National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the Hawaiian Archipelago in 2016

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

Enhancement in ionic conductivity on solid polymer electrolytes containing large conducting species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Praveen, D. [Department of Physics, Amrita Viswha Vidyapeetham, Bangalore, India, E-mail: d-praveen@blr.amrita.edu (India); Damle, Ramakrishna [Department of Physics, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India. E-mail: ramkrishnadamle@bub.ernet.in (India)

2016-05-23

Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPEs) lack better conducting properties at ambient temperatures. Various methods to enhance their ionic conductivity like irradiation with swift heavy ions, γ-rays, swift electrons and quenching at low temperature etc., have been explored in the literature. Among these, one of the oldest methods is incorporation of different conducting species into the polymer matrix and/or addition of nano-sized inert particles into SPEs. Various new salts like LiBr, Mg(ClO{sub 4}){sub 2}, NH{sub 4}I etc., have already been tried in the past with some success. Also various nanoparticles like Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, TiO{sub 2} etc., have been tried in the past. In this article, we have investigated an SPE containing Rubidium as a conducting species. Rubidium has a larger ionic size compared to lithium and sodium ions which have been investigated in the recent past. In the present article, we have investigated the conductivity of large sized conducting species and shown the enhancement in the ionic conductivity by addition of nano-sized inert particles.

Enhancement in ionic conductivity on solid polymer electrolytes containing large conducting species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Praveen, D.; Damle, Ramakrishna

2016-01-01

Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPEs) lack better conducting properties at ambient temperatures. Various methods to enhance their ionic conductivity like irradiation with swift heavy ions, γ-rays, swift electrons and quenching at low temperature etc., have been explored in the literature. Among these, one of the oldest methods is incorporation of different conducting species into the polymer matrix and/or addition of nano-sized inert particles into SPEs. Various new salts like LiBr, Mg(ClO_4)_2, NH_4I etc., have already been tried in the past with some success. Also various nanoparticles like Al_2O_3, TiO_2 etc., have been tried in the past. In this article, we have investigated an SPE containing Rubidium as a conducting species. Rubidium has a larger ionic size compared to lithium and sodium ions which have been investigated in the recent past. In the present article, we have investigated the conductivity of large sized conducting species and shown the enhancement in the ionic conductivity by addition of nano-sized inert particles.

An algorithm to assess methodological quality of nutrition and mortality cross-sectional surveys: development and application to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan.

Science.gov (United States)

Prudhon, Claudine; de Radiguès, Xavier; Dale, Nancy; Checchi, Francesco

2011-11-09

Nutrition and mortality surveys are the main tools whereby evidence on the health status of populations affected by disasters and armed conflict is quantified and monitored over time. Several reviews have consistently revealed a lack of rigor in many surveys. We describe an algorithm for analyzing nutritional and mortality survey reports to identify a comprehensive range of errors that may result in sampling, response, or measurement biases and score quality. We apply the algorithm to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. We developed an algorithm based on internationally agreed upon methods and best practices. Penalties are attributed for a list of errors, and an overall score is built from the summation of penalties accrued by the survey as a whole. To test the algorithm reproducibility, it was independently applied by three raters on 30 randomly selected survey reports. The algorithm was further applied to more than 100 surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. The Intra Class Correlation coefficient was 0.79 for mortality surveys and 0.78 for nutrition surveys. The overall median quality score and range of about 100 surveys conducted in Darfur were 0.60 (0.12-0.93) and 0.675 (0.23-0.86) for mortality and nutrition surveys, respectively. They varied between the organizations conducting the surveys, with no major trend over time. Our study suggests that it is possible to systematically assess quality of surveys and reveals considerable problems with the quality of nutritional and particularly mortality surveys conducted in the Darfur crisis.

The Use of Online Social Networks by Polish Former Erasmus Students: A Large-Scale Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Bryla, Pawel

2014-01-01

There is an increasing role of online social networks in the life of young Poles. We conducted a large-scale survey among Polish former Erasmus students. We have received 2450 completed questionnaires from alumni of 115 higher education institutions all over Poland. 85.4% of our respondents reported they kept in touch with their former Erasmus…

Large optical conductivity of Dirac semimetal Fermi arc surface states

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Li-kun; Song, Justin C. W.

2017-08-01

Fermi arc surface states, a hallmark of topological Dirac semimetals, can host carriers that exhibit unusual dynamics distinct from that of their parent bulk. Here we find that Fermi arc carriers in intrinsic Dirac semimetals possess a strong and anisotropic light-matter interaction. This is characterized by a large Fermi arc optical conductivity when light is polarized transverse to the Fermi arc; when light is polarized along the Fermi arc, Fermi arc optical conductivity is significantly muted. The large surface spectral weight is locked to the wide separation between Dirac nodes and persists as a large Drude weight of Fermi arc carriers when the system is doped. As a result, large and anisotropic Fermi arc conductivity provides a novel means of optically interrogating the topological surfaces states of Dirac semimetals.

Quantitative Mapping of Large Area Graphene Conductance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buron, Jonas Christian Due; Petersen, Dirch Hjorth; Bøggild, Peter

2012-01-01

We present quantitative mapping of large area graphene conductance by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and micro four point probe. We observe a clear correlation between the techniques and identify the observed systematic differences to be directly related to imperfections of the graphene sheet...

A Primer for Conducting Survey Research Using MTurk: Tips for the Field

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, Silvana; Nimon, Kim; Anthony-McMann, Paula

2016-01-01

This paper presents best practices for conducting survey research using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Readers will learn the benefits, limitations, and trade-offs of using MTurk as compared to other recruitment services, including SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics. A synthesis of survey design guidelines along with a sample survey are presented to help…

An algorithm to assess methodological quality of nutrition and mortality cross-sectional surveys: development and application to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prudhon Claudine

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Nutrition and mortality surveys are the main tools whereby evidence on the health status of populations affected by disasters and armed conflict is quantified and monitored over time. Several reviews have consistently revealed a lack of rigor in many surveys. We describe an algorithm for analyzing nutritional and mortality survey reports to identify a comprehensive range of errors that may result in sampling, response, or measurement biases and score quality. We apply the algorithm to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. Methods We developed an algorithm based on internationally agreed upon methods and best practices. Penalties are attributed for a list of errors, and an overall score is built from the summation of penalties accrued by the survey as a whole. To test the algorithm reproducibility, it was independently applied by three raters on 30 randomly selected survey reports. The algorithm was further applied to more than 100 surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. Results The Intra Class Correlation coefficient was 0.79 for mortality surveys and 0.78 for nutrition surveys. The overall median quality score and range of about 100 surveys conducted in Darfur were 0.60 (0.12-0.93 and 0.675 (0.23-0.86 for mortality and nutrition surveys, respectively. They varied between the organizations conducting the surveys, with no major trend over time. Conclusion Our study suggests that it is possible to systematically assess quality of surveys and reveals considerable problems with the quality of nutritional and particularly mortality surveys conducted in the Darfur crisis.

Large Scale Survey Data in Career Development Research

Science.gov (United States)

Diemer, Matthew A.

2008-01-01

Large scale survey datasets have been underutilized but offer numerous advantages for career development scholars, as they contain numerous career development constructs with large and diverse samples that are followed longitudinally. Constructs such as work salience, vocational expectations, educational expectations, work satisfaction, and…

78 FR 70015 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Large Pelagic Fishing Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-22

... Collection; Comment Request; Large Pelagic Fishing Survey AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric... effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies... Pelagics Headboat Survey (LPHS) component. Increase the annual Large Pelagics Telephone Survey (LPTS...

Optimal sampling designs for large-scale fishery sample surveys in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. BAZIGOS

2007-12-01

The paper deals with the optimization of the following three large scale sample surveys: biological sample survey of commercial landings (BSCL, experimental fishing sample survey (EFSS, and commercial landings and effort sample survey (CLES.

History of food consumption surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Chapter 6 entitled "History of Food Consumption Surveys Conducted by The U.S. Department of Agriculture” provides an overview of the surveys conducted by USDA to monitor food use and food consumption patterns in the U.S. population since the latter part of the 19th century to 2014. This chapter in ...

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

GESE: A Small UV Space Telescope to Conduct a Large Spectroscopic Survey of Z-1 Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Heap, Sara R.; Gong, Qian; Hull, Tony; Kruk, Jeffrey; Purves, Lloyd

2013-01-01

One of the key goals of NASA's astrophysics program is to answer the question: How did galaxies evolve into the spirals and elliptical galaxies that we see today? We describe a space mission concept called Galaxy Evolution Spectroscopic Explorer (GESE) to address this question by making a large spectroscopic survey of galaxies at a redshift, z is approximately 1 (look-back time of approximately 8 billion years). GESE is a 1.5-meter space telescope with an ultraviolet (UV) multi-object slit spectrograph that can obtain spectra of hundreds of galaxies per exposure. The spectrograph covers the spectral range, 0.2-0.4 micrometers at a spectral resolving power, R approximately 500. This observed spectral range corresponds to 0.1-0.2 micrometers as emitted by a galaxy at a redshift, z=1. The mission concept takes advantage of two new technological advances: (1) light-weighted, wide-field telescope mirrors, and (2) the Next- Generation MicroShutter Array (NG-MSA) to be used as a slit generator in the multi-object slit spectrograph.

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the Hawaiian Archipelago in 2016 (NCEI Accession 0157567)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

Large Whale Biology Survey (DE9908, EK500)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The large whale biology survey primarily focuses on right whales in the coastal and continental shelf areas, with the following objectives: 1) Develop a better...

Learning lessons from field surveys in humanitarian contexts: a case study of field surveys conducted in North Kivu, DRC 2006-2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grellety Emmanuel

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Survey estimates of mortality and malnutrition are commonly used to guide humanitarian decision-making. Currently, different methods of conducting field surveys are the subject of debate among epidemiologists. Beyond the technical arguments, decision makers may find it difficult to conceptualize what the estimates actually mean. For instance, what makes this particular situation an emergency? And how should the operational response be adapted accordingly. This brings into question not only the quality of the survey methodology, but also the difficulties epidemiologists face in interpreting results and selecting the most important information to guide operations. As a case study, we reviewed mortality and nutritional surveys conducted in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC published from January 2006 to January 2009. We performed a PubMed/Medline search for published articles and scanned publicly available humanitarian databases and clearinghouses for grey literature. To evaluate the surveys, we developed minimum reporting criteria based on available guidelines and selected peer-review articles. We identified 38 reports through our search strategy; three surveys met our inclusion criteria. The surveys varied in methodological quality. Reporting against minimum criteria was generally good, but presentation of ethical procedures, raw data and survey limitations were missed in all surveys. All surveys also failed to consider contextual factors important for data interpretation. From this review, we conclude that mechanisms to ensure sound survey design and conduct must be implemented by operational organisations to improve data quality and reporting. Training in data interpretation would also be useful. Novel survey methods should be trialled and prospective data gathering (surveillance employed wherever feasible.

Conduction Mechanism of Valence Change Resistive Switching Memory: A Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ee Wah Lim

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Resistive switching effect in transition metal oxide (TMO based material is often associated with the valence change mechanism (VCM. Typical modeling of valence change resistive switching memory consists of three closely related phenomena, i.e., conductive filament (CF geometry evolution, conduction mechanism and temperature dynamic evolution. It is widely agreed that the electrochemical reduction-oxidation (redox process and oxygen vacancies migration plays an essential role in the CF forming and rupture process. However, the conduction mechanism of resistive switching memory varies considerably depending on the material used in the dielectric layer and selection of electrodes. Among the popular observations are the Poole-Frenkel emission, Schottky emission, space-charge-limited conduction (SCLC, trap-assisted tunneling (TAT and hopping conduction. In this article, we will conduct a survey on several published valence change resistive switching memories with a particular interest in the I-V characteristic and the corresponding conduction mechanism.

Renal studies in safety pharmacology and toxicology: A survey conducted in the top 15 pharmaceutical companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Benjamin, Amanda; Gallacher, David J; Greiter-Wilke, Andrea; Guillon, Jean-Michel; Kasai, Cheiko; Ledieu, David; Levesque, Paul; Prelle, Katja; Ratcliffe, Sian; Sannajust, Frederick; Valentin, Jean-Pierre

2015-01-01

With the recent development of more sensitive biomarkers to assess kidney injury preclinically, a survey was designed i) to investigate what strategies are used to investigate renal toxicity in both ICH S7A compliant Safety Pharmacology (SP) studies after a single dose of a compound and within repeat-dose toxicity studies by large pharmaceutical companies today; ii) to understand whether renal SP studies have impact or utility in drug development and/or if it may be more appropriate to assess renal effects after multiple doses of compounds; iii) to ascertain how much mechanistic work is performed by the top 15 largest pharmaceutical companies (as determined by R&D revenue size); iv) to gain an insight into the impact of the validation of DIKI biomarkers and their introduction in the safety evaluation paradigm; and v) to understand the impact of renal/urinary safety study data on progression of projects. Two short anonymous surveys were submitted to SP leaders of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies, as defined by 2012 R&D portfolio size. Fourteen multiple choice questions were designed to explore the strategies used to investigate renal effects in both ICH S7A compliant SP studies and within toxicology studies. A 67% and 60% response rate was obtained in the first and second surveys, respectively. Nine out of ten respondent companies conduct renal excretory measurements (eg. urine analysis) in toxicology studies whereas only five out of ten conduct specific renal SP studies; and all of those 5 also conduct the renal excretory measurements in toxicology studies. These companies measure and/or calculate a variety of parameters as part of these studies, and also on a case by case basis include regulatory qualified and non-qualified DIKI biomarkers. Finally, only one company has used renal/urinary functional data alone to stop a project, whereas the majority of respondents combine renal data with other target organ assessments to form an integrated decision-making set

Progress of site survey for large solar telescopes in western China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yu; Song, Tengfei; Zhang, Xuefei; Liu, Shunqing; Zhao, Mingyu; Tian, Zhanjun; Miao, Yuhu; Li, Hongbo; Huang, Jing; Su, Baoyu; Lu, Yongyin; Li, Xiaobo; Song, Qiwu

Excellent sites are necessary for developing and installing ground-based large telescopes. For very-high-resolution solar observations, it had been unclear whether there exist good candidate sites in the west areas in China, including the Tibetan Plateau and the Pamirs Plateau. The project of solar site survey for the next-generation large solar telescopes, i.e., the Chinese Giant Solar Telescope (CGST) and the large coronagraph, has been launched since 2011. Based on the close collaboration among Chinese solar society and the scientists from NSO, HAO and other institutes, we have successfully developed the standard instruments for solar site survey and applied them to more than 50 different sites distributed in Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan and Ningxia provinces. We have built two long-term monitoring sites in Tibet and the large Shangri-La to take systematic site data. Clear evidence, including the key parameters of seeing factor, sky brightness and water vapor content, has indicated that a few potential sites in the large Tibetan areas should obtain the excellent astronomical conditions for our purpose to develop CGST and large coronagraph. We introduce the fresh site survey results in this report.

The use of test scores from large-scale assessment surveys: psychometric and statistical considerations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henry Braun

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Economists are making increasing use of measures of student achievement obtained through large-scale survey assessments such as NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA. The construction of these measures, employing plausible value (PV methodology, is quite different from that of the more familiar test scores associated with assessments such as the SAT or ACT. These differences have important implications both for utilization and interpretation. Although much has been written about PVs, it appears that there are still misconceptions about whether and how to employ them in secondary analyses. Methods We address a range of technical issues, including those raised in a recent article that was written to inform economists using these databases. First, an extensive review of the relevant literature was conducted, with particular attention to key publications that describe the derivation and psychometric characteristics of such achievement measures. Second, a simulation study was carried out to compare the statistical properties of estimates based on the use of PVs with those based on other, commonly used methods. Results It is shown, through both theoretical analysis and simulation, that under fairly general conditions appropriate use of PV yields approximately unbiased estimates of model parameters in regression analyses of large scale survey data. The superiority of the PV methodology is particularly evident when measures of student achievement are employed as explanatory variables. Conclusions The PV methodology used to report student test performance in large scale surveys remains the state-of-the-art for secondary analyses of these databases.

Extracting Archaeological Feautres from GPR Surveys Conducted with Variable Soil Moisture Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, I. M.; Glisic, B.; Gonciar, A.

2017-12-01

As a common tool for subsurface archaeological prospection, ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a useful method for increasing the efficiency of archaeological excavations. Archaeological sites are often temporally and financially constrained, therefore having limited ability to reschedule surveys compromised by weather. Furthermore, electromagnetic GPR surveys are especially sensitive to variations in water content, soil type, and site-specific interference. In this work, GPR scans of a partially excavated Roman villa consisting of different construction materials and phases (limestone, andesite, brick) in central Romania are compared. Surveys were conducted with a 500 MHz GPR antenna in both dry (pre-rain event) and wet (post-rain event) conditions. Especially in time or depth slices, wet surveys present additional archaeological features that are not present or clear in the standard dry conditions, while simultaneously masking the clutter present in those scans. When dry, the limestone has a similar dielectric constant to the soil and does not provide enough contrast in electromagnetic properties for strong reflections despite the significant difference in their physical properties. Following precipitation, however, the electromagnetic properties of these two materials is dominated by their respective water content and the contrast is enhanced. For this reason, the wet surveys are particularly necessary for revealing reflections from the limestone features often invisible in dry surveys. GPR surveys conducted in variable environmental conditions provide unique archaeological information, with potential near-surface geophysical applications in nondestructive material characterization and identification.

GESE: a small UV space telescope to conduct a large spectroscopic survey of z˜1 Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Heap, Sara R.; Gong, Qian; Hull, Tony; Kruk, Jeffrey; Purves, Lloyd

2014-11-01

One of the key goals of NASA's astrophysics program is to answer the question: How did galaxies evolve into the spirals and elliptical galaxies that we see today? We describe a space mission concept called Galaxy Evolution Spectroscopic Explorer (GESE) to address this question by making a large spectroscopic survey of galaxies at a redshift, z˜1 (look-back time of ˜8 billion years). GESE is a 1.5-m space telescope with an ultraviolet (UV) multi-object slit spectrograph that can obtain spectra of hundreds of galaxies per exposure. The spectrograph covers the spectral range, 0.2-0.4 μm at a spectral resolving power, R˜500. This observed spectral range corresponds to 0.1-0.2 μm as emitted by a galaxy at a redshift, z=1. The mission concept takes advantage of two new technological advances: (1) light-weighted, wide-field telescope mirrors, and (2) the Next-Generation MicroShutter Array (NG-MSA) to be used as a slit generator in the multi-object slit spectrograph.

5 CFR 591.223 - When does OPM conduct COLA surveys?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false When does OPM conduct COLA surveys? 591.223 Section 591.223 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS ALLOWANCES AND DIFFERENTIALS Cost-of-Living Allowance and Post Differential-Nonforeign Areas Cost-Of-Living...

Interview Survey Results and Analysis on New Trends in Open Innovation in Large Japanese Corporations (Japanese)

OpenAIRE

MOTOHASHI Kazuyuki; UEDA Yoji; MINO Motoyasu

2012-01-01

Japanese firms, having to face global innovation competition and business reorganization targeting emerging markets in the world, are actively engaged in open innovation. In this paper, an interview survey conducted on nine large Japanese manufacturers provides the new trends in open and global innovation. They include (1) establishment of a dedicated function of open innovation, (2) open approach for the whole process of new business development, (3) strategic alliance activities, (4) collab...

Conducting a respondent-driven sampling survey with the use of existing resources in Sydney, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Paquette, Dana M; Bryant, Joanne; Crawford, Sione; de Wit, John B F

2011-07-01

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a form of chain-referral sampling that is increasingly being used for HIV behavioural surveillance. When used for surveillance purposes, a sampling method should be relatively inexpensive and simple to operate. This study examined whether an RDS survey of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Sydney, Australia, could be successfully conducted through the use of minimal and existing resources. The RDS survey was conducted on the premises of a local needle and syringe program (NSP) with some adjustments to take into account the constraints of existing resources. The impact of the survey on clients and on staff was examined by summarizing NSP service data and by conducting post-survey discussions with NSP staff. From November 2009 till March 2010, 261 participants were recruited in 16 waves. A significant increase was found in the number of services provided by the NSP during and after data collection. Generally, staff felt that the survey had a positive impact by exposing a broader group of people to the NSP. However, conducting the survey may have led to privacy issues for NSP clients due to an increased number of people gathering around the NSP. This study shows that RDS can be conducted with the use of minimal and existing resources under certain conditions (e.g., use of a self-administered questionnaire and no biological samples taken). A more detailed cost-utility analysis is needed to determine whether RDS' advantages outweigh potential challenges when compared to simpler and less costly convenience methods. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Novel Method of Fabricating Flexible Transparent Conductive Large Area Graphene Film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Tian-Ju; Yuan Chun-Qiu; Tang Wei; Tong Song-Zhao; Huang Wei; Min Yong-Gang; Liu Yi-Dong; Epstein, Arthur J.

2015-01-01

We fabricate flexible conductive and transparent graphene films on position-emission-tomography substrates and prepare large area graphene films by graphite oxide sheets with the new technical process. The multi-layer graphene oxide sheets can be chemically reduced by HNO 3 and HI to form a highly conductive graphene film on a substrate at lower temperature. The reduced graphene oxide sheets show a high conductivity sheet with resistance of 476 Ω/sq and transmittance of 76% at 550 nm (6 layers). The technique used to produce the transparent conductive graphene thin film is facile, inexpensive, and can be tunable for a large area production applied for electronics or touch screens. (paper)

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2000 to 2012

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

SWFSC/MMTD: Collaborative Large Whale Survey (CLaWS) 2015

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Collaborative Large Whale Survey is a joint field effort by Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). The 4-month...

AGN Populations in Large-volume X-Ray Surveys: Photometric Redshifts and Population Types Found in the Stripe 82X Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Ananna, Tonima Tasnin; Salvato, Mara; LaMassa, Stephanie; Urry, C. Megan; Cappelluti, Nico; Cardamone, Carolin; Civano, Francesca; Farrah, Duncan; Gilfanov, Marat; Glikman, Eilat; Hamilton, Mark; Kirkpatrick, Allison; Lanzuisi, Giorgio; Marchesi, Stefano; Merloni, Andrea; Nandra, Kirpal; Natarajan, Priyamvada; Richards, Gordon T.; Timlin, John

2017-11-01

Multiwavelength surveys covering large sky volumes are necessary to obtain an accurate census of rare objects such as high-luminosity and/or high-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Stripe 82X is a 31.3 X-ray survey with Chandra and XMM-Newton observations overlapping the legacy Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 field, which has a rich investment of multiwavelength coverage from the ultraviolet to the radio. The wide-area nature of this survey presents new challenges for photometric redshifts for AGNs compared to previous work on narrow-deep fields because it probes different populations of objects that need to be identified and represented in the library of templates. Here we present an updated X-ray plus multiwavelength matched catalog, including Spitzer counterparts, and estimated photometric redshifts for 5961 (96% of a total of 6181) X-ray sources that have a normalized median absolute deviation, σnmad=0.06, and an outlier fraction, η = 13.7%. The populations found in this survey and the template libraries used for photometric redshifts provide important guiding principles for upcoming large-area surveys such as eROSITA and 3XMM (in X-ray) and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (optical).

M Stars in the TW Hydra Association: A Chandra Large Program Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Punzi, Kristina; Kastner, Joel; Principe, David; Stelzer, Beate; Gorti, Uma; Pascucci, Illaria; Argiroffi, Costanza

2018-01-01

We have conducted a Cycle 18 Chandra Large Program survey of very cool members of the $\\sim$ 8 Myr-old TW Hydra Association (TWA) to extend our previous study of the potential connections between M star disks and X-rays (Kastner et al. 2016, AJ, 152, 3) to the extreme low-mass end of the stellar initial mass function. The spectral types of our targets extend down to the M/L borderline. Thus we can further investigate the potential connection between the intense X-ray emission from young, low-mass stars and the lifetimes of their circumstellar planet-forming discs, as well as better constrain the age at which coronal activity declines for stellar masses approaching the H-burning limit of $\\sim$ 0.08 M$_{\\odot}$. We present preliminary results from the Cycle 18 survey, including X-ray detection statistics and measurements of relative X-ray luminosities and coronal (X-ray) temperatures for those TWA stars detected by Chandra. This research is supported by SAO/CXC grant GO7-18002A and NASA Astrophysics Data Analysis program grants NNX12AH37G and NNX16AG13G to RIT.

Near-Earth Object Orbit Linking with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Vereš, Peter; Chesley, Steven R.

2017-07-01

We have conducted a detailed simulation of the ability of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) to link near-Earth and main belt asteroid detections into orbits. The key elements of the study were a high-fidelity detection model and the presence of false detections in the form of both statistical noise and difference image artifacts. We employed the Moving Object Processing System (MOPS) to generate tracklets, tracks, and orbits with a realistic detection density for one month of the LSST survey. The main goals of the study were to understand whether (a) the linking of near-Earth objects (NEOs) into orbits can succeed in a realistic survey, (b) the number of false tracks and orbits will be manageable, and (c) the accuracy of linked orbits would be sufficient for automated processing of discoveries and attributions. We found that the overall density of asteroids was more than 5000 per LSST field near opposition on the ecliptic, plus up to 3000 false detections per field in good seeing. We achieved 93.6% NEO linking efficiency for H< 22 on tracks composed of tracklets from at least three distinct nights within a 12 day interval. The derived NEO catalog was comprised of 96% correct linkages. Less than 0.1% of orbits included false detections, and the remainder of false linkages stemmed from main belt confusion, which was an artifact of the short time span of the simulation. The MOPS linking efficiency can be improved by refined attribution of detections to known objects and by improved tuning of the internal kd-tree linking algorithms.

[Review of occupational hazard census and large-scale surveys in sixty years in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tao; Li, Chao-lin; Wang, Huan-qiang

2010-11-01

To compare and analyze the all previous censuses and large-scale surveys on occupational hazard in China, draw lessons from the past, and try to provide references for the development of census or surveys on the occupational hazard in the new period. A literature retrieval had been performed mainly on the occupational hazard census and large-scale surveys since the founding of People's Republic of China. Only the survey items carried on a national scale were selected. Some keywords were drawn from these items such as survey time, survey scope, industries, occupational diseases and the rate of examination, organization and technical director, methods and so on. The outcomes and experiences were summarized. Since the founding of People's Republic of China, there were seven occupational hazard census and large-scale surveys carried in China, three of them were about silicosis or pneumoconiosis, two of them were about poison and carcinogens, one was about noise, another one was about the township industrial enterprises. Leadership attention was the fundamental guarantee of the success of the survey, sound occupational health management organizations were the base, collaborative relationship with each other was an import factor, and only the interdisciplinary team, scientific design, quality control and incentive mechanism could assure the quality of the survey. The survey should be designed and carried out according to industries.

Comparing Lay Community and Academic Survey Center Interviewers in Conducting Household Interviews in Latino Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan-Golston, Alec M; Friedlander, Scott; Glik, Deborah C; Prelip, Michael L; Belin, Thomas R; Brookmeyer, Ron; Santos, Robert; Chen, Jie; Ortega, Alexander N

2016-01-01

The employment of professional interviewers from academic survey centers to conduct surveys has been standard practice. Because one goal of community-engaged research is to provide professional skills to community residents, this paper considers whether employing locally trained lay interviewers from within the community may be as effective as employing interviewers from an academic survey center with regard to unit and item nonresponse rates and cost. To study a nutrition-focused intervention, 1035 in-person household interviews were conducted in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, 503 of which were completed by lay community interviewers. A chi-square test was used to assess differences in unit nonresponse rates between professional and community interviewers and Welch's t tests were used to assess differences in item nonresponse rates. A cost comparison analysis between the two interviewer groups was also conducted. Interviewers from the academic survey center had lower unit nonresponse rates than the lay community interviewers (16.2% vs. 23.3%; p < 0.01). However, the item nonresponse rates were lower for the community interviewers than the professional interviewers (1.4% vs. 3.3%; p < 0.01). Community interviewers cost approximately $415.38 per survey whereas professional interviewers cost approximately $537.29 per survey. With a lower cost per completed survey and lower item nonresponse rates, lay community interviewers are a viable alternative to professional interviewers for fieldwork in community-based research. Additional research is needed to assess other important aspects of data quality interviewer such as interviewer effects and response error.

Solar System science with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Lynne; Brown, Mike; Ivezić, Zeljko; Jurić, Mario; Malhotra, Renu; Trilling, David

2015-11-01

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST; http://lsst.org) will be a large-aperture, wide-field, ground-based telescope that will survey half the sky every few nights in six optical bands from 320 to 1050 nm. It will explore a wide range of astrophysical questions, ranging from performing a census of the Solar System, to examining the nature of dark energy. It is currently in construction, slated for first light in 2019 and full operations by 2022.The LSST will survey over 20,000 square degrees with a rapid observational cadence, to typical limiting magnitudes of r~24.5 in each visit (9.6 square degree field of view). Automated software will link the individual detections into orbits; these orbits, as well as precisely calibrated astrometry (~50mas) and photometry (~0.01-0.02 mag) in multiple bandpasses will be available as LSST data products. The resulting data set will have tremendous potential for planetary astronomy; multi-color catalogs of hundreds of thousands of NEOs and Jupiter Trojans, millions of asteroids, tens of thousands of TNOs, as well as thousands of other objects such as comets and irregular satellites of the major planets.LSST catalogs will increase the sample size of objects with well-known orbits 10-100 times for small body populations throughout the Solar System, enabling a major increase in the completeness level of the inventory of most dynamical classes of small bodies and generating new insights into planetary formation and evolution. Precision multi-color photometry will allow determination of lightcurves and colors, as well as spin state and shape modeling through sparse lightcurve inversion. LSST is currently investigating survey strategies to optimize science return across a broad range of goals. To aid in this investigation, we are making a series of realistic simulated survey pointing histories available together with a Python software package to model and evaluate survey detections for a user-defined input population. Preliminary

Google Street View as an alternative method to car surveys in large-scale vegetation assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Deus, Ernesto; Silva, Joaquim S; Catry, Filipe X; Rocha, Miguel; Moreira, Francisco

2015-10-01

Car surveys (CS) are a common method for assessing the distribution of alien invasive plants. Google Street View (GSV), a free-access web technology where users may experience a virtual travel along roads, has been suggested as a cost-effective alternative to car surveys. We tested if we could replicate the results from a countrywide survey conducted by car in Portugal using GSV as a remote sensing tool, aiming at assessing the distribution of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. wildlings on roadsides adjacent to eucalypt stands. Georeferenced points gathered along CS were used to create road transects visible as lines overlapping the road in GSV environment, allowing surveying the same sampling areas using both methods. This paper presents the results of the comparison between the two methods. Both methods produced similar models of plant abundance, selecting the same explanatory variables, in the same hierarchical order of importance and depicting a similar influence on plant abundance. Even though the GSV model had a lower performance and the GSV survey detected fewer plants, additional variables collected exclusively with GSV improved model performance and provided a new insight into additional factors influencing plant abundance. The survey using GSV required ca. 9 % of the funds and 62 % of the time needed to accomplish the CS. We conclude that GSV may be a cost-effective alternative to CS. We discuss some advantages and limitations of GSV as a survey method. We forecast that GSV may become a widespread tool in road ecology, particularly in large-scale vegetation assessments.

Use of Internet panels to conduct surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Hays, Ron D; Liu, Honghu; Kapteyn, Arie

2015-09-01

The use of Internet panels to collect survey data is increasing because it is cost-effective, enables access to large and diverse samples quickly, takes less time than traditional methods to obtain data for analysis, and the standardization of the data collection process makes studies easy to replicate. A variety of probability-based panels have been created, including Telepanel/CentERpanel, Knowledge Networks (now GFK KnowledgePanel), the American Life Panel, the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences panel, and the Understanding America Study panel. Despite the advantage of having a known denominator (sampling frame), the probability-based Internet panels often have low recruitment participation rates, and some have argued that there is little practical difference between opting out of a probability sample and opting into a nonprobability (convenience) Internet panel. This article provides an overview of both probability-based and convenience panels, discussing potential benefits and cautions for each method, and summarizing the approaches used to weight panel respondents in order to better represent the underlying population. Challenges of using Internet panel data are discussed, including false answers, careless responses, giving the same answer repeatedly, getting multiple surveys from the same respondent, and panelists being members of multiple panels. More is to be learned about Internet panels generally and about Web-based data collection, as well as how to evaluate data collected using mobile devices and social-media platforms.

Characterizing unknown systematics in large scale structure surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, Nishant; Ho, Shirley; Myers, Adam D.; Seo, Hee-Jong; Ross, Ashley J.; Bahcall, Neta; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Muna, Demitri; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Yèche, Christophe; Pâris, Isabelle; Petitjean, Patrick; Schneider, Donald P.; Streblyanska, Alina; Weaver, Benjamin A.

2014-01-01

Photometric large scale structure (LSS) surveys probe the largest volumes in the Universe, but are inevitably limited by systematic uncertainties. Imperfect photometric calibration leads to biases in our measurements of the density fields of LSS tracers such as galaxies and quasars, and as a result in cosmological parameter estimation. Earlier studies have proposed using cross-correlations between different redshift slices or cross-correlations between different surveys to reduce the effects of such systematics. In this paper we develop a method to characterize unknown systematics. We demonstrate that while we do not have sufficient information to correct for unknown systematics in the data, we can obtain an estimate of their magnitude. We define a parameter to estimate contamination from unknown systematics using cross-correlations between different redshift slices and propose discarding bins in the angular power spectrum that lie outside a certain contamination tolerance level. We show that this method improves estimates of the bias using simulated data and further apply it to photometric luminous red galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey as a case study

Characterizing unknown systematics in large scale structure surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agarwal, Nishant; Ho, Shirley [McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Myers, Adam D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 (United States); Seo, Hee-Jong [Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, LBL and Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Ross, Ashley J. [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Bahcall, Neta [Princeton University Observatory, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Brinkmann, Jonathan [Apache Point Observatory, P.O. Box 59, Sunspot, NM 88349 (United States); Eisenstein, Daniel J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Muna, Demitri [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Yèche, Christophe [CEA, Centre de Saclay, Irfu/SPP, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Pâris, Isabelle [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 36-D, Santiago (Chile); Petitjean, Patrick [Université Paris 6 et CNRS, Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, 98bis blvd. Arago, 75014 Paris (France); Schneider, Donald P. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Streblyanska, Alina [Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Weaver, Benjamin A., E-mail: nishanta@andrew.cmu.edu [Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University, New York, NY 10003 (United States)

2014-04-01

Photometric large scale structure (LSS) surveys probe the largest volumes in the Universe, but are inevitably limited by systematic uncertainties. Imperfect photometric calibration leads to biases in our measurements of the density fields of LSS tracers such as galaxies and quasars, and as a result in cosmological parameter estimation. Earlier studies have proposed using cross-correlations between different redshift slices or cross-correlations between different surveys to reduce the effects of such systematics. In this paper we develop a method to characterize unknown systematics. We demonstrate that while we do not have sufficient information to correct for unknown systematics in the data, we can obtain an estimate of their magnitude. We define a parameter to estimate contamination from unknown systematics using cross-correlations between different redshift slices and propose discarding bins in the angular power spectrum that lie outside a certain contamination tolerance level. We show that this method improves estimates of the bias using simulated data and further apply it to photometric luminous red galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey as a case study.

The ESO Diffuse Interstellar Bands Large Exploration Survey (EDIBLES) . I. Project description, survey sample, and quality assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Nick L. J.; Cami, Jan; Farhang, Amin; Smoker, Jonathan; Monreal-Ibero, Ana; Lallement, Rosine; Sarre, Peter J.; Marshall, Charlotte C. M.; Smith, Keith T.; Evans, Christopher J.; Royer, Pierre; Linnartz, Harold; Cordiner, Martin A.; Joblin, Christine; van Loon, Jacco Th.; Foing, Bernard H.; Bhatt, Neil H.; Bron, Emeric; Elyajouri, Meriem; de Koter, Alex; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Javadi, Atefeh; Kaper, Lex; Khosroshadi, Habib G.; Laverick, Mike; Le Petit, Franck; Mulas, Giacomo; Roueff, Evelyne; Salama, Farid; Spaans, Marco

2017-10-01

The carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are largely unidentified molecules ubiquitously present in the interstellar medium (ISM). After decades of study, two strong and possibly three weak near-infrared DIBs have recently been attributed to the C60^+ fullerene based on observational and laboratory measurements. There is great promise for the identification of the over 400 other known DIBs, as this result could provide chemical hints towards other possible carriers. In an effort tosystematically study the properties of the DIB carriers, we have initiated a new large-scale observational survey: the ESO Diffuse Interstellar Bands Large Exploration Survey (EDIBLES). The main objective is to build on and extend existing DIB surveys to make a major step forward in characterising the physical and chemical conditions for a statistically significant sample of interstellar lines-of-sight, with the goal to reverse-engineer key molecular properties of the DIB carriers. EDIBLES is a filler Large Programme using the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope at Paranal, Chile. It is designed to provide an observationally unbiased view of the presence and behaviour of the DIBs towards early-spectral-type stars whose lines-of-sight probe the diffuse-to-translucent ISM. Such a complete dataset will provide a deep census of the atomic and molecular content, physical conditions, chemical abundances and elemental depletion levels for each sightline. Achieving these goals requires a homogeneous set of high-quality data in terms of resolution (R 70 000-100 000), sensitivity (S/N up to 1000 per resolution element), and spectral coverage (305-1042 nm), as well as a large sample size (100+ sightlines). In this first paper the goals, objectives and methodology of the EDIBLES programme are described and an initial assessment of the data is provided.

Sampling strategy for a large scale indoor radiation survey - a pilot project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strand, T.; Stranden, E.

1986-01-01

Optimisation of a stratified random sampling strategy for large scale indoor radiation surveys is discussed. It is based on the results from a small scale pilot project where variances in dose rates within different categories of houses were assessed. By selecting a predetermined precision level for the mean dose rate in a given region, the number of measurements needed can be optimised. The results of a pilot project in Norway are presented together with the development of the final sampling strategy for a planned large scale survey. (author)

A Green Bank Telescope Survey of Large Galactic H II Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, L. D.; Armentrout, W. P.; Luisi, Matteo; Bania, T. M.; Balser, Dana S.; Wenger, Trey V.

2018-02-01

As part of our ongoing H II Region Discovery Survey (HRDS), we report the Green Bank Telescope detection of 148 new angularly large Galactic H II regions in radio recombination line (RRL) emission. Our targets are located at a declination of δ > -45^\\circ , which corresponds to 266^\\circ > {\\ell }> -20^\\circ at b=0^\\circ . All sources were selected from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Catalog of Galactic H II Regions, and have infrared angular diameters ≥slant 260\\prime\\prime . The Galactic distribution of these “large” H II regions is similar to that of the previously known sample of Galactic H II regions. The large H II region RRL line width and peak line intensity distributions are skewed toward lower values, compared with that of previous HRDS surveys. We discover seven sources with extremely narrow RRLs 100 {pc}, making them some of the physically largest known H II regions in the Galaxy. This survey completes the HRDS H II region census in the Northern sky, where we have discovered 887 H II regions and more than doubled the size of the previously known census of Galactic H II regions.

Validation of a short qualitative food frequency list used in several German large scale surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkler, G; Döring, A

1998-09-01

Our study aimed to test the validity of a short, qualitative food frequency list (FFL) used in several German large scale surveys. In the surveys of the MONICA project Augsburg, the FFL was used in randomly selected adults. In 1984/85, a dietary survey with 7-day records (DR) was conducted within the subsample of men aged 45 to 64 (response 70%). The 899 DR were used to validate the FFL. Mean weekly food intake frequency and mean daily food intake were compared and Spearman rank order correlation coefficients and classification into tertiles with values of the statistic Kappa were calculated. Spearman correlations range between 0.15 for the item "Other sweets (candies, compote)" and 0.60 for the items "Curds, yoghurt, sour milk", "Milk including butter milk" and "Mineral water"; values for statistic Kappa vary between 0.04 ("White bread, brown bread, crispbread") and 0.41 ("Flaked oats, muesli, cornflakes" and "milk including butter milk"). With the exception of two items, FFL data can be used for analysis on group level. Analysis on individual level should be done with caution. It seems, as if some food groups are generally easier to ask for in FFL than others.

Nonideal ultrathin mantle cloak for electrically large conducting cylinders.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shuo; Zhang, Hao Chi; Xu, He-Xiu; Cui, Tie Jun

2014-09-01

Based on the concept of the scattering cancellation technique, we propose a nonideal ultrathin mantle cloak that can efficiently suppress the total scattering cross sections of an electrically large conducting cylinder (over one free-space wavelength). The cloaking mechanism is investigated in depth based on the Mie scattering theory and is simultaneously interpreted from the perspective of far-field bistatic scattering and near-field distributions. We remark that, unlike the perfect transformation-optics-based cloak, this nonideal cloaking technique is mainly designed to minimize simultaneously several scattering multipoles of a relatively large geometry around considerably broad bandwidth. Numerical simulations and experimental results show that the antiscattering ability of the metasurface gives rise to excellent total scattering reduction of the electrically large cylinder and remarkable electric-field restoration around the cloak. The outstanding cloaking performance together with the good features of and ultralow profile, flexibility, and easy fabrication predict promising applications in the microwave frequencies.

Cosmology with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Hu; Tyson, J. Anthony

2018-06-01

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is a high étendue imaging facility that is being constructed atop Cerro Pachón in northern Chile. It is scheduled to begin science operations in 2022. With an ( effective) aperture, a novel three-mirror design achieving a seeing-limited field of view, and a 3.2 gigapixel camera, the LSST has the deep-wide-fast imaging capability necessary to carry out an survey in six passbands (ugrizy) to a coadded depth of over 10 years using of its observational time. The remaining of the time will be devoted to considerably deeper and faster time-domain observations and smaller surveys. In total, each patch of the sky in the main survey will receive 800 visits allocated across the six passbands with exposure visits. The huge volume of high-quality LSST data will provide a wide range of science opportunities and, in particular, open a new era of precision cosmology with unprecedented statistical power and tight control of systematic errors. In this review, we give a brief account of the LSST cosmology program with an emphasis on dark energy investigations. The LSST will address dark energy physics and cosmology in general by exploiting diverse precision probes including large-scale structure, weak lensing, type Ia supernovae, galaxy clusters, and strong lensing. Combined with the cosmic microwave background data, these probes form interlocking tests on the cosmological model and the nature of dark energy in the presence of various systematics. The LSST data products will be made available to the US and Chilean scientific communities and to international partners with no proprietary period. Close collaborations with contemporaneous imaging and spectroscopy surveys observing at a variety of wavelengths, resolutions, depths, and timescales will be a vital part of the LSST science program, which will not only enhance specific studies but, more importantly, also allow a more complete understanding of the Universe through different windows.

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: From Science Drivers to Reference Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ivezic, Z.; Axelrod, T.; Brandt, W.N.; Burke, D.L.; Claver, C.F.; Connolly, A.; Cook, K.H.; Gee, P.; Gilmore, D.K.; Jacoby, S.H.; Jones, R.L.; Kahn, S.M.; Kantor, J.P.; Krabbendam, V.; Lupton, R.H.; Monet, D.G.; Pinto, P.A.; Saha, A.; Schalk, T.L.; Schneider, D.P.; Strauss, Michael A.; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept. /LSST Corp. /Penn State U., Astron. Astrophys. /KIPAC, Menlo Park /NOAO, Tucson /LLNL, Livermore /UC, Davis /Princeton U., Astrophys. Sci. Dept. /Naval Observ., Flagstaff /Arizona U., Astron. Dept. - Steward Observ. /UC, Santa Cruz /Harvard U. /Johns Hopkins U. /Illinois U., Urbana

2011-10-14

In the history of astronomy, major advances in our understanding of the Universe have come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. Aided by rapid progress in information technology, current sky surveys are changing the way we view and study the Universe. Next-generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. We focus here on the most ambitious survey currently planned in the visible band, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: constraining dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. It will be a large, wide-field ground-based system designed to obtain multiple images covering the sky that is visible from Cerro Pachon in Northern Chile. The current baseline design, with an 8.4 m (6.5 m effective) primary mirror, a 9.6 deg{sup 2} field of view, and a 3,200 Megapixel camera, will allow about 10,000 square degrees of sky to be covered using pairs of 15-second exposures in two photometric bands every three nights on average. The system is designed to yield high image quality, as well as superb astrometric and photometric accuracy. The survey area will include 30,000 deg{sup 2} with {delta} < +34.5{sup o}, and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, ugrizy, covering the wavelength range 320-1050 nm. About 90% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep-wide-fast survey mode which will observe a 20,000 deg{sup 2} region about 1000 times in the six bands during the anticipated 10 years of operation. These data will result in databases including 10 billion galaxies and a similar number of stars, and will serve the majority of science programs. The remaining 10% of the observing time will be allocated to special programs such as Very Deep and Very Fast time domain surveys. We describe how the

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: From science drivers to reference design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivezić Ž.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available In the history of astronomy, major advances in our understanding of the Universe have come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. Aided by rapid progress in information technology, current sky surveys are changing the way we view and study the Universe. Next- generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. We focus here on the most ambitious survey currently planned in the visible band, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST. LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: constraining dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. It will be a large, wide-field ground-based system designed to obtain multiple images covering the sky that is visible from Cerro Pachon in Northern Chile. The current baseline design, with an 8.4 m (6.5 m effective primary mirror, a 9.6 deg2 field of view, and a 3,200 Megapixel camera, will allow about 10,000 square degrees of sky to be covered using pairs of 15-second exposures in two photometric bands every three nights on average. The system is designed to yield high image quality, as well as superb astrometric and photometric accuracy. The survey area will include 30,000 deg2 with δ < +34.5◦ , and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, ugrizy, covering the wavelength range 320-1050 nm. About 90% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep- wide-fast survey mode which will observe a 20,000 deg2 region about 1000 times in the six bands during the anticipated 10 years of operation. These data will result in databases including 10 billion galaxies and a similar number of stars, and will serve the majority of science programs. The remaining 10% of the observing time will be allocated to special programs such as Very Deep and Very Fast time domain surveys. We describe how the LSST

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope: From Science Drivers To Reference Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivezić, Ž.

2008-06-01

Full Text Available In the history of astronomy, major advances in our understanding of the Universe have come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. Aided by rapid progress in information technology, current sky surveys are changing the way we view and study the Universe. Next-generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. We focus here on the most ambitious survey currently planned in the visible band, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST. LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: constraining dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. It will be a large, wide-field ground-based system designed to obtain multiple images covering the sky that is visible from Cerro Pach'{o}n in Northern Chile. The current baseline design, with an 8.4, m (6.5, m effective primary mirror, a 9.6 deg$^2$ field of view, and a 3,200 Megapixel camera, will allow about 10,000 square degrees of sky to be covered using pairs of 15-second exposures in two photometric bands every three nights on average. The system is designed to yield high image quality, as well as superb astrometric and photometric accuracy. The survey area will include 30,000 deg$^2$ with $delta<+34.5^circ$, and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, $ugrizy$, covering the wavelength range 320--1050 nm. About 90\\% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep-wide-fast survey mode which will observe a 20,000 deg$^2$ region about 1000 times in the six bands during the anticipated 10 years of operation. These data will result in databases including 10 billion galaxies and a similar number of stars, and will serve the majority of science programs. The remaining 10\\% of the observing time will be allocated to special programs such as Very Deep and Very Fast time domain surveys. We

Sex ratio and time to pregnancy: analysis of four large European population surveys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joffe, Mike; Bennett, James; Best, Nicky

2007-01-01

To test whether the secondary sex ratio (proportion of male births) is associated with time to pregnancy, a marker of fertility. Design Analysis of four large population surveys. Setting Denmark and the United Kingdom. Participants 49 506 pregnancies.......To test whether the secondary sex ratio (proportion of male births) is associated with time to pregnancy, a marker of fertility. Design Analysis of four large population surveys. Setting Denmark and the United Kingdom. Participants 49 506 pregnancies....

The future of primordial features with large-scale structure surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xingang; Namjoo, Mohammad Hossein; Dvorkin, Cora; Huang, Zhiqi; Verde, Licia

2016-01-01

Primordial features are one of the most important extensions of the Standard Model of cosmology, providing a wealth of information on the primordial Universe, ranging from discrimination between inflation and alternative scenarios, new particle detection, to fine structures in the inflationary potential. We study the prospects of future large-scale structure (LSS) surveys on the detection and constraints of these features. We classify primordial feature models into several classes, and for each class we present a simple template of power spectrum that encodes the essential physics. We study how well the most ambitious LSS surveys proposed to date, including both spectroscopic and photometric surveys, will be able to improve the constraints with respect to the current Planck data. We find that these LSS surveys will significantly improve the experimental sensitivity on features signals that are oscillatory in scales, due to the 3D information. For a broad range of models, these surveys will be able to reduce the errors of the amplitudes of the features by a factor of 5 or more, including several interesting candidates identified in the recent Planck data. Therefore, LSS surveys offer an impressive opportunity for primordial feature discovery in the next decade or two. We also compare the advantages of both types of surveys.

The future of primordial features with large-scale structure surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xingang; Namjoo, Mohammad Hossein [Institute for Theory and Computation, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Dvorkin, Cora [Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Huang, Zhiqi [School of Physics and Astronomy, Sun Yat-Sen University, 135 Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Verde, Licia, E-mail: xingang.chen@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: dvorkin@physics.harvard.edu, E-mail: huangzhq25@sysu.edu.cn, E-mail: mohammad.namjoo@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: liciaverde@icc.ub.edu [ICREA and ICC-UB, University of Barcelona (IEEC-UB), Marti i Franques, 1, Barcelona 08028 (Spain)

2016-11-01

Primordial features are one of the most important extensions of the Standard Model of cosmology, providing a wealth of information on the primordial Universe, ranging from discrimination between inflation and alternative scenarios, new particle detection, to fine structures in the inflationary potential. We study the prospects of future large-scale structure (LSS) surveys on the detection and constraints of these features. We classify primordial feature models into several classes, and for each class we present a simple template of power spectrum that encodes the essential physics. We study how well the most ambitious LSS surveys proposed to date, including both spectroscopic and photometric surveys, will be able to improve the constraints with respect to the current Planck data. We find that these LSS surveys will significantly improve the experimental sensitivity on features signals that are oscillatory in scales, due to the 3D information. For a broad range of models, these surveys will be able to reduce the errors of the amplitudes of the features by a factor of 5 or more, including several interesting candidates identified in the recent Planck data. Therefore, LSS surveys offer an impressive opportunity for primordial feature discovery in the next decade or two. We also compare the advantages of both types of surveys.

Conducting a Withdrawal Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Aldridge, Sue; Rowley, Jennifer

2001-01-01

A survey at Edge Hill College of Higher Education in Canada, designed to be part of the mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the quality of the student experience, revealed that key factors influencing withdrawal were: course not as expected, traveling difficulties, institution not as expected, domestic difficulties, and financial difficulties.…

RESULTS OF THE SURVEY CONDUCTED AMONG OPHTHALMOLOGISTS ON THE ISSUE OF EQUIPMENT OF MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS WITH OPHTHALMOLOGY DEVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. V. Seraphimov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The problem of limited accessibility and quality of ophthalmic medical care remains one of the leading ones in the national healthcare. This article presents results of the survey conducted among ophthalmologists about the effect of large-scale equipment of all medical institutions in the Leningrad Region with modern ophthalmologic devices over the recent years.Objective is to determine the contribution of the health care modernization program to equipping the medical institutions of the Leningrad Region with modern ophthalmologic medical devices, and to identify the main areas for improving the ophthalmologic care for residents of the Leningrad region with cataracts.Materials and methods. According to a specially developed questionnaire, 105 ophthalmologists from the Leningrad Region were interviewed. The survey was conducted among physicians working both in out-patient medical facilities and in medical facilities with in-patient modalities.Results. The results of the study confirmed positive changes that occurred in recent years as a result of equipping medical institutions with modern medical devices. Almost two-thirds (59.9% of respondents noted that equipping with modern medical devices had a significant impact on the quality of the medical and diagnostic measures carried out in healthcare facilities of the region.Conclusions. The equipment had a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of all kinds of diseases of the eye and its appendages, especially such eye disease which is so common among the population of the Leningrad Region as cataracts (75.0 per 100 ophthalmologists surveyed. At the same time, in spite of these efforts, the standard for equipping ophthalmologic departments in individual medical institutions has not been fully provided. Only every fifth (20.9% ophthalmologist noted during the survey that the list of available ophthalmic devices was sufficient, and that they all worked properly.

Post-precipitation bias in band-tailed pigeon surveys conducted at mineral sites

Science.gov (United States)

Overton, C.T.; Schmitz, R.A.; Casazza, Michael L.

2005-01-01

Many animal surveys to estimate populations or index trends include protocol prohibiting counts during rain but fail to address effects of rainfall preceding the count. Prior research on Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata monilis) documented declines in use of mineral sites during rainfall. We hypothesized that prior precipitation was associated with a short-term increase in use of mineral sites following rain. We conducted weekly counts of band-tailed pigeons at 19 Pacific Northwest mineral sites in 2001 and 20 sites in 2002. Results from regression analysis indicated higher counts ???2 days after rain (11.31??5.00% [x????SE]) compared to ???3 days. Individual index counts conducted ???2 days after rain were biased high, resulting in reduced ability to accurately estimate population trends. Models of band-tailed pigeon visitation rates throughout the summer showed increased mineral-site counts during both June and August migration periods, relative to the July breeding period. Our research supported previous studies recommending that mineral-site counts used to index the band-tailed pigeon population be conducted during July. We further recommend conducting counts >3 days after rain to avoid weather-related bias in index estimation. The design of other population sampling strategies that rely on annual counts should consider the influence of aberrant weather not only coincident with but also preceding surveys if weather patterns are thought to influence behavior or detection probability of target species.

The European Large-Area ISO Survey (ELAIS): the final band-merged catalogue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rowan-Robinson, M.; Lari, C.; Perez-Fournon, I.

2004-01-01

We present the final band-merged European Large-Area ISO Survey (ELAIS) Catalogue at 6.7, 15, 90 and 175 mum, and the associated data at U, g', r', i', Z, J, H, K and 20 cm. The origin of the survey, infrared and radio observations, data-reduction and optical identifications are briefly reviewed...

VizieR Online Data Catalog: HerMES Large Mode Survey catalogue (Asboth+, 2016)

Science.gov (United States)

Asboth, V.; Conley, A.; Sayers, J.; Bethermin, M.; Chapman, S. C.; Clements, D. L.; Cooray, A.; Dannerbauer, H.; Farrah, D.; Glenn, J.; Golwala, S. R.; Halpern, M.; Ibar, E.; Ivison, R. J.; Maloney, P. R.; Marques-Chaves, R.; Martinez-Navajas, P. I.; Oliver, S. J.; Perez-Fournon, I.; Riechers, D. A.; Rowan-Robinson, M.; Scott, D.; Siegel, S. R.; Vieira, J. D.; Viero, M.; Wang, L.; Wardlow, J.; Wheeler, J.

2018-01-01

The HerMES Large Mode Survey (HeLMS) consists of a large area shallow observation of an equatorial field at wavelengths of 250, 350 and 500um, obtained using the SPIRE aboard the Herschel Space Observatory. HeLMS is an extension of HerMES (Oliver et al., 2012MNRAS.424.1614O, Cat. VIII/95 and VIII/103), a 'wedding cake' type survey containing small and deep maps and larger shallower observations of different fields. HeLMS covers about 302deg2 of the sky, making it the largest area observed in the HerMES. The HeLMS field spans 23h14mlarge overlap with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey;s Stripe 82 field (Abazajian et al., 2009ApJS..182..543A), one of the most highly observed areas of the sky, with extensive multiwavelength ancillary data coverage. The equatorial area has the advantage that it can be observed from almost any ground-based telescope site in the world. (1 data file).

Caribbean Marine Mammal Assessment Vessel Surveys

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These data sets are a compilation of large vessel surveys for marine mammal stock assessments in Caribbean waters conducted during 2000-2001. These surveys were...

Availability and quality of anti-malarials among private sector outlets in Myanmar in 2012: results from a large, community-based, cross-sectional survey before a large-scale intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Khin, Hnin Su Su; Chen, Ingrid; White, Chris; Sudhinaraset, May; McFarland, Willi; Littrell, Megan; Montagu, Dominic; Aung, Tin

2015-07-14

Global malaria control efforts are threatened by the spread and emergence of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites. In 2012, the widespread sale of partial courses of artemisinin-based monotherapy was suspected to take place in the highly accessed, weakly regulated private sector in Myanmar, posing potentially major threats to drug resistance. This study investigated the presence of artemisinin-based monotherapies in the Myanmar private sector, particularly as partial courses of therapy, to inform the targeting of future interventions to stop artemisinin resistance. A large cross-sectional survey comprised of a screening questionnaire was conducted across 26 townships in Myanmar between March and May, 2012. For outlets that stocked anti-malarials at the time of survey, a stock audit was conducted, and for outlets that stocked anti-malarials within 3 months of the survey, a provider survey was conducted. A total of 3,658 outlets were screened, 83% were retailers (pharmacies, itinerant drug vendors and general retailers) and 17% were healthcare providers (private facilities and health workers). Of the 3,658 outlets screened, 1,359 outlets (32%) stocked at least one anti-malarial at the time of study. Oral artemisinin-based monotherapy comprised of 33% of self-reported anti-malarials dispensing volumes found. The vast majority of artemisinin-based monotherapy was sold by retailers, where 63% confirmed that they sold partial courses of therapy by cutting blister packets. Very few retailers (5%) had malaria rapid diagnostic tests available, and quality-assured artemisinin-based combination therapy was virtually nonexistent among retailers. Informal private pharmacies, itinerant drug vendors and general retailers should be targeted for interventions to improve malaria treatment practices in Myanmar, particularly those that threaten the emergence and spread of artemisinin resistance.

The Trauma Center Organizational Culture Survey: development and conduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Matthew L; Wehbe-Janek, Hania; Subacius, Haris; Pinto, Ruxandra; Nathens, Avery B

2015-01-01

The Trauma Center Organizational Culture Survey (TRACCS) instrument was developed to assess organizational culture of trauma centers enrolled in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Program (ACS TQIP). The objective is to provide evidence on the psychometric properties of the factors of TRACCS and describe the current organizational culture of TQIP-enrolled trauma centers. A cross-sectional study was conducted by surveying a sampling of employees at 174 TQIP-enrolled trauma centers. Data collection was preceded by multistep survey development. Psychometric properties were assessed by an exploratory factor analysis (construct validity) and the item-total correlations and Cronbach alpha were calculated (internal reliability). Statistical outcomes of the survey responses were measured by descriptive statistics and mixed effect models. The response rate for trauma center participation in the study was 78.7% (n = 137). The factor analysis resulted in 16 items clustered into three factors as described: opportunity, pride, and diversity, trauma center leadership, and employee respect and recognition. TRACCS was found to be highly reliable with a Cronbach alpha of 0.90 in addition to the three factors (0.91, 0.90, and 0.85). Considerable variability of TRACCS overall and factor score among hospitals was measured, with the largest interhospital deviations among trauma center leadership. More than 80% of the variability in the responses occurred within rather than between hospitals. TRACCS was developed as a reliable tool for measuring trauma center organizational culture. Relationships between TQIP outcomes and measured organizational culture are under investigation. Trauma centers could apply TRACCS to better understand current organizational culture and how change tools can impact culture and subsequent patient and process outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Results of the 2008/2009 Knowledge and Opinions Surveys Conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmoyer, R. L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Truett, Tykey [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Cooper, Christy [Dept. of Energy (DOE), Washington DC (United States); Chew, Andrea [Dept. of Energy (DOE), Washington DC (United States)

2010-04-01

This report presents results of a 2008/2009 survey of hydrogen and fuel cell awareness conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The 2008/2009 survey follows up on a similar DOE survey conducted in 2004, measuring levels of awareness and understanding of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in four populations: (1) the general public, (2) students, (3) personnel in state and local governments, and (4) potential end users of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in business and industry. The 2008/2009 survey includes these four groups and adds a fifth group, safety and code officials. The same survey methods were used for both surveys; the 2008/2009 survey report includes a comparison of 2004 and 2008/2009 findings. Information from these surveys will be used to enhance hydrogen and fuel cell education strategies.

The ESO Diffuse Interstellar Band Large Exploration Survey (EDIBLES)

Science.gov (United States)

Cami, J.; Cox, N. L.; Farhang, A.; Smoker, J.; Elyajouri, M.; Lallement, R.; Bacalla, X.; Bhatt, N. H.; Bron, E.; Cordiner, M. A.; de Koter, A..; Ehrenfreund, P.; Evans, C.; Foing, B. H.; Javadi, A.; Joblin, C.; Kaper, L.; Khosroshahi, H. G.; Laverick, M.; Le Petit, F..; Linnartz, H.; Marshall, C. C.; Monreal-Ibero, A.; Mulas, G.; Roueff, E.; Royer, P.; Salama, F.; Sarre, P. J.; Smith, K. T.; Spaans, M.; van Loon, J. T..; Wade, G.

2018-03-01

The ESO Diffuse Interstellar Band Large Exploration Survey (EDIBLES) is a Large Programme that is collecting high-signal-to-noise (S/N) spectra with UVES of a large sample of O and B-type stars covering a large spectral range. The goal of the programme is to extract a unique sample of high-quality interstellar spectra from these data, representing different physical and chemical environments, and to characterise these environments in great detail. An important component of interstellar spectra is the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs), a set of hundreds of unidentified interstellar absorption lines. With the detailed line-of-sight information and the high-quality spectra, EDIBLES will derive strong constraints on the potential DIB carrier molecules. EDIBLES will thus guide the laboratory experiments necessary to identify these interstellar “mystery molecules”, and turn DIBs into powerful diagnostics of their environments in our Milky Way Galaxy and beyond. We present some preliminary results showing the unique capabilities of the EDIBLES programme.

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the Pacific Remote Island Areas from 2017-04-02 to 2017-04-20 (NCEI Accession 0164022)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

The Transition to Large-scale Cosmic Homogeneity in the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Scrimgeour, Morag; Davis, T.; Blake, C.; James, B.; Poole, G. B.; Staveley-Smith, L.; Dark Energy Survey, WiggleZ

2013-01-01

The most fundamental assumption of the standard cosmological model (ΛCDM) is that the universe is homogeneous on large scales. This is clearly not true on small scales, where clusters and voids exist, and some studies seem to suggest that galaxies follow a fractal distribution up to very large scales 200 h-1 Mpc or more), whereas the ΛCDM model predicts transition to homogeneity at scales of ~100 h-1 Mpc. Any cosmological measurements made below the scale of homogeneity (such as the power spectrum) could be misleading, so it is crucial to measure the scale of homogeneity in the Universe. We have used the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey to make the largest volume measurement to date of the transition to homogeneity in the galaxy distribution. WiggleZ is a UV-selected spectroscopic survey of ~200,000 luminous blue galaxies up to z=1, made with the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We have corrected for survey incompleteness using random catalogues that account for the various survey selection criteria, and tested the robustness of our results using a suite of fractal mock catalogues. The large volume and depth of WiggleZ allows us to probe the transition of the galaxy distribution to homogeneity on large scales and over several epochs, and see if this is consistent with a ΛCDM prediction.

Exploring Milkyway Halo Substructures with Large-Area Sky Surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Ting [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

2016-01-01

Over the last two decades, our understanding of the Milky Way has been improved thanks to large data sets arising from large-area digital sky surveys. The stellar halo is now known to be inhabited by a variety of spatial and kinematic stellar substructures, including stellar streams and stellar clouds, all of which are predicted by hierarchical Lambda Cold Dark Matter models of galaxy formation. In this dissertation, we first present the analysis of spectroscopic observations of individual stars from the two candidate structures discovered using an M-giant catalog from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey. The follow-up observations show that one of the candidates is a genuine structure which might be associated with the Galactic Anticenter Stellar Structure, while the other one is a false detection due to the systematic photometric errors in the survey or dust extinction in low Galactic latitudes. We then presented the discovery of an excess of main sequence turn-off stars in the direction of the constellations of Eridanus and Phoenix from the first-year data of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) – a five-year, 5,000 deg2 optical imaging survey in the Southern Hemisphere. The Eridanus-Phoenix (EriPhe) overdensity is centered around l ~ 285° and b ~ -60° and the Poisson significance of the detection is at least 9σ. The EriPhe overdensity has a cloud-like morphology and the extent is at least ~ 4 kpc by ~ 3 kpc in projection, with a heliocentric distance of about d ~ 16 kpc. The EriPhe overdensity is morphologically similar to the previously-discovered Virgo overdensity and Hercules-Aquila cloud. These three overdensities lie along a polar plane separated by ~ 120° and may share a common origin. In addition to the scientific discoveries, we also present the work to improve the photometric calibration in DES using auxiliary calibration systems, since the photometric errors can cause false detection in first the halo substructure. We present a detailed description of the two

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Large-bodied Fishes of the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2000-09-09 to 2012-05-19 (NCEI Accession 0163744)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct surveys of large-bodied (> 50 cm) fishes in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Rapid Ecological Assessments of Fish Large-Area Stationary Point Count Surveys (SPC) at Coral Reef Sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2000 to 2007

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The large-area stationary point count (SPC) method is used to conduct reef fish surveys in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

Survey on Ethical Conduct Thresholds in Cardiologal Medical Practice in Argentina.

Science.gov (United States)

Doval, Hernán C; Tajer, Carlos D; Borracci, Raúl A; Nuñez, Carmen; Samarelli, Marisa; Tamini, Susana

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the attitude of a group of cardiologists on the ethical conducts they would accept or adopt when encountered with different hypothetical situations of medical practice. Between August and September of 2011, 700 Argentine cardiologists were surveyed in situations which posed ethical dilemmas in the patient-physician relationship, among colleagues or involving financial agreements with employers or the pharmaceutical industry. Ethical conflicts were evidenced in a series of inappropriate conducts such as differential fees, trips and meals sponsored by laboratories, splitting fees, overbilling, self-referral, charging for patient referral, financial compensation for ordering medical procedures, and various situations derived from the relationship with employers. In general, financial compensation from the pharmaceutical industry was more accepted than the conflictive situations which directly involved patients, colleagues or employers. The rejection of these conducts, the physicians' deontological education and the improvement of financial and organizational conditions in medical practice will help to encourage better medical professionalism and avoid unseemly behaviors. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Polar Rover for Large-Scale Scientific Surveys: Design, Implementation and Field Test Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuqing He

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Exploration of polar regions is of great importance to scientific research. Unfortunately, due to the harsh environment, most of the regions on the Antarctic continent are still unreachable for humankind. Therefore, in 2011, the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE launched a project to design a rover to conduct large-scale scientific surveys on the Antarctic. The main challenges for the rover are twofold: one is the mobility, i.e., how to make a rover that could survive the harsh environment and safely move on the uneven, icy and snowy terrain; the other is the autonomy, in that the robot should be able to move at a relatively high speed with little or no human intervention so that it can explore a large region in a limit time interval under the communication constraints. In this paper, the corresponding techniques, especially the polar rover's design and autonomous navigation algorithms, are introduced in detail. Subsequently, an experimental report of the fields tests on the Antarctic is given to show some preliminary evaluation of the rover. Finally, experiences and existing challenging problems are summarized.

Large Astronomical Surveys, Catalogs and Databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mickaelian A. M.

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We review the status of all-sky and large astronomical surveys and their catalogued data over the whole range of electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma-ray to radio, such as ROSAT in X-ray, GALEX in UV, SDSS and several POSS1/2 based catalogs (APM, MAPS, USNO, GSC in optical, 2MASS and WISE in NIR, IRAS and AKARI in MIR/FIR, NVSS and FIRST in radio range and others. Present astronomical archives contain billions of objects, Galactic as well as extragalactic, and the vast amount of data in them permit new studies and discoveries. Cross-correlations result in revealing new objects and new samples. Very often, dozens of thousands of sources hide a few very interesting ones that are needed to be discovered by comparison of various physical characteristics. Most of the modern databases currently provide VO access to the stored information. This permits not only open access but also fast analysis and managing of these data.

Comparison of the large-scale radon risk map for southern Belgium with results of high resolution surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, H.-C.; Charlet, J.M.; Poffijn, A.

2000-01-01

A large-scale radon survey consisting of long-term measurements in about 5200 singe-family houses in the southern part of Belgium was carried from 1995 to 1999. A radon risk map for the region was produced using geostatistical and GIS approaches. Some communes or villages situated within high risk areas were chosen for detailed surveys. A high resolution radon survey with about 330 measurements was performed in half part of the commune of Burg-Reuland. Comparison of radon maps on quite different scales shows that the general Rn risk map has similar pattern as the radon map for the detailed study area. Another detailed radon survey in the village of Hatrival, situated in a high radon area, found very high proportion of houses with elevated radon concentrations. The results of this detailed survey are comparable to the expectation for high risk areas on the large-scale radon risk map. The good correspondence between the findings of the general risk map and the analysis of the limited detailed surveys, suggests that the large-scale radon risk map is likely reliable. (author)

The Gould's Belt very large array survey. III. The Orion region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kounkel, Marina; Hartmann, Lee [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Loinard, Laurent; Ortiz-León, Gisela N.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Pech, Gerardo; Rivera, Juana L. [Centro de Radiostronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Morelia 58089 (Mexico); Mioduszewski, Amy J. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 1003 Lopezville Road, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Dzib, Sergio A. [Max Planck Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Torres, Rosa M. [Instituto de Astronomía y Meteorología, Universidad de Guadalajara, Avenida Vallarta No. 2602, Col. Arcos Vallarta, CP 44130, Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico); Boden, Andrew F. [Division of Physics, Math and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Evans, Neal J. II [Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, C1400, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Briceño, Cesar [Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Tobin, John [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States)

2014-07-20

We present results from a high-sensitivity (60 μJy), large-scale (2.26 deg{sup 2}) survey obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array as part of the Gould's Belt Survey program. We detected 374 and 354 sources at 4.5 and 7.5 GHz, respectively. Of these, 148 are associated with previously known young stellar objects (YSOs). Another 86 sources previously unclassified at either optical or infrared wavelengths exhibit radio properties that are consistent with those of young stars. The overall properties of our sources at radio wavelengths such as their variability and radio to X-ray luminosity relation are consistent with previous results from the Gould's Belt Survey. Our detections provide target lists for follow-up Very Long Baseline Array radio observations to determine their distances as YSOs are located in regions of high nebulosity and extinction, making it difficult to measure optical parallaxes.

Methods used to conduct the pan-European Union survey on consumer attitudes to physical activity, body weight and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Kearney, J M; Kearney, M J; McElhone, S; Gibney, M J

1999-03-01

The purpose of conducting this survey was to identify data on consumer attitudes towards and beliefs about physical activity, body weight and health among the 15 countries of the EU. A cross-sectional study to get a picture of the attitudes to physical activity, body weight and health in the EU. For this, it was considered important that samples be nationally representative so that inferences drawn from the data could be applied to the population in each country as well as to the EU population as a whole. Using a non-probability sampling method employing quota controls (and the national weight) we obtained large sample sizes from each country which were nationally representative in terms of the variables age, sex and regional distribution. To ensure samples were truly nationally representative a national weight was used when analysing the data using the same characteristics as those used to define quotas. When examining pooled estimates for the total EU sample a population weight was applied. In total, 15,239 subjects aged 15 years and upwards in the EU completed the survey. This article gives details on the methods used in carrying out the survey from design of the questionnaire to sample selection, questionnaire administration and analysis of the data. The methods and their limitations are discussed.

Statistical searches for microlensing events in large, non-uniformly sampled time-domain surveys: A test using palomar transient factory data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Agüeros, Marcel A. [Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 550 W 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Fournier, Amanda P. [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Street, Rachel [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Inc., 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Santa Barbara, CA 93117 (United States); Ofek, Eran O. [Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel); Covey, Kevin R. [Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Levitan, David; Sesar, Branimir [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Laher, Russ R.; Surace, Jason, E-mail: adrn@astro.columbia.edu [Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, Mail Stop 314-6, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2014-01-20

Many photometric time-domain surveys are driven by specific goals, such as searches for supernovae or transiting exoplanets, which set the cadence with which fields are re-imaged. In the case of the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF), several sub-surveys are conducted in parallel, leading to non-uniform sampling over its ∼20,000 deg{sup 2} footprint. While the median 7.26 deg{sup 2} PTF field has been imaged ∼40 times in the R band, ∼2300 deg{sup 2} have been observed >100 times. We use PTF data to study the trade off between searching for microlensing events in a survey whose footprint is much larger than that of typical microlensing searches, but with far-from-optimal time sampling. To examine the probability that microlensing events can be recovered in these data, we test statistics used on uniformly sampled data to identify variables and transients. We find that the von Neumann ratio performs best for identifying simulated microlensing events in our data. We develop a selection method using this statistic and apply it to data from fields with >10 R-band observations, 1.1 × 10{sup 9} light curves, uncovering three candidate microlensing events. We lack simultaneous, multi-color photometry to confirm these as microlensing events. However, their number is consistent with predictions for the event rate in the PTF footprint over the survey's three years of operations, as estimated from near-field microlensing models. This work can help constrain all-sky event rate predictions and tests microlensing signal recovery in large data sets, which will be useful to future time-domain surveys, such as that planned with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

Catalogue of antibiotic resistome and host-tracking in drinking water deciphered by a large scale survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Liping; Li, Bing; Jiang, Xiao-Tao; Wang, Yu-Lin; Xia, Yu; Li, An-Dong; Zhang, Tong

2017-11-28

Excesses of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which are regarded as emerging environmental pollutants, have been observed in various environments. The incidence of ARGs in drinking water causes potential risks to human health and receives more attention from the public. However, ARGs harbored in drinking water remain largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed at establishing an antibiotic resistome catalogue in drinking water samples from a wide range of regions and to explore the potential hosts of ARGs. A catalogue of antibiotic resistome in drinking water was established, and the host-tracking of ARGs was conducted through a large-scale survey using metagenomic approach. The drinking water samples were collected at the point of use in 25 cities in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Africa, Singapore and the USA. In total, 181 ARG subtypes belonging to 16 ARG types were detected with an abundance range of 2.8 × 10 -2 to 4.2 × 10 -1 copies of ARG per cell. The highest abundance was found in northern China (Henan Province). Bacitracin, multidrug, aminoglycoside, sulfonamide, and beta-lactam resistance genes were dominant in drinking water. Of the drinking water samples tested, 84% had a higher ARG abundance than typical environmental ecosystems of sediment and soil. Metagenomic assembly-based host-tracking analysis identified Acidovorax, Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Methylobacterium, Methyloversatilis, Mycobacterium, Polaromonas, and Pseudomonas as the hosts of ARGs. Moreover, potential horizontal transfer of ARGs in drinking water systems was proposed by network and Procrustes analyses. The antibiotic resistome catalogue compiled using a large-scale survey provides a useful reference for future studies on the global surveillance and risk management of ARGs in drinking water. .

Measures of large-scale structure in the CfA redshift survey slices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Lapparent, V.; Geller, M.J.; Huchra, J.P.

1991-01-01

Variations of the counts-in-cells with cell size are used here to define two statistical measures of large-scale clustering in three 6 deg slices of the CfA redshift survey. A percolation criterion is used to estimate the filling factor which measures the fraction of the total volume in the survey occupied by the large-scale structures. For the full 18 deg slice of the CfA redshift survey, f is about 0.25 + or - 0.05. After removing groups with more than five members from two of the slices, variations of the counts in occupied cells with cell size have a power-law behavior with a slope beta about 2.2 on scales from 1-10/h Mpc. Application of both this statistic and the percolation analysis to simulations suggests that a network of two-dimensional structures is a better description of the geometry of the clustering in the CfA slices than a network of one-dimensional structures. Counts-in-cells are also used to estimate at 0.3 galaxy h-squared/Mpc the average galaxy surface density in sheets like the Great Wall. 46 refs

Best Manufacturing Practices. Report of Survey Conducted at Stafford County Public Schools, Stafford County, VA

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1994-01-01

During the week of August 8, 1994, a Best Manufacturing Practices (BMP) survey was conducted at the Stafford County Public Schools located in Stafford County, Virginia, considered one of the fastest growing counties in the state...

Automation of Survey Data Processing, Documentation and Dissemination: An Application to Large-Scale Self-Reported Educational Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Eunjae; Shim, Minsuk K.; Felner, Robert D.

Automation of the survey process has proved successful in many industries, yet it is still underused in educational research. This is largely due to the facts (1) that number crunching is usually carried out using software that was developed before information technology existed, and (2) that the educational research is to a great extent trapped…

Medication errors in chemotherapy preparation and administration: a survey conducted among oncology nurses in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulas, Arife; Silay, Kamile; Akinci, Sema; Dede, Didem Sener; Akinci, Muhammed Bulent; Sendur, Mehmet Ali Nahit; Cubukcu, Erdem; Coskun, Hasan Senol; Degirmenci, Mustafa; Utkan, Gungor; Ozdemir, Nuriye; Isikdogan, Abdurrahman; Buyukcelik, Abdullah; Inanc, Mevlude; Bilici, Ahmet; Odabasi, Hatice; Cihan, Sener; Avci, Nilufer; Yalcin, Bulent

2015-01-01

Medication errors in oncology may cause severe clinical problems due to low therapeutic indices and high toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. We aimed to investigate unintentional medication errors and underlying factors during chemotherapy preparation and administration based on a systematic survey conducted to reflect oncology nurses experience. This study was conducted in 18 adult chemotherapy units with volunteer participation of 206 nurses. A survey developed by primary investigators and medication errors (MAEs) defined preventable errors during prescription of medication, ordering, preparation or administration. The survey consisted of 4 parts: demographic features of nurses; workload of chemotherapy units; errors and their estimated monthly number during chemotherapy preparation and administration; and evaluation of the possible factors responsible from ME. The survey was conducted by face to face interview and data analyses were performed with descriptive statistics. Chi-square or Fisher exact tests were used for a comparative analysis of categorical data. Some 83.4% of the 210 nurses reported one or more than one error during chemotherapy preparation and administration. Prescribing or ordering wrong doses by physicians (65.7%) and noncompliance with administration sequences during chemotherapy administration (50.5%) were the most common errors. The most common estimated average monthly error was not following the administration sequence of the chemotherapeutic agents (4.1 times/month, range 1-20). The most important underlying reasons for medication errors were heavy workload (49.7%) and insufficient number of staff (36.5%). Our findings suggest that the probability of medication error is very high during chemotherapy preparation and administration, the most common involving prescribing and ordering errors. Further studies must address the strategies to minimize medication error in chemotherapy receiving patients, determine sufficient protective measures

Challenges with Final Status Surveys at a Large Decommissioning Site - 13417

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Downey, Heath; Collopy, Peter; Shephard, Eugene; Walter, Nelson; Conant, John

2013-01-01

As part of decommissioning a former nuclear fuel manufacturing site, one of the crucial final steps is to conduct Final Status Surveys (FSS) in order to demonstrate compliance with the release criteria. At this decommissioning site, the area for FSS was about 100 hectares (248 acres) and included varying terrain, wooded areas, ponds, excavations, buildings and a brook. The challenges in performing the FSS included determining location, identifying FSS units, logging gamma walkover survey data, determining sample locations, managing water in excavations, and diverting water in the brook. The approaches taken to overcome these challenges will be presented in the paper. The paper will present and discuss lessons learned that will aid others in the FSS process. (authors)

Report on the results of the safety culture survey conducted in PNRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Corazon M.; Nohay, Carl M.; Badinas, Nelson P.; Melendez, Johnylen V.; Parami, Vangeline K.

2001-01-01

An initial safety culture survey was conducted in the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI). Sixty six (66) questionnaires as given in A. Adams and A. Williamson's Measurement of Safety Culture in the Nuclear Industry, UNSW, July 1999 were distributed to the different units of PNRI. The number of sets of survey sheets distributed to the different units corresponded to the number of personnel in the unit based on the information obtained from them. Results were obtained from only 33 respondents. ANSTO has been requested to analyze the results of this survey. While waiting for the results from ANSTO, we attempted to proceed with this analysis in order to learn and practice applying the procedure based on the reference cited above.The respondents from the PNRI showed on the overall neutral views towards safety and their work. Although a minority showed positive responses to safety while a small minority showed negative responses. A remarkable result is that all respondents show strong concern over the welfare of the institute, indicating that there is still a good chance for safety culture to be developed positively among the employees given the proper strategies for motivation. (author)

AKARI INFRARED CAMERA SURVEY OF THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD. II. THE NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC CATALOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimonishi, Takashi; Onaka, Takashi; Kato, Daisuke; Sakon, Itsuki; Ita, Yoshifusa; Kawamura, Akiko; Kaneda, Hidehiro

2013-01-01

We performed a near-infrared spectroscopic survey toward an area of ∼10 deg 2 of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) with the infrared satellite AKARI. Observations were carried out as part of the AKARI Large-area Survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LSLMC). The slitless multi-object spectroscopic capability of the AKARI/IRC enabled us to obtain low-resolution (R ∼ 20) spectra in 2-5 μm for a large number of point sources in the LMC. As a result of the survey, we extracted about 2000 infrared spectra of point sources. The data are organized as a near-infrared spectroscopic catalog. The catalog includes various infrared objects such as young stellar objects (YSOs), asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, supergiants, and so on. It is shown that 97% of the catalog sources have corresponding photometric data in the wavelength range from 1.2 to 11 μm, and 67% of the sources also have photometric data up to 24 μm. The catalog allows us to investigate near-infrared spectral features of sources by comparison with their infrared spectral energy distributions. In addition, it is estimated that about 10% of the catalog sources are observed at more than two different epochs. This enables us to study a spectroscopic variability of sources by using the present catalog. Initial results of source classifications for the LSLMC samples are presented. We classified 659 LSLMC spectra based on their near-infrared spectral features by visual inspection. As a result, it is shown that the present catalog includes 7 YSOs, 160 C-rich AGBs, 8 C-rich AGB candidates, 85 O-rich AGBs, 122 blue and yellow supergiants, 150 red super giants, and 128 unclassified sources. Distributions of the classified sources on the color-color and color-magnitude diagrams are discussed in the text. Continuous wavelength coverage and high spectroscopic sensitivity in 2-5 μm can only be achieved by space observations. This is an unprecedented large-scale spectroscopic survey toward the LMC in the near

Conducting a Southern Pine Beetle Survey Using Digital Aerial Sketchmapping (DASM) - An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Chris A. Steiner

2011-01-01

This is an overview on conducting a southern pine beetle (SPB) survey using Digital Aerial Sketchmapping (DASM); for a detailed treatment of DASM visit the following Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/ technology/dasm.shtml. Sketchmapping – “A remote sensing technique of observing forest change events from an aircraft and documenting them manually on a map” (...

Large-area Soil Moisture Surveys Using a Cosmic-ray Rover: Approaches and Results from Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Hawdon, A. A.; McJannet, D. L.; Renzullo, L. J.; Baker, B.; Searle, R.

2017-12-01

Recent improvements in satellite instrumentation has increased the resolution and frequency of soil moisture observations, and this in turn has supported the development of higher resolution land surface process models. Calibration and validation of these products is restricted by the mismatch of scales between remotely sensed and contemporary ground based observations. Although the cosmic ray neutron soil moisture probe can provide estimates soil moisture at a scale useful for the calibration and validation purposes, it is spatially limited to a single, fixed location. This scaling issue has been addressed with the development of mobile soil moisture monitoring systems that utilizes the cosmic ray neutron method, typically referred to as a `rover'. This manuscript describes a project designed to develop approaches for undertaking rover surveys to produce soil moisture estimates at scales comparable to satellite observations and land surface process models. A custom designed, trailer-mounted rover was used to conduct repeat surveys at two scales in the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia. A broad scale survey was conducted at 36 x 36 km covering an area of a standard SMAP pixel and an intensive scale survey was conducted over a 10 x 10 km portion of the broad scale survey, which is at a scale equivalent to that used for national water balance modelling. We will describe the design of the rover, the methods used for converting neutron counts into soil moisture and discuss factors controlling soil moisture variability. We found that the intensive scale rover surveys produced reliable soil moisture estimates at 1 km resolution and the broad scale at 9 km resolution. We conclude that these products are well suited for future analysis of satellite soil moisture retrievals and finer scale soil moisture models.

THE SPITZER -HETDEX EXPLORATORY LARGE-AREA SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papovich, C.; Shipley, H. V.; Mehrtens, N.; Lanham, C.; DePoy, D. L.; Kawinwanichakij, L. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4242 (United States); Lacy, M. [North American ALMA Science Center, NRAO Headquarters, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Ciardullo, R.; Gronwall, C. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Finkelstein, S. L.; Drory, N.; Gebhardt, K.; Hill, G. J.; Jogee, S. [Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Bassett, R. [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, University of Western Australia, 7 Fairway, Crawley, WA 6009 (Australia); Behroozi, P. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Blanc, G. A. [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Chile, Camino del Observatorio 1515, Las Condes, Santiago (Chile); Jong, R. S. de [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Gawiser, E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (United States); Hopp, U., E-mail: papovich@physics.tamu.edu, E-mail: papovich@tamu.edu [Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, D-85741, Garching (Germany); and others

2016-06-01

We present post-cryogenic Spitzer imaging at 3.6 and 4.5 μ m with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) of the Spitzer /HETDEX Exploratory Large-Area (SHELA) survey. SHELA covers ≈24 deg{sup 2} of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey “Stripe 82” region, and falls within the footprints of the Hobby–Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) and the Dark Energy Survey. The HETDEX blind R ∼ 800 spectroscopy will produce ∼200,000 redshifts from the Ly α emission for galaxies in the range 1.9 <  z  < 3.5, and an additional ∼200,000 redshifts from the [O ii] emission for galaxies at z  < 0.5. When combined with deep ugriz images from the Dark Energy Camera, K -band images from NEWFIRM, and other ancillary data, the IRAC photometry from Spitzer will enable a broad range of scientific studies of the relationship between structure formation, galaxy stellar mass, halo mass, the presence of active galactic nuclei, and environment over a co-moving volume of ∼0.5 Gpc{sup 3} at 1.9 <  z  < 3.5. Here, we discuss the properties of the SHELA IRAC data set, including the data acquisition, reduction, validation, and source catalogs. Our tests show that the images and catalogs are 80% (50%) complete to limiting magnitudes of 22.0 (22.6) AB mag in the detection image, which is constructed from the weighted sum of the IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 μ m images. The catalogs reach limiting sensitivities of 1.1  μ Jy at both 3.6 and 4.5 μ m (1 σ , for R = 2″ circular apertures). As a demonstration of the science, we present IRAC number counts, examples of highly temporally variable sources, and galaxy surface density profiles of rich galaxy clusters. In the spirit of the Spitzer Exploratory programs, we provide all of the images and catalogs as part of the publication.

THE SPITZER -HETDEX EXPLORATORY LARGE-AREA SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papovich, C.; Shipley, H. V.; Mehrtens, N.; Lanham, C.; DePoy, D. L.; Kawinwanichakij, L.; Lacy, M.; Ciardullo, R.; Gronwall, C.; Finkelstein, S. L.; Drory, N.; Gebhardt, K.; Hill, G. J.; Jogee, S.; Bassett, R.; Behroozi, P.; Blanc, G. A.; Jong, R. S. de; Gawiser, E.; Hopp, U.

2016-01-01

We present post-cryogenic Spitzer imaging at 3.6 and 4.5 μ m with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) of the Spitzer /HETDEX Exploratory Large-Area (SHELA) survey. SHELA covers ≈24 deg 2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey “Stripe 82” region, and falls within the footprints of the Hobby–Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) and the Dark Energy Survey. The HETDEX blind R ∼ 800 spectroscopy will produce ∼200,000 redshifts from the Ly α emission for galaxies in the range 1.9 <  z  < 3.5, and an additional ∼200,000 redshifts from the [O ii] emission for galaxies at z  < 0.5. When combined with deep ugriz images from the Dark Energy Camera, K -band images from NEWFIRM, and other ancillary data, the IRAC photometry from Spitzer will enable a broad range of scientific studies of the relationship between structure formation, galaxy stellar mass, halo mass, the presence of active galactic nuclei, and environment over a co-moving volume of ∼0.5 Gpc 3 at 1.9 <  z  < 3.5. Here, we discuss the properties of the SHELA IRAC data set, including the data acquisition, reduction, validation, and source catalogs. Our tests show that the images and catalogs are 80% (50%) complete to limiting magnitudes of 22.0 (22.6) AB mag in the detection image, which is constructed from the weighted sum of the IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 μ m images. The catalogs reach limiting sensitivities of 1.1  μ Jy at both 3.6 and 4.5 μ m (1 σ , for R = 2″ circular apertures). As a demonstration of the science, we present IRAC number counts, examples of highly temporally variable sources, and galaxy surface density profiles of rich galaxy clusters. In the spirit of the Spitzer Exploratory programs, we provide all of the images and catalogs as part of the publication.

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope as a Near-Earth Object discovery machine

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, R. Lynne; Slater, Colin T.; Moeyens, Joachim; Allen, Lori; Axelrod, Tim; Cook, Kem; Ivezić, Željko; Jurić, Mario; Myers, Jonathan; Petry, Catherine E.

2018-03-01

Using the most recent prototypes, design, and as-built system information, we test and quantify the capability of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) to discover Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) and Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). We empirically estimate an expected upper limit to the false detection rate in LSST image differencing, using measurements on DECam data and prototype LSST software and find it to be about 450 deg-2. We show that this rate is already tractable with current prototype of the LSST Moving Object Processing System (MOPS) by processing a 30-day simulation consistent with measured false detection rates. We proceed to evaluate the performance of the LSST baseline survey strategy for PHAs and NEOs using a high-fidelity simulated survey pointing history. We find that LSST alone, using its baseline survey strategy, will detect 66% of the PHA and 61% of the NEO population objects brighter than H = 22 , with the uncertainty in the estimate of ± 5 percentage points. By generating and examining variations on the baseline survey strategy, we show it is possible to further improve the discovery yields. In particular, we find that extending the LSST survey by two additional years and doubling the MOPS search window increases the completeness for PHAs to 86% (including those discovered by contemporaneous surveys) without jeopardizing other LSST science goals (77% for NEOs). This equates to reducing the undiscovered population of PHAs by additional 26% (15% for NEOs), relative to the baseline survey.

Conducting Surveys and Data Collection: From Traditional to Mobile and SMS-based Surveys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iftikhar Alam

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Fresh, bias-free and valid data collected using different survey modes is considered an essential requirement for smooth functioning and evolution of an organization. Surveys play a major role in making in-time correct decisions and generating reports. The aim of this study is to compare and investigate state-of-the-art in different survey modes including print, email, online, mobile and SMS-based surveys. Results indicated that existing methods are neither complete nor sufficient to fulfil the overall requirements of an organization which primarily rely on surveys. Also, it shows that SMS is a dominant method for data collection due to its pervasiveness. However, existing SMS-based data collection has limitations like limited number of characters per SMS, single question per SMS and lake of multimedia support. Recent trends in data collection emphasis on data collection applications for smart phones. However, in developing countries low-end mobile devices are still extensively used which makes the data collection difficult from man in the street. The paper conclude that existing survey modes and methods should be improved to get maximum responses quickly in low cost manner. The study has contributed to the area of surveying and data collection by analysing different factors such as cost, time and response rate. The results of this study can help practitioners in creating a more successful surveying method for data collection that can be effectively used for low budget projects in developed as well as developing countries.

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Rapid Ecological Assessments of Fish Large-Area Stationary Point Count Surveys (SPC) in the Pacific Ocean from 2000-09-09 to 2007-06-08 (NCEI Accession 0162466)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The large-area stationary point count (SPC) method is used to conduct reef fish surveys in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific...

Verification Survey of Uranium Mine Remediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ron, Stager

2009-01-01

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) contracted an independent verification of an intensive gamma radiation survey conducted by a mining company to demonstrate that remediation of disturbed areas was complete. This site was the first of the recent mines being decommissioned in Canada and experience gained here may be applied to other mines being decommissioned in the future. The review included examination of the site-specific basis for clean-up criteria and ALARA as required by CNSC guidance. A paper review of the company report was conducted to determine if protocols were followed and that the summarized results could be independently reproduced. An independent verification survey was conducted on parts of the site and comparisons were made between gamma radiation measurements from the verification survey and the original company survey. Some aspects of data collection using rate meters linked to GPS data loggers are discussed as are aspects for data management and analyses methods required for the large amount of data collected during these surveys. Recommendations were made for implementation of future surveys and reporting the data from those surveys in order to ensure that remediation was complete. (authors)

Semiconductor industry: a survey of structure, conduct, and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webbink, D.W.

1977-01-01

The study describes the structure, conduct, and performance of the semiconductor industry. The industry is characterized by a high rate of innovation and technological change, rapidly falling costs and prices, and rapidly rising sales in boom periods as well as large declines in sales in recession periods. These desirable performance characteristics take place in an industry that has moderately high domestic levels of concentration. However, there are many features that cause this industry to have behavior and performance that is markedly different from such highly concentrated industries as automobiles and steel. These features were investigated and are reported

NEFSC Apex Predators Longline Survey (DE0407, EK500)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The fishery independent survey of Atlantic large and small coastal sharks is conducted bi-annually in U.S. waters. Its primary objective is to conduct a...

NEFSC Apex Predator Longline Survey (DE0005, EK500)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The fishery independent survey of Atlantic large and small coastal sharks is conducted bi-annually in U.S. waters. Its primary objective is to conduct a...

Survey of red stars in the direction of the large Magellanic cloud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bappu, M.K.V.; Parthasarathy, M.; Scaria, K.K.

1977-01-01

A survey of red stars in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud using the technique of ultra-low dispersion spectroscopy is presented. A listing of the red stars in the 30 Doradus region is given for which finding charts and coordinates on the Hodge-Wright Atlas charts are provided. (author)

Large Survey Database: A Distributed Framework for Storage and Analysis of Large Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Juric, Mario

2011-01-01

The Large Survey Database (LSD) is a Python framework and DBMS for distributed storage, cross-matching and querying of large survey catalogs (>10^9 rows, >1 TB). The primary driver behind its development is the analysis of Pan-STARRS PS1 data. It is specifically optimized for fast queries and parallel sweeps of positionally and temporally indexed datasets. It transparently scales to more than >10^2 nodes, and can be made to function in "shared nothing" architectures. An LSD database consists of a set of vertically and horizontally partitioned tables, physically stored as compressed HDF5 files. Vertically, we partition the tables into groups of related columns ('column groups'), storing together logically related data (e.g., astrometry, photometry). Horizontally, the tables are partitioned into partially overlapping ``cells'' by position in space (lon, lat) and time (t). This organization allows for fast lookups based on spatial and temporal coordinates, as well as data and task distribution. The design was inspired by the success of Google BigTable (Chang et al., 2006). Our programming model is a pipelined extension of MapReduce (Dean and Ghemawat, 2004). An SQL-like query language is used to access data. For complex tasks, map-reduce ``kernels'' that operate on query results on a per-cell basis can be written, with the framework taking care of scheduling and execution. The combination leverages users' familiarity with SQL, while offering a fully distributed computing environment. LSD adds little overhead compared to direct Python file I/O. In tests, we sweeped through 1.1 Grows of PanSTARRS+SDSS data (220GB) less than 15 minutes on a dual CPU machine. In a cluster environment, we achieved bandwidths of 17Gbits/sec (I/O limited). Based on current experience, we believe LSD should scale to be useful for analysis and storage of LSST-scale datasets. It can be downloaded from http://mwscience.net/lsd.

Performance of Ductless Personalized Ventilation in Open-Plan Office - Field Survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalewski, Mariusz; Ezzat Khalifa, H.; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2013-01-01

A field survey was conducted in an architectural company located in Syracuse, USA. 54 employees who participated in the survey performed mostly design work. Large open-plan office and several single offices ventilated by displacement air distribution were included in the survey. Ductless...

Benzothienobenzothiophene-Based Molecular Conductors: High Conductivity, Large Thermoelectric Power Factor, and One-Dimensional Instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiyota, Yasuhiro; Kadoya, Tomofumi; Yamamoto, Kaoru; Iijima, Kodai; Higashino, Toshiki; Kawamoto, Tadashi; Takimiya, Kazuo; Mori, Takehiko

2016-03-23

On the basis of an excellent transistor material, [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (BTBT), a series of highly conductive organic metals with the composition of (BTBT)2XF6 (X = P, As, Sb, and Ta) are prepared and the structural and physical properties are investigated. The room-temperature conductivity amounts to 4100 S cm(-1) in the AsF6 salt, corresponding to the drift mobility of 16 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). Owing to the high conductivity, this salt shows a thermoelectric power factor of 55-88 μW K(-2) m(-1), which is a large value when this compound is regarded as an organic thermoelectric material. The thermoelectric power and the reflectance spectrum indicate a large bandwidth of 1.4 eV. These salts exhibit an abrupt resistivity jump under 200 K, which turns to an insulating state below 60 K. The paramagnetic spin susceptibility, and the Raman and the IR spectra suggest 4kF charge-density waves as an origin of the low-temperature insulating state.

Disclosure Control using Partially Synthetic Data for Large-Scale Health Surveys, with Applications to CanCORS

OpenAIRE

Loong, Bronwyn; Zaslavsky, Alan M.; He, Yulei; Harrington, David P.

2013-01-01

Statistical agencies have begun to partially synthesize public-use data for major surveys to protect the confidentiality of respondents’ identities and sensitive attributes, by replacing high disclosure risk and sensitive variables with multiple imputations. To date, there are few applications of synthetic data techniques to large-scale healthcare survey data. Here, we describe partial synthesis of survey data collected by CanCORS, a comprehensive observational study of the experiences, treat...

Post-market clinical research conducted by medical device manufacturers: a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Joseph S; Blount, Katrina L; Ritchie, Jessica D; Hodshon, Beth; Krumholz, Harlan M

2015-01-01

In the US, once a medical device is made available for use, several requirements have been established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure ongoing post-market surveillance of device safety and effectiveness. Our objective was to determine how commonly medical device manufacturers initiate post-market clinical studies or augment FDA post-market surveillance requirements for higher-risk devices that are most often approved via the FDA's pre-market approval (PMA) pathway. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 47 manufacturers with operations in California, Minnesota, and Massachusetts who market devices approved via the PMA pathway. Among 22 respondents (response rate =47%), nearly all self-reported conducting post-market clinical research studies, commonly between 1 and 5; only 1 respondent reported never conducting post-market clinical research studies. While manufacturers most often engaged in these studies to satisfy FDA requirements, other reasons were reported, including performance monitoring and surveillance and market acceptance initiatives. Risks of conducting and not conducting post-market clinical research studies were described through open-ended response to questions. Medical device manufacturers commonly initiate post-market clinical studies at the request of the FDA. Clinical data from these studies should be integrated into national post-market surveillance initiatives.

The European large area ISO survey - III. 90-mu m extragalactic source counts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Efstathiou, A.; Oliver, S.; Rowan-Robinson, M.

2000-01-01

We present results and source counts at 90 mum extracted from the preliminary analysis of the European Large Area ISO Survey (ELAIS). The survey covered about 12 deg(2) of the sky in four main areas and was carried out with the ISOPHOT instrument onboard the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO...... or small groups of galaxies, suggesting that the sample may include a significant fraction of luminous infrared galaxies. The source counts extracted from a reliable subset of the detected sources are in agreement with strongly evolving models of the starburst galaxy population....

Survey of Processing Methods for High Strength High Conductivity Wires for High Field Magnet Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, K.; Embury, J.D.

1998-10-01

This paper will deal with the basic concepts of attaining combination of high strength and high conductivity in pure materials, in-situ composites and macrocomposites. It will survey current attainments, and outline where some future developments may lie in developing wire products that are close to the theoretical strength of future magnet applications.

Survey of Processing Methods for High Strength High Conductivity Wires for High Field Magnet Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, K.; Embury, J.D.

1998-01-01

This paper will deal with the basic concepts of attaining combination of high strength and high conductivity in pure materials, in-situ composites and macrocomposites. It will survey current attainments, and outline where some future developments may lie in developing wire products that are close to the theoretical strength of future magnet applications

Can Internet surveys help us understanding allergic disorders? - results from a large survey in urticaria in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalogeromitros, D; Psaltopoulou, T; Makris, M; Koti, I; Chliva, C; Stefanadi, E; Hatziagelaki, E; Maurer, M

2011-05-01

Urticaria is often underdiagnosed and/or undertreated. We have conducted an Internet-based study to record epidemiological and clinical features as well as therapeutic interventions for urticaria in a large sample of patients in Greece. A standard anonymous questionnaire was posted for a 3-month period on 'http://www.in.gr', a Greek popular Internet portal. Each individual participated only once. Participants were screened for the presence or history of urticaria by two key questions and were then asked to provide information on symptomatology and management. A total of 12 396 subjects voluntarily responded to the survey, of which 8440 (5136 females) who reported to have or had urticaria, were finally analysed. A total of 4780 (56.6%) had experienced weals only, 507 (6.0%) angio-oedema only and 3018 (35.8%) both. Weals and angio-oedema were found to be more common in women; 2761(57.8%) and 277(54.6%), respectively. Age of onset significantly correlated with disease duration; a 1% higher possibility of longer duration of urticaria exists (more than 6 weeks compared with less than 6 weeks) for each additional year of age of onset after controlling for gender. Patients with chronic urticaria had increased mean age compared with those reporting the acute form (35.04 vs. 33.88 years, P < 0.001). Dermatologists were the most frequently visited specialists and the most common treatments were antihistamines and topical preparations. The self-reported eliciting factors of urticaria were as follows: physical stimuli (approximately 25%), psychological distress (17.2%), direct contact to metals or chemicals (14.5%), foods and drugs (10%), whereas a third of the participants could not identify any trigger.   Internet surveys can be a useful tool for screening the general population for common allergic disorders, such as urticaria. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2010 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Development of a Survey Instrument to Measure TEFL Academics' Perceptions about, Individual and Workplace Characteristics for Conducting Research

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Li; Hudson, Peter; Millwater, Jan; Tones, Megan

2013-01-01

A 30-item survey was devised to determine Chinese TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) academics' potential for conducting research. A five-part Likert scale was used to gather data from 182 academics on four factors: (1) perceptions on teaching-research nexus, (2) personal perspectives for conducting research, (3) predispositions for…

GPS-based household interview survey for the Cincinnati, Ohio Region.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-01

Methods for Conducting a Large-Scale GPS-Only Survey of Households: Past Household Travel Surveys (HTS) in the United States have only piloted small subsamples of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) completes compared with 1-2 day self-reported travel i...

Exploring innovative ways to conduct coverage surveys for neglected tropical diseases in Malawi, Mali, and Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodhall, Dana M; Mkwanda, Square; Dembele, Massitan; Lwanga, Harriet; Drexler, Naomi; Dubray, Christine; Harris, Jennifer; Worrell, Caitlin; Mathieu, Els

2014-04-01

Currently, a 30-cluster survey to monitor drug coverage after mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases is the most common methodology used by control programs. We investigated alternative survey methodologies that could potentially provide an estimation of drug coverage. Three alternative survey methods (market, village chief, and religious leader) were conducted and compared to the 30-cluster method in Malawi, Mali, and Uganda. In Malawi, drug coverage for the 30-cluster, market, village chief, and religious leader methods were 66.8% (95% CI 60.3-73.4), 74.3%, 76.3%, and 77.8%, respectively. In Mali, results for round 1 were 62.6% (95% CI 54.4-70.7), 56.1%, 74.8%, and 83.2%, and 57.2% (95% CI 49.0-65.4), 54.5%, 72.2%, and 73.3%, respectively, for round 2. Uganda survey results were 65.7% (59.4-72.0), 43.7%, 67.2%, and 77.6% respectively. Further research is needed to test different coverage survey methodologies to determine which survey methods are the most scientifically rigorous and resource efficient. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Aeromagnetic and aerial photographic survey in the South Shetland Islands,Antarctica, conducted by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (Ant-Plane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minoru Funaki

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Two small unmanned aerial vehicles, Ant-Plane 6 and Ant-Plane 3, were assembled using parts and technologies developed for model airplanes. The aerial vehicles were scheduled to conduct aero magnetic and photographic surveys of the Brans?eld Basin, from a takeoff runway at Marsh Air?eld on the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, during January 2011. However, the scheduled surveys were not conducted on account of poor weather. Research was later conducted on a glacier, using a takeoff runway at St. Kliment Ohridski Base, Livingston Island, during December 2011. A ?ight from St. Kliment Ohridski Base to Deception Island yielded satisfactory results; the total distance of 302.4 km was traversed in 3 h 7 min (3:07. On this ?ight, aeromagnetic and aerial photographic data were obtained from an altitude of 780 m for a 9×18 km area on the northern half of Deception Island. Aerial photographs of Deception Island and South Bay showed the distributions of glaciers and their crevasses. The Ant-Plane ?ew over the Antarctic horizon and surveyed above Deception Island. That was the successful venture of this kind, demonstrating that airborne surveys by Ant-Planes are useful for Antarctic research investigations. Airborne surveys provide a safe and economical approach to data acquisition as compared with manned aerial operations.

Spitzer sage survey of the large magellanic cloud. II. Evolved stars and infrared color-magnitude diagrams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blum, R. D.; Mould, J. R.; Olsen, K. A.; Frogel, J. A.; Meixner, M.; Markwick-Kemper, F.; Indebetouw, R.; Whitney, B.; Meade, M.; Babler, B.; Churchwell, E. B.; Gordon, K.; Engelbracht, C.; For, B. -Q.; Misselt, K.; Vijh, U.; Leitherer, C.; Volk, K.; Points, S.; Reach, W.; Hora, J. L.; Bernard, J. -P.; Boulanger, F.; Bracker, S.; Cohen, M.; Fukui, Y.; Gallagher, J.; Gorjian, V.; Harris, J.; Kelly, D.; Kawamura, A.; Latter, W. B.; Madden, S.; Mizuno, A.; Mizuno, N.; Oey, M. S.; Onishi, T.; Paladini, R.; Panagia, N.; Perez-Gonzalez, P.; Shibai, H.; Sato, S.; Smith, L.; Staveley-Smith, L.; Tielens, A.G.G.M; Ueta, T.; Van Dyk, S.; Zaritsky, D.; Werner, M.J.

Color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) are presented for the Spitzer SAGE (Surveying the Agents of a Galaxy's Evolution) survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). IRAC and MIPS 24 mu m epoch 1 data are presented. These data represent the deepest, widest mid-infrared CMDs of their kind ever produced in

Large-Scale Outflows in Seyfert Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Colbert, E. J. M.; Baum, S. A.

1995-12-01

\\catcode`\\@=11 \\ialign{m @th#1hfil ##hfil \\crcr#2\\crcr\\sim\\crcr}}} \\catcode`\\@=12 Highly collimated outflows extend out to Mpc scales in many radio-loud active galaxies. In Seyfert galaxies, which are radio-quiet, the outflows extend out to kpc scales and do not appear to be as highly collimated. In order to study the nature of large-scale (>~1 kpc) outflows in Seyferts, we have conducted optical, radio and X-ray surveys of a distance-limited sample of 22 edge-on Seyfert galaxies. Results of the optical emission-line imaging and spectroscopic survey imply that large-scale outflows are present in >~{{1} /{4}} of all Seyferts. The radio (VLA) and X-ray (ROSAT) surveys show that large-scale radio and X-ray emission is present at about the same frequency. Kinetic luminosities of the outflows in Seyferts are comparable to those in starburst-driven superwinds. Large-scale radio sources in Seyferts appear diffuse, but do not resemble radio halos found in some edge-on starburst galaxies (e.g. M82). We discuss the feasibility of the outflows being powered by the active nucleus (e.g. a jet) or a circumnuclear starburst.

Use of models in large-area forest surveys: comparing model-assisted, model-based and hybrid estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Goran Stahl; Svetlana Saarela; Sebastian Schnell; Soren Holm; Johannes Breidenbach; Sean P. Healey; Paul L. Patterson; Steen Magnussen; Erik Naesset; Ronald E. McRoberts; Timothy G. Gregoire

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on the use of models for increasing the precision of estimators in large-area forest surveys. It is motivated by the increasing availability of remotely sensed data, which facilitates the development of models predicting the variables of interest in forest surveys. We present, review and compare three different estimation frameworks where...

A new approach for geochemical surveys of large areas for uranium resource potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arendt, J.W.; Butz, T.R.; Cagle, G.W.; Kane, V.E.; Nichols, C.E.

1977-01-01

The Grand Junction, Colorado office of the United States Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) is conducting the National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program to evaluate the uranium resources in the United States and Alaska. The program is designed to identify favorable areas for uranium exploration, to assess the supply of domestic resources, and to improve exploration technology. The Nuclear Division of the Union Carbide Corporation has been assigned the responsibility of conducting a hydrogeochemical and stream sediment survey of the mid-continental states in the United States. This survey covers approximately 2,500,000 km 2 (1,000,000 mi 2 ) and includes the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. The uranium potential of sandstones, Precambrian conglomerates, veins, granites, and phosphorites is being assessed utliizing a three-part program consisting of pilot surveys in each geological province and two phases of reconnaissance sampling of drainage basins. Samples of stream sediment, stream water, groundwater, algae, and vegetation are analyzed for uranium and some 20 additional elements. Data resulting from this program is released to private industry by ERDA as it becomes available. Analysis of results from a typical three-part survey are given. For distinctive geological regions, the pilot survey will: (1) define characteristic concentration background levels of the elements of interest, (2) identify potential uranium pathfinder elements, (3) determine relationship between stream, stream sediment and botanical samples, (4) identify any necessary modification to field sampling techniques, and (5) determine necessary sensitivities required for chemical analysis. The first reconnaissance phase average sample spacing of one station per 250 km 2 (100 mi 2 ) drainage basin is shown to delineate general boundaries of uranium provinces, and the second

Survey and research for the enhancement of large-scale technology development 2. How large-scale technology development should be in the future; Ogata gijutsu kaihatsu suishin no tame no chosa kenkyu. 2. Kongo no ogata gijutsu kaihatsu no arikata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1981-03-01

A survey is conducted over the subject matter by holding interviews with people, employed with the entrusted businesses participating in the large-scale industrial technology development system, who are engaged in the development of industrial technologies, and with people of experience or academic background involved in the project enhancement effort. Needs of improvement are pointed out that the competition principle based for example on parallel development be introduced; that research-on-research be practiced for effective task institution; midway evaluation be substantiated since prior evaluation is difficult; efforts be made to organize new industries utilizing the fruits of large-scale industrial technology for the creation of markets, not to induce economic conflicts; that transfer of technologies be enhanced from the private sector to public sector. Studies are made about the review of research conducting systems; utilization of the power of private sector research and development efforts; enlightening about industrial proprietorship; and the diffusion of large-scale project systems. In this connection, problems are pointed out, requests are submitted, and remedial measures and suggestions are presented. (NEDO)

Customer satisfaction surveys: Methodological recommendations for financial service providers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đorđić Marko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This methodological article investigates practical challenges that emerge when conducting customer satisfaction surveys (CSS for financial service providers such as banks, insurance or leasing companies, and so forth. It displays methodological recommendations in reference with: (a survey design, (b sampling, (c survey method, (d questionnaire design, and (e data acquisition. Article provides appropriate explanations that usage of: two-stage survey design, SRS method, large samples, and rigorous fieldwork preparation can enhance the overall quality of CSS in financial services. Proposed methodological recommendations can primarily be applied to the primary quantitative marketing research in retail financial services. However, majority of them can be successfully applied when conducting primary quantitative marketing research in corporate financial services as well. .

Web-Based Surveys: Not Your Basic Survey Anymore

Science.gov (United States)

Bertot, John Carlo

2009-01-01

Web-based surveys are not new to the library environment. Although such surveys began as extensions of print surveys, the Web-based environment offers a number of approaches to conducting a survey that the print environment cannot duplicate easily. Since 1994, the author and others have conducted national surveys of public library Internet…

Application for surveying technology for the alignment of large optical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauke, W.

1984-01-01

Precise alignment of optical elements in large optical systems is difficult if many elements are positioned such that direct alignment or boresighting becomes impossible. A practical approach is to identify discrete optical path segments and align these using standard surveying or optical-tooling instrumentation. One simply has to develop an alignment theory in which the alignment optical path duplicates or closely approximates the optical path of the operational device. The surveying instruments can then be used to simulate the optical input beams to the system segments to be aligned. Auxiliary targets and reflectors may be added, and the alignment procedure may be augmented by standard optical test instrumentation and techniques. Examples are given using theodolites, transits, and levels with autocollimating capability and micrometer adaptors to perform boresighting and autocollimation techniques on segments of the optical train of the Antares Laser Fusion System at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Getting leverage on inflation with a large photometric redshift survey

CERN Document Server

Basse, Tobias; Hannestad, Steen; Wong, Yvonne Y Y

2015-01-01

We assess the potential of a future large-volume photometric redshift survey to constrain observational inflationary parameters using three large-scale structure observables: the angular shear and galaxy power spectra, and the cluster mass function measured through weak lensing. When used in combination with Planck-like CMB measurements, we find that the spectral index n_s can be constrained to a 1 sigma precision of up to 0.0025. The sensitivity to the running of the spectral index can potentially improve to 0.0017, roughly a factor of five better than the present 1 sigma~constraint from Planck and auxiliary CMB data, allowing us to test the assumptions of the slow-roll scenario with unprecedented accuracy. Interestingly, neither CMB+shear nor CMB+galaxy nor CMB+clusters alone can achieve this level of sensitivity; it is the combined power of all three probes that conspires to break the different parameter degeneracies inherent in each type of observations. We make our forecast software publicly available vi...

Indicators to examine quality of large scale survey data: an example through district level household and facility survey.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kakoli Borkotoky

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Large scale surveys are the main source of data pertaining to all the social and demographic indicators, hence its quality is also of great concern. In this paper, we discuss the indicators used to examine the quality of data. We focus on age misreporting, incompleteness and inconsistency of information; and skipping of questions on reproductive and sexual health related issues. In order to observe the practical consequences of errors in a survey; the District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS-3 is used as an example dataset. METHODS: Whipple's and Myer's indices are used to identify age misreporting. Age displacements are identified by estimating downward and upward transfers for women from bordering age groups of the eligible age range. Skipping pattern is examined by recording the responses to the questions which precede the sections on birth history, immunization, and reproductive and sexual health. RESULTS: The study observed errors in age reporting, in all the states, but the extent of misreporting differs by state and individual characteristics. Illiteracy, rural residence and poor economic condition are the major factors that lead to age misreporting. Female were excluded from the eligible age group, to reduce the duration of interview. The study further observed that respondents tend to skip questions on HIV/RTI and other questions which follow a set of questions. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that age misreporting, inconsistency and incomplete response are three sources of error that need to be considered carefully before drawing conclusions from any survey. DLHS-3 also suffers from age misreporting, particularly for female in the reproductive ages. In view of the coverage of the survey, it may not be possible to control age misreporting completely, but some extra effort to probe a better answer may help in improving the quality of data in the survey.

Post-market clinical research conducted by medical device manufacturers: a cross-sectional survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ross JS

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Joseph S Ross, Katrina L Blount, Jessica D Ritchie, Beth Hodshon, Harlan M Krumholz Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA Background: In the US, once a medical device is made available for use, several requirements have been established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA to ensure ongoing post-market surveillance of device safety and effectiveness. Our objective was to determine how commonly medical device manufacturers initiate post-market clinical studies or augment FDA post-market surveillance requirements for higher-risk devices that are most often approved via the FDA's pre-market approval (PMA pathway. Methods and results: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 47 manufacturers with operations in California, Minnesota, and Massachusetts who market devices approved via the PMA pathway. Among 22 respondents (response rate =47%, nearly all self-reported conducting post-market clinical research studies, commonly between 1 and 5; only 1 respondent reported never conducting post-market clinical research studies. While manufacturers most often engaged in these studies to satisfy FDA requirements, other reasons were reported, including performance monitoring and surveillance and market acceptance initiatives. Risks of conducting and not conducting post-market clinical research studies were described through open-ended response to questions. Conclusion: Medical device manufacturers commonly initiate post-market clinical studies at the request of the FDA. Clinical data from these studies should be integrated into national post-market surveillance initiatives. Keywords: FDA, PMA pathway, post-market surveillance

Open access tools for quality-assured and efficient data entry in a large, state-wide tobacco survey in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Vidhubala, E; Subramani, Divyaraj Prabhakar; Lal, Pranay; Bhatt, Neelam; Sundaramoorthi, C; Singh, Rana J; Kumar, Ajay M V

2017-01-01

A large state-wide tobacco survey was conducted using modified version of pretested, globally validated Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire in 2015-22016 in Tamil Nadu, India. Due to resource constrains, data collection was carrid out using paper-based questionnaires (unlike the GATS-India, 2009-2010, which used hand-held computer devices) while data entry was done using open access tools. The objective of this paper is to describe the process of data entry and assess its quality assurance and efficiency. In EpiData language, a variable is referred to as 'field' and a questionnaire (set of fields) as 'record'. EpiData software was used for double data entry with adequate checks followed by validation. Teamviewer was used for remote training and trouble shooting. The EpiData databases (one each for each district and each zone in Chennai city) were housed in shared Dropbox folders, which enabled secure sharing of files and automatic back-up. Each database for a district/zone had separate file for data entry of household level and individual level questionnaire. Of 32,945 households, there were 111,363 individuals aged ≥15 years. The average proportion of records with data entry errors for a district/zone in household level and individual level file was 4% and 24%, respectively. These are the errors that would have gone unnoticed if single entry was used. The median (inter-quartile range) time taken for double data entry for a single household level and individual level questionnaire was 30 (24, 40) s and 86 (64, 126) s, respectively. Efficient and quality-assured near-real-time data entry in a large sub-national tobacco survey was performed using innovative, resource-efficient use of open access tools.

Conducted healing to treat large skin wounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Salgado, M I; Petroianu, A; Alberti, L R; Burgarelli, G L; Barbosa, A J A

2013-01-01

Improvement of the healing process to provide better aesthetical and functional results continues to be a surgical challenge. This study compared the treatment of skin wounds by means of conducted healing (an original method of treatment by secondary healing) and by the use of autogenous skin grafts. Two skin segments, one on each side of the dorsum,were removed from 17 rabbits. The side that served as a graft donor site was left open as to undergo conducted healing (A)and was submitted only to debridement and local care with dressings. The skin removed from the side mentioned above was implanted as a graft (B) to cover the wound on the other side. Thus, each animal received the two types of treatment on its dorsum (A and B). The rabbits were divided into two groups according to the size of the wounds: Group 1 - A and B (4 cm2)and Group 2 - A and B (25 cm2). The healing time was 19 days for Group 1 and 35 days for Group 2. The final macro- and microscopic aspects of the healing process were analysed comparatively among all subgroups. The presence of inflammatory cells, epidermal cysts and of giant cells was evaluated. No macro- or microscopic differences were observed while comparing the wounds that underwent conducted healing and those in which grafting was employed, although the wounds submitted to conducted healing healed more rapidly. Conducted wound healing was effective for the treatment of skin wounds. Celsius.

[Patient safety culture in hospitals: experiences in planning, organising and conducting a survey among hospital staff].

Science.gov (United States)

van Vegten, Amanda; Pfeiffer, Yvonne; Giuliani, Francesca; Manser, Tanja

2011-01-01

This article presents the first hospital-wide survey on patient safety climate, involving all staff (medical and non-medical), in the German-speaking area. Its aim is to share our experiences with planning, organising and conducting this survey. The study was performed at the university hospital in Zurich and had a response rate of 46.8% (2,897 valid questionnaires). The survey instrument ("Patientensicherheitsklimainventar") was based on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (AHRQ). Primarily it allowed for assessing the current patient safety climate as well as identifying specific areas for improvement and creating a hospital-wide awareness and acceptance for patient safety issues and interventions (e.g., the introduction of a Critical Incident Reporting System [CIRS]). We discuss the basic principles and the feedback concept guiding the organisation of the overall project. Critical to the success of this project were the guaranteed anonymity of the respondents, adequate communication through well-established channels within the organisation and the commitment of the management across all project phases. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Medium- and large-sized mammals in a steppic savanna area of the Brazilian Pampa: survey and conservation issues of a poorly known fauna.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa, C C; Galiano, D; Kubiak, B B; Marinho, J R

2016-02-01

The wildlife of the Brazilian Pampa is threatened by large-scale habitat loss, due in particular to the expansion of soybean cultivation and the conversion of grasslands areas into extensive areas of silviculture. It is essential to study how the mammal fauna copes with the highly fragmented, human-influenced, non-protected landscape. Our study presents the results of a survey of the large- and medium-sized mammals of a typical human-influenced steppic savanna area of the Pampa biome. The survey was conducted exclusively with the use of camera traps over a period of 16 months. The relative frequencies of species in the area were evaluated. We recorded 18 species, some of them locally threatened (Tamandua tetradactyla, Alouatta caraya, Leopardus colocolo, Leopardus geoffroyi, Leopardus wiedii, Puma yagouaroundi, Mazama gouazoubira and Cuniculus paca). Several species were found to thrive in the area; however, many species were considered rare, and undoubtedly new species could be recorded if we continued the sampling. Our results contribute to the knowledge of faunal diversity in the Pampa biome and associated habitats, warn about threats and provide support for conservation measures.

Medium- and large-sized mammals in a steppic savanna area of the Brazilian Pampa: survey and conservation issues of a poorly known fauna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. C. Espinosa

Full Text Available Abstract The wildlife of the Brazilian Pampa is threatened by large-scale habitat loss, due in particular to the expansion of soybean cultivation and the conversion of grasslands areas into extensive areas of silviculture. It is essential to study how the mammal fauna copes with the highly fragmented, human-influenced, non-protected landscape. Our study presents the results of a survey of the large- and medium-sized mammals of a typical human-influenced steppic savanna area of the Pampa biome. The survey was conducted exclusively with the use of camera traps over a period of 16 months. The relative frequencies of species in the area were evaluated. We recorded 18 species, some of them locally threatened (Tamandua tetradactyla, Alouatta caraya, Leopardus colocolo, Leopardus geoffroyi, Leopardus wiedii, Puma yagouaroundi, Mazama gouazoubira and Cuniculus paca. Several species were found to thrive in the area; however, many species were considered rare, and undoubtedly new species could be recorded if we continued the sampling. Our results contribute to the knowledge of faunal diversity in the Pampa biome and associated habitats, warn about threats and provide support for conservation measures.

The CIDA-QUEST large-scale survey of Orion OB1: evidence for rapid disk dissipation in a dispersed stellar population.

Science.gov (United States)

Briceño, C; Vivas, A K; Calvet, N; Hartmann, L; Pacheco, R; Herrera, D; Romero, L; Berlind, P; Sánchez, G; Snyder, J A; Andrews, P

2001-01-05

We are conducting a large-scale, multiepoch, optical photometric survey [Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomia-Quasar Equatorial Survey Team (CIDA-QUEST)] covering about 120 square degrees to identify the young low-mass stars in the Orion OB1 association. We present results for an area of 34 square degrees. Using photometric variability as our main selection criterion, as well as follow-up spectroscopy, we confirmed 168 previously unidentified pre-main sequence stars that are about 0.6 to 0.9 times the mass of the sun (Mo), with ages of about 1 million to 3 million years (Ori OB1b) and about 3 million to 10 million years (Ori OB1a). The low-mass stars are spatially coincident with the high-mass (at least 3 Mo) members of the associations. Indicators of disk accretion such as Halpha emission and near-infrared emission from dusty disks fall sharply from Ori OB1b to Ori OB1a, indicating that the time scale for disk dissipation and possibly the onset of planet formation is a few million years.

The Large Area Radio Galaxy Evolution Spectroscopic Survey (LARGESS): survey design, data catalogue and GAMA/WiggleZ spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Ching, John H. Y.; Sadler, Elaine M.; Croom, Scott M.; Johnston, Helen M.; Pracy, Michael B.; Couch, Warrick J.; Hopkins, A. M.; Jurek, Russell J.; Pimbblet, K. A.

2017-01-01

We present the Large Area Radio Galaxy Evolution Spectroscopic Survey (LARGESS), a spectroscopic catalogue of radio sources designed to include the full range of radio AGN populations out to redshift z ˜ 0.8. The catalogue covers ˜800 deg2 of sky, and provides optical identifications for 19 179 radio sources from the 1.4 GHz Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm (FIRST) survey down to an optical magnitude limit of Imod point-like objects are included, and no colour cuts are applied. In collaboration with the WiggleZ and Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) spectroscopic survey teams, we have obtained new spectra for over 5000 objects in the LARGESS sample. Combining these new spectra with data from earlier surveys provides spectroscopic data for 12 329 radio sources in the survey area, of which 10 856 have reliable redshifts. 85 per cent of the LARGESS spectroscopic sample are radio AGN (median redshift z = 0.44), and 15 per cent are nearby star-forming galaxies (median z = 0.08). Low-excitation radio galaxies (LERGs) comprise the majority (83 per cent) of LARGESS radio AGN at z < 0.8, with 12 per cent being high-excitation radio galaxies (HERGs) and 5 per cent radio-loud QSOs. Unlike the more homogeneous LERG and QSO sub-populations, HERGs are a heterogeneous class of objects with relatively blue optical colours and a wide dispersion in mid-infrared colours. This is consistent with a picture in which most HERGs are hosted by galaxies with recent or ongoing star formation as well as a classical accretion disc.

Conductive heat flow at the TAG Active Hydrothermal Mound: Results from 1993-1995 submersible surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, K.; Von Herzen, R.; Kirklin, J.; Evans, R.; Kadko, D.; Kinoshita, M.; Matsubayashi, O.; Mills, R.; Schultz, A.; Rona, P.

We report 70 measurements of conductive heat flow at the 50-m-high, 200-m-diameter TAG active hydrothermal mound, made during submersible surveys with Alvin in 1993 and 1995 and Shinkai 6500 in 1994. The stations were all measured with 5-thermistor, 0.6- or 1-m-long Alvin heat flow probes, which are capable of determining both gradient and thermal conductivity, and were transponder-navigated to an estimated accuracy of ±5-10 m relative to the 10-m-diameter central complex of black smokers. Within 20 m of this complex, conductive heat flow values are extremely variable (0.1- > 100 W/m²), which can only be due to local spatial and possible temporal variability in the immediate vicinity of the vigorous discharge sites. A similar local variability is suggested in the “Kremlin” area of white smokers to the southeast of the black smoker complex. On the south and southeast side of the mound, there is very high heat flow (3.7- > 25 W/m²) on the sedimented terraces that slope down from the Kremlin area. Heat flow is also high (0.3-3 W/m²) in the pelagic carbonate sediments on the surrounding seafloor within a few tens of meters of the southwest, northwest, and northeast sides of the mound. On the west side of the sulfide rubble plateau that surrounds the central black smoker peak, there is a coherent belt of very low heat flow (smokers, suggestive of local, shallow recharge of bottom water. The three submersible surveys spanned nearly two years, but showed no indication of any temporal variability in conductive heat flow over this time scale, whether natural or induced by ODP drilling in 1994.

Measuring Cosmic Expansion and Large Scale Structure with Destiny

Science.gov (United States)

Benford, Dominic J.; Lauer, Tod R.

2007-01-01

Destiny is a simple, direct, low cost mission to determine the properties of dark energy by obtaining a cosmologically deep supernova (SN) type Ia Hubble diagram and by measuring the large-scale mass power spectrum over time. Its science instrument is a 1.65m space telescope, featuring a near-infrared survey camera/spectrometer with a large field of view. During its first two years, Destiny will detect, observe, and characterize 23000 SN Ia events over the redshift interval 0.4Destiny will be used in its third year as a high resolution, wide-field imager to conduct a weak lensing survey covering >lo00 square degrees to measure the large-scale mass power spectrum. The combination of surveys is much more powerful than either technique on its own, and will have over an order of magnitude greater sensitivity than will be provided by ongoing ground-based projects.

The ROSAT All-Sky Survey view of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)

Science.gov (United States)

Pietsch, W.; Denner, K.; Kahabka, P.; Pakull, M.; Schaeidt, S.

1996-01-01

During the Rosat all sky survey, centered on the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), 516 X-ray sources were detected. The field was covered from July 1990 to January 1991. The X-ray parameters of the sources, involving position, count rates, hardness ratios, extent, and time variability during the observations, are discussed. Identifications with objects from optical, radio and infrared wavelength allow the LMC candidates to be separated from the foreground stars and the background objects.

Estimating micro area behavioural risk factor prevalence from large population-based surveys: a full Bayesian approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Seliske

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background An important public health goal is to decrease the prevalence of key behavioural risk factors, such as tobacco use and obesity. Survey information is often available at the regional level, but heterogeneity within large geographic regions cannot be assessed. Advanced spatial analysis techniques are demonstrated to produce sensible micro area estimates of behavioural risk factors that enable identification of areas with high prevalence. Methods A spatial Bayesian hierarchical model was used to estimate the micro area prevalence of current smoking and excess bodyweight for the Erie-St. Clair region in southwestern Ontario. Estimates were mapped for male and female respondents of five cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS. The micro areas were 2006 Census Dissemination Areas, with an average population of 400–700 people. Two individual-level models were specified: one controlled for survey cycle and age group (model 1, and one controlled for survey cycle, age group and micro area median household income (model 2. Post-stratification was used to derive micro area behavioural risk factor estimates weighted to the population structure. SaTScan analyses were conducted on the granular, postal-code level CCHS data to corroborate findings of elevated prevalence. Results Current smoking was elevated in two urban areas for both sexes (Sarnia and Windsor, and an additional small community (Chatham for males only. Areas of excess bodyweight were prevalent in an urban core (Windsor among males, but not females. Precision of the posterior post-stratified current smoking estimates was improved in model 2, as indicated by narrower credible intervals and a lower coefficient of variation. For excess bodyweight, both models had similar precision. Aggregation of the micro area estimates to CCHS design-based estimates validated the findings. Conclusions This is among the first studies to apply a full Bayesian model to complex

Measurement of thermal conductivity and diffusivity in situ: Literature survey and theoretical modelling of measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kukkonen, I.; Suppala, I. [Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo (Finland)

1999-01-01

In situ measurements of thermal conductivity and diffusivity of bedrock were investigated with the aid of a literature survey and theoretical simulations of a measurement system. According to the surveyed literature, in situ methods can be divided into `active` drill hole methods, and `passive` indirect methods utilizing other drill hole measurements together with cutting samples and petrophysical relationships. The most common active drill hole method is a cylindrical heat producing probe whose temperature is registered as a function of time. The temperature response can be calculated and interpreted with the aid of analytical solutions of the cylindrical heat conduction equation, particularly the solution for an infinite perfectly conducting cylindrical probe in a homogeneous medium, and the solution for a line source of heat in a medium. Using both forward and inverse modellings, a theoretical measurement system was analysed with an aim at finding the basic parameters for construction of a practical measurement system. The results indicate that thermal conductivity can be relatively well estimated with borehole measurements, whereas thermal diffusivity is much more sensitive to various disturbing factors, such as thermal contact resistance and variations in probe parameters. In addition, the three-dimensional conduction effects were investigated to find out the magnitude of axial `leak` of heat in long-duration experiments. The radius of influence of a drill hole measurement is mainly dependent on the duration of the experiment. Assuming typical conductivity and diffusivity values of crystalline rocks, the measurement yields information within less than a metre from the drill hole, when the experiment lasts about 24 hours. We propose the following factors to be taken as basic parameters in the construction of a practical measurement system: the probe length 1.5-2 m, heating power 5-20 Wm{sup -1}, temperature recording with 5-7 sensors placed along the probe, and

Measurement of thermal conductivity and diffusivity in situ: Literature survey and theoretical modelling of measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukkonen, I.; Suppala, I.

1999-01-01

In situ measurements of thermal conductivity and diffusivity of bedrock were investigated with the aid of a literature survey and theoretical simulations of a measurement system. According to the surveyed literature, in situ methods can be divided into 'active' drill hole methods, and 'passive' indirect methods utilizing other drill hole measurements together with cutting samples and petrophysical relationships. The most common active drill hole method is a cylindrical heat producing probe whose temperature is registered as a function of time. The temperature response can be calculated and interpreted with the aid of analytical solutions of the cylindrical heat conduction equation, particularly the solution for an infinite perfectly conducting cylindrical probe in a homogeneous medium, and the solution for a line source of heat in a medium. Using both forward and inverse modellings, a theoretical measurement system was analysed with an aim at finding the basic parameters for construction of a practical measurement system. The results indicate that thermal conductivity can be relatively well estimated with borehole measurements, whereas thermal diffusivity is much more sensitive to various disturbing factors, such as thermal contact resistance and variations in probe parameters. In addition, the three-dimensional conduction effects were investigated to find out the magnitude of axial 'leak' of heat in long-duration experiments. The radius of influence of a drill hole measurement is mainly dependent on the duration of the experiment. Assuming typical conductivity and diffusivity values of crystalline rocks, the measurement yields information within less than a metre from the drill hole, when the experiment lasts about 24 hours. We propose the following factors to be taken as basic parameters in the construction of a practical measurement system: the probe length 1.5-2 m, heating power 5-20 Wm -1 , temperature recording with 5-7 sensors placed along the probe, and

Requirements and concept design for large earth survey telescope for SEOS

Science.gov (United States)

Mailhot, P.; Bisbee, J.

1975-01-01

The efforts of a one year program of Requirements Analysis and Conceptual Design for the Large Earth Survey Telescope for the Synchronous Earth Observatory Satellite is summarized. A 1.4 meter aperture Cassegrain telescope with 0.6 deg field of view is shown to do an excellent job in satisfying the observational requirements for a wide range of earth resources and meteorological applications. The telescope provides imagery or thermal mapping in ten spectral bands at one time in a field sharing grouping of linear detector arrays. Pushbroom scanning is accomplished by spacecraft slew.

Using model based systems engineering for the development of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope's operational plan

Science.gov (United States)

Selvy, Brian M.; Claver, Charles; Willman, Beth; Petravick, Don; Johnson, Margaret; Reil, Kevin; Marshall, Stuart; Thomas, Sandrine; Lotz, Paul; Schumacher, German; Lim, Kian-Tat; Jenness, Tim; Jacoby, Suzanne; Emmons, Ben; Axelrod, Tim

2016-08-01

We† provide an overview of the Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) language, tool, and methodology being used in our development of the Operational Plan for Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) operations. LSST's Systems Engineering (SE) team is using a model-based approach to operational plan development to: 1) capture the topdown stakeholders' needs and functional allocations defining the scope, required tasks, and personnel needed for operations, and 2) capture the bottom-up operations and maintenance activities required to conduct the LSST survey across its distributed operations sites for the full ten year survey duration. To accomplish these complimentary goals and ensure that they result in self-consistent results, we have developed a holistic approach using the Sparx Enterprise Architect modeling tool and Systems Modeling Language (SysML). This approach utilizes SysML Use Cases, Actors, associated relationships, and Activity Diagrams to document and refine all of the major operations and maintenance activities that will be required to successfully operate the observatory and meet stakeholder expectations. We have developed several customized extensions of the SysML language including the creation of a custom stereotyped Use Case element with unique tagged values, as well as unique association connectors and Actor stereotypes. We demonstrate this customized MBSE methodology enables us to define: 1) the rolls each human Actor must take on to successfully carry out the activities associated with the Use Cases; 2) the skills each Actor must possess; 3) the functional allocation of all required stakeholder activities and Use Cases to organizational entities tasked with carrying them out; and 4) the organization structure required to successfully execute the operational survey. Our approach allows for continual refinement utilizing the systems engineering spiral method to expose finer levels of detail as necessary. For example, the bottom-up, Use Case

Gulf of Mexico Marine Mammal Vessel Surveys - NRDA

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Large vessel surveys were conducted during June-August and Oct-Nov, 2010 in the north central Gulf of Mexico to collect data on marine mammal spatial distribution...

Lessons learned in the conduct of a global, large simple trial of treatments indicated for schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolitsopoulos, Francesca M; Strom, Brian L; Faich, Gerald; Eng, Sybil M; Kane, John M; Reynolds, Robert F

2013-03-01

Large, "practical" or streamlined trials (LSTs) are used to study the effectiveness and/or safety of medicines in real world settings with minimal study imposed interventions. While LSTs have benefits over traditional randomized clinical trials and observational studies, there are inherent challenges to their conduct. Enrollment and follow-up of a large study sample of patients with mental illness pose a particular difficulty. To assist in overcoming operational barriers in future LSTs in psychiatry, this paper describes the recruitment and observational follow-up strategies used for the ZODIAC study, an international, open-label LST, which followed 18,239 persons randomly assigned to one of two treatments indicated for schizophrenia for 1 year. ZODIAC enrolled patients in 18 countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia using broad study entry criteria and required minimal clinical care intervention. Recruitment of adequate numbers and continued engagement of both study centers and subjects were significant challenges. Strategies implemented to mitigate these in ZODIAC include global study expansion, study branding, field coordinator and site relations programs, monthly site newsletters, collection of alternate contact information, conduct of national death index (NDI) searches, and frequent sponsor, contract research organization (CRO) and site interaction to share best practices and address recruitment challenges quickly. We conclude that conduct of large LSTs in psychiatric patient populations is feasible, but importantly, realistic site recruitment goals and maintaining site engagement are key factors that need to be considered in early study planning and conduct. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Survey for Spectroscopic Binaries in a Large Sample of G Dwarfs

Science.gov (United States)

Udry, S.; Mayor, M.; Latham, D. W.; Stefanik, R. P.; Torres, G.; Mazeh, T.; Goldberg, D.; Andersen, J.; Nordstrom, B.

For more than 5 years now, the radial velocities for a large sample of G dwarfs (3,347 stars) have been monitored in order to obtain an unequaled set of orbital parameters for solar-type stars (~400 orbits, up to now). This survey provides a considerable improvement on the classical systematic study by Duquennoy and Mayor (1991; DM91). The observational part of the survey has been carried out in the context of a collaboration between the Geneva Observatory on the two coravel spectrometers for the southern sky and CfA at Oakridge and Whipple Observatories for the northern sky. As a first glance at these new results, we will address in this contribution a special aspect of the orbital eccentricity distribution, namely the disappearance of the void observed in DM91 for quasi-circular orbits with periods larger than 10 days.

SPECTRAL LINE SURVEY TOWARD MOLECULAR CLOUDS IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishimura, Yuri; Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Yamamoto, Satoshi [Department of Physics, the University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 (Japan); Shimonishi, Takashi [Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Aramakiazaaoba 6-3, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578 (Japan); Sakai, Nami [RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Aikawa, Yuri [Center for Computational Sciences, The University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Kawamura, Akiko [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8588 (Japan)

2016-02-20

Spectral line survey observations of seven molecular clouds in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) have been conducted in the 3 mm band with the Mopra 22 m telescope to reveal chemical compositions in low metallicity conditions. Spectral lines of fundamental species such as CS, SO, CCH, HCN, HCO{sup +}, and HNC are detected in addition to those of CO and {sup 13}CO, while CH{sub 3}OH is not detected in any source and N{sub 2}H{sup +} is marginally detected in two sources. The molecular-cloud scale (10 pc scale) chemical composition is found to be similar among the seven sources regardless of different star formation activities, and hence, it represents the chemical composition characteristic of the LMC without influences by star formation activities. In comparison with chemical compositions of Galactic sources, the characteristic features are (1) deficient N-bearing molecules, (2) abundant CCH, and (3) deficient CH{sub 3}OH. Feature (1) is due to a lower elemental abundance of nitrogen in the LMC, whereas features (2) and (3) seem to originate from extended photodissociation regions and warmer temperature in cloud peripheries due to a lower abundance of dust grains in the low metallicity condition. In spite of general resemblance of chemical abundances among the seven sources, the CS/HCO{sup +} and SO/HCO{sup +} ratios are found to be slightly higher in a quiescent molecular cloud. An origin of this trend is discussed in relation to possible depletion of sulfur along the molecular cloud formation.

Aerial radiation survey techniques for efficient characterization of large areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sydelko, T.; Riedhauser, S.

2006-01-01

Full text: Accidental or intentional releases of radioactive isotopes over potentially very large surface areas can pose serious health risks to humans and ecological receptors. Timely and appropriate responses to these releases depend upon rapid and accurate characterization of impacted areas. These characterization efforts can be adversely impacted by heavy vegetation, rugged terrain, urban environments, and the presence of unknown levels of radioactivity. Aerial survey techniques have proven highly successful in measuring gamma emissions from radiological contaminates of concern quickly, efficiently, and safely. Examples of accidental releases include the unintentional distribution of uranium mining ores during transportation, the loss of uranium processing and waste materials, unintentional nuclear power plant emissions into the atmosphere, and the distribution of isotopes during major flooding events such as the one recently occurring in New Orleans. Intentional releases have occurred during the use of deleted uranium ammunition test firing and war time use by military organizations. The threat of radiological dispersion device (dirty bomb) use by terrorists is currently a major concern of many major cities worldwide. The U.S. Department of Energy, in cooperation with its Remote Sensing Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, has developed a sophisticated aerial measurement system for identifying the locations, types, and quantities of gamma emitting radionuclides over extremely large areas. Helicopter mounted Nal detectors are flown at low altitude and constant speed along parallel paths measuring the full spectrum of gamma activity. Analytical procedures are capable of distinguishing between radiological contamination and changes in natural background emissions. Mapped and tabular results of these accurate, timely and cost effective aerial gamma radiation surveys can be used to assist with emergency response actions, if necessary, and to focus more

Land use and demography survey for a large superfund site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattemer-Frey, H.A.; Quinlan, R.E.; Krieger, G.R.; Lau, V.

1994-01-01

Inconsistencies in the exposure assessment process often arise when risk assessors are forced to make assumptions about the frequency and duration of exposures in the absence of site-specific data. EPA encourages the collection of site-specific data so that risks can be more accurately assessed on a case-by-case basis. Typically, estimates of exposure frequency and duration represent the largest source of uncertainty for non-food related exposure pathways, while the largest source of uncertainty for foodchain pathways stems primarily from estimating the fraction ingested that originated from the affected area. A Land Use and Demography Survey was conducted to obtain site-specific information on: (1) the amount of time individuals spend indoors, outdoors, and on or near affected areas; (2) recreational use of surface water bodies on-site; (3) the percentage of food items consumed that were raised or produced locally; and (4) other behavioral patterns and activities that could influence their exposure to site-related chemicals. More than 300 households were randomly selected and the residents personally interviewed. A wide variety of individuals ranging from children to elderly residents with vastly different recreational, behavioral, and consumption patterns were interviewed. This paper discusses the survey results in relation to EPA standard default exposure assumptions

Efficiency of workplace surveys conducted by Finnish occupational health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Savinainen, Minna; Oksa, Panu

2011-07-01

In Finland, workplace surveys are used to identify and assess health risks and problems caused by work and make suggestions for continuous improvement of the work environment. With the aid of the workplace survey, occupational health services can be tailored to a company. The aims of this study were to determine how occupational health professionals gather data via the workplace survey and the effect survey results have on companies. A total of 259 occupational health nurses and 108 occupational health physicians responded to the questionnaire: 84.2% were women and 15.8% were men. The mean age of the respondents was 48.8 years (range, 26 to 65 years). Usually occupational health nurses and foremen and sometimes occupational health physicians and occupational safety and health representatives initiate the workplace survey. More than 90% of the surveys were followed by action proposals, and about 50% of these were implemented. The proposals implemented most often concerned personal protective equipment and less often leadership. Survey respondents should have both the opportunity and the authority to affect resources, the work environment, work arrangements, and tools. Teamwork among occupational health and safety professionals, management, and employees is vital for cost-effectively solving today's complex problems at workplaces around the globe. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Anomalously temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of monolayer GaN with large deviations from the traditional 1 /T law

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Guangzhao; Qin, Zhenzhen; Wang, Huimin; Hu, Ming

2017-05-01

Efficient heat dissipation, which is featured by high thermal conductivity, is one of the crucial issues for the reliability and stability of nanodevices. However, due to the generally fast 1 /T decrease of thermal conductivity with temperature increase, the efficiency of heat dissipation quickly drops down at an elevated temperature caused by the increase of work load in electronic devices. To this end, pursuing semiconductor materials that possess large thermal conductivity at high temperature, i.e., slower decrease of thermal conductivity with temperature increase than the traditional κ ˜1 /T relation, is extremely important to the development of disruptive nanoelectronics. Recently, monolayer gallium nitride (GaN) with a planar honeycomb structure emerges as a promising new two-dimensional material with great potential for applications in nano- and optoelectronics. Here, we report that, despite the commonly established 1 /T relation of thermal conductivity in plenty of materials, monolayer GaN exhibits anomalous behavior that the thermal conductivity almost decreases linearly over a wide temperature range above 300 K, deviating largely from the traditional κ ˜1 /T law. The thermal conductivity at high temperature is much larger than the expected thermal conductivity that follows the general κ ˜1 /T trend, which would be beneficial for applications of monolayer GaN in nano- and optoelectronics in terms of efficient heat dissipation. We perform detailed analysis on the mechanisms underlying the anomalously temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of monolayer GaN in the framework of Boltzmann transport theory and further get insight from the view of electronic structure. Beyond that, we also propose two required conditions for materials that would exhibit similar anomalous temperature dependence of thermal conductivity: large difference in atom mass (huge phonon band gap) and electronegativity (LO-TO splitting due to strong polarization of bond). Our

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Postfire Vegetation Survey Campaigns through Large and Heterogeneous Areas: Opportunities and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Manuel Fernández-Guisuraga

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the opportunities and challenges of using drones to obtain multispectral orthomosaics at ultra-high resolution that could be useful for monitoring large and heterogeneous burned areas. We conducted a survey using an octocopter equipped with a Parrot SEQUOIA multispectral camera in a 3000 ha framework located within the perimeter of a megafire in Spain. We assessed the quality of both the camera raw imagery and the multispectral orthomosaic obtained, as well as the required processing capability. Additionally, we compared the spatial information provided by the drone orthomosaic at ultra-high spatial resolution with another image provided by the WorldView-2 satellite at high spatial resolution. The drone raw imagery presented some anomalies, such as horizontal banding noise and non-homogeneous radiometry. Camera locations showed a lack of synchrony of the single frequency GPS receiver. The georeferencing process based on ground control points achieved an error lower than 30 cm in X-Y and lower than 55 cm in Z. The drone orthomosaic provided more information in terms of spatial variability in heterogeneous burned areas in comparison with the WorldView-2 satellite imagery. The drone orthomosaic could constitute a viable alternative for the evaluation of post-fire vegetation regeneration in large and heterogeneous burned areas.

Spray-Deposited Large-Area Copper Nanowire Transparent Conductive Electrodes and Their Uses for Touch Screen Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Hsun-Chen; Chang, Yen-Chen; Lin, Yow; Chang, Shu-Hao; Chang, Wei-Chung; Li, Guo-An; Tuan, Hsing-Yu

2016-05-25

Large-area conducting transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) were prepared by a fast, scalable, and low-cost spray deposition of copper nanowire (CuNW) dispersions. Thin, long, and pure copper nanowires were obtained via the seed-mediated growth in an organic solvent-based synthesis. The mean length and diameter of nanowires are, respectively, 37.7 μm and 46 nm, corresponding to a high-mean-aspect ratio of 790. These wires were spray-deposited onto a glass substrate to form a nanowire conducting network which function as a TCE. CuNW TCEs exhibit high-transparency and high-conductivity since their relatively long lengths are advantageous in lowering in the sheet resistance. For example, a 2 × 2 cm(2) transparent nanowire electrode exhibits transmittance of T = 90% with a sheet resistance as low as 52.7 Ω sq(-1). Large-area sizes (>50 cm(2)) of CuNW TCEs were also prepared by the spray coating method and assembled as resistive touch screens that can be integrated with a variety of devices, including LED lighting array, a computer, electric motors, and audio electronic devices, showing the capability to make diverse sizes and functionalities of CuNW TCEs by the reported method.

EXPECTED LARGE SYNOPTIC SURVEY TELESCOPE (LSST) YIELD OF ECLIPSING BINARY STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prsa, Andrej; Pepper, Joshua; Stassun, Keivan G.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we estimate the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) yield of eclipsing binary stars, which will survey ∼20,000 deg 2 of the southern sky during a period of 10 years in six photometric passbands to r ∼ 24.5. We generate a set of 10,000 eclipsing binary light curves sampled to the LSST time cadence across the whole sky, with added noise as a function of apparent magnitude. This set is passed to the analysis-of-variance period finder to assess the recoverability rate for the periods, and the successfully phased light curves are passed to the artificial-intelligence-based pipeline ebai to assess the recoverability rate in terms of the eclipsing binaries' physical and geometric parameters. We find that, out of ∼24 million eclipsing binaries observed by LSST with a signal-to-noise ratio >10 in mission lifetime, ∼28% or 6.7 million can be fully characterized by the pipeline. Of those, ∼25% or 1.7 million will be double-lined binaries, a true treasure trove for stellar astrophysics.

Implementation of a Computerized Tablet-Survey in an Adolescent Large-Scale, School-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Delk, Joanne; Harrell, Melissa B; Fakhouri, Tala H I; Muir, Katelyn A; Perry, Cheryl L

2017-07-01

Computerized surveys present many advantages over paper surveys. However, school-based adolescent research questionnaires still mainly rely on paper-and-pencil surveys as access to computers in schools is often not practical. Tablet-assisted self-interviews (TASI) present a possible solution, but their use is largely untested. This paper presents a method for and our experiences with implementing a TASI in a school setting. A TASI was administered to 3907 middle and high school students from 79 schools. The survey assessed use of tobacco products and exposure to tobacco marketing. To assess in-depth tobacco use behaviors, the TASI employed extensive skip patterns to reduce the number of not-applicable questions that nontobacco users received. Pictures were added to help respondents identify the tobacco products they were being queried about. Students were receptive to the tablets and required no instructions in their use. None were lost, stolen, or broken. Item nonresponse, unanswered questions, was a pre-administration concern; however, 92% of participants answered 96% or more of the questions. This method was feasible and successful among a diverse population of students and schools. It generated a unique dataset of in-depth tobacco use behaviors that would not have been possible through a paper-and-pencil survey. © 2017, American School Health Association.

The European Large Area ISO Survey - IV. The preliminary 90-mu m luminosity function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Serjeant, S.; Efstathiou, A.; Oliver, S.

2001-01-01

We present the luminosity function of 90-mum-selected galaxies from the European Large Area ISO Survey (ELAIS), extending to z = 0.3. Their luminosities are in the range 10(9)

Trials and tribulations of conducting bio-behavioral surveys in prisons: implementation science and lessons from Ukraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Azbel, Lyuba; Grishaev, Yevgeny; Wickersham, Jeffrey A; Chernova, Olena; Dvoryak, Sergey; Polonsky, Maxim; Altice, Frederick L

2016-06-13

Purpose - Ukraine is home to Europe's worst HIV epidemic, overwhelmingly fueled by people who inject drugs who face harsh prison sentences. In Ukraine, HIV and other infectious diseases are concentrated in prisons, yet the magnitude of this problem had not been quantified. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the systematic health survey of prisoners in the former Soviet Union (FSU). Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative interviews were carried out with research and prison administrative staff to assess the barriers and facilitators to conducting a bio-behavioral survey in Ukrainian prisons. Findings - Crucial barriers at the institutional, staff, and participant level require addressing by: first, ensuring Prison Department involvement at every stage; second, tackling pre-conceived attitudes about drug addiction and treatment among staff; and third, guaranteeing confidentiality for participants. Originality/value - The burden of many diseases is higher than expected and much higher than in the community. Notwithstanding the challenges, scientifically rigorous bio-behavioral surveys are attainable in criminal justice systems in the FSU with collaboration and careful consideration of this specific context.

Seismic safety in conducting large-scale blasts

Science.gov (United States)

Mashukov, I. V.; Chaplygin, V. V.; Domanov, V. P.; Semin, A. A.; Klimkin, M. A.

2017-09-01

In mining enterprises to prepare hard rocks for excavation a drilling and blasting method is used. With the approach of mining operations to settlements the negative effect of large-scale blasts increases. To assess the level of seismic impact of large-scale blasts the scientific staff of Siberian State Industrial University carried out expertise for coal mines and iron ore enterprises. Determination of the magnitude of surface seismic vibrations caused by mass explosions was performed using seismic receivers, an analog-digital converter with recording on a laptop. The registration results of surface seismic vibrations during production of more than 280 large-scale blasts at 17 mining enterprises in 22 settlements are presented. The maximum velocity values of the Earth’s surface vibrations are determined. The safety evaluation of seismic effect was carried out according to the permissible value of vibration velocity. For cases with exceedance of permissible values recommendations were developed to reduce the level of seismic impact.

Preparation of large-area molecular junctions with metallic conducting Langmuir–Blodgett films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mochizuki, Kengo [Division of Marine Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 2-1-6 Etchujima Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan); Ohnuki, Hitoshi, E-mail: ohnuki@kaiyodai.ac.jp [Division of Marine Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 2-1-6 Etchujima Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan); Shimizu, Daisuke [Division of Marine Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 2-1-6 Etchujima Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan); Imakubo, Tatsuro [Department of Materials and Technology, Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188 (Japan); Tsuya, Daiju [National Institute for Materials Science,1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 (Japan); Izumi, Mitsuru [Division of Marine Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 2-1-6 Etchujima Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan)

2014-03-03

Metallic conducting Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films were used as soft electrodes to fabricate molecular junctions with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols (CH{sub 3}(CH{sub 2}){sub n−1}SH) on an Au surface. Alkanethiols can form highly ordered, stable dielectric SAMs on metal surfaces over large areas. However, it is difficult to establish electrical contacts on such SAMs, which has limited their application. In this work, we used metallic conducting LB films composed of bis(ethylenedioxy)tetrathiafulvalene and stearic acid as a soft electrode onto alkanethiol SAMs (C{sub n}-SAM, n = 12, 14, 16, 18) to prepare Au/SAM/metal junctions of relatively large size (∼ 15.6 × 10{sup 3} μm{sup 2}). The current density–voltage (J–V) characteristics across the junctions exhibited rectifying behavior with a ratio R of ∼ 5 (R = |J(V)|/|J(− V)| at ± 1 V). The lower transfer rate corresponding to the electron transport from Au to the LB films exhibited nonlinear J–V characteristics, while the higher transfer rate of electrons from the LB film to Au showed linear J–V characteristics. Kelvin probe force microscopy revealed that the work function of the metallic LB films was smaller than that of Au. The observed rectification behavior is probably caused by different electron transport mechanisms between the two current directions. - Highlights: • Metallic Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films were used as soft electrodes. • Molecular junctions of metal–alkanethiol–LB films were fabricated. • The current–voltage curve across the junctions exhibited rectifying behavior. • This is the first observation for alkanethiol monolayer junctions. • The work function difference between the electrodes induces the rectification.

Development of Large Concrete Object Geometrical Model Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zaczek-Peplinska Janina

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The paper presents control periodic measurements of movements and survey of concrete dam on Dunajec River in Rożnów, Poland. Topographical survey was conducted using laser scanning technique. The goal of survey was data collection and creation of a geometrical model. Acquired cross- and horizontal sections were utilised to create a numerical model of object behaviour at various load depending of changing level of water in reservoir. Modelling was accomplished using finite elements technique. During the project an assessment was conducted to terrestrial laser scanning techniques for such type of research of large hydrotechnical objects such as gravitational water dams. Developed model can be used to define deformations and displacement prognosis.

Incidence of anemia in pediatric cancer patients in Europe: results of a large, international survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Michon, Jean

2002-10-01

Anemia occurs frequently in children with cancer, but there is little information quantifying the incidence of anemia or treatment. A survey was conducted in 1998 in Europe by The Research Partnership with the objective of determining the incidence of anemia, identifying the hemoglobin triggers that initiated anemia treatment, and the current anemia treatment options available to clinicians. The survey was conducted in the 10 largest pediatric oncology centers each in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, and in the 8 largest centers in both Belgium and The Netherlands. Telephone interviews with the most senior physician available in the institution were used to collect data, which included the numbers of patients treated or under follow-up, cancer types, and treatment practices for anemia. Data were collected for 25,093 patients. Over 80% of patients were anemic (WHO: hemoglobin disadvantages of epoetin alfa as a treatment option for treating anemia in children with cancer, which reflects the limited knowledge of and experience with this agent. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Surveying Future Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Carlstrom, John E.

2016-06-01

The now standard model of cosmology has been tested and refined by the analysis of increasingly sensitive, large astronomical surveys, especially with statistically significant millimeter-wave surveys of the cosmic microwave background and optical surveys of the distribution of galaxies. This talk will offer a glimpse of the future, which promises an acceleration of this trend with cosmological information coming from new surveys across the electromagnetic spectrum as well as particles and even gravitational waves.

Using detection dogs to conduct simultaneous surveys of northern spotted (Strix occidentalis caurina and barred owls (Strix varia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel K Wasser

Full Text Available State and federal actions to conserve northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina habitat are largely initiated by establishing habitat occupancy. Northern spotted owl occupancy is typically assessed by eliciting their response to simulated conspecific vocalizations. However, proximity of barred owls (Strix varia-a significant threat to northern spotted owls-can suppress northern spotted owl responsiveness to vocalization surveys and hence their probability of detection. We developed a survey method to simultaneously detect both species that does not require vocalization. Detection dogs (Canis familiaris located owl pellets accumulated under roost sites, within search areas selected using habitat association maps. We compared success of detection dog surveys to vocalization surveys slightly modified from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Draft 2010 Survey Protocol. Seventeen 2 km × 2 km polygons were each surveyed multiple times in an area where northern spotted owls were known to nest prior to 1997 and barred owl density was thought to be low. Mitochondrial DNA was used to confirm species from pellets detected by dogs. Spotted owl and barred owl detection probabilities were significantly higher for dog than vocalization surveys. For spotted owls, this difference increased with number of site visits. Cumulative detection probabilities of northern spotted owls were 29% after session 1, 62% after session 2, and 87% after session 3 for dog surveys, compared to 25% after session 1, increasing to 59% by session 6 for vocalization surveys. Mean detection probability for barred owls was 20.1% for dog surveys and 7.3% for vocal surveys. Results suggest that detection dog surveys can complement vocalization surveys by providing a reliable method for establishing occupancy of both northern spotted and barred owl without requiring owl vocalization. This helps meet objectives of Recovery Actions 24 and 25 of the Revised Recovery Plan for the

Large magneto-conductance and magneto-electroluminescence in exciplex-based organic light-emitting diodes at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, Yongzhou; Lei, Yanlian; Zhang, Qiaoming; Chen, Lixiang; Song, Qunliang; Xiong, Zuhong

2015-11-01

In this work, we report on large magneto-conductance (MC) over 60% and magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) as high as 112% at room temperature in an exciplex-based organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with efficient reverse intersystem crossing (ISC). The large MC and MEL are individually confirmed by the current density-voltage characteristics and the electroluminescence spectra under various magnetic fields. We proposed that this type of magnetic field effect (MFE) is governed by the field-modulated reverse ISC between the singlet and triplet exciplex. The temperature-dependent MFEs reveal that the small activation energy of reverse ISC accounts for the large MFEs in the present exciplex-based OLEDs.

Logistics report on a resistivity survey, conducted on behalf of Sandia Laboratories, July 14--September 4, 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, R.S.

1979-02-01

Geophysical surveys were conducted in the desert terrain on and around the Los Medanos WIPP study area east of Carlsbad, New Mexico. A total of sixteen Schlumberger vertical electrical soundings (VES) and three pole--dipole profile lines were completed. Equipment, field procedures, and field experience are reported. Uncorrected VES curves, pole--dipole apparent resistivity profiles, and field data are presented. 5 figures

Inhibition of large conductance calcium-dependent potassium ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

conductance, calcium and voltage- dependent potassium (BKCa) channels thereby promoting vasoconstriction. Our results show that the Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, induced concentration-dependent relaxation in rat mesenteric artery.

Generic radiological characterization protocol for surveys conducted for DOE remedial action programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berven, B.A.; Cottrell, W.D.; Leggett, R.W.; Little, C.A.; Myrick, T.E.; Goldsmith, W.A.; Haywood, F.F.

1986-05-01

This report describes goals and methodology that can be used by radiological survey contractors in surveys at properties associated with the Department of Energy's remedial action programs. The description includes: (1) a general discussion of the history of the remedial action programs; (2) the types of surveys that may be employed by the Radiological Survey Activities (RASA) contractor; (3) generic survey methods that may be used during radiological surveys; and (4) a format for presenting information and data in a survey report. 9 refs

Designing and conducting health surveys: a comprehensive guide

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Aday, Lu Ann; Cornelius, Llewellyn Joseph

2006-01-01

... and Carrying Out the Survey 311 14 Preparing the Data for Analysis 340 15 Planning and Implementing the Analysis of the Data 360 16 Writing the Research Report 391 Resource A: Personal Interview Sur...

An Indium-Free Anode for Large-Area Flexible OLEDs: Defect-Free Transparent Conductive Zinc Tin Oxide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morales-Masis, M.; Dauzou, F.; Jeangros, Q.; Dabirian, A.; Lifka, H.; Gierth, R.; Ruske, M.; Moet, D.; Hessler-Wyser, A.; Ballif, C.

2016-01-01

Flexible large-area organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) require highly conductive and transparent anodes for efficient and uniform light emission. Tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) is the standard anode in industry. However, due to the scarcity of indium, alternative anodes that eliminate its use are

Short communication: survey of fresh cow management practices of dairy cattle on small and large commercial farms.

Science.gov (United States)

Heuwieser, W; Iwersen, M; Gossellin, J; Drillich, M

2010-03-01

The objective was to conduct a survey of current fresh cow management practices that have an effect on health and diseases postpartum considering different herd sizes of commercial dairy farms. A mail survey regarding aspects of the fresh cow program including general management issues, calving, diseases, and veterinary service was conducted utilizing a convenience sample. A total of 429 survey forms were returned (12.0% response rate) and could be used for final analysis. Only 21.6% of the farms had a designated fresh cow pen. Almost every farm executed some type of fresh cow examination. Only 18.5% of farm managers documented the observations. Most of the dairy managers used more or less subjective criteria such as general appearance (97.0%) and appetite (69.7%). Only a minority of the responding dairy managers monitored their fresh cows using objective (fever 33.6%) or semiquantitative measures (subclinical ketosis 2.8%; body condition score 36.4%). On most farms, the veterinarian visited the herd only if needed (72.6%). Most cases of retained fetal membranes were treated by manual removal (72.3%) and antibiotic pills (89.5%). Several challenges and opportunities were identified to improve cow management practices.

Large deviations in stochastic heat-conduction processes provide a gradient-flow structure for heat conduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peletier, Mark A.; Redig, Frank; Vafayi, Kiamars

2014-01-01

We consider three one-dimensional continuous-time Markov processes on a lattice, each of which models the conduction of heat: the family of Brownian Energy Processes with parameter m (BEP(m)), a Generalized Brownian Energy Process, and the Kipnis-Marchioro-Presutti (KMP) process. The hydrodynamic limit of each of these three processes is a parabolic equation, the linear heat equation in the case of the BEP(m) and the KMP, and a nonlinear heat equation for the Generalized Brownian Energy Process with parameter a (GBEP(a)). We prove the hydrodynamic limit rigorously for the BEP(m), and give a formal derivation for the GBEP(a). We then formally derive the pathwise large-deviation rate functional for the empirical measure of the three processes. These rate functionals imply gradient-flow structures for the limiting linear and nonlinear heat equations. We contrast these gradient-flow structures with those for processes describing the diffusion of mass, most importantly the class of Wasserstein gradient-flow systems. The linear and nonlinear heat-equation gradient-flow structures are each driven by entropy terms of the form −log ρ; they involve dissipation or mobility terms of order ρ 2 for the linear heat equation, and a nonlinear function of ρ for the nonlinear heat equation

Scientific substantiation of approaches to organization and conducting radiation surveys at the rehabilitated radiation sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. K. Romanovich

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article is concerned with the scientific justification of approaches to the organization of the final radiation survey of facilities having radioactive contamination, after their rehabilitation. Scientific publications on the previous experience in rehabilitation of facilities contaminated with radionuclides, the organization and conducting a radiation survey before the start of the decontamination, during its implementation and after its completion were analyzed. The experience in the rehabilitation of the site for the temporary storage of spent fuel and radioactive waste in Andreeva Bay in the North-West region of Russia, the locations of peaceful nuclear explosions, experimental nuclear power plants, a radiochemical laboratory, and metallurgical plants, that do not belong to radiation facilities, has been studied. It has been established that, besides the surface contamination of the soil, areas of radioactive contamination on sites of decommissioned radiation facilities with significant depth up to 15 m along the profile are available. These local zones with depth soil contamination are persistent contaminants of the groundwater. The experience in the radiation survey of the peaceful nuclear explosions sites shows the removal of radionuclides from cavities, formed with the use of nuclear explosive technologies for peaceful purposes, on the earth’s surface. An optimized list of radionuclides to be monitored during the radiological survey of rehabilitated facilities was proposed based on the analysis of the composition of radionuclides detected at radiation sites subjected to decontamination. The optimized list includes 14 radionuclides with the half-lives of more than three years. 

Large-conductance calcium-dependent potassium channels prevent dendritic excitability in neocortical pyramidal neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Benhassine, Narimane; Berger, Thomas

2009-03-01

Large-conductance calcium-dependent potassium channels (BK channels) are homogeneously distributed along the somatodendritic axis of layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the rat somatosensory cortex. The relevance of this conductance for dendritic calcium electrogenesis was studied in acute brain slices using somatodendritic patch clamp recordings and calcium imaging. BK channel activation reduces the occurrence of dendritic calcium spikes. This is reflected in an increased critical frequency of somatic spikes necessary to activate the distal initiation zone. Whilst BK channels repolarise the somatic spike, they dampen it only in the distal dendrite. Their activation reduces dendritic calcium influx via glutamate receptors. Furthermore, they prevent dendritic calcium electrogenesis and subsequent somatic burst discharges. However, the time window for coincident somatic action potential and dendritic input to elicit dendritic calcium events is not influenced by BK channels. Thus, BK channel activation in layer 5 pyramidal neurons affects cellular excitability primarily by establishing a high threshold at the distal action potential initiation zone.

Large-Scale Survey Findings Inform Patients’ Experiences in Using Secure Messaging to Engage in Patient-Provider Communication and Self-Care Management: A Quantitative Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Nitin R; Lind, Jason D; Antinori, Nicole

2015-01-01

Background Secure email messaging is part of a national transformation initiative in the United States to promote new models of care that support enhanced patient-provider communication. To date, only a limited number of large-scale studies have evaluated users’ experiences in using secure email messaging. Objective To quantitatively assess veteran patients’ experiences in using secure email messaging in a large patient sample. Methods A cross-sectional mail-delivered paper-and-pencil survey study was conducted with a sample of respondents identified as registered for the Veteran Health Administrations’ Web-based patient portal (My HealtheVet) and opted to use secure messaging. The survey collected demographic data, assessed computer and health literacy, and secure messaging use. Analyses conducted on survey data include frequencies and proportions, chi-square tests, and one-way analysis of variance. Results The majority of respondents (N=819) reported using secure messaging 6 months or longer (n=499, 60.9%). They reported secure messaging to be helpful for completing medication refills (n=546, 66.7%), managing appointments (n=343, 41.9%), looking up test results (n=350, 42.7%), and asking health-related questions (n=340, 41.5%). Notably, some respondents reported using secure messaging to address sensitive health topics (n=67, 8.2%). Survey responses indicated that younger age (P=.039) and higher levels of education (P=.025) and income (P=.003) were associated with more frequent use of secure messaging. Females were more likely to report using secure messaging more often, compared with their male counterparts (P=.098). Minorities were more likely to report using secure messaging more often, at least once a month, compared with nonminorities (P=.086). Individuals with higher levels of health literacy reported more frequent use of secure messaging (P=.007), greater satisfaction (P=.002), and indicated that secure messaging is a useful (P=.002) and easy

Large-Scale Survey Findings Inform Patients' Experiences in Using Secure Messaging to Engage in Patient-Provider Communication and Self-Care Management: A Quantitative Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Haun, Jolie N; Patel, Nitin R; Lind, Jason D; Antinori, Nicole

2015-12-21

Secure email messaging is part of a national transformation initiative in the United States to promote new models of care that support enhanced patient-provider communication. To date, only a limited number of large-scale studies have evaluated users' experiences in using secure email messaging. To quantitatively assess veteran patients' experiences in using secure email messaging in a large patient sample. A cross-sectional mail-delivered paper-and-pencil survey study was conducted with a sample of respondents identified as registered for the Veteran Health Administrations' Web-based patient portal (My HealtheVet) and opted to use secure messaging. The survey collected demographic data, assessed computer and health literacy, and secure messaging use. Analyses conducted on survey data include frequencies and proportions, chi-square tests, and one-way analysis of variance. The majority of respondents (N=819) reported using secure messaging 6 months or longer (n=499, 60.9%). They reported secure messaging to be helpful for completing medication refills (n=546, 66.7%), managing appointments (n=343, 41.9%), looking up test results (n=350, 42.7%), and asking health-related questions (n=340, 41.5%). Notably, some respondents reported using secure messaging to address sensitive health topics (n=67, 8.2%). Survey responses indicated that younger age (P=.039) and higher levels of education (P=.025) and income (P=.003) were associated with more frequent use of secure messaging. Females were more likely to report using secure messaging more often, compared with their male counterparts (P=.098). Minorities were more likely to report using secure messaging more often, at least once a month, compared with nonminorities (P=.086). Individuals with higher levels of health literacy reported more frequent use of secure messaging (P=.007), greater satisfaction (P=.002), and indicated that secure messaging is a useful (P=.002) and easy-to-use (P≤.001) communication tool, compared

Assessment of Systematic Chromatic Errors that Impact Sub-1% Photometric Precision in Large-Area Sky Surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, T. S. [et al.

2016-05-27

Meeting the science goals for many current and future ground-based optical large-area sky surveys requires that the calibrated broadband photometry is stable in time and uniform over the sky to 1% precision or better. Past surveys have achieved photometric precision of 1-2% by calibrating the survey's stellar photometry with repeated measurements of a large number of stars observed in multiple epochs. The calibration techniques employed by these surveys only consider the relative frame-by-frame photometric zeropoint offset and the focal plane position-dependent illumination corrections, which are independent of the source color. However, variations in the wavelength dependence of the atmospheric transmission and the instrumental throughput induce source color-dependent systematic errors. These systematic errors must also be considered to achieve the most precise photometric measurements. In this paper, we examine such systematic chromatic errors using photometry from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) as an example. We define a natural magnitude system for DES and calculate the systematic errors on stellar magnitudes, when the atmospheric transmission and instrumental throughput deviate from the natural system. We conclude that the systematic chromatic errors caused by the change of airmass in each exposure, the change of the precipitable water vapor and aerosol in the atmosphere over time, and the non-uniformity of instrumental throughput over the focal plane, can be up to 2% in some bandpasses. We compare the calculated systematic chromatic errors with the observed DES data. For the test sample data, we correct these errors using measurements of the atmospheric transmission and instrumental throughput. The residual after correction is less than 0.3%. We also find that the errors for non-stellar objects are redshift-dependent and can be larger than those for stars at certain redshifts.

Automated Stellar Classification for Large Surveys with EKF and RBF Neural Networks

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ling Bai; Ping Guo; Zhan-Yi Hu

2005-01-01

An automated classification technique for large size stellar surveys is proposed. It uses the extended Kalman filter as a feature selector and pre-classifier of the data, and the radial basis function neural networks for the classification.Experiments with real data have shown that the correct classification rate can reach as high as 93%, which is quite satisfactory. When different system models are selected for the extended Kalman filter, the classification results are relatively stable. It is shown that for this particular case the result using extended Kalman filter is better than using principal component analysis.

UTILIZING TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE IN A LARGE, FAST, IMAGING SURVEY TO CONSTRAIN DARK ENERGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zentner, Andrew R.; Bhattacharya, Suman

2009-01-01

We study the utility of a large sample of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) that might be observed in an imaging survey that rapidly scans a large fraction of the sky for constraining dark energy. We consider both the information contained in the traditional luminosity distance test as well as the spread in Ia SN fluxes at fixed redshift induced by gravitational lensing. As would be required from an imaging survey, we include a treatment of photometric redshift uncertainties in our analysis. Our primary result is that the information contained in the mean distance moduli of SNe Ia and the dispersion of SN Ia distance moduli complement each other, breaking a degeneracy between the present dark energy equation of state and its time variation without the need for a high-redshift (z ∼> 0.8) SN sample. Including lensing information also allows for some internal calibration of photometric redshifts. To address photometric redshift uncertainties, we present dark energy constraints as a function of the size of an external set of spectroscopically observed SNe that may be used for redshift calibration, N spec . Depending upon the details of potentially available, external SN data sets, we find that an imaging survey can constrain the dark energy equation of state at the epoch where it is best constrained w p , with a 1σ error of σ(w p ) ∼ 0.03-0.09. In addition, the marginal improvement in the error σ(w p ) from an increase in the spectroscopic calibration sample drops once N spec ∼ a few x 10 3 . This result is important because it is of the order of the size of calibration samples likely to be compiled in the coming decade and because, for samples of this size, the spectroscopic and imaging surveys individually place comparable constraints on the dark energy equation of state. In all cases, it is best to calibrate photometric redshifts with a set of spectroscopically observed SNe with relatively more objects at high redshift (z ∼> 0.5) than the parent sample of

A Portrait of the Audience for Instruction in Web Searching: Results of a Survey Conducted at Two Canadian Universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Tillotson, Joy

2003-01-01

Describes a survey that was conducted involving participants in the library instruction program at two Canadian universities in order to describe the characteristics of students receiving instruction in Web searching. Examines criteria for evaluating Web sites, search strategies, use of search engines, and frequency of use. Questionnaire is…

[Attractiveness of France for international clinical research: 8th survey conducted by Leem (French association for pharmaceutical companies)].

Science.gov (United States)

Galaup, Ariane; Barthélémy, Philippe; Pouletty-Lefebvre, Brigitte; Béhier, Jehan-Michel; Zetlaoui, Jean; Borel, Thomas

2018-04-18

The Leem (French association of pharmaceutical companies) has conducted the eighth survey on attractiveness of France for clinical research. It serves to measure France's global competitiveness for international clinical trials and assess its strengths and areas of excellence. It also highlights the potential for progress and emerging trends at a time when the regulatory environment in France and Europe is undergoing change. This survey has been updated every two years since 2002 using the same methodology. It assesses the current status of research undertaken in France by the pharmaceutical industry between January 1st 2014 and December 31st 2015. Thirty companies (62% of the French market) have participated in this 8th survey which involved 3474 centers (versus 2860 in 2014) and 16,622 patients (versus 14,634 in 2014) enrolled in France across 586 clinical trials (versus 613 in 2014). This survey shows a reduction in the number of phase I and phase II trials. It also confirms that the studies conducted in France are primarily concerned with oncology (45%). Despite improvements across hospital contracts times (due to the adoption of the sole agreement) and performance indicators in trials (such as the number of patients enrolled by center), trial setup times in France are still overly lengthy (with stable times by French authorities). Ensuring that clinical research remains a priority issue for country is crucial for patients because of rapid access to innovation but also for the vitality of the French economy. Constructive dialogue with stakeholders on the subject of clinical research is essential to enhance the attractiveness of France and to improve the continuum between research, innovation and care. Copyright © 2018 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Lupus anticoagulants: first French interlaboratory Etalonorme survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Roussi, J; Roisin, J P; Goguel, A

1996-06-01

In 1994, the, French National Quality Control Group for Hematology, Etalonorme, conducted a large-scale interlaboratory survey concerning the detection of lupus anticoagulants (LA) involving all the 4,500 French laboratories. Each laboratory received the same batch of a lyophilized citrated plasma (94B3) prepared from a patient with LA that had been confirmed by all the techniques used in the intralaboratory study. In the interlaboratory survey, the screening test was activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT); mean APTT calculated from the results reported by 4,029 labs was prolonged (clotting ratio = 1.44) with a large dispersion (coefficients of variation = 18.8%). APTT of the mixture 94B3 + normal plasma were performed by 2,698 laboratories. No correction of APTT was obtained (R = 1.36, Rosner index = 24) with a wide variation between reagents (17 kaolin. This survey allowed Etalonorme to inform French biologists and draft an educational program for the biologic detection of LA and the identification of its mechanism of action.

Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sujie; Li, Siying; Peng, Sai; Huang, Yukun; Zhao, Jiaqing; Tang, Wei; Guo, Xiaojun

2018-01-01

Soft conductive films composed of a silver nanowire (AgNW) network, a neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS over-coating layer and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer substrate are fabricated by large area compatible coating processes. The neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS layer is shown to be able to significantly improve the conductivity, stretchability and air stability of the conductive films. The soft conductive films are patterned using a simple maskless patterning approach to fabricate an 8 × 8 flexible pressure sensor array. It is shown that such soft conductive films can help to improve the sensitivity and reduce the signal crosstalk over the pressure sensor array. Project supported by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 16JC1400603).

The Impact of Laws on Metric Conversion: A Survey of Selected Large U.S. Corporations.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-02-01

resulting from increasing metric usage (Section 6-8). * Conduct researc [., including appropriate surveys; publish recults of such research; and recommend to...Products Case Study There has been very little conversion of the products manufactured and marketed by this firm. According to the firm representative...sizes for marketing reasons. The industry action resulted in this firm PAGE A-3 • F - L ’... . " ... . -, . . .-,--m :..: - - A THE NEWMAN & HERMANSON

Alumni Perspectives Survey, 2010. Survey Report

Science.gov (United States)

Sheikh, Sabeen

2010-01-01

During the months of April and September of 2009, the Graduate Management Admission Council[R] (GMAC[R]) conducted the Alumni Perspectives Survey, a longitudinal study of prior respondents to the Global Management Education Graduate Survey of management students nearing graduation. A total of 3,708 alumni responded to the April 2009 survey,…

Barriers and Solutions to Conducting Large International, Interdisciplinary Research Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Pischke, Erin C.; Knowlton, Jessie L.; Phifer, Colin C.; Gutierrez Lopez, Jose; Propato, Tamara S.; Eastmond, Amarella; de Souza, Tatiana Martins; Kuhlberg, Mark; Picasso Risso, Valentin; Veron, Santiago R.; Garcia, Carlos; Chiappe, Marta; Halvorsen, Kathleen E.

2017-12-01

Global environmental problems such as climate change are not bounded by national borders or scientific disciplines, and therefore require international, interdisciplinary teamwork to develop understandings of their causes and solutions. Interdisciplinary scientific work is difficult enough, but these challenges are often magnified when teams also work across national boundaries. The literature on the challenges of interdisciplinary research is extensive. However, research on international, interdisciplinary teams is nearly non-existent. Our objective is to fill this gap by reporting on results from a study of a large interdisciplinary, international National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (NSF-PIRE) research project across the Americas. We administered a structured questionnaire to team members about challenges they faced while working together across disciplines and outside of their home countries in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Analysis of the responses indicated five major types of barriers to conducting interdisciplinary, international research: integration, language, fieldwork logistics, personnel and relationships, and time commitment. We discuss the causes and recommended solutions to the most common barriers. Our findings can help other interdisciplinary, international research teams anticipate challenges, and develop effective solutions to minimize the negative impacts of these barriers to their research.

Barriers and Solutions to Conducting Large International, Interdisciplinary Research Projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pischke, Erin C; Knowlton, Jessie L; Phifer, Colin C; Gutierrez Lopez, Jose; Propato, Tamara S; Eastmond, Amarella; de Souza, Tatiana Martins; Kuhlberg, Mark; Picasso Risso, Valentin; Veron, Santiago R; Garcia, Carlos; Chiappe, Marta; Halvorsen, Kathleen E

2017-12-01

Global environmental problems such as climate change are not bounded by national borders or scientific disciplines, and therefore require international, interdisciplinary teamwork to develop understandings of their causes and solutions. Interdisciplinary scientific work is difficult enough, but these challenges are often magnified when teams also work across national boundaries. The literature on the challenges of interdisciplinary research is extensive. However, research on international, interdisciplinary teams is nearly non-existent. Our objective is to fill this gap by reporting on results from a study of a large interdisciplinary, international National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (NSF-PIRE) research project across the Americas. We administered a structured questionnaire to team members about challenges they faced while working together across disciplines and outside of their home countries in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Analysis of the responses indicated five major types of barriers to conducting interdisciplinary, international research: integration, language, fieldwork logistics, personnel and relationships, and time commitment. We discuss the causes and recommended solutions to the most common barriers. Our findings can help other interdisciplinary, international research teams anticipate challenges, and develop effective solutions to minimize the negative impacts of these barriers to their research.

Macro-SICM: A Scanning Ion Conductance Microscope for Large-Range Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Schierbaum, Nicolas; Hack, Martin; Betz, Oliver; Schäffer, Tilman E

2018-04-17

The scanning ion conductance microscope (SICM) is a versatile, high-resolution imaging technique that uses an electrolyte-filled nanopipet as a probe. Its noncontact imaging principle makes the SICM uniquely suited for the investigation of soft and delicate surface structures in a liquid environment. The SICM has found an ever-increasing number of applications in chemistry, physics, and biology. However, a drawback of conventional SICMs is their relatively small scan range (typically 100 μm × 100 μm in the lateral and 10 μm in the vertical direction). We have developed a Macro-SICM with an exceedingly large scan range of 25 mm × 25 mm in the lateral and 0.25 mm in the vertical direction. We demonstrate the high versatility of the Macro-SICM by imaging at different length scales: from centimeters (fingerprint, coin) to millimeters (bovine tongue tissue, insect wing) to micrometers (cellular extensions). We applied the Macro-SICM to the study of collective cell migration in epithelial wound healing.

A review of methodology and analysis of nutrition and mortality surveys conducted in humanitarian emergencies from October 1993 to April 2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spiegel Paul B

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Malnutrition prevalence and mortality rates are increasingly used as essential indicators to assess the severity of a crisis, to follow trends, and to guide decision-making, including allocation of funds. Although consensus has slowly developed on the methodology to accurately measure these indicators, errors in the application of the survey methodology and analysis have persisted. The aim of this study was to identify common methodological weaknesses in nutrition and mortality surveys and to provide practical recommendations for improvement. Methods Nutrition (N = 368 and crude mortality rate (CMR; N = 158 surveys conducted by 33 non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies in 17 countries from October 1993 to April 2004 were analysed for sampling validity, precision, quality of measurement and calculation according to several criteria. Results One hundred and thirty (35.3% nutrition surveys and 5 (3.2% CMR surveys met the criteria for quality. Quality of surveys varied significantly depending on the agency. The proportion of nutrition surveys that met criteria for quality rose significantly from 1993 to 2004; there was no improvement for mortality surveys during this period. Conclusion Significant errors and imprecision in the methodology and reporting of nutrition and mortality surveys were identified. While there was an improvement in the quality of nutrition surveys over the years, the quality of mortality surveys remained poor. Recent initiatives aimed at standardising nutrition and mortality survey quality should be strengthened. There are still a number of methodological issues in nutrition and mortality surveys in humanitarian emergencies that need further study.

How large-scale technological development should be in the future. Survey and research on highly automated machines; Kongo no daikibo gijutsu kaihatsu no hoko ni tsuite. Kodo jidoka kikai ni kansuru chosa kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1982-03-01

A survey is conducted about highly automated machines such as industrial robots. The task to be subjected to development as derived from a survey conducted about needs is the construction of a dangerous work robot. It is pointed out that work in coal mines, tall buildings, industrial complexes, or nuclear power plants may encounter large-scale accidents, and the task is how to perform such work in an automated way. The tasks concluded to be subjected to development after a seed survey analysis are categorized into three groups of element technologies, namely, sensors and recognition function, mechanism and materials, and control and data processing. These element technologies are to be ultimately integrated into a robot, for critical work which is a combination of a highly intelligent robot main body and an integrated management system. Since it will happen that humans have to directly operate such a robot under delicate conditions and share the burden of judgement and thinking, it is also necessary to develop technologies to solve problems of man-to-robot engineering. It is proposed that a dangerous work robot research and development program be established before development is started. (NEDO)

Convolutional neural networks for transient candidate vetting in large-scale surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Gieseke, Fabian; Bloemen, Steven; van den Bogaard, Cas; Heskes, Tom; Kindler, Jonas; Scalzo, Richard A.; Ribeiro, Valério A. R. M.; van Roestel, Jan; Groot, Paul J.; Yuan, Fang; Möller, Anais; Tucker, Brad E.

2017-12-01

Current synoptic sky surveys monitor large areas of the sky to find variable and transient astronomical sources. As the number of detections per night at a single telescope easily exceeds several thousand, current detection pipelines make intensive use of machine learning algorithms to classify the detected objects and to filter out the most interesting candidates. A number of upcoming surveys will produce up to three orders of magnitude more data, which renders high-precision classification systems essential to reduce the manual and, hence, expensive vetting by human experts. We present an approach based on convolutional neural networks to discriminate between true astrophysical sources and artefacts in reference-subtracted optical images. We show that relatively simple networks are already competitive with state-of-the-art systems and that their quality can further be improved via slightly deeper networks and additional pre-processing steps - eventually yielding models outperforming state-of-the-art systems. In particular, our best model correctly classifies about 97.3 per cent of all 'real' and 99.7 per cent of all 'bogus' instances on a test set containing 1942 'bogus' and 227 'real' instances in total. Furthermore, the networks considered in this work can also successfully classify these objects at hand without relying on difference images, which might pave the way for future detection pipelines not containing image subtraction steps at all.

SED fitting with MCMC: methodology and application to large galaxy surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Acquaviva, Viviana; Gawiser, Eric; Guaita, Lucia

2012-08-01

We present GalMC (Acquaviva et al. 2011), our publicly available Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm for SED fitting, show the results obtained for a stacked sample of Lyman Alpha Emitting galaxies at z ~ 3, and discuss the dependence of the inferred SED parameters on the assumptions made in modeling the stellar populations. We also introduce SpeedyMC, a version of GalMC based on interpolation of pre-computed template libraries. While the flexibility and number of SED fitting parameters is reduced with respect to GalMC, the average running time decreases by a factor of 20,000, enabling SED fitting of each galaxy in about one second on a 2.2GHz MacBook Pro laptop, and making SpeedyMC the ideal instrument to analyze data from large photometric galaxy surveys.

The environmental survey manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-08-01

The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance to the Survey and Sampling and Analysis teams that conduct the one-time Environmental Survey of the major US Department of Energy (DOE) operating facilities. This manual includes a discussion of DOE's policy on environmental issues, a review of statutory guidance as it applies to the Survey, the procedures and protocols to be used by the Survey teams, criteria for the use of the Survey teams in evaluating existing environmental data for the Survey effort, generic technical checklists used in every Survey, health and safety guidelines for the personnel conducting the Survey, including the identification of potential hazards, prescribed protective equipment, and emergency procedures, the required formats for the Survey reports, guidance on identifying environmental problems that need immediate attention by the Operations Office responsible for the particular facility, and procedures and protocols for the conduct of sampling and analysis

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment detailed geochemical survey for Trans-Pecos, Texas. Tascotal survey area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butz, T.R.; Payne, A.G.; Grimes, J.G.; Helgerson, R.N.; Bard, C.S.

1979-01-01

Results of the Tascotal survey area portion of the detailed geochemical survey for Trans-Pecos, Texas are reported. Field and laboratory data are presented for 337 groundwater and 611 stream sediment samples. Statistical and areal distributions of uranium and possible uranium-related variables are given. A generalized geologic map of the survey area is provided, and pertinent geologic factors which may be of significance in evaluating the potential for uranium mineralization are briefly discussed. Groundwaters containing greater than or equal to 80.0 ppB uranium were detected in three areas largely producing from acidic volcanoclastics in the south central portion of the survey area. High specific conductance and an association of lithium, selenium, and sodium were observed in these areas of anomalously high uranium. High uranium/specific conductance, uranium/boron, and uranium/sulfate ratios are also associated with areas of the highest uranium concentrations. Alkalinities in these areas were noted to be highly variable over short distances within the same hydrologic unit. Stream sediments containing greater than or equal to 2.57 ppM soluble uranium are located in the southwestern and the north and south central portions of the survey area. High U-FL/U-NT and low thorium/U-NT values are observed with sediments derived from acidic volcanics in the southern portions of the survey area. In areas of anomalously high uranium, an association of above background concentrations of thorium, lithium, potassium, beryllium, and zirconium were noted. In view of these data, areas containing the Buck Hill Volcanic Series, the Mitchell Mesa, and Tascotal Formations provide the best possibilities of an economical uranium deposit

ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMATIC CHROMATIC ERRORS THAT IMPACT SUB-1% PHOTOMETRIC PRECISION IN LARGE-AREA SKY SURVEYS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, T. S.; DePoy, D. L.; Marshall, J. L.; Boada, S.; Mondrik, N.; Nagasawa, D. [George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Tucker, D.; Annis, J.; Finley, D. A.; Kent, S.; Lin, H.; Marriner, J.; Wester, W. [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, P.O. Box 500, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States); Kessler, R.; Scolnic, D. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Bernstein, G. M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Burke, D. L.; Rykoff, E. S. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); James, D. J.; Walker, A. R. [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Collaboration: DES Collaboration; and others

2016-06-01

Meeting the science goals for many current and future ground-based optical large-area sky surveys requires that the calibrated broadband photometry is both stable in time and uniform over the sky to 1% precision or better. Past and current surveys have achieved photometric precision of 1%–2% by calibrating the survey’s stellar photometry with repeated measurements of a large number of stars observed in multiple epochs. The calibration techniques employed by these surveys only consider the relative frame-by-frame photometric zeropoint offset and the focal plane position-dependent illumination corrections, which are independent of the source color. However, variations in the wavelength dependence of the atmospheric transmission and the instrumental throughput induce source color-dependent systematic errors. These systematic errors must also be considered to achieve the most precise photometric measurements. In this paper, we examine such systematic chromatic errors (SCEs) using photometry from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) as an example. We first define a natural magnitude system for DES and calculate the systematic errors on stellar magnitudes when the atmospheric transmission and instrumental throughput deviate from the natural system. We conclude that the SCEs caused by the change of airmass in each exposure, the change of the precipitable water vapor and aerosol in the atmosphere over time, and the non-uniformity of instrumental throughput over the focal plane can be up to 2% in some bandpasses. We then compare the calculated SCEs with the observed DES data. For the test sample data, we correct these errors using measurements of the atmospheric transmission and instrumental throughput from auxiliary calibration systems. The residual after correction is less than 0.3%. Moreover, we calculate such SCEs for Type Ia supernovae and elliptical galaxies and find that the chromatic errors for non-stellar objects are redshift-dependent and can be larger than those for

Geophysical surveys at the UMTRA project Shiprock, New Mexico site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wightman, E.; Smith, B.; Newlin, B.

1996-03-01

Geophysical surveys were performed at the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Shiprock site in New Mexico during February 1996. The surveys were designed to locate areas of ground water contamination, consisting largely of sulfate and nitrate salts and uranium. Electrical geophysical methods were used to locate areas of sulfate and nitrate concentrations since these products, when present in ground water, increase its electrical conductivity. These contaminants also increase the density of water, making the water with the highest concentrations of these salts sink to the bottom of the water column. At the Shiprock site, where alluvium is underlain by the impervious Mancos Shale, the saline water will tend to rest in depressions on the shale surface. Seismic refraction surveys were conducted on the floodplain. The site comprises two areas, the terrace and the floodplain, separated by a steep scarp of some 70 feet (ft) (20 meters [m]). Measurements of electrical conductivity were taken over these two areas, searching for possible pockets of saline ground water resting on top of the bedrock. Conductivity surveys were also run to identify fractures within the bedrock that may act as conduits for ground water movement. Several areas of higher than normal conductivity were found on the terrace, including halos of higher conductivities on three sides of the tailings cell. The conductivity measurements searching for fractures found only a small number of minor fracture-like anomalies. These are not considered important. On the floodplain, both conductivity and seismic refraction measurements were taken. The conductivity measurements clearly show areas of high conductivity interpreted to result from ground water contamination. The seismic refraction measurements identified bedrock depressions that may contain denser, and more saline ground water lenses. Generally, the areas of high conductivity coincide with the bedrock depressions

Aerial radiological surveys of Steed Pond, Savannah River Site: Dates of surveys, 1984--1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritzsche, A.E.; Jobst, J.E.

1993-09-01

From June 1984 to August 1985, three aerial radiological surveys were conducted over Steed Pond at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. In addition, Steed Pond was included in larger-area surveys of the Savannah River Site in subsequent years. The surveys were conducted by the Remote Sensing Laboratory of EG ampersand G Energy Measurements, Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada, for the US Department of Energy. Airborne measurements were obtained for both natural and man-made gamma radiation over Steed Pond and surrounding areas. The first survey was conducted when the pond was filled to normal capacity for the time of the year. On September 1, 1984, the Steed Pond dam spillway failed causing the pond to drain. The four subsequent surveys were conducted with the pond drained. The second survey and the third were conducted to study silt deposits exposed by the drop in water level after the spillway's opening. Steed Pond data from the February 1987 and April 1989 Savannah River Site surveys have been included to bring this study up to date

The Burden of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea: Results of a Large Population-Based Survey.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Aia

Full Text Available Reliable estimates of the burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB are crucial for effective control and prevention of tuberculosis (TB. Papua New Guinea (PNG is a high TB burden country with limited information on the magnitude of the MDR-TB problem.A cross-sectional study was conducted in four PNG provinces: Madang, Morobe, National Capital District and Western Province. Patient sputum samples were tested for rifampicin resistance by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and those showing the presence of resistance underwent phenotypic susceptibility testing to first- and second-line anti-TB drugs including streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin and capreomycin.Among 1,182 TB patients enrolled in the study, MDR-TB was detected in 20 new (2.7%; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.1-4.3% and 24 previously treated (19.1%; 95%CI: 8.5-29.8% TB cases. No case of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB was detected. Thirty percent (6/20 of new and 33.3% (8/24 of previously treated cases with MDR-TB were detected in a single cluster in Western Province.In PNG the proportion of MDR-TB in new cases is slightly lower than the regional average of 4.4% (95%CI: 2.6-6.3%. A large proportion of MDR-TB cases were identified from a single hospital in Western Province, suggesting that the prevalence of MDR-TB across the country is heterogeneous. Future surveys should further explore this finding. The survey also helped strengthening the use of smear microscopy and Xpert MTB/RIF testing as diagnostic tools for TB in the country.

Unexpected low thermal conductivity and large power factor in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Zhang; Tong, Zhou; Sihang, Liang; Junzhi, Cao; Xiang, Yuan; Yanwen, Liu; Yao, Shen; Qisi, Wang; Jun, Zhao; Zhongqin, Yang; Faxian, Xiu

2016-01-01

Thermoelectrics has long been considered as a promising way of power generation for the next decades. So far, extensive efforts have been devoted to the search of ideal thermoelectric materials, which require both high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. Recently, the emerging Dirac semimetal Cd3As2, a three-dimensional analogue of graphene, has been reported to host ultra-high mobility and good electrical conductivity as metals. Here, we report the observation of unexpected low thermal conductivity in Cd3As2, one order of magnitude lower than the conventional metals or semimetals with a similar electrical conductivity, despite the semimetal band structure and high electron mobility. The power factor also reaches a large value of 1.58 mW·m-1·K-2 at room temperature and remains non-saturated up to 400 K. Corroborating with the first-principles calculations, we find that the thermoelectric performance can be well-modulated by the carrier concentration in a wide range. This work demonstrates the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 as a potential candidate of thermoelectric materials. Project supported by the National Young 1000 Talent Plan China, the Pujiang Talent Plan in Shanghai, China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61322407 and 11474058), the Fund for Fostering Talents in Basic Science of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. J1103204), and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CB921803).

Aquatic macrophytes in the large, sub-tropical Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Mormul, Roger Paulo; Ferreira, Fernando Alves; Michelan, Thaisa Sala; Carvalho, Priscilla; Silveira, Marcio José; Thomaz, Sidinei Magela

2010-12-01

In the last three decades, rapid assessment surveys have become an important approach for measuring aquatic ecosystem biodiversity. These methods can be used to detect anthropogenic impacts and recognize local or global species extinctions. We present a floristic survey of the aquatic macrophytes along the Brazilian margin of the Itaipu Reservoir conducted in 2008 and compare this with a floristic survey conducted ten years earlier. We used ordination analysis to determine whether assemblage composition differed among reservoir arms. Macrophyte species were sampled in each of the 235 sampling stations using a boat, which was positioned inside three places of each macrophyte stand to record species and search for small plants. We also collected submerged plants using a rake with the boat moving at constant velocity for ten minutes. We assigned individual macrophyte species to life form and identified representative species for each life form. A total of 87 macrophyte taxa were identified. The "emergent" life forms contained the highest number of species, followed by "rooted submerged" life forms. The extensive survey of macrophytes undertaken in September 2008 recorded more species than a survey conducted between 1995 and 1998. This could be due to changes in water physico-chemistry, disturbances due to water drawdown and the long period between surveys, which may have allowed natural colonization by other species. Additionally, differences in the classification systems and taxonomic resolution used in the surveys may account for differences in the number of species recorded. Assemblage composition varied among the arms and was affected by underwater radiation (as measured using a Secchi disk) and fetch. Five non-native species were found. Two of these non-native species (Urochloa subquadripara and Hydrilla verticillata) are of special concern because they have a high frequency of occurrence and occupy large marginal areas of the reservoir. Future surveys should be

Involvement of herbal medicine as a cause of mesenteric phlebosclerosis: results from a large-scale nationwide survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Seiji; Kobayashi, Taku; Tomioka, Hideo; Ohtsu, Kensei; Matsui, Toshiyuki; Hibi, Toshifumi

2017-03-01

Mesenteric phlebosclerosis (MP) is a rare disease characterized by venous calcification extending from the colonic wall to the mesentery, with chronic ischemic changes from venous return impairment in the intestine. It is an idiopathic disease, but increasing attention has been paid to the potential involvement of herbal medicine, or Kampo, in its etiology. Until now, there were scattered case reports, but no large-scale studies have been conducted to unravel the clinical characteristics and etiology of the disease. A nationwide survey was conducted using questionnaires to assess possible etiology (particularly the involvement of herbal medicine), clinical manifestations, disease course, and treatment of MP. Data from 222 patients were collected. Among the 169 patients (76.1 %), whose history of herbal medicine was obtained, 147 (87.0 %) used herbal medicines. The use of herbal medicines containing sanshishi (gardenia fruit, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) was reported in 119 out of 147 patients (81.0 %). Therefore, the use of herbal medicine containing sanshishi was confirmed in 70.4 % of 169 patients whose history of herbal medicine was obtained. The duration of sanshishi use ranged from 3 to 51 years (mean 13.6 years). Patients who discontinued sanshishi showed a better outcome compared with those who continued it. The use of herbal medicine containing sanshishi is associated with the etiology of MP. Although it may not be the causative factor, it is necessary for gastroenterologists to be aware of the potential risk of herbal medicine containing sanshishi for the development of MP.

Prevalence and determinants of child maltreatment among high school students in Southern China: A large scale school based survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen WQ

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Child maltreatment can cause significant physical and psychological problems. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of child maltreatment in Guangzhou, China, where such issues are often considered a taboo subject. Methods A school-based survey was conducted in southern China in 2005. 24 high schools were selected using stratified random sampling strategy based on their districts and bandings. The self-administered validated Chinese version of parent-child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC was used as the main assessment tool to measure the abusive experiences encountered by students in the previous six months. Results The response rate of this survey was 99.7%. Among the 6592 responding students, the mean age was 14.68. Prevalence of parental psychological aggression, corporal punishment, severe and very serve physical maltreatment in the past 6 months were 78.3%, 23.2%, 15.1% and 2.8% respectively. The prevalence of sexual abuse is 0.6%. The most commonly cited reasons for maltreatment included 'disobedience to parents', 'poor academic performance', and 'quarrelling between parents'. Age, parental education, places of origins and types of housing were found to be associated with physical maltreatments whereas gender and fathers' education level were associated with sexual abuse. Conclusion Though largely unspoken, child maltreatment is a common problem in China. Identification of significant determinants in this study can provide valuable information for teachers and health professionals so as to pay special attention to those at-risk children.

Prevalence and determinants of child maltreatment among high school students in Southern China: a large scale school based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Phil W S; Wong, William C W; Chen, W Q; Tang, Catherine S K

2008-09-29

Child maltreatment can cause significant physical and psychological problems. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of child maltreatment in Guangzhou, China, where such issues are often considered a taboo subject. A school-based survey was conducted in southern China in 2005. 24 high schools were selected using stratified random sampling strategy based on their districts and bandings. The self-administered validated Chinese version of parent-child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC) was used as the main assessment tool to measure the abusive experiences encountered by students in the previous six months. The response rate of this survey was 99.7%. Among the 6592 responding students, the mean age was 14.68. Prevalence of parental psychological aggression, corporal punishment, severe and very serve physical maltreatment in the past 6 months were 78.3%, 23.2%, 15.1% and 2.8% respectively. The prevalence of sexual abuse is 0.6%. The most commonly cited reasons for maltreatment included 'disobedience to parents', 'poor academic performance', and 'quarrelling between parents'. Age, parental education, places of origins and types of housing were found to be associated with physical maltreatments whereas gender and fathers' education level were associated with sexual abuse. Though largely unspoken, child maltreatment is a common problem in China. Identification of significant determinants in this study can provide valuable information for teachers and health professionals so as to pay special attention to those at-risk children.

Employee stress status during the past decade (1982-1992) based on a nation-wide survey conducted by the Ministry of Labour in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Y; Makino, S; Takata, T

1997-07-01

In this paper we will report the results of nation-wide surveys on employee health conducted and published by the Ministry of Labour in 1982, 1987, and 1992. The subjects were approximately 20,000 employees in 1982, approximately 15,000 in 1987, and approximately 16,000 in 1992, from throughout Japan. Using the results of the surveys, we will show trends in the status of employee work-related stress, as well as trends in means of relaxation over the past decade. The percentage of employees with work-related stress among all subjects gradually increased as follows: 50.6% in 1982, 55.0% in 1987, and 57.3% in 1992. The percentage of employees with work-related stress increased remarkably from 1982 through 1992 among the following groups: the 50-59 age group in males; employees in the electricity, gas, heat and water-supply industries; those in the real estate industry; administrative and managerial workers; employees of large establishments with more than 5,000 employees; and employees performing shift work involving no night duty. The problem of "human relationships in the workplace" was associated with the increasing stress levels among 50-59-year-old males, 40-49-year-old females, employees of large establishments with more than 5,000 employees, those in the real estate industry, and service workers. In terms of means of relaxing to relieve fatigue and stress, employees tended to engage in active pursuits such as "eating out and shopping" and "driving and traveling" over the past decade. In 1992, on the other hand, 22.0% of males and 5.9% of females selected "smoking" as a means of relaxation. This shows the need for stress management in the workplace in order to prevent health problems related to smoking.

Surveys of Online Information Service in Large Public Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Woy, James B.

1983-01-01

Reports results of 1983 survey of 25 public libraries and 1981 survey of 11 public libraries, both of which focused on facets of online information services--user fees, databases, documentation, equipment, miscellaneous services, and subject areas searched. The 1983 questionnaire and seven sources are appended. (EJS)

Authors’ perspectives on academic publishing: initial observations from a large-scale global survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basil D’Souza

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Authors are at the heart of academic publishing, but their voices are underrepresented in discussions about improving the academic publishing system. To understand the viewpoints of authors on various aspects of academic publishing and the challenges they face, we developed a large-scale survey entitled “Author perspectives on the academic publishing process” and made it available in December 2016. The survey has received 8,795 responses; this paper is based on the interim results drawn from 5,293 survey responses, and presents some interesting and thought-provoking trends that were observed in the authors’ responses, such as their interpretation of plagiarism and decisive factors in journal selection, as well as their thoughts on what needs to change in the publishing system for it to be more author-friendly. Some of the most important findings of the survey were: (1 the majority of the authors found manuscript preparation to be the most challenging task in the publication process, (2 the impact factor of a journal was reported to be the most important consideration for journal selection, (3 most authors found journal guidelines to be incomplete, (4 major gaps existed in author-journal communication, and (5 although awareness of ethics was high, awareness of good publication practice standards was low. Moreover, more than half of the participants indicated that among areas for improvement in the publishing system, they would like to see changes in the time it takes to publish a paper, the peer review process, and the fairness and objectivity of the publication process. These findings indicate the necessity of making the journal publication process more author-centered and smoothing the way for authors to get published.

[Nationwide Survey on Informed Consent and Ethical Review at Hospitals Conducting Post-marketing Studies Sponsored by Pharmaceutical Companies].

Science.gov (United States)

Urushihara, Hisashi; Murakami, Yuka; Matsui, Kenji; Tashiro, Shimon

2018-01-01

 Under the Japanese drug regulatory system, post-marketing studies (PMS) must be in compliance with Good Post-marketing Study Practice (GPSP). The GPSP Ordinance lacks standards for the ethical conduct of PMSs; although only post-marketing clinical trials are subject to Good Clinical Practice. We conducted a web-based questionnaire survey on the ethical conduct of PMSs in collaboration with the Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists and pharmacists belonging to the Society. 1819 hospitals around Japan answered the questionnaire, of which 503 hospitals had conducted company-sponsored PMSs in 2015. 40.2% of the hospitals had obtained informed consent from participating patients in at least one PMS conducted in 2015, the majority of which was in written form. The first and second most frequent reasons for seeking informed consent in PMSs were to meet protocol requirements, followed by the requirement to meet institutional standard operational procedures and the request of the ethical review board of the hospital. Ethical review of PMSs was conducted in 251 hospitals. Despite a lack of standards for informed consent and ethical review in PMSs, a considerable number of study sites employed informed consent and ethical review for PMSs. While company policies and protocols are likely to be major determinants of the ethical conduct of PMSs, the governmental regulatory agency should also play a significant role in implementing a standardized ethical code for the conduct of PMSs.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Quality Profile

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) is a periodic national survey that provides timely information about energy consumption and expenditures of U.S. households and about energy-related characteristics of housing units. The survey was first conducted in 1978 as the National Interim Energy Consumption Survey (NIECS), and the 1979 survey was called the Household Screener Survey. From 1980 through 1982 RECS was conducted annually. The next RECS was fielded in 1984, and since then, the survey has been undertaken at 3-year intervals. The most recent RECS was conducted in 1993.

ASGARD: A LARGE SURVEY FOR SLOW GALACTIC RADIO TRANSIENTS. I. OVERVIEW AND FIRST RESULTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Peter K. G.; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Croft, Steve; Keating, Garrett K.; Law, Casey J.; Wright, Melvyn C. H., E-mail: pwilliams@astro.berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy, B-20 Hearst Field Annex 3411, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States)

2013-01-10

Searches for slow radio transients and variables have generally focused on extragalactic populations, and the basic parameters of Galactic populations remain poorly characterized. We present a large 3 GHz survey performed with the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) that aims to improve this situation: ASGARD, the ATA Survey of Galactic Radio Dynamism. ASGARD observations spanned two years with weekly visits to 23 deg{sup 2} in two fields in the Galactic plane, totaling 900 hr of integration time on science fields and making it significantly larger than previous efforts. The typical blind unresolved source detection limit was 10 mJy. We describe the observations and data analysis techniques in detail, demonstrating our ability to create accurate wide-field images while effectively modeling and subtracting large-scale radio emission, allowing standard transient-and-variability analysis techniques to be used. We present early results from the analysis of two pointings: one centered on the microquasar Cygnus X-3 and one overlapping the Kepler field of view (l = 76 Degree-Sign , b = +13. Degree-Sign 5). Our results include images, catalog statistics, completeness functions, variability measurements, and a transient search. Out of 134 sources detected in these pointings, the only compellingly variable one is Cygnus X-3, and no transients are detected. We estimate number counts for potential Galactic radio transients and compare our current limits to previous work and our projection for the fully analyzed ASGARD data set.

Survey on acceleration of geothermal development in fiscal 1998. Report on survey for influence on environment (No. B-7, Kuwanosawa district); 1998 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa.Kankyo eikyo chosa hokokusho (No. B-7 Kuwanosawa chiiki)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-09-01

A survey was performed on the current situation in the Kuwanosawa district in Akita Prefecture to identify influence on the surrounding environment due to drilling of geothermal structure testing wells. The survey on animals covered mammals of five divisions, 10 families and 19 species, Aves of ten divisions, 25 families and 73 species, reptiles of one division, 3 families and 6 species, Amphibia of two divisions, 6 families, 9 species, and Insects of 17 divisions, 179 families and 719 species. Precious animals of a several species including black salamander were identified. In the plant survey, 132 families and 670 species were identified, with several species listed as the precious plants. In the survey of hot springs, those at three locations were all high-temperature hot springs at as high as 53.8 to 96.9 degrees C. Amount of discharge, pH and electrical conductivity differ largely by the hot springs. The hot spring in Takamatsu did not show large variation throughout the survey period. The Ogura Inn at Doroyu Spa has small variation in pH and hot spring temperature, but large variation in the amount of discharge and Al{sup 3+} concentration. Correlation was recognized between hot spring temperature and amount of discharge, between hot spring temperature and anion, between amount of discharge and electric conductivity, and between amount of discharge and anion. (NEDO)

An easy, low-cost method to transfer large-scale graphene onto polyethylene terephthalate as a transparent conductive flexible substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Chih-Sheng; Hsieh, Chien-Kuo

2014-01-01

In this study, we develop a low-cost method for transferring a large-scale graphene film onto a flexible transparent substrate. An easily accessible method for home-made chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and a commercial photograph laminator were utilized to fabricate the low-cost graphene-based transparent conductive flexible substrate. The graphene was developed based on CVD growth on nickel foil using a carbon gas source, and the graphene thin film was easily transferred onto the laminating film via a heated photograph laminator. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were utilized to examine the morphological characteristics of the graphene surface. Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to examine the microstructure of the graphene. The optical–electronic properties of the transferred graphene flexible thin film were measured by ultraviolet–visible spectrometry and a four-point probe. The advantage of this method is that large-scale graphene-based thin films can be easily obtained. We provide an economical method for fabricating a graphene-based transparent conductive flexible substrate. - Highlight: • We synthesized the large-scale graphene by thermal CVD method. • A low-cost commercial photograph laminator was used to transfer graphene. • A large-scale transparent and flexible graphene substrate was obtained easily

An easy, low-cost method to transfer large-scale graphene onto polyethylene terephthalate as a transparent conductive flexible substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Chih-Sheng; Hsieh, Chien-Kuo, E-mail: jack_hsieh@mail.mcut.edu.tw

2014-11-03

In this study, we develop a low-cost method for transferring a large-scale graphene film onto a flexible transparent substrate. An easily accessible method for home-made chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and a commercial photograph laminator were utilized to fabricate the low-cost graphene-based transparent conductive flexible substrate. The graphene was developed based on CVD growth on nickel foil using a carbon gas source, and the graphene thin film was easily transferred onto the laminating film via a heated photograph laminator. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were utilized to examine the morphological characteristics of the graphene surface. Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to examine the microstructure of the graphene. The optical–electronic properties of the transferred graphene flexible thin film were measured by ultraviolet–visible spectrometry and a four-point probe. The advantage of this method is that large-scale graphene-based thin films can be easily obtained. We provide an economical method for fabricating a graphene-based transparent conductive flexible substrate. - Highlight: • We synthesized the large-scale graphene by thermal CVD method. • A low-cost commercial photograph laminator was used to transfer graphene. • A large-scale transparent and flexible graphene substrate was obtained easily.

Are EM surveys effective in finding drilling sumps in northern Alberta?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muloin, T.; Finlayson, N.

2005-01-01

Many non-intrusive environmental and geotechnical problems can be solved by using geophysical electromagnetic (EM) surveys. The oil and gas industry produces large volumes of brines containing hydrocarbons, which if spilled, cause soils to have elevated conductivities resulting from increases in pore water ionic strength. EM surveys are used to guide and reduce clean up costs by delineating and mapping salt impacted areas through the detection of faint changes in ground conductivity. Recent changes to Alberta Environment's well site reclamation certification process requires the delineation of all drilling sumps that do not have adequate drilling mud disposal information. As a result, EM surveys are used more frequently to find suspected saline drilling mud sumps as part of the second phase of a site assessment process. Data from several recent phase 2 site assessments were reviewed to determine if EM surveys are useful in locating drilling sumps. The sites included abandoned oil and gas leases throughout northern Alberta. Information from EM surveys was correlated with empirical lab data and on-site observations

Seismic reflection survey conducted in Benton and Grant Counties, Washington

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durham, T.E.; Beggs, H.G.; Heineck, R.L.

1979-01-01

The following report is devoted to a discussion of data acquisition procedures, data processing parameters and interpretation of results for a reflection seismic survey located on the Hanford Site in Benton and Grant Countries, Washington. The Pasco basin was the geologic setting for the survey. The main objectives of the program were to determine the subsurface structural attitudes of the numerous basalt flows known to exist within the basin. The location of areas associated with possible faulting and/or fracturing was also considered of prime concern as these conditions could significantly affect the integrity of the basalt

Results of the 2008/2009 Knowledge and Opinions Surveys Conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmoyer, Richard L [ORNL; Truett, Lorena Faith [ORNL; Cooper, Christy [U.S. Department of Energy; Chew, Andrea [U.S. Department of Energy

2010-04-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Program (FCT) conducts comprehensive efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of fuel cells in diverse sectors of the economy - with emphasis on applications that will most effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment. Expanding the use of fuel cells requires a sustained education effort to lay the foundation for future commercial market introduction. The FCT education subprogram seeks to facilitate fuel cell demonstrations and support future commercialization by providing technically accurate and objective information to key target audiences both directly and indirectly involved in the use of fuel cells today. These key target audiences include a public that is familiar and comfortable with using a new fuel, state and local government officials who understand the near-term realities and long-term potential of the technology, an educated business and industry component, and trained safety and codes officials. With this in mind, the DOE FCT program established an education key activity to address the training and informational needs of target audiences that have a role in the near-term transition and the long-term development of a hydrogen economy. Whether or not changes can be attributed to the program, designing and maintaining an effective education program entails measuring baseline awareness and periodically measuring what has been learned. The purpose of this report is to document the data and results of statistical surveys undertaken in 2008 and 2009 to measure and establish changes in understanding and awareness about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies since a baseline survey was conducted in 2004. This report is essentially a data book, a digest of the survey data and an exposition of changes in knowledge of and opinions about hydrogen and fuel cell technology since 2004. Many conclusions can be made from the survey data. However

Survey indicated that core outcome set development is increasingly including patients, being conducted internationally and using Delphi surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Biggane, Alice M; Brading, Lucy; Ravaud, Philippe; Young, Bridget; Williamson, Paula R

2018-02-17

There are numerous challenges in including patients in a core outcome set (COS) study, these can vary depending on the patient group. This study describes current efforts to include patients in the development of COS, with the aim of identifying areas for further improvement and study. Using the COMET database, corresponding authors of COS projects registered or published from 1 January 2013 to 2 February 2017 were invited via a personalised email to participate in a short online survey. The survey and emails were constructed to maximise the response rate by following the academic literature on enhancing survey responses. Personalised reminder emails were sent to non-responders. This survey explored the frequency of patient input in COS studies, who was involved, what methods were used and whether or not the COS development was international. One hundred and ninety-two COS developers were sent the survey. Responses were collected from 21 February 2017 until 7 May 2017. One hundred and forty-six unique developers responded, yielding a 76% response rate and data in relation to 195 unique COSs (as some developers had worked on multiple COSs). Of focus here are their responses regarding 162 COSs at the published, completed or ongoing stages of development. Inclusion of patient participants was indicated in 87% (141/162) of COSs in the published completed or ongoing stages and over 94% (65/69) of ongoing COS projects. Nearly half (65/135) of COSs included patient participants from two or more countries and 22% (30/135) included patient participants from five or more countries. The Delphi survey was reported as being used singularly or in combination with other methods in 85% (119/140) of projects. Almost a quarter (16/65) of ongoing studies reported using a combination of qualitative interviews, Delphi survey and consensus meeting. These findings indicated that the Delphi survey is the most popular method of facilitating patient participation, while the combination of

Small cetacean aerial survey conducted in Alaskan waters by Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from 1997-05-08 to 1999-07-04 (NCEI Accession 0131991)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aerial surveys were conducted to produce abundance estimates for the three Alaska stocks of harbor porpoise. Surveys occurred from May to July 1997 for the Southeast...

Airborne geophysical surveys conducted in western Nebraska, 2010: contractor reports and data

Science.gov (United States)

,

2014-01-01

This report contains three contractor reports and data files for an airborne electromagnetic survey flown from June 28 to July 7, 2010. The first report; “SkyTEM Survey: Nebraska, USA, Data” describes data aquisition and processing from a time-domain electromagnetic and magnetic survey performed by SkyTEM Canada, Inc. (the North American SkyTEM subsidiary), in western Nebraska, USA. Digital data for this report are given in Appendix 1. The airborne geophysical data from the SkyTEM survey subsequently were processed and inverted by Aarhus Geophysics ApS, Aarhus, Denmark, to produce resistivity depth sections along each flight line. The result of that processing is described in two reports presented in Appendix 2, “Processing and inversion of SkyTEM data from USGS Area UTM–13” and “Processing and inversion of SkyTEM data from USGS Area UTM–14.” Funding for these surveys was provided by the North Platte Natural Resources District, the South Platte Natural Resources District, and the Twin Platte Natural Resources District, in Scottsbluff, Sidney, and North Platte, Nebraska, respectively. Any additional information concerning the geophysical data may be obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center, Denver Colorado.

Radio variability in the Phoenix Deep Survey at 1.4 GHz

Science.gov (United States)

Hancock, P. J.; Drury, J. A.; Bell, M. E.; Murphy, T.; Gaensler, B. M.

2016-09-01

We use archival data from the Phoenix Deep Survey to investigate the variable radio source population above 1 mJy beam-1 at 1.4 GHz. Given the similarity of this survey to other such surveys we take the opportunity to investigate the conflicting results which have appeared in the literature. Two previous surveys for variability conducted with the Very Large Array (VLA) achieved a sensitivity of 1 mJy beam-1. However, one survey found an areal density of radio variables on time-scales of decades that is a factor of ˜4 times greater than a second survey which was conducted on time-scales of less than a few years. In the Phoenix deep field we measure the density of variable radio sources to be ρ = 0.98 deg-2 on time-scales of 6 months to 8 yr. We make use of Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer infrared cross-ids, and identify all variable sources as an active galactic nucleus of some description. We suggest that the discrepancy between previous VLA results is due to the different time-scales probed by each of the surveys, and that radio variability at 1.4 GHz is greatest on time-scales of 2-5 yr.

Possible Factors Promoting Car Evacuation in the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami Revealed by Analysing a Large-Scale Questionnaire Survey in Kesennuma City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fumiyasu Makinoshima

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Excessive car evacuation can cause severe traffic jams that can lead to large numbers of casualties during tsunami disasters. Investigating the possible factors that lead to unnecessary car evacuation can ensure smoother tsunami evacuations and mitigate casualty damages in future tsunami events. In this study, we quantitatively investigated the possible factors that promote car evacuation, including both necessary and unnecessary usages, by statistically analysing a large amount of data on actual tsunami evacuation behaviours surveyed in Kesennuma, where devastating damage occurred during the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami. A straightforward statistical analysis revealed a high percentage of car evacuations (approx. 50%; however, this fraction includes a high number of unnecessary usage events that were distinguished based on mode choice reasons. In addition, a binary logistic regression was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the effects of several factors and to identify the dominant factor that affected evacuation mode choice. The regression results suggested that the evacuation distance was the dominant factor for choosing car evacuation relative to other factors, such as age and sex. The cross-validation test of the regression model demonstrated that the considered factors were useful for decision making and the prediction of evacuation mode choice in the target area.

Quarry Haul Road Ecological Survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-09-01

This biological survey was performed to document the summer flora and fauna found along the haul road constructed as part of the remedial action for the quarry bulk waste. State and Federal species listed as threatened or endangered were noted if encountered while surveying. Sampling locations were equally spaced along the quarry haul road, and a survey for vegetation and birds conducted at each location. Bird observations were conducted as breeding bird surveys once in June of 1991, and again in June of 1992. Each year's survey includes two observations in the early morning and one late in the evening. Vegetation surveys were conducted in 1991 using quadrants and transects. mammal, reptile, and amphibian sightings were noted as encountered

Development of electrical-erosion instrument for direct write micro-patterning on large area conductive thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Álvarez, Ángel Luis; Coya, Carmen; García-Vélez, Miguel [Departamento Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones, Sistemas Telemáticos y Computación, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Fuenlabrada, Madrid 28943 (Spain)

2015-08-15

We have developed a complete instrument to perform direct, dry, and cost-effective lithography on conductive materials, based on localized electrical discharges, which avoids using masks or chemicals typical of conventional photolithography. The technique is considered fully compatible with substrate transport based systems, like roll-to-roll technology. The prototype is based on two piezo nano-steppers coupled to three linear micro-stages to cover a large scale operation from micrometers to centimeters. The operation mode consists of a spring probe biased at low DC voltage with respect to a grounded conductive layer. The tip slides on the target layer keeping contact with the material in room conditions, allowing continuous electric monitoring of the process, and also real-time tilt correction via software. The sliding tip leaves an insulating path (limited by the tip diameter) along the material, enabling to draw electrically insulated tracks and pads. The physical principle of operation is based in the natural self-limitation of the discharge due to material removal or insulation. The so produced electrical discharges are very fast, in the range of μs, so features may be performed at speeds of few cm/s, enabling scalability to large areas. The instrument has been tested on different conducting materials as gold, indium tin oxide, and aluminum, allowing the fabrication of alphanumeric displays based on passive matrix of organic light emitting diodes without the use of masks or photoresists. We have verified that the highest potential is achieved on graphene, where no waste material is detected, producing excellent well defined edges. This allows manufacturing graphene micro-ribbons with a high aspect ratio up to 1200:1.

The influence of outsourcing on achieving business goals in large Croatian companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivica Parlov

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents results of a research conducted in large Croatian companies that intended to connect and establish eventual influences between the usage of outsourcing and achieving business goals in those companies. It was also meant to establish if (and in which segments outsourcing was being used in large Croatian companies, what were the main reasons for its use, if it was conducted according to specific plans and with tracking of achieved results, if expectations that surveyed companies had about outsourcing were met, and what are the future possibilities and perspectives of those companies regarding outsourcing. Many other useful data regarding outsourcing and goal achievement were also collected and linked together in order to establish eventual influences of outsourcing on the effectiveness of making business in large Croatian companies.

Conducting Anonymous, Incentivized, Online Surveys With Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents: Lessons Learned From a National Polyvictimization Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterzing, Paul R; Gartner, Rachel E; McGeough, Briana L

2018-03-01

Sexual and gender minority adolescents represent an understudied and hard-to-reach population who experience higher rates of mental and behavioral health problems in comparison to their cisgender, heterosexual peers. Online surveys and the proliferation of Internet-connected devices among adolescents offer an exciting opportunity for researchers to begin addressing research gaps and past methodological limitations with these hard-to-reach populations. The purpose of this article is to provide guidance to researchers who are designing and implementing anonymous, incentivized, online surveys by examining the following critical domains-(a) recruitment and engagement: means of leveraging social media and videos to recruit and engage a more nationally representative sample; (b) safety and protection: strategies for administering informed consent and protecting participant anonymity and well-being; and (c) data integrity: mechanisms to detect dishonest and repeat responders. To facilitate discussion of these aims, concrete examples are used from SpeakOut-a 3-year, national study funded by the National Institute of Justice that utilized an anonymous, incentivized, online survey with a large sample of sexual and gender minority adolescents ( N = 1,177) to identify the prevalence, incidence, and correlates of polyvictimization. The article concludes with lessons learned from this national study and recommendations for technological innovations and future research that will strengthen the utility of anonymous, incentivized, online surveys to study sexual and gender minority adolescents and other hard-to-reach populations.

Probing cosmology with the homogeneity scale of the Universe through large scale structure surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ntelis, Pierros

2017-01-01

This thesis exposes my contribution to the measurement of homogeneity scale using galaxies, with the cosmological interpretation of results. In physics, any model is characterized by a set of principles. Most models in cosmology are based on the Cosmological Principle, which states that the universe is statistically homogeneous and isotropic on a large scales. Today, this principle is considered to be true since it is respected by those cosmological models that accurately describe the observations. However, while the isotropy of the universe is now confirmed by many experiments, it is not the case for the homogeneity. To study cosmic homogeneity, we propose to not only test a model but to test directly one of the postulates of modern cosmology. Since 1998 the measurements of cosmic distances using type Ia supernovae, we know that the universe is now in a phase of accelerated expansion. This phenomenon can be explained by the addition of an unknown energy component, which is called dark energy. Since dark energy is responsible for the expansion of the universe, we can study this mysterious fluid by measuring the rate of expansion of the universe. The universe has imprinted in its matter distribution a standard ruler, the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale. By measuring this scale at different times during the evolution of our universe, it is then possible to measure the rate of expansion of the universe and thus characterize this dark energy. Alternatively, we can use the homogeneity scale to study this dark energy. Studying the homogeneity and the BAO scale requires the statistical study of the matter distribution of the universe at large scales, superior to tens of Mega-parsecs. Galaxies and quasars are formed in the vast over densities of matter and they are very luminous: these sources trace the distribution of matter. By measuring the emission spectra of these sources using large spectroscopic surveys, such as BOSS and eBOSS, we can measure their positions

Sleep Bruxism-Tooth Grinding Prevalence, Characteristics and Familial Aggregation: A Large Cross-Sectional Survey and Polysomnographic Validation

Science.gov (United States)

Khoury, Samar; Carra, Maria Clotilde; Huynh, Nelly; Montplaisir, Jacques; Lavigne, Gilles J.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Sleep bruxism (SB) is characterized by tooth grinding and jaw clenching during sleep. Familial factors may contribute to the occurrence of SB. This study aims are: (1) revisit the prevalence and characteristics of SB in a large cross-sectional survey and assess familial aggregation of SB, (2) assess comorbidity such as insomnia and pain, (3) compare survey data in a subset of subjects diagnosed using polysomnography research criteria. Methods: A sample of 6,357 individuals from the general population in Quebec, Canada, undertook an online survey to assess the prevalence of SB, comorbidities, and familial aggregation. Data on familial aggregation were compared to 111 SB subjects diagnosed using polysomnography. Results: Regularly occurring SB was reported by 8.6% of the general population, decreases with age, without any gender difference. SB awareness is concomitant with complaints of difficulties maintaining sleep in 47.6% of the cases. A third of SB positive probands reported pain. A 2.5 risk ratio of having a first-degree family member with SB was found in SB positive probands. The risk of reporting SB in first-degree family ranges from 1.4 to 2.9 with increasing severity of reported SB. Polysomnographic data shows that 37% of SB subjects had at least one first-degree relative with reported SB with a relative risk ratio of 4.625. Conclusions: Our results support the heritability of SB-tooth grinding and that sleep quality and pain are concomitant in a significant number of SB subjects. Citation: Khoury S, Carra MC, Huynh N, Montplaisir J, Lavigne GJ. Sleep bruxism-tooth grinding prevalence, characteristics and familial aggregation: a large cross-sectional survey and polysomnographic validation. SLEEP 2016;39(11):2049–2056. PMID:27568807

Large thermal conductivity reduction induced by La/O vacancies in the thermoelectric LaCoO3 system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yang; Li, Fang; Xu, Luxiang; Sui, Yu; Wang, Xianjie; Su, Wenhui; Liu, Xiaoyang

2011-05-16

A series of compact La/O-vacant La(1-x)CoO(3-y) compounds were prepared by a cold high-pressure procedure, and their thermoelectric (TE) properties were investigated. Compared with the ion-substituted hole-type LaCoO(3) systems (e.g., La(1-x)Sr(x)CoO(3)), the thermal conduction of La(1-x)CoO(3-y) is noticeably reduced by the La/O vacancies, whereas the electric transport is less influenced, which results in an efficient ZT enhancement. We demonstrate that the large thermal conductivity reduction originates from the strong point-defect scattering, and La(1-x)CoO(3-y) can be rationalized as a partially filled solid solution: La(1-x)◻(x)CoO(3-y)◻(y), where ◻ denotes a vacancy. Such intrinsic thermal conductivity suppression provides an effective pathway for the design of better TE materials.

Large-Area Chemical Vapor Deposited MoS2 with Transparent Conducting Oxide Contacts toward Fully Transparent 2D Electronics

KAUST Repository

Dai, Zhenyu

2017-09-08

2D semiconductors are poised to revolutionize the future of electronics and photonics, much like transparent oxide conductors and semiconductors have revolutionized the display industry. Herein, these two types of materials are combined to realize fully transparent 2D electronic devices and circuits. Specifically, a large-area chemical vapor deposition process is developed to grow monolayer MoS2 continuous films, which are, for the first time, combined with transparent conducting oxide (TCO) contacts. Transparent conducting aluminum doped zinc oxide contacts are deposited by atomic layer deposition, with composition tuning to achieve optimal conductivity and band-offsets with MoS2. The optimized process gives fully transparent TCO/MoS2 2D electronics with average visible-range transmittance of 85%. The transistors show high mobility (4.2 cm2 V−1 s−1), fast switching speed (0.114 V dec−1), very low threshold voltage (0.69 V), and large switching ratio (4 × 108). To our knowledge, these are the lowest threshold voltage and subthreshold swing values reported for monolayer chemical vapor deposition MoS2 transistors. The transparent inverters show fast switching properties with a gain of 155 at a supply voltage of 10 V. The results demonstrate that transparent conducting oxides can be used as contact materials for 2D semiconductors, which opens new possibilities in 2D electronic and photonic applications.

Leading research report for fiscal 1999. Survey and research on 3-dimensional nanotechnogy; 1999 nendo 3D nanotechnology no chosa kenkyu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

The aim is to allow various phenomena characteristic of the nano-scale domain to occur in a wider domain which embraces machines of the ordinary size for the creation of mechanical elements unprecedentedly excellent in function. Surveys were conducted of the elements of basic ultramicroscopic processing technology, such as high-velocity atomic beam processing, chemomechanical processing, micro-transfer processing, and nanoparticle beam processing. Surveys were conducted of optical technologies, such as a large-area holographic device, near-field optical processing, micro-scale optical forming, functional nanofilm, and nano-scale optical matrix formation. Surveys were conducted of the use of ultrasonic waves such as the technology of integrated micro-scale flaw detector, technology of friction drive surface creation, and technologies of ultrasonic bonding, separation, and conveyance. Surveys were conducted of large-area nano-pattern processing, creation of controlled-friction power transmission surface, very high-speed nano-scale structural surface treatment, for their development into high-performance tribological systems. As for structures, the high-performance lubrication surface using a layer of structural molecules and a merger of molecular machines and micro-mechanisms were investigated. Also investigated were their development into biotechnologies (nano-manipulation etc.). (NEDO)

A tuberculin skin test survey among Ghanaian school children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonsu Christian

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ghana has not conducted a national tuberculin survey or tuberculosis prevalence survey since the establishment of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme. The primary objective of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of tuberculin skin sensitivity in Ghanaian school children aged 6-10 years in 8 out of 10 regions of Ghana between 2004 and 2006. Methods Tuberculin survey was conducted in 179 primary schools from 21 districts in 8 regions. Schools were purposively selected so as to reflect the proportion of affluent private and free tuition public schools as well as the proportion of small and large schools. Results Of the 24,778 children registered for the survey, 23,600 (95.2% were tested of which 21,861 (92.6% were available for reading. The age distribution showed an increase in numbers of children towards older age: 11% of the children were 6 years and 25%, 10 years. Females were 52.5% and males 47.5%. The proportion of girls was higher in all age groups (range 51.4% to 54.0%, p Conclusion Tuberculosis infection is still a public health problem in Ghana and to monitor the trend, the survey needs to be repeated at 5 years interval.

Subspeciality training in hematology and oncology, 2003: results of a survey of training program directors conducted by the American Society of Hematology.

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, Robert F; Gitlin, Scott D; Burns, Linda J

2004-06-15

A survey of directors of adult and pediatric hematology/oncology subspecialty training programs in the United States and Canada was conducted to assess the environment in which recruitment and training is conducted in these medical disciplines. A total of 107 program directors responded to the survey, representing 66% of internal medicine and 47% of pediatric subspecialty programs in hematology or hematology/oncology. Specific areas covered in the web-based questionnaire included the type and demographics of the training program, profile of the training program director, characteristics of the applicant pool and existing trainee recruits, characteristics of the training program environment and curricula, research productivity of trainees, and the career pathways taken by recent training program graduates (including dominant areas of clinical interest). The results of this survey show considerable heterogeneity in the recruiting practices and the environment in which subspecialty training occurs, leading the authors to recommend improvements in or a heightened attention to issues, including recruitment of minority trainees, flexibility to recruit international medical school graduates, timing of trainee acceptance, maintaining the financial support of Medicare graduation medical education (GME), training of physician scientists, organization of the continuity clinic experience, visibility of nonmalignant hematology as a career path, and level of training program director support.

Increasing a large petrochemical company efficiency by improvement of decision making process

OpenAIRE

Kirin Snežana D.; Nešić Lela G.

2010-01-01

The paper shows the results of a research conducted in a large petrochemical company, in a state under transition, with the aim to "shed light" on the decision making process from the aspect of personal characteristics of the employees, in order to use the results to improve decision making process and increase company efficiency. The research was conducted by a survey, i.e. by filling out a questionnaire specially made for this purpose, in real conditions, during working hours. The sample of...

Aquatic macrophytes in the large, sub-tropical Itaipu Reservoir, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger Paulo Mormul

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In the last three decades, rapid assessment surveys have become an important approach for measuring aquatic ecosystem biodiversity. These methods can be used to detect anthropogenic impacts and recognize local or global species extinctions. We present a floristic survey of the aquatic macrophytes along the Brazilian margin of the Itaipu Reservoir conducted in 2008 and compare this with a floristic survey conducted ten years earlier. We used ordination analysis to determine whether assemblage composition differed among reservoir arms. Macrophyte species were sampled in each of the 235 sampling stations using a boat, which was positioned inside three places of each macrophyte stand to record species and search for small plants. We also collected submerged plants using a rake with the boat moving at constant velocity for ten minutes. We assigned individual macrophyte species to life form and identified representative species for each life form. A total of 87 macrophyte taxa were identified. The "emergent" life forms contained the highest number of species, followed by "rooted submerged" life forms. The extensive survey of macrophytes undertaken in September 2008 recorded more species than a survey conducted between 1995 and 1998. This could be due to changes in water physico-chemistry, disturbances due to water drawdown and the long period between surveys, which may have allowed natural colonization by other species. Additionally, differences in the classification systems and taxonomic resolution used in the surveys may account for differences in the number of species recorded. Assemblage composition varied among the arms and was affected by underwater radiation (as measured using a Secchi disk and fetch. Five non-native species were found. Two of these non-native species (Urochloa subquadripara and Hydrilla verticillata are of special concern because they have a high frequency of occurrence and occupy large marginal areas of the reservoir. Future

Groundfish/Shrimp and Red Snapper trawl surveys conducted in the Gulf of Mexico from 1990-01-01 to 2014-12-30 (NCEI Accession 0147703)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Southeast Fisheries Science Center Mississippi Laboratories has conducted standardized groundfish trawl surveys in the Gulf of Mexico since 1987. Prior to 1987,...

Ultrahigh lattice thermal conductivity in topological semimetal TaN caused by a large acoustic-optical gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, San-Dong; Liu, Bang-Gui

2018-03-14

Topological semimetals may have potential applications such as in topological qubits, spintronics and quantum computations. Efficient heat dissipation is a key factor for the reliability and stability of topological semimetal-based nano-electronics devices, which is closely related to high thermal conductivity. In this work, the elastic properties and lattice thermal conductivity of TaN are investigated using first-principles calculations and the linearized phonon Boltzmann equation within the single-mode relaxation time approximation. According to the calculated bulk modulus, shear modulus and C 44 , TaN can be regarded as a potential incompressible and hard material. The room-temperature lattice thermal conductivity is predicted to be 838.62 [Formula: see text] along the a axis and 1080.40 [Formula: see text] along the c axis, showing very strong anisotropy. It is found that the lattice thermal conductivity of TaN is several tens of times higher than other topological semimetals, such as TaAs, MoP and ZrTe, which is due to the very longer phonon lifetimes for TaN than other topological semimetals. The very different atomic masses of Ta and N atoms lead to a very large acoustic-optical band gap, and then prohibit the scattering between acoustic and optical phonon modes, which gives rise to very long phonon lifetimes. Calculated results show that isotope scattering has little effect on lattice thermal conductivity, and that phonons with mean free paths larger than 20 (80) [Formula: see text] along the c direction at 300 K have little contribution to the total lattice thermal conductivity. This work implies that TaN-based nano-electronics devices may be more stable and reliable due to efficient heat dissipation, and motivates further experimental works to study lattice thermal conductivity of TaN.

Ultrahigh lattice thermal conductivity in topological semimetal TaN caused by a large acoustic-optical gap

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, San-Dong; Liu, Bang-Gui

2018-03-01

Topological semimetals may have potential applications such as in topological qubits, spintronics and quantum computations. Efficient heat dissipation is a key factor for the reliability and stability of topological semimetal-based nano-electronics devices, which is closely related to high thermal conductivity. In this work, the elastic properties and lattice thermal conductivity of TaN are investigated using first-principles calculations and the linearized phonon Boltzmann equation within the single-mode relaxation time approximation. According to the calculated bulk modulus, shear modulus and C 44, TaN can be regarded as a potential incompressible and hard material. The room-temperature lattice thermal conductivity is predicted to be 838.62 W~m-1~K^{-1} along the a axis and 1080.40 W~m-1~K^{-1} along the c axis, showing very strong anisotropy. It is found that the lattice thermal conductivity of TaN is several tens of times higher than other topological semimetals, such as TaAs, MoP and ZrTe, which is due to the very longer phonon lifetimes for TaN than other topological semimetals. The very different atomic masses of Ta and N atoms lead to a very large acoustic-optical band gap, and then prohibit the scattering between acoustic and optical phonon modes, which gives rise to very long phonon lifetimes. Calculated results show that isotope scattering has little effect on lattice thermal conductivity, and that phonons with mean free paths larger than 20 (80) μm along the c direction at 300 K have little contribution to the total lattice thermal conductivity. This work implies that TaN-based nano-electronics devices may be more stable and reliable due to efficient heat dissipation, and motivates further experimental works to study lattice thermal conductivity of TaN.

Conducting Sanitary Surveys of Water Supply Systems. Student Workbook.

Science.gov (United States)

1976

This workbook is utilized in connection with a 40-hour course on sanitary surveys of water supply systems for biologists, chemists, and engineers with experience as a water supply evaluator. Practical training is provided in each of the 21 self-contained modules. Each module outlines the purpose, objectives and content for that section. The course…

Galaxy masses in large surveys: Connecting luminous and dark matter with weak lensing and kinematics

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Reinabelle

2011-01-01

Galaxy masses are difficult to determine because light traces stars and gas in a non-trivial way, and does not trace dark matter, which extends well beyond the luminous regions of galaxies. In this thesis, I use the most direct probes of dark matter available---weak gravitational lensing and galaxy kinematics---to trace the total mass in galaxies (and galaxy clusters) in large surveys. In particular, I use the large, homogeneous dataset from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), which provides spectroscopic redshifts for a large sample of galaxies at z ≲ 0.2 and imaging data to a depth of r < 22. By combining complementary probes, I am able to obtain robust observational constraints that cannot be obtained from any single technique alone. First, I use weak lensing of galaxy clusters to derive an optimal optical tracer of cluster mass, which was found to be a combination of cluster richness and the luminosity of the brightest cluster galaxy. Next, I combine weak lensing of luminous red galaxies with redshift distortions and clustering measurements to derive a robust probe of gravity on cosmological scales. Finally, I combine weak lensing with the kinematics of disk galaxies to constrain the total mass profile over several orders of magnitude. I derive a minimal-scatter relation between disk velocity and stellar mass (also known as the Tully-Fisher relation) that can be used, by construction, on a similarly-selected lens sample. Then, I combine this relation with halo mass measurements from weak lensing to place constraints on the ratio of the optical to virial velocities, as well as the ratio of halo to stellar masses, both as a function of stellar mass. These results will serve as inputs to and constraints on disk galaxy formation models, which will be explored in future work.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Trinidad.

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Y N; Baksh-Comeau, Y S; Seaforth, C E

2015-09-15

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted on the Caribbean island of Trinidad to identify medicinal plants commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of medical conditions. A pilot survey was conducted to identify the top ten most common ailments where medicinal plants were used. The results of the foregoing study guided a wider national survey conducted between October 2007 and July 2008. A total of 450 households from 50 rural communities were interviewed using the TRAMIL (Traditional Medicine in the Islands) questionnaire for data collection. Details of plants, part(s) used, and remedy formulations were elicited from informants and voucher specimens collected for identification at the National Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago. The TRAMIL methodology set a limit of a plant with 20 % or more citations for any particular ailment as having significant or popular use. At the end of the survey 917 single plant remedies were identified. The majority of species were from the following families; Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Leguminosae, Verbenaceae and Poaceae. Applying the TRAMIL 20 % citation of a plant for popular use as significant, Leonotis nepetifolia (for cough/common cold), Gomphrena globosa (for "stoppage-of-water"), Curcuma longa and Senna occidentalis (for "afterbirth"), Cymbopogon citratus and Neurolaena lobata (for fever), and Citrus limon (for kidney stones) qualified in our study. Those not reaching the TRAMIL 20 % significant (popular) use were Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl, Senna alata (L.) Roxb.and Momordica charantia L. which were widely used as "'cooling/cleanser'" in our survey. Our survey showed significant retention of traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in rural Trinidad. More interestingly, a large remnant of medico-cultural concepts such as "cooling/cleanser", "afterbirth", "stoppage-of-water" and "womb infection" persist in the rural population. Although the scientific literature show that some of the cited plants possessed

Address-based versus random-digit-dial surveys: comparison of key health and risk indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Michael W; Battaglia, Michael P; Frankel, Martin R; Osborn, Larry; Mokdad, Ali H

2006-11-15

Use of random-digit dialing (RDD) for conducting health surveys is increasingly problematic because of declining participation rates and eroding frame coverage. Alternative survey modes and sampling frames may improve response rates and increase the validity of survey estimates. In a 2005 pilot study conducted in six states as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the authors administered a mail survey to selected household members sampled from addresses in a US Postal Service database. The authors compared estimates based on data from the completed mail surveys (n = 3,010) with those from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone surveys (n = 18,780). The mail survey data appeared reasonably complete, and estimates based on data from the two survey modes were largely equivalent. Differences found, such as differences in the estimated prevalences of binge drinking (mail = 20.3%, telephone = 13.1%) or behaviors linked to human immunodeficiency virus transmission (mail = 7.1%, telephone = 4.2%), were consistent with previous research showing that, for questions about sensitive behaviors, self-administered surveys generally produce higher estimates than interviewer-administered surveys. The mail survey also provided access to cell-phone-only households and households without telephones, which cannot be reached by means of standard RDD surveys.

Social Work Involvement in Advance Care Planning: Findings from a Large Survey of Social Workers in Hospice and Palliative Care Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Gary L; Cagle, John G; Christ, Grace H

2017-03-01

Few data are available describing the involvement and activities of social workers in advance care planning (ACP). We sought to provide data about (1) social worker involvement and leadership in ACP conversations with patients and families; and (2) the extent of functions and activities when these discussions occur. We conducted a large web-based survey of social workers employed in hospice, palliative care, and related settings to explore their role, participation, and self-rated competency in facilitating ACP discussions. Respondents were recruited through the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the full sample of respondents (N = 641) and a subsample of clinical social workers (N = 456). Responses were analyzed to explore differences in ACP involvement by practice setting. Most clinical social workers (96%) reported that social workers in their department are conducting ACP discussions with patients/families. Majorities also participate in, and lead, ACP discussions (69% and 60%, respectively). Most respondents report that social workers are responsible for educating patients/families about ACP options (80%) and are the team members responsible for documenting ACP (68%). Compared with other settings, oncology and inpatient palliative care social workers were less likely to be responsible for ensuring that patients/families are informed of ACP options and documenting ACP preferences. Social workers are prominently involved in facilitating, leading, and documenting ACP discussions. Policy-makers, administrators, and providers should incorporate the vital contributions of social work professionals in policies and programs supporting ACP.

Digital Archiving of People Flow by Recycling Large-Scale Social Survey Data of Developing Cities

Science.gov (United States)

Sekimoto, Y.; Watanabe, A.; Nakamura, T.; Horanont, T.

2012-07-01

Data on people flow has become increasingly important in the field of business, including the areas of marketing and public services. Although mobile phones enable a person's position to be located to a certain degree, it is a challenge to acquire sufficient data from people with mobile phones. In order to grasp people flow in its entirety, it is important to establish a practical method of reconstructing people flow from various kinds of existing fragmentary spatio-temporal data such as social survey data. For example, despite typical Person Trip Survey Data collected by the public sector showing the fragmentary spatio-temporal positions accessed, the data are attractive given the sufficiently large sample size to estimate the entire flow of people. In this study, we apply our proposed basic method to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) PT data pertaining to developing cities around the world, and we propose some correction methods to resolve the difficulties in applying it to many cities and stably to infrastructure data.

Relation between metabolic syndrome and body compositions among Chinese adolescents and adults from a large-scale population survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tao Xu

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Few nationally representative surveys regarding body composition and metabolic syndrome (MetS have been done in a large-scale representative Chinese population to explore the prediction of body composition indicators for MetS. The objective of this study was to examine the relation of body composition and MetS and to determine the optimal cut-off values of body composition indicators that predict MetS in a large representative Chinese sample based on multiple provinces and ethnicities, covering a broad age range from 10 to 80 years old. Methods The subjects came from a large-scale population survey on Chinese physiological constants and health conditions conducted in six provinces. 32,036 subjects completed all blood biochemical testing and body composition measure. Subjects meeting at least 3 of the following 5 criteria qualify as having MetS: elevated blood pressure, lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol level, higher triglyceride level, higher fasting glucose level and abdominal obesity. Results The total prevalence rate of MetS for males (9.29% was lower than for females (11.58%. The prevalence rates were 12.03% for male adults and 15.57% for female adults respectively. The risk of MetS increased 44.6% (OR = 1.446, 95%CI: 1.414–1.521 for males and 53.4% (OR = 1.534, 95%CI: 1.472–1.598 for females with each 5% increase of percentage of body fat. The risk of MetS increased two-fold (OR = 2.020, 95%CI: 1.920–2.125 for males; OR = 2.047, 95%CI: 1.954–2.144 for females respectively with each 5% increase of waist-hip ratio. The risk of MetS increased three-fold (OR = 2.915, 95%CI: 2.742–3.099 for males; OR = 2.950, 95%CI: 2.784–3.127 for females respectively with each 5% increase of Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR. Areas under the receiver operating curve (AUC of most body composition indicators were larger than 0.70 and the sensitivities and the specificities of most cut-off values were larger than 0

Seismic reflection survey conducted in Benton County, Washinton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beggs, H.G.; Heineck, R.L.

1980-01-01

The massive Columbia River Basalt group that underlies the Hanford Site is being considered as a potential geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel. As part of the effort to ascertain and better understand the physical and geological properties of these basalt flows, a multiphased seismic reflection program has been undertaken. This phase was designed to more thoroughly define geologic features and structural attitudes in an areas in the central part of the Hanford Site. The specific feature of interest is known as the Cold Creek Syncline. This seismic survey, utilized the ''VIBROSEIS'' energy source and multifold common depth point recording. 2 figs

Vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing for the diagnosis of conductive hearing loss: survey of pediatric otolaryngologists' knowledge and beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Dargie, Jenna M; Zhou, Guangwei; Dornan, Briana K; Whittemore, Kenneth R

2014-11-01

To assess physicians' knowledge and beliefs regarding vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing in children. A survey was delivered via email in html format to 1069 members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery who identified as pediatric otolaryngologists. Study data were collected and managed using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) tools. 443 (41.4%) physicians opened the email. 190 (42.9% of opens) initiated the survey, of which 117 (61.9%) fully completed the survey of the physicians who responded to a question regarding knowledge of VEMP, 16% of respondents had never heard of the test. 16% of participants would use it in the setting of diagnosing pediatric conductive hearing loss. Responses regarding the youngest age at which VEMP is possible ranged from younger than 6 months through greater than 13 years of age. Beliefs regarding utility and reliability of VEMP varied, with 'unsure' as the most frequent response. Additionally, only 26% of pediatric otolaryngologists indicated some access to the test. The knowledge and availability of VEMP testing in the pediatric otolaryngology community varies widely. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge of the Costs of Diagnostic Imaging: A Survey of Physician Trainees at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayasarathi, Arvind; Duszak, Richard; Gelbard, Rondi B; Mullins, Mark E

2016-11-01

To study the awareness of postgraduate physician trainees across a variety of specialties regarding the costs of common imaging examinations. During early 2016, we conducted an online survey of all 1,238 physicians enrolled in internships, residencies, and fellowships at a large academic medical center. Respondents were asked to estimate Medicare national average total allowable fees for five commonly performed examinations: two-view chest radiograph, contrast-enhanced CT abdomen and pelvis, unenhanced MRI lumbar spine, complete abdominal ultrasound, and unenhanced CT brain. Responses within ±25% of published amounts were deemed correct. Respondents were also asked about specialty, postgraduate year of training, previous radiology education, and estimated number of imaging examinations ordered per week. A total of 381 of 1,238 trainees returned complete surveys (30.8%). Across all five examinations, only 5.7% (109/1,905) of responses were within the correct ±25% range. A total of 76.4% (291/381) of all respondents incorrectly estimated every examination's cost. Estimation accuracy was not associated with number of imaging examinations ordered per week or year of training. There was no significant difference in cost estimation accuracy between those who participated in medical school radiology electives and those who did not (P = .14). Only 17.5% of trainees considered their imaging cost knowledge adequate. Overall, 75.3% desire integration of cost data into clinical decision support and/or computerized physician order entry systems. Postgraduate physician trainees across all disciplines demonstrate limited awareness of the costs of commonly ordered imaging examinations. Targeted medical school education and integration of imaging cost information into clinical decision support / computerized physician order entry systems seems indicated. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artur Andriolo

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Ship-based sighting surveys for cetaceans were conducted in the former whaling ground off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The cruises took place in winter and spring of 1998-2001 with the objectives of investigating current distribution and abundance of cetaceans, particularly large whale species taken during whaling. In 1998 the survey were conducted between the parallels 5°30'W and 9°S and the 200 m isobath and the meridian 033°W. A total of about 3,100 nm were surveyed between 1998 and 2001 Surveys were conducted using line transect methods from about 5-10°S, and from the coast to 33°W. A total of 151 sightings (203 individuals of large whales were recorded on effort. The Antarctic minke whale - Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Burmeister, 1867 was the most frequently sighted species (97 groups/132 individuals; Sighting Rate [SR] = 0.031 groups/nm, being recorded only in offshore waters. Density gradually increased from August to October. Minke whales were distributed throughout the area, both to the north and the south of former whaling ground. Sighting data indicate this is the most abundant species, particularly in the area beyond the continental shelf break. Breeding behavior was observed for Antarctic minke whales, but few groups containing calves were recorded (4.3% of the groups sighted on effort. Three other large whale species were recorded in low numbers: the Bryde's whale - Balaenoptera edeni (Anderson, 1879¹; the sei whale, B. borealis (Lesson, 1828, and the sperm, Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758. Sei, Bryde and sperm whales were regularly caught during whaling operations, but are rare in the area, suggesting they were depleted by whaling and have yet to recover to their pre-explotation abundance. In contrast, minke whales are abundant in this area, suggesting that either they were not substantially depleted, or that they have recovered rapidly. Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758, and fin whale, B. physalus

Annual Omnibus Survey: A survey of life in Qatar 2014

OpenAIRE

Diop, Abdoulaye; Gengler, Justin John; Khan, Mohammad N.; Traugott, Michael; Elawad, Elmogiera Fadlallh; Al Ansari, Majed; Le, Kien T.; El-Maghraby, Engi; Elkassem, Rima Charbaji; Qutteina, Yara; Al Khulaifi, Buthaina; Nasrallah, Catherine; Al Subaey, Mohammed; Mustafa, Semsia Al-Ali; Alqassass, Haneen

2015-01-01

This Executive Summary presents the highlights of the 2014 Omnibus survey, the fourth in a series of Omnibus surveys since 2010. The surveys were carried out by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) of Qatar University. Each Omnibus survey interviews a large and representative sample of Qatari citizens, resident expatriates and laborers. In these surveys, we asked a number of questions covering several topics of importance to Qatari society, including their ...

Large scale, highly conductive and patterned transparent films of silver nanowires on arbitrary substrates and their application in touch screens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madaria, Anuj R; Kumar, Akshay; Zhou Chongwu

2011-01-01

The application of silver nanowire films as transparent conductive electrodes has shown promising results recently. In this paper, we demonstrate the application of a simple spray coating technique to obtain large scale, highly uniform and conductive silver nanowire films on arbitrary substrates. We also integrated a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-assisted contact transfer technique with spray coating, which allowed us to obtain large scale high quality patterned films of silver nanowires. The transparency and conductivity of the films was controlled by the volume of the dispersion used in spraying and the substrate area. We note that the optoelectrical property, σ DC /σ Op , for various films fabricated was in the range 75-350, which is extremely high for transparent thin film compared to other candidate alternatives to doped metal oxide film. Using this method, we obtain silver nanowire films on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate with a transparency of 85% and sheet resistance of 33 Ω/sq, which is comparable to that of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) on flexible substrates. In-depth analysis of the film shows a high performance using another commonly used figure-of-merit, Φ TE . Also, Ag nanowire film/PET shows good mechanical flexibility and the application of such a conductive silver nanowire film as an electrode in a touch panel has been demonstrated.

Large scale, highly conductive and patterned transparent films of silver nanowires on arbitrary substrates and their application in touch screens.

Science.gov (United States)

Madaria, Anuj R; Kumar, Akshay; Zhou, Chongwu

2011-06-17

The application of silver nanowire films as transparent conductive electrodes has shown promising results recently. In this paper, we demonstrate the application of a simple spray coating technique to obtain large scale, highly uniform and conductive silver nanowire films on arbitrary substrates. We also integrated a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-assisted contact transfer technique with spray coating, which allowed us to obtain large scale high quality patterned films of silver nanowires. The transparency and conductivity of the films was controlled by the volume of the dispersion used in spraying and the substrate area. We note that the optoelectrical property, σ(DC)/σ(Op), for various films fabricated was in the range 75-350, which is extremely high for transparent thin film compared to other candidate alternatives to doped metal oxide film. Using this method, we obtain silver nanowire films on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate with a transparency of 85% and sheet resistance of 33 Ω/sq, which is comparable to that of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) on flexible substrates. In-depth analysis of the film shows a high performance using another commonly used figure-of-merit, Φ(TE). Also, Ag nanowire film/PET shows good mechanical flexibility and the application of such a conductive silver nanowire film as an electrode in a touch panel has been demonstrated.

WILL THE LARGE SYNOPTIC SURVEY TELESCOPE DETECT EXTRA-SOLAR PLANETESIMALS ENTERING THE SOLAR SYSTEM?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moro-Martin, Amaya; Turner, Edwin L.; Loeb, Abraham

2009-01-01

Planetesimal formation is a common by-product of the star formation process. Taking the dynamical history of the solar system as a guideline-in which the planetesimal belts were heavily depleted due to gravitational perturbation with the giant planets-and assuming similar processes have taken place in other planetary systems, one would expect the interstellar space to be filled with extra-solar planetesimals. However, not a single one of these objects has been detected so far entering the solar system, even though it would clearly be distinguishable from a solar system comet due to its highly hyperbolic orbit. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will provide wide coverage maps of the sky to a very high sensitivity, ideal to detect moving objects like comets, both active and inactive. In anticipation of these observations, we estimate how many inactive 'interstellar comets' might be detected during the duration of the survey. The calculation takes into account estimates (from observations and models) of the number density of stars, the amount of solids available to form planetesimals, the frequency of planet and planetesimal formation, the efficiency of planetesimal ejection, and the possible size distribution of these small bodies.

An Aerial Radiological Survey of the Nevada Test Site - Area 10 Corrective Action Unit 367

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, Craig

2010-01-01

A series of aerial radiological surveys were conducted over the Sedan, Uncle, and Ess ground zero areas in Area 10. The surveys were performed in November 2009 utilizing a large array of helicopter mounted sodium iodide detectors. The purpose of the survey was to update the previous radiological survey levels of the environment and surrounding areas of the ground zeros. Gross Counts, inferred exposure rates, man-made activity, and Americium-241 activity, as calculated from the aerial data are presented in the form of isopleth maps superimposed on imagery of the surveyed areas. In addition, spectral products are included that identify Cesium-137, Americium-241 and Cobalt-60 as the primary radionuclides present within the survey area.

What are key factors influencing malnutrition screening in community-dwelling elderly populations by general practitioners? A large cross-sectional survey in two areas of France.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaboreau, Y; Imbert, P; Jacquet, J-P; Marchand, O; Couturier, P; Gavazzi, G

2013-11-01

Malnutrition is associated with a high morbi-mortality in elderly populations and their institutionalization at an early stage. The incidence is well known despite being often under-diagnosed in primary care. General practitioners (GPs) have a key role in home care. What are the factors affecting malnutrition-screening implementation by French GPs? We conducted a cross-sectional survey in two areas in the southeast of France (Savoie and Isère). In May 2008, an anonymized survey was sent by e-mail and/or post to all GPs with a large clinical practice. Two months later, reminder letters were sent. Potential barriers were measured by dichotomous scale. On GPs' characteristics (socio-demographic, medical training, geriatric practice and knowledge), multiple regression logistic was performed to identify others factors affecting malnutrition screening. In all, 493 GPs (26.85%) answered and 72.2% felt that malnutrition screening was useful although only 26.6% implemented it each year and 11.9% every 2-5 years. The main barriers to the implementation were patient selection (60.4%) and forgetting to screen (26.6%). Minor barriers were lack of knowledge (19.5%) or time (15%). New factors were identified: unsuitable working conditions (19.1%), insufficient motivation (6.8%) or technical support (7.2%). The quality of malnutrition information received was found to be the only promoter of annual screening (odds ratio=1.44 (1.087-1.919); P=0.011). This survey is the first in France to reveal GPs' factors affecting malnutrition implementation. New obstacles were identified in this survey. The hope of implementing regular malnutrition screening by GPs seems to lie with the quality of malnutrition information received.

Active Travel to School: Findings from the Survey of US Health Behavior in School-Aged Children, 2009-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yong; Ivey, Stephanie S.; Levy, Marian C.; Royne, Marla B.; Klesges, Lisa M.

2016-01-01

Background: Whereas children's active travel to school (ATS) has confirmed benefits, only a few large national surveys of ATS exist. Methods: Using data from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2009-2010 US survey, we conducted a logistic regression model to estimate the odds ratios of ATS and a linear regression model to estimate…

Small-scale and reconnaissance surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Bart, Jonathan; Andres, Brad A.; Elliott, Kyle; Francis, Charles M.; Johnston, Victoria; Morrison, R.I.G.; Pierce, Elin P.; Rausch, Jennie; Bart, Jonathan; Johnston, Victoria

2012-01-01

This brief chapter addresses two related issues: how effort should be allocated to different parts of the sampling plan and, given optimal allocation, how large a sample will be required to achieve the PRISM accuracy target. Simulations based on data collected to date showed that 2 plots per cluster on rapid surveys, 2 intensive camps per field crew-year, 2-4 intensive plots per intensive camp, and 2-3 rapid surveys per intensive plot is the most efficient allocation of resources. Using this design, we investigated how crew-years should be allocated to each region in order to meet the PRISM accuracy target most efficiently. The analysis indicated that 40-50 crew-years would achieve the accuracy target for 18-24 of the 26 species breeding widely in the Arctic. This analysis was based on assuming that two rounds of surveys were conducted and that a 50% decline occurred between them. We discuss the complexity of making these estimates and why they should be viewed as first approximations.

Aerial radiation survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradeep Kumar, K.S.

1998-01-01

Aerial gamma spectrometry surveys are the most effective, comprehensive and preferred tool to delimit the large area surface contamination in a radiological emergency either due to a nuclear accident or following a nuclear strike. The airborne survey apart from providing rapid and economical evaluation of ground contamination over large areas due to larger ground clearance and higher speed, is the only technique to overcome difficulties posed by ground surveys of inaccessible region. The aerial survey technique can also be used for searching of lost radioactive sources, tracking of radioactive plume and generation of background data on the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of nuclear installations

Methods and Management of the Healthy Brain Study: A Large Multisite Qualitative Research Project

Science.gov (United States)

Laditka, Sarah B.; Corwin, Sara J.; Laditka, James N.; Liu, Rui; Friedman, Daniela B.; Mathews, Anna E.; Wilcox, Sara

2009-01-01

Purpose of the study: To describe processes used in the Healthy Brain project to manage data collection, coding, and data distribution in a large qualitative project, conducted by researchers at 9 universities in 9 states. Design and Methods: Project management protocols included: (a) managing audiotapes and surveys to ensure data confidentiality,…

Survey of large protein complexes D. vulgaris reveals great structural diversity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, B.-G.; Dong, M.; Liu, H.; Camp, L.; Geller, J.; Singer, M.; Hazen, T. C.; Choi, M.; Witkowska, H. E.; Ball, D. A.; Typke, D.; Downing, K. H.; Shatsky, M.; Brenner, S. E.; Chandonia, J.-M.; Biggin, M. D.; Glaeser, R. M.

2009-08-15

An unbiased survey has been made of the stable, most abundant multi-protein complexes in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DvH) that are larger than Mr {approx} 400 k. The quaternary structures for 8 of the 16 complexes purified during this work were determined by single-particle reconstruction of negatively stained specimens, a success rate {approx}10 times greater than that of previous 'proteomic' screens. In addition, the subunit compositions and stoichiometries of the remaining complexes were determined by biochemical methods. Our data show that the structures of only two of these large complexes, out of the 13 in this set that have recognizable functions, can be modeled with confidence based on the structures of known homologs. These results indicate that there is significantly greater variability in the way that homologous prokaryotic macromolecular complexes are assembled than has generally been appreciated. As a consequence, we suggest that relying solely on previously determined quaternary structures for homologous proteins may not be sufficient to properly understand their role in another cell of interest.

ASPECT: A spectra clustering tool for exploration of large spectral surveys

Science.gov (United States)

in der Au, A.; Meusinger, H.; Schalldach, P. F.; Newholm, M.

2012-11-01

Context. Analysing the empirical output from large surveys is an important challenge in contemporary science. Difficulties arise, in particular, when the database is huge and the properties of the object types to be selected are poorly constrained a priori. Aims: We present the novel, semi-automated clustering tool ASPECT for analysing voluminous archives of spectra. Methods: The heart of the program is a neural network in the form of a Kohonen self-organizing map. The resulting map is designed as an icon map suitable for the inspection by eye. The visual analysis is supported by the option to blend in individual object properties such as redshift, apparent magnitude, or signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, the package provides several tools for the selection of special spectral types, e.g. local difference maps which reflect the deviations of all spectra from one given input spectrum (real or artificial). Results: ASPECT is able to produce a two-dimensional topological map of a huge number of spectra. The software package enables the user to browse and navigate through a huge data pool and helps them to gain an insight into underlying relationships between the spectra and other physical properties and to get the big picture of the entire data set. We demonstrate the capability of ASPECT by clustering the entire data pool of ~6 × 105 spectra from the Data Release 4 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). To illustrate the results regarding quality and completeness we track objects from existing catalogues of quasars and carbon stars, respectively, and connect the SDSS spectra with morphological information from the GalaxyZoo project. Code is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/547/A115

Coherent Power Analysis in Multi-Level Studies Using Design Parameters from Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Rhoads, Christopher

2016-01-01

Current practice for conducting power analyses in hierarchical trials using survey based ICC and effect size estimates may be misestimating power because ICCs are not being adjusted to account for treatment effect heterogeneity. Results presented in Table 1 show that the necessary adjustments can be quite large or quite small. Furthermore, power…

Aerial surveys adjusted by ground surveys to estimate area occupied by black-tailed prairie dog colonies

Science.gov (United States)

Sidle, John G.; Augustine, David J.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Miller, Sterling D.; Cully, Jack F.; Reading, Richard P.

2012-01-01

Aerial surveys using line-intercept methods are one approach to estimate the extent of prairie dog colonies in a large geographic area. Although black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) construct conspicuous mounds at burrow openings, aerial observers have difficulty discriminating between areas with burrows occupied by prairie dogs (colonies) versus areas of uninhabited burrows (uninhabited colony sites). Consequently, aerial line-intercept surveys may overestimate prairie dog colony extent unless adjusted by an on-the-ground inspection of a sample of intercepts. We compared aerial line-intercept surveys conducted over 2 National Grasslands in Colorado, USA, with independent ground-mapping of known black-tailed prairie dog colonies. Aerial line-intercepts adjusted by ground surveys using a single activity category adjustment overestimated colonies by ≥94% on the Comanche National Grassland and ≥58% on the Pawnee National Grassland. We present a ground-survey technique that involves 1) visiting on the ground a subset of aerial intercepts classified as occupied colonies plus a subset of intercepts classified as uninhabited colony sites, and 2) based on these ground observations, recording the proportion of each aerial intercept that intersects a colony and the proportion that intersects an uninhabited colony site. Where line-intercept techniques are applied to aerial surveys or remotely sensed imagery, this method can provide more accurate estimates of black-tailed prairie dog abundance and trends

A survey and experimental comparison of distributed SPARQL engines for very large RDF data

KAUST Repository

Abdelaziz, Ibrahim; Harbi, Razen; Khayyat, Zuhair; Kalnis, Panos

2017-01-01

Distributed SPARQL engines promise to support very large RDF datasets by utilizing shared-nothing computer clusters. Some are based on distributed frameworks such as MapReduce; others implement proprietary distributed processing; and some rely on expensive preprocessing for data partitioning. These systems exhibit a variety of trade-offs that are not well-understood, due to the lack of any comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation. In this paper, we present a survey of 22 state-of-the-art systems that cover the entire spectrum of distributed RDF data processing and categorize them by several characteristics. Then, we select 12 representative systems and perform extensive experimental evaluation with respect to preprocessing cost, query performance, scalability and workload adaptability, using a variety of synthetic and real large datasets with up to 4.3 billion triples. Our results provide valuable insights for practitioners to understand the trade-offs for their usage scenarios. Finally, we publish online our evaluation framework, including all datasets and workloads, for researchers to compare their novel systems against the existing ones.

A survey and experimental comparison of distributed SPARQL engines for very large RDF data

KAUST Repository

Abdelaziz, Ibrahim

2017-10-19

Distributed SPARQL engines promise to support very large RDF datasets by utilizing shared-nothing computer clusters. Some are based on distributed frameworks such as MapReduce; others implement proprietary distributed processing; and some rely on expensive preprocessing for data partitioning. These systems exhibit a variety of trade-offs that are not well-understood, due to the lack of any comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation. In this paper, we present a survey of 22 state-of-the-art systems that cover the entire spectrum of distributed RDF data processing and categorize them by several characteristics. Then, we select 12 representative systems and perform extensive experimental evaluation with respect to preprocessing cost, query performance, scalability and workload adaptability, using a variety of synthetic and real large datasets with up to 4.3 billion triples. Our results provide valuable insights for practitioners to understand the trade-offs for their usage scenarios. Finally, we publish online our evaluation framework, including all datasets and workloads, for researchers to compare their novel systems against the existing ones.

Explaining health care expenditure variation: large-sample evidence using linked survey and health administrative data.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Randall P; Fiebig, Denzil G; Johar, Meliyanni; Jones, Glenn; Savage, Elizabeth

2013-09-01

Explaining individual, regional, and provider variation in health care spending is of enormous value to policymakers but is often hampered by the lack of individual level detail in universal public health systems because budgeted spending is often not attributable to specific individuals. Even rarer is self-reported survey information that helps explain this variation in large samples. In this paper, we link a cross-sectional survey of 267 188 Australians age 45 and over to a panel dataset of annual healthcare costs calculated from several years of hospital, medical and pharmaceutical records. We use this data to distinguish between cost variations due to health shocks and those that are intrinsic (fixed) to an individual over three years. We find that high fixed expenditures are positively associated with age, especially older males, poor health, obesity, smoking, cancer, stroke and heart conditions. Being foreign born, speaking a foreign language at home and low income are more strongly associated with higher time-varying expenditures, suggesting greater exposure to adverse health shocks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DIGITAL ARCHIVING OF PEOPLE FLOW BY RECYCLING LARGE-SCALE SOCIAL SURVEY DATA OF DEVELOPING CITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Sekimoto

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Data on people flow has become increasingly important in the field of business, including the areas of marketing and public services. Although mobile phones enable a person's position to be located to a certain degree, it is a challenge to acquire sufficient data from people with mobile phones. In order to grasp people flow in its entirety, it is important to establish a practical method of reconstructing people flow from various kinds of existing fragmentary spatio-temporal data such as social survey data. For example, despite typical Person Trip Survey Data collected by the public sector showing the fragmentary spatio-temporal positions accessed, the data are attractive given the sufficiently large sample size to estimate the entire flow of people. In this study, we apply our proposed basic method to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA PT data pertaining to developing cities around the world, and we propose some correction methods to resolve the difficulties in applying it to many cities and stably to infrastructure data.

Managing Astronomy Research Data: Data Practices in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Sands, Ashley Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Ground-based astronomy sky surveys are massive, decades-long investments in scientific data collection. Stakeholders expect these datasets to retain scientific value well beyond the lifetime of the sky survey. However, the necessary investments in knowledge infrastructures for managing sky survey data are not yet in place to ensure the long-term…

A survey of modelling methods for high-fidelity wind farm simulations using large eddy simulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breton, Simon-Philippe; Sumner, J.; Sørensen, Jens Nørkær

2017-01-01

surveys the most common schemes available to model the rotor, atmospheric conditions and terrain effects within current state-of-the-art LES codes, of which an overview is provided. A summary of the experimental research data available for validation of LES codes within the context of single and multiple......Large eddy simulations (LES) of wind farms have the capability to provide valuable and detailed information about the dynamics of wind turbine wakes. For this reason, their use within the wind energy research community is on the rise, spurring the development of new models and methods. This review...

Disclosure control using partially synthetic data for large-scale health surveys, with applications to CanCORS.

Science.gov (United States)

Loong, Bronwyn; Zaslavsky, Alan M; He, Yulei; Harrington, David P

2013-10-30

Statistical agencies have begun to partially synthesize public-use data for major surveys to protect the confidentiality of respondents' identities and sensitive attributes by replacing high disclosure risk and sensitive variables with multiple imputations. To date, there are few applications of synthetic data techniques to large-scale healthcare survey data. Here, we describe partial synthesis of survey data collected by the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) project, a comprehensive observational study of the experiences, treatments, and outcomes of patients with lung or colorectal cancer in the USA. We review inferential methods for partially synthetic data and discuss selection of high disclosure risk variables for synthesis, specification of imputation models, and identification disclosure risk assessment. We evaluate data utility by replicating published analyses and comparing results using original and synthetic data and discuss practical issues in preserving inferential conclusions. We found that important subgroup relationships must be included in the synthetic data imputation model, to preserve the data utility of the observed data for a given analysis procedure. We conclude that synthetic CanCORS data are suited best for preliminary data analyses purposes. These methods address the requirement to share data in clinical research without compromising confidentiality. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Liquid metal fast breeder reactor steam generator survey of the consequences of large scale sodium water reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vambenepe, G.

1978-01-01

The ''Retona'' three-dimensional hydrodynamic computing code is being developed by Electricity de France to survey the consequences, on the very plant, of a large scale sodium water reaction in liquid metal steam generators. In this communication, the heat-exchanger geometry is schematized and the problem solving process briefly described under assumed simplifying hypotheses. The application of the results to the Creusot-Loire steam generator selected for Super-Phenix are given as an example. (author)

Large-Scale Structure Behind The Milky Way with ALFAZOA

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez Barrantes, Monica; Henning, Patricia A.; Momjian, Emmanuel; McIntyre, Travis; Minchin, Robert F.

2018-06-01

The region of the sky behind the Milky Way (the Zone of Avoidance; ZOA) is not well studied due to high obscuration from gas and dust in our galaxy as well as stellar confusion, which results in low detection rate of galaxies in this region. Because of this, little is known about the distribution of galaxies in the ZOA, and other all sky redshift surveys have incomplete maps (e.g. the 2MASS Redshift survey in NIR has a gap of 5-8 deg around the Galactic plane). There is still controversy about the dipole anisotropy calculated from the comparison between the CMB and galaxy and redshift surveys, in part due to the incomplete sky mapping and redshift depth of these surveys. Fortunately, there is no ZOA at radio wavelengths because such wavelengths can pass unimpeded through dust and are not affected by stellar confusion. Therefore, we can detect and make a map of the distribution of obscured galaxies that contain the 21cm neutral hydrogen emission line, and trace the large-scale structure across the Galactic plane. The Arecibo L-Band Feed Array Zone of Avoidance (ALFAZOA) survey is a blind HI survey for galaxies behind the Milky Way that covers more than 1000 square degrees of the sky, conducted in two phases: shallow (completed) and deep (ongoing). We show the results of the finished shallow phase of the survey, which mapped a region between the galactic longitude l=30-75 deg, and latitude b <|10 deg|, and detected 418 galaxies to about 12,000 km/s, including galaxy properties and mapped large-scale structure. We do the same for new results from the deep phase, which is ongoing and covers 30 < l < 75 deg and b < |2| deg for the inner galaxy and 175 < l < 207 deg, with -2 < b < 1 for the outer galaxy.

Use of social media to conduct a cross-sectional epidemiologic and quality of life survey of patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: a feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaid, Tarrik; Burzawa, Jennifer; Basen-Engquist, Karen; Bodurka, Diane C; Ramondetta, Lois M; Brown, Jubilee; Frumovitz, Michael

2014-01-01

To determine the feasibility of using social media to perform cross-sectional epidemiologic and quality-of-life research on patients with rare gynecologic tumors, we performed a survey of patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the cervix using Facebook. After approval from our Institutional Review Board, a support group of patients with neuroendocrine tumors of the cervix was identified on Facebook. Group members were asked to complete a survey comprising 84 questions evaluating clinical presentation; treatment; recurrence; quality of life; and sexual function. The survey was posted for 30 days, during which 57 women responded from 8 countries across 4 continents treated at 51 centers. All respondents provided a detailed clinical and tumor history. The mean age was 38.5 years. The stage distribution was stage I, 36 patients (63%); II, 13 (23%); III, 2 (4%); and IV, 6 (11%). Forty-nine patients (86%) had small cell and 8 (14%) had large cell tumors. Forty-five of the respondents (79%) had completed primary therapy and were without evidence of disease. Five (9%) had recurrence, 3 (5%) had persistent disease after therapy, and 4 (7%) were still under treatment. Forty-one patients (72%) reported symptoms at time of presentation. Thirty-seven patients (65%) received multimodality primary therapy. Quality of life instruments demonstrated high scores for anxiety and a negative impact of anxiety and cancer on functional and emotional well-being. Sexual function scores did not differ significantly between respondents and the PROMIS reference population. Use of a social media network to perform epidemiologic and quality of life research on patients with rare gynecologic tumors is feasible and permits such research to be conducted efficiently and rapidly. © 2013.

Increasing Student Success in Large Survey Science Courses via Supplemental Instruction in Learning Centers

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, Eric Jon; Nossal, S.; Watson, L.; Timbie, P.

2010-05-01

Large introductory astronomy and physics survey courses can be very challenging and stressful. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Physics Learning Center (PLC) reaches about 10 percent of the students in four introductory physics courses, algebra and calculus based versions of both classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Participants include those potentially most vulnerable to experiencing isolation and hence to having difficulty finding study partners as well as students struggling with the course. They receive specially written tutorials, conceptual summaries, and practice problems; exam reviews; and most importantly, membership in small groups of 3 - 8 students which meet twice per week in a hybrid of traditional teaching and tutoring. Almost all students who regularly participate in the PLC earn at least a "C,” with many earning higher grades. The PLC works closely with other campus programs which seek to increase the participation and enhance the success of underrepresented minorities, first generation college students, and students from lower-income circumstances; and it is well received by students, departmental faculty, and University administration. The PLC staff includes physics education specialists and research scientists with a passion for education. However, the bulk of the teaching is conducted by undergraduates who are majoring in physics, astronomy, mathematics, engineering, and secondary science teaching (many have multiple majors). The staff train these enthusiastic students, denoted Peer Mentor Tutors (PMTs) in general pedagogy and mentoring strategies, as well as the specifics of teaching the physics covered in the course. The PMTs are among the best undergraduates at the university. While currently there is no UW-Madison learning center for astronomy courses, establishing one is a possible future direction. The introductory astronomy courses cater to non-science majors and consequently are less quantitative. However, the basic structure

Conducting health survey research in a deep rural South African community: challenges and adaptive strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Casale, Marisa; Lane, Tyler; Sello, Lebo; Kuo, Caroline; Cluver, Lucie

2013-04-24

In many parts of the developing world, rural health requires focused policy attention, informed by reliable, representative health data. Yet there is surprisingly little published material to guide health researchers who face the unique set of hurdles associated with conducting field research in remote rural areas. In this paper we provide a detailed description of the key challenges encountered during health survey field research carried out in 2010 in a deep rural site in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The aim of the field research was to collect data on the health of children aged 10 to 17 years old, and their primary adult caregivers, as part of a larger national health survey; the research was a collaboration between several South African and foreign universities, South African national government departments, and various NGO partners. In presenting each of the four fieldwork challenges encountered on this site, we describe the initial planning decisions made, the difficulties faced when implementing these in the field, and the adaptive strategies we used to respond to these challenges. We reflect on learnings of potential relevance for the research community. Our four key fieldwork challenges were scarce research capacity, staff relocation tensions, logistical constraints, and difficulties related to community buy-in. Addressing each of these obstacles required timely assessment of the situation and adaptation of field plans, in collaboration with our local NGO partner. Adaptive strategies included a greater use of local knowledge; the adoption of tribal authority boundaries as the smallest geopolitical units for sampling; a creative developmental approach to capacity building; and planned, on-going engagement with multiple community representatives. We argue that in order to maintain high scientific standards of research and manage to 'get the job done' on the ground, it is necessary to respond to fieldwork challenges that arise as a cohesive team, with timely

Simplified conversions between specific conductance and salinity units for use with data from monitoring stations

Science.gov (United States)

Schemel, Laurence E.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, and the California Department of Water Resources maintain a large number of monitoring stations that record specific conductance, often referred to as “electrical conductivity,” in San Francisco Bay Estuary and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Specific conductance units that have been normalized to a standard temperature are useful in fresh waters, but conversion to salinity units has some considerable advantages in brackish waters of the estuary and Delta. For example, salinity is linearly related to the mixing ratio of freshwater and seawater, which is not the case for specific conductance, even when values are normalized to a standard temperature. The Practical Salinity Scale 1978 is based on specific conductance, temperature, and pressure measurements of seawater and freshwater mixtures (Lewis 1980 and references therein). Equations and data that define the scale make possible conversions between specific conductance and salinity values.

The Perceptions and Views on Family Interaction and Relationships of Middle Children from Large Families: An Informal Mini Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Elena C. Thomas

In Adler's Theory of Individual Psychology the significance of birth order position in the family constellation depends on the interpretation given to it by the child, which in turn influences his character. This study surveyed the perceptions of middle children in large families. Subjects (N=13) were middle children in families of more than five…

ITO with embedded silver grids as transparent conductive electrodes for large area organic solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Bhushan R.; Mirsafaei, Mina; Piotr Cielecki, Paweł; Fernandes Cauduro, André Luis; Fiutowski, Jacek; Rubahn, Horst-Günter; Madsen, Morten

2017-10-01

In this work, development of semi-transparent electrodes for efficient large area organic solar cells (OSCs) has been demonstrated. Electron beam evaporated silver grids were embedded in commercially available ITO coatings on glass, through a standard negative photolithography process, in order to improve the conductivity of planar ITO substrates. The fabricated electrodes with embedded line and square patterned Ag grids reduced the sheet resistance of ITO by 25% and 40%, respectively, showing optical transmittance drops of less than 6% within the complete visible light spectrum for both patterns. Solution processed bulk heterojunction OSCs based on PTB7:[70]PCBM were fabricated on top of these electrodes with cell areas of 4.38 cm2, and the performance of these OSCs was compared to reference cells fabricated on pure ITO electrodes. The Fill Factor (FF) of the large-scale OSCs fabricated on ITO with embedded Ag grids was enhanced by 18% for the line grids pattern and 30% for the square grids pattern compared to that of the reference OSCs. The increase in the FF was directly correlated to the decrease in the series resistance of the OSCs. The maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the OSCs was measured to be 4.34%, which is 23% higher than the PCE of the reference OSCs. As the presented method does not involve high temperature processing, it could be considered a general approach for development of large area organic electronics on solvent resistant, flexible substrates.

How many hours do you usually work? An analysis of the working hours questions in 26 large-scale surveys in 6 countries and the European Union.

OpenAIRE

Dragstra, A.; Tijdens, K.

2004-01-01

This paper reviews how working hours are asked in 26 large-scale surveys in 6 countries plus the European Union. Four dimensions of working time were investigated, notably number of working hours, timing of work, predictability and control over hours, and commuting time. Although almost all questionnaires ask for hours worked, the terminology varies largely. In only half of the cases a reference period is taken into account and in half the reasons for working more/less in the survey week than...

Pulmonary function and fuel use: A population survey

OpenAIRE

Majumdar PK; Kulkarni PK; Mohan Rao N; Saha Asim; Saiyed HN

2005-01-01

Abstract Background In the backdrop of conflicting reports (some studies reported adverse outcomes of biomass fuel use whereas few studies reported absence of any association between adverse health effect and fuel use, may be due to presence of large number of confounding variables) on the respiratory health effects of biomass fuel use, this cross sectional survey was undertaken to understand the role of fuel use on pulmonary function. Method This study was conducted in a village of western I...

Hydrogenation of Penta-Graphene Leads to Unexpected Large Improvement in Thermal Conductivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xufei; Varshney, Vikas; Lee, Jonghoon; Zhang, Teng; Wohlwend, Jennifer L; Roy, Ajit K; Luo, Tengfei

2016-06-08

Penta-graphene (PG) has been identified as a novel two-dimensional (2D) material with an intrinsic bandgap, which makes it especially promising for electronics applications. In this work, we use first-principles lattice dynamics and iterative solution of the phonon Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) to determine the thermal conductivity of PG and its more stable derivative, hydrogenated penta-graphene (HPG). As a comparison, we also studied the effect of hydrogenation on graphene thermal conductivity. In contrast to hydrogenation of graphene, which leads to a dramatic decrease in thermal conductivity, HPG shows a notable increase in thermal conductivity, which is much higher than that of PG. Considering the necessity of using the same thickness when comparing thermal conductivity values of different 2D materials, hydrogenation leads to a 63% reduction in thermal conductivity for graphene, while it results in a 76% increase for PG. The high thermal conductivity of HPG makes it more thermally conductive than most other semiconducting 2D materials, such as the transition metal chalcogenides. Our detailed analyses show that the primary reason for the counterintuitive hydrogenation-induced thermal conductivity enhancement is the weaker bond anharmonicity in HPG than PG. This leads to weaker phonon scattering after hydrogenation, despite the increase in the phonon scattering phase space. The high thermal conductivity of HPG may inspire intensive research around HPG and other derivatives of PG as potential materials for future nanoelectronic devices. The fundamental physics understood from this study may open up a new strategy to engineer thermal transport properties of other 2D materials by controlling bond anharmonicity via functionalization.

A critical review of field techniques employed in the survey of large woody debris in river corridors: a central European perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Máčka, Zdeněk; Krejčí, Lukáš; Loučková, Blanka; Peterková, Lucie

2011-10-01

In forested watersheds, large woody debris (LWD) is an integral component of river channels and floodplains. Fallen trees have a significant impact on physical and ecological processes in fluvial ecosystems. An enormous body of literature concerning LWD in river corridors is currently available. However, synthesis and statistical treatment of the published data are hampered by the heterogeneity of methodological approaches. Likewise, the precision and accuracy of data arising out of published surveys have yet to be assessed. For this review, a literature scrutiny of 100 randomly selected research papers was made to examine the most frequently surveyed LWD variables and field procedures. Some 29 variables arose for individual LWD pieces, and 15 variables for wood accumulations. The literature survey revealed a large variability in field procedures for LWD surveys. In many studies (32), description of field procedure proved less than adequate, rendering the results impossible to reproduce in comparable fashion by other researchers. This contribution identifies the main methodological problems and sources of error associated with the mapping and measurement of the most frequently surveyed variables of LWD, both as individual pieces and in accumulations. The discussion stems from our own field experience with LWD survey in river systems of various geomorphic styles and types of riparian vegetation in the Czech Republic in the 2004-10 period. We modelled variability in terms of LWD number, volume, and biomass for three geomorphologically contrasting river systems. The results appeared to be sensitive, in the main, to sampling strategy and prevailing field conditions; less variability was produced by errors of measurement. Finally, we propose a comprehensive standard field procedure for LWD surveyors, including a total of 20 variables describing spatial position, structural characteristics and the functions and dynamics of LWD. However, resources are only rarely

A survey of large scale gamma irradiators in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smyth, R.C.; Simmons, R.C.; Dougherty, D.K.

1987-01-01

NUS Corporation (NUS) was contracted by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to perform a survey of Cs-137 and Co-60 irradiators in the US. The results of this survey, in the form of matrix listings of irradiators and their specifications, are included in subsequent sections of this report. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will use the survey results as a preliminary guide for potential use in regionalized food irradiation research. The survey was limited to the identification of operable irradiators which are owned and/or operated by private industry, educational institutions, and government facilities. To the extent available, specific information for each unit was included in the report. This information includes radioactive material, chemical matrix of fuel, containment capsule material and form, curies per capsule and total activity, sample chamber size, and irradiator availability

Study of depression influencing factors with zero-inflated regression models in a large-scale population survey

OpenAIRE

Xu, Tao; Zhu, Guangjin; Han, Shaomei

2017-01-01

Objectives The number of depression symptoms can be considered as count data in order to get complete and accurate analyses findings in studies of depression. This study aims to compare the goodness of fit of four count outcomes models by a large survey sample to identify the optimum model for a risk factor study of the number of depression symptoms. Methods 15 820 subjects, aged 10 to 80 years old, who were not suffering from serious chronic diseases and had not run a high fever in the past ...

The Big Drink Debate: perceptions of the impact of price on alcohol consumption from a large scale cross-sectional convenience survey in north west England.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Penny A; Phillips-Howard, Penelope A; Morleo, Michela; Harkins, Corinne; Briant, Linford; Bellis, Mark A

2011-08-23

A large-scale survey was conducted in 2008 in north west England, a region with high levels of alcohol-related harm, during a regional 'Big Drink Debate' campaign. The aim of this paper is to explore perceptions of how alcohol consumption would change if alcohol prices were to increase or decrease. A convenience survey of residents (≥ 18 years) of north west England measured demographics, income, alcohol consumption in previous week, and opinions on drinking behaviour under two pricing conditions: low prices and discounts and increased alcohol prices (either 'decrease', 'no change' or 'increase'). Multinomial logistic regression used three outcomes: 'completely elastic' (consider that lower prices increase drinking and higher prices decrease drinking); 'lower price elastic' (lower prices increase drinking, higher prices have no effect); and 'price inelastic' (no change for either). Of 22,780 drinkers surveyed, 80.3% considered lower alcohol prices and discounts would increase alcohol consumption, while 22.1% thought raising prices would decrease consumption, making lower price elasticity only (i.e. lower prices increase drinking, higher prices have no effect) the most common outcome (62%). Compared to a high income/high drinking category, the lightest drinkers with a low income (adjusted odds ratio AOR = 1.78, 95% confidence intervals CI 1.38-2.30) or medium income (AOR = 1.88, CI 1.47-2.41) were most likely to be lower price elastic. Females were more likely than males to be lower price elastic (65% vs 57%) while the reverse was true for complete elasticity (20% vs 26%, P price of alcohol reduces consumption, and one in five of the surveyed population agreed; more work is required to increase this agreement to achieve public support for policy change. Such policy should also recognise that alcohol is an addictive drug, and the population may be prepared to pay more to drink the amount they now feel they need.

Global repeat discovery and estimation of genomic copy number in a large, complex genome using a high-throughput 454 sequence survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varala Kranthi

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Extensive computational and database tools are available to mine genomic and genetic databases for model organisms, but little genomic data is available for many species of ecological or agricultural significance, especially those with large genomes. Genome surveys using conventional sequencing techniques are powerful, particularly for detecting sequences present in many copies per genome. However these methods are time-consuming and have potential drawbacks. High throughput 454 sequencing provides an alternative method by which much information can be gained quickly and cheaply from high-coverage surveys of genomic DNA. Results We sequenced 78 million base-pairs of randomly sheared soybean DNA which passed our quality criteria. Computational analysis of the survey sequences provided global information on the abundant repetitive sequences in soybean. The sequence was used to determine the copy number across regions of large genomic clones or contigs and discover higher-order structures within satellite repeats. We have created an annotated, online database of sequences present in multiple copies in the soybean genome. The low bias of pyrosequencing against repeat sequences is demonstrated by the overall composition of the survey data, which matches well with past estimates of repetitive DNA content obtained by DNA re-association kinetics (Cot analysis. Conclusion This approach provides a potential aid to conventional or shotgun genome assembly, by allowing rapid assessment of copy number in any clone or clone-end sequence. In addition, we show that partial sequencing can provide access to partial protein-coding sequences.

Atlantic Protected Species Assessment Aerial Surveys

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These data sets include a compilation of aerial line-transect surveys conducted over continental shelf waters of the southeastern U.S. Surveys have been conducted...

Working towards residential Radon survey in South America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zielinski, Jan M.; University of Ottawa, ON; Canoba, Analia C.; Shilnikova, Natalia S.; Veiga, Lene H. S.

2008-01-01

Information about residential radon levels in low and middle income countries is very sparse. In response to the World Health Organization initiative in the International Radon Project, we propose a research project that will address this knowledge gap in South America by conducting a residential radon survey. Following initial in vitro and in vivo studies of radon and studies of uranium miners exposed to radon, over twenty large case-control studies of lung cancer risk from exposure to residential radon have been completed worldwide by year 2004. Recently pooled data from these individual studies have been analyzed. These collaborative analyses of the indoor studies in Europe, North America, and China provide strong direct evidence that radon is causing a substantial number of lung cancers in the general population. To reduce radon lung cancer risk, national authorities must have methods and tools based on solid scientific evidence to develop sound public health policies. We propose to conduct a survey in ten South American countries using the distribution and analysis of passive alpha tracking detectors in houses selected at random in pre-selected cities in each participating country. We also present an approach to estimate the cost of carrying out such a survey and the radon laboratory infrastructure needed. The results of the proposed survey will allow to conduct assessment of the exposure to residential radon in the populations of South American countries and to assess the health impact of this exposure. The results of the project will also help national health authorities in developing national residential radon action levels and regulations, as well as provide public health guidance for radon awareness and mitigation. (author)

Bowhead whale aerial abundance survey conducted by Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from 2011-04-19 to 2011-06-11 (NCEI Accession 0133937)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aerial photographic surveys for bowhead whales were conducted near Point Barrow, Alaska, from 19 April to 6 June in 2011. Approximately 4,594 photographs containing...

An Aerial Radiological Survey of the Nevada Test Site - Areas 18 and 20 Corrective Action Unit 372

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, Craig

2010-01-01

A series of aerial radiological surveys were conducted over the Little Feller I and II ground zero areas in Area 18 and the Palanquin and Cabriolet ground zero areas in Area 20. The surveys were performed in October and November 2009 utilizing a large array of helicopter mounted sodium iodide detectors. The purpose of the survey was to update the previous radiological survey levels of the environment and surrounding areas of the ground zeros. Gross Counts, inferred exposure rates, man-made activity, and Americium-241 activity, as calculated from the aerial data are presented in the form of isopleth maps superimposed on imagery of the surveyed areas.

Autonomous Sea-Ice Thickness Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

the conductivity of an infinitely thick slab of sea ice. Ice thickness, Hice, is then obtained by subtracting the height of the ...Thickness Survey of Sea Ice Runway” ERDC/CRREL SR-16-4 ii Abstract We conducted an autonomous survey of sea -ice thickness using the Polar rover Yeti...efficiency relative to manual surveys routinely con- ducted to assess the safety of roads and runways constructed on the sea ice. Yeti executed the

Atmospheric stellar parameters for large surveys using FASMA, a new spectral synthesis package

Science.gov (United States)

Tsantaki, M.; Andreasen, D. T.; Teixeira, G. D. C.; Sousa, S. G.; Santos, N. C.; Delgado-Mena, E.; Bruzual, G.

2018-02-01

In the era of vast spectroscopic surveys focusing on Galactic stellar populations, astronomers want to exploit the large quantity and good quality of data to derive their atmospheric parameters without losing precision from automatic procedures. In this work, we developed a new spectral package, FASMA, to estimate the stellar atmospheric parameters (namely effective temperature, surface gravity and metallicity) in a fast and robust way. This method is suitable for spectra of FGK-type stars in medium and high resolution. The spectroscopic analysis is based on the spectral synthesis technique using the radiative transfer code, MOOG. The line list is comprised of mainly iron lines in the optical spectrum. The atomic data are calibrated after the Sun and Arcturus. We use two comparison samples to test our method, (i) a sample of 451 FGK-type dwarfs from the high-resolution HARPS spectrograph; and (ii) the Gaia-ESO benchmark stars using both high and medium resolution spectra. We explore biases in our method from the analysis of synthetic spectra covering the parameter space of our interest. We show that our spectral package is able to provide reliable results for a wide range of stellar parameters, different rotational velocities, different instrumental resolutions and for different spectral regions of the VLT-GIRAFFE spectrographs, used amongst others for the Gaia-ESO survey. FASMA estimates stellar parameters in less than 15 m for high-resolution and 3 m for medium-resolution spectra. The complete package is publicly available to the community.

Large-Scale Star Formation-Driven Outflows at 13D-HST Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, Britt; Brammer, G.; Van Dokkum, P. G.; Bezanson, R.; Franx, M.; Fumagalli, M.; Momcheva, I. G.; Nelson, E.; Skelton, R.; Wake, D.; Whitaker, K. E.; da Cunha, E.; Erb, D.; Fan, X.; Kriek, M.; Labbe, I.; Marchesini, D.; Patel, S.; Rix, H.; Schmidt, K.; van der Wel, A.

2013-01-01

We present evidence of large-scale outflows from three low-mass star-forming galaxies observed at z=1.24, z=1.35 and z=1.75 in the 3D-HST Survey. Each of these galaxies is located within a projected physical distance of 60 kpc around the sight line to the quasar SDSS J123622.93+621526.6, which exhibits well-separated strong (W>0.8A) MgII absorption systems matching precisely to the redshifts of the three galaxies. We derive the star formation surface densities from the H-alpha emission in the WFC3 G141 grism observations for the galaxies and find that in each case the star formation surface density well-exceeds 0.1 solar mass / yr / kpc^2, the typical threshold for starburst galaxies in the local Universe. From a small but complete parallel census of the 0.650.8A MgII covering fraction of star-forming galaxies at 10.4A MgII absorbing gas around star-forming galaxies may evolve from 2 to the present, consistent with recent observations of an increasing collimation of star formation-driven outflows with time from 3.

Detection and management of depression in adult primary care patients in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional survey conducted by a primary care practice-based research network

OpenAIRE

Chan, KTY; Wong, SYS; Chiu, BCF; Chin, WY; Lam, TP; Lam, CLK; Fong, DYT; Lo, YCY

2014-01-01

Background This study aimed to examine the prevalence, risk factors, detection rates and management of primary care depression in Hong Kong. Methods A cross-sectional survey containing the PHQ-9 instrument was conducted on waiting room patients of 59 primary care doctors. Doctors blinded to the PHQ-9 scores reported whether they thought their patients had depression and their management. Results 10,179 patients completed the survey (response rate 81%). The prevalence of PHQ-9 positive screeni...

SpS1-Preparing for the harvest from large infrared surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Padgett, Deborah L.

2010-11-01

During the past decade, there has been a revolution in the availability of multi-wavelength astronomical surveys. From the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS), astronomical research based on publicly accessible datasets is becoming standard practice in the community. Beginning with the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) mission, infrared surveys have played a critical role in stellar astronomy by identifying cool and dusty stars worthy of spectroscopic characterization. IRAS' four photometric bands at 12, 25, 60, and 100 μm were ideal for detecting dusty circumstellar material. All-sky surveys like IRAS reveal the brightest members of each class of rare objects, optimizing their follow-up strategy. The case of debris disks around main sequence stars demonstrates this utility. IRAS detected dust disks around four nearby stars, Beta Pictoris, Fomalhaut, Epsilon Eridani, and Vega. The “Fabulous Four” remain the best studied debris disks, despite hundreds of additional examples discovered by the Spitzer Space Telescope. In the nearly 30 years since IRAS was launched, its highly reliable catalog of just 250000 sources, modest by modern standards, with arcminute scale resolution and 0.3 - 1 Jy sensitivity, has generated over 10,000 references in ADS. This is a success story by any measure.

GDOT employee survey.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-04

The research team worked in collaboration with GDOT to conduct the 2016 GDOT Employee Survey. This research study aimed to increase the response rate and the usefulness of the feedback from the GDOT employee survey to support organizational decisions...

Handwashing in 51 Countries: Analysis of Proxy Measures of Handwashing Behavior in Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys, 2010-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Swapna; Loughnan, Libbet; Luyendijk, Rolf; Hernandez, Orlando; Weinger, Merri; Arnold, Fred; Ram, Pavani K

2017-08-01

In 2009, a common set of questions addressing handwashing behavior was introduced into nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), providing large amounts of comparable data from numerous countries worldwide. The objective of this analysis is to describe global handwashing patterns using two proxy indicators for handwashing behavior from 51 DHS and MICS surveys conducted in 2010-2013: availability of soap anywhere in the dwelling and access to a handwashing place with soap and water. Data were also examined across geographic regions, wealth quintiles, and rural versus urban settings. We found large disparities for both indicators across regions, and even among countries within the same World Health Organization region. Within countries, households in lower wealth quintiles and in rural areas were less likely to have soap anywhere in the dwelling and at designated handwashing locations than households in higher wealth quintiles and urban areas. In addition, disparities existed among various geographic regions within countries. This analysis demonstrates the need to promote access to handwashing materials and placement at handwashing locations in the dwelling, particularly in poorer, rural areas where children are more vulnerable to handwashing-preventable syndromes such as pneumonia and diarrhea.

Fiscal 1995 geothermal development promotion survey. Natural environment survey report; 1995 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa. Shizen kankyo chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

In Candidate C area for the geothermal development survey, the natural environment was surveyed and `the secondary landscape assessment` was summed up in which places proposed for drilling of large-size wells and for construction of power generation facilities are extracted and a simulation of the landscape is conducted. The area for survey is the Shiramizu-gawa region in the south of Lake Akan, Akan-cho, Akan-gun, Hokkaido. The field survey was carried out about three items of landscape, plants and animals during the June-November period, 1995. As to the flora, diverse florae including vegetation unique to alpine areas, wetlands, and fumarole surrounding areas were found in the region, which is covered with summer-green broad-leaved forests or mixed forests of coniferous and broad-leaved trees. As to the fauna, faunae inhabitant of the highly natural forests were found including black woodpeckers and mountain hawk eagles. As a result of studying the places proposed for geothermal development from the above-mentioned survey, two places were picked up in the west of the survey area, where geothermal development is comparatively less influential in the natural environment and landscape and there is a high locational adaptability. 19 refs., 56 figs., 49 tabs.

Practical Bias Correction in Aerial Surveys of Large Mammals: Validation of Hybrid Double-Observer with Sightability Method against Known Abundance of Feral Horse (Equus caballus) Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lubow, Bruce C; Ransom, Jason I

2016-01-01

Reliably estimating wildlife abundance is fundamental to effective management. Aerial surveys are one of the only spatially robust tools for estimating large mammal populations, but statistical sampling methods are required to address detection biases that affect accuracy and precision of the estimates. Although various methods for correcting aerial survey bias are employed on large mammal species around the world, these have rarely been rigorously validated. Several populations of feral horses (Equus caballus) in the western United States have been intensively studied, resulting in identification of all unique individuals. This provided a rare opportunity to test aerial survey bias correction on populations of known abundance. We hypothesized that a hybrid method combining simultaneous double-observer and sightability bias correction techniques would accurately estimate abundance. We validated this integrated technique on populations of known size and also on a pair of surveys before and after a known number was removed. Our analysis identified several covariates across the surveys that explained and corrected biases in the estimates. All six tests on known populations produced estimates with deviations from the known value ranging from -8.5% to +13.7% and corrected by our statistical models. Our results validate the hybrid method, highlight its potentially broad applicability, identify some limitations, and provide insight and guidance for improving survey designs.

Radiological re-survey results at 130 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ029)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, M.E.; Johnson, C.A.

1994-01-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from 1916 to 1959. During the early years of operation, MCW stored wastes and residues in low-lying areas west of the processing facilities and consequently some of the residuals containing radioactive materials migrated offsite to the surrounding area. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), designated for remedial action the old MCW property and several vicinity properties. Additionally, in 1984, the property at 130 West Central Ave., Maywood, New Jersey and properties in its vicinity were included as a decontamination research and development project under the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. In 1987 and 1988, at the request of DOE, ORNL conducted a radiological survey on this property. A second radiological survey by ORNL was conducted on this property in May, 1993 at the request of DOE after an ad hoc radiological survey, requested by a new property owner and conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), identified some contamination not previously found by ORNL. The purpose of the survey was to determine if residuals from the old MCW were present on the property, and if so, if any radiological elements present were above guidelines. A certified civil survey was requisitioned by ORNL to determine actual property boundaries before beginning the radiological survey. The radiological re-survey included a surface gamma scan and the collection of a large number of soil samples for radionuclide analyses

New ultracool subdwarfs identified in large-scale surveys using Virtual Observatory tools. I. UKIDSS LAS DR5 vs. SDSS DR7

Science.gov (United States)

Lodieu, N.; Espinoza Contreras, M.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Solano, E.; Aberasturi, M.; Martín, E. L.

2012-06-01

Aims: The aim of the project is to improve our knowledge of the low-mass and low-metallicity population to investigate the influence of metallicity on the stellar (and substellar) mass function. Methods: We present the results of a photometric and proper motion search aimed at discovering ultracool subdwarfs in large-scale surveys. We employed and combined the Fifth Data Release (DR5) of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 complemented with ancillary data from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), the DEep Near-Infrared Survey (DENIS) and the SuperCOSMOS Sky Surveys (SSS). Results: The SDSS DR7 vs. UKIDSS LAS DR5 search returned a total of 32 ultracool subdwarf candidates, only two of which are recognised as a subdwarf in the literature. Twenty-seven candidates, including the two known ones, were followed-up spectroscopically in the optical between 600 and 1000 nm, thus covering strong spectral features indicative of low metallicity (e.g., CaH), 21 with the Very Large Telescope, one with the Nordic Optical Telescope, and five were extracted from the Sloan spectroscopic database to assess (or refute) their low-metal content. We confirm 20 candidates as subdwarfs, extreme subdwarfs, or ultra-subdwarfs with spectral types later than M5; this represents a success rate of ≥ 60%. Among those 20 new subdwarfs, we identify two early-L subdwarfs that are very likely located within 100 pc, which we propose as templates for future searches because they are the first examples of their subclass. Another seven sources are solar-metallicity M dwarfs with spectral types between M4 and M7 without Hα emission, suggesting that they are old M dwarfs. The remaining five candidates do not have spectroscopic follow-up yet; only one remains as a bona-fide ultracool subdwarf after revision of their proper motions. We assigned spectral types based on the current classification schemes and, when

EFFECT OF MEASUREMENT ERRORS ON PREDICTED COSMOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS FROM SHEAR PEAK STATISTICS WITH LARGE SYNOPTIC SURVEY TELESCOPE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bard, D.; Chang, C.; Kahn, S. M.; Gilmore, K.; Marshall, S. [KIPAC, Stanford University, 452 Lomita Mall, Stanford, CA 94309 (United States); Kratochvil, J. M.; Huffenberger, K. M. [Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124 (United States); May, M. [Physics Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); AlSayyad, Y.; Connolly, A.; Gibson, R. R.; Jones, L.; Krughoff, S. [Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Ahmad, Z.; Bankert, J.; Grace, E.; Hannel, M.; Lorenz, S. [Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Haiman, Z.; Jernigan, J. G., E-mail: djbard@slac.stanford.edu [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); and others

2013-09-01

We study the effect of galaxy shape measurement errors on predicted cosmological constraints from the statistics of shear peak counts with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). We use the LSST Image Simulator in combination with cosmological N-body simulations to model realistic shear maps for different cosmological models. We include both galaxy shape noise and, for the first time, measurement errors on galaxy shapes. We find that the measurement errors considered have relatively little impact on the constraining power of shear peak counts for LSST.

Survey and research for the enhancement of large-scale technology development 1. Japan's large-scale technology development and the effects; Ogata gijutsu kaihatsu suishin no tame no chosa kenkyu. 1. Nippon no daikibo gijutsu kaihatsu to sono koka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1981-03-01

A survey is conducted into the effects of projects implemented under the large-scale industrial technology research and development system. In the development of 'ultraperformance computers,' each of the technologies is being widely utilized, and the data service system of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation and the large computer (HITAC8800) owe much for their success to the fruits of the development endeavor. In the development of the 'desulfurization technology,' the fruits are in use by Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc., and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., incorporated into their desulfurization systems. Although there is no practical plant based on the 'great-depth remotely controlled submarine oil drilling rig,' yet oceanic technologies and control methods are being utilized in various fields. The 'seawater desalination and by-product utilization' technologies have enabled the establishment of technologies of the top level in the world thanks to the resultant manufacture of concrete evaporator and related technologies. Eleven plants have been completed utilizing the fruits of the development. In the field of 'electric vehicle,' there is no commercialization in progress due to problems in cost effectiveness though remarkable improvement has been achieved in terms of performance. Technologies about weight reduction, semiconductor devices, battery parts and components, etc., are being utilized in many fields. (NEDO)

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Markova, N.; Evans, C.J.; Bastian, N.; Beletsky, Y.; Bestenlehner, J.; Brott, I.; Cantiello, M.; Carraro, G.; Clark, J.S.; Crowther, P.A.; de Koter, A.; de Mink, S.E.; Doran, E.; Dufton, P.L.; Dunstall, P.; Gieles, M.; Graefener, G.; Henault-Brunet, V.; Herrero, A.; Howarth, I.D.; Langer, N.; Lennon, D.J.; Maiz-Appellaniz, J.; Najarro, F.; Puls, J.; Sana, H.A.A.; Simon-Diaz, S.; Smartts, S.J.; Stroud, V.E.; Taylor, W.D.; van Loon, J.T.; Vink, J.S.; Walborn, N.R.

2011-01-01

The Tarantula survey is an ESO Large Programme which has obtained multi- epochs spectroscopy of over 800 massive stars in the 30 Dor region in the Large Magelanic Cloud. Here we briefly describe the main drivers of the survey and the observational material derived.

Authoritarian parenting attitudes as a risk for conduct problems Results from a British national cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Anne; Hollis, Chris; Dagger, David Richards

2003-04-01

This study examines the associations, and possible causal relationship, between mothers' authoritarian attitudes to discipline and child behaviour using cross-sectional and prospective data from a large population sample surveyed in the 1970 British Cohort Study. Results show a clear linear relationship between the degree of maternal approval of authoritarian child-rearing attitudes and the rates of conduct problems at age 5 and age 10. This association is independent of the confounding effects of socio-economic status and maternal psychological distress. Maternal authoritarian attitudes independently predicted the development of conduct problems 5 years later at age 10. The results of this longitudinal study suggest that authoritarian parenting attitudes expressed by mothers may be of significance in the development of conduct problems.

On Survey Data Analysis in Corporate Finance

OpenAIRE

Serita, Toshio

2008-01-01

Recently, survey data analysis has emerged as a new method for testing hypotheses andfor clarifying the relative importance of different factors in corporate finance decisions. This paper investigates the advantages and drawbacks of survey data analysis, methodology of survey data analysis such as questionnaire design, and analytical methods for survey data, incomparison with traditional large sample analysis. We show that survey data analysis does not replace traditional large sample analysi...

The bedrock electrical conductivity structure of Northern Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Beamish, David

2013-08-01

An airborne geophysical survey of the whole of Northern Ireland has provided over 4.8 M estimates of the bedrock conductivity over the wide range of geological formations present. This study investigates how such data can be used to provide additional knowledge in relation to existing digital geological map information. A by-product of the analysis is a simplification of the spatially aggregated information obtained in such surveys. The methodology used is a GIS-based attribution of the conductivity estimates using a lithological classification of the bedrock formations. A 1:250k geological classification of the data is performed leading to a 56 unit lithological and geostatistical analysis of the conductivity information. The central moments (medians) of the classified data are used to provide a new digital bedrock conductivity map of Northern Ireland with values ranging from 0.32 to 41.36 mS m-1. This baseline map of conductivities displays a strong correspondence with an existing 4 quadrant, chrono-geological description of Northern Ireland. Once defined, the baseline conductivity map allows departures from the norm to be assessed across each specific lithological unit. Bulk electrical conductivity is controlled by a number of petrophysical parameters and it is their variation that is assessed by the procedures employed. The igneous rocks are found to display the largest variability in conductivity values and many of the statistical distributions are multi-modal. A sequence of low-value modes in these data are associated with intrusives within volcanic complexes. These and much older Neoproterzoic rocks appear to represent very low porosity formations that may be the product of rapid cooling during emplacement. By way of contrast, extensive flood basalts (the Antrim lavas) record a well-defined and much higher median value (12.24 mS m-1) although they display complex spatial behaviour in detail. Sedimentary rocks appear to follow the broad behaviours anticipated

The Paranormal is (Still) Normal: The Sociological Implications of a Survey of Paranormal Experiences in Great Britain

OpenAIRE

Castro, MA; Burrows, R; Wooffitt, R

2014-01-01

Historically, there has been limited sociological interest in the paranormal and no systematic study of reported paranormal experiences. There are also few medium-to-large-scale survey results with nationally representative populations focusing on paranormal experiences. This paper provides details of an exploratory survey conducted in 2009 with a nationally representative sample of 4,096 adults aged 16 years and over across Great Britain . Our findings show that 37 per cent of British adults...

Interpreting equilibrium-conductivity and conductivity-relaxation measurements to establish thermodynamic and transport properties for multiple charged defect conducting ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Huayang; Ricote, Sandrine; Coors, W Grover; Kee, Robert J

2015-01-01

A model-based interpretation of measured equilibrium conductivity and conductivity relaxation is developed to establish thermodynamic, transport, and kinetics parameters for multiple charged defect conducting (MCDC) ceramic materials. The present study focuses on 10% yttrium-doped barium zirconate (BZY10). In principle, using the Nernst-Einstein relationship, equilibrium conductivity measurements are sufficient to establish thermodynamic and transport properties. However, in practice it is difficult to establish unique sets of properties using equilibrium conductivity alone. Combining equilibrium and conductivity-relaxation measurements serves to significantly improve the quantitative fidelity of the derived material properties. The models are developed using a Nernst-Planck-Poisson (NPP) formulation, which enables the quantitative representation of conductivity relaxations caused by very large changes in oxygen partial pressure.

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evans, C.J.; Bastian, N.; Beletsky, Y.; Brott, I.; Cantiello, M.; Clark, J.S.; Crowther, P.A.; de Koter, A.; de Mink, S.E.; Dufton, P.L.; Dunstall, P.; Gieles, M.; Gräfener, G.; Hénault-Brunet, V.; Herrero, A.; Howarth, I.D.; Langer, N.; Lennon, D.J.; Maíz Apellániz, J.; Markova, N.; Najarro, F.; Puls, J.; Sana, H.; Simón-Díaz, S.; Smartt, S.J.; Stroud, V.E.; Taylor, W.D.; Trundle, C.; van Loon, J.T.; Vink, J.S.; Walborn, N.R.

2010-01-01

The Tarantula Survey is an ambitious ESO Large Programme that has obtained multi-epoch spectroscopy of over 1000 massive stars in the 30 Doradus region in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Here, we introduce the scientific motivations of the survey and give an overview of the observational sample.

MAX and Survey Linkages

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — CMS is interested in linking MAX files with survey data, including four surveys conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) - the National Health...

Gender differences in volunteer activities: Evidence from German survey data

OpenAIRE

Marcus Dittrich; Bianka Mey

2015-01-01

Using unique data from a large-scale online survey conducted in Germany, we examine gender differences in volunteering for charitable organisations. Our findings suggest that men are more likely than women to engage in regular volunteer activities. Additionally, we find that men devote more time to charitable causes than women. However, disaggregating the volunteer labour supply by different organisations reveals that women spend more time performing volunteer work for organisations that help...

Ownership Characteristics and Access to Finance: Evidence from a Survey of Large Privatised Companies in Hungary and Poland

OpenAIRE

Isachenkova, N.; Mickiewicz, T.

2003-01-01

We examine financial constraints and forms of finance used for investment, by analysing survey data on 157 large privatised companies in Hungary and Poland for the period 1998 - 2000. The Bayesian analysis using Gibbs sampling is carried out to obtain inferences about the sample companies' access to finance from a model for categorical outcome. By applying alternative measures of financial constraints we find that foreign companies, companies that are part of domestic industrial groups and en...

Responsible Conduct of Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Faculty and Student Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Minifie, Fred D.; Robey, Randall R.; Horner, Jennifer; Ingham, Janis C.; Lansing, Charissa; McCartney, James H.; Alldredge, Elham-Eid; Slater, Sarah C.; Moss, Sharon E.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Two Web-based surveys (Surveys I and II) were used to assess perceptions of faculty and students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) regarding the responsible conduct of research (RCR). Method: Survey questions addressed 9 RCR domains thought important to the responsible conduct of research: (a) human subjects protections; (b)…

Survey of Canadian hospitals radiation emergency plans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, C [Social Data Research Ltd./The Flett Consulting Group, Inc., Ottawa, ON (Canada)

1996-02-01

This report documents the findings of a survey of Canadian hospitals conducted by Social Data Research Ltd. during the Spring and Summer, 1995. The main objective of the survey was to determine the state of readiness of Canadian hospitals in respect of radiation emergency planning. In addition, the AECB was interested in knowing the extent to which a report by the Group of Medical Advisors, `GMA-3: Guidelines on Hospital Emergency Plans for the Management of Minor Radiation Accidents`, which was sponsored and distributed in 1993, was received and was useful to hospital administrators and emergency personnel. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 598 acute care hospitals, and 274 responses were received. The main conclusion of this study is that, with the exception of a few large institutions, hospitals generally do not have specific action plans to handle minor radiation accidents. (author).

Survey of Canadian hospitals radiation emergency plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, C.

1996-02-01

This report documents the findings of a survey of Canadian hospitals conducted by Social Data Research Ltd. during the Spring and Summer, 1995. The main objective of the survey was to determine the state of readiness of Canadian hospitals in respect of radiation emergency planning. In addition, the AECB was interested in knowing the extent to which a report by the Group of Medical Advisors, 'GMA-3: Guidelines on Hospital Emergency Plans for the Management of Minor Radiation Accidents', which was sponsored and distributed in 1993, was received and was useful to hospital administrators and emergency personnel. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 598 acute care hospitals, and 274 responses were received. The main conclusion of this study is that, with the exception of a few large institutions, hospitals generally do not have specific action plans to handle minor radiation accidents. (author)

Survey of Visitors to Bornholm 2001

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartl, Ann; Rassing, Charlotte

In July 1995 the Research Centre of Bornholm (now: Centre for Regional and Tourism Research) began conducting a survey among visitors to Bornholm. The survey is being conducted in order to assess the nature of tourism demand in peripheral areas, using Bornholm as a case example for the purposes...... of fieldwork. During the first year people arriving and departing by ferry and plane were interviewed. Since July 1996 only people departing by ferry have been interviewed. The overall objective is to provide a comprehensive description of visitors to Bornholm that was in keeping with the standard analysis...... of destination surveys. Because the survey has been conducted for six and a half year (since July 1995) the data can also disclose trends in visitor patterns. The passenger survey carried out by the Centre for Regional and Tourism Research is, to our knowledge, the largest of its kind carried out in Denmark....

Survey of Visitors to Bornholm 2002

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartl, Ann

In July 1995 the Research Centre of Bornholm (now: Centre for Regional and Tourism Research) began conducting a survey among visitors to Bornholm. The survey was conducted in order to assess the nature of tourism demand in peripheral areas, using Bornholm as a case example for the purposes...... of fieldwork. During the first year people arriving and departing by ferry and plane were interviewed. From July 1996 only people departing by ferry were interviewed. The overall objective is to provide a comprehensive description of visitors to Bornholm that was in keeping with the standard analysis...... of destination surveys. Because the survey has been conducted for seven and a half year altogether, the data can also disclose trends in visitor patterns. The passenger survey carried out by the Centre for Regional and Tourism Research is, to our knowledge, the largest of its kind carried out in Denmark....

Heliborne time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) surveys for uranium exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaturvedi, A.K.

2015-01-01

Airborne geophysical surveys have been used extensively in petroleum, mineral exploration, and environmental mapping. Of all the geophysical methods, Electromagnetic (EM) methods, both ground and airborne are used to map the conductive ore bodies buried in the resistive bed rock. Mapping resistivity variations can help unravel complex geological problems and identify areas of hidden potential. Besides the traditional applications to ground water investigations and other natural resource exploration and geological mapping, a number of new applications have been reported. These include hazardous-waste characterization studies, precision agriculture applications, archaeological surveys etc. Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) methods have undergone rapid improvements over the past few decades. Several new airborne Time Do-main EM (TDEM) systems appeared; existing systems were updated and/or enhanced. The use of natural field (passive) EM surveys continued to increase, with new or improved systems becoming available for both airborne and ground surveys. The number of large airborne survey systems with combined EM, magnetic, gravimetric and gamma-ray spectrometric capabilities also increased. Exploration of a mineral deposit is a multi-stage and multi-disciplinary approach that commences from regional investigations and concludes with establishing of a deposit. As economics play a major role in exploration, a proper integrated study is always beneficial in narrowing down the potential mineral target zones. Heliborne geophysical surveys are being conducted world-wide for exploration of base metals, gold, phosphorite, oil, uranium etc. that are very effective tool in identifying zones of interest accurately, economically and with less span of time. These surveys give a very good insight of surface and sub-surface geophysical signatures that can be attributed to geology with proper modeling. Heliborne Time - domain Electromagnetic (TEM) methods are well known for search of

Radiological re-survey results at 146 West Central Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey (MJ034)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, M.E.; Johnson, C.A.

1994-05-01

Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) of Maywood, New Jersey, generated process wastes and residues associated with the production and refining of thorium and thorium compounds from 1916 to 1959. During the early years of operation, MCW stored wastes and residues in low-lying areas west of the processing facilities and consequently some of the residuals containing radioactive materials migrated offsite to the surrounding area. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) designated for remedial action the old MCW property and several vicinity properties. Additionally, in 1984, the property at 146 West Central Ave., Maywood, New Jersey and properties in its vicinity were included as a decontamination research and development project under the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. In 1987 and 1988, at the request of DOE, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) conducted a radiological survey on this property. A report describing this survey was published in 1989. A second radiological survey by ORNL was conducted on this property in May 1993 at the request of DOE after an ad hoc radiological survey, requested by the property owner and conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI), identified some contamination not previously found by ORNL. The purpose of the second ORNL survey was to determine whether radioactive materials from the old MCW were present on the property, and if so, if radioactive materials present were above guidelines. A certified civil survey was requisitioned by ORNL to determine actual property boundaries before beginning the radiological re-survey. The re-survey included a surface gamma scan and the collection of a large number of soil samples for radionuclide analyses. Results of this survey demonstrated that although elevated residual thorium-232 contamination was present in a few isolated spots on the southern end of the backyard, it did not exceed DOE guidelines

Mass Functions of the Active Black Holes in Distant Quasars from the Large Bright Quasar Survey, the Bright Quasar Survey, and the Color-Selected Sample of the SDSS Fall Equatorial Stripe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Marianne; Osmer, Patrick S.

2009-01-01

We present mass functions of distant actively accreting supermassive black holes residing in luminous quasars discovered in the Large Bright Quasar Survey, the Bright Quasar Survey, and the Fall Equatorial Stripe of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The quasars cover a wide range of redshifts (0...... functions at similar redshifts based on the SDSS Data Release 3 quasar catalog presented by Vestergaard et al. We see clear evidence of cosmic downsizing in the comoving space density distribution of active black holes in the LBQS sample alone. In forthcoming papers, further analysis, comparison......, and discussion of these mass functions will be made with other existing black hole mass functions, notably that based on the SDSS DR3 quasar catalog. We present the relationships used to estimate the black hole mass based on the MgII emission line; the relations are calibrated to the Hbeta and CIV relations...

Recent Developments in Language Assessment and the Case of Four Large-Scale Tests of ESOL Ability

Science.gov (United States)

Stoynoff, Stephen

2009-01-01

This review article surveys recent developments and validation activities related to four large-scale tests of L2 English ability: the iBT TOEFL, the IELTS, the FCE, and the TOEIC. In addition to describing recent changes to these tests, the paper reports on validation activities that were conducted on the measures. The results of this research…

77 FR 19673 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance To Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-02

... Request; Generic Clearance To Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner Surveys SUMMARY: In compliance with the... to Conduct Voluntary Customer/Partner Surveys; Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of... directly to the public to survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and...

Geophex airborne unmanned survey system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, I.J.; Taylor, D.W.A.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this effort is to design, construct, and evaluate a portable, remotely-piloted, airborne, geophysical survey system. This nonintrusive system will provide open-quotes stand-offclose quotes capability to conduct surveys and detect buried objects, structures, and conditions of interest at hazardous locations. This system permits two operators to rapidly conduct geophysical characterization of hazardous environmental sites. During a survey, the operators remain remote from, but within visual distance, of, the site. The sensor system never contacts the Earth, but can be positioned near the ground so that weak anomalies can be detected

Theory of super-para-electric large polaron for gigantic photo-enhancements of dielectric constant and electronic conductivity in SrTiO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Qiu; Nasu, Keiichiro

2005-01-01

In connection with the recent experimental discoveries on gigantic photoenhancements of the electronic conductivity and the quasi-static dielectric susceptibility in SrTiO 3 , we theoretically study a photo-generation mechanism of a charged ferroelectric domain in this quantum dielectric. The photo-generated electron, being quite itinerant in the 3d band of Ti 4+ , is assumed to couple weakly but quadratically with soft-anharmonic T 1u phonons in this quantum dielectric. The photo-generated electron is also assumed to couple strongly but linearly with the breathing type high energy phonons. Using a tight binding model for electron, we will show that these two types of electron-phonon couplings result in two types of polarons, a 'super-para-electric (SPE) large polaron' with a quasi-global parity violation, and an 'off-centre type self-trapped polaron' with only a local parity violation. We will also show that this SPE large polaron is nothing else but a singly charged (e - ) and conductive ferroelectric (or SPE) domain with a quasi macroscopic size. This polaron or domain is also shown to have a high mobility and a large quasi-static dielectric susceptibility

ILearning and EHomeStudy: Multimedia Training and Assessments for Field Survey Staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Loftis

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Survey data collection projects strive to collect high quality data from survey respondents. The quality of the data collected is greatly dependent upon the effectiveness of field interviewers (FIs to conduct inperson screenings and interviews. Training FIs and subsequently assessing their knowledge of project protocol, methods and interviewing techniques is critical to the overall success of any data collection effort. For large surveys, as the number of FIs increase, the cost of inperson training can become prohibitively large. As a cost effective solution to increase the quality of the field data, we developed a suite of web and media based training and assessment tools called iLearning and eHomeStudy for training field staff. Besides saving the project costs associated with inperson training, we are also able to provide refresher trainings throughout the year. This application also enables FIs to view standardized training courses at their convenience and at their own pace. This paper describes the technical details, key features and benefits of this application suite, and also it includes some details on user satisfaction and future directions.

Research on the Application of Rapid Surveying and Mapping for Large Scare Topographic Map by Uav Aerial Photography System

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Z.; Song, Y.; Li, C.; Zeng, F.; Wang, F.

2017-08-01

Rapid acquisition and processing method of large scale topographic map data, which relies on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) low-altitude aerial photogrammetry system, is studied in this paper, elaborating the main work flow. Key technologies of UAV photograph mapping is also studied, developing a rapid mapping system based on electronic plate mapping system, thus changing the traditional mapping mode and greatly improving the efficiency of the mapping. Production test and achievement precision evaluation of Digital Orth photo Map (DOM), Digital Line Graphic (DLG) and other digital production were carried out combined with the city basic topographic map update project, which provides a new techniques for large scale rapid surveying and has obvious technical advantage and good application prospect.

Large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK channel: Activation by Ca2+ and voltage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RAMÓN LATORRE

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK channels belong to the S4 superfamily of K+ channels that include voltage-dependent K+ (Kv channels characterized by having six (S1-S6 transmembrane domains and a positively charged S4 domain. As Kv channels, BK channels contain a S4 domain, but they have an extra (S0 transmembrane domain that leads to an external NH2-terminus. The BK channel is activated by internal Ca2+, and using chimeric channels and mutagenesis, three distinct Ca2+-dependent regulatory mechanisms with different divalent cation selectivity have been identified in its large COOH-terminus. Two of these putative Ca2+-binding domains activate the BK channel when cytoplasmic Ca2+ reaches micromolar concentrations, and a low Ca2+ affinity mechanism may be involved in the physiological regulation by Mg2+. The presence in the BK channel of multiple Ca2+-binding sites explains the huge Ca2+ concentration range (0.1 μM-100 μM in which the divalent cation influences channel gating. BK channels are also voltage-dependent, and all the experimental evidence points toward the S4 domain as the domain in charge of sensing the voltage. Calcium can open BK channels when all the voltage sensors are in their resting configuration, and voltage is able to activate channels in the complete absence of Ca2+. Therefore, Ca2+ and voltage act independently to enhance channel opening, and this behavior can be explained using a two-tiered allosteric gating mechanism.

A frailty instrument for primary care: findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Romero-Ortuno, Roman

2010-01-01

A frailty paradigm would be useful in primary care to identify older people at risk, but appropriate metrics at that level are lacking. We created and validated a simple instrument for frailty screening in Europeans aged ≥50. Our study is based on the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, http:\\/\\/www.share-project.org), a large population-based survey conducted in 2004-2005 in twelve European countries.

PSYM-WIDE: A Survey for Large-separation Planetary-mass Companions to Late Spectral Type Members of Young Moving Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Naud, Marie-Eve; Artigau, Étienne; Doyon, René; Malo, Lison; Gagné, Jonathan; Lafrenière, David; Wolf, Christian; Magnier, Eugene A.

2017-09-01

We present the results of a direct imaging survey for very large separation (>100 au), low-mass companions around 95 nearby young K5-L5 stars and brown dwarfs. They are high-likelihood candidates or confirmed members of the young (≲150 Myr) β Pictoris and AB Doradus moving groups (ABDMG) and the TW Hya, Tucana-Horologium, Columba, Carina, and Argus associations. Images in I\\prime and z\\prime filters were obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South to search for companions down to an apparent magnitude of z\\prime ˜ 22-24 at separations ≳20″ from the targets and in the remainder of the wide 5.‧5 × 5.‧5 GMOS field of view. This allowed us to probe the most distant region where planetary-mass companions could be gravitationally bound to the targets. This region was left largely unstudied by past high-contrast imaging surveys, which probed much closer-in separations. This survey led to the discovery of a planetary-mass (9-13 {M}{Jup}) companion at 2000 au from the M3V star GU Psc, a highly probable member of ABDMG. No other substellar companions were identified. These results allowed us to constrain the frequency of distant planetary-mass companions (5-13 {M}{Jup}) to {0.84}-0.66+6.73% (95% confidence) at semimajor axes between 500 and 5000 au around young K5-L5 stars and brown dwarfs. This is consistent with other studies suggesting that gravitationally bound planetary-mass companions at wide separations from low-mass stars are relatively rare.

Technology survey on video face tracking

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tong; Gomes, Herman Martins

2014-03-01

With the pervasiveness of monitoring cameras installed in public areas, schools, hospitals, work places and homes, video analytics technologies for interpreting these video contents are becoming increasingly relevant to people's lives. Among such technologies, human face detection and tracking (and face identification in many cases) are particularly useful in various application scenarios. While plenty of research has been conducted on face tracking and many promising approaches have been proposed, there are still significant challenges in recognizing and tracking people in videos with uncontrolled capturing conditions, largely due to pose and illumination variations, as well as occlusions and cluttered background. It is especially complex to track and identify multiple people simultaneously in real time due to the large amount of computation involved. In this paper, we present a survey on literature and software that are published or developed during recent years on the face tracking topic. The survey covers the following topics: 1) mainstream and state-of-the-art face tracking methods, including features used to model the targets and metrics used for tracking; 2) face identification and face clustering from face sequences; and 3) software packages or demonstrations that are available for algorithm development or trial. A number of publically available databases for face tracking are also introduced.

Galaxy Evolution Insights from Spectral Modeling of Large Data Sets from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoversten, Erik A. [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States)

2007-10-01

This thesis centers on the use of spectral modeling techniques on data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to gain new insights into current questions in galaxy evolution. The SDSS provides a large, uniform, high quality data set which can be exploited in a number of ways. One avenue pursued here is to use the large sample size to measure precisely the mean properties of galaxies of increasingly narrow parameter ranges. The other route taken is to look for rare objects which open up for exploration new areas in galaxy parameter space. The crux of this thesis is revisiting the classical Kennicutt method for inferring the stellar initial mass function (IMF) from the integrated light properties of galaxies. A large data set (~ 10⁵ galaxies) from the SDSS DR4 is combined with more in-depth modeling and quantitative statistical analysis to search for systematic IMF variations as a function of galaxy luminosity. Galaxy Hα equivalent widths are compared to a broadband color index to constrain the IMF. It is found that for the sample as a whole the best fitting IMF power law slope above 0.5 M_⊙ is Γ = 1.5 ± 0.1 with the error dominated by systematics. Galaxies brighter than around M_r,0.1 = -20 (including galaxies like the Milky Way which has M_r,0.1 ~ -21) are well fit by a universal Γ ~ 1.4 IMF, similar to the classical Salpeter slope, and smooth, exponential star formation histories (SFH). Fainter galaxies prefer steeper IMFs and the quality of the fits reveal that for these galaxies a universal IMF with smooth SFHs is actually a poor assumption. Related projects are also pursued. A targeted photometric search is conducted for strongly lensed Lyman break galaxies (LBG) similar to MS1512-cB58. The evolution of the photometric selection technique is described as are the results of spectroscopic follow-up of the best targets. The serendipitous discovery of two interesting blue compact dwarf galaxies is reported. These

Optimum Depth of Investigation and Conductivity Response Rejection of the Different Electromagnetic Devices Measuring Apparent Magnetic Susceptibility

OpenAIRE

Benech , Christophe; Marmet , Eric

1999-01-01

International audience; Electromagnetic susceptibility surveys are valuable for archaeological prospection owing to their ability to cover large areas of land. Their use, however, is often compromised by the conductivity influence of the soil and the limited investigation depth of the susceptibility response. To examine these constraints further, we compared the characteristics of two types of apparatus: coincident loop (e.g. Bartington MS2 field coil) and 'Slingram' instruments (EM38, SH3, C...

Idaho Transportation Department 2016 Customer Communication Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-23

In 2016, the Idaho Transportation Department contracted with the University of Idaho's Social Science Research Unit to conduct a survey on the general public's engagement and communication with the department. The goal of conducting this survey was t...

Homogeneous transparent conductive ZnO:Ga by ALD for large LED wafers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szabó, Zoltán; Baji, Zsófia [MTA EK Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Konkoly Thege M. út 29-33, 1121 Budapest (Hungary); Basa, Péter [Semilab Semiconductor Physics Laboratory Co. Ltd., Prielle K. u. 2, H-1117 Budapest (Hungary); Czigány, Zsolt; Bársony, István [MTA EK Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Konkoly Thege M. út 29-33, 1121 Budapest (Hungary); Wang, Hsin-Ying [Epistar corporation No 5, Li-hsin 5th Rd., Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China); Volk, János, E-mail: volk@mfa.kfki.hu [MTA EK Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Konkoly Thege M. út 29-33, 1121 Budapest (Hungary)

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Highly conductive, transparent GZO layers were deposited by ALD. • The ALD layers show superior thickness and sheet resistance homogeneity for 4” wafers. • A two-step ALD deposition technique was proposed and demonstrated to improve the quality of GZO/p-GaN interface. - Abstract: Highly conductive and uniform Ga doped ZnO (GZO) films were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) as transparent conductive layers for InGaN/GaN LEDs. The optimal Ga doping concentration was found to be 3 at%. Even for 4” wafers, the TCO layer shows excellent homogeneity of film resistivity (0.8 %) according to Eddy current and spectroscopic ellipsometry mapping. This makes ALD a favourable technique over concurrent methods like MBE and PLD where the up-scaling is problematic. In agreement with previous studies, it was found that by an annealing treatment the quality of the GZO/p-GaN interface can be improved, although it causes the degradation of TCO conductivity. Therefore, a two-step ALD deposition technique was proposed and demonstrated: a “buffer layer” deposited and annealed first was followed by a second deposition step to maintain the high conductivity of the top layer.

Robotic and Survey Telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Woźniak, Przemysław

Robotic telescopes are revolutionizing the way astronomers collect their dataand conduct sky surveys. This chapter begins with a discussion of principles thatguide the process of designing, constructing, and operating telescopes andobservatories that offer a varying degree of automation, from instruments remotelycontrolled by observers to fully autonomous systems requiring no humansupervision during their normal operations. Emphasis is placed on designtrade-offs involved in building end-to-end systems intended for a wide range ofscience applications. The second part of the chapter contains descriptions ofseveral projects and instruments, both existing and currently under development.It is an attempt to provide a representative selection of actual systems thatillustrates state of the art in technology, as well as important ideas and milestonesin the development of the field. The list of presented instruments spans the fullrange in size starting from small all-sky monitors, through midrange robotic andsurvey telescopes, and finishing with large robotic instruments and surveys.Explosive growth of telescope networking is enabling entirely new modesof interaction between the survey and follow-up observing. Increasingimportance of standardized communication protocols and software is stressed.These developments are driven by the fusion of robotic telescope hardware,massive storage and databases, real-time knowledge extraction, and datacross-correlation on a global scale. The chapter concludes with examplesof major science results enabled by these new technologies and futureprospects.

Coverage of the migrant population in large-scale assessment surveys. Experiences from PIAAC in Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Débora B. Maehler

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background European countries, and especially Germany, are currently very much affected by human migration flows, with the result that the task of integration has become a challenge. Only very little empirical evidence on topics such as labor market participation and processes of social integration of migrant subpopulations is available to date from large-scale population surveys. The present paper provides an overview of the representation of the migrant population in the German Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC sample and evaluates reasons for the under-coverage of this population. Methods We examine outcome rates and reasons for nonresponse among the migrant population based on sampling frame data, and we also examine para data from the interviewers’ contact protocols to evaluate time patterns for the successful contacting of migrants. Results and Conclusions This is the first time that results of this kind have been presented for a large-scale assessment in educational research. These results are also discussed in the context of future PIAAC cycles. Overall, they confirm the expectations in the literature that factors such as language problems result in lower contact and response rates among migrants.

Electrical Resistivity Survey For Conductive Soils At Gas Turbine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ten (10) vertical electrical soundings (VES) using Schlumberger configuration were carried out to delineate subsurface conductive soils for the design of earthling grid for electrical materials installation at the Gas Turbine Station, Ajaokuta, SW Nigeria. Interpretation of the resistivity data revealed three major geoelectric ...

The Big Drink Debate: perceptions of the impact of price on alcohol consumption from a large scale cross-sectional convenience survey in north west England

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Briant Linford

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A large-scale survey was conducted in 2008 in north west England, a region with high levels of alcohol-related harm, during a regional 'Big Drink Debate' campaign. The aim of this paper is to explore perceptions of how alcohol consumption would change if alcohol prices were to increase or decrease. Methods A convenience survey of residents (≥ 18 years of north west England measured demographics, income, alcohol consumption in previous week, and opinions on drinking behaviour under two pricing conditions: low prices and discounts and increased alcohol prices (either 'decrease', 'no change' or 'increase'. Multinomial logistic regression used three outcomes: 'completely elastic' (consider that lower prices increase drinking and higher prices decrease drinking; 'lower price elastic' (lower prices increase drinking, higher prices have no effect; and 'price inelastic' (no change for either. Results Of 22,780 drinkers surveyed, 80.3% considered lower alcohol prices and discounts would increase alcohol consumption, while 22.1% thought raising prices would decrease consumption, making lower price elasticity only (i.e. lower prices increase drinking, higher prices have no effect the most common outcome (62%. Compared to a high income/high drinking category, the lightest drinkers with a low income (adjusted odds ratio AOR = 1.78, 95% confidence intervals CI 1.38-2.30 or medium income (AOR = 1.88, CI 1.47-2.41 were most likely to be lower price elastic. Females were more likely than males to be lower price elastic (65% vs 57% while the reverse was true for complete elasticity (20% vs 26%, P Conclusions Lower pricing increases alcohol consumption, and the alcohol industry's continued focus on discounting sales encourages higher drinking levels. International evidence suggests increasing the price of alcohol reduces consumption, and one in five of the surveyed population agreed; more work is required to increase this agreement to achieve

Basic survey for coal resources exploitation for Fiscal 1998. Coal GIS survey; 1998 nendo seitan shigeh kaihatsu kiso chosa. Sekitan GIS chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

For the construction of a coal mine assessment technology system, surveys are conducted on the current state and technology trends of resources-related GIS (geographical information system) in other countries. When one ponders over coal-rich areas to be newly explored and developed in one's study on the stable exploitation of coal abroad and its import to this country, what interests one gradually shifts from known superior large-scale coal mine areas to next-generation coal mine areas yet to be exploited. Accordingly, it is mandatory to build an assessment-oriented comprehensive technology system capable of promptly dealing with any changes in natural, geological conditions that may be presented by coal mines to be exploited. Although GIS is recognized as a useful means not only in the field of natural science but also in other fields whose data may be plotted on a map, its position is not yet established when it comes to coal resources. It is therefore necessary to promptly introduce GIS into the field of coal. In fiscal 1998, on-site surveys were conducted not only in Japan but also in the U.S., Canada, and Australia who are senior to Japan in terms of GIS application. Also, information was collected from literature and via Internet, surveys were conducted about the use of GIS in the field of earth science especially in the field of coal resources, and the state of the digital data utilizing setup indispensable for the proper operation of GIS was investigated. (NEDO)

Summary of U.S. Geological Survey studies conducted in cooperation with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, central Oklahoma, 2011–14

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, William J.; Becker, Carol J.; Ryter, Derek W.; Smith, S. Jerrod

2016-01-19

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted hydrologic studies and published three U.S. Geological Survey scientific investigations reports in cooperation with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation from 2011 to 2014 to characterize the quality and quantity of water resources. The study areas of those reports consisted of approximately 960 square miles in parts of three counties in central Oklahoma. This study area has multiple abundant sources of water, being underlain by three principal aquifers (alluvial/terrace, Central Oklahoma, and Vamoosa-Ada), being bordered by two major rivers (North Canadian and Canadian), and having several smaller drainages including the Little River in the central part of the study area and Salt Creek in the southeastern part of the study area. The Central Oklahoma aquifer (also referred to as the “Garber-Wellington aquifer”) underlies approximately 3,000 square miles in central Oklahoma in parts of Cleveland, Logan, Lincoln, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie Counties and much of the study area. Water from these aquifers is used for municipal, industrial, commercial, agricultural, and domestic supplies.

76 FR 58420 - Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-21

...] RIN 0691-AA80 Direct Investment Surveys: BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the... of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. Benchmark surveys are conducted every five years; the prior survey covered 2007. The benchmark survey covers the universe of foreign direct investment...

Global coverage of cetacean line-transect surveys: status quo, data gaps and future challenges.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristin Kaschner

Full Text Available Knowledge of abundance, trends and distribution of cetacean populations is needed to inform marine conservation efforts, ecosystem models and spatial planning. We compiled a geo-spatial database of published data on cetacean abundance from dedicated visual line-transect surveys and encoded >1100 abundance estimates for 47 species from 430 surveys conducted worldwide from 1975-2005. Our subsequent analyses revealed large spatial, temporal and taxonomic variability and gaps in survey coverage. With the exception of Antarctic waters, survey coverage was biased toward the northern hemisphere, especially US and northern European waters. Overall, <25% of the world's ocean surface was surveyed and only 6% had been covered frequently enough (≥ 5 times to allow trend estimation. Almost half the global survey effort, defined as total area (km(2 covered by all survey study areas across time, was concentrated in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP. Neither the number of surveys conducted nor the survey effort had increased in recent years. Across species, an average of 10% of a species' predicted range had been covered by at least one survey, but there was considerable variation among species. With the exception of three delphinid species, <1% of all species' ranges had been covered frequently enough for trend analysis. Sperm whales emerged from our analyses as a relatively data-rich species. This is a notoriously difficult species to survey visually, and we use this as an example to illustrate the challenges of using available data from line-transect surveys for the detection of trends or for spatial planning. We propose field and analytical methods to fill in data gaps to improve cetacean conservation efforts.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Trinidad

OpenAIRE

Clement, Y. N.; Baksh-Comeau, Y. S.; Seaforth, C. E.

2015-01-01

Background An ethnobotanical survey was conducted on the Caribbean island of Trinidad to identify medicinal plants commonly used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of medical conditions. Methods A pilot survey was conducted to identify the top ten most common ailments where medicinal plants were used. The results of the foregoing study guided a wider national survey conducted between October 2007 and July 2008. A total of 450 households from 50 rural communities were interviewed using...

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of the Marianas since 2014

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct benthic surveys, assessing large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching) and quantifying benthic components such as habitat...

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of American Samoa in 2015

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct benthic surveys, assessing large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching) and quantifying benthic components such as habitat...

What are decision making styles for international apparel brands in a large emerging market?

OpenAIRE

De Mattos, Claudio; Salciuviene, Laura; Auruskeviciene, Vilte; Juneja, Garima

2015-01-01

The main purpose of the paper is to identify consumer decision making styles based on Sproles & Kendall's (1986) framework in a large emerging market for international apparel brands. An online questionnaire-based survey with individual Indian consumers was conducted. The results of this study identify five consumer decision making styles among Indian consumers when selecting international apparel brands. The findings also suggest significant statistical differences between males and fema...

Geophex airborne unmanned survey system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, I.J.; Taylor, D.W.A.

1995-03-01

The purpose of this effort is to design, construct, and evaluate a portable, remotely-piloted, airborne, geophysical survey system. This nonintrusive system will provide {open_quotes}stand-off{close_quotes} capability to conduct surveys and detect buried objects, structures, and conditions of interest at hazardous locations. This system permits two operators to rapidly conduct geophysical characterization of hazardous environmental sites. During a survey, the operators remain remote from, but within visual distance, of, the site. The sensor system never contacts the Earth, but can be positioned near the ground so that weak anomalies can be detected.

Survey research.

Science.gov (United States)

Alderman, Amy K; Salem, Barbara

2010-10-01

Survey research is a unique methodology that can provide insight into individuals' perspectives and experiences and can be collected on a large population-based sample. Specifically, in plastic surgery, survey research can provide patients and providers with accurate and reproducible information to assist with medical decision-making. When using survey methods in research, researchers should develop a conceptual model that explains the relationships of the independent and dependent variables. The items of the survey are of primary importance. Collected data are only useful if they accurately measure the concepts of interest. In addition, administration of the survey must follow basic principles to ensure an adequate response rate and representation of the intended target sample. In this article, the authors review some general concepts important for successful survey research and discuss the many advantages this methodology has for obtaining limitless amounts of valuable information.

A Survey of Marketing and Market Research Activities in Two and Four-Year Colleges and Universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Janet D.; And Others

A survey of marketing and market research activities in large, urban, two- and four-year colleges was conducted to identify the nature of marketing problems faced by institutions; current and preferred emphasis placed on market research activities; modes of assessing the needs of target groups and developing appropriate programs; the location of…

The Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II Supernova Survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sako, Masao; Bassett, Bruce; C. Becker, Andrew

2014-01-01

This paper describes the data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) Supernova Survey conducted between 2005 and 2007. Light curves, spectra, classifications, and ancillary data are presented for 10,258 variable and transient sources discovered through repeat ugriz imaging of SDSS S...

Talking About The Smokes: a large-scale, community-based participatory research project.

Science.gov (United States)

Couzos, Sophia; Nicholson, Anna K; Hunt, Jennifer M; Davey, Maureen E; May, Josephine K; Bennet, Pele T; Westphal, Darren W; Thomas, David P

2015-06-01

To describe the Talking About The Smokes (TATS) project according to the World Health Organization guiding principles for conducting community-based participatory research (PR) involving indigenous peoples, to assist others planning large-scale PR projects. The TATS project was initiated in Australia in 2010 as part of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project, and surveyed a representative sample of 2522 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults to assess the impact of tobacco control policies. The PR process of the TATS project, which aimed to build partnerships to create equitable conditions for knowledge production, was mapped and summarised onto a framework adapted from the WHO principles. Processes describing consultation and approval, partnerships and research agreements, communication, funding, ethics and consent, data and benefits of the research. The TATS project involved baseline and follow-up surveys conducted in 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one Torres Strait community. Consistent with the WHO PR principles, the TATS project built on community priorities and strengths through strategic partnerships from project inception, and demonstrated the value of research agreements and trusting relationships to foster shared decision making, capacity building and a commitment to Indigenous data ownership. Community-based PR methodology, by definition, needs adaptation to local settings and priorities. The TATS project demonstrates that large-scale research can be participatory, with strong Indigenous community engagement and benefits.

Handwashing in 51 Countries: Analysis of Proxy Measures of Handwashing Behavior in Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys, 2010–2013

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Swapna; Loughnan, Libbet; Luyendijk, Rolf; Hernandez, Orlando; Weinger, Merri; Arnold, Fred; Ram, Pavani K.

2017-01-01

Abstract. In 2009, a common set of questions addressing handwashing behavior was introduced into nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), providing large amounts of comparable data from numerous countries worldwide. The objective of this analysis is to describe global handwashing patterns using two proxy indicators for handwashing behavior from 51 DHS and MICS surveys conducted in 2010–2013: availability of soap anywhere in the dwelling and access to a handwashing place with soap and water. Data were also examined across geographic regions, wealth quintiles, and rural versus urban settings. We found large disparities for both indicators across regions, and even among countries within the same World Health Organization region. Within countries, households in lower wealth quintiles and in rural areas were less likely to have soap anywhere in the dwelling and at designated handwashing locations than households in higher wealth quintiles and urban areas. In addition, disparities existed among various geographic regions within countries. This analysis demonstrates the need to promote access to handwashing materials and placement at handwashing locations in the dwelling, particularly in poorer, rural areas where children are more vulnerable to handwashing-preventable syndromes such as pneumonia and diarrhea. PMID:28722572

FY 1998 annual report on the geothermal development promotion survey. Report on landscape survey; 1998 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa hokokusho. Shizen kankyo chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Described herein are results of the natural environment surveys, carried out in the Shitanotai Region in Yuzawa City, Akita Pref., where Geothermal Development Promotion Survey C is scheduled. On-the-spot surveys, conducted from June to November, covered 3 items of landscape, vegetation and animals. The Shimonotai Region has a number of ponds and swamps, some of which are used as fields for Brasenia shreberi, and wet shield plant communities in places reflecting these environments. The zoological survey results show that moderate to dry deciduous forests of Japanese beeches (Fagus crenata) and Mongolian oaks (Quercus mongolica var. grossesserrata) in this region provide sound habitats for large mammalian wild animals, e.g., moon bears (Selenarctos thibetanus). For birds, there are some areas extracted indicating high possibility of being inhabited by honey buzzards (Pernis ptilorhyncus), which are listed as a near threatened species by the Environment Agency. Geologically, traces of landslide occurrence in the past have been detected widely, indicating need for more detailed investigation for land stability. These surveys have extracted several areas whose natural environments and landscapes are damaged relatively little by geothermal development. (NEDO)

75 FR 53611 - Direct Investment Surveys: BE-577, Quarterly Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad-Direct...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

...] RIN 0691-AA75 Direct Investment Surveys: BE-577, Quarterly Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad--Direct Transactions of U.S. Reporter With Foreign Affiliate AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Commerce...-577 quarterly survey of U.S. direct investment abroad. The survey is conducted quarterly and obtains...

COMPENDIUM: SURVEYS EVALUATING KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS CONCERNING HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Truett, Lorena Faith [ORNL; Cooper, Christy [U.S. Department of Energy; Schmoyer, Richard L [ORNL

2008-10-01

information for many of the surveys is collected face-to-face or electronically; however, all of the DOE surveys are conducted via telephone interviews. Most of the surveys concentrated on a specific population group, while the DOE surveys addressed five different populations (general public, students, government agencies, end users, and safety and codes officials). No survey (except the DOE survey) conducted since 2003 surveyed students knowledge and opinions of hydrogen and fuel cells. Although several surveys have solicited opinions of users (e.g., passengers of fuel-cell vehicles), no surveys were conducted of end users (industrial users needing large power supplies, commercial users needing uninterrupted power, or transportation businesses). While the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has surveyed its membership concerning standards, the population of safety and codes officials has not been surveyed. The greatest impact and importance of the DOE surveys is that five distinct population groups are surveyed for both knowledge and opinions on hydrogen and fuel cells. Knowledge levels can be computed for each population group and can be compared across the populations and across time. Opinions can be compared with knowledge levels. A baseline of knowledge levels was derived using the results of the 2004 surveys; this baseline will be compared with the results of the knowledge evaluation for the surveys of 2008/2009 and 2011/2012. The DOE knowledge and opinion surveys are unique in coverage and purpose. It must be noted, however, that response rates for telephone surveys have decreased dramatically over time. Developments in survey methodology research will have to be followed over the next few years so that necessary adjustments are made in the 20112012 DOE hydrogen survey design, to account for cell-phone-only individuals as well as other changes in telephone usage demographics.

Localization of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels and their effect on calcitonin gene-related peptide release in the rat trigemino-neuronal pathway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wulf-Johansson, H.; Amrutkar, D.V.; Hay-Schmidt, Anders

2010-01-01

Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channels are membrane proteins contributing to electrical propagation through neurons. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide found in the trigeminovascular system (TGVS). Both BK(Ca) channels and CGRP are involved in migrai...

Nursing Intervention Practices for Smoking Cessation: A Large Survey in Hong Kong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yim Wah Mak

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that nursing interventions are effective in helping people to stop smoking, but that the participation of nurses in tobacco control activities has been far from satisfactory. The primary objective of this study is to identify factors that encourage or discourage nurses from participating in providing smoking-cessation interventions to their clients, based on the 5 A’s (ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange framework. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4413 nurses in Hong Kong from different clinical specialties. A logistics regression analysis found that predictors for the practicing of all of the 5 A’s are nurses who want to receive training in smoking-cessation interventions, those who have received such training, and those who are primarily working in a medical unit or in ambulatory/outpatient settings. The regression model also showed that attitude towards smoking cessation was positively associated with all of the 5 A’s. The results indicate a need to encourage and provide nurses with opportunities to receive training on smoking-cessation interventions. Strategies to persuade nurses to provide smoking-cessation interventions are also important, since nurses are motivated to perform smoking-cessation interventions when they feel a stronger sense of mission to control tobacco use.

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of the Hawaiian Archipelago in 2016

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct benthic surveys, assessing large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching) and quantifying benthic components such as habitat...

Presenting an Approach for Conducting Knowledge Architecture within Large-Scale Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Varaee, Touraj; Habibi, Jafar; Mohaghar, Ali

2015-01-01

Knowledge architecture (KA) establishes the basic groundwork for the successful implementation of a short-term or long-term knowledge management (KM) program. An example of KA is the design of a prototype before a new vehicle is manufactured. Due to a transformation to large-scale organizations, the traditional architecture of organizations is undergoing fundamental changes. This paper explores the main strengths and weaknesses in the field of KA within large-scale organizations and provides a suitable methodology and supervising framework to overcome specific limitations. This objective was achieved by applying and updating the concepts from the Zachman information architectural framework and the information architectural methodology of enterprise architecture planning (EAP). The proposed solution may be beneficial for architects in knowledge-related areas to successfully accomplish KM within large-scale organizations. The research method is descriptive; its validity is confirmed by performing a case study and polling the opinions of KA experts.

Developing the online survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Jeffry S; McNew, Ryan

2008-12-01

Institutions of higher education are now using Internet-based technology tools to conduct surveys for data collection. Research shows that the type and quality of responses one receives with online surveys are comparable with what one receives in paper-based surveys. Data collection can take place on Web-based surveys, e-mail-based surveys, and personal digital assistants/Smartphone devices. Web surveys can be subscription templates, software packages installed on one's own server, or created from scratch using Web programming development tools. All of these approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. The survey owner must make informed decisions as to the right technology to implement. The correct choice can save hours of work in sorting, organizing, and analyzing data.

Use of flexible ureteroscopy in the clinical practice for the treatment of renal stones: results from a large European survey conducted by the EAU Young Academic Urologists-Working Party on Endourology and Urolithiasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanguedolce, F; Liatsikos, E; Verze, P; Hruby, S; Breda, A; Beatty, J D; Knoll, T

2014-08-01

Treatment of renal stones using flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) is increasingly common despite the poor evidence in literature supporting its use and indications. With this study, we wanted to investigate the current use and indication of fURS for the treatment of renal stones in the clinical practice across the European countries. A survey was conducted using an emailed questionnaire consisting of 21 items; 2,894 recipients were selected via the EAU membership database. The questionnaires were collected through the SurveyMonkey system and the data were processed with the SPSS statistical package. Frequencies, cross tabs and Pearson correlation coefficients were applied as appropriate. 1,168 questionnaires were collected (response rate 40.4%). fURS was performed in 72.9% of the respondents' institutions, and 54.2% of the respondents were performing the procedure. For 95% of the users, fURS was considered first-line treatment, for stone of lower pole stone (45.9%) and <1 cm (44.2%) and 2 cm (43.8%) in size. The ureteral access sheaths were used routinely by more than 70% of the respondents. Lower pole stone repositioning technique was routinely performed by 45.9% of the surgeons. After fragmentation, 47.2% of the responders preferred to retrieve only the bigger fragments. At the end of fURS, lower volume surgeons were more likely to place routinely a double-J stent (p = 0.001). Higher volume surgeons estimated a higher durability of devices, both optical and digital ones (p < 0.001), and were more prone to consider fURS cost-effective when compared to other treatment modalities (p < 0.001). fURS is widely used for the treatment of renal stones and its use and indication can vary according to the age and surgeons' case volume. Higher volume surgeons are more prompt to extend international guidelines indications and to consider the technology cost-effective.

Geothermal development promotion survey. No.B-4 'Kuenohira-yama area'; 1997 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa data shori hokokusho. No.B-4 Kuenohira-yama chiiki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-01-01

The above-named survey had been scheduled to be conducted in fiscal years 1996-1998 for an approximately 10km{sup 2}-large area of Kokonoe-cho, Kusu-gun, Oita Prefecture. In fiscal 1996, surface surveys were conducted, such as geological and alteration zone surveys, gravity prospecting, and electromagnetic survey. In fiscal 1997, an exploration well (N9-KH-1: depth 2,222.0m) was drilled. Since the maximum temperature in the well was found to be so low as 78.5 degrees C, the survey was given up in the second year. The survey conducted at N9-KH-1 showed that deep-seated and shallow-seated ruptures developed there in the absence of aquicludes, and so it was inferred that it was a recharge area, as predicted by the temperature logging profile, with surface water flowing into the depth. The above showed that there was no deep-seated blind geothermal system which the survey was after. Since it was not likely that the shallow-seated geothermal system located in the southern part of the Mizuwake pass would be found expanding into the area of the current survey, it was decided that the survey not be carried forward to the following fiscal year. (NEDO)

Large mass storage facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peskin, A.M.

1978-01-01

The report of a committee to study the questions surrounding possible acquisition of a large mass-storage device is presented. The current computing environment at BNL and justification for an online large mass storage device are briefly discussed. Possible devices to meet the requirements of large mass storage are surveyed, including future devices. The future computing needs of BNL are prognosticated. 2 figures, 4 tables

A Subaru galaxy redshift survey: WFMOS survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takada, M

2008-01-01

A planned galaxy redshift survey with the Subaru 8.2m telescope, the WFMOS survey, offers a unique opportunity for probing detailed properties of large-scale structure formation in the expanding universe by measuring clustering strength of galaxy distribution as a function of distance scale and redshift. In particular, the precise measurement of the galaxy power spectrum, combined with the cosmic microwave background experiments, allows us to obtain stringent constraints on or even determine absolute mass scales of the Big-Bang relic neutrinos as the neutrinos imprint characteristic scale- and redshift-dependent modifications onto the galaxy power spectrum shape. Here we describe the basic concept of how the galaxy clustering measurement can be used to explore the neutrino masses, with particular emphasis on advantages of the WFMOS survey over the existing low-redshift surveys such as SDSS

Presenting an Approach for Conducting Knowledge Architecture within Large-Scale Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Varaee, Touraj; Habibi, Jafar; Mohaghar, Ali

2015-01-01

Knowledge architecture (KA) establishes the basic groundwork for the successful implementation of a short-term or long-term knowledge management (KM) program. An example of KA is the design of a prototype before a new vehicle is manufactured. Due to a transformation to large-scale organizations, the traditional architecture of organizations is undergoing fundamental changes. This paper explores the main strengths and weaknesses in the field of KA within large-scale organizations and provides a suitable methodology and supervising framework to overcome specific limitations. This objective was achieved by applying and updating the concepts from the Zachman information architectural framework and the information architectural methodology of enterprise architecture planning (EAP). The proposed solution may be beneficial for architects in knowledge-related areas to successfully accomplish KM within large-scale organizations. The research method is descriptive; its validity is confirmed by performing a case study and polling the opinions of KA experts. PMID:25993414

Chapter A6. Section 6.3. Specific Electrical Conductance

Science.gov (United States)

Radtke, Dean B.; Davis, Jerri V.; Wilde, Franceska D.

2005-01-01

Electrical conductance is a measure of the capacity of a substance to conduct an electrical current. The specific electrical conductance (conductivity) of water is a function of the types and quantities of dissolved substances it contains, normalized to a unit length and unit cross section at a specified temperature. This section of the National Field Manual (NFM) describes U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) guidance and protocols for measurement of conductivity in ground and surface waters.

A bibliography of research conducted by the Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Office, U.S. Geological Survey : 1975-1982

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Helen L.

1984-01-01

, Alaska, in 1980. EROS functions were realined under the National Mapping Division of the Geological Survey in Fiscal Year 1983, when the EROS Headquarters Office v/as closed. EROS research and applications functions are now conducted by the EROS Data Center and the EROS Field Office in Anchorage. Approximately 50 civil servants and 250 contract personnel carry out the EROS mission of research, development, and technology transfer in remote sensing, geographic information systems, and digital data base applications. This bibliography is a compilation of publications between 1975 and 1982 by EROS Program personnel and by persons under contract to the EROS Program. Requests for information regarding EROS research and/or publications should be directed to: Chief, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 5719P.

Tuberculosis prevalence surveys: rationale and cost

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Glaziou, P.; van der Werf, M. J.; Onozaki, I.; Dye, C.; Borgdorff, M. W.; Chiang, C.-Y.; Cobelens, F.; Enarson, D. A.; Gopi, P. G.; Holtz, T. H.; Kim, S. J.; van Leth, F.; Lew, W.-J.; Lonnroth, K.; van Maaren, P.; Narayanan, P. R.; Williams, B.

2008-01-01

This article is the first of the educational series 'Assessing tuberculosis (TB) prevalence through population-based surveys'. The series will give overall guidance in conducting cross-sectional surveys of pulmonary TB (PTB) disease. TB prevalence surveys are most valuable in areas where

A Survey of Civilian Employee Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

1989-06-01

U.S. Army Troop Support Command. The survey was conducted as part of an organizational diagnosis in preparation for the implementation of a civilian...survey as part of the program evaluation is recommended. Keywords: Surveys; Questionnaires; Employee attitudes; Attitude measurement; Organizational diagnosis .

Chapter 6. Dwarf mistletoe surveys

Science.gov (United States)

J.A. Muir; B. Moody

2002-01-01

Dwarf mistletoe surveys are conducted for a variety of vegetation management objectives. Various survey and sampling techniques are used either at a broad, landscape scale in forest planning or program review, or at an individual, stand, site level for specific project implementation. Standard and special surveys provide data to map mistletoe distributions and quantify...

Large-scale data analytics

CERN Document Server

Gkoulalas-Divanis, Aris

2014-01-01

Provides cutting-edge research in large-scale data analytics from diverse scientific areas Surveys varied subject areas and reports on individual results of research in the field Shares many tips and insights into large-scale data analytics from authors and editors with long-term experience and specialization in the field

Survey of the actual energy consumption in the commercial/residential sector; Minsei bumon energy shohi jittai chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

A questionnaire survey was conducted of the actual energy consumption in the business sector (schools, hotels/inns, hospitals, and other service business) in fiscal 1996, and was put together with the survey conducted in the past in order to clarify the structure and trend of energy consumption in the commercial/residential sector. The survey was aimed at making basic data for the development/introduction of the petroleum substituting energy including future new energy. The consumption unit requirement of a school total was 84.9 Mcal/m{sup 2} per year, that of a hotel/inn total was 455.3 Mcal/m{sup 2} per year, and that of a hospital total was 400.2 Mcal/m{sup 2} per year. The energy consumption for business use was summarized. The consumption unit requirement of restaurants was the largest, 622.8 Mcal/m{sup 2} per year, and that of schools was the smallest. In office building business and wholesale/retailing business, electricity is largely used mostly for illumination, power, etc. In restaurants, gas is largely used mostly for its own use including cooking. In schools, energy use for space heating was the largest, but was almost the same as that in office buildings in terms of the amount. 179 figs., 31 tabs.

Assessment of farmer knowledge of large ruminant health and production in developing village-level biosecurity in northern Lao PDR.

Science.gov (United States)

Nampanya, S; Rast, L; Khounsy, S; Windsor, P A

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine baseline knowledge and identify knowledge gaps of farmers on biosecurity, risk of transmission of transboundary diseases and large ruminant health and production in three provinces of northern Laos, Hua Phan (HP), Luang Prabang (LPB) and Xieng Khoung (XK). The survey was conducted in six villages that are project sites for an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project, with two villages located in each of the three provinces. A census survey was conducted by interview with all 238 farmers participating in the ACIAR project, using a structured questionnaire. The interviews were conducted in Lao language and took 1-2 h per farmer. The answers were recorded in Lao and the survey data were translated into English and transcribed into Microsoft Excel, and a linear mixed model in the Genstat statistical analysis package was used to compare quantitative traits between the target provinces. The results showed that the prediction mean of farmer knowledge scores on parasitic disorders, infectious disease, reproduction and nutrition management were significantly different between the target provinces. The prediction mean of farmer knowledge scores on infectious disease questions ranged between 5.11 in HP to 8.54 in XK of 24 marks (P < 0.001). The prediction mean of total knowledge scores was 13.48 in LPB and 19.29 in XK of 42 marks (P < 0.001). The results indicate both the need for and scope required to attain improvements in farmer knowledge of large ruminant health and production. It was concluded that a participatory research and extension programme to address village-level biosecurity and reduce disease risks, plus enhance large ruminant production capabilities of smallholder producers, is a valid and potentially important strategy to address transboundary disease risk and rural poverty in northern Laos. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Medical Simulation Practices 2010 Survey Results

Science.gov (United States)

McCrindle, Jeffrey J.

2011-01-01

Medical Simulation Centers are an essential component of our learning infrastructure to prepare doctors and nurses for their careers. Unlike the military and aerospace simulation industry, very little has been published regarding the best practices currently in use within medical simulation centers. This survey attempts to provide insight into the current simulation practices at medical schools, hospitals, university nursing programs and community college nursing programs. Students within the MBA program at Saint Joseph's University conducted a survey of medical simulation practices during the summer 2010 semester. A total of 115 institutions responded to the survey. The survey resus discuss overall effectiveness of current simulation centers as well as the tools and techniques used to conduct the simulation activity

Universal conductance and conductivity at critical points in integer quantum Hall systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweitzer, L; Markos, P

2005-12-16

The sample averaged longitudinal two-terminal conductance and the respective Kubo conductivity are calculated at quantum critical points in the integer quantum Hall regime. In the limit of large system size, both transport quantities are found to be the same within numerical uncertainty in the lowest Landau band, and , respectively. In the second-lowest Landau band, a critical conductance is obtained which indeed supports the notion of universality. However, these numbers are significantly at variance with the hitherto commonly believed value . We argue that this difference is due to the multifractal structure of critical wave functions, a property that should generically show up in the conductance at quantum critical points.

Environmental surveys of the Heidrun field. Supplementary baseline survey 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oug, E.; Konieczny, R.M.; Bakke, T.; Lind, K.

1993-02-01

The present survey is a re-investigation of the sea bottom sediments at six sites in the Heidrun oil and gas field, May 1992. Petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals were at background levels. Compared to the baseline survey in 1988 values of hydrocarbons and barium were decreased. The sediment fauna was sparse with low numbers of species and individuals. Densities were strongly reduced and diversity decreased compared to 1988. There is no indication of anthropogenic factors or other large scale disturbances in the area to explain the faunal changes, which may reflect a large natural variation in the sediment fauna. 22 refs., 16 figs., 35 tabs

Correlates of Psychopathic Personality Traits in Everyday Life:Results from a Large Community Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott O Lilienfeld

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Although the traits of psychopathic personality (psychopathy have received extensive attention from researchers in forensic psychology, psychopathology, and personality psychology, the relations of these traits to aspects of everyday functioning are poorly understood. Using a large internet survey of members of the general population (N=3398, we examined the association between psychopathic traits, as measured by a brief but well-validated self-report measure, and occupational choice, political orientation, religious affiliation, and geographical residence. Psychopathic traits, especially those linked to fearless dominance, were positively and moderately associated with holding leadership and management positions, as well as high-risk occupations. In addition, psychopathic traits were positively associated with political conservatism, lack of belief in God, and living in Europe as opposed to the United States, although the magnitudes of these statistical effects were generally small in magnitude. Our findings offer preliminary evidence that psychopathic personality traits display meaningful response penetration into daily functioning, and raise provocative questions for future research.

The AAVSO 2011 Demographic and Background Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Price, A.

2012-04-01

In 2011, the AAVSO conducted a survey of 615 people who are or were recently active in the organization. The survey included questions about their demographic background and variable star interests. Data are descriptively analyzed and compared with prior surveys. Results show an organization of very highly educated, largely male amateur and professional astronomers distributed across 108 countries. Participants tend to be loyal, with the average time of involvement in the AAVSO reported as 14 years. Most major demographic factors have not changed much over time. However, the average age of new members is increasing. Also, a significant portion of the respondents report being strictly active in a non-observing capacity, reflecting the growing mission of the organization. Motivations of participants are more aligned with scientific contribution than with that reported by other citizen science projects. This may help explain why a third of all respondents are an author or co-author of a paper in an astronomical journal. Finally, there is some evidence that participation in the AAVSO has a greater impact on the respondents' view of their role in astronomy compared to that expected through increasing amateur astronomy experience alone.

618-11 Burial Ground USRADS radiological surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wendling, M.A.

1994-01-01

This report summarizes and documents the results of the radiological surveys conducted from February 4 through February 10, 1993 over the 618-11 Burial Ground, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. In addition, this report explains the survey methodology using the Ultrasonic Ranging and Data System (USRADS). The 618-11 Burial Ground radiological survey field task consisted of two activities: characterization of the specific background conditions and the radiological survey of the area. The radiological survey of the 618-11 Burial Ground, along with the background study, were conducted by Site Investigative Surveys Environmental Restoration Health Physics Organization of the Westinghouse Hanford Company. The survey methodology was based on utilization of the Ultrasonic Ranging and Data System (USRADS) for automated recording of the gross gamma radiation levels at or near six (6) inches and at three (3) feet from the surface soil

Characterisation of false-positive observations in botanical surveys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quentin J. Groom

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Errors in botanical surveying are a common problem. The presence of a species is easily overlooked, leading to false-absences; while misidentifications and other mistakes lead to false-positive observations. While it is common knowledge that these errors occur, there are few data that can be used to quantify and describe these errors. Here we characterise false-positive errors for a controlled set of surveys conducted as part of a field identification test of botanical skill. Surveys were conducted at sites with a verified list of vascular plant species. The candidates were asked to list all the species they could identify in a defined botanically rich area. They were told beforehand that their final score would be the sum of the correct species they listed, but false-positive errors counted against their overall grade. The number of errors varied considerably between people, some people create a high proportion of false-positive errors, but these are scattered across all skill levels. Therefore, a person’s ability to correctly identify a large number of species is not a safeguard against the generation of false-positive errors. There was no phylogenetic pattern to falsely observed species; however, rare species are more likely to be false-positive as are species from species rich genera. Raising the threshold for the acceptance of an observation reduced false-positive observations dramatically, but at the expense of more false negative errors. False-positive errors are higher in field surveying of plants than many people may appreciate. Greater stringency is required before accepting species as present at a site, particularly for rare species. Combining multiple surveys resolves the problem, but requires a considerable increase in effort to achieve the same sensitivity as a single survey. Therefore, other methods should be used to raise the threshold for the acceptance of a species. For example, digital data input systems that can verify

Graphene Conductance Uniformity Mapping

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buron, Jonas Christian Due; Petersen, Dirch Hjorth; Bøggild, Peter

2012-01-01

We demonstrate a combination of micro four-point probe (M4PP) and non-contact terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) measurements for centimeter scale quantitative mapping of the sheet conductance of large area chemical vapor deposited graphene films. Dual configuration M4PP measurements......, demonstrated on graphene for the first time, provide valuable statistical insight into the influence of microscale defects on the conductance, while THz-TDS has potential as a fast, non-contact metrology method for mapping of the spatially averaged nanoscopic conductance on wafer-scale graphene with scan times......, dominating the microscale conductance of the investigated graphene film....

Environmental survey preliminary report, Mound Plant, Miamisburg, Ohio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-03-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Mound Plant, conducted August 18 through 29, 1986. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the Mound Plant. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the Mound Plant, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey found no environmental problems at the Mound Plant that represent an immediate threat to human life. The environmental problems identified at the Mound Plant by the Survey confirm that the site is confronted with a number of environmental problems which are by and large a legacy from past practices at a time when environmental problems were less well understood. Theses problems vary in terms of their magnitude and risk, as described in this report. Although the sampling and analysis performed by the Mound Plant Survey will assist in further identifying environmental problems at the site, a complete understanding of the significance of some of the environmental problems identified requires a level of study and characterization that is beyond the scope of the Survey. Actions currently under way or planned at the site, particularly the Phase II activities of the Comprehensive Environmental Analysis and Response Program (CEARP) as developed and implemented by the Albuquerque Operations Office, will contribute toward meeting this requirement. 85 refs., 24 figs., 20 tabs.

78 FR 64911 - 2013 Company Organization Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-30

... Organization Survey AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Determination. SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is conducting the 2013 Company Organization Survey. The survey's... organizations included in the survey, and additional copies are available upon written request to the Director...

Large-scale Star-formation-driven Outflows at 1 3D-HST Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, Britt F.; Brammer, Gabriel; van Dokkum, Pieter; Bezanson, Rachel; Franx, Marijn; Fumagalli, Mattia; Momcheva, Ivelina; Nelson, Erica; Skelton, Rosalind E.; Wake, David; Whitaker, Katherine; da Cunha, Elizabete; Erb, Dawn K.; Fan, Xiaohui; Kriek, Mariska; Labbé, Ivo; Marchesini, Danilo; Patel, Shannon; Rix, Hans Walter; Schmidt, Kasper; van der Wel, Arjen

2012-11-01

We present evidence of large-scale outflows from three low-mass (log(M */M ⊙) ~ 9.75) star-forming (SFR > 4 M ⊙ yr-1) galaxies observed at z = 1.24, z = 1.35, and z = 1.75 in the 3D-HST Survey. Each of these galaxies is located within a projected physical distance of 60 kpc around the sight line to the quasar SDSS J123622.93+621526.6, which exhibits well-separated strong (W λ2796 r >~ 0.8 Å) Mg II absorption systems matching precisely to the redshifts of the three galaxies. We derive the star formation surface densities from the Hα emission in the WFC3 G141 grism observations for the galaxies and find that in each case the star formation surface density well exceeds 0.1 M ⊙ yr-1 kpc-2, the typical threshold for starburst galaxies in the local universe. From a small but complete parallel census of the 0.65 0.8 Å Mg II covering fraction of star-forming galaxies at 1 0.4 Å Mg II absorbing gas around star-forming galaxies may evolve from z ~ 2 to the present, consistent with recent observations of an increasing collimation of star-formation-driven outflows with time from z ~ 3.

Cetacean line-transect survey conducted in the eastern Bering Sea shelf by Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from NOAA Ship Miller Freeman from 1999-07-07 to 2004-06-30 (NCEI Accession 0131862)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Visual surveys for cetaceans were conducted on the eastern Bering Sea shelf along transect lines, in association with the AFSC’s echo integration trawl surveys for...

Measuring Nonresponse Bias in a Cross-Country Enterprise Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Bańkowska

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Nonresponse is a common issue affecting the vast majority of surveys. Efforts to convince those unwilling to participate in a survey might not necessary result in a better picture of the target population and can lead to higher, not lower, nonresponse bias.We investigate the impact of non-response in the European Commission & European Central Bank Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (SAFE, which collects evidence on the financing conditions faced by European SMEs compared with those of large firms. This survey, conducted by telephone bi-annually since 2009 by the ECB and the European Commission, provides a valuable means to search for this kind of bias, given the high heterogeneity of response propensities across countries.The study relies on so-called “Representativity Indicators” developed within the Representativity Indicators of Survey Quality (RISQ project, which measure the distance to a fully representative response. On this basis, we examine the quality of the SAFE Survey at different stages of the fieldwork as well as across different survey waves and countries. The RISQ methodology relies on rich sampling frame information, which is however partly limited in the case of the SAFE. We also assess the representativeness of the SAFE particular subsample created by linking the survey responses with the companies’ financial information from a business register; this sub-sampling is another potential source of bias which we also attempt to quantify. Finally, we suggest possible ways how to improve monitoring of the possible nonresponse bias in the future rounds of the survey.

STAR FORMATION AT 4 < z < 6 FROM THE SPITZER LARGE AREA SURVEY WITH HYPER-SUPRIME-CAM (SPLASH)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinhardt, Charles L.; Capak, Peter; Masters, Dan; Petric, Andreea [Caltech, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Speagle, Josh S.; Silverman, John D. [Kavli IPMU, University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8583 (Japan); Carollo, Marcella [ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, 8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Dunlop, James [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Hashimoto, Yasuhiro [National Taiwan Normal University, No. 88, Sec. 4, Tingzhou Rd., Taipei 11677, Taiwan R.O.C. (China); Hsieh, Bau-Ching; Lin, Lihwai; Lin, Yen-Ting [ASIAA Sinica, AS/NTU. No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C. (China); Ilbert, Olivier; Le Fevre, Olivier [Laboratoire d' Astrophysique de Marseille, 38 rue Frederic Joliot Curie, F-13388 Marseille (France); Le Floc' h, Emeric [Service d' Astrophysique, CEA-Saclay, Orme des Merisiers, Bat. 709, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Lee, Nicholas; Sanders, Dave [Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); McCracken, Henry J. [Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, 98 bis boulevard Arago, F-75014 Paris (France); Nagao, Tohru [Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Salvato, Mara [Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), Giessenbachstr. 1, D-85748 Garching (Germany); and others

2014-08-20

Using the first 50% of data collected for the Spitzer Large Area Survey with Hyper-Suprime-Cam observations on the 1.8 deg{sup 2} Cosmological Evolution Survey we estimate the masses and star formation rates of 3398 M {sub *} > 10{sup 10} M {sub ☉} star-forming galaxies at 4 < z < 6 with a substantial population up to M {sub *} ≳ 10{sup 11.5} M {sub ☉}. We find that the strong correlation between stellar mass and star formation rate seen at lower redshift (the ''main sequence'' of star-forming galaxies) extends to z ∼ 6. The observed relation and scatter is consistent with a continued increase in star formation rate at fixed mass in line with extrapolations from lower-redshift observations. It is difficult to explain this continued correlation, especially for the most massive systems, unless the most massive galaxies are forming stars near their Eddington-limited rate from their first collapse. Furthermore, we find no evidence for moderate quenching at higher masses, indicating quenching either has not occurred prior to z ∼ 6 or else occurs rapidly, so that few galaxies are visible in transition between star-forming and quenched.

Chirping for large-scale maritime archaeological survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøn, Ole; Boldreel, Lars Ole

2014-01-01

Archaeological wrecks exposed on the sea floor are mapped using side-scan and multibeam techniques, whereas the detection of submerged archaeological sites, such as Stone Age settlements, and wrecks, partially or wholly embedded in sea-floor sediments, requires the application of high-resolution ...... the present state of this technology, it appears well suited to large-scale maritime archaeological mapping....

A Study of Coal Miners’ Safety Psychological Elements Based on Questionnaire Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Zeng-bo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available During the production process, the instability of safety psychological elements of coal miners contributes to unsafe behaviors that may result in fatal accident. To search the dominant psychological elements, three types of unsafe psychology, comprising 18 unsafe psychological elements, are obtained by theoretical analysis and site survey. Then, an assessment model is established, and a matched questionnaire is applied to two large modern coal mines in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Based on questionnaire survey results and analytic hierarchy process (AHP, assessment judgment matrixes are constructed, effect weight is calculated, and consistency check is conducted. The analysis results show that safety psychology elements of defective type are the dominant elements that trigger unsafe behaviors of coal miners.

Geothermal survey handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1974-01-01

The objective of this handbook is to publicize widely the nature of geothermal surveys. It covers geothermal survey planning and measurement as well as measurement of thermal conductivity. Methods for the detection of eruptive areas, the measurement of radiative heat using snowfall, the measurement of surface temperature using infrared radiation and the measurement of thermal flow are described. The book also contains information on physical detection of geothermal reservoirs, the measurement of spring wells, thermographic measurement of surface heat, irregular layer surveying, air thermographics and aerial photography. Isotope measurement techniques are included.

A Data Analysis Expert System For Large Established Distributed Databases

Science.gov (United States)

Gnacek, Anne-Marie; An, Y. Kim; Ryan, J. Patrick

1987-05-01

The purpose of this work is to analyze the applicability of artificial intelligence techniques for developing a user-friendly, parallel interface to large isolated, incompatible NASA databases for the purpose of assisting the management decision process. To carry out this work, a survey was conducted to establish the data access requirements of several key NASA user groups. In addition, current NASA database access methods were evaluated. The results of this work are presented in the form of a design for a natural language database interface system, called the Deductively Augmented NASA Management Decision Support System (DANMDS). This design is feasible principally because of recently announced commercial hardware and software product developments which allow cross-vendor compatibility. The goal of the DANMDS system is commensurate with the central dilemma confronting most large companies and institutions in America, the retrieval of information from large, established, incompatible database systems. The DANMDS system implementation would represent a significant first step toward this problem's resolution.

Does mentoring matter: results from a survey of faculty mentees at a large health sciences university

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Mitchell D.; Arean, Patricia A.; Marshall, Sally J.; Lovett, Mark; O'Sullivan, Patricia

2010-01-01

Background To determine the characteristics associated with having a mentor, the association of mentoring with self-efficacy, and the content of mentor–mentee interactions at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), we conducted a baseline assessment prior to implementing a comprehensive faculty mentoring program. Method We surveyed all prospective junior faculty mentees at UCSF. Mentees completed a web-based, 38-item survey including an assessment of self-efficacy and a needs assessment. We used descriptive and inferential statistics to determine the association between having a mentor and gender, ethnicity, faculty series, and self-efficacy. Results Our respondents (n=464, 56%) were 53% female, 62% white, and 7% from underrepresented minority groups. More than half of respondents (n=319) reported having a mentor. There were no differences in having a mentor based on gender or ethnicity (p≥0.05). Clinician educator faculty with more teaching and patient care responsibilities were statistically significantly less likely to have a mentor compared with faculty in research intensive series (pmentor was associated with greater satisfaction with time allocation at work (pmentor, 5.33 (sd = 1.35, pmentors, but rated highest requiring mentoring assistance with issues of promotion and tenure. Conclusion Findings from the UCSF faculty mentoring program may assist other health science institutions plan similar programs. Mentoring needs for junior faculty with greater teaching and patient care responsibilities must be addressed. PMID:20431710

Cosmology with weak lensing surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munshi, Dipak; Valageas, Patrick; Waerbeke, Ludovic van; Heavens, Alan

2008-01-01

Weak gravitational lensing is responsible for the shearing and magnification of the images of high-redshift sources due to the presence of intervening matter. The distortions are due to fluctuations in the gravitational potential, and are directly related to the distribution of matter and to the geometry and dynamics of the Universe. As a consequence, weak gravitational lensing offers unique possibilities for probing the Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe. In this review, we summarise the theoretical and observational state of the subject, focussing on the statistical aspects of weak lensing, and consider the prospects for weak lensing surveys in the future. Weak gravitational lensing surveys are complementary to both galaxy surveys and cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations as they probe the unbiased non-linear matter power spectrum at modest redshifts. Most of the cosmological parameters are accurately estimated from CMB and large-scale galaxy surveys, so the focus of attention is shifting to understanding the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. On the theoretical side, recent advances in the use of 3D information of the sources from photometric redshifts promise greater statistical power, and these are further enhanced by the use of statistics beyond two-point quantities such as the power spectrum. The use of 3D information also alleviates difficulties arising from physical effects such as the intrinsic alignment of galaxies, which can mimic weak lensing to some extent. On the observational side, in the next few years weak lensing surveys such as CFHTLS, VST-KIDS and Pan-STARRS, and the planned Dark Energy Survey, will provide the first weak lensing surveys covering very large sky areas and depth. In the long run even more ambitious programmes such as DUNE, the Supernova Anisotropy Probe (SNAP) and Large-aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) are planned. Weak lensing of diffuse components such as the CMB and 21 cm emission can also

Cosmology with weak lensing surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munshi, Dipak [Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OHA (United Kingdom); Astrophysics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHE (United Kingdom)], E-mail: munshi@ast.cam.ac.uk; Valageas, Patrick [Service de Physique Theorique, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Waerbeke, Ludovic van [University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Canada); Heavens, Alan [SUPA - Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom)

2008-06-15

Weak gravitational lensing is responsible for the shearing and magnification of the images of high-redshift sources due to the presence of intervening matter. The distortions are due to fluctuations in the gravitational potential, and are directly related to the distribution of matter and to the geometry and dynamics of the Universe. As a consequence, weak gravitational lensing offers unique possibilities for probing the Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe. In this review, we summarise the theoretical and observational state of the subject, focussing on the statistical aspects of weak lensing, and consider the prospects for weak lensing surveys in the future. Weak gravitational lensing surveys are complementary to both galaxy surveys and cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations as they probe the unbiased non-linear matter power spectrum at modest redshifts. Most of the cosmological parameters are accurately estimated from CMB and large-scale galaxy surveys, so the focus of attention is shifting to understanding the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. On the theoretical side, recent advances in the use of 3D information of the sources from photometric redshifts promise greater statistical power, and these are further enhanced by the use of statistics beyond two-point quantities such as the power spectrum. The use of 3D information also alleviates difficulties arising from physical effects such as the intrinsic alignment of galaxies, which can mimic weak lensing to some extent. On the observational side, in the next few years weak lensing surveys such as CFHTLS, VST-KIDS and Pan-STARRS, and the planned Dark Energy Survey, will provide the first weak lensing surveys covering very large sky areas and depth. In the long run even more ambitious programmes such as DUNE, the Supernova Anisotropy Probe (SNAP) and Large-aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) are planned. Weak lensing of diffuse components such as the CMB and 21 cm emission can also

75 FR 71417 - 2010 Company Organization Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-23

... Organization Survey AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of determination. SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is conducting the 2010 Company Organization Survey. The survey's... organizations included in the survey, and additional copies are available on written request to the Director, U...

76 FR 62759 - 2011 Company Organization Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-11

... Organization Survey AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of determination. SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is conducting the 2011 Company Organization Survey. The survey's... organizations included in the survey, and additional copies are available by written request to the Director, U...

The VANDELS ESO spectroscopic survey

Science.gov (United States)

McLure, R. J.; Pentericci, L.; Cimatti, A.; Dunlop, J. S.; Elbaz, D.; Fontana, A.; Nandra, K.; Amorin, R.; Bolzonella, M.; Bongiorno, A.; Carnall, A. C.; Castellano, M.; Cirasuolo, M.; Cucciati, O.; Cullen, F.; De Barros, S.; Finkelstein, S. L.; Fontanot, F.; Franzetti, P.; Fumana, M.; Gargiulo, A.; Garilli, B.; Guaita, L.; Hartley, W. G.; Iovino, A.; Jarvis, M. J.; Juneau, S.; Karman, W.; Maccagni, D.; Marchi, F.; Mármol-Queraltó, E.; Pompei, E.; Pozzetti, L.; Scodeggio, M.; Sommariva, V.; Talia, M.; Almaini, O.; Balestra, I.; Bardelli, S.; Bell, E. F.; Bourne, N.; Bowler, R. A. A.; Brusa, M.; Buitrago, F.; Caputi, K. I.; Cassata, P.; Charlot, S.; Citro, A.; Cresci, G.; Cristiani, S.; Curtis-Lake, E.; Dickinson, M.; Fazio, G. G.; Ferguson, H. C.; Fiore, F.; Franco, M.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Galametz, A.; Georgakakis, A.; Giavalisco, M.; Grazian, A.; Hathi, N. P.; Jung, I.; Kim, S.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Khusanova, Y.; Le Fèvre, O.; Lotz, J. M.; Mannucci, F.; Maltby, D. T.; Matsuoka, K.; McLeod, D. J.; Mendez-Hernandez, H.; Mendez-Abreu, J.; Mignoli, M.; Moresco, M.; Mortlock, A.; Nonino, M.; Pannella, M.; Papovich, C.; Popesso, P.; Rosario, D. P.; Salvato, M.; Santini, P.; Schaerer, D.; Schreiber, C.; Stark, D. P.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Thomas, R.; Treu, T.; Vanzella, E.; Wild, V.; Williams, C. C.; Zamorani, G.; Zucca, E.

2018-05-01

VANDELS is a uniquely-deep spectroscopic survey of high-redshift galaxies with the VIMOS spectrograph on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). The survey has obtained ultra-deep optical (0.48 studies. Using integration times calculated to produce an approximately constant signal-to-noise ratio (20 motivation, survey design and target selection.

The UKIRT Hemisphere Survey: definition and J-band data release

Science.gov (United States)

Dye, S.; Lawrence, A.; Read, M. A.; Fan, X.; Kerr, T.; Varricatt, W.; Furnell, K. E.; Edge, A. C.; Irwin, M.; Hambly, N.; Lucas, P.; Almaini, O.; Chambers, K.; Green, R.; Hewett, P.; Liu, M. C.; McGreer, I.; Best, W.; Zhang, Z.; Sutorius, E.; Froebrich, D.; Magnier, E.; Hasinger, G.; Lederer, S. M.; Bold, M.; Tedds, J. A.

2018-02-01

This paper defines the UK Infra-Red Telescope (UKIRT) Hemisphere Survey (UHS) and release of the remaining ∼12 700 deg2 of J-band survey data products. The UHS will provide continuous J- and K-band coverage in the Northern hemisphere from a declination of 0° to 60° by combining the existing Large Area Survey, Galactic Plane Survey and Galactic Clusters Survey conducted under the UKIRT Infra-red Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) programme with this new additional area not covered by UKIDSS. The released data include J-band imaging and source catalogues over the new area, which, together with UKIDSS, completes the J-band UHS coverage over the full ∼17 900 deg2 area. 98 per cent of the data in this release have passed quality control criteria. The remaining 2 per cent have been scheduled for re-observation. The median 5σ point source sensitivity of the released data is 19.6 mag (Vega). The median full width at half-maximum of the point spread function across the data set is 0.75 arcsec. In this paper, we outline the survey management, data acquisition, processing and calibration, quality control and archiving as well as summarizing the characteristics of the released data products. The data are initially available to a limited consortium with a world-wide release scheduled for 2018 August.

Screening and contact precautions – A survey on infection control measures for multidrug-resistant bacteria in German university hospitals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena M. Biehl

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract To assess the scope of infection control measures for multidrug-resistant bacteria in high-risk settings, a survey among university hospitals was conducted. Fourteen professionals from 8 sites participated. Reported policies varied largely with respect to the types of wards conducting screening, sample types used for screening and implementation of contact precautions. This variability among sites highlights the need for an evidence-based consensus of current infection control policies.

International survey of living PSA and safety indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holmberg, J.; Laakso, K.; Lehtinen, E.; Bjoere, S.

1992-01-01

The report contains an international overview of applications of living probabilistic assessment and development of operational safety indicators. Features of an ideal living PSA tool are summarized as well as a limited survey of code systems for managing a living probabilistic safety assessment (living PSA) is included. The international survey is used as an input for planning and performance of related tasks within the nordic NKS/SIK-1 project conducted in 1990-93. The research notes are distributed to the Nordic organizations involved or interested in the subject. The report includes an overview and conclusions from technical reports and articles available and presentations and discussions related to development and use of above methods for the evaluation and management of the operational safety of nuclear power plants. A large part of this material is based on material collected and discussed in connection to international specialist meetings relating to the subject

Survey of women's awareness about radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onishi, Keiko; Aomi, Yuki; Asada, Kiyoe; Kamiya, Masami; Mitsuishi, Haruko

2008-01-01

A project in a voluntary group 'Women's Energy Network' conducted two questionnaire surveys on Japanese women's awareness about radiation. The survey was conducted to investigate how women(non-experts) perceive radiation and radioactivity, what is their image about radiation, to what extent they are aware of the use of radiation in their daily life, and whether they find nuclear related information useful or not. The results of those surveys have led WEN to publish a booklet entitled 'Our Life and Radiation' to be used for public communication and to hold public forums in various cities in Japan. The first survey was conducted in 2001 to those living in big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka and to those living in the area where the nuclear power plant is installed. The response rate was 72.4% (1,028 out of 1,419). The second one was done in 2005 to those living in Tokyo and other big cities. The response rate was 84.7% (888 our of 983). It was derived from the two surveys that they were not so much aware of various applications of radiation for daily use (awareness rate was low), but they considered those information would be useful when it becomes available for them and they were interested in knowing about it. As for the image of radiation, about 80% have shown fear when they see or hear a word 'radiation'. This report provides the result of questionnaire surveys on women's awareness about radiation conducted by 'Our Daily Life and Radiation' project in Women's Energy Network. (author)

Proposal for a dual-gate spin field effect transistor: A device with very small switching voltage and a large ON to OFF conductance ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, J.; Cahay, M.; Bandyopadhyay, S.

2008-06-01

We propose a new dual gate spin field effect transistor (SpinFET) consisting of a quasi one-dimensional semiconductor channel sandwiched between two half-metallic contacts. The gate voltage aligns and de-aligns the incident electron energy with Ramsauer resonance levels in the channel, thereby modulating the source-to-drain conductance. The device can be switched from ON to OFF with a few mV change in the gate voltage, resulting in exceedingly low dynamic power dissipation during switching. The conductance ON/OFF ratio stays fairly large ( ∼60) up to a temperature of 10 K. This conductance ratio is comparable to that achievable with carbon nanotube transistors.

Survey and analysis of selected jointly owned large-scale electric utility storage projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-05-01

The objective of this study was to examine and document the issues surrounding the curtailment in commercialization of large-scale electric storage projects. It was sensed that if these issues could be uncovered, then efforts might be directed toward clearing away these barriers and allowing these technologies to penetrate the market to their maximum potential. Joint-ownership of these projects was seen as a possible solution to overcoming the major barriers, particularly economic barriers, of commercializaton. Therefore, discussions with partners involved in four pumped storage projects took place to identify the difficulties and advantages of joint-ownership agreements. The four plants surveyed included Yards Creek (Public Service Electric and Gas and Jersey Central Power and Light); Seneca (Pennsylvania Electric and Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company); Ludington (Consumers Power and Detroit Edison, and Bath County (Virginia Electric Power Company and Allegheny Power System, Inc.). Also investigated were several pumped storage projects which were never completed. These included Blue Ridge (American Electric Power); Cornwall (Consolidated Edison); Davis (Allegheny Power System, Inc.) and Kttatiny Mountain (General Public Utilities). Institutional, regulatory, technical, environmental, economic, and special issues at each project were investgated, and the conclusions relative to each issue are presented. The major barriers preventing the growth of energy storage are the high cost of these systems in times of extremely high cost of capital, diminishing load growth and regulatory influences which will not allow the building of large-scale storage systems due to environmental objections or other reasons. However, the future for energy storage looks viable despite difficult economic times for the utility industry. Joint-ownership can ease some of the economic hardships for utilites which demonstrate a need for energy storage.

A survey of urban noise annoyance in a large Brazilian city: the importance of a subjective analysis in conjunction with an objective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zannin, Paulo H.T.; Calixto, Alfredo; Diniz, Fabiano B.; Ferreira, Jose A.C.

2003-01-01

This study describes the reaction to environmental noise of the population of Curitiba (∼1.6 million inhabitants). Out of 1000 distributed forms, 860 were returned. The main isolated noise sources revealed by the survey as disturbing were traffic (73%) and neighbors (38%). As a class, neighborhood noise was pointed out as the most disturbing type of noise as 100% of the surveyed people indicated at least one of the items belonging to this class: neighbors, animals, sirens, civil construction, religion temples, night clubs, toys and domestic electric appliances. The main outcomes of exposure to noise were: irritability (58%), difficulty to concentrate (42%), sleeping disorders (20%) and headaches (20%). In this survey, the importance of the realization of objective surveys, in other words, noise emission measurements in conjunction with the subjective evaluation of the reaction of the urban population to the environmental noise, is also discussed. The present survey shows that in the subjective evaluation performed in the city of Curitiba, the perception of the population is that the urban noise has increased. On the other hand, another study conducted in the same city, where only the noise emission levels were evaluated, has showed a decrease on the urban noise

Investigating the Inter-Tube Conduction Mechanism in Polycarbonate Nanocomposites Prepared with Conductive Polymer-Coated Carbon Nanotubes

KAUST Repository

Ventura, Isaac Aguilar; Zhou, Jian; Lubineau, Gilles

2015-01-01

such as damage-sensitive and history-dependent conductivity because their macroscopic electrical conductivity is largely determined by the tunneling effect at the tube/tube interface. To reduce these issues, new nanocomposites have been developed with CNTs

Highlights of a recycling behaviour study in South Africa’s large urban areas

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Strydom, WF

2012-10-01

Full Text Available behaviour study in South Africa?s large urban areas WF STRYDOM CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001 Email: wstrydom@csir.co.za ? www.csir.co.za INTRODUCTION The recently promulgated National Environmental Management... representative sample of 2 004 respondents in 11 of the larger South African urban areas, including all the metropolitan municipalities. The survey was conducted in November 2010, before the Waste Act was widely implemented. The objective of the study was...

Homogeneous distribution of large-conductance calcium-dependent potassium channels on soma and apical dendrite of rat neocortical layer 5 pyramidal neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Benhassine, Narimane; Berger, Thomas

2005-02-01

Voltage-gated conductances on dendrites of layer 5 pyramidal neurons participate in synaptic integration and output generation. We investigated the properties and the distribution of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BK channels) in this cell type using excised patches in acute slice preparations of rat somatosensory cortex. BK channels were characterized by their large conductance and sensitivity to the specific blockers paxilline and iberiotoxin. BK channels showed a pronounced calcium-dependence with a maximal opening probability of 0.69 at 10 microm and 0.42 at 3 microm free calcium. Their opening probability and transition time constants between open and closed states are voltage-dependent. At depolarized potentials, BK channel gating is described by two open and one closed states. Depolarization increases the opening probability due to a prolongation of the open time constant and a shortening of the closed time constant. Calcium-dependence and biophysical properties of somatic and dendritic BK channels were identical. The presence of BK channels on the apical dendrite of layer 5 pyramidal neurons was shown by immunofluorescence. Patch-clamp recordings revealed a homogeneous density of BK channels on the soma and along the apical dendrite up to 850 microm with a mean density of 1.9 channels per microm(2). BK channels are expressed either isolated or in clusters containing up to four channels. This study shows the presence of BK channels on dendrites. Their activation might modulate the shape of sodium and calcium action potentials, their propagation along the dendrite, and thereby the electrotonic distance between the somatic and dendritic action potential initiation zones.

Environmental Survey preliminary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-04-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Sandia National Laboratories conducted August 17 through September 4, 1987. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with Sandia National Laboratories-Albuquerque (SNLA). The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at SNLA, and interviews with site personnel. 85 refs., 49 figs., 48 tabs.

Primer on Health Surveys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Nordstrom

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to introduce novice researchers to surveys as a method of data collection. It starts with the definition of a survey, its major purposes and types as well as changes in the goals surveys have helped to achieve over time. Advantages and disadvantages of surveys over population censuses and medical examinations are discussed. Approaches to questionnaire construction are introduced along with properties that questionnaires are evaluated for. Modes of administration, sample size issues, and data analysis approaches are also introduced. The primer is illustrated with examples of surveys conducted in different countries with various public health purposes.

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Towed-diver Surveys of Benthic Habitat, Key Benthic Species, and Marine Debris Sightings of the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The towed-diver method is used to conduct benthic surveys, assessing large-scale disturbances (e.g., bleaching) and quantifying benthic components such as habitat...

An assessment of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling to evaluate malaria outcome indicators: extending malaria indicator surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedron, Caitlin; Pagano, Marcello; Hedt, Bethany L; Kilian, Albert; Ratcliffe, Amy; Mabunda, Samuel; Valadez, Joseph J

2010-02-01

Large investments and increased global prioritization of malaria prevention and treatment have resulted in greater emphasis on programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in many countries. Many countries currently use large multistage cluster sample surveys to monitor malaria outcome indicators on a regional and national level. However, these surveys often mask local-level variability important to programme management. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) has played a valuable role for local-level programme M&E. If incorporated into these larger surveys, it would provide a comprehensive M&E plan at little, if any, extra cost. The Mozambique Ministry of Health conducted a Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) in June and July 2007. We applied LQAS classification rules to the 345 sampled enumeration areas to demonstrate identifying high- and low-performing areas with respect to two malaria program indicators-'household possession of any bednet' and 'household possession of any insecticide-treated bednet (ITN)'. As shown by the MIS, no province in Mozambique achieved the 70% coverage target for household possession of bednets or ITNs. By applying LQAS classification rules to the data, we identify 266 of the 345 enumeration areas as having bednet coverage severely below the 70% target. An additional 73 were identified with low ITN coverage. This article demonstrates the feasibility of integrating LQAS into multistage cluster sampling surveys and using these results to support a comprehensive national, regional and local programme M&E system. Furthermore, in the recommendations we outlined how to integrate the Large Country-LQAS design into macro-surveys while still obtaining results available through current sampling practices.

The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) Quasar Survey: Quasar Properties from Data Release Two and Three

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, X. Y.; Wu, Xue-Bing; Ai, Y. L.; Yang, J. Y.; Yang, Q.; Wang, F.; Zhang, Y. X.; Luo, A. L.; Xu, H.; Yuan, H. L.; Zhang, J. N.; Wang, M. X.; Wang, L. L.; Li, Y. B.; Zuo, F.; Hou, W.; Guo, Y. X.; Kong, X.; Chen, X. Y.; Wu, Y.; Yang, H. F.; Yang, M.

2018-05-01

This is the second installment for the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) Quasar Survey, which includes quasars observed from 2013 September to 2015 June. There are 9024 confirmed quasars in DR2 and 10911 in DR3. After cross-match with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasar catalogs and NED, 12126 quasars are discovered independently. Among them, 2225 quasars were released by SDSS DR12 QSO catalog in 2014 after we finalized the survey candidates. 1801 sources were identified by SDSS DR14 as QSOs. The remaining 8100 quasars are considered as newly founded, and among them, 6887 quasars can be given reliable emission line measurements and the estimated black hole masses. Quasars found in LAMOST are mostly located at low-to-moderate redshifts, with a mean value of 1.5. The highest redshift observed in DR2 and DR3 is 5. We applied emission line measurements to Hα, Hβ, Mg II, and C IV. We deduced the monochromatic continuum luminosities using photometry data, and estimated the virial black hole masses for the newly discovered quasars. Results are compiled into a quasar catalog, which will be available online.

Geothermal development promotion survey. No.B-4 'Kuenohira-yama area'; 1997 nendo chinetsu kaihatsu sokushin chosa data shori hokokusho. No.B-4 Kuenohira-yama chiiki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-01-01

The above-named survey had been scheduled to be conducted in fiscal years 1996-1998 for an approximately 10km{sup 2}-large area of Kokonoe-cho, Kusu-gun, Oita Prefecture. In fiscal 1996, surface surveys were conducted, such as geological and alteration zone surveys, gravity prospecting, and electromagnetic survey. In fiscal 1997, an exploration well (N9-KH-1: depth 2,222.0m) was drilled. Since the maximum temperature in the well was found to be so low as 78.5 degrees C, the survey was given up in the second year. The survey conducted at N9-KH-1 showed that deep-seated and shallow-seated ruptures developed there in the absence of aquicludes, and so it was inferred that it was a recharge area, as predicted by the temperature logging profile, with surface water flowing into the depth. The above showed that there was no deep-seated blind geothermal system which the survey was after. Since it was not likely that the shallow-seated geothermal system located in the southern part of the Mizuwake pass would be found expanding into the area of the current survey, it was decided that the survey not be carried forward to the following fiscal year. (NEDO)

Equilibrium and transient conductivity for gadolium-doped ceria under large perturbations: II. Modeling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhu, Huayang; Ricote, Sandrine; Coors, W. Grover

2014-01-01

the computational implementation of a Nernst–Planck–Poisson (NPP) model to represent and interpret conductivity-relaxation measurements. Defect surface chemistry is represented with both equilibrium and finite-rate kinetic models. The experiments and the models are capable of representing relaxations from strongly......A model-based approach is used to interpret equilibrium and transient conductivity measurements for 10% gadolinium-doped ceria: Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 − δ (GDC10). The measurements were carried out by AC impedance spectroscopy on slender extruded GDC10 rods. Although equilibrium conductivity measurements...... provide sufficient information from which to derive material properties, it is found that uniquely establishing properties is difficult. Augmenting equilibrium measurements with conductivity relaxation significantly improves the evaluation of needed physical properties. This paper develops and applies...

The readiness of German GPs to recommend and conduct cancer screening is associated with patient-physician gender concordance. Results of a survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Engler, Jennifer; Dahlhaus, Anne; Güthlin, Corina

2017-12-01

Cancer screening participation rates in Germany differ depending on patients' gender. International studies have found that patient-physician gender concordance fosters recommendation and conducting of cancer screening, and especially cancer screening for women. We aimed to ascertain whether gender concordance influences general practitioners' (GPs') rating of the usefulness of cancer screening, as well as their recommendations and readiness to conduct cancer screening in general practice in Germany. For an exploratory cross-sectional survey, 500 randomly selected GPs from all over Germany were asked to fill in a questionnaire on cancer screening in general practice between March and June 2015. We asked them to rate the usefulness of each cancer screening examination, how frequently they recommended and conducted them and whether they viewed GPs or specialists as responsible for carrying them out. We used multiple logistic regression to analyse gender effect size by calculating odds ratios. Our study sample consisted of 139 GPs of which 65% were male. Male and female GPs did not differ significantly in their rating of the general usefulness of any of the specified cancer screening examinations. Male GPs were 2.9 to 6.8 times as likely to consider GPs responsible for recommending and conducting PSA testing and digital rectal examinations and were 3.7 to 7.9 times as likely to recommend and conduct these examinations on a regular basis. Patient-physician gender concordance made it more likely that male-specific cancer screenings would be recommended and conducted, but not female-specific screenings. [Box: see text].

Interactive Lecture Experiments in Large Introductory Physics Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Milner-Bolotin, Marina M.; Kotlicki, A.; Rieger, G.; Bates, F.; Moll, R.; McPhee, K.; Nashon, S.

2006-12-01

We describe Interactive Lecture Experiments (ILE), which build on Interactive Lecture Demonstrations proposed by Sokoloff and Thornton (2004) and extends it by providing students with the opportunity to analyze experiments demonstrated in the lecture outside of the classroom. Real time experimental data is collected, using Logger Pro combined with the digital video technology. This data is uploaded to the Internet and made available to the students for further analysis. Student learning is assessed in the following lecture using conceptual questions (clickers). The goal of this project is to use ILE to make large lectures more interactive and promote student interest in science, critical thinking and data analysis skills. We report on the systematic study conducted using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey, Force Concept Inventory, open-ended physics problems and focus group interviews to determine the impact of ILE on student academic achievement, motivation and attitudes towards physics. Three sections of students (750 students) experienced four ILE experiments. The surveys were administered twice and academic results for students who experienced the ILE for a particular topic were compared to the students, from a different section, who did not complete the ILE for that topic. Additional qualitative data on students’ attitudes was collected using open ended survey questions and interviews. We will present preliminary conclusions about the role of ILEs as an effective pedagogy in large introductory physics courses. Sokoloff, D.R. and R.K. Thornton (2004). Interactive Lecture Demonstrations: Active Learning in Introductory Physics, J.Wiley & Sons, INC. Interactive Lecture Experiments: http://www.physics.ubc.ca/ year1lab/p100/LectureLabs/lectureLabs.html

Measurement of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity on fractured rock outcrops near Altamura (Southern Italy) with an adjustable large ring infiltrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Caputo, Maria C.; de Carlo, L.; Masciopinto, C.; Nimmo, J.R.

2010-01-01

Up to now, field studies set up to measure field-saturated hydraulic conductivity to evaluate contamination risks, have employed small cylinders that may not be representative of the scale of measurements in heterogeneous media. In this study, a large adjustable ring infiltrometer was designed to be installed on-site directly on rock to measure its field-saturated hydraulic conductivity. The proposed device is inexpensive and simple to implement, yet also very versatile, due to its large adjustable diameter that can be fixed on-site. It thus allows an improved representation of the natural system's heterogeneity, while also taking into consideration irregularities in the soil/rock surface. The new apparatus was tested on an outcrop of karstic fractured limestone overlying the deep Murge aquifer in the South of Italy, which has recently been affected by untreated sludge disposal, derived from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. The quasi-steady vertical flow into the unsaturated fractures was investigated by measuring water levels during infiltrometer tests. Simultaneously, subsurface electrical resistivity measurements were used to visualize the infiltration of water in the subsoil, due to unsaturated water flow in the fractures. The proposed experimental apparatus works well on rock outcrops, and allows the repetition of infiltration tests at many locations in order to reduce model uncertainties in heterogeneous media. ?? 2009 Springer-Verlag.

49 CFR 192.723 - Distribution systems: Leakage surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... following minimum requirements: (1) A leakage survey with leak detector equipment must be conducted in business districts, including tests of the atmosphere in gas, electric, telephone, sewer, and water system... survey with leak detector equipment must be conducted outside business districts as frequently as...

Large ceramics for fusion applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauth, W.E.; Stoddard, S.D.

1979-01-01

Prominent ceramic raw materials and products manufacturers were surveyed to determine the state of the art for alumina ceramic fabrication. This survey emphasized current capabilities and limitations for fabrication of large, high-density, high-purity, complex shapes. Some directions are suggested for future needs and development. Ceramic-to-ceramic sealing has applications for several technologies that require large and/or complex vacuum-tight ceramic shapes. Information is provided concerning the assembly of complex monolithic ceramic shapes by bonding of subassemblies at temperatures ranging from 450 to 1500 0 C. Future applications and fabrication techniques for various materials are presented

Social Media and Unprofessional Pharmacist Conduct: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Boards of Pharmacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lindsey Elmore, PharmD, BCPS

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine how often boards of pharmacy (BOPs receive complaints related to licensee’s online behavior, and what types of online behaviors may prompt an investigation of a licensee.Methods: A survey (consisting of questions related to BOP’s management of complaints against licensee online behavior and 10 case vignettes was adapted from a previous survey of United States medical boards. Vignettes encompassed themes such as patient confidentiality, derogatory language, alcohol use, false or misleading product claims, and others. Following institutional review board approval, survey materials were distributed via email by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to 63 domestic and international boards of pharmacy. Completed surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The proportion of respondents who indicated that the vignette would “very likely” or “likely” result in an investigation was used to determine consensus. Proportions of >75%, 50%-75% and <50% were classified as high, moderate and low consensus, respectively.Results: Fourteen completed surveys (22.2% were received. Sixty percent of respondents stated that their board has been involved in managing a complaint regarding the online behavior of a licensee, and that disciplinary actions including revocation or suspension of license, letter of reprimand, and monetary fines have been enacted. While 79% of responding BOPs have a policy regarding Internet usage, 36% are unsure whether the policies are sufficient to cover online professionalism. One vignette, where a pharmacist made misleading claims regarding a compounded product, achieved high consensus for likelihood to prompt an investigation. Moderate consensus was achieved for a breach of patient confidentiality, inappropriate alcohol use, and misrepresentation of professional credentials.Conclusion: Boards of pharmacy are widely varied in what types of online behaviors may prompt an investigation

Social Media and Unprofessional Pharmacist Conduct: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Boards of Pharmacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Skelley

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine how often boards of pharmacy (BOPs receive complaints related to licensee's online behavior, and what types online behaviors may prompt an investigation of a licensee. Methods: A survey (consisting of questions related to BOP's management of complaints against licensee online behavior and 10 case vignettes was adapted from a previous survey of United States medical boards. Vignettes encompassed themes such as patient confidentiality, derogatory language, alcohol use, false or misleading product claims, and others. Following institutional review board approval, survey materials were distributed via email by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to 63 domestic and international boards of pharmacy. Completed surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The proportion of respondents who indicated that the vignette would "very likely" or "likely" result in an investigation was used to determine consensus. Proportions of >75%, 50%-75% and <50% were classified as high, moderate and low consensus, respectively. Results: Fourteen completed surveys (22.2% were received. Sixty percent of respondents stated that their board has been involved in managing a complaint regarding the online behavior of a licensee, and that disciplinary actions including revocation or suspension of license, letter of reprimand, and monetary fines have been enacted. While 79% of responding BOPs have a policy regarding Internet usage, 36% are unsure whether the policies are sufficient to cover online professionalism. One vignette, where a pharmacist made misleading claims regarding a compounded product, achieved high consensus for likelihood to prompt an investigation. Moderate consensus was achieved for a breach of patient confidentiality, inappropriate alcohol use, and misrepresentation of professional credentials. Conclusion: Boards of pharmacy are widely varied in what types of online behaviors may prompt an investigation. Additional

Measuring Quality of Healthcare Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes from Routine Data: a Seven-nation Survey Conducted by the IMIA Primary Health Care Working Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinton, W; Liyanage, H; McGovern, A; Liaw, S-T; Kuziemsky, C; Munro, N; de Lusignan, S

2017-08-01

Background: The Institute of Medicine framework defines six dimensions of quality for healthcare systems: (1) safety, (2) effectiveness, (3) patient centeredness, (4) timeliness of care, (5) efficiency, and (6) equity. Large health datasets provide an opportunity to assess quality in these areas. Objective: To perform an international comparison of the measurability of the delivery of these aims, in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from large datasets. Method: We conducted a survey to assess healthcare outcomes data quality of existing databases and disseminated this through professional networks. We examined the data sources used to collect the data, frequency of data uploads, and data types used for identifying people with T2DM. We compared data completeness across the six areas of healthcare quality, using selected measures pertinent to T2DM management. Results: We received 14 responses from seven countries (Australia, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey and the UK). Most databases reported frequent data uploads and would be capable of near real time analysis of healthcare quality.The majority of recorded data related to safety (particularly medication adverse events) and treatment efficacy (glycaemic control and microvascular disease). Data potentially measuring equity was less well recorded. Recording levels were lowest for patient-centred care, timeliness of care, and system efficiency, with the majority of databases containing no data in these areas. Databases using primary care sources had higher data quality across all areas measured. Conclusion: Data quality could be improved particularly in the areas of patient-centred care, timeliness, and efficiency. Primary care derived datasets may be most suited to healthcare quality assessment. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.

Redshift Survey Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. W.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Kaiser, N.

1994-12-01

In the first half of 1995, the Anglo-Australian Observatory is due to commission a wide field (2.1(deg) ), 400-fiber, double spectrograph system (2dF) at the f/3.3 prime focus of the AAT 3.9m bi-national facility. The instrument should be able to measure ~ 4000 galaxy redshifts (assuming a magnitude limit of b_J ~\\ 20) in a single dark night and is therefore ideally suited to studies of large-scale structure. We have carried out simple 3D numerical simulations to judge the relative merits of sparse surveys and contiguous surveys. We generate a survey volume and fill it randomly with particles according to a selection function which mimics a magnitude-limited survey at b_J = 19.7. Each of the particles is perturbed by a gaussian random field according to the dimensionless power spectrum k(3) P(k) / 2pi (2) determined by Feldman, Kaiser & Peacock (1994) from the IRAS QDOT survey. We introduce some redshift-space distortion as described by Kaiser (1987), a `thermal' component measured from pairwise velocities (Davis & Peebles 1983), and `fingers of god' due to rich clusters at random density enhancements. Our particular concern is to understand how the window function W(2(k)) of the survey geometry compromises the accuracy of statistical measures [e.g., P(k), xi (r), xi (r_sigma ,r_pi )] commonly used in the study of large-scale structure. We also examine the reliability of various tools (e.g. genus) for describing the topological structure within a contiguous region of the survey.

The use of advanced web-based survey design in Delphi research.

Science.gov (United States)

Helms, Christopher; Gardner, Anne; McInnes, Elizabeth

2017-12-01

A discussion of the application of metadata, paradata and embedded data in web-based survey research, using two completed Delphi surveys as examples. Metadata, paradata and embedded data use in web-based Delphi surveys has not been described in the literature. The rapid evolution and widespread use of online survey methods imply that paper-based Delphi methods will likely become obsolete. Commercially available web-based survey tools offer a convenient and affordable means of conducting Delphi research. Researchers and ethics committees may be unaware of the benefits and risks of using metadata in web-based surveys. Discussion paper. Two web-based, three-round Delphi surveys were conducted sequentially between August 2014 - January 2015 and April - May 2016. Their aims were to validate the Australian nurse practitioner metaspecialties and their respective clinical practice standards. Our discussion paper is supported by researcher experience and data obtained from conducting both web-based Delphi surveys. Researchers and ethics committees should consider the benefits and risks of metadata use in web-based survey methods. Web-based Delphi research using paradata and embedded data may introduce efficiencies that improve individual participant survey experiences and reduce attrition across iterations. Use of embedded data allows the efficient conduct of multiple simultaneous Delphi surveys across a shorter timeframe than traditional survey methods. The use of metadata, paradata and embedded data appears to improve response rates, identify bias and give possible explanation for apparent outlier responses, providing an efficient method of conducting web-based Delphi surveys. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attitudes towards assisted dying are influenced by question wording and order: a survey experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Magelssen, Morten; Supphellen, Magne; Nortvedt, Per; Materstvedt, Lars Johan

2016-04-27

Surveys on attitudes towards assisted dying play an important role in informing public debate, policy and legislation. Unfortunately, surveys are often designed with insufficient attention to framing effects; that is, effects on the respondents' stated attitudes caused by question wording and context. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate and measure such framing effects. Survey experiment in which an eight-question survey on attitudes towards assisted dying was distributed to Norwegian citizens through a web-based panel. Two variations of question wording as well as two variations of question order were employed. Respondents were randomized to receive one of four questionnaire versions. Three thousand and fifty responses were received. There were moderate to large question wording and question order effects. A majority of Norwegian citizens favour the legalization of assisted dying for patients with terminal or chronic disease. Stakeholders in the assisted dying debate need to acknowledge potential framing effects, and accordingly should interpret survey results with caution. The same holds for researchers who conduct attitude surveys in the field of bioethics.

Remote Sensing and Special Surveys Program annual report, January--December 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conder, S.R.; Doll, W.E.; Gabrielsen, C.A.; King, A.D.; Durfee, R.C.; Parr, P.D.

1994-03-01

The Remote Sensing and Special Surveys Program has been established to provide environmental characterization data, change data, and trend data to various Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ERWM) programs. The data are acquired through several different types of survey platforms. During the calendar year of 1993, a variety of surveys were conducted through the Remote Sensing and Special Surveys Program. The aerial surveys included geophysical, radiological, false color infrared (IR) photography, and natural color photography. Ground surveys were conducted to correlate data collected from the airborne platforms to data measured at ground level. Ground surveys were also conducted to determine the existence or absence of threatened and endangered plant species on the Oak Ridge Reservation. Some of the special surveys included laser induced fluorescence imaging, solar reflectance, and various remote sensing and ground control activities for the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) initiative. Data analysis, management, and storage are also conducted by the Remote Sensing and Special Surveys Program to achieve the highest level of data useability possible. The data acquired through these surveys have provided and will continue to provide much needed information to ERWM programs

Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program - Entiat River Snorkel Surveys, 2006-2007.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelle, R.D.

2007-10-01

The USFWS Mid-Columbia River Fishery Resource Office conducted snorkel surveys at 11 sites during the summer 2006 survey period and at 15 sites during fall 2006 and winter 2007 survey periods as part of the Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program in the Entiat River. A total of 39,898 fish from 14 species/genera and an unknown category were enumerated. Chinook salmon were the overall most common fish observed and comprised 19% of fish enumerated followed by mountain whitefish (18%) and rainbow trout (14%). Day and night surveys were conducted during the summer 2006 period (August), while night surveys were conducted during the fall 2006 (October) and winter 2007 (February/March) surveys. This is second annual progress report to Bonneville Power Administration for the snorkel surveys conducted in the Entiat River as related to long-term effectiveness monitoring of restoration programs in this watershed. The objective of this study is to monitor the fish habitat utilization of planned in-stream restoration efforts in the Entiat River by conducting pre- and post-construction snorkel surveys at selected treatment and control sites.

Cumulative traumas and psychosis: an analysis of the national comorbidity survey and the British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Shevlin, Mark; Houston, James E; Dorahy, Martin J; Adamson, Gary

2008-01-01

Previous research has shown that traumatic life events are associated with a diagnosis of psychosis. Rather than focus on particular events, this study aimed to estimate the effect of cumulative traumatic experiences on psychosis. The study was based on 2 large community samples (The National Comorbidity Survey [NCS], The British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey [BPMS]). All analyses were conducted using hierarchical binary logistic regression, with psychosis diagnosis as the dependent variable. Background demographic variables were included in the first block, in addition to alcohol/drug dependence and depression. A variable indicating the number of traumas experienced was entered in the second block. Experiencing 2 or more trauma types significantly predicted psychosis, and there appeared to be a dose-response type relationship. Particular traumatic experiences have been implicated in the etiology of psychosis. Consistent with previous research, molestation and physical abuse were significant predictors of psychosis using the NCS, whereas for the BPMS, serious injury or assault and violence in the home were statistically significant. This study indicated the added risk of multiple traumatic experiences.

Marine mammal surveys in Dutch waters in 2013

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Scheidat, M.; Bemmelen, van R.S.A.

2014-01-01

In March/April 2013 aerial surveys to estimate the abundance of Harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena on the Dutch Continental Shelf were conducted. These surveys were conducted along predetermined track lines using distance sampling methods in four areas: A “Dogger Bank”, B “Offshore”, C “Frisian

Use of electromagnetic terrain conductivity measurements to map liquid hazardous waste migration in groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ketelle, R.H.; Pin, F.G.

1983-11-01

Electromagnetic conductivity measurements have been used to map apparent ground conductivity in the vicinity of a liquid hazardous waste disposal site. An area of approximately 12 ha (30 acres) was surveyed. Approximately 600 conductivity measurements were obtained to prepare a conductivity map of the site. Conductivity measurments in the area correlate with specific conductance measurements of surface and groundwater samples. Contouring of the conductivity data showed the precise location of contaminant migration pathways in the subsurface. A complex contaminant plume was defined by the conductivity survey. Conductivity values obtained reflected anisotropic characteristics related to local bedrock structure. Anisotropy characteristics and the use of different instrument configurations indicated semiquantitatively the depth of the high conductivity zone and the direction of flow

Methodological Issues in Survey Research: A Historical Review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Heer, W.; de Leeuw, E.D.; van der Zouwen, J.

1999-01-01

In this paper, we present a historical overview of social surveys and describe the historical development of scientific survey methodology and survey statistics. The origins of survey research can be traced back to the early 19th century and the first scientiflc survey was conducted in England in

Transparent conducting oxide nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Alivov, Yahya; Singh, Vivek; Ding, Yuchen; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-09-01

Thin film or porous membranes made of hollow, transparent, conducting oxide (TCO) nanotubes, with high chemical stability, functionalized surfaces and large surface areas, can provide an excellent platform for a wide variety of nanostructured photovoltaic, photodetector, photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic devices. While large-bandgap oxide semiconductors offer transparency for incident light (below their nominal bandgap), their low carrier concentration and poor conductivity makes them unsuitable for charge conduction. Moreover, materials with high conductivity have nominally low bandgaps and hence poor light transmittance. Here, we demonstrate thin films and membranes made from TiO2 nanotubes heavily-doped with shallow Niobium (Nb) donors (up to 10%, without phase segregation), using a modified electrochemical anodization process, to fabricate transparent conducting hollow nanotubes. Temperature dependent current-voltage characteristics revealed that TiO2 TCO nanotubes, doped with 10% Nb, show metal-like behavior with resistivity decreasing from 6.5 × 10-4 Ωcm at T = 300 K (compared to 6.5 × 10-1 Ωcm for nominally undoped nanotubes) to 2.2 × 10-4 Ωcm at T = 20 K. Optical properties, studied by reflectance measurements, showed light transmittance up to 90%, within wavelength range 400 nm-1000 nm. Nb doping also improves the field emission properties of TCO nanotubes demonstrating an order of magnitude increase in field-emitter current, compared to undoped samples.