WorldWideScience

Sample records for mps force special

  1. MPS and ML

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... individuals about MPS and ML, the National MPS Society has created a central location for more information on MPS. Click here to go to the MPS Library. Share Tweet Our Mission The National MPS Society exists to cure, support and advocate for MPS ...

  2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea in MPS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhijit Ricky Pal MBBChir, MA, MD, FRCS(ORL-HNS

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs are a group of inherited, metabolic disorders characterized by progressive multisystem accumulation of partially degraded glycosaminoglycans. This manifests with multilevel airway obstruction, presenting with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA. We systematically reviewed the literature to determine the severity and prevalence of OSA in MPS based on polysomnography analysis. Fifteen studies with 294 participants met the inclusion criteria for review. The pretreatment prevalence of OSA in MPS was 81% with a mean apnea–hypopnea index (AHI of 10.4. Patients with MPS I are most significantly affected, with 75% suffering with moderate to severe OSA (mean AHI, 16.6. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT results in an almost significant reduction in OSA in MPS I ( P = .06, while adenotonsillar surgery significantly improves AHI ( P = .002. Obstructive sleep apnea least affects MPS III. There is a lack of long-term post-ERT and hematopoietic stem cell transplant data relating to OSA outcomes in this population, with further prospective studies required to determine the ongoing response to treatment.

  3. Microcontroller Programming and Interfacing TI MPS433

    CERN Document Server

    Barrett, Steven

    2011-01-01

    This book provides a thorough introduction to the Texas Instruments MPS430 microcontroller. The MPS430 is a 16-bit reduced instruction set (RISC) processor that features ultra low power consumption and integrated digital and analog hardware. Variants of the MPS430 microcontroller have been in production since 1993. This provides for a host of MPS430 products including evaluation boards, compilers, and documentation. A thorough introduction to the MPS430 line of microcontrollers, programming techniques, and interface concepts are provided along with considerable tutorial information with many i

  4. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Special Operations Forces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    is the result of a research projec tproviding international interdisciplinary perspectives on special operations forces, based on three main themes: - Leading and organizing for strategic effect - Professional entrepreneurship and self-perceptions in special operations forces - Political and popular perceptions...

  5. The APS machine protection system (MPS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuja, R.; Berg, B.; Arnold, N. [and others

    1996-08-01

    The machine protection system (MPS) that protects the APS storage ring vacuum chamber from x-ray beams, is active. There are over 650 sensors monitored and networked through the MPS system. About the same number of other process variables are monitored by the much slower EPICS control system, which also has an input to the rf abort chain. The MPS network is still growing with the beam position limits detection system coming on-line. The network configuration, along with a limited description of individual subsystems, is presented.

  6. The APS machine protection system (MPS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuja, R.; Berg, B.; Arnold, N.

    1996-01-01

    The machine protection system (MPS) that protects the APS storage ring vacuum chamber from x-ray beams, is active. There are over 650 sensors monitored and networked through the MPS system. About the same number of other process variables are monitored by the much slower EPICS control system, which also has an input to the rf abort chain. The MPS network is still growing with the beam position limits detection system coming on-line. The network configuration, along with a limited description of individual subsystems, is presented

  7. U.S. Special Forces: culture warriors

    OpenAIRE

    Hill, Joshua L.

    2014-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) are consistently called upon to work by, with, and through indigenous forces to conduct special warfare. Current SF doctrine reflects an increasing desire for SF operators to be culturally proficient in order to work closely with locals, advise foreign militaries, and build relationships with host-nation counterparts. Despite the doctrinal emphasis on cultural proficiency, SF doctrine offers little concret...

  8. AAV Gene Therapy for MPS1-associated Corneal Blindness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vance, Melisa; Llanga, Telmo; Bennett, Will; Woodard, Kenton; Murlidharan, Giridhar; Chungfat, Neil; Asokan, Aravind; Gilger, Brian; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Samulski, R Jude; Hirsch, Matthew L

    2016-02-22

    Although cord blood transplantation has significantly extended the lifespan of mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (MPS1) patients, over 95% manifest cornea clouding with about 50% progressing to blindness. As corneal transplants are met with high rejection rates in MPS1 children, there remains no treatment to prevent blindness or restore vision in MPS1 children. Since MPS1 is caused by mutations in idua, which encodes alpha-L-iduronidase, a gene addition strategy to prevent, and potentially reverse, MPS1-associated corneal blindness was investigated. Initially, a codon optimized idua cDNA expression cassette (opt-IDUA) was validated for IDUA production and function following adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector transduction of MPS1 patient fibroblasts. Then, an AAV serotype evaluation in human cornea explants identified an AAV8 and 9 chimeric capsid (8G9) as most efficient for transduction. AAV8G9-opt-IDUA administered to human corneas via intrastromal injection demonstrated widespread transduction, which included cells that naturally produce IDUA, and resulted in a >10-fold supraphysiological increase in IDUA activity. No significant apoptosis related to AAV vectors or IDUA was observed under any conditions in both human corneas and MPS1 patient fibroblasts. The collective preclinical data demonstrate safe and efficient IDUA delivery to human corneas, which may prevent and potentially reverse MPS1-associated cornea blindness.

  9. Transforming Norwegian Special Operation Forces

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Robertsen, Tom A

    2006-01-01

    This paper explores the transformation of Norwegian Special Operation Forces (NORSOF), raising the hypothesis that its current organizational structure is inconsistent with its future roles and missions...

  10. Special Forces Command and Control in Afghanistan

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Rhyne, Richard

    2004-01-01

    .... The author examines how Special Forces and conventional forces worked together in the past in Vietnam, Panama, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield...

  11. Highly reusability surface loaded metal particles magnetic catalyst microspheres (MCM-MPs) for treatment of dye-contaminated water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Ying; Zhang, Kun; Yin, Xiaoshuang; Yang, Wenzhong; Zhu, Hongjun

    2016-01-01

    The metal-deposited magnetic catalyst microspheres (MCM-MPs) were successfully synthesized by one facile, high yield and controllable approach. Here, the bare magnetic microspheres were firstly synthesized according to the solvothermal method. Then silica shell were coated on the surface of the magnetic microspheres via sol–gel method, and subsequently with surface modifying with amino in the purpose to form SiO_2–NH_2 shell. Thus, metal particles were easily adsorbed into the SiO_2–NH_2 shell and in-situ reduced by NaBH_4 solution. All the obtained products (MCM-Cu, MCM-Ag, MCM-Pd) which were monodisperse and constitutionally stable were exhibited high magnetization and excellent catalytic activity towards dyes solution reduction. The catalytic rate ratio of MCM-Pd: MCM-Cu: MCM-Ag could be 10:3:1. Besides, some special coordination compound Cu_2(OH)_3Br had been generated in the in-situ reduced process of MCM-Cu, which produced superior cyclical stability (>20 times) than that of MCM-Ag and MCM-Pd. In all, those highly reusability and great catalytic efficiency of MCM-MPs show promising and great potential for treatment of dye-contaminated water. - Graphical abstract: Surface loaded metal particles magnetic catalyst microspheres MCM-MPs for rapid decolorizing dye-contaminated water: Synthesis, characterization and possible mechanisms. - Highlights: • A simple and high yield synthetic method for fabricate multi MCM-MPs is proposed with adequately optimize. • The highest reusability of MCM-Cu is attribute to the coordination compounds Cu_2(OH)_3Br. • MCM-MPs show excellent catalytic properties under different situations for various dyes • The catalytic mechanism of MCM-MPs is presented.

