.We studied the relative importance of various tree-, stand- and site-specific characteristics with multiple linear regression models to explain the variability of sap velocity measurements in 61 beech and oak trees, located at 24 sites across a 290 km2 catchment in Luxembourg. For each of 132 consecutive days of the growing season of 2014 we modelled the daily sap velocity and derived sap flow patterns of these 61 trees, and we determined the importance of the different controls.Results indicate that a combination of mainly tree- and site-specific factors controls sap velocity patterns in the landscape, namely tree species, tree diameter, geology and aspect. For sap flow we included only the stand- and site-specific predictors in the models to ensure variable independence. Of those, geology and aspect were most important. Compared to these predictors, spatial variability of atmospheric demand and soil moisture explains only a small fraction of the variability in the daily datasets. However, the temporal

Evaluation of three classifiers in mapping forest stand types using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EJIRO

applied for classification of the image. Supervised classification technique using maximum likelihood algorithm is the most commonly and widely used method for land cover classification (Jia and Richards, 2006). In Australia, the maximum likelihood classifier was effectively used to map different forest stand types with high.

Stand-structural effects on Heterobasidion abietinum-related mortality following drought events in Abies pinsapo.

Science.gov (United States)

Linares, Juan Carlos; Camarero, Jesús Julio; Bowker, Matthew A; Ochoa, Victoria; Carreira, José Antonio

2010-12-01

Climate change may affect tree-pathogen interactions. This possibility has important implications for drought-prone forests, where stand dynamics and disease pathogenicity are especially sensitive to climatic stress. In addition, stand structural attributes including density-dependent tree-to-tree competition may modulate the stands' resistance to drought events and pathogen outbreaks. To assess the effects of stand structure on root-rot-related mortality after severe droughts, we focused on Heterobasidion abietinum mortality in relict Spanish stands of Abies pinsapo, a drought-sensitive fir. We compared stand attributes and tree spatial patterns in three plots with H. abietinum root-rot disease and three plots without root-rot. Point-pattern analyses were used to investigate the scale and extent of mortality patterns and to test hypotheses related to the spread of the disease. Dendrochronology was used to date the year of death and to assess the association between droughts and growth decline. We applied a structural equation modelling approach to test if tree mortality occurs more rapidly than predicted by a simple distance model when trees are subjected to high tree-to-tree competition and following drought events. Contrary to expectations of drought mortality, the effect of precipitation on the year of death was strong and negative, indicating that a period of high precipitation induced an earlier tree death. Competition intensity, related to the size and density of neighbour trees, also induced an earlier tree death. The effect of distance to the disease focus was negligible except in combination with intensive competition. Our results indicate that infected trees have decreased ability to withstand drought stress, and demonstrate that tree-to-tree competition and fungal infection act as predisposing factors of forest decline and mortality.

Change in subjective social status following HIV diagnosis and associated effects on mental and physical health among HIV-positive gay men in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Heywood, Wendy; Lyons, Anthony

2017-07-01

This study investigates the impact of HIV diagnosis on subjective social status and if changes are linked to health outcomes. Two measures of subjective social status, socio-economic and standing in the community were examined in 342 Australian HIV-positive gay men in 2014. Participants recalled ratings at diagnosis were compared with current ratings. Self-reported mental (psychological distress, self-esteem, positive mental health and satisfaction with life) and physical health (self-rated health, CD4 count, viral load). Half of the participants reported improvements in subjective socio-economic status (59%) or standing in the community (52%) since diagnosis, yet one quarter reported socio-economic status (25%) or standing in the community had decreased (23%). Increases in either measure of subjective social status were linked to higher self-esteem, positive mental health, satisfaction with life and better self-rated health. Decreases in subjective social status, however, were strongly linked to poorer outcomes on all mental health measures. Decreases in standing in the community were also associated with poorer physical self-rated health. Most participants reported their subjective social status were the same or better since diagnosis. Changes in subjective social status following diagnosis were strongly linked to mental health outcomes. Those who reported a decrease in subjective social status were particularly vulnerable to mental health problems.

Neural mechanisms linking social status and inflammatory responses to social stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Muscatell, Keely A; Dedovic, Katarina; Slavich, George M; Jarcho, Michael R; Breen, Elizabeth C; Bower, Julienne E; Irwin, Michael R; Eisenberger, Naomi I

2016-06-01

Social stratification has important implications for health and well-being, with individuals lower in standing in a hierarchy experiencing worse outcomes than those higher up the social ladder. Separate lines of past research suggest that alterations in inflammatory processes and neural responses to threat may link lower social status with poorer outcomes. This study was designed to bridge these literatures to investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms linking subjective social status and inflammation. Thirty-one participants reported their subjective social status, and underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan while they were socially evaluated. Participants also provided blood samples before and after the stressor, which were analysed for changes in inflammation. Results showed that lower subjective social status was associated with greater increases in inflammation. Neuroimaging data revealed lower subjective social status was associated with greater neural activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) in response to negative feedback. Finally, results indicated that activation in the DMPFC in response to negative feedback mediated the relation between social status and increases in inflammatory activity. This study provides the first evidence of a neurocognitive pathway linking subjective social status and inflammation, thus furthering our understanding of how social hierarchies shape neural and physiological responses to social interactions. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Social Participation, a guide for counsellors in social activation, reintegration in the labour market and active assistance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Henk Spies; drs. Johny Vanschoren

2005-01-01

This book contains a practical description of a successful method to guide people that have been standing in the sideline for long periods of time, to them a fitting form of social participation. This can be done through paid or voluntary work, activities aimed at physical or psychological and

Virtual Reality Social Cognition Training for Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Kandalaft, Michelle R.; Didehbani, Nyaz; Krawczyk, Daniel C.; Allen, Tandra T.; Chapman, Sandra B.

2013-01-01

Few evidence-based social interventions exist for young adults with high-functioning autism, many of whom encounter significant challenges during the transition into adulthood. The current study investigated the feasibility of an engaging Virtual Reality Social Cognition Training intervention focused on enhancing social skills, social cognition,…

Knockouts of high-ranking males have limited impact on baboon social networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, Mathias; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C

Social network structures can crucially impact complex social processes such as collective behaviour or the transmission of information and diseases. However, currently it is poorly understood how social networks change over time. Previous studies on primates suggest that `knockouts' (due to death or dispersal) of high-ranking individuals might be important drivers for structural changes in animal social networks. Here we test this hypothesis using long-term data on a natural population of baboons, examining the effects of 29 natural knockouts of alpha or beta males on adult female social networks. We investigated whether and how knockouts affected (1) changes in grooming and association rates among adult females, and (2) changes in mean degree and global clustering coefficient in these networks. The only significant effect that we found was a decrease in mean degree in grooming networks in the first month after knockouts, but this decrease was rather small, and grooming networks rebounded to baseline levels by the second month after knockouts. Taken together our results indicate that the removal of high-ranking males has only limited or no lasting effects on social networks of adult female baboons. This finding calls into question the hypothesis that the removal of high-ranking individuals has a destabilizing effect on social network structures in social animals.

High Magnitude of Social Anxiety Disorder in School Adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kindie Mekuria

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Social phobia is the most prevalent and chronic type of anxiety disorder worldwide and it affects occupational, educational, and social affairs of the individual. Social phobia is also known for its association with depression and substance use disorder. Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of social phobia among high school students in Ethiopia. Methods. Cross-sectional study was conducted among 386 randomly selected students. Data were collected using pretested and self-administered questionnaire. Social phobia was assessed by using Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data with 95% confidence interval and variables with p value less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results. From 386 study participants, 106 (27.5% of them were positive for social phobia. Being female (AOR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.82–5.27, current alcohol drinking (AOR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.03–2.98, poor social support (AOR = 2.40; 95% CI: 1.17–4.92, and living with single parent (AOR = 5.72; 95% CI: 2.98–10.99 were significantly associated with social phobia. Conclusion. The proportion of social phobia was higher compared to previous evidences. School-based youth-friendly mental health services might be helpful to tackle this problem.

Spatial and thematic assessment of object-based forest stand delineation using an OFA-matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Hernando, A.; Tiede, D.; Albrecht, F.; Lang, S.

2012-10-01

The delineation and classification of forest stands is a crucial aspect of forest management. Object-based image analysis (OBIA) can be used to produce detailed maps of forest stands from either orthophotos or very high resolution satellite imagery. However, measures are then required for evaluating and quantifying both the spatial and thematic accuracy of the OBIA output. In this paper we present an approach for delineating forest stands and a new Object Fate Analysis (OFA) matrix for accuracy assessment. A two-level object-based orthophoto analysis was first carried out to delineate stands on the Dehesa Boyal public land in central Spain (Avila Province). Two structural features were first created for use in class modelling, enabling good differentiation between stands: a relational tree cover cluster feature, and an arithmetic ratio shadow/tree feature. We then extended the OFA comparison approach with an OFA-matrix to enable concurrent validation of thematic and spatial accuracies. Its diagonal shows the proportion of spatial and thematic coincidence between a reference data and the corresponding classification. New parameters for Spatial Thematic Loyalty (STL), Spatial Thematic Loyalty Overall (STLOVERALL) and Maximal Interfering Object (MIO) are introduced to summarise the OFA-matrix accuracy assessment. A stands map generated by OBIA (classification data) was compared with a map of the same area produced from photo interpretation and field data (reference data). In our example the OFA-matrix results indicate good spatial and thematic accuracies (>65%) for all stand classes except for the shrub stands (31.8%), and a good STLOVERALL (69.8%). The OFA-matrix has therefore been shown to be a valid tool for OBIA accuracy assessment.

The effect of a hybrid assistive limb® on sit-to-stand and standing patterns of stroke patients

Science.gov (United States)

Kasai, Rie; Takeda, Sunao

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL®) robot suit is a powered exoskeleton that can assist a user’s lower limb movement. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of HAL® in stroke rehabilitation, focusing on the change of the sit-to-stand (STS) movement pattern and standing posture. [Subjects and Methods] Five stroke patients participated in this study. Single leg HAL® was attached to each subject’s paretic lower limb. The subjects performed STS three times both with and without HAL® use. A tri-axial accelerometer was used to assess the STS movement pattern. Forward-tilt angle (FTA) and the time required for STS were measured with and without HAL® use. Surface electromyography (EMG) of STS and standing were recorded to assess the vastus medialis muscle activities of the paretic limb. [Results] The average FTA without HAL® use was 35° and it improved to 43° with HAL® use. The time required for STS was longer for all subjects with HAL® use (without HAL® use: 3.42 s, with HAL® use: 5.11 s). The integrated EMGs of HAL® use compared to those without HAL®, were 83.6% and 66.3% for STS and standing, respectively. [Conclusion] HAL® may be effective in improving STS and standing patterns of stroke patients. PMID:27390416

Residual Liquefaction under Standing Waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirca, V.S. Ozgur; Sumer, B. Mutlu; Fredsøe, Jørgen

2012-01-01

This paper summarizes the results of an experimental study which deals with the residual liquefaction of seabed under standing waves. It is shown that the seabed liquefaction under standing waves, although qualitatively similar, exhibits features different from that caused by progressive waves....... The experimental results show that the buildup of pore-water pressure and the resulting liquefaction first starts at the nodal section and spreads towards the antinodal section. The number of waves to cause liquefaction at the nodal section appears to be equal to that experienced in progressive waves for the same...

Standing-up exerciser based on functional electrical stimulation and body weight relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrarin, M; Pavan, E E; Spadone, R; Cardini, R; Frigo, C

2002-05-01

The goal of the present work was to develop and test an innovative system for the training of paraplegic patients when they are standing up. The system consisted of a computer-controlled stimulator, surface electrodes for quadricep muscle stimulation, two knee angle sensors, a digital proportional-integrative-derivative (PID) controller and a mechanical device to support, partially, the body weight (weight reliever (WR)). A biomechanical model of the combined WR and patient was developed to find an optimum reference trajectory for the PID controller. The system was tested on three paraplegic patients and was shown to be reliable and safe. One patient completed a 30-session training period. Initially he was able to stand up only with 62% body weight relief, whereas, after the training period, he performed a series of 30 standing-up/sitting-down cycles with 45% body weight relief. The closed-loop controller was able to keep the patient standing upright with minimum stimulation current, to compensate automatically for muscle fatigue and to smooth the sitting-down movement. The limitations of the controller in connection with a highly non-linear system are considered.

The structure of standing Alfvén waves in a dipole magnetosphere with moving plasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. A. Kozlov

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The structure and spectrum of standing Alfvén waves were theoretically investigated in a dipole magnetosphere with moving plasma. Plasma motion was simulated with its azimuthal rotation. The model's scope allowed for describing a transition from the inner plasmasphere at rest to the outer magnetosphere with convecting plasma and, through the magnetopause, to the moving plasma of the solar wind. Solutions were found to equations describing longitudinal and transverse (those formed, respectively, along field lines and across magnetic shells structures of standing Alfvén waves with high azimuthal wave numbers m>>1. Spectra were constructed for a number of first harmonics of poloidal and toroidal standing Alfvén waves inside the magnetosphere. For charged particles with velocities greatly exceeding the velocity of the background plasma, an effective parallel wave component of the electric field appears in the region occupied by such waves. This results in structured high-energy-particle flows and in the appearance of multiband aurorae. The transverse structure of the standing Alfvén waves' basic harmonic was shown to be analogous to the structure of a discrete auroral arc.

Stand structure and regeneration of harvested Araucaria araucana ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Stand structure and regeneration of harvested Araucaria araucana–Nothofagus stands in central Chile. Rafael M Navarro-Cerrillo, Fernando Olave, Francisco Moreno, Sergio de Miguel, Margarita Clemente ...

Regenerating mixed oak stands in Pennsylvania: a quarter-century retrospective

Science.gov (United States)

P. J. Gould; K. C. Steiner; J. C. Finley; M. E. McDill

2003-01-01

The outcomes of regeneration treatments in 90 oak-dominated stands in Pennsylvania are examined 20 to 33 years after treatment. Approximately one-quarter of the stands failed to reach 50 percent stocking after at least 20 years, but most stands regenerated successfully. Red maple is the most frequently observed species in the regenerated stands, followed by oak species...

Effects of stand and inter-specific stocking on maximizing standing tree carbon stocks in the eastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher W. Woodall; Anthony W. D' Amato; John B. Bradford; Andrew O. Finley

2011-01-01

There is expanding interest in management strategies that maximize forest carbon (C) storage to mitigate increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. The tremendous tree species diversity and range of stand stocking found across the eastern United States presents a challenge for determining optimal combinations for the maximization of standing tree C storage. Using a...

Average Stand Age from Forest Inventory Plots Does Not Describe Historical Fire Regimes in Ponderosa Pine and Mixed-Conifer Forests of Western North America.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens T Stevens

Full Text Available Quantifying historical fire regimes provides important information for managing contemporary forests. Historical fire frequency and severity can be estimated using several methods; each method has strengths and weaknesses and presents challenges for interpretation and verification. Recent efforts to quantify the timing of historical high-severity fire events in forests of western North America have assumed that the "stand age" variable from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA program reflects the timing of historical high-severity (i.e. stand-replacing fire in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests. To test this assumption, we re-analyze the dataset used in a previous analysis, and compare information from fire history records with information from co-located FIA plots. We demonstrate that 1 the FIA stand age variable does not reflect the large range of individual tree ages in the FIA plots: older trees comprised more than 10% of pre-stand age basal area in 58% of plots analyzed and more than 30% of pre-stand age basal area in 32% of plots, and 2 recruitment events are not necessarily related to high-severity fire occurrence. Because the FIA stand age variable is estimated from a sample of tree ages within the tree size class containing a plurality of canopy trees in the plot, it does not necessarily include the oldest trees, especially in uneven-aged stands. Thus, the FIA stand age variable does not indicate whether the trees in the predominant size class established in response to severe fire, or established during the absence of fire. FIA stand age was not designed to measure the time since a stand-replacing disturbance. Quantification of historical "mixed-severity" fire regimes must be explicit about the spatial scale of high-severity fire effects, which is not possible using FIA stand age data.

Average Stand Age from Forest Inventory Plots Does Not Describe Historical Fire Regimes in Ponderosa Pine and Mixed-Conifer Forests of Western North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Jens T; Safford, Hugh D; North, Malcolm P; Fried, Jeremy S; Gray, Andrew N; Brown, Peter M; Dolanc, Christopher R; Dobrowski, Solomon Z; Falk, Donald A; Farris, Calvin A; Franklin, Jerry F; Fulé, Peter Z; Hagmann, R Keala; Knapp, Eric E; Miller, Jay D; Smith, Douglas F; Swetnam, Thomas W; Taylor, Alan H

Quantifying historical fire regimes provides important information for managing contemporary forests. Historical fire frequency and severity can be estimated using several methods; each method has strengths and weaknesses and presents challenges for interpretation and verification. Recent efforts to quantify the timing of historical high-severity fire events in forests of western North America have assumed that the "stand age" variable from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program reflects the timing of historical high-severity (i.e. stand-replacing) fire in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests. To test this assumption, we re-analyze the dataset used in a previous analysis, and compare information from fire history records with information from co-located FIA plots. We demonstrate that 1) the FIA stand age variable does not reflect the large range of individual tree ages in the FIA plots: older trees comprised more than 10% of pre-stand age basal area in 58% of plots analyzed and more than 30% of pre-stand age basal area in 32% of plots, and 2) recruitment events are not necessarily related to high-severity fire occurrence. Because the FIA stand age variable is estimated from a sample of tree ages within the tree size class containing a plurality of canopy trees in the plot, it does not necessarily include the oldest trees, especially in uneven-aged stands. Thus, the FIA stand age variable does not indicate whether the trees in the predominant size class established in response to severe fire, or established during the absence of fire. FIA stand age was not designed to measure the time since a stand-replacing disturbance. Quantification of historical "mixed-severity" fire regimes must be explicit about the spatial scale of high-severity fire effects, which is not possible using FIA stand age data.

Information Entropy Measures for Stand Structural Diversity:Joint Entropy

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Lei Xiangdong; Lu Yuanchang

2004-01-01

Structural diversity is the key attribute of a stand. A set of biodiversity measures in ecology was introduced in forest management for describing stand structure, of which Shannon information entropy (Shannon index) has been the most widely used measure of species diversity. It is generally thought that tree size diversity could serve as a good proxy for height diversity. However, tree size diversity and height diversity for stand structure is not completely consistent. Stand diameter cannot reflect height information completely. Either tree size diversity or height diversity is one-dimensional information entropy measure. This paper discussed the method of multiple-dimensional information entropy measure with the concept of joint entropy. It is suggested that joint entropy is a good measure for describing overall stand structural diversity.

Where We Now Stand

Science.gov (United States)

Lumsden, Keith G.

1969-01-01

Noting the acceleration of scientific evaluation, the author focuses his attention on where we now stand in the evaluation of two methods of instruction: programed learning materials and television. (Editor)

Impacts of more frequent droughts on a relict low-altitude Pinus uncinata stand in the French Alps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christophe eCorona

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Cold microclimatic conditions provide exceptional microhabitats to Pinus uncinata stands occurring at abnormally low altitudes in seven paleorefugia of the northern French Alps. Here, P. uncinata is located at the lower bounds of its ecological limits and therefore expected to provide a sensitive indicator of climate change processes. We used dendrochronological analysis to study the growth patterns of closely spaced chronologies across an elevational transect and compare a relict low-altitude to a P. uncinata stand located at the alpine treeline. Two detrending procedures are used to reveal high and low-frequency wavelengths embedded in annually resolved ring-width series. Growth response of P. uncinata to instrumental temperature and precipitation data is investigated by means of moving response function analyses. Results show an increase in the sensitivity of tree-ring widths to drought during previous summer in both stands. At the treeline stand, an increasing correlation with fall temperature is observed whereby low-frequency variability of fall temperature and radial tree growth increased in two synchronous steps around ~1930 and from ~1980–present. At the low-altitude stand, P. uncinata appears more drought sensitive and exhibits a sharp growth decline since the mid-1980s, coinciding with increasing summer temperatures. Growth divergence between the two stands can be observed since the mid-1980s. We argue that the positive growth trend at the high-altitude stand is due to increasing fall temperatures which would favor the formation of metabolic reserves in conjunction with atmospheric CO2 enrichment that in turn would facilitate improved water use efficiency. At the relict low-altitude stand, in contrast, it seems that improved water use efficiency cannot compensate for the increase in summer temperatures.

Social cognition in patients at ultra-high risk for psychosis: What is the relation to social skills and functioning?

Science.gov (United States)

Glenthøj, Louise B; Fagerlund, Birgitte; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Jepsen, Jens R M; Bak, Nikolaj; Kristensen, Tina D; Wenneberg, Christina; Krakauer, Kristine; Roberts, David L; Nordentoft, Merete

2016-09-01

Patients at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis show significant impairments in functioning. It is essential to determine which factors influence functioning, as it may have implications for intervention strategies. This study examined whether social cognitive abilities and clinical symptoms are associated with functioning and social skills. The study included 65 UHR patients and 30 healthy controls. Social cognitive function, social skills, and a broad range of functioning measures were assessed. The UHR patients demonstrated significant decrements on The Awareness of Social Inferences Task total score (p = .046, d  = .51), and on the CANTAB emotion recognition task total percent correct (p = .023, d  = .54) displaying particular difficulties in negative affect recognition. The patients exhibited significant impairments in social skills measured with the High Risk Social Challenge (p˂.001, d  = 1.05). Aspects of emotion recognition were associated with role functioning and social skill performance. The level of attributional bias was associated with overall functioning, and theory of mind ability was associated with self-reported functioning. Negative symptoms were associated with all measures of functioning (p ≤ .05). Significant impairments in social cognition and social skills were found in UHR patients. The patients' social cognitive function was associated with overall functioning and social skills. Negative symptoms appear to play an important role for functioning. Research is needed to investigate how the relations between social cognition, social skills and functioning develop from the UHR state to the stage of manifest illness. Research into how deficits in social cognition and social skills can be ameliorated in UHR patients is warranted.

Stand tending and root rot in Norway spruce stands - economical effects caused by root rot at different thinning regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, Mats

1997-01-01

This report is divided into three parts: 1) a literature study describing the most common fungi causing rot in wood and descriptions of various strategies to reduce economic loss from root rot, 2) a check of a model describing the development of butt rot in pure Norway spruce plantations in southern Sweden, and 3) simulated economic effects of root rot in stands with various stand tending. The rot model was used to estimate future rot frequencies in the economic calculations. In order to avoid overestimations of rot frequencies, the calculations were also executed when assuming slower growth of rot than shown in the model. When analysing the economical effects of rot, the following three thinning programmes were used: Program 1: thinning at the ages of 30- and 45 years. Final felling at the ages 50-, 55-, 60-, 65-, and 70 years. Program 2: thinning at the ages of 40- and 60- years. Final felling at the ages 65 and 75 years. Program 3: thinning at the ages of 30-, 40-, 55-, and 70 years. Final felling at the ages 80 and 90 years. With an interest rate of 3%, programme 2 (final felling at the age of 65 years) had the highest value at present. This result was valid when presuming butt rot in the stand as well as when presuming no butt rot in the stand. There was a small difference between the value at present in programme 1 (final felling at the age of 60 years) and in programme 3 (final felling at the age of 80 years). When presuming butt rot in the stand, the value at present in programme 3 decreased somewhat more in comparison to the value at present in programme 1. Compared to no butt rot in the stand, the optimal final felling time appeared five to ten years earlier when assuming butt rot in the stand. Stand tending programme 1 and an interest rate of 3% were used. Interest rates 2 and 4% did not indicate shorter rotation. The calculated optimal time of final felling appeared at the same stand age whether assuming rot preset or not. The results in this study

Stand development of trembling aspen in Canaan Valley, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

James S. Rentch; James T. Anderson

2008-01-01

In wetlands of Canaan Valley, West Virginia, trembling aspen occurs as a disjunct population well south of its primary natural range. Based on sample data from 15 stands, we found that aspen occurs as nearly monospecific stands or clones. Eight stands had median ages between 30 and 40 yrs, and we suggest that stand initiation was related to changes in land use after...

Social self-organization agent-based simulations and experiments to study emergent social behavior

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

What are the principles that keep our society together? This question is even more difficult to answer than the long-standing question, what are the forces that keep our world together. However, the social challenges of humanity in the 21st century ranging from the financial crises to the impacts of globalization, require us to make fast progress in our understanding of how society works, and how our future can be managed in a resilient and sustainable way. This book can present only a few very first steps towards this ambitious goal. However, based on simple models of social interactions, one can already gain some surprising insights into the social, ``macro-level'' outcomes and dynamics that is implied by individual, ``micro-level'' interactions. Depending on the nature of these interactions, they may imply the spontaneous formation of social conventions or the birth of social cooperation, but also their sudden breakdown. This can end in deadly crowd disasters or tragedies of the commons (such as financial ...

Mischaracterizing social psychology to support the laudable goal of increasing its political diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Eagly, Alice H

2015-01-01

Duarte et al.'s arguments for increasing political diversity in social psychology are based on mischaracterizations of social psychology as fundamentally flawed in understanding stereotype accuracy and the effects of attitudes on information processing. I correct their misunderstandings while agreeing with their view that political diversity, along with other forms of diversity, stands to benefit social psychology.

Social Justice and Multiculturalism: Persistent Tensions in the History of US Social Welfare and Social Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Reisch

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Social justice has been a central normative component of U.S. social welfare and social work for over a century, although the meaning and implications of the term have often been ambiguous. A major source of this ambiguity lies in the conflict between universalist views of social justice and those which focus on achieving justice for specific groups. This conflict has been masked by several long-standing assumptions about the relationship between social justice and multiculturalism – assumptions which have been challenged by recent developments. The assumption that the pursuit of social justice requires the creation of a more egalitarian society has been challenged by the new political-economic realities of globalization. The assumption that the maintenance of individual rights complements the pursuit of social equality has been challenged by racially-based attacks on social welfare benefits and civil rights. Most significantly, the assumption that a socially just society is one in which different groups share a compatible vision of social justice has been challenged by the realities of multiculturalism. This paper explores the evolution of four themes regarding the relationship between social justice and multiculturalism during the past century and discusses their implications for the contemporary demographic and cultural context of the U.S. These themes are: the relationship of cultural diversity to the nation’s values and goals; the contradiction between coerced cultural assimilation and coerced physical and social segregation; the relationship between individual and group identity and rights; and the linkage between “Americanization” and the equal application of justice.

Stand-replacing wildfires increase nitrification for decades in southwestern ponderosa pine forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurth, Valerie J; Hart, Stephen C; Ross, Christopher S; Kaye, Jason P; Fulé, Peter Z

2014-05-01

Stand-replacing wildfires are a novel disturbance within ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests of the southwestern United States, and they can convert forests to grasslands or shrublands for decades. While most research shows that soil inorganic N pools and fluxes return to pre-fire levels within a few years, we wondered if vegetation conversion (ponderosa pine to bunchgrass) following stand-replacing fires might be accompanied by a long-term shift in N cycling processes. Using a 34-year stand-replacing wildfire chronosequence with paired, adjacent unburned patches, we examined the long-term dynamics of net and gross nitrogen (N) transformations. We hypothesized that N availability in burned patches would become more similar to those in unburned patches over time after fire as these areas become re-vegetated. Burned patches had higher net and gross nitrification rates than unburned patches (P < 0.01 for both), and nitrification accounted for a greater proportion of N mineralization in burned patches for both net (P < 0.01) and gross (P < 0.04) N transformation measurements. However, trends with time-after-fire were not observed for any other variables. Our findings contrast with previous work, which suggested that high nitrification rates are a short-term response to disturbance. Furthermore, high nitrification rates at our site were not simply correlated with the presence of herbaceous vegetation. Instead, we suggest that stand-replacing wildfire triggers a shift in N cycling that is maintained for at least three decades by various factors, including a shift from a woody to an herbaceous ecosystem and the presence of fire-deposited charcoal.

SPEED ROLLER STAND MEASUREMENT SYSTEM CHECKING TECHNIQUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Zybtsev

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The study has shown that the accuracy of brakes checking by inertial stands depends upon the applied methods of measurement of braking parameters (stand slowing down, braking distance, brakes triggering time, current speed as well as the methods of metrological checking of measuring system canals.

FACTOR ANALYSIS OF A SOCIAL SKILLS SCALE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, H-Y; Lin, C-K

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to develop a social skills scale for high school students in Taiwan. This study adopted stratified random sampling. A total of 1,729 high school students were included. The students ranged in age from 16 to 18 years. A Social Skills Scale was developed for this study and was designed for classroom teachers to fill out. The test-retest reliability of this scale was tested by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine construct validity. The Social Skills Scale had good overall test-retest reliability of .92, and the internal consistency of the five subscales was above .90. The results of the factor analysis showed that the Social Skills Scale covered the five domains of classroom learning skills, communication skills, individual initiative skills, interaction skills, and job-related social skills, and the five factors explained 68.34% of the variance. Thus, the Social Skills Scale had good reliability and validity and would be applicable to and could be promoted for use in schools.

Economic analysis of replacement regeneration and coppice regeneration in eucalyptus stands under risk conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Carolina de Lima Guedes

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Projects are by their very nature subject to conditions of uncertainty that obstruct the decision-making process. Uncertainties involving forestry projects are even greater, as they are combined with time of return on capital invested, being medium to long term. For successful forest planning, it is necessary to quantify uncertainties by converting them into risks. The decision on whether to adopt replacement regeneration or coppice regeneration in a forest stand is influenced by several factors, which include land availability for new forest crops, changes in project end use, oscillations in demand and technological advancement. This study analyzed the economic feasibility of replacement regeneration and coppice regeneration of eucalyptus stands, under deterministic and under risk conditions. Information was gathered about costs and revenues for charcoal production in order to structure the cash flow used in the economic analysis, adopting the Net Present Value method (VPL. Risk assessment was based on simulations running the Monte Carlo method. Results led to the following conclusions: replacement regeneration is economically viable, even if the future stand has the same productivity as the original stand; coppice regeneration is an economically viable option even if productivity is a mere 70% of the original stand (high-tree planted stand, the best risk-return ratio option is restocking the stand (replacement regeneration by one that is 20% more productive; the probabilistic analysis running the Monte Carlo method revealed that invariably there is economic viability for the various replacement and coppice regeneration options being studied, minimizing uncertainties and consequently increasing confidence in decision-making.

Predicting temperate forest stand types using only structural profiles from discrete return airborne lidar

Science.gov (United States)

Fedrigo, Melissa; Newnham, Glenn J.; Coops, Nicholas C.; Culvenor, Darius S.; Bolton, Douglas K.; Nitschke, Craig R.

2018-02-01

Light detection and ranging (lidar) data have been increasingly used for forest classification due to its ability to penetrate the forest canopy and provide detail about the structure of the lower strata. In this study we demonstrate forest classification approaches using airborne lidar data as inputs to random forest and linear unmixing classification algorithms. Our results demonstrated that both random forest and linear unmixing models identified a distribution of rainforest and eucalypt stands that was comparable to existing ecological vegetation class (EVC) maps based primarily on manual interpretation of high resolution aerial imagery. Rainforest stands were also identified in the region that have not previously been identified in the EVC maps. The transition between stand types was better characterised by the random forest modelling approach. In contrast, the linear unmixing model placed greater emphasis on field plots selected as endmembers which may not have captured the variability in stand structure within a single stand type. The random forest model had the highest overall accuracy (84%) and Cohen's kappa coefficient (0.62). However, the classification accuracy was only marginally better than linear unmixing. The random forest model was applied to a region in the Central Highlands of south-eastern Australia to produce maps of stand type probability, including areas of transition (the 'ecotone') between rainforest and eucalypt forest. The resulting map provided a detailed delineation of forest classes, which specifically recognised the coalescing of stand types at the landscape scale. This represents a key step towards mapping the structural and spatial complexity of these ecosystems, which is important for both their management and conservation.

Effects of Driving Frequency on Propagation Characteristics of Methane - Air Premixed Flame Influenced by Ultrasonic Standing Wave

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Dae Seok; Kim, Jeong Soo [Pukyong National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Hang Seok [Hanwha Corporation, DaeJeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-02-15

An experimental study was conducted to scrutinize the influence of the frequency of an ultrasonic standing wave on the variation in the behavior of a methane-air premixed flame. The evolutionary features of the propagating flame were captured by a high-speed camera, and the macroscopic flame behavior, including the flame structure and local velocities, was investigated in detail using a post-processing analysis of the high-speed images. It was found that a structural variation and propagation-velocity augmentation of the methane-air premixed flame were caused by the intervention of the ultrasonic standing wave, which enhanced the combustion reaction. Conclusive evidence for the dependency of the flame behaviors on the driving frequency of the ultrasonic standing wave and equivalence ratio of the reactants is presented.

The role of forest stand structure as biodiversity indicator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gao, Tian; Hedblom, Marcus; Emilsson, Tobias

2014-01-01

be achieved if indicators are derived from existing data. In this study, a model for classifying forest stand structures was developed and tested as an indicator of overall plant species diversity at stand level. The model combines four stand structure parameters: canopy coverage, age of canopy trees, tree...... species composition and canopy stratification. Using data from the National Inventory of Landscapes in Sweden and General Linear Mixed Model, plant species diversity (Shannon diversity index, SHDI) and composition (Sørensen-Dice index, SDI) were tested between 26 different stand structure types and nine...... soil classes. The results showed that mature stands with a stratified canopy had the highest plant species diversity across the soil classes, particularly if they comprised mixed coniferous and broadleaved species with a semi-open canopy. In contrast, young (...

Variable Attitude Test Stand

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Variable Attitude Test Stand designed and built for testing of the V-22 tilt rotor aircraft propulsion system, is used to evaluate the effect of aircraft flight...

A Peer-Delivered Social Interaction Intervention for High School Students with Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Carolyn; Harvey, Michelle; Cosgriff, Joseph; Reilly, Caitlin; Heilingoetter, Jamie; Brigham, Nicolette; Kaplan, Lauren; Bernstein, Rebekah

2013-01-01

Limited social interaction typically occurs between high school students with autism and their general education peers unless programming is introduced to promote interaction. However, few published social interaction interventions have been conducted among high school students with autism and their general education classmates. Such studies…

Standing wave acoustic levitation on an annular plate

Science.gov (United States)

Kandemir, Mehmet Hakan; Çalışkan, Mehmet

2016-11-01

In standing wave acoustic levitation technique, a standing wave is formed between a source and a reflector. Particles can be attracted towards pressure nodes in standing waves owing to a spring action through which particles can be suspended in air. This operation can be performed on continuous structures as well as in several numbers of axes. In this study an annular acoustic levitation arrangement is introduced. Design features of the arrangement are discussed in detail. Bending modes of the annular plate, known as the most efficient sound generation mechanism in such structures, are focused on. Several types of bending modes of the plate are simulated and evaluated by computer simulations. Waveguides are designed to amplify waves coming from sources of excitation, that are, transducers. With the right positioning of the reflector plate, standing waves are formed in the space between the annular vibrating plate and the reflector plate. Radiation forces are also predicted. It is demonstrated that small particles can be suspended in air at pressure nodes of the standing wave corresponding to a particular bending mode.

Recent advances in standing equine orthopedic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Thomas; Hunt, Robert J

2014-04-01

In all surgeries with the patient standing under chemical and physical restraint, patient compliance is of the utmost importance. All fractures of the third metacarpal or metatarsal condyles and sagittal fracture of the first phalanx are not amenable to internal fixation with the horse standing, and young unhandled horses may not have a suitable disposition for standing surgical treatment of septic pedal osteitis, or implantation and removal of transphyseal screws. Previous operator experience in performing the procedure or technique under general anesthesia is beneficial. Appreciation of appropriate topographic anatomic landmarks is important, and intraoperative radiographic control is useful. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of a robotic balance system for investigations in the control of human standing balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Luu, Billy L; Huryn, Thomas P; Van der Loos, H F Machiel; Croft, Elizabeth A; Blouin, Jean-Sébastien

2011-08-01

Previous studies have shown that human body sway during standing approximates the mechanics of an inverted pendulum pivoted at the ankle joints. In this study, a robotic balance system incorporating a Stewart platform base was developed to provide a new technique to investigate the neural mechanisms involved in standing balance. The robotic system, programmed with the mechanics of an inverted pendulum, controlled the motion of the body in response to a change in applied ankle torque. The ability of the robotic system to replicate the load properties of standing was validated by comparing the load stiffness generated when subjects balanced their own body to the robot's mechanical load programmed with a low (concentrated-mass model) or high (distributed-mass model) inertia. The results show that static load stiffness was not significantly (p > 0.05) different for standing and the robotic system. Dynamic load stiffness for the robotic system increased with the frequency of sway, as predicted by the mechanics of an inverted pendulum, with the higher inertia being accurately matched to the load properties of the human body. This robotic balance system accurately replicated the physical model of standing and represents a useful tool to simulate the dynamics of a standing person. © 2011 IEEE

A Pb-TLD spectrometer to measure high energy photons in z-pinch experiments on the primary test stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Si, Fenni; Yang, Jianlun; Xu, Rongkun; Yuan, Xi; Huang, Zhanchang; Ye, Fan; Wang, Dong; Zhang, Chuanfei

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A Pb-TLD spectrometer has been developed to measure spectra of high energy photons in wire-array z pinches on PTS. • Energy spectra of high energy photons on PTS has been firstly obtained by unfolding programs developed with MATLAB code. • The energy of high energy x-ray on PTS is obtained to be mainly within the region of 100 keV to 1.3 MeV. - Abstract: A Pb-TLD spectrometer has been developed based on attenuation techniques to measure high energy photons in wire-array z-pinch experiments on the primary test stand (PTS). It is composed of a stack of 18 lead filters interspersed with 19 thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). A shield is constructed for the spectrometer and scattered radiation is reduced to less than 5% by the shield. Response functions of the spectrometer are calculated by MCNP5 for 0–2 MeV photons. Based on response functions and 19 dose data measured in experiments, energy spectra of high energy photons on PTS has been firstly obtained by unfolding programs developed with MATLAB code using iterative least square fit. Results show that energy peak locates within 200 keV and 300 keV, and the fluence decreases to background level at energy higher than 1.3 MeV.

A Pb-TLD spectrometer to measure high energy photons in z-pinch experiments on the primary test stand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Si, Fenni; Yang, Jianlun; Xu, Rongkun; Yuan, Xi; Huang, Zhanchang; Ye, Fan; Wang, Dong; Zhang, Chuanfei, E-mail: sifenni@163.com

2017-05-15

Highlights: • A Pb-TLD spectrometer has been developed to measure spectra of high energy photons in wire-array z pinches on PTS. • Energy spectra of high energy photons on PTS has been firstly obtained by unfolding programs developed with MATLAB code. • The energy of high energy x-ray on PTS is obtained to be mainly within the region of 100 keV to 1.3 MeV. - Abstract: A Pb-TLD spectrometer has been developed based on attenuation techniques to measure high energy photons in wire-array z-pinch experiments on the primary test stand (PTS). It is composed of a stack of 18 lead filters interspersed with 19 thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). A shield is constructed for the spectrometer and scattered radiation is reduced to less than 5% by the shield. Response functions of the spectrometer are calculated by MCNP5 for 0–2 MeV photons. Based on response functions and 19 dose data measured in experiments, energy spectra of high energy photons on PTS has been firstly obtained by unfolding programs developed with MATLAB code using iterative least square fit. Results show that energy peak locates within 200 keV and 300 keV, and the fluence decreases to background level at energy higher than 1.3 MeV.

Edaphic, salinity, and stand structural trends in chronosequences of native and non-native dominated riparian forests along the Colorado River, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Merritt, David M.; Shafroth, Patrick B.

2012-01-01

Tamarix spp. are introduced shrubs that have become among the most abundant woody plants growing along western North American rivers. We sought to empirically test the long-held belief that Tamarix actively displaces native species through elevating soil salinity via salt exudation. We measured chemical and physical attributes of soils (e.g., salinity, major cations and anions, texture), litter cover and depth, and stand structure along chronosequences dominated by Tamarix and those dominated by native riparian species (Populus or Salix) along the upper and lower Colorado River in Colorado and Arizona/California, USA. We tested four hypotheses: (1) the rate of salt accumulation in soils is faster in Tamarix-dominated stands than stands dominated by native species, (2) the concentration of salts in the soil is higher in mature stands dominated by Tamarix compared to native stands, (3) soil salinity is a function of Tamarix abundance, and (4) available nutrients are more concentrated in native-dominated stands compared to Tamarix-dominated stands. We found that salt concentration increases at a faster rate in Tamarix-dominated stands along the relatively free-flowing upper Colorado but not along the heavily-regulated lower Colorado. Concentrations of ions that are known to be preferentially exuded by Tamarix (e.g., B, Na, and Cl) were higher in Tamarix stands than in native stands. Soil salt concentrations in older Tamarix stands along the upper Colorado were sufficiently high to inhibit germination, establishment, or growth of some native species. On the lower Colorado, salinity was very high in all stands and is likely due to factors associated with floodplain development and the hydrologic effects of river regulation, such as reduced overbank flooding, evaporation of shallow ground water, higher salt concentrations in surface and ground water due to agricultural practices, and higher salt concentrations in fine-textured sediments derived from naturally saline

Stand model for upland forests of Southern Arkansas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mielke, D.L.; Shugart, H.H.; West, D.C.

1978-06-01

A forest stand growth and composition simulator (FORAR) was developed by modifying a stand growth model by Shugart and West (1977). FORAR is a functional stand model which used ecological parameters to relate individual tree growth to environment rather than using Markov probability matrices or differential equations to determine single tree or species replacement rates. FORAR simulated tree growth and species composition of upland forests of Union County, Ark., by considering 33 tree species on a /sup 1///sub 12/ ha circular plot.

Assessing wildfire occurrence probability in Pinus pinaster Ait. stands in Portugal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marques, S.; Garcia-Gonzalo, J.; Botequim, B.; Ricardo, A.; Borges, J. G.; Tome, M.; Oliveira, M. M.

2012-11-01

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is an important conifer from the western Mediterranean Basin extending over 22% of the forest area in Portugal. In the last three decades nearly 4% of Maritime pine area has been burned by wildfires. Yet no wildfire occurrence probability models are available and forest and fire management planning activities are thus carried out mostly independently of each other. This paper presents research to address this gap. Specifically, it presents a model to assess wildfire occurrence probability in regular and pure Maritime pine stands in Portugal. Emphasis was in developing a model based on easily available inventory data so that it might be useful to forest managers. For that purpose, data from the last two Portuguese National Forest Inventories (NFI) and data from wildfire perimeters in the years from 1998 to 2004 and from 2006 to 2007 were used. A binary logistic regression model was build using biometrics data from the NFI. Biometric data included indicators that might be changed by operations prescribed in forest planning. Results showed that the probability of wildfire occurrence in a stand increases in stand located at steeper slopes and with high shrubs load while it decreases with precipitation and with stand basal area. These results are instrumental for assessing the impact of forest management options on wildfire probability thus helping forest managers to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Author) 57 refs.

Comparative shoulder kinematics during free standing, standing depression lifts and daily functional activities in persons with paraplegia: considerations for shoulder health.

Science.gov (United States)

Riek, L M; Ludewig, P M; Nawoczenski, D A

2008-05-01

Case series; nonparametric repeated-measures analysis of variance. To compare and contrast three-dimensional shoulder kinematics during frequently utilized upper extremity weight-bearing activities (standing depression lifts used in brace walking, weight-relief raises, transfers) and postures (sitting rest, standing in a frame) in spinal cord injury (SCI). Movement Analysis Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, Rochester, NY, USA. Three female and two male subjects (39.2+/-6.1 years old) at least 12 months post-SCI (14.6+/-6.7 years old), SCI distal to T2 and with an ASIA score of A. The Flock of Birds magnetic tracking device was used to measure three-dimensional positions of the scapula, humerus and thorax during various activities. Standing in a frame resulted in significantly less scapular anterior tilt (AT) and greater glenohumeral external rotation (GHER) than standing depression lifts and weight-relief raises. Standing frame posture offers the most favorable shoulder joint positions (less scapular AT and greater GHER) when compared to sitting rest posture, weight-relief raises, transfers and standing depression lifts. Knowledge of kinematic patterns associated with each activity is an essential first step to understanding the potential impact on shoulder health. Choosing specific activities or modifying techniques within functional activities that promote favorable shoulder positions may preserve long-term shoulder health.

Tropical forest biomass estimation from truncated stand tables.

Science.gov (United States)

A. J. R. Gillespie; S. Brown; A. E. Lugo

1992-01-01

Total aboveground forest biomass may be estimated through a variety of techniques based on commercial inventory stand and stock tables. Stand and stock tables from tropical countries commonly omit trees bellow a certain commercial limit.

The zero inflation of standing dead tree carbon stocks

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher W. Woodall; David W. MacFarlane

2012-01-01

Given the importance of standing dead trees in numerous forest ecosystem attributes/processes such as carbon (C) stocks, the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program began consistent nationwide sampling of standing dead trees in 1999. Modeled estimates of standing dead tree C stocks are currently used as the official C stock estimates for the...

The distribution of lumbar intervertebral angles in upright standing and extension is related to low back pain developed during standing.

Science.gov (United States)

Viggiani, Daniel; Gallagher, Kaitlin M; Sehl, Michael; Callaghan, Jack P

2017-11-01

Lumbar lordosis measures are poorly related to clinical low back pain, however using a controlled exposure such as prolonged standing to identify pain groups may clarify this relationship. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of lumbar intervertebral angles in asymptomatic persons who do (pain developers) and do not (non-pain developers) develop low back pain during standing. Sagittal plane lumbar spine radiographs of eight pain developers and eight non-pain developers were taken in three poses: upright standing, full extension and full flexion. Measures of vertebral end plate orientations from L1 to S1 were taken in each pose to compute: intervertebral angles, contribution of each level to the total curve, total lordosis, ranges of motion, relative pose positioning within the range of motion, vertebral shape, and lumbar spine recurve. Measures were compared between pain groups and lumbar levels. Pain group differences in intervertebral angles and level contributions were greatest in the full extension pose, with pain developers having greater contributions from higher lumbar levels and fewer contributions from lower levels than non-pain developers. Pain group differences in intervertebral angle distributions were less pronounced in upright standing and non-existent in full flexion. No other measures differentiated pain groups. Although participants had similar gross-lumbar spine curvature characteristics, non-pain developers have more curvature at lower levels in upright standing and full extension. These differences in regional vertebral kinematics may partially be responsible for standing-induced low back pain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rainfall partitioning and related hydrochemical fluxes in a diverse and in a mono specific (Phenakospermum guyannense) secondary vegetation stand in eastern Amazonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hölscher, D; Sá, T D A; Möller, R F; Denich, M; Fölster, H

1998-04-01

Rainfall partitioning into throughfall and stemflow was studied in a diverse and in a mono specific stand of secondary vegetation in Eastern Amazonia. The nutrient concentrations in the water were analysed in order to quantify the related hydrochemical fluxes. Secondary vegetation forms the fallow in the local shifting cultivation system and is usually dominated by shrubs and trees. Phenakospermum guyannense (Strelitziaceae), a banana-like herb, is one of the predominant non-woody species. The study was conducted during an 18-month period in a 2.5-year-old relatively species-rich stand and a 10-year-old stand dominated by P. guyannense. In a year with 1956 mm of rainfall 65% (1281 mm) of this quantity reached the soil as throughfall in the diverse stand and 38% (743 mm) in the mono specific stand. Stemflow was estimated to be 23% and 41% respectively. P. guyannense and Banara guianensis (Flacourtiaceae), a tree species, were causing these high funnelling effects. In the young diverse stand B. guianensis had a stemflow of more than 200 l year -1 and P. guyannense had a median flux of 77 l year -1 per pseudostem. In the older stand the taller plants of P.␣guyannense collected 644 l year -1 per pseudostem on the median. The reason for these high values could be the banana-like growth form of P. guyannense and the crown morphology of B. guianensis, which has inclined branches. The low proportion of throughfall and the high stemflow values differ from all previous studies in Amazonian primary forests. The proximity to the Atlantic Ocean strongly influenced the nutrient fluxes via rainfall at our study site. This becomes obvious from the high Na and Cl fluxes with rainfall (19.7 kg Na ha -1 year -1 , 37.2 kg Cl ha -1 year -1 ) which were approximately equal to the Na and Cl fluxes with the sum of throughfall and stemflow for both stands. K fluxes in throughfall and stemflow in both stands were higher than in rainfall by a factor of 8. The high K

Mobile test stand for evaluation of electric power plants for unmanned aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serbezov Vladimir

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The absence of accurate performance data is a common problem with most civilian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV power plant producers. The reasons for this are the small size of most of the manufacturers and the high price of precise wind tunnel testing and computer simulations. To overcome this problem at Dronamics Ltd., with support from the Department of Aeronautics of TU-Sofia, a mobile test stand for evaluation of electric power plants for unmanned aircraft was developed. The stand may be used statically, or may be installed on the roof of an automobile. The measurement system of the stand is based on popular hardware that is used in radio controlled models and in general automation. The verification of the measurement system is performed by comparing static test results with data published by the manufacturer of the tested electric motor. Tests were carried out with 2 different types of propellers and the results were compared with published results for common propellers as well as with results of theoretical studies. The results are satisfactory for practical applications. The use of this type of test stands can be a cheap and effective alternative for research and development start-up companies like Dronamics.

Forest stand structure, productivity, and age mediate climatic effects on aspen decline

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, David M.; Bradford, John B.; Lauenroth, William K.

2014-01-01

Because forest stand structure, age, and productivity can mediate the impacts of climate on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) mortality, ignoring stand-scale factors limits inference on the drivers of recent sudden aspen decline. Using the proportion of aspen trees that were dead as an index of recent mortality at 841 forest inventory plots, we examined the relationship of this mortality index to forest structure and climate in the Rocky Mountains and Intermountain Western United States. We found that forest structure explained most of the patterns in mortality indices, but that variation in growing-season vapor pressure deficit and winter precipitation over the last 20 years was important. Mortality index sensitivity to precipitation was highest in forests where aspen exhibited high densities, relative basal areas, quadratic mean diameters, and productivities, whereas sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit was highest in young forest stands. These results indicate that the effects of drought on mortality may be mediated by forest stand development, competition with encroaching conifers, and physiological vulnerabilities of large trees to drought. By examining mortality index responses to both forest structure and climate, we show that forest succession cannot be ignored in studies attempting to understand the causes and consequences of sudden aspen decline.

The Sit & Stand chair. A revolutionary advance in adaptive seating systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Galumbeck, Michael H; Buschbacher, Ralph M; Wilder, Robert P; Winters, Kathryne L; Hudson, Mary Anne; Edlich, Richard F

2004-01-01

A major factor governing independence for the elderly and persons with disabilities is the ability to stand from a chair. Factors such as pain, reduced joint range of motion, stiffness, and muscle weakness frequently limit the ability to stand. Sit-to-stand position is even further reduced in patients whose hands and shoulders are afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis. When achieving a sit-to-stand position in the elderly and persons with disabilities, there is considerable risk of the individual falling and sustaining bone fracture. The purposes of this scientific report are to achieve the following goals: (1) to provide a narrative discussion of the senior author's contributions to furniture manufacturing as well as his successful patent application for the SIT & STAND chair, (2) to describe the steps involved in the development of the SIT & STAND prototype, and (3) to examine the performance of the SIT & STAND chair in assisting the elderly or persons with disabilities in achieving a sit-to-stand position. The invention of the SIT & STAND chair by the senior author, Michael Galumbeck, was a culmination of his lifelong interest in adaptive seating systems. His electrically operated chair has the unique ability to assist the occupant to achieve safely a sit-to-stand position. The rear portion of his chair remains in a fixed position to support the buttocks of the user during mechanical lift. The front portion of the seat folds down incrementally as the chair rises to allow the feet of the user to be positioned in a more posterior position firmly on the floor. Using its actuator, the height that the chair rises will vary with the length of the legs of the occupant. Using the drawing program Solid Works (Solid Works, Concord, Massachusetts), drawings of the chair were made. To visualize the operation and performance of the chair, separate drawings were made in the lateral position. The prototype of the SIT & STAND chair was manufactured with an electric actuator that

Investigation of a high frequency pulse tube cryocooler driven by a standing wave thermoacoustic engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boroujerdi, A.A.; Ziabasharhagh, M.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A nonlinear numerical model of a high frequency TADPTC has been developed. • The finite volume method has been used for discretization of governing equations. • The self-excitation process has been simulated very well. • The effects of APAT on the performance of the device have been investigated. • Lagrangian approach has been used to trace the thermodynamic cycle of gas parcels. - Abstract: In this work, a typical thermoacoustically driven pulse tube cooler as a no-moving part device has been investigated by a numerical method. A standing wave thermoacoustic engine as a prime mover in coupled with an inertance tube pulse tube cryocooler has been modeled. Nonlinear equations of unsteady one-dimensional compressible flow have been solved by the finite volume method. The model presents an important step towards the development of nonlinear simulation tools for the high amplitude thermoacoustic systems that are needed for practical use. The results of the computations show that the self-excited oscillations are well accompanied by the increasing of the pressure amplitude. The necessity of implementation of a nonlinear model to investigate such devices has been proven. The effect of APAT length as an amplifier coupler on the performance of the cooler has been investigated. Furthermore, by using Lagrangian approach, thermodynamic cycle of gas parcels has been attained

Social skills and loneliness in junior high school students

OpenAIRE

Kanayama, Motoharu; Ono, Masahiko; Ohashi, Tsutomu; Tsujimoto, Yuichi; Oi, Shizuyo; Matsui, Kayoko; Tsujimoto, Ikuhiro; Yoshida, Hatsuko

2003-01-01

The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between social skills and loneliness, and to contribute to prevention and intervention of loneliness in junior high school students. Questionnaires were administered to 83 students (45 males and 38 females). Correlation analysis showed that loneliness score was negatively related to the scores of peer reinforcement, social initiation, conflict resolution and assertion skills, and also positively related to the score of withdrawal beh...

Penerapan Analisis Diskriminan dalam Pembedaan Kelas Umur Tegakan Pinus (Discriminant Analysist for Stand Class Age Distinction of Pine Stand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priyanto .

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} This  study  describes the use of discriminant anylisis for pine (Pinus spp. stand class age distinction.    Aim of this  study were (1 to arrange stand age class based on variable of aerial photograph by non hierarchy cluster analysis,  and (2 to find out aerial  photograph variable contribute to stand age class distinction by discriminant analysis.    Data used in study was taken from  a  research  conducted by Adi (1998.   Pinus stand was located  in KPH Bandung Utara, West Java. The variable of aerial photograph that used in this analysis were tone, shape, texture, topography, pattern, crown, diameter and height. The result showed that validation analysis of discriminant function was significant.  Therefore, this function was applicable for grouping new object to stand age class based on discriminant score. Keywords: cluster analysis, discriminat analysis, stand age class, discriminant score

The Effects of a Social and Talent Development Intervention for High Ability Youth with Social Skill Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Foley-Nicpon, Megan; Assouline, Susan G.; Kivlighan, D. Martin; Fosenburg, Staci; Cederberg, Charles; Nanji, Michelle

2017-01-01

Contemporary models highlight the need to cultivate cognitive and psychosocial factors in developing domain-specific talent. This model was the basis for the current study where high ability youth with self-reported social difficulties (n = 28, 12 with a coexisting disability) participated in a social skills and talent development intervention…

Fine root dynamics in lodgepole pine and white spruce stands along productivity gradients in reclaimed oil sands sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamro, Ghulam Murtaza; Chang, Scott X; Naeth, M Anne; Duan, Min; House, Jason

2015-10-01

Open-pit mining activities in the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada, create disturbed lands that, by law, must be reclaimed to a land capability equivalent to that existed before the disturbance. Re-establishment of forest cover will be affected by the production and turnover rate of fine roots. However, the relationship between fine root dynamics and tree growth has not been studied in reclaimed oil sands sites. Fine root properties (root length density, mean surface area, total root biomass, and rates of root production, turnover, and decomposition) were assessed from May to October 2011 and 2012 using sequential coring and ingrowth core methods in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss) stands. The pine and spruce stands were planted on peat mineral soil mix placed over tailings sand and overburden substrates, respectively, in reclaimed oil sands sites in Alberta. We selected stands that form a productivity gradient (low, medium, and high productivities) of each tree species based on differences in tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) increments. In lodgepole pine stands, fine root length density and fine root production, and turnover rates were in the order of high > medium > low productivity sites and were positively correlated with tree height and DBH and negatively correlated with soil salinity (P < 0.05). In white spruce stands, fine root surface area was the only parameter that increased along the productivity gradient and was negatively correlated with soil compaction. In conclusion, fine root dynamics along the stand productivity gradients were closely linked to stand productivity and were affected by limiting soil properties related to the specific substrate used for reconstructing the reclaimed soil. Understanding the impact of soil properties on fine root dynamics and overall stand productivity will help improve land reclamation outcomes.

The role of high level play as a predictor social functioning in autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, Margaret M; Wainwright, Laurel D

2010-05-01

Play and social abilities of a group of children diagnosed with high functioning autism were compared to a second group diagnosed with a variety of developmental language disorders (DLD). The children with autism engaged in fewer acts of high level play. The children with autism also had significantly lower social functioning than the DLD group early in the play session; however, these differences were no longer apparent by the end of the play session. In addition, a significant association existed between play and social functioning regardless of diagnosis. This suggests that play may act as a current indicator of social ability while providing an arena for social skills practice.

Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 10 May 2007

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

At its meeting on 10 May 2007, the Standing Concertation Committee discussed the Management’s proposal for the revision of Annex A 1 of the Staff Rules and Regulations. Annex A 1 sets out the principles for future periodic reviews of the personnel’s financial and social conditions and the revision reflects the modifications to review methods decided by the CERN Council in December 2006. The aim is to simplify the processes involved and rationalize the use of resources. The data collection process will be outsourced to a greater extent. The new methods also aim to reduce the overall time required to complete future reviews. Details of procedure will be addressed in subsequent discussions. The Committee approved the document for submission to the Tripartite Employment Conditions Forum (TREF) at its meeting on 31 May and 1 June 2007.

Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 10 May 2007

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2007-01-01

At its meeting on 10 May 2007, the Standing Concertation Committee discussed the Management's proposal for the revision of Annex A 1 of the Staff Rules and Regulations. Annex A 1 sets out the principles for future periodic reviews of the personnel's financial and social conditions and the revision reflects the modifications to review methods decided by the CERN Council in December 2006. The aim is to simplify the processes involved and rationalize the use of resources. The data collection process will be outsourced to a greater extent. The new methods also aim to reduce the overall time required to complete future reviews. Details of procedure will be addressed in subsequent discussions. The Committee approved the document for submission to the Tripartite Employment Conditions Forum (TREF) at its meeting on 31 May and 1 June 2007.

Free-Standing, Flexible, Superomniphobic Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Vahabi, Hamed; Wang, Wei; Movafaghi, Sanli; Kota, Arun K

2016-08-31

Fabrication of most superomniphobic surfaces requires complex process conditions or specialized and expensive equipment or skilled personnel. In order to circumvent these issues and make them end-user-friendly, we developed the free-standing, flexible, superomniphobic films. These films can be stored and delivered to the end-users, who can readily attach them to virtually any surface (even irregular shapes) and impart superomniphobicity. The hierarchical structure, the re-entrant texture, and the low solid surface energy render our films superomniphobic for a wide variety of liquids. We demonstrate that our free-standing, flexible, superomniphobic films have applications in enhanced chemical resistance and enhanced weight bearing.

On the pressure field of nonlinear standing water waves

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, L. W.

1980-01-01

The pressure field produced by two dimensional nonlinear time and space periodic standing waves was calculated as a series expansion in the wave height. The high order series was summed by the use of Pade approximants. Calculations included the pressure variation at great depth, which was considered to be a likely cause of microseismic activity, and the pressure distribution on a vertical barrier or breakwater.

A New 500-kV Ion Source Test Stand for HIF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sangster, T.C.; Ahle, L.E.; Halaxa, E.F.; Karpenko, V.P.; Oldaker, M. E.; Mitchell, J.W.; Beck, D.N.; Bieniosek, F.M.; Henestroza, E.; Kwan, J.W.

2000-01-01

One of the most challenging aspects of ion beam driven inertial fusion energy is the reliable and efficient generation of low emittance, high current ion beams. The primary ion source requirements include a rise time of order 1-msec, a pulse width of at least 20-msec, a flattop ripple of less than 0.1% and a repetition rate of at least 5-Hz. Naturally, at such a repetition rate, the duty cycle of the source must be greater than 108 pulses. Although these specifications do not appear to exceed the state-of-the-art for pulsed power, considerable effort remains to develop a suitable high current ion source. Therefore, we are constructing a 500-kV test stand specifically for studying various ion source concepts including surface, plasma and metal vapor arc. This paper will describe the test stand design specifications as well as the details of the various subsystems and components

An Investigation of High School Social Studies Teachers' Understandings of Vocabulary Teaching and Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Harmon, Janis; Antuna, Marcos; Juarez, Lucinda; Wood, Karen D.; Vintinner, Jean

2018-01-01

This qualitative study focused on high school social studies teachers' understandings of and perspectives about vocabulary acquisition and instruction. The research questions were the following: (1) What do high school social studies teachers understand about vocabulary instruction? and (2) How do high school social studies teachers support…

Self-Concealment, Social Network Sites Usage, Social Appearance Anxiety, Loneliness of High School Students: A Model Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Dogan, Ugur; Çolak, Tugba Seda

2016-01-01

This study was tested a model for explain to social networks sites (SNS) usage with structural equation modeling (SEM). Using SEM on a sample of 475 high school students (35% male, 65% female) students, model was investigated the relationship between self-concealment, social appearance anxiety, loneliness on SNS such as Twitter and Facebook usage.…

The Cycle of Reciprocity: A Social Capital Intervention Strategy for SSTR Operations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tolle, Glenn A

2007-01-01

...? The author postulates that an intervention strategy based on fostering "bridging social capital" between two or more competing parties stands a greater probability of success than an intervention...

The impact of standing wave effects on transcranial focused ultrasound disruption of the blood-brain barrier in a rat model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Reilly, Meaghan A; Huang Yuexi; Hynynen, Kullervo

2010-01-01

Microbubble-mediated disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for targeted drug delivery using focused ultrasound shows great potential as a therapy for a wide range of brain disorders. This technique is currently at the pre-clinical stage and important work is being conducted in animal models. Measurements of standing waves in ex vivo rat skulls were conducted using an optical hydrophone and a geometry dependence was identified. Standing waves could not be eliminated through the use of swept frequencies, which have been suggested to eliminate standing waves. Definitive standing wave patterns were detected in over 25% of animals used in a single study. Standing waves were successfully eliminated using a wideband composite sharply focused transducer and a reduced duty cycle. The modified pulse parameters were used in vivo to disrupt the BBB in a rat indicating that, unlike some other bioeffects, BBB disruption is not dependent on standing wave conditions. Due to the high variability of standing waves and the inability to correctly estimate in situ pressures given standing wave conditions, attempts to minimize standing waves should be made in all future work in this field to ensure that results are clinically translatable.

Dynamics models and modeling of tree stand development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. V. Rogozin

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Brief analysis of scientific works in Russia and in the CIS over the past 100 years. Logical and mathematical models consider the conceptual and show some of the results of their verification. It was found that the models include different laws and the parameters, the sum of which allows you to divide them into four categories: models of static states, development models, models of care for the natural forest and models of cultivation. Each category has fulfilled and fulfills its tasks in economic management. Thus, the model states in statics (table traverse growth played a prominent role in figuring out what may be the most productive (full stands in different regions of the country. However, they do not answer the question of what the initial states lead to the production of complete stands. In a study of the growth of stands used system analysis, and it is observed dominance of works studying static state, snatched from the biological time. Therefore, the real drama of the growth of stands remained almost unexplored. It is no accident there were «chrono-forestry» «plantation forestry» and even «non-traditional forestry», where there is a strong case of a number of new concepts of development stands. That is quite in keeping with Kuhn (Kuhn, 2009 in the forestry crisis began – there were alternative theories and coexist conflicting scientific schools. To develop models of stand development, it is proposed to use a well-known method of repeated observations within 10–20 years, in conjunction with the explanation of the history of the initial density. It mounted on the basis of studying the dynamics of its indicators: the trunk, crown overlap coefficient, the sum of volumes of all crowns and the relative length of the crown. According to these indicators, the researcher selects natural series of development stands with the same initial density. As a theoretical basis for the models it is possible to postulate the general properties of

Uranium-series ages of fossil corals from Mallorca, Spain: The "Neotyrrhenian" high stand of the Mediterranean Sea revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Muhs, Daniel R.; Simmons, Kathleen R.; Porat, Naomi

2015-01-01

The emergent marine deposits of the Mediterranean basin have been recognized as an important record of Quaternary sea level history for more than a century. Previous workers identified what have been interpreted to be two separate high stands of sea in the late Quaternary, namely the “Eutyrrhenian” (thought to be ~ 120 ka) and the “Neotyrrhenian” (thought to be either ~ 100 ka or ~ 80 ka). On Mallorca, Spain, both of these named deposits lie close to present sea level, implying paleo-sea levels slightly above present during both marine isotope stages (MIS) 5.5/5e and either 5.3/5c or 5.1/5a. If these interpretations are correct, they conflict, at least in part, with sea level records from far-field localities.

The experiences of mastery of stand-by energy demand; Les experiences de MDE stand by

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schilken, P

2001-07-01

In the residential sector of the OECD countries, the electricity losses of domestic appliances in stand-by position represent 1.5% of the total electricity consumption. This study belongs to the SAVE project (pilot campaign of municipal utilities for an improved rational use of energy). Its aim is to observe the policies and experiments implemented by municipalities and municipal energy companies for the abatement of the electricity consumptions of stand-by origin. A working group consisting of the German Stadtwerke and some international partners have debated the possible actions and documents for an efficient information of the public. This document presents the brochures and local actions of this program. (J.S.)

Can high social capital at the workplace buffer against stress and musculoskeletal pain?

Science.gov (United States)

Jay, Kenneth; Andersen, Lars L.

2018-01-01

Abstract Work-related musculoskeletal pain and stress are both highly prevalent in the working environment and relate well to the biopsychosocial model. While the onset of musculoskeletal pain is often dependent on the biological element of the biopsychosocial model, chronic pain is often influenced by psychological and social factors. Similarly, stress is also influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. This study investigates the possibility of social capital being a buffer for stress and musculoskeletal pain in a group of female laboratory technicians. Female laboratory technicians (n = 500) replied to questions about stress (Cohens Perceived Stress Scale-10), musculoskeletal pain (0–10 visual analog scale), and social capital at the workplace (bonding [in teams], bridging [between teams], and linking [between teams and leaders]). Outcome variables were stress and musculoskeletal pain and the predictor variable was social capital. General linear models tested the association of the 3 types of social capital (predictor variables) with stress and pain (mutually adjusted outcome variables). Analyses were controlled for age, lifestyle (body mass index, smoking), seniority, and working hours per week. For stress as outcome, moderate and high bonding social capital were different from low social capital with −2.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] −3.33 to −0.76) and −4.56 (95% CI −5.84 to −3.28) points on the Perceived Stress Scale of 0 to 42, respectively. Similarly, moderate and high bridging social capital were different from low social capital with −1.50 (95% CI −2.76 to −0.24) and −4.39 (95% CI −5.75 to −3.03), respectively. For linking, only high social was significantly different from low with −2.94 (95% CI −4.28 to −1.60). None of the 3 types of social capital was associated with musculoskeletal pain. Higher levels of social capital at the workplace appear to buffer against stress, but not against

Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders

OpenAIRE

Andari, Elissar; Duhamel, Jean-René; Zalla, Tiziana; Herbrecht, Evelyn; Leboyer, Marion; Sirigu, Angela

2010-01-01

Social adaptation requires specific cognitive and emotional competences. Individuals with high-functioning autism or with Asperger syndrome cannot understand or engage in social situations despite preserved intellectual abilities. Recently, it has been suggested that oxytocin, a hormone known to promote mother-infant bonds, may be implicated in the social deficit of autism. We investigated the behavioral effects of oxytocin in 13 subjects with autism. In a simulated ball game where participan...

PROPOSAL FOR BUILD A TEST STAND TO THE STUDY WATER RAM BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSTRUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariusz GRYGO

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this article was developed of a test stand to a study physics phenomena accruing at work in a ram water based on the construction recommendations. The experience gained by a number of attempts allowed to the developed construction recommendations that allowed to adjust the test stand to perform various studies of physics phenomena occurring at the work of water ram and easy adaptions to the new requirements. The article includes: the review of the test stands on which performed the study in the history and in the present times, description of the construction recommendations of the universal test stand and the proposal of the test stand developed based on the construction recommendations. Motivation to take up this issue follows from the interest of devices that work in an unconventional way, devices used a renewable energy that can be used in household e.g. to improve their energy balance, delivery water to houses, drinking water for animals, fields irrigation, etc. Analysis of the literature of the water ram, test stands and their performance shown that it is small and typically old development in popular science form. In times of intensive search new sources of renewable energy reactivation of this type equipment may be highly probable.

Opening the gift: social inclusion, professional codes and gift-giving in long-term mental healthcare

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ootes, S. T. C.; Pols, A. J.; Tonkens, E. H.; Willems, D. L.

2013-01-01

Deinstitutionalisation has not only made the social inclusion of clients a key objective in long-term mental healthcare, it may also affect the role of the care professional. This article investigates whether the social inclusion objective clashes with other long-standing professional values,

In situ coating nickel organic complexes on free-standing nickel wire films for volumetric-energy-dense supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Min; Xu, Shusheng; Yao, Lu; Zhou, Chao; Hu, Nantao; Yang, Zhi; Hu, Jing; Zhang, Liying; Zhou, Zhihua; Wei, Hao; Zhang, Yafei

2018-07-06

A self-free-standing core-sheath structured hybrid membrane electrodes based on nickel and nickel based metal-organic complexes (Ni@Ni-OC) was designed and constructed for high volumetric supercapacitors. The self-standing Ni@Ni-OC film electrode had a high volumetric specific capacity of 1225.5 C cm -3 at 0.3 A cm -3 and an excellent rate capability. Moreover, when countered with graphene-carbon nanotube (G-CNT) film electrode, the as-assembled Ni@Ni-OC//G-CNT hybrid supercapacitor device delivered an extraordinary volumetric capacitance of 85 F cm -3 at 0.5 A cm -3 and an outstanding energy density of 33.8 at 483 mW cm -3 . Furthermore, the hybrid supercapacitor showed no capacitance loss after 10 000 cycles at 2 A cm -3 , indicating its excellent cycle stability. These fascinating performances can be ascribed to its unique core-sheath structure that high capacity nano-porous nickel based metal-organic complexes (Ni-OC) in situ coated on highly conductive Ni wires. The impressive results presented here may pave the way to construct s self-standing membrane electrode for applications in high volumetric-performance energy storage.

A short regression during the last interglacial (5e) sea level high-stand, along the reef coast of Egypt: a possible evidence for high-frequency glacio-eustatic variations during pleistocene times?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plaziat, J.C.; Orszag-sperber, F.; Baltzer, F.; Purser, B.H.; Reyss, J.L.; Choukri, A.

1998-01-01

In the most stable localities of the NW Red Sea-Gulf of Suez, the Last Interglacial shore deposits have been dated (α Th/U) and give evidence of a two-stages 5.5 (5e) + 8/5 m transgression subdivided by a 10 m (at least) relative sea-level fall. The respective ages of the initial reef and beach unit and about 3 m lower bay-lagoon-gypsum salina deposits are not discriminable with the available dating method. This high-frequency oscillation during 5.5 high stand would be tentatively interpreted as a glacio-eustatic sea-level coinciding with the 5.52 event of δ 18 O isotopic terminology. (authors)

Stand-up physics

CERN Multimedia

2009-01-01

A CMS physicist and amateur stand up comic was named the winner of NESTA FameLab 2009. Tom Whyntie battled it out with nine others young scientists from across the UK to win the contest to find the country’s next top science communicator. Tom Whyntie with his prize money after the NESTA Famelab final.Tom Whyntie, who is currently doing his PhD on the CMS experiment, managed to persuade his supervisor to give him a few days off on 5 June so he could fly back to the UK for the final of NESTA FameLab 2009. In the competition, which has been dubbed ‘the X Factor for scientists’, he had just three minutes to explain a complex scientific idea to a panel of judges made up of high-profile science professionals. During the final, he captivated the audience with his talk about how finding nothing at the LHC, far from being a waste of £5 billion, would actually catalyse the next scientific revolution. It Whyntie’s own words: "If the L...

Teaching Writing in the Social Sciences: A Comparison and Critique of Three Models

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Kristine; Adams, Joyce

2010-01-01

This article describes and evaluates three approaches to teaching writing in the social sciences, particularly psychology: an English department-based course for all social science majors; a team-teaching model that embeds writing in core courses in psychology; and a stand-alone course dedicated to teaching writing in psychology, often taken…

XML/TEI Stand-off Markup. One step beyond.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spadini, E.; Turska, Magdalena

2018-01-01

Stand-off markup is widely considered as a possible solution for overcoming the limitation of inline XML markup, primarily dealing with multiple overlapping hierarchies. Considering previous contributions on the subject and implementations of stand-off markup, we propose a new TEI-based model for

Flooding effects on stand development in cypress-tupelo

Science.gov (United States)

Richard F. Keim; Thomas J. Dean; Jim L. Chambers

2013-01-01

The effects of inundation on growth of cypress (Taxodium spp.) and tupelo (Nyssa spp.) trees have been extensively researched, but conclusions are often complicated by attendant effects on stand development. Flooding affects development of cypress-tupelo stands by limiting seedling germination and survival, truncating species...

High-Risk Sexual Behavior at Social Venues in Madagascar

Science.gov (United States)

KHAN, MARIA R.; RASOLOFOMANANA, JUSTIN R.; McCLAMROCH, KRISTI J.; RALISIMALALA, ANDRIAMAMPIANINA; ZAFIMANJAKA, MAURICE G.; BEHETS, FRIEDA; WEIR, SHARON S.

2018-01-01

Background Persistent high levels of sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Madagascar indicate current prevention strategies are inadequate. STI/HIV prevention based in social venues may play an important role in reaching individuals at risk of infection. We identified venues where people meet sexual partners and measured the need and potential for venue-based prevention. Methods Interviews were conducted in 7 Madagascar towns with 1) community informants to identify social venues, 2) individuals socializing at a sample of venues to assess sexual behavior among venue patrons, and 3) venue representatives to assess the potential for venue-based intervention. Results Community informants identified numerous venues (range: 67–211 venues, depending on the town); streets, bars, and hotels were most commonly reported. Among 2982 individuals socializing at venues, 78% of men and 74% of women reported new sexual partnership or sex trade for money, goods, or services in the past 4 weeks and 19% of men and 18% of women reported symptoms suggestive of STI in the past 4 weeks. STI symptom levels were disproportionately high among respondents reporting either sex trade or new sexual partnership in the past 4 weeks. Twenty-eight percent of men and 41% of women reported condom use during the last sex act with a new partner. Although 24% to 45% of venues had hosted STI/HIV interventions, interventions were deemed possible at 73% to 90% venues according to 644 interviews with venue representatives. Conclusions Venue-based intervention is possible and would reach a spectrum of populations vulnerable to STI/HIV including sex workers, their clients, and other high-risk populations. PMID:18496471

Free-standing Hierarchical Porous Assemblies of Commercial TiO_2 Nanocrystals and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes as High-performance Anode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xiong; Xu, Guobao; Xiao, Huaping; Wei, Xiaolin; Yang, Liwen

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Utilization of commercial nanomaterials to freestanding sodium electrode is demonstrated. • Free-standing electrodes composed of TiO_2 and MWCNTs are hierarchically porous. • Hierarchical porous architecture benefits charge transport and interfacial Na"+ adsorption. • Free-standing hierarchical porous electrodes exhibit superior Na storage performance. - Abstract: Freestanding hierarchical porous assemblies of commercial TiO_2 nanocrystals and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as electrode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) are prepared via modified vacuum filtration, free-drying and annealing. Microstructure characterizations reveal that TiO_2 nanocrystals are confined in hierarchically porous, highly electrically conductive and mechanically robust MWCNTs networks with cross-linking of thermally-treated bovine serum albumin. The hierarchical porous architecture not only enables rapid charge transportation and sufficient interaction between electrode and electrolyte, but also guarantees abundant interfacial sites for Na"+ adsorption, which benefits substantial contribution from pseudocapacitive Na storage. When it is used directly as an anode for sodium-ion batteries, the prepared electrode delivers high specific capacity of 100 mA h g"−"1 at a current density of 3000 mA g"−"1, and 150 mA h g"−"1 after 500 cycles at a current density of 500 mA g"−"1. The low-cost TiO_2-based freestanding anode has large potential application in high-performance SIBs for portable, flexible and wearable electronics.

Effect of two Notebook stands on work posture and productivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Könemann, R.; Kuijt-Evers, L.F.M.; Lingen, P. van; Sauvage, S.; Hallbeck, S.

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using a notebook stand on the physical load when working with a notebook in a home environment. Sixteen subjects evaluated working with a notebook by performing three different tasks using two notebook stands and without using a notebook stand.

Information Retrieval on social network: An Adaptive Proof

Science.gov (United States)

Elveny, M.; Syah, R.; Elfida, M.; Nasution, M. K. M.

2018-01-01

Information Retrieval has become one of the areas for studying to get the trusty information, with which the recall and precision become the measurement form that represents it. Nevertheless, development in certain scientific fields make it possible to improve the performance of the Information Retrieval. In this case, through social networks whereby the role of social actor degrees plays a role. This is an implication of the query in which co-occurrence becomes an indication of social networks. An adaptive approach we use by involving this query in sequence to a stand-alone query, it has proven the relationship among them.

Popper, Rationality and the Possibility of Social Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danny Frederick

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Social science employs teleological explanations which depend upon the rationality principle, according to which people exhibit instrumental rationality. Popper points out that people also exhibit critical rationality, the tendency to stand back from, and to question or criticise, their views. I explain how our critical rationality impugns the explanatory value of the rationality principle and thereby threatens the very possibility of social science. I discuss the relationship between instrumental and critical rationality and show how we can reconcile our critical rationality with the possibility of social science if we invoke Popper’s conception of limited rationality and his indeterminism.

Multimode laser emission from free-standing cylindrical microcavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peter, Jaison, E-mail: jaisonpeter@cusat.ac.in; Radhakrishnan, P.; Nampoori, V.P.N.; Kailasnath, M.

2014-05-01

We report a well resolved whispering gallery mode (WGM) laser emission from a free-standing microring cavity based on a dye doped hollow polymer optical fiber (DDHPOF), which is transversely pumped by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The microring laser is characterized by a well-defined, low threshold pump power at which the emission spectral intensity dramatically increases and collapses into several dominant microcavity laser modes with reduced mode spacing and high Q-value. Resonant modes are excited inside the gain medium which is strongly confined along the radial direction so that the spacing of lasing modes is controlled by the diameter of the cylindrical microcavity. A variation in the free spectral range of WGM spectra from 0.23 to 0.09 nm coupled with a red-shift is observed with an increase in the diameter of DDHPOFs. - Highlights: • Different diameter free-standing cylindrical microcavity lasers have been fabricated and their performances have been evaluated. • The microring laser is characterized by a well-defined, low threshold pump power, with reduced mode spacing and high Q-value. • When the diameter of DDHPOF increases, the number of lasing peaks increases along with the decrease of the FSR as observed from our studies. • It is also found that whispering gallery lasing envelope is shifted from 559 to 571 nm (Stokes shift) with the diameter.

Standing crops and ecology of aquatic invertebrates in agricultural drainwater ponds in California

Science.gov (United States)

Euliss, N.H.; Jarvis, R.L.; Gilmer, D.S.

1991-01-01

We examined standing crops and ecology of aquatic invertebrates in agricultural drainwater evaporation ponds in California from October 1982 to March 1983 and September 1983 to March 1984. Evaporation ponds supported low diversities but high standing crops of aquatic invertebrates. A water boatman (Trichocorixa reticulata) and a midge (Tanypus grodhausi) were the most abundant invertebrates, constituting 44.9% and 51.4% of total macroinvertebrate biomass. Regression models indicated that of 6 environmental variables measured, only electrical conductivity (EC) and Julian date affected biomass and density of water boatmen. EC was the only significant correlate of midge biomass in evaporation ponds.

Intermittent Standing but not a Moderate Exercise Bout Reduces Postprandial Glycemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benatti, Fabiana B; Larsen, Sidsel A; Kofoed, Katja

2017-01-01

moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA), and 30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 15-min standing bouts every 30 min during 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA + STAND). Three standardized meals on intervention day (day 1) and breakfast the following day (day 2) were served....... RESULTS: Cumulative postprandial glucose response (incremental area under the curve) was lower in STAND versus SIT (↓27%, P = 0.04, effect size [ES] = -0.7) because of decreases in postprandial glucose after breakfast on day 1 (STAND vs SIT: ↓40%, P = 0.01, ES = -0.7) and day 2 (STAND vs SIT: ↓33%, P = 0...... breakfast on day 1 only (MVPA vs SIT: ↓36%, P = 0.003, ES = -0.7; MVPA + STAND vs SIT: ↓43%, P = 0.0001, ES = -0.8). CONCLUSION: Breaking up prolonged sitting with nonambulatory standing across 9 h acutely reduced postprandial glycemic response during and the day after the intervention independent...

Modelling Variable Fire Severity in Boreal Forests: Effects of Fire Intensity and Stand Structure.

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Miquelajauregui, Yosune; Cumming, Steven G; Gauthier, Sylvie

2016-01-01

It is becoming clear that fires in boreal forests are not uniformly stand-replacing. On the contrary, marked variation in fire severity, measured as tree mortality, has been found both within and among individual fires. It is important to understand the conditions under which this variation can arise. We integrated forest sample plot data, tree allometries and historical forest fire records within a diameter class-structured model of 1.0 ha patches of mono-specific black spruce and jack pine stands in northern Québec, Canada. The model accounts for crown fire initiation and vertical spread into the canopy. It uses empirical relations between fire intensity, scorch height, the percent of crown scorched and tree mortality to simulate fire severity, specifically the percent reduction in patch basal area due to fire-caused mortality. A random forest and a regression tree analysis of a large random sample of simulated fires were used to test for an effect of fireline intensity, stand structure, species composition and pyrogeographic regions on resultant severity. Severity increased with intensity and was lower for jack pine stands. The proportion of simulated fires that burned at high severity (e.g. >75% reduction in patch basal area) was 0.80 for black spruce and 0.11 for jack pine. We identified thresholds in intensity below which there was a marked sensitivity of simulated fire severity to stand structure, and to interactions between intensity and structure. We found no evidence for a residual effect of pyrogeographic region on simulated severity, after the effects of stand structure and species composition were accounted for. The model presented here was able to produce variation in fire severity under a range of fire intensity conditions. This suggests that variation in stand structure is one of the factors causing the observed variation in boreal fire severity.

Sway‐dependent changes in standing ankle stiffness caused by muscle thixotropy

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Sakanaka, Tania E.; Lakie, Martin

2016-01-01

Key points The passive stiffness of the calf muscles contributes to standing balance, although the properties of muscle tissue are highly labile.We investigated the effect of sway history upon intrinsic ankle stiffness and demonstrated reductions in stiffness of up to 43% during conditions of increased baseline sway.This sway dependence was most apparent when using low amplitude stiffness‐measuring perturbations, and the short‐range stiffness component was smaller during periods of high sway.These characteristics are consistent with the thixotropic properties of the calf muscles causing the observed changes in ankle stiffness.Periods of increased sway impair the passive stabilization of standing, demanding more active neural control of balance. Abstract Quiet standing is achieved through a combination of active and passive mechanisms, consisting of neural control and intrinsic mechanical stiffness of the ankle joint, respectively. The mechanical stiffness is partly determined by the calf muscles. However, the viscoelastic properties of muscle are highly labile, exhibiting a strong dependence on movement history. By measuring the effect of sway history upon ankle stiffness, the present study determines whether this lability has consequences for the passive stabilization of human standing. Ten subjects stood quietly on a rotating platform whose axis was collinear with the ankle joint. Ankle sway was increased by slowly tilting this platform in a random fashion, or decreased by fixing the body to a board. Ankle stiffness was measured by using the same platform to simultaneously apply small, brief perturbations (ankle stiffness by up to 43% compared to the body‐fixed condition. Normal quiet stance was associated with intermediate values. The effect was most apparent when using smaller perturbation amplitudes to measure stiffness (0.1 vs. 0.6 deg). Furthermore, torque responses exhibited a biphasic pattern, consisting of an initial steep rise followed by a

Social skills group training in high-functioning autism: A qualitative responder study.

Science.gov (United States)

Choque Olsson, Nora; Rautio, Daniel; Asztalos, Jenny; Stoetzer, Ulrich; Bölte, Sven

2016-11-01

Systematic reviews show some evidence for the efficacy of group-based social skills group training in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, but more rigorous research is needed to endorse generalizability. In addition, little is known about the perspectives of autistic individuals participating in social skills group training. Using a qualitative approach, the objective of this study was to examine experiences and opinions about social skills group training of children and adolescents with higher functioning autism spectrum disorder and their parents following participation in a manualized social skills group training ("KONTAKT"). Within an ongoing randomized controlled clinical trial (NCT01854346) and based on outcome data from the Social Responsiveness Scale, six high responders and five low-to-non-responders to social skills group training and one parent of each child (N = 22) were deep interviewed. Interestingly, both high responders and low-to-non-responders (and their parents) reported improvements in social communication and related skills (e.g. awareness of own difficulties, self-confidence, independence in everyday life) and overall treatment satisfaction, although more positive intervention experiences were expressed by responders. These findings highlight the added value of collecting verbal data in addition to quantitative data in a comprehensive evaluation of social skills group training. © The Author(s) 2016.

Effect of Forcing Function on Nonlinear Acoustic Standing Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Finkheiner, Joshua R.; Li, Xiao-Fan; Raman, Ganesh; Daniels, Chris; Steinetz, Bruce

2003-01-01

Nonlinear acoustic standing waves of high amplitude have been demonstrated by utilizing the effects of resonator shape to prevent the pressure waves from entering saturation. Experimentally, nonlinear acoustic standing waves have been generated by shaking an entire resonating cavity. While this promotes more efficient energy transfer than a piston-driven resonator, it also introduces complicated structural dynamics into the system. Experiments have shown that these dynamics result in resonator forcing functions comprised of a sum of several Fourier modes. However, previous numerical studies of the acoustics generated within the resonator assumed simple sinusoidal waves as the driving force. Using a previously developed numerical code, this paper demonstrates the effects of using a forcing function constructed with a series of harmonic sinusoidal waves on resonating cavities. From these results, a method will be demonstrated which allows the direct numerical analysis of experimentally generated nonlinear acoustic waves in resonators driven by harmonic forcing functions.

Integrating Social Services and Home-Based Primary Care for High-Risk Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Feinglass, Joe; Norman, Greg; Golden, Robyn L; Muramatsu, Naoko; Gelder, Michael; Cornwell, Thomas

2018-04-01

There is a consensus that our current hospital-intensive approach to care is deeply flawed. This review article describes the research evidence for developing a better system of care for high-cost, high-risk patients. It reviews the evidence that home-centered care and integration of health care with social services are the cornerstones of a more humane and efficient system. The article describes the strengths and weaknesses of research evaluating the effects of social services in addressing social determinants of health, and how social support is critical to successful acute care transition programs. It reviews the history of incorporating social services into care management, and the prospects that recent payment reforms and regulatory initiatives can succeed in stimulating the financial integration of social services into new care coordination initiatives. The article reviews the literature on home-based primary care for the chronically ill and disabled, and suggests that it is the emergence of this care modality that holds the greatest promise for delivery system reform. In the hope of stimulating further discussion and debate, the authors summarize existing viewpoints on how a home-centered system, which integrates social and medical services, might emerge in the next few years.

Using the SUBER model for assessing the impact of cork debarking rotation on equivalent annual annuity in Portuguese stands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulo, J.A.; Tomé, M.

2017-01-01

Aim of study: Use the SUBER model to evaluate the influence of the cork debarking rotation period (CDR) on equivalent annual annuity (EAA) value. Area of study: Nine simulated stands, varying in site index (14.4, 15.6, 17.1) and cork quality characteristics (high, medium, low). Material and methods: EAA values were computed considering CDR periods varying from 9 to 14 years, two contrasting structures of cork prices (high and low cork price scenarios), and three discount rate values (0.5%, 2% and 5%). Main results: For discount rates of 0.5% and 2% the impact of different CDR on the EAA is similar. In stands characterized by high to average site index values or high to medium cork quality characteristics, CDR of 9 and 11 years are associated with similar values of EAA. The variation of the CDR in stands characterized by low site index values and/or low cork quality characteristics did not have a relevant effect on the variation of EAA. For the simulations carried out with a discount rate of 5% the EAA decreases with the increase of CDR, indicating that the minimum legal value of 9 years for CDR should be applied. Research highlights: In stands characterized by high to average site index values or high to medium cork quality characteristics, a delay in the debarking may result in a significant increase of cork thickness and, as a result, of cork price. Detailed knowledge of cork and stand characteristics and updated information on cork prices structure and values are essential for the best usage of management tools such as the SUBER model, which can contribute to the decision-making process concerning the debarking operation.

Using the SUBER model for assessing the impact of cork debarking rotation on equivalent annual annuity in Portuguese stands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paulo, J.A.; Tomé, M.

2017-11-01

Aim of study: Use the SUBER model to evaluate the influence of the cork debarking rotation period (CDR) on equivalent annual annuity (EAA) value. Area of study: Nine simulated stands, varying in site index (14.4, 15.6, 17.1) and cork quality characteristics (high, medium, low). Material and methods: EAA values were computed considering CDR periods varying from 9 to 14 years, two contrasting structures of cork prices (high and low cork price scenarios), and three discount rate values (0.5%, 2% and 5%). Main results: For discount rates of 0.5% and 2% the impact of different CDR on the EAA is similar. In stands characterized by high to average site index values or high to medium cork quality characteristics, CDR of 9 and 11 years are associated with similar values of EAA. The variation of the CDR in stands characterized by low site index values and/or low cork quality characteristics did not have a relevant effect on the variation of EAA. For the simulations carried out with a discount rate of 5% the EAA decreases with the increase of CDR, indicating that the minimum legal value of 9 years for CDR should be applied. Research highlights: In stands characterized by high to average site index values or high to medium cork quality characteristics, a delay in the debarking may result in a significant increase of cork thickness and, as a result, of cork price. Detailed knowledge of cork and stand characteristics and updated information on cork prices structure and values are essential for the best usage of management tools such as the SUBER model, which can contribute to the decision-making process concerning the debarking operation.

Relationship of stand age to streamwater nitrate in New Hampshire

Science.gov (United States)

William B. Leak; C. Wayne Martin

1975-01-01

Streamwater nitrate content of six watersheds during spring and summer was apparently related to stand age or age since disturbance. Nitrate concentration averaged 10.3 ppm right after cutting, dropped to a trace in medium-aged stands, and then rose again to a maximum of 4.8 ppm as stands became overmature.

Production economics of harvesting young hardwood stands in central Appalachia

Science.gov (United States)

Yaoxiang Li; Jingxin Wang; Gary W. Miller; Joe McNeel

2004-01-01

Three harvesting systems of chainsaw/cable skidder, fell-buncher/grapple skidder, and harvester/forwarder were simulated in harvesting three hardwood stands of 30 to 50 years old in central Appalachia. Stands were generated by using a stand generator and harvesting prescriptions included clearcut, shelterwood cut, selective cut, diameter limit cut, and crop tree...

Slot-coupled CW standing wave accelerating cavity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Shaoheng; Rimmer, Robert; Wang, Haipeng

2017-05-16

A slot-coupled CW standing wave multi-cell accelerating cavity. To achieve high efficiency graded beta acceleration, each cell in the multi-cell cavity may include different cell lengths. Alternatively, to achieve high efficiency with acceleration for particles with beta equal to 1, each cell in the multi-cell cavity may include the same cell design. Coupling between the cells is achieved with a plurality of axially aligned kidney-shaped slots on the wall between cells. The slot-coupling method makes the design very compact. The shape of the cell, including the slots and the cone, are optimized to maximize the power efficiency and minimize the peak power density on the surface. The slots are non-resonant, thereby enabling shorter slots and less power loss.

Social balance sheet 2000 of COPEL - Electrical Company of Parana State, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon

2000-01-01

The COPEL - Electrical Company of Parana State, Brazil social balance report of calendar year of 2000 is presented, covering the following topics: COPEL - standing for much more than energy; extending the benefits of electricity to everyone in Parana state, Brazil; protecting and recovering the environment; philanthropy and volunteer work; education; social integration; support to cultural expression and gratitude

Measuring large-scale social networks with high resolution.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arkadiusz Stopczynski

Full Text Available This paper describes the deployment of a large-scale study designed to measure human interactions across a variety of communication channels, with high temporal resolution and spanning multiple years-the Copenhagen Networks Study. Specifically, we collect data on face-to-face interactions, telecommunication, social networks, location, and background information (personality, demographics, health, politics for a densely connected population of 1000 individuals, using state-of-the-art smartphones as social sensors. Here we provide an overview of the related work and describe the motivation and research agenda driving the study. Additionally, the paper details the data-types measured, and the technical infrastructure in terms of both backend and phone software, as well as an outline of the deployment procedures. We document the participant privacy procedures and their underlying principles. The paper is concluded with early results from data analysis, illustrating the importance of multi-channel high-resolution approach to data collection.

Effects of bilateral swing-away grab bars on the biomechanics of stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand toilet transfers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Su Jin; Mehta-Desai, Ricky; Oh, Kyunggeune; Sanford, Jon; Prilutsky, Boris I

2018-03-09

Kinetic characteristics of transfers to and from a toilet performed using bilateral grab bars are not fully quantified to inform grab bar design and configuration. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine effects of bilateral swing-away grab bars on peaks of ankle, knee and hip joint moments during grab bar assisted stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand transfers; and (2) determine effects of three different heights and widths of swing-away grab bars on the same kinetic characteristics. Healthy subjects (N = 11, age 25-58 years) performed stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand transfers with and without grab bars. In transfers with grab bars, 9 grab bar configurations were tested by varying their height from the floor (0.787 m, 0.813 m, 0.838 m; 31″-33″) and width, the distance of each grab bar from the toilet's centerline (0.330 m, 0.356 m, 0.381 m; 13″-15″). Motion capture, force plate and inverse dynamics analysis were used to determine lower limb joint moments. The use of bilateral grab bars generally reduced the peak magnitude of extension moments at lower limb joints during stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand transfers (p away grab bars is useful for informing grab bar design and configuration recommendations for assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Our findings suggest that the swing-away grab bars located at certain ranges are a reasonable alternative to the grab bars mandated by the current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines. Future research investigating the effects of grab bars on transfer performance should consider additional factors, such as a wider range of abilities and transfer methods of the users.

Self-esteem and social respect within the high school.

Science.gov (United States)

Yelsma, P; Yelsma, J

1998-08-01

A sample of 596 students in a Michigan high school completed 2 measures of self-esteem (S. Coopersmith, 1967; M. Rosenberg, 1979) and the English translation of the Social Behaviors Scale (M. Loranger, M. Poirier, D. Gauthier, & J. Talon, 1982). Factor analysis of the 36-item Social Behaviors Scale revealed 5 factors appropriate for assessing social respect. Regression analyses revealed that scores for total self-esteem and global self-esteem were significant predictors of total social respect. The scores for total self-esteem were also significantly associated with respect for teachers and for appropriate language. The females reported more respect for teachers, others, appropriate language, and physical property than the males did. The seniors reported more respect for appropriate language, teachers, and others than the freshmen did. Total self-esteem was significantly and negatively associated with respect for waiting and listening. Global self-esteem was significantly and negatively associated with respect for physical property.

High-Impact Social Work Scholars: A Bibliometric Examination of SSWR and AASWSW Fellows

Science.gov (United States)

Hodge, David R.; Kremer, Kristen P.; Vaughn, Michael G.

2016-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the bibliometric contributions of high-impact social work faculty. Methods: Toward this end, we used a sample comprising fellows (N = 143) affiliated with the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW). To quantify…

TACKLED - THE IMMERSION OF SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION INTOTHE REALM OF HIGH COLLISION SPORTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiffanie-Victoria Jones

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Imagine a day when social work is tackled by high collision sports. Athletesactually seek services from social workers becausesocial work profession isthoroughly immersed in the realm of these sports.Presently, that image is justthat – a remote idea that, if realized, would alterthe landscape of the field ofmental health, for the benefit of professional athletes who play high collisionsports. Undergirding this paper is a case study ofa professional athlete whoexperienced the worst case of sports-related braindamage presently documented.This paper includes a detailed analysis of social work core values as applied toathletes. As well, mental illness and psychosocialfactors, specific to athletes isanalyzed. Ultimately, this paper seeks to explorethe social workers’ role inserving the mental health needs of an unconventional clientele – professionalathletes in high collision sports.

Low-Cost and High-Productivity Three-Dimensional Nanocapacitors Based on Stand-Up ZnO Nanowires for Energy Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Lei; Liu, Qi-Xuan; Zhu, Bao; Liu, Wen-Jun; Ding, Shi-Jin; Lu, Hong-Liang; Jiang, Anquan; Zhang, David Wei

2016-12-01

Highly powered electrostatic capacitors based on nanostructures with a high aspect ratio are becoming critical for advanced energy storage technology because of their high burst power and energy storage capability. We report the fabrication process and the electrical characteristics of high capacitance density capacitors with three-dimensional solid-state nanocapacitors based on a ZnO nanowire template. Stand-up ZnO nanowires are grown face down on p-type Si substrates coated with a ZnO seed layer using a hydrothermal method. Stacks of AlZnO/Al2O3/AlZnO are then deposited sequentially on the ZnO nanowires using atomic layer deposition. The fabricated capacitor has a high capacitance density up to 92 fF/μm(2) at 1 kHz (around ten times that of the planar capacitor without nanowires) and an extremely low leakage current density of 3.4 × 10(-8) A/cm(2) at 2 V for a 5-nm Al2O3 dielectric. Additionally, the charge-discharge characteristics of the capacitor were investigated, indicating that the resistance-capacitance time constants were 550 ns for both the charging and discharging processes and the time constant was not dependent on the voltage. This reflects good power characteristics of the fabricated capacitors. Therefore, the current work provides an exciting strategy to fabricate low-cost and easily processable, high capacitance density capacitors for energy storage.

Regional Instability in the Abundance of Open Stands in the Boreal Forest of Eastern Canada

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Rija Rapanoela

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Fires are a key disturbance of boreal forests. In fact, they are the main source of renewal and evolution for forest stands. The variability of fire through space and time results in a diversified forest mosaic, altering their species composition, structure and productivity. A resilient forest is assumed to be in a state of dynamic equilibrium with the fire regime, so that the composition, age structure and succession stages of forests should be consistent with the fire regime. Dense spruce-moss stands tend, however, to diminish in favour of more open stands similar to spruce-lichen stands when subjected to more frequent and recurring disturbances. This study therefore focused on the effects of spatial and temporal variations in burn rates on the proportion of open stands over a large geographic area (175,000 km2 covered by black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill. Britton, Sterns, Poggenb.. The study area was divided into 10 different zones according to burn rates, as measured using fire-related data collected between 1940 and 2006. To test if the abundance of open stands was unstable over time and not in equilibrium with the current fire regime, forest succession was simulated using a landscape dynamics model that showed that the abundance of open stands should increase progressively over time in zones where the average burn rate is high. The proportion of open stands generated during a specific historical period is correlated with the burn rate observed during the same period. Rising annual burn rates over the past two decades have thereby resulted in an immediate increase in the proportion of open stands. There is therefore a difference between the current proportion of open stands and the one expected if vegetation was in equilibrium with the disturbance regime, reflecting an instability that may significantly impact the way forest resources are managed. It is apparent from this study that forestry planning should consider the risks associated

A Measurement System of Electric Signals on Standing Trees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao TIAN

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The standing tree electric signal (STES, defined as the electric potential difference between standing trees and the surrounding soil, can be utilized to reflect the biological nature of the trees. This signal should be measured precisely because it can also be collected and used as the electric power energy. In this paper, the automatic measurement system of standing tree biological electric signal based on MSP430 MCU. First of all, the basic structure of the presented system is introduced and it includes three modules: amplification module of the standing tree electric signal, the acquisition and processing of the signal module and the serial communication module. Then, the performances of the built system are respectively validated by the Poplar, Planetree, and Platanus in Beijing Forestry University. The result indicated that the relative error of this system is less than 2 %. The presented system can be considered as the foundation of the subsequent study on the mechanism of the biological electric signal and the application of the biological electric energy on standing trees.

Faster but Less Careful Prehension in Presence of High, Rather than Low, Social Status Attendees.

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Carlo Fantoni

Full Text Available Ample evidence attests that social intention, elicited through gestures explicitly signaling a request of communicative intention, affects the patterning of hand movement kinematics. The current study goes beyond the effect of social intention and addresses whether the same action of reaching to grasp an object for placing it in an end target position within or without a monitoring attendee's peripersonal space, can be moulded by pure social factors in general, and by social facilitation in particular. A motion tracking system (Optotrak Certus was used to record motor acts. We carefully avoided the usage of communicative intention by keeping constant both the visual information and the positional uncertainty of the end target position, while we systematically varied the social status of the attendee (a high, or a low social status in separated blocks. Only thirty acts performed in the presence of a different social status attendee, revealed a significant change of kinematic parameterization of hand movement, independently of the attendee's distance. The amplitude of peak velocity reached by the hand during the reach-to-grasp and the lift-to-place phase of the movement was larger in the high rather than in the low social status condition. By contrast, the deceleration time of the reach-to-grasp phase and the maximum grasp aperture was smaller in the high rather than in the low social status condition. These results indicated that the hand movement was faster but less carefully shaped in presence of a high, but not of a low social status attendee. This kinematic patterning suggests that being monitored by a high rather than a low social status attendee might lead participants to experience evaluation apprehension that informs the control of motor execution. Motor execution would rely more on feedforward motor control in the presence of a high social status human attendee, vs. feedback motor control, in the presence of a low social status attendee.

A 3D stand generator for central Appalachian hardwood forests

Science.gov (United States)

Jingxin Wang; Yaoxiang Li; Gary W. Miller

2002-01-01

A 3-dimensional (3D) stand generator was developed for central Appalachian hardwood forests. It was designed for a harvesting simulator to examine the interactions of stand, harvest, and machine. The Component Object Model (COM) was used to design and implement the program. Input to the generator includes species composition, stand density, and spatial pattern. Output...

Evaluating biomechanics of user-selected sitting and standing computer workstation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Michael Y; Barbir, Ana; Dennerlein, Jack T

2017-11-01

A standing computer workstation has now become a popular modern work place intervention to reduce sedentary behavior at work. However, user's interaction related to a standing computer workstation and its differences with a sitting workstation need to be understood to assist in developing recommendations for use and set up. The study compared the differences in upper extremity posture and muscle activity between user-selected sitting and standing workstation setups. Twenty participants (10 females, 10 males) volunteered for the study. 3-D posture, surface electromyography, and user-reported discomfort were measured while completing simulated tasks with each participant's self-selected workstation setups. Sitting computer workstation associated with more non-neutral shoulder postures and greater shoulder muscle activity, while standing computer workstation induced greater wrist adduction angle and greater extensor carpi radialis muscle activity. Sitting computer workstation also associated with greater shoulder abduction postural variation (90th-10th percentile) while standing computer workstation associated with greater variation for should rotation and wrist extension. Users reported similar overall discomfort levels within the first 10 min of work but had more than twice as much discomfort while standing than sitting after 45 min; with most discomfort reported in the low back for standing and shoulder for sitting. These different measures provide understanding in users' different interactions with sitting and standing and by alternating between the two configurations in short bouts may be a way of changing the loading pattern on the upper extremity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial results for a 170 GHz high power ITER waveguide component test stand

Science.gov (United States)

Bigelow, Timothy; Barker, Alan; Dukes, Carl; Killough, Stephen; Kaufman, Michael; White, John; Bell, Gary; Hanson, Greg; Rasmussen, Dave

2014-10-01

A high power microwave test stand is being setup at ORNL to enable prototype testing of 170 GHz cw waveguide components being developed for the ITER ECH system. The ITER ECH system will utilize 63.5 mm diameter evacuated corrugated waveguide and will have 24 >150 m long runs. A 170 GHz 1 MW class gyrotron is being developed by Communications and Power Industries and is nearing completion. A HVDC power supply, water-cooling and control system has been partially tested in preparation for arrival of the gyrotron. The power supply and water-cooling system are being designed to operate for >3600 second pulses to simulate the operating conditions planned for the ITER ECH system. The gyrotron Gaussian beam output has a single mirror for focusing into a 63.5 mm corrugated waveguide in the vertical plane. The output beam and mirror are enclosed in an evacuated duct with absorber for stray radiation. Beam alignment with the waveguide is a critical task so a combination of mirror tilt adjustments and a bellows for offsets will be provided. Analysis of thermal patterns on thin witness plates will provide gyrotron mode purity and waveguide coupling efficiency data. Pre-prototype waveguide components and two dummy loads are available for initial operational testing of the gyrotron. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. Dept. of Energy under Contract DE-AC-05-00OR22725.

Measurement properties and feasibility of clinical tests to assess sit-to-stand/stand-to-sit tasks in subjects with neurological disease: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula F. S. Silva

2014-04-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Subjects with neurological disease (ND usually show impaired performance during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks, with a consequent reduction in their mobility levels. OBJECTIVE: To determine the measurement properties and feasibility previously investigated for clinical tests that evaluate sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit in subjects with ND. METHOD: A systematic literature review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol was performed. Systematic literature searches of databases (MEDLINE/SCIELO/LILACS/PEDro were performed to identify relevant studies. In all studies, the following inclusion criteria were assessed: investigation of any measurement property or the feasibility of clinical tests that evaluate sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks in subjects with ND published in any language through December 2012. The COSMIN checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included. The measurement properties/feasibility were most commonly investigated for the five-repetition sit-to-stand test, which showed good test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient:ICC=0.94-0.99 for subjects with stroke, cerebral palsy and dementia. The ICC values were higher for this test than for the number of repetitions in the 30-s test. The five-repetition sit-to-stand test also showed good inter/intra-rater reliabilities (ICC=0.97-0.99 for stroke and inter-rater reliability (ICC=0.99 for subjects with Parkinson disease and incomplete spinal cord injury. For this test, the criterion-related validity for subjects with stroke, cerebral palsy and incomplete spinal cord injury was, in general, moderate (correlation=0.40-0.77, and the feasibility and safety were good for subjects with Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS: The five-repetition sit-to-stand test was used more often in subjects with ND, and most of the measurement

39 CFR 122.2 - Stand-alone special services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Stand-alone special services. 122.2 Section 122.2 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE POST OFFICE SERVICES [DOMESTIC MAIL] SERVICE STANDARDS FOR MARKET-DOMINANT SPECIAL SERVICES PRODUCTS § 122.2 Stand-alone special services. (a) The service standard...

The effectiveness of sit-stand workstations for changing office workers' sitting time: results from the Stand@Work randomized controlled trial pilot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chau, J.Y.; Daley, M.; Dunn, S.; Srinivasan, A.; Do, A.; Bauman, A.E.; van der Ploeg, H.P.

2014-01-01

Prolonged sitting time is detrimental for health. Individuals with desk-based occupations tend to sit a great deal and sit-stand workstations have been identified as a potential strategy to reduce sitting time. Hence, the objective of the current study was to examine the effects of using sit-stand

Hidden marker position estimation during sit-to-stand with walker.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Sang Ho; Jun, Hong Gul; Dan, Byung Ju; Jo, Byeong Rim; Min, Byung Hoon

2012-01-01

Motion capture analysis of sit-to-stand task with assistive device is hard to achieve due to obstruction on reflective makers. Previously developed robotic system, Smart Mobile Walker, is used as an assistive device to perform motion capture analysis in sit-to-stand task. All lower limb markers except hip markers are invisible through whole session. The link-segment and regression method is applied to estimate the marker position during sit-to-stand. Applying a new method, the lost marker positions are restored and the biomechanical evaluation of the sit-to-stand movement with a Smart Mobile Walker could be carried out. The accuracy of the marker position estimation is verified with normal sit-to-stand data from more than 30 clinical trials. Moreover, further research on improving the link segment and regression method is addressed.

A Cryogenic Test Stand for Large Superconducting Solenoid Magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rabehl, R. [Fermilab; Carcagno, R. [Fermilab; Nogiec, J. [Fermilab; Orris, D. [Fermilab; Soyars, W. [Fermilab; Sylvester, C. [Fermilab

2013-01-01

A new test stand for testing large superconducting solenoid magnets at the Fermilab Central Helium Liquifier (CHL) has been designed, and operated. This test stand has been used to test a coupling coil for the Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment (MICE), and future uses include solenoids for the Fermilab mu2e experiment. This paper describes the test stand design and operation including controlled cool-down and warm-up. Overviews of the process controls system and the quench management system are also included.

Analysis and modeling of social influence in high performance computing workloads

KAUST Repository

Zheng, Shuai

2011-01-01

Social influence among users (e.g., collaboration on a project) creates bursty behavior in the underlying high performance computing (HPC) workloads. Using representative HPC and cluster workload logs, this paper identifies, analyzes, and quantifies the level of social influence across HPC users. We show the existence of a social graph that is characterized by a pattern of dominant users and followers. This pattern also follows a power-law distribution, which is consistent with those observed in mainstream social networks. Given its potential impact on HPC workloads prediction and scheduling, we propose a fast-converging, computationally-efficient online learning algorithm for identifying social groups. Extensive evaluation shows that our online algorithm can (1) quickly identify the social relationships by using a small portion of incoming jobs and (2) can efficiently track group evolution over time. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Overdetermined shooting methods for computing standing water waves with spectral accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkening, Jon; Yu Jia

2012-01-01

A high-performance shooting algorithm is developed to compute time-periodic solutions of the free-surface Euler equations with spectral accuracy in double and quadruple precision. The method is used to study resonance and its effect on standing water waves. We identify new nucleation mechanisms in which isolated large-amplitude solutions, and closed loops of such solutions, suddenly exist for depths below a critical threshold. We also study degenerate and secondary bifurcations related to Wilton's ripples in the traveling case, and explore the breakdown of self-similarity at the crests of extreme standing waves. In shallow water, we find that standing waves take the form of counter-propagating solitary waves that repeatedly collide quasi-elastically. In deep water with surface tension, we find that standing waves resemble counter-propagating depression waves. We also discuss the existence and non-uniqueness of solutions, and smooth versus erratic dependence of Fourier modes on wave amplitude and fluid depth. In the numerical method, robustness is achieved by posing the problem as an overdetermined nonlinear system and using either adjoint-based minimization techniques or a quadratically convergent trust-region method to minimize the objective function. Efficiency is achieved in the trust-region approach by parallelizing the Jacobian computation, so the setup cost of computing the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator in the variational equation is not repeated for each column. Updates of the Jacobian are also delayed until the previous Jacobian ceases to be useful. Accuracy is maintained using spectral collocation with optional mesh refinement in space, a high-order Runge–Kutta or spectral deferred correction method in time and quadruple precision for improved navigation of delicate regions of parameter space as well as validation of double-precision results. Implementation issues for transferring much of the computation to a graphic processing units are briefly

Isopropyl alcohol tank installed at A-3 Test Stand

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

An isopropyl alcohol (IPA) tank is lifted into place at the A-3 Test Stand being built at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. Fourteen IPA, water and liquid oxygen (LOX) tanks are being installed to support the chemical steam generators to be used on the A-3 Test Stand. The IPA and LOX tanks will provide fuel for the generators. The water will allow the generators to produce steam that will be used to reduce pressure inside the stand's test cell diffuser, enabling operators to simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet. In that way, operators can perform the tests needed on rocket engines being built to carry humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. The A-3 Test Stand is set for completion and activation in 2011.

Standing wave accelerating structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zavadtsev, A.A.; Zverev, B.V.; Sobepin, N.P.

1984-01-01

Accelerating ELA structures are considered and chosen for applied purposes of special designation. Accelerating structures with the standing wave are considered most effective for small size ELA. Designs and results of experimental investigation of two new accelerating structures are described. These are structures of the ''ring'' type with a decreased number of excitinq oscillation types and strucuture with transverse rods with a twice smaller transverse size as compared with the biperiodical structure with internal connection resonators. The accelerating biperiodical structures of the conventional type by the fact that the whole structure is not a linear chain of connected resonators, but a ring one. Model tests have shown that the homogeneous structure with transverse rods (STR) at the frequency of 2.8 GHz in the regime of the standing wave has an effective shunt resistance equalling 23 MOhm/m. It is shown that the small transverse size of biperiodic STR makes its application in logging linear electron accelerators

Impairments in static standing balance are highly prevalent among older adults receiving home-based physical therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Richard W

2012-01-01

Measures of balance are an important component of the physical therapist examination. This study investigated the usefulness of timed static stance durations for identifying balance impairments among patients receiving home-based physical therapy. This study involved the retrospective retrieval of data from the records of 48 patients at least 60 years of age. Their balance was measured under 3 foot configurations; that is, feet apart, feet together, and on each foot. Every patient demonstrated impaired standing balance. Most, but not all could balance 30 seconds with the feet apart or together. Only 19 could maintain balance on each of both feet. Of those who could so balance, none was able to achieve the average time of normal individuals of comparable age. Although not able to identify all aspects of balance, timed durations of stance under different configurations demonstrate a high prevalence of balance impairments among patients receiving home-based physical therapy. As the tests are objective, fast, and require little space, they can be advocated in such a setting.

Contribution to the study of standing wave bi-periodical accelerating structures for electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuhrmann, Celso

1985-01-01

Experimental results on bi-periodic standing wave accelerating structures are presented. These structures which are characterized by a high effective shunt impedance, are designed for standing wave, high duty cycle electron accelerators. Two types of structures are studied: the on-axis coupled structure and the coaxial coupled structure. The expressions for the dispersion relation, coupling coefficients, phase and group velocity are derived from a coupled resonator model. An experimental method to eliminate the stop-band is put forward. The influence of the coupling slots on the dispersion curves is studied experimentally. The effective shunt impedance and the transit time factor are measured by the field perturbation techniques. Measured parameters are compared with SUPERFISH theoretical calculations. The field perturbation technique is also applied to measure the transverse shunt impedance of the dipole modes which are responsible for the beam breakup phenomenon. (author) [fr

Highly flexible self-standing film electrode composed of mesoporous rutile TiO2/C nanofibers for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Bote; Cai Rui; Jiang Simin; Sha Yujing; Shao Zongping

2012-01-01

There is increasing interest in flexible, safe, high-power thin-film lithium-ion batteries which can be applied to various modern devices. Although TiO 2 in rutile phase is highly attractive as an anode material of lithium-ion batteries for its high thermal stability and theoretical capacity of 336 mA h g −1 and low price, its inflexibility and sluggish lithium intercalation kinetics of bulk phase strongly limit its practical application for particular in thin-film electrode. Here we show a simple way to prepare highly flexible self-standing thin-film electrodes composed of mesoporous rutile TiO 2 /C nanofibers with low carbon content ( 2 in as-fabricated nanofibers. Big size (10 cm × 4 cm), flexible thin film is obtained after heat treatment under 10%H 2 –Ar at 900 °C for 3 h. After optimization, the diameter of fibers can reach as small as ∼110 nm, and the as-prepared rutile TiO 2 films show high initial electrochemical activity with the first discharge capacity as high as 388 mA h g −1 . What is more, very stable reversible capacities of ∼122, 92, and 70 mA h g −1 are achieved respectively at 1, 5 and 10 C rates with negligible decay rate within 100 cycling times.

MARGINALIZATION OF DEPARTMENTS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LANGUAGES IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN DENPASAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Wayan Winaja

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Learning should be focused on the social and cultural development of intellectual ability, and encourage the learner’s comprehension and knowledge in order to produce intelligent and educated society. From the data collected from Public Senior High School 1 Denpasar and Dwijendra Senior High School Denpasar, it was found that the departments of social sciences and languages were seriously marginalized, indicated by the time allocated for social sciences and languages. The time allocated for Natural Sciences such as chemistry, physics, and biology averaged three hours a week. The additional ‘extra’ time allocated for Natural Sciences made the overall time allocated for them double the overall time allocated for Social Sciences such as economics, history sociology, and geography. Furthermore, the time allocated for one of them was one hour a week. The knowledge presented by the books of Natural Sciences was highly “instrumentalist-positivistic”; unlike the books of social sciences which only provided academic normative information. The modernity contained in “instrumentative positivism” was the philosophy which gave more priority to practical things and hard work with financial success as the main criterion. It was concluded that the marginalization of the departments of social sciences and languages in Public Senior High School 1 Denpasar and Dwijendra Senior High School Denpasar resulted from modernism, the culture of image, and the image that natural sciences were more advantageous than social sciences and languages.

Soil microbial biomass under pine forests in the north-western Spain: influence of stand age, site index and parent material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahia, J.; Perez-Ventura, L.; Cabaneiro, A.; Diaz-Ravina, M.

2006-07-01

The effects of stand age, site index and parent material on soil biochemical properties related to biomass (extractable C, microbial C and metabolic quotient) were examined in the 0-15 cm mineral soil layers of Pinus pinaster and Pinus sylvestris stand from NW Spain. Two productivity levels (low and high site index), two ages (young and old) and two parent soil materials (granite and acid schists) were considered. The data indicated that there were differences in microbial parameters in soils under different species. In general in P. pinaster forest higher values of biochemical parameters expressed on organic C basis, were observed in the stands of high site index as compared with the low ones; in contrast, in P. sylvestris no differences among stand site index were detected. In both species different results were also observed depending on parent material and a significant effect of stand age was detected for extractable C and microbial C in P. pinaster forest developed over granite. The data seem to indicate that measured parameters may have the potential to be used as indicators of the effect of forest management on soil organic matter quality. (Author) 25 refs.

Predicting ethnicity with first names in online social media networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bas Hofstra

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Social scientists increasingly use (big social media data to illuminate long-standing substantive questions in social science research. However, a key challenge of analyzing such data is their lower level of individual detail compared to highly detailed survey data. This limits the scope of substantive questions that can be addressed with these data. In this study, we provide a method to upgrade individual detail in terms of ethnicity in data gathered from social media via the use of register data. Our research aim is twofold: first, we predict the most likely value of ethnicity, given one's first name, and second, we show how one can test hypotheses with the predicted values for ethnicity as an independent variable while simultaneously accounting for the uncertainty in these predictions. We apply our method to social network data collected from Facebook. We illustrate our approach and provide an example of hypothesis testing using our procedure, i.e., estimating the relation between predicted network ethnic homogeneity on Facebook and trust in institutions. In a comparison of our method with two other methods, we find that our method provides the most conservative tests of hypotheses. We discuss the promise of our approach and pinpoint future research directions.

Rehabilitation of Understocked Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands - I. Recently Cutover Natural Stands

Science.gov (United States)

James B. Baker; Michael G. Shelton

1998-01-01

A 1988 USDA Forest Service report indicated that 22% (40 million ac) of the commercial timberland in the South was understocked (less than 60% stocking) with desirable tree species for timber production (USDA Forest Service 1988). The understocked stands are usually the result of past har-vesting practices, natural catastrophes, or regeneration fail-ures. Understocked...

Social acceptance of high school students in classroom and on Facebook

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanja Špes

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between social acceptance in classroom and social acceptance on Facebook. In this study social acceptance was operationalized as social preference and as sociometric status. First, we examined whether intensity of Facebook usage, time spent on Facebook, and social preference in classroom predict social preference on Facebook. Second, we examined the relationship between sociometric status in classroom and sociometric status on Facebook. We used Facebook intensity scale (FBI and two versions of sociometric test (with regard to peer relations in the classroom and on Facebook. The participants were 188 high school students, 117 females (57.4% and 71 males (34.8%, between 16 and 19 years of age. The results have shown that social preference in classroom significantly predicts social preference on Facebook and that there is a positive moderate correlation between sociometric status in classroom and sociometric status on Facebook. These results are important for implementation of preventive strategies for students, who are rejected and are victims of bullying.

Social Capital and Economic Integration of Migrants in Urban China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yao; Ruan, Danching; Lai, Gina

2013-07-01

Based on data from a 2005 survey conducted in Shanghai, China, this research examines the role of social capital in income inequality between rural migrants and urbanites. We find strong income return on social capital, in particular on social capital from strong ties. We also observe a great disparity in social capital possession between rural migrants and urban local residents. Although social capital from strong ties seems to be more important for rural migrants than for urbanites, local ties and high-status ties do not seem to benefit rural migrants. Hence, migrants not only suffer severe social capital deficits but also capital return deficits. Given the strong income returns on social capital and the substantial differences in access to and return on social capital between migrants and urban residents, social capital is consequently found to explain a large part of the income inequality between the two groups. Overall, our findings reveal macro-structural effects on the role of social capital in labor market stratification. In China, the lack of formal labor market mechanisms continues to create both a strong need for and opportunities for economic actions to be organized around informal channels via social relations. Yet, the long-standing institutional exclusion of migrants caused by the household registration system has resulted in pervasive social exclusion and discrimination which have substantially limited rural migrants' accumulation and mobilization of social capital. Under these conditions, social capital reinforces the economic inequality between migrants and urban residents in China. Such empirical evidence adds to our understanding of the role of social capital in the economic integration of migrants and in shaping intergroup inequality in general.

Perceptions of Popularity-Related Behaviors in the Cyber Context: Relations to Cyber Social Behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle F. Wright

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Despite acknowledging that adolescents are active users of electronic technology, little is known about their perceptions concerning how such technologies might be used to promote their social standing among their peer group and whether these perceptions relate to their cyber social behaviors (i.e., cyber aggression perpetration, cyber prosocial behavior. To address this gap in the literature, the present study included 857 seventh graders (M age: 12.19; 50.8% female from a large Midwestern city in the United States. They completed questionnaires on face-to-face social behaviors, cyber social behaviors, perceived popularity, social preference, and their perceptions of characteristics and activities related to the cyber context which might be used to promote popularity. Findings revealed four activities and characteristics used to improve adolescents’ social standing in the peer group, including antisocial behaviors, sociability, prosocial behaviors, and technology access. Using antisocial behaviors in the cyber context to promote popularity was related to cyber aggression perpetration, while controlling for gender, social preference, and perceived popularity. On the other hand, sociability and prosocial behaviors in the cyber context used to improve popularity as well as technology access were associated with cyber prosocial behavior. A call for additional research is made.

Forest evaporation models: Relationships between stand growth and evaporation

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Le Maitre, David C

1997-06-01

Full Text Available The relationships between forest stand structure, growth and evaporation were analysed to determine whether forest evaporation can be estimated from stand growth data. This approach permits rapid assessment of the potential impacts of afforestation...

Analysis of tree stand horizontal structure using random point field methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. P. Sekretenko

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper uses the model approach to analyze the horizontal structure of forest stands. The main types of models of random point fields and statistical procedures that can be used to analyze spatial patterns of trees of uneven and even-aged stands are described. We show how modern methods of spatial statistics can be used to address one of the objectives of forestry – to clarify the laws of natural thinning of forest stand and the corresponding changes in its spatial structure over time. Studying natural forest thinning, we describe the consecutive stages of modeling: selection of the appropriate parametric model, parameter estimation and generation of point patterns in accordance with the selected model, the selection of statistical functions to describe the horizontal structure of forest stands and testing of statistical hypotheses. We show the possibilities of a specialized software package, spatstat, which is designed to meet the challenges of spatial statistics and provides software support for modern methods of analysis of spatial data. We show that a model of stand thinning that does not consider inter-tree interaction can project the size distribution of the trees properly, but the spatial pattern of the modeled stand is not quite consistent with observed data. Using data of three even-aged pine forest stands of 25, 55, and 90-years old, we demonstrate that the spatial point process models are useful for combining measurements in the forest stands of different ages to study the forest stand natural thinning.

A History of Social Work in Public Health

Science.gov (United States)

Ruth, Betty J.

2017-01-01

Social work is a core health profession with origins deeply connected to the development of contemporary public health in the United States. Today, many of the nation’s 600 000 social workers practice broadly in public health and in other health settings, drawing on a century of experience in combining clinical, intermediate, and population approaches for greater health impact. Yet, the historic significance of this long-standing interdisciplinary collaboration—and its current implications—remains underexplored in the present era. This article builds on primary and contemporary sources to trace the historic arc of social work in public health, providing examples of successful collaborations. The scope and practices of public health social work practice are explored, and we articulate a rationale for an expanded place for social work in the public health enterprise. PMID:29236533

A History of Social Work in Public Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruth, Betty J; Marshall, Jamie Wyatt

2017-12-01

Social work is a core health profession with origins deeply connected to the development of contemporary public health in the United States. Today, many of the nation's 600 000 social workers practice broadly in public health and in other health settings, drawing on a century of experience in combining clinical, intermediate, and population approaches for greater health impact. Yet, the historic significance of this long-standing interdisciplinary collaboration-and its current implications-remains underexplored in the present era. This article builds on primary and contemporary sources to trace the historic arc of social work in public health, providing examples of successful collaborations. The scope and practices of public health social work practice are explored, and we articulate a rationale for an expanded place for social work in the public health enterprise.

Tilt table standing for reducing spasticity after spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, R W

1993-10-01

A patient with a T12 spinal cord injury and intractable extensor spasms of the lower extremities participated in tilt table standing trial on 5 nonconsecutive days to determine if the intervention would affect his spasticity and spasms. Each day's standing trial was followed by an immediate reduction in lower extremity spasticity (measured using the modified Ashworth scale and pendulum testing). Standing was also accompanied by a reduction in spasms that lasted until the following morning. The reduction of spasms was particularly advantageous to the performance of car transfers. Tilt table standing merits further examination as a physical treatment of spasms that accompany central nervous system lesions.

Social assessment for the Colville National Forest CROP program.

Science.gov (United States)

Angela J. Findley; Matthew S. Carroll; Keith A. Blatner

2000-01-01

A qualitative social assessment targeted salient issues connected to the Colville National Forest creating opportunities (CROP) research program that examines forest management alternatives for small-diameter stands in northeastern Washington. Research spanned various communities in three counties and investigated the diversity of fundamental values people attach to...

Social Cognition in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

van Donkersgoed, R. J. M.; Wunderink, L.; Nieboer, R.; Aleman, A.; Pijnenborg, G. H. M.

2015-01-01

Objective Treatment in the ultra-high risk stage for a psychotic episode is critical to the course of symptoms. Markers for the development of psychosis have been studied, to optimize the detection of people at risk of psychosis. One possible marker for the transition to psychosis is social cognition. To estimate effect sizes for social cognition based on a quantitative integration of the published evidence, we conducted a meta-analysis of social cognitive performance in people at ultra high risk (UHR). Methods A literature search (1970-July 2015) was performed in PubMed, PsychINFO, Medline, Embase, and ISI Web of Science, using the search terms ‘social cognition’, ‘theory of mind’, ‘emotion recognition’, ‘attributional style’, ‘social knowledge’, ‘social perception’, ‘empathy’, ‘at risk mental state’, ‘clinical high risk’, ‘psychosis prodrome’, and ‘ultra high risk’. The pooled effect size (Cohen’s D) and the effect sizes for each domain of social cognition were calculated. A random effects model with 95% confidence intervals was used. Results Seventeen studies were included in the analysis. The overall significant effect was of medium magnitude (d = 0.52, 95% Cl = 0.38–0.65). No moderator effects were found for age, gender and sample size. Sub-analyses demonstrated that individuals in the UHR phase show significant moderate deficits in affect recognition and affect discrimination in faces as well as in voices and in verbal Theory of Mind (TOM). Due to an insufficient amount of studies, we did not calculate an effect size for attributional bias and social perception/ knowledge. A majority of studies did not find a correlation between social cognition deficits and transition to psychosis, which may suggest that social cognition in general is not a useful marker for the development of psychosis. However some studies suggest the possible predictive value of verbal TOM and the recognition of specific emotions in faces

Social Cognition in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis: A Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R J M van Donkersgoed

Full Text Available Treatment in the ultra-high risk stage for a psychotic episode is critical to the course of symptoms. Markers for the development of psychosis have been studied, to optimize the detection of people at risk of psychosis. One possible marker for the transition to psychosis is social cognition. To estimate effect sizes for social cognition based on a quantitative integration of the published evidence, we conducted a meta-analysis of social cognitive performance in people at ultra high risk (UHR.A literature search (1970-July 2015 was performed in PubMed, PsychINFO, Medline, Embase, and ISI Web of Science, using the search terms 'social cognition', 'theory of mind', 'emotion recognition', 'attributional style', 'social knowledge', 'social perception', 'empathy', 'at risk mental state', 'clinical high risk', 'psychosis prodrome', and 'ultra high risk'. The pooled effect size (Cohen's D and the effect sizes for each domain of social cognition were calculated. A random effects model with 95% confidence intervals was used.Seventeen studies were included in the analysis. The overall significant effect was of medium magnitude (d = 0.52, 95% Cl = 0.38-0.65. No moderator effects were found for age, gender and sample size. Sub-analyses demonstrated that individuals in the UHR phase show significant moderate deficits in affect recognition and affect discrimination in faces as well as in voices and in verbal Theory of Mind (TOM. Due to an insufficient amount of studies, we did not calculate an effect size for attributional bias and social perception/ knowledge. A majority of studies did not find a correlation between social cognition deficits and transition to psychosis, which may suggest that social cognition in general is not a useful marker for the development of psychosis. However some studies suggest the possible predictive value of verbal TOM and the recognition of specific emotions in faces for the transition into psychosis. More research is needed on

Relating P-band AIRSAR backscatter to forest stand parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yong; Melack, John M.; Davis, Frank W.; Kasischke, Eric S.; Christensen, Norman L., Jr.

1993-01-01

As part of research on forest ecosystems, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and collaborating research teams have conducted multi-season airborne synthetic aperture radar (AIRSAR) experiments in three forest ecosystems including temperate pine forest (Duke, Forest, North Carolina), boreal forest (Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest, Alaska), and northern mixed hardwood-conifer forest (Michigan Biological Station, Michigan). The major research goals were to improve understanding of the relationships between radar backscatter and phenological variables (e.g. stand density, tree size, etc.), to improve radar backscatter models of tree canopy properties, and to develop a radar-based scheme for monitoring forest phenological changes. In September 1989, AIRSAR backscatter data were acquired over the Duke Forest. As the aboveground biomass of the loblolly pine forest stands at Duke Forest increased, the SAR backscatter at C-, L-, and P-bands increased and saturated at different biomass levels for the C-band, L-band, and P-band data. We only use the P-band backscatter data and ground measurements here to study the relationships between the backscatter and stand density, the backscatter and mean trunk dbh (diameter at breast height) of trees in the stands, and the backscatter and stand basal area.

Light-Weight Free-Standing Carbon Nanotube-Silicon Films for Anodes of Lithium Ion Batteries

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng; Hu, Liangbing; Choi, Jang Wook; Cui, Yi

2010-01-01

and Si as a high capacity anode material for Li-ion battery. Such free-standing film has a low sheet resistance of ∼30 Ohm/sq. It shows a high specific charge storage capacity (∼2000 mAh/g) and a good cycling life, superior to pure sputtered-on silicon

Natural regeneration and seed production of pine stands on the dumps of coal mining industry in Kuzbass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. I. Ufimtsev

2016-12-01

Full Text Available On the basis of the accounting of undergrowth in 5 gradations of crown closure density of Scots pine (Pinus sylvest-ris L. stands, growing on the dumps in 4 ecological-geographic areas of Kuzbass, inverse relation of parameters of renewal from hydrothermal coefficient of the district is established. Optimum conditions develop in a steppe kernel where the number of shoots, seed production and undergrowth reaches 110 thousand trees per hectare with crown closure of 50 % and density of forest stand of 0.75 thousand trees of the II class of age on 1 hectare. At decrease or increase of forest canopy density of the main tree stand layer quantitative characteristics decrease. The smallest amount of undergrowth is recorded in the mountain-taiga area – from 0.4 to 23 thousand trees per hectare with a tendency to increase in the process of increasing crown closure. Areas of the northern forest-steppe and the southern forest-steppe on quantitative signs of renewal are intermediate. The number of undergrowth has high direct correlation dependence on the size of the current fructification of forest stands – around a steppe kernel ripens to 3.7 million seeds on 1 hectare, in mountain and taiga – to 0.39 million seeds on 1 hectare. Sowing qualities of seeds – the weight 1000, energy of germination and viability, and morphometric characteristics of 2-year seedlings, which are grown up from them – height, diameter and point of a vital state between ecological-geographic areas have no statistically reliable distinctions, but the characteristics stated above, than in the stands on zone soils. It testifies to usefulness of dumps’ conditions for natural regeneration of Scots pine, high actual reproductive opportunities for pine stands in forest-steppe areas and a steppe kernel, and also potential opportunities of the stands in the mountain and taiga region of the southern Kuzbass.

Regeneration in defoliated and thinned hardwood stands of north-central West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

R. M. Muzika; M. J. Twery

1995-01-01

Overstory species regeneration was examined in 1989, prior to gypsy moth defoliation and thinnings, on 16 stands in the West Virginia University Forest. Three stands were thinned and defoliated while five were thinned only and three were defoliated only. Five stands were neither thinned nor defoliated. Data were collected from these stands for three years subsequent to...

A New Standing Posture Detector to Enable People with Multiple Disabilities to Control Environmental Stimulation by Changing Their Standing Posture through a Commercial Wii Balance Board

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Ching-Hsiang; Shih, Ching-Tien; Chiang, Ming-Shan

2010-01-01

This study assessed whether two persons with multiple disabilities would be able to control environmental stimulation using body swing (changing standing posture) and a Wii Balance Board with a newly developed standing posture detection program (i.e. a new software program turns a Wii Balance Board into a precise standing posture detector). The…

Living with Internationalization: The Changing Face of the Academic Life of Chinese Social Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Meng

2018-01-01

Internationalization is an integral part of the strategies of leading Chinese universities to strive for world-class standing. It has left its marks on the academic life of China's social scientists. This article explores the impact of internationalization on the academic life of Chinese social scientists using Tsinghua University as an example.…

Little chameleons: The development of social mimicry during early childhood

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaik, J.E. van; Hunnius, S.

2016-01-01

Adults use behavioral mimicry to blend in with (or stand out from) their social environment. Adopting another’s mannerisms and behaviors, or "mimicking", communicates liking and similarity between interaction partners and has been shown to serve as an implicit affiliation mechanism. Given this

Harvesting systems for western stand health improvement cuttings

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Bruce R. Hartsough; Bryce J. Stokes; Joseph F. McNeel; William F. Watson

1995-01-01

A significant percentage of the forested area in the western United States is comprised of stands that have been altered over time by human activities, especially fire suppression, and are now being damaged by droughts, insect attacks, and wildfires. These stands should be returned to a condition where "biotic and abiotic influences do not threaten resource...

Assisting People with Multiple Disabilities Actively Correct Abnormal Standing Posture with a Nintendo Wii Balance Board through Controlling Environmental Stimulation

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Shih, Ching-Hsiang; Shih, Ching-Tien; Chu, Chiung-Ling

2010-01-01

The latest researches adopted software technology turning the Nintendo Wii Balance Board into a high performance change of standing posture (CSP) detector, and assessed whether two persons with multiple disabilities would be able to control environmental stimulation using body swing (changing standing posture). This study extends Wii Balance Board…

Electromagnetic calibration system for sub-micronewton torsional thrust stand

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Lam, J. K.; Koay, S. C.; Cheah, K. H.

2017-12-01

It is critical for a micropropulsion system to be evaluated. Thrust stands are widely recognised as the instrument to complete such tasks. This paper presents the development of an alternative electromagnetic calibration technique for thrust stands. Utilising the commercially made voice coils and permanent magnets, the proposed system is able to generate repeatable and also consistent steady-state calibration forces at over four orders of magnitude (30 - 23000 μN). The system is then used to calibrate a custom-designed torsional thrust stand, where its inherent ability in ease of setup is well demonstrated.

Isotope enrichment effect of gaseous mixtures in standing sound vibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knesebeck, R.L.

1984-01-01

When standing acoustic waves are excited in a tube containing a mixture of two gases, a partial zonal fractioning of the components arises as consequence of mass transport by diffusion, driven by the thermal and pressure gradients which are associeted with the standing waves. This effect is present in each zone corresponding to a quarter wavelength, with the heavier component becoming enriched at the nodes fo the standing waves and deplected at the crests. The magnitude of the enrichment in one of the components of a binary gas mixture is given by Δω=ap 2 /lambda [b + (1-bω)] 2 . Where ω is the mass concentration of the component in the mixture, a and b are parameters which are related to molecular proprieties of the gases, p is the relative pressure amplitude of the standing wave and lambda is its wavelength. For a natural mixture of uranium hexafluorate, with 0.715% of the uranium isotope 340 an enrichment of about 2 x 10 -6 % in the concentration of this isotope is theorecticaly attainable per stage consisting of a quarter wavelenght, when a standing acoustical wave of relative pressure amplitude of 0,2 and wavelenght of 20 cm is used. Since standing acoustical waves are easely excited in gas columns, an isotope enrichment plant made of a cascade of tubes in which standing waves are excited, is presumably feasible with relatively low investment and operation costs. (Author) [pt

Modelling modulus of elasticity of Pinus pinaster Ait. in northwestern Spain with standing tree acoustic measurements, tree, stand and site variables

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Esther Merlo

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: Modelling the structural quality of Pinus pinaster Ait. wood on the basis of measurements made on standing trees is essential because of the importance of the species in the Galician forestry and timber industries and the good mechanical properties of its wood. In this study, we investigated how timber stiffness is affected by tree and stand properties, climatic and edaphic characteristics and competition. Area of study: The study was performed in Galicia, north-western Spain.Material and methods: Ten pure and even-aged P. pinaster stands were selected and tree and stand variables and the stress wave velocity of 410 standing trees were measured. A sub-sample of 73 trees, representing the variability in acoustic velocity, were felled and sawed into structural timber pieces (224 which were subjected to a bending test to determine the modulus of elasticity (MOE. Main results: Linear models including wood properties explained more than 97%, 73% and 60% of the observed MOE variability at site, tree and board level, respectively, with acoustic velocity and wood density as the main regressors. Other linear models, which did not include wood density, explained more than 88%, 69% and 55% of the observed MOE variability at site, tree and board level, respectively, with acoustic velocity as the main regressor. Moreover, a classification tree for estimating the visual grade according to standard UNE 56544:2011 was developed. Research highlights: The results have demonstrated the usefulness of acoustic velocity for predicting MOE in standing trees. The use of the fitted equations together with existing dynamic growth models will enable preliminary assessment of timber stiffness in relation to different silvicultural alternatives used with this species.Keywords: stress wave velocity, modulus of elasticity, site index, competition index, stepwise regression, CART.

Early development of postural adjustments in standing with and without support

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hedberg, Asa; Schmitz, Christina; Forssberg, Hans; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

This study investigates the early development of postural adjustments during external perturbations in two different standing positions: standing with support and standing without support. The aim of the study was to assess a group of 13 infants four times during the period in life when independent

Increased social anhedonia and reduced helping behaviour in young people with high depressive symptomatology.

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Setterfield, Megan; Walsh, Mallory; Frey, Anna-Lena; McCabe, Ciara

2016-11-15

Social anhedonia, the decreased enjoyment of pleasant social experiences, is associated with depression. However, whether social anhedonia in depression affects prosocial behaviours is unclear. The current study aimed to examine how high levels of depressive symptomatology in young people affect responses to usually rewarding social situations, including helping behaviour. We recruited 46 females, 16 scoring high on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI scores>20, M age =19; HD) and 30 scoring low (BDIemotion task (SET), participants were presented with social scenarios and asked to rate their expected emotional responses. Subsequently, participants' helping behaviour was measured by dropping a pile of papers near them and recording their responses. Lastly, participants completed the SET again. The SET at time 1 revealed that HD individuals reported significantly stronger negative (pemotional responses to social situations than LD subjects. Additionally, all participants showed a significant increase in positive responses (pbehaviour than LD participants. Limitations of the study are that only females were tested and that no psychiatric screening interview was conducted. Our results indicate that young females with high levels of depression symptoms expect to respond less positively to social situations and engage less in helping behaviour compared to those with low depressive symptomatology. Social anhedonia in depression may thus contribute to decreased engagement in rewarding social situations. This, in turn, may lead to social withdrawal and might maintain depression symptoms though a lack of exposure to positive social feedback. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Knowledge discovery in databases of biomechanical variables: application to the sit to stand motor task

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Benvenuti Francesco

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The interpretation of data obtained in a movement analysis laboratory is a crucial issue in clinical contexts. Collection of such data in large databases might encourage the use of modern techniques of data mining to discover additional knowledge with automated methods. In order to maximise the size of the database, simple and low-cost experimental set-ups are preferable. The aim of this study was to extract knowledge inherent in the sit-to-stand task as performed by healthy adults, by searching relationships among measured and estimated biomechanical quantities. An automated method was applied to a large amount of data stored in a database. The sit-to-stand motor task was already shown to be adequate for determining the level of individual motor ability. Methods The technique of search for association rules was chosen to discover patterns as part of a Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD process applied to a sit-to-stand motor task observed with a simple experimental set-up and analysed by means of a minimum measured input model. Selected parameters and variables of a database containing data from 110 healthy adults, of both genders and of a large range of age, performing the task were considered in the analysis. Results A set of rules and definitions were found characterising the patterns shared by the investigated subjects. Time events of the task turned out to be highly interdependent at least in their average values, showing a high level of repeatability of the timing of the performance of the task. Conclusions The distinctive patterns of the sit-to-stand task found in this study, associated to those that could be found in similar studies focusing on subjects with pathologies, could be used as a reference for the functional evaluation of specific subjects performing the sit-to-stand motor task.

Stand age and climate drive forest carbon balance recovery

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Besnard, Simon; Carvalhais, Nuno; Clevers, Jan; Herold, Martin; Jung, Martin; Reichstein, Markus

2016-04-01

Forests play an essential role in the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle, especially in the C exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere. Ecological disturbances and forest management are drivers of forest dynamics and strongly impact the forest C budget. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the exogenous and endogenous factors driving forest C recovery. Our analysis includes 68 forest sites in different climate zones to determine the relative influence of stand age and climate conditions on the forest carbon balance recovery. In this study, we only included forest regrowth after clear-cut stand replacement (e.g. harvest, fire), and afforestation/reforestation processes. We synthesized net ecosystem production (NEP), gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (Re), the photosynthetic respiratory ratio (GPP to Re ratio), the ecosystem carbon use efficiency (CUE), that is NEP to GPP ratio, and CUEclimax, where GPP is derived from the climate conditions. We implemented a non-linear regression analysis in order to identify the best model representing the C flux patterns with stand age. Furthermore, we showed that each C flux have a non-linear relationship with stand age, annual precipitation (P) and mean annual temperature (MAT), therefore, we proposed to use non-linear transformations of the covariates for C fluxes'estimates. Non-linear stand age and climate models were, therefore, used to establish multiple linear regressions for C flux predictions and for determining the contribution of stand age and climate in forest carbon recovery. Our findings depicted that a coupled stand age-climate model explained 33% (44%, average site), 62% (76%, average site), 56% (71%, average site), 41% (59%, average site), 50% (65%, average site) and 36% (50%, average site) of the variance of annual NEP, GPP, Re, photosynthetic respiratory ratio, CUE and CUEclimax across sites, respectively. In addition, we showed that gross fluxes (e.g. GPP and Re) are

Building blocks of social cognition: Mirror, mentalize, share?

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Alcalá-López, Daniel; Vogeley, Kai; Binkofski, Ferdinand; Bzdok, Danilo

2018-05-14

During the past decade, novel approaches to study social interaction have expanded and questioned long-standing knowledge about how humans understand each other. We aim to portray and reconcile the key psychological processes and neural mechanisms underlying navigation of the social environment. Theoretical accounts mostly revolved around either abstract inferences or embodied simulations, whereas experimental studies mostly focused on theory of mind or mentalizing, empathy, and action imitation. The tension between theories of and experiments on social cognition is systematically revisited to foster new theoretical and empirical studies in the fields. We finally retrace differential impairments in social capacities as a means to re-conceptualize psychopathological disturbance in psychiatry, including schizophrenia, borderline personality, and autism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social connectedness, mental health and the adolescent brain.

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Lamblin, M; Murawski, C; Whittle, S; Fornito, A

2017-09-01

Social relationships promote health and wellbeing. Brain regions regulating social behavior continue to develop throughout adolescence, as teens learn to navigate their social environment with increasing sophistication. Adolescence is also a time of increased risk for the development of psychiatric disorders, many of which are characteristically associated with social dysfunction. In this review, we consider the links between adolescent brain development and the broader social environment. We examine evidence that individual differences in social ability, partly determined by genetic influences on brain structure and function, impact the quality and quantity of social ties during adolescence and that, conversely, the structure of one's social network exerts complex yet profound influences on individual behavior and mental health. In this way, the brain and social environment sculpt each other throughout the teenage years to influence one's social standing amongst peers. Reciprocal interactions between brain maturation and the social environment at this critical developmental stage may augment risk or promote resilience for mental illness and other health outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When opportunity meets motivation: Neural engagement during social approach is linked to high approach motivation.

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Radke, Sina; Seidel, Eva-Maria; Eickhoff, Simon B; Gur, Ruben C; Schneider, Frank; Habel, Ute; Derntl, Birgit

2016-02-15

Social rewards are processed by the same dopaminergic-mediated brain networks as non-social rewards, suggesting a common representation of subjective value. Individual differences in personality and motivation influence the reinforcing value of social incentives, but it remains open whether the pursuit of social incentives is analogously supported by the neural reward system when positive social stimuli are connected to approach behavior. To test for a modulation of neural activation by approach motivation, individuals with high and low approach motivation (BAS) completed implicit and explicit social approach-avoidance paradigms during fMRI. High approach motivation was associated with faster implicit approach reactions as well as a trend for higher approach ratings, indicating increased approach tendencies. Implicit and explicit positive social approach was accompanied by stronger recruitment of the nucleus accumbens, middle cingulate cortex, and (pre-)cuneus for individuals with high compared to low approach motivation. These results support and extend prior research on social reward processing, self-other distinctions and affective judgments by linking approach motivation to the engagement of reward-related circuits during motivational reactions to social incentives. This interplay between motivational preferences and motivational contexts might underlie the rewarding experience during social interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct measurement of the intrinsic ankle stiffness during standing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlutters, Mark; Vlutters, M.; Boonstra, Tjitske; Schouten, Alfred Christiaan; van der Kooij, Herman

2015-01-01

Ankle stiffness contributes to standing balance, counteracting the destabilizing effect of gravity. The ankle stiffness together with the compliance between the foot and the support surface make up the ankle-foot stiffness, which is relevant to quiet standing. The contribution of the intrinsic

Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 27 March 2007

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2007-01-01

The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 March 2007 included: Merit Recognition Guidelines In the context of the new Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS), the committee took note of the documents entitled 'MARS Guidelines 2007' and the 'Guidelines for Senior Staff Advancement 2007'. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council meetings The Committee took note of the information provided by S. Lettow, the Director for Finance and Human Resources, including the possibility for a phased increase in Member State contributions from 2008. Registered partnerships It was agreed that staff members with registered partners should be reminded of the social cover available to their partners. Cover is limited to the CERN Health Insurance Scheme and partners may be covered by the Scheme only while the staff member is working. On the staff member's retirement or other change in status, or death, partners are no longer eligible for CHIS cover. Retirement semi...

Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 27 March 2007

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2007-01-01

The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 March 2007 included: Merit Recognition Guidelines : in the context of the new Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS), the committee took note of the documents entitled MARS Guidelines 2007 and the Guidelines for Senior Staff Advancement 2007. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council meetings The Committee took note of the information provided by S. Lettow, the Director for Finance and Human Resources, including the possibility for a phased increase in Member State contributions from 2008. Registered partnerships It was agreed that staff members with registered partners should be reminded of the social cover available to their partners. Cover is limited to the CERN Health Insurance Scheme and partners may be covered by the Scheme only while the staff member is working. On the staff members retirement or other change in status, or death, partners are no longer eligible for CHIS cover. Retirement seminars It...

Standing Concertation Committee - Ordinary Meeting on 30 September 2008

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HR Department

2008-01-01

The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 30 September 2008 included: Part-time work as a pre-retirement measure The Committee agreed to recommend the Director-General to extend the scheme of part-time work as a pre-retirement measure by one year, i.e. until 31 December 2009. Preparation of TREF on 7 October 2008 The Committee took note that the TREF agenda would cover: Annual salary adjustment; Voluntary programmes; Five-yearly review of financial & social conditions of members of the personnel; Update on 2005 review; Preparation for 2010 review; TREF workplan 2009; Update on CHIS actuarial study. The proposals and presentations which the Management planned to present to TREF were discussed and some clarifications were agreed. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council The Committee took note of a report by the Chairman of points related to personnel matters discussed in those committees. He mentioned in particular the annu...

Promoting social behavior with oxytocin in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.

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Andari, Elissar; Duhamel, Jean-René; Zalla, Tiziana; Herbrecht, Evelyn; Leboyer, Marion; Sirigu, Angela

2010-03-02

Social adaptation requires specific cognitive and emotional competences. Individuals with high-functioning autism or with Asperger syndrome cannot understand or engage in social situations despite preserved intellectual abilities. Recently, it has been suggested that oxytocin, a hormone known to promote mother-infant bonds, may be implicated in the social deficit of autism. We investigated the behavioral effects of oxytocin in 13 subjects with autism. In a simulated ball game where participants interacted with fictitious partners, we found that after oxytocin inhalation, patients exhibited stronger interactions with the most socially cooperative partner and reported enhanced feelings of trust and preference. Also, during free viewing of pictures of faces, oxytocin selectively increased patients' gazing time on the socially informative region of the face, namely the eyes. Thus, under oxytocin, patients respond more strongly to others and exhibit more appropriate social behavior and affect, suggesting a therapeutic potential of oxytocin through its action on a core dimension of autism.

Role of the Frontal Cortex in Standing Postural Sway Tasks While Dual-Tasking: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study Examining Working Memory Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroyuki Fujita

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Posture control during a dual-task involves changing the distribution of attention resources between the cognitive and motor tasks and involves the frontal cortex working memory (WM. The present study aimed to better understand the impact of frontal lobe activity and WM capacity in postural control during a dual-task. High and low WM-span groups were compared using their reading span test scores. High and low WM capacity were compared based on cognitive and balance performance and hemoglobin oxygenation (oxyHb levels during standing during single (S-S, standing during dual (S-D, one leg standing during single (O-S, and one leg standing during dual (O-D tasks. For sway pass length, significant difference in only the O-D task was observed between both groups. oxyHb levels were markedly increased in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and supplementary motor area in the high-span group during a dual-task. Therefore, WM capacity influenced the allocation of attentional resources and motor performance.