  12. Numerical analysis of isothermal JET injection into a denser liquid pool using RD-MPS Method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, S. [KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, H. S. [POSTECH, Pohang (Korea, Republic of); Jeun, G. [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-03-15

    In this study, the rigid body dynamics coupled moving particle semi-implicit (RD-MPS) method was used to simulate a plunging liquid jet penetrating into a denser liquid pool. The phenomenon is related to fuel-coolant interactions (FCI) during severe accidents in nuclear power plants when coolant water is forcedly injected into a melt pool. A numerical particle method like MPS enables to simulate the complex multiphase flow in that significant deformation of fluids occurs due to its inherent grid less algorithm. However, the MPS method alone cannot continue the calculation for a long time as shown in the Ikea's work due to the large deformation of fluid surfaces and the difference in both liquid densities. In the RD-MPS method, the rigid body dynamics was coupled with the moving particle semi-implicit method to increase the overall stability of calculations and to calculate the multi-phase behavior of fluids. We performed two and three dimensional calculations to simulate jet penetration behaviors in a denser liquid pool, and the result was in good agreement with that of experiment. The simulation results suggested that the coupled model be useful in simulating dynamic interactions of multi-phase incompressible fluids as well as that the 3-D simulation for the plunging jet in a confined geometry predicted better agreement with experimental results than the 2-D simulation did.

  13. Numerical analysis of isothermal JET injection into a denser liquid pool using RD-MPS Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, S.; Park, H. S.; Jeun, G.

    2012-01-01

    In this study, the rigid body dynamics coupled moving particle semi-implicit (RD-MPS) method was used to simulate a plunging liquid jet penetrating into a denser liquid pool. The phenomenon is related to fuel-coolant interactions (FCI) during severe accidents in nuclear power plants when coolant water is forcedly injected into a melt pool. A numerical particle method like MPS enables to simulate the complex multiphase flow in that significant deformation of fluids occurs due to its inherent grid less algorithm. However, the MPS method alone cannot continue the calculation for a long time as shown in the Ikea's work due to the large deformation of fluid surfaces and the difference in both liquid densities. In the RD-MPS method, the rigid body dynamics was coupled with the moving particle semi-implicit method to increase the overall stability of calculations and to calculate the multi-phase behavior of fluids. We performed two and three dimensional calculations to simulate jet penetration behaviors in a denser liquid pool, and the result was in good agreement with that of experiment. The simulation results suggested that the coupled model be useful in simulating dynamic interactions of multi-phase incompressible fluids as well as that the 3-D simulation for the plunging jet in a confined geometry predicted better agreement with experimental results than the 2-D simulation did

  14. Basing the US Air Force Special Operations Forces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1986-12-01

    Headquarters Military Airlift Command (Hq MAC/XONP), Scott AFB, IL, July 8, 1986. 2. Daskin , Mark S. " A Maximum Expected Covering Location Model: Formulation...7942 m~ I SAIR F ORME S ECI L PE DO S CHOOL’ 1 OF EMNIEERINO A E KCRAUS DEC 66 RFIT/OOLOS/MN-6 IUCLRS SIFIE F.’G1F/OI L Ehhmhmmhhhhhhl smomhmhmhhum...Ap a . %Ř ~ ,~, ~~%9~ q%%~ * % . i %%~ . ~* - out; ’-ILE Copy / AFIT/GOR/OS/86D-6 II BASING THE US AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES THESIS Mark E

  15. Highly reusability surface loaded metal particles magnetic catalyst microspheres (MCM-MPs) for treatment of dye-contaminated water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Ying; Zhang, Kun, E-mail: kun4219@njtech.edu.cn; Yin, Xiaoshuang; Yang, Wenzhong; Zhu, Hongjun

    2016-04-01

    The metal-deposited magnetic catalyst microspheres (MCM-MPs) were successfully synthesized by one facile, high yield and controllable approach. Here, the bare magnetic microspheres were firstly synthesized according to the solvothermal method. Then silica shell were coated on the surface of the magnetic microspheres via sol–gel method, and subsequently with surface modifying with amino in the purpose to form SiO{sub 2}–NH{sub 2} shell. Thus, metal particles were easily adsorbed into the SiO{sub 2}–NH{sub 2} shell and in-situ reduced by NaBH{sub 4} solution. All the obtained products (MCM-Cu, MCM-Ag, MCM-Pd) which were monodisperse and constitutionally stable were exhibited high magnetization and excellent catalytic activity towards dyes solution reduction. The catalytic rate ratio of MCM-Pd: MCM-Cu: MCM-Ag could be 10:3:1. Besides, some special coordination compound Cu{sub 2}(OH){sub 3}Br had been generated in the in-situ reduced process of MCM-Cu, which produced superior cyclical stability (>20 times) than that of MCM-Ag and MCM-Pd. In all, those highly reusability and great catalytic efficiency of MCM-MPs show promising and great potential for treatment of dye-contaminated water. - Graphical abstract: Surface loaded metal particles magnetic catalyst microspheres MCM-MPs for rapid decolorizing dye-contaminated water: Synthesis, characterization and possible mechanisms. - Highlights: • A simple and high yield synthetic method for fabricate multi MCM-MPs is proposed with adequately optimize. • The highest reusability of MCM-Cu is attribute to the coordination compounds Cu{sub 2}(OH){sub 3}Br. • MCM-MPs show excellent catalytic properties under different situations for various dyes • The catalytic mechanism of MCM-MPs is presented.

  16. Search for all d-MPs for all d levels in multistate two-terminal networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai, Guanghan; Zuo, Ming J.; Tian, Zhigang

    2015-01-01

    A general method for reliability evaluation of multistate network is using minimal path vectors. A minimal path (MP) vector to system state d is called a d-MP. Most reported works on generating d-MPs are for a particular d value. However, if all d-MPs for all possible integer d values are required, we need to call such methods multiple times with respect to all d values. A more efficient method is desirable to generate all d-MPs. In this paper, we develop a recursive algorithm based on breadth-first search to search for all the d-MPs for all possible d values. The relationships among d-MPs for different d levels are revealed. Each d-MP candidate can be generated by a combination of one (d-1)-MP and the vector form of one binary minimal path. Thus, we can use binary MPs as building blocks to generate 2-MP candidates, and use 2-MPs and binary MPs as building blocks to generate 3-MP candidates … and so forth. When the d-MPs with respect to the maximum d value have been found, all the d-MPs for all possible d values are obtained. A heuristic for pre-processing the MPs is proposed to improve the efficiency of the algorithm. Through computational experiments, it is found that the proposed algorithm is more efficient than existing algorithms for finding all d-MPs for all possible d values. In addition, we show that the proposed algorithm can also be used to generate a subset of d-MPs for all or some d values given a subset of MPs. The generated subset of d-MPs can be used for lower reliability bound evaluation. - Highlights: • The relationships among d-MPs for different d levels are revealed. • An efficient algorithm is developed to search for all d-MPs for all d levels. • A heuristic for pre-processing the MPs is proposed to improve the efficiency. • The computational efficiency of the algorithm is investigated. • A method to search for subsets of d-MPs is proposed for reliability bounding

  17. Enhancing U.S. Army Special Forces: Research and Applications

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Brooks, Judith

    1997-01-01

    .... The report gives a brief overview of research conducted to benefit Special Forces recruitment, selection, assessment, training, and soldiers in the field. At the end of each of these major sections are recommendations for Special Forces and for the Army, based on what we learned from the research. The report concludes with a discussion of future research directions.

  18. Effective mass trigger at the Brookhaven Multi-Particle Spectrometer (MPS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Willen, E.H.

    1980-01-01

    An effective mass trigger for use at the Brookhaven Multiparticle Spectrometer (MPS) is described. It is a microprocessor based device using extensive fast memory attached to proportional wire chambers in the MPS magnetic field. It will select kinematic quantities unique to the reaction being studied, thereby permitting higher sensitivities and a reduction in data-processing cost for MPS experiments. The principles of operation for this trigger, and the results of simulations to assess its performance, are presented

  19. RoMPS concept review automatic control of space robot

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    The Robot operated Material Processing in Space (RoMPS) experiment is being performed to explore the marriage of two emerging space commercialization technologies: materials processing in microgravity and robotics. This concept review presents engineering drawings and limited technical descriptions of the RoMPS programs' electrical and software systems.

  20. Mission Planning System Increment 5 (MPS Inc 5)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-01

    2016 Major Automated Information System Annual Report Mission Planning System Increment 5 (MPS Inc 5) Defense Acquisition Management Information...President’s Budget RDT&E - Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation SAE - Service Acquisition Executive TBD - To Be Determined TY - Then Year...Phone: 845-9625 DSN Fax: Date Assigned: May 19, 2014 Program Information Program Name Mission Planning System Increment 5 (MPS Inc 5) DoD

  1. Can operations put the MPS into an unsafe state?

    CERN Document Server

    Ponce, L

    2011-01-01

    During the 2010 run, the MPS have been additionally stressed by the commissioning of operational procedures and systems tests. As requested by the MPS external review committee, human factors have to be further minimized and discipline reinforced when increasing the stored beam energies towards and beyond the 2010 target of 30 MJ. This talk will present a synthesis of the Evian discussion on MPS and human factors, with an emphasis on the tools and procedures to be put in place for the 2011 run in order to ensure the machine safety during standard beam operation and after periods of machine developments or technical stops.

  2. Experiments and MPS analysis of stratification behavior of two immiscible fluids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Gen, E-mail: ligen@fuji.waseda.jp [Cooperative Major in Nuclear Energy, Waseda University, 3-4-1, Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan); Oka, Yoshiaki [Cooperative Major in Nuclear Energy, Waseda University, 3-4-1, Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555 (Japan); Furuya, Masahiro; Kondo, Masahiro [Nuclear Technology Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), 2-11-1 Iwado-kita, Komae, Tokyo 201-8511 (Japan)

    2013-12-15

    Highlights: • Improving numerical stability of MPS method. • Implicitly calculating viscous term in momentum equation for highly viscous fluids. • Validation of the enhanced MPS method by analyzing dam break problem. • Various stratification behavior analysis by experiments and simulations. • Sensitivity analysis of the effects of the fluid viscosity and density difference. - Abstract: Stratification behavior is of great significance in the late in-vessel stage of core melt severe accident of a nuclear reactor. Conventional numerical methods have difficulties in analyzing stratification process accompanying with free surface without depending on empirical correlations. The Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method, which calculates free surface and multiphase flow without empirical equations, is applicable for analyzing the stratification behavior of fluids. In the present study, the original MPS method was improved to simulate the stratification behavior of two immiscible fluids. The improved MPS method was validated through simulating classical dam break problem. Then, the stratification processes of two fluid columns and injected fluid were investigated through experiments and simulations, using silicone oil and salt water as the simulant materials. The effects of fluid viscosity and density difference on stratification behavior were also sensitively investigated by simulations. Typical fluid configurations at various parametric and geometrical conditions were observed and well predicted by improved MPS method.

  3. Quantitative mass spectrometry analysis reveals similar substrate consensus motif for human Mps1 kinase and Plk1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen Dou

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Members of the Mps1 kinase family play an essential and evolutionarily conserved role in the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC, a surveillance mechanism that ensures accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis. Human Mps1 (hMps1 is highly phosphorylated during mitosis and many phosphorylation sites have been identified. However, the upstream kinases responsible for these phosphorylations are not presently known. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we identify 29 in vivo phosphorylation sites in hMps1. While in vivo analyses indicate that Aurora B and hMps1 activity are required for mitotic hyper-phosphorylation of hMps1, in vitro kinase assays show that Cdk1, MAPK, Plk1 and hMps1 itself can directly phosphorylate hMps1. Although Aurora B poorly phosphorylates hMps1 in vitro, it positively regulates the localization of Mps1 to kinetochores in vivo. Most importantly, quantitative mass spectrometry analysis demonstrates that at least 12 sites within hMps1 can be attributed to autophosphorylation. Remarkably, these hMps1 autophosphorylation sites closely resemble the consensus motif of Plk1, demonstrating that these two mitotic kinases share a similar substrate consensus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: hMps1 kinase is regulated by Aurora B kinase and its autophosphorylation. Analysis on hMps1 autophosphorylation sites demonstrates that hMps1 has a substrate preference similar to Plk1 kinase.

  4. Optimization of the SODAR preprocessor MPS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thielen, H.; Martens, R.; Massmeyer, K.

    1999-01-01

    The data measured by meteorological monitoring stations at the site of nuclear installations form the basis for calculation and fast assessment of the atmospheric dispersion of radionuclides released in an accident, and the resulting population exposure. Application of modern atmospheric dispersion models, as eg. that of the French-German Commission (DFK model), requires a novel calculation method for determination of boundary layer parameters based on SODAR information and supplementary meteorological measurements. For the research project St. Sch. 4102, the meteorological preprocessor for SODAR data (MPS) has been developed and is explained in the reports /THI 96/ and THI 98/. The task of the research project St.Sch. 4166 reported here was to optimize the MPS and carry out relevant validations. (orig./CB) [de

  5. Developing Adaptive Proficiency in Special Forces Officers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    White, Susan S; Mueller-Hanson, Rose A; Dorsey, David W; Pulakos, Elaine D; Wisecarver, Michelle M; Deagle, Edwin A., III; Mendini, Kip G

    2005-01-01

    Adaptive proficiency is critical for operating in the dynamic Special Forces (SF) mission environment and a recent focus on this requirement has resulted in a greater emphasis on adaptability in current training for SF...

  6. Assessment of dysmyelination with RAFFn MRI: application to murine MPS I.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Satzer

    Full Text Available Type I mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS I is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder with neurological features. Humans and laboratory animals with MPS I exhibit various white matter abnormalities involving the corpus callosum and other regions. In this study, we first validated a novel MRI technique, entitled Relaxation Along a Fictitious Field in the rotating frame of rank n (RAFFn, as a measure of myelination and dysmyelination in mice. We then examined differences between MPS I mice and heterozygotes using RAFF5 and histology. RAFF5 (i.e., RAFFn with n = 5 relaxation time constants were highly correlated with histological myelin density (R2 = 0.68, P<0.001, and RAFF5 clearly distinguished between the hypomyelinated and dysmyelinated shiverer mouse and the wild-type mouse. Bloch-McConnell theoretical analysis revealed slower exchange correlation times and smaller exchange-induced relaxation rate constants for RAFF4 and RAFF5 compared to RAFF1-3, T1ρ, and T2ρ. These data suggest that RAFF5 may assess methylene protons in myelin lipids and proteins, though other mechanisms (e.g. detection of myelin-bound water may also explain the sensitivity of RAFF5 to myelin. In MPS I mice, mean RAFF5 relaxation time constants were significantly larger for the striatum (P = 0.004 and internal capsule (P = 0.039, and marginally larger for the fornix (P = 0.15. Histological assessment revealed no differences between MPS I mice and heterozygotes in myelin density or corpus callosum thickness. Taken together, these findings support subtle dysmyelination in the brains of mice with MPS I. Dysmyelination may result from myelin lipid abnormalities caused by the absence of α-L-iduronidase. Our findings may help to explain locomotor and cognitive deficits seen in mice with MPS I.

  7. Baseball Caps and Beards: The Perception of US Special Forces by Conventional Forces and Its Impact on Interdependence

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-05-20

    Professional Military Education RAB Regionally Aligned Brigade RAF Regionally Aligned Force SAS Special Air Service SFG (A) Special Forces Group...to create unnecessary barriers between themselves and the people. Rather comically , they had to put on the full body armor to enter American bases...in our forces from the very beginning of professional military education and throughout all planning and training. The closure of the Iraq theater

  8. 77 FR 43071 - MPS Customer Group v. Maine Public Service Company; Notice of Complaint

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-23

    ..., MPS Customer Group (Complainant) filed a formal complaint against Maine Public Service Company (MPS or... document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please email... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL12-84-000] MPS Customer...

  9. Changes in muscle strength and morphology after muscle unloading in Special Forces missions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorlund, J B; Jakobsen, O; Madsen, T

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to determine the changes in maximal muscle strength, rapid force capacity, jumping performance and muscle morphology following a Special Forces military operation involving 8 days of muscle unloading. Nine male Special Forces soldiers were tested before (pre) ...

  10. Knowledge Enclosures, Forced Specializations and Investment Crisis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filippo Belloc

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Like land before the industrial revolution, in the present global economy much knowledge is being enclosed in private hands. In this paper we argue that these enclosures have become a major factor in specialization among firms and among countries: both are forced to specialize in the fields that are not restricted by the enclosures of the others. We use data on 26 OECD countries over the 1978-2006 period. We estimate the effect of patents endowments of countries on their investment specialization across sectors and show that knowledge enclosures involve self-reinforcing innovation patterns. Moreover, we perform a structural change analysis and find that the TRIPs agreement has significantly strengthened the relationship between countries' patents specialization and investment specialization. We conclude by suggesting that stronger international patent protection may restrict global investment opportunities, and this may be one of the factors contributing to the present crisis.

  11. Thinkers at the Cutting Edge: Innovation in the Danish Special Forces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mayland, Karina; Haugegaard, Rikke; Shapiro, Allan

    2017-01-01

    This article is a contribution to the discussions about the unique capacity of Special Operation Forces (SOF). Based on data from interviews and observation in a field study among the Danish Frogman Corps, the Royal Danish Navy Special Operations unit, and the Danish Jaeger Corps, the Danish Army...... Special Operations unit, the article investigates the work environment of the two Special Operations units supporting an innovative capacity. What kind of leadership, processes and work climate support employee-driven innovation in SOF?......This article is a contribution to the discussions about the unique capacity of Special Operation Forces (SOF). Based on data from interviews and observation in a field study among the Danish Frogman Corps, the Royal Danish Navy Special Operations unit, and the Danish Jaeger Corps, the Danish Army...

  12. U.S. Special Forces: Culture Warriors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-12-01

    definitions include:  “ culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, art, law, morals , custom, and any other capabilities and habits...perceptions towards others, such as ethnocentrism, cultural relativism , stereotypes, biases and worldview. Readings: ARSOF 2022, Special Warfare, Vol. 26...FORCES: CULTURE WARRIORS by Joshua L. Hill December 2014 Thesis Advisor: Heather S. Gregg Second Reader: Robert Burks THIS PAGE

  13. Future opportunities for hadron spectroscopy at the MPS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longacre, R.S.

    1988-01-01

    Before I go into detailed MPS experiments, I will give a summary of the status of lattice gauge calculations of glueball masses plus glueball and hybrid masses from the bag model, and the flux tube model. For the following discussion, I am going to assume that multi-quark states or molecules are best described in terms of the MIT bag model of Jaffe with its spectrum best defined by work done by R.L. Jaffe and F.E. Low using a method called The P-Matrix. Using this method one sees that all 4-quark states will appear as very broad continuum like effects that one would not associate with meson resonances, except for the S* and the δ which forms a very special threshold K/bar K/ bound systems. There is a possibility that the E(1420) may also be related to the J/sup PC/ = 1 ++ , qq/bar q//bar q/ spectrum having its width narrowed by a final state interaction

  14. Uncloaking the dagger: does adherence to the Geneva Conventions betray Special Operations Forces?

    OpenAIRE

    Staab, Charles

    2016-01-01

    Bombs, Special Operations Forces (SOF), and proxy forces are growth industries in the modern fight. As President Obama identified in an address covering the nation's strategy in Syria, "airstrikes, Special Forces, and working with local forces who are fighting to regain control of their own country -- that is how we'll achieve a more sustainable victory." [i] These remarks capture the nation's current policy for combating terrorist threats. From its origins in the Second World War to prese...

  15. MPS II drift chamber system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Platner, E.D.

    1982-01-01

    The MPS II detectors are narrow drift space chambers designed for high position resolution in a magnetic field and in a very high particle flux environment. Central to this implementation was the development of 3 multi-channel custom IC's and one multi-channel hybrid. The system is deadtimeless and requires no corrections on an anode-to-anode basis. Operational experience and relevance to ISABELLE detectors is discussed

  16. Simulation of isothermal multi-phase fuel-coolant interaction using MPS method with GPU acceleration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gou, W.; Zhang, S.; Zheng, Y. [Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou (China). Center for Engineering and Scientific Computation

    2016-07-15

    The energetic fuel-coolant interaction (FCI) has been one of the primary safety concerns in nuclear power plants. Graphical processing unit (GPU) implementation of the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method is presented and used to simulate the fuel coolant interaction problem. The governing equations are discretized with the particle interaction model of MPS. Detailed implementation on single-GPU is introduced. The three-dimensional broken dam is simulated to verify the developed GPU acceleration MPS method. The proposed GPU acceleration algorithm and developed code are then used to simulate the FCI problem. As a summary of results, the developed GPU-MPS method showed a good agreement with the experimental observation and theoretical prediction.

  17. Abnormal polyamine metabolism is unique to the neuropathic forms of MPS: potential for biomarker development and insight into pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinderer, Christian; Katz, Nathan; Louboutin, Jean-Pierre; Bell, Peter; Tolar, Jakub; Orchard, Paul J; Lund, Troy C; Nayal, Mohamad; Weng, Liwei; Mesaros, Clementina; de Souza, Carolina F M; Dalla Corte, Amauri; Giugliani, Roberto; Wilson, James M

    2017-10-01

    The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are rare genetic disorders marked by severe somatic and neurological symptoms. Development of treatments for the neurological manifestations of MPS has been hindered by the lack of objective measures of central nervous system disease burden. Identification of biomarkers for central nervous system disease in MPS patients would facilitate the evaluation of new agents in clinical trials. High throughput metabolite screening of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from a canine model of MPS I revealed a marked elevation of the polyamine, spermine, in affected animals, and gene therapy studies demonstrated that reduction of CSF spermine reflects correction of brain lesions in these animals. In humans, CSF spermine was elevated in neuropathic subtypes of MPS (MPS I, II, IIIA, IIIB), but not in subtypes in which cognitive function is preserved (MPS IVA, VI). In MPS I patients, elevated CSF spermine was restricted to patients with genotypes associated with CNS disease and was reduced following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which is the only therapy currently capable of improving cognitive outcomes. Additional studies in cultured neurons from MPS I mice showed that elevated spermine was essential for the abnormal neurite overgrowth exhibited by MPS neurons. These findings offer new insights into the pathogenesis of CNS disease in MPS patients, and support the use of spermine as a new biomarker to facilitate the development of next generation therapeutics for MPS. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES IN AFRICA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-02-16

    hundreds of traditional African religions associated with the plethora of tribal groups as well as large populations of Muslims, primarily in the...engagement, and the complexities of the African continent, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are uniquely suited to further those interests. Additionally...protecting access to abundant strategic resources, fostering integration into the global economy, and empowering Africans and their partners to deal

  19. U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-06

    3 Information in this section is taken from USSOCOM Information Paper , “Special Operations Forces: 2020: Theater Special Operations...1985), Panama (1989), the Mideast during the Gulf War (1991), Somalia (1993), Haiti (1994), the Balkans (1996-2002), Afghanistan (2001-present), and

  20. Comprehensive Performance Nutrition for Special Operations Forces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daigle, Karen A; Logan, Christi M; Kotwal, Russ S

    2015-01-01

    Special Operations Forces (SOF) training, combat, and contingency operations are unique and demanding. Performance nutrition within the Department of Defense has emphasized that nutrition is relative to factors related to the desired outcome, which includes successful performance of mentally and physically demanding operations and missions of tactical and strategic importance, as well as nonoperational assignments. Discussed are operational, nonoperational, and patient categories that require different nutrition strategies to facilitate category-specific performance outcomes. Also presented are 10 major guidelines for a SOF comprehensive performance nutrition program, practical nutrition recommendations for Special Operators and medical providers, as well as resources for dietary supplement evaluation. Foundational health concepts, medical treatment, and task-specific performance factors should be considered when developing and systematically implementing a comprehensive SOF performance nutrition program. When tailored to organizational requirements, SOF unit- and culture-specific nutrition education and services can optimize individual Special Operator performance, overall unit readiness, and ultimately, mission success. 2015.

  1. Drosophila Polo regulates the spindle assembly checkpoint through Mps1-dependent BubR1 phosphorylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conde, Carlos; Osswald, Mariana; Barbosa, João; Moutinho-Santos, Tatiana; Pinheiro, Diana; Guimarães, Sofia; Matos, Irina; Maiato, Helder; Sunkel, Claudio E

    2013-06-12

    Maintenance of genomic stability during eukaryotic cell division relies on the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) that prevents mitotic exit until all chromosomes are properly attached to the spindle. Polo is a mitotic kinase proposed to be involved in SAC function, but its role has remained elusive. We demonstrate that Polo and Aurora B functional interdependency comprises a positive feedback loop that promotes Mps1 kinetochore localization and activity. Expression of constitutively active Polo restores normal Mps1 kinetochore levels even after Aurora B inhibition, highlighting a role for Polo in Mps1 recruitment to unattached kinetochores downstream of Aurora B. We also show that Mps1 kinetochore localization is required for BubR1 hyperphosphorylation and formation of the 3F3/2 phosphoepitope. This is essential to allow recruitment of Cdc20 to unattached kinetochores and the assembly of anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome-inhibitory complexes to levels that ensure long-term SAC activity. We propose a model in which Polo controls Mps1-dependent BubR1 phosphorylation to promote Cdc20 kinetochore recruitment and sustained SAC function.

  2. Special Operations Forces Reference Manual. Fourth Edition

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-01

    activities that support an adversary’s ability to negatively affect U.S. interests. CTF support can assist SOF in the execution of core activities in...the split team concept making up two six-man teams. Assistant Detachment Operations Sergeant Methods of Infiltration Special Forces soldiers possess...Twelve ODAs per SFG can infil- trate and exfiltrate by surface swim techniques. Unless specifically identified, the only teams with designated specialty

  3. Substrate Deprivation Therapy to Reduce Glycosaminoglycan Synthesis Improves Aspects of Neurological and Skeletal Pathology in MPS I Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ainslie L. K. Derrick-Roberts

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I is the most common form of the MPS group of genetic diseases. MPS I results from a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme α-l-iduronidase, leading to accumulation of undegraded heparan and dermatan sulphate glycosaminoglycan (GAG chains in patient cells. MPS children suffer from multiple organ failure and die in their teens to early twenties. In particular, MPS I children also suffer from profound mental retardation and skeletal disease that restricts growth and movement. Neither brain nor skeletal disease is adequately treated by current therapy approaches. To overcome these barriers to effective therapy we have developed and tested a treatment called substrate deprivation therapy (SDT. MPS I knockout mice were treated with weekly intravenous injections of 1 mg/kg rhodamine B for six months to assess the efficacy of SDT. Mice were assessed using biochemistry, micro-CT and a battery of behaviour tests to determine the outcome of treatment. A reduction in female bodyweight gain was observed with the treatment as well as a decrease in lung GAG. Behavioural studies showed slight improvements in inverted grid and significant improvements in learning ability for female MPS I mice treated with rhodamine B. Skeletal disease also improved with a reduction in bone mineral volume observed. Overall, rhodamine B is safe to administer to MPS I knockout mice where it had an effect on improving aspects of neurological and skeletal disease symptoms and may therefore provide a potential therapy or adjunct therapy for MPS I patients.

  4. Preface: Special Topic: From Quantum Mechanics to Force Fields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piquemal, Jean-Philip; Jordan, Kenneth D.

    2017-10-01

    This Special Topic issue entitled "From Quantum Mechanics to Force Fields" is dedicated to the ongoing efforts of the theoretical chemistry community to develop a new generation of accurate force fields based on data from high-level electronic structure calculations and to develop faster electronic structure methods for testing and designing force fields as well as for carrying out simulations. This issue includes a collection of 35 original research articles that illustrate recent theoretical advances in the field. It provides a timely snapshot of recent developments in the generation of approaches to enable more accurate molecular simulations of processes important in chemistry, physics, biophysics, and materials science.

  5. The formulation of a peer evaluation measure for special forces: operational forces operator traits and attitude questionnaire (SFO-TAQ)

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Van Heerden, A

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available International Military Testing Association (IMTA) Conference, New Delhi, India, 7-11 November 2016 The formulation of a peer evaluation measure for special forces: operational forces operator traits and attitude questionnaire (SFO-TAQ) Van Heerden A...

  6. Melting Penetration Simulation of Fe-U System at High Temperature Using MPS-LER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mustari, A P A; Irwanto, Dwi; Yamaji, A

    2016-01-01

    Melting penetration information of Fe-U system is necessary for simulating the molten core behavior during severe accident in nuclear power plants. For Fe-U system, the information is mainly obtained from experiment, i.e. TREAT experiment. However, there is no reported data on SS304 at temperature above 1350°C. The MPS-LER has been developed and validated to simulate melting penetration on Fe-U system. The MPS-LER modelled the eutectic phenomenon by solving the diffusion process and by applying the binary phase diagram criteria. This study simulates the melting penetration of the system at higher temperature using MPS-LER. Simulations were conducted on SS304 at 1400, 1450 and 1500°C. The simulation results show rapid increase of melting penetration rate. (paper)

  7. Specialized probes based on hydroxyapatite calcium for heart tissues research by atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhukov, Mikhail; Golubok, Alexander; Gulyaev, Nikolai

    2016-01-01

    The new specialized AFM-probes with hydroxyapatite structures for atomic force microscopy of heart tissues calcification were created and studied. A process of probe fabrication is demonstrated. The adhesive forces between specialized hydroxyapatite probe and endothelium/subendothelial layers were investigated. It was found that the adhesion forces are significantly higher for the subendothelial layers. We consider that it is connected with the formation and localization of hydroxyapatite in the area of subendothelial layers of heart tissues. In addition, the roughness analysis and structure visualization of the endothelial surface of the heart tissue were carried out. The results show high efficiency of created specialized probes at study a calcinations process of the aortic heart tissues.

  8. Behavioural phenotypes of the mucopolysaccharide disorders: a systematic literature review of cognitive, motor, social, linguistic and behavioural presentation in the MPS disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cross, E M; Hare, D J

    2013-03-01

    The mucopolysaccharide disorders (MPS) are a group of recessively inherited metabolic disorders resulting in progressive physical and cognitive decline. MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase databases were searched, alongside manual screening, to identify relevant literature. Papers were included in the review if they were published in a peer reviewed journal and conducted empirical research into cognitive, motor, social or linguistic development or behaviour in one or more MPS disorders. Twenty-five papers were reviewed. Two papers used methodology of a sufficiently high standard to demonstrate a behavioural phenotype; both found sleep disturbance to be part of the phenotype of MPS III. Fearfulness and sleep disturbance were frequently observed in people with MPS I and II. Cognitive and motor impairment and decline, and challenging behaviour were highly prevalent in the severe form of MPS II. Cognitive decline and severe behavioural problems relating to aggression, hyperactivity, orality, unusual affect and temper tantrums were seen in MPS III. Sleep disturbance is part of the behavioural phenotype of MPS III, and challenging behaviour is highly prevalent in MPS II and MPS III, therefore the efficacy of behavioural interventions for these populations should be investigated. Further research into the behaviour and adaptive skills of children with MPS III and MPS IV is required.

  9. FEDERAL USERS CONFERENCE PRODUCT LINE TOOL SET (PLTS) MAP PRODUCTION SYSTEM (MPS) ATLAS CUSTOM GRIDS [Rev 0 was draft

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HAYENGA, J.L.

    2006-12-19

    Maps, and more importantly Atlases, are assisting the user community in managing a large land area with complex issues, the most complex of which is the management of nuclear waste. The techniques and experiences discussed herein were gained while developing several atlases for use at the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site. The user community requires the ability to locate not only waste sites, but other features as well. Finding a specific waste site on a map and in the field is a difficult task at a site the size of Hanford. To find a specific waste site, the user begins by locating the item or object in an index, then locating the feature on the corresponding map within an atlas. Locating features requires a method for indexing them. The location index and how to place it on a map or atlas is the central theme presented in this article. The user requirements for atlases forced the design team to develop new and innovative solutions for requirements that Product Line Tool Set (PLTS) Map Production System (MPS)-Atlas was not designed to handle. The layout of the most complex atlases includes custom reference grids, multiple data frames, multiple map series, and up to 250 maps. All of these functional requirements are at the extreme edge of the capabilities of PLTS MPS-Atlas. This document outlines the setup of an atlas using PLTS MPS-Atlas to meet these requirements.

  10. FEDERAL USERS CONFERENCE PRODUCT LINE TOOL SET (PLTS) MAP PRODUCTION SYSTEM (MPS) ATLAS CUSTOM GRIDS [Rev 0 was draft

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    HAYENGA, J.L.

    2006-01-01

    Maps, and more importantly Atlases, are assisting the user community in managing a large land area with complex issues, the most complex of which is the management of nuclear waste. The techniques and experiences discussed herein were gained while developing several atlases for use at the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site. The user community requires the ability to locate not only waste sites, but other features as well. Finding a specific waste site on a map and in the field is a difficult task at a site the size of Hanford. To find a specific waste site, the user begins by locating the item or object in an index, then locating the feature on the corresponding map within an atlas. Locating features requires a method for indexing them. The location index and how to place it on a map or atlas is the central theme presented in this article. The user requirements for atlases forced the design team to develop new and innovative solutions for requirements that Product Line Tool Set (PLTS) Map Production System (MPS)-Atlas was not designed to handle. The layout of the most complex atlases includes custom reference grids, multiple data frames, multiple map series, and up to 250 maps. All of these functional requirements are at the extreme edge of the capabilities of PLTS MPS-Atlas. This document outlines the setup of an atlas using PLTS MPS-Atlas to meet these requirements

  11. Numerical simulation of the solitary wave interacting with an elastic structure using MPS-FEM coupled method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Chengping; Zhang, Youlin; Wan, Decheng

    2017-12-01

    Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) caused by fluid impacting onto a flexible structure commonly occurs in naval architecture and ocean engineering. Research on the problem of wave-structure interaction is important to ensure the safety of offshore structures. This paper presents the Moving Particle Semi-implicit and Finite Element Coupled Method (MPS-FEM) to simulate FSI problems. The Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method is used to calculate the fluid domain, while the Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to address the structure domain. The scheme for the coupling of MPS and FEM is introduced first. Then, numerical validation and convergent study are performed to verify the accuracy of the solver for solitary wave generation and FSI problems. The interaction between the solitary wave and an elastic structure is investigated by using the MPS-FEM coupled method.

  12. Cleavage of the SUN-domain protein Mps3 at its N-terminus regulates centrosome disjunction in budding yeast meiosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping Li

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Centrosomes organize microtubules and are essential for spindle formation and chromosome segregation during cell division. Duplicated centrosomes are physically linked, but how this linkage is dissolved remains unclear. Yeast centrosomes are tethered by a nuclear-envelope-attached structure called the half-bridge, whose components have mammalian homologues. We report here that cleavage of the half-bridge protein Mps3 promotes accurate centrosome disjunction in budding yeast. Mps3 is a single-pass SUN-domain protein anchored at the inner nuclear membrane and concentrated at the nuclear side of the half-bridge. Using the unique feature in yeast meiosis that centrosomes are linked for hours before their separation, we have revealed that Mps3 is cleaved at its nucleus-localized N-terminal domain, the process of which is regulated by its phosphorylation at serine 70. Cleavage of Mps3 takes place at the yeast centrosome and requires proteasome activity. We show that noncleavable Mps3 (Mps3-nc inhibits centrosome separation during yeast meiosis. In addition, overexpression of mps3-nc in vegetative yeast cells also inhibits centrosome separation and is lethal. Our findings provide a genetic mechanism for the regulation of SUN-domain protein-mediated activities, including centrosome separation, by irreversible protein cleavage at the nuclear periphery.

  13. Cleavage of the SUN-domain protein Mps3 at its N-terminus regulates centrosome disjunction in budding yeast meiosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Bailey A.; Han, Xuemei

    2017-01-01

    Centrosomes organize microtubules and are essential for spindle formation and chromosome segregation during cell division. Duplicated centrosomes are physically linked, but how this linkage is dissolved remains unclear. Yeast centrosomes are tethered by a nuclear-envelope-attached structure called the half-bridge, whose components have mammalian homologues. We report here that cleavage of the half-bridge protein Mps3 promotes accurate centrosome disjunction in budding yeast. Mps3 is a single-pass SUN-domain protein anchored at the inner nuclear membrane and concentrated at the nuclear side of the half-bridge. Using the unique feature in yeast meiosis that centrosomes are linked for hours before their separation, we have revealed that Mps3 is cleaved at its nucleus-localized N-terminal domain, the process of which is regulated by its phosphorylation at serine 70. Cleavage of Mps3 takes place at the yeast centrosome and requires proteasome activity. We show that noncleavable Mps3 (Mps3-nc) inhibits centrosome separation during yeast meiosis. In addition, overexpression of mps3-nc in vegetative yeast cells also inhibits centrosome separation and is lethal. Our findings provide a genetic mechanism for the regulation of SUN-domain protein-mediated activities, including centrosome separation, by irreversible protein cleavage at the nuclear periphery. PMID:28609436

  14. Alterations in molecular muscle mass regulators after 8 days immobilizing Special Forces mission

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jespersen, J. G.; Mikkelsen, Ulla Ramer; Nedergaard, A.

    2015-01-01

    In military operations, declined physical capacity can endanger the life of soldiers. During special support and reconnaissance (SSR) missions, Special Forces soldiers sustain 1-2 weeks full-body horizontal immobilization, which impairs muscle strength and performance. Adequate muscle mass and st...

  15. (Zn-doped PVA)/n-4H-SiC (MPS)

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2018-05-23

    May 23, 2018 ... A comparative study on dielectric behaviours of Au/(Zn-doped. PVA)/n-4H-SiC .... To form MPS structures, the prepared PVA (Zn nanoparticle- doped) ..... 95 2885. [26] MacCallum J R and Vincent C A 1989 Polymer electrolyte.

  16. Sociodemographic Characteristics of Croatian MPs and Croatian Government Offi cials 2000-2003

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davorka Budimir

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The article analyses sociodemographic characteristics of the Croatian MPs in the fourth term (2000-2003 and Croatian government offi cials (2000-2003, based on a conducted survey. The lack of empirical research of the Croatian political élite since 1990 is the main reason why it is not possible to establish with certainty measurable indicators of changes in their social structure and comings and goings. The analysis of sociodemographic characteristics of MPs and government offi cials is a method for better understanding of structural changes, and the data on sex, age, and type and level of education ensure better understanding of some specifi c qualities of the Croatian political élite. Sociodemographic characteristics of the parents of the interviewed MPs and government offi cials show that members of the political élite have found a successful channel of social promotion through their engagement in politics. The results have shown that high politics is a privilege of mostly highly educated men older than 40, who have graduated in social sciences, with an evident lack of women and the young in politics.

  17. GENERAL MILITARY HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SPECIAL FORCES HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. A COMPARATIVE OUTLOOK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marius Emil PATRICHI

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The switch from conscript’s army to an all volunteer force military brought new challenges for the military organization. This is more obvious in the human resource domain than in any other area. In the competition to recruit and retain quality personnel, the military organizations should strategically align the human resource management to the overall strategy. The challenges are greater for the Special Forces because the need for a rigorous selection process to recruit from within the military. The rift already in place between the conventional military and the Special Forces need to be overcome to transform the strain relationship into a positive sum game..

  18. Oxygen Toxicity and Special Operations Forces Diving: Hidden and Dangerous

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wingelaar, Thijs T.; van Ooij, Pieter-Jan A. M.; van Hulst, Rob A.

    2017-01-01

    In Special Operations Forces (SOF) closed-circuit rebreathers with 100% oxygen are commonly utilized for covert diving operations. Exposure to high partial pressures of oxygen (PO2) could cause damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and pulmonary system. Longer exposure time and higher PO2 leads

  19. Numerical analysis of bubble rising behavior in a liquid metal using MPS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Ronghua; Tian Wenxi; Zuo Juanli; Su Guanghui; Qiu Suizheng; Xu Jianhui

    2011-01-01

    Moving Particle Semi-Implicit (MPS) Method has advantages over the traditional mesh-based methods in the accurate capture of the vapor-liquid interface. In the present study, the numerical simulation of single bubble rising behavior in the liquid Pb-Bi alloy had been performed. The numerical results are provided for bubble shape deformation and rising velocity. Numerical simulation results indicate that as the bubble rises, the bubble exhibits in turn spherical, dimpled ellipsoidal, spherical-cap shapes. Terminal velocity of the bubble predicted by MPS agrees well with that predicted by Grace and increases with the initial bubble diameter. (authors)

  20. Characterization of a putative spindle assembly checkpoint kinase Mps1, suggests its involvement in cell division, morphogenesis and oxidative stress tolerance in Candida albicans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohan Kamthan

    Full Text Available In Saccharomyces cerevisiae MPS1 is one of the major protein kinase that governs the spindle checkpoint pathway. The S. cerevisiae structural homolog of opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans CaMPS1, is indispensable for the cell viability. The essentiality of Mps1 was confirmed by Homozygote Trisome test. To determine its biological function in this pathogen conditional mutant was generated through regulatable MET3 promoter. Examination of heterozygous and conditional (+Met/Cys mps1 mutants revealed a mitosis specific arrest phenotype, where mutants showed large buds with undivided nuclei. Flowcytometry analysis revealed abnormal ploidy levels in mps1 mutant. In presence of anti-microtubule drug Nocodazole, mps1 mutant showed a dramatic loss of viability suggesting a role of Mps1 in Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC activation. These mutants were also defective in microtubule organization. Moreover, heterozygous mutant showed defective in-vitro yeast to hyphae morphological transition. Growth defect in heterozygous mutant suggest haploinsufficiency of this gene. qRT PCR analysis showed around 3 fold upregulation of MPS1 in presence of serum. This expression of MPS1 is dependent on Efg1 and is independent of other hyphal regulators like Ras1 and Tpk2. Furthermore, mps1 mutants were also sensitive to oxidative stress. Heterozygous mps1 mutant did not undergo morphological transition and showed 5-Fold reduction in colony forming units in response to macrophage. Thus, the vital checkpoint kinase, Mps1 besides cell division also has a role in morphogenesis and oxidative stress tolerance, in this pathogenic fungus.

  1. MULTIPLE PROJECTIONS SYSTEM (MPS) - USER'S MANUAL VERSION 1.0

    Science.gov (United States)

    The report is a user's manual for version 1.0 of the Multiple Projections Systems (MPS), a computer system that can perform "what if" scenario analysis and report the final results (i.e., Rate of Further Progress - ROP - inventories) to EPA (i.e., the Aerometric Information Retri...

  2. The automation of the management of the MPS for J-PARC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akiyama, Atsuyoshi; Nakagawa, Hidetoshi

    2011-01-01

    The machine protection system (MPS) for J-PARC MR is the equipment which stops the beam in the abnormal occurrence of the devices of the accelerator complex. Abnormality in this case is both of beam control abnormal and electric power source equipment trouble. The surveillance object of the MR-MPS is the equipment of about 70. By twin system for central processing of MR-MPS, the improvement in the reliability was attempted. For the real utilization operation, beam stop adjusted to one destination of MLF/MR was carried out. The register for the setting drastically increased by double check and careful operation of the stop area, and the number of the register became about 300. The situation which had exceeded the limit to my management arose in recent operation. Then, it is necessary to control all information by one system for the management with the reliability in the setting in respect of controlling and displaying management and setting verification and information for the equipment management. To solve this situation, the RDB is used for the data management and the automatic generation of the program group of management and display was undertaken. In this report, the briefing on these is carried out. (author)

  3. The SUN protein Mps3 is required for spindle pole body insertion into the nuclear membrane and nuclear envelope homeostasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer M Friederichs

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The budding yeast spindle pole body (SPB is anchored in the nuclear envelope so that it can simultaneously nucleate both nuclear and cytoplasmic microtubules. During SPB duplication, the newly formed SPB is inserted into the nuclear membrane. The mechanism of SPB insertion is poorly understood but likely involves the action of integral membrane proteins to mediate changes in the nuclear envelope itself, such as fusion of the inner and outer nuclear membranes. Analysis of the functional domains of the budding yeast SUN protein and SPB component Mps3 revealed that most regions are not essential for growth or SPB duplication under wild-type conditions. However, a novel dominant allele in the P-loop region, MPS3-G186K, displays defects in multiple steps in SPB duplication, including SPB insertion, indicating a previously unknown role for Mps3 in this step of SPB assembly. Characterization of the MPS3-G186K mutant by electron microscopy revealed severe over-proliferation of the inner nuclear membrane, which could be rescued by altering the characteristics of the nuclear envelope using both chemical and genetic methods. Lipid profiling revealed that cells lacking MPS3 contain abnormal amounts of certain types of polar and neutral lipids, and deletion or mutation of MPS3 can suppress growth defects associated with inhibition of sterol biosynthesis, suggesting that Mps3 directly affects lipid homeostasis. Therefore, we propose that Mps3 facilitates insertion of SPBs in the nuclear membrane by modulating nuclear envelope composition.

  4. Mps1 kinase-dependent Sgo2 centromere localisation mediates cohesin protection in mouse oocyte meiosis I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Yakoubi, Warif; Buffin, Eulalie; Cladière, Damien; Gryaznova, Yulia; Berenguer, Inés; Touati, Sandra A; Gómez, Rocío; Suja, José A; van Deursen, Jan M; Wassmann, Katja

    2017-09-25

    A key feature of meiosis is the step-wise removal of cohesin, the protein complex holding sister chromatids together, first from arms in meiosis I and then from the centromere region in meiosis II. Centromeric cohesin is protected by Sgo2 from Separase-mediated cleavage, in order to maintain sister chromatids together until their separation in meiosis II. Failures in step-wise cohesin removal result in aneuploid gametes, preventing the generation of healthy embryos. Here, we report that kinase activities of Bub1 and Mps1 are required for Sgo2 localisation to the centromere region. Mps1 inhibitor-treated oocytes are defective in centromeric cohesin protection, whereas oocytes devoid of Bub1 kinase activity, which cannot phosphorylate H2A at T121, are not perturbed in cohesin protection as long as Mps1 is functional. Mps1 and Bub1 kinase activities localise Sgo2 in meiosis I preferentially to the centromere and pericentromere respectively, indicating that Sgo2 at the centromere is required for protection.In meiosis I centromeric cohesin is protected by Sgo2 from Separase-mediated cleavage ensuring that sister chromatids are kept together until their separation in meiosis II. Here the authors demonstrate that Bub1 and Mps1 kinase activities are required for Sgo2 localisation to the centromere region.

  5. Treatment of lysosomal storage disease in MPS VII mice using a recombinant adeno-associated virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, G L; Sayles, J N; Chen, C; Elliger, S S; Elliger, C A; Raju, N R; Kurtzman, G J; Podsakoff, G M

    1998-12-01

    Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by a genetic deficiency of beta-glucuronidase (GUS). We used a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector (AAV-GUS) to deliver GUS cDNA to MPS VII mice. The route of vector administration had a dramatic effect on the extent and distribution of GUS activity. Intramuscular injection of AAV-GUS resulted in high, localized production of GUS, while intravenous administration produced low GUS activity in several tissues. This latter treatment of MPS VII mice reduced glycosaminoglycan levels in the liver to normal and reduced storage granules dramatically. We show that a single administration of AAV-GUS can provide sustained expression of GUS in a variety of cell types and is sufficient to reverse the disease phenotype at least in the liver.

  6. Enhanced healing of mitomycin C-treated healing-impaired wounds in rats with PRP-containing fragmin/protamine microparticles (PRP&F/P MPs).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takikawa, Megumi; Ishihara, Masayuki; Takabayashi, Yuki; Sumi, Yuki; Takikawa, Makoto; Yoshida, Ryuichi; Nakamura, Shingo; Hattori, Hidemi; Yanagibayashi, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Naoto; Kiyosawa, Tomoharu

    2015-04-13

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accelerating effects of platelet-rich plasma-containing (PRP&) fragmin/protamine microparticles (F/P MPs) for repairing mitomycin C-treated healing-impaired wounds. Staining with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL-staining) showed that apoptosis of dermal fibroblast cells (DFCs) and epidermal keratinocyte cells (EKCs) were significantly induced in the skin of the mitomycin C-treated rats. Full-thickness skin defects were made on the back of rats and mitomycin C was applied on the wounds to prepare a healing-impaired wound. After washing out the mitomycin C, saline (control), F/P MPs alone, PRP alone, and PRP&F/P MPs were injected around the wounds. The rats were later euthanised and histological sections of the wounds were then prepared at indicated time periods after the treatment. These results indicated the numbers of large, medium, and small capillary lumens 7 days after injection of PRP&F/P MPs were significantly higher than those after injection of PRP or F/P MPs alone. Furthermore, epithelium and granulation tissue formations were significantly stimulated in the healing-impaired wounds treated with PRP&F/P MPs 3, 7 and 14 days after injection of PRP&F/P MPs.

  7. A Health-Risk Appraisal of Naval Special Operations Forces Personnel Executive Summary

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Johnson, K

    2000-01-01

    The relationship between exposure to extreme physical and mental activities and adverse environments to the susceptibility to injuries, disease, and death has not been examined for Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel...

  8. Local Government Finance in Ghana: Disbursement and Utilisation of the MPs share of the District Assemblies Common Fund

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nana Nimo Appiah-Agyekum

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The establishment of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF in 1993 and concomitant percentage set aside for Members of Parliament (MPs in 2004 aims to support local governments and legislators in pro-poor development activities in their communities and constituencies. In spite of the importance of the MPs’ share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (MPsCF in financing local level development in Ghana, very little is known about monitoring systems and procedures on the disbursement and utilization of the funds. The study therefore assessed qualitative data derived from interviews with officials from selected Local Government Authorities (LGAs as well as other key stakeholders in the disbursement and utilization of the fund. The study findings point to the absence of legislative instrument on the management of the MPsCF. Further, monitoring of the fund was a responsibility shared by the LGAs and other external stakeholders. Finally, the effectiveness of monitoring the disbursement and utilization of the MPsCF was strongly influenced by the relationship between the Chief Executive of the Local Government Authority (LGCE and MPs in the local government area.

  9. Children of Working Mothers. Special Labor Force Report. Bulletin 2158.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL), Washington, DC.

    Part of a Special Labor Force Report series, this bulletin on children of working mothers discusses the increase in the number of children with working mothers as of March 1981, and describes major reasons for this growth. The bulletin consists of an article first published February 1982 in the "Monthly Labor Review," additional tables providing…

  10. Knowing Your Partner: The Evolution of Brazilian Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-01

    Group’s Rescue and Retaking Special Group carrying out a counterterrorism tactical exercise. (Photo courtesy Tecnologia & Defesa) Bottom right...Forces Battalion supported by an Army Aviation HM-1 Pantera helicopter; “Operation ASPA” May 2005, Brasilia/Fed- eral District (Photo: Tecnologia ...Defesa) Top right: Amphibious Commandos carry out a maritime infiltration sup- ported by an S34-Tikuna submarine. (Photo: Tecnologia & Defesa) Bottom

  11. DET/MPS - THE GSFC ENERGY BALANCE PROGRAM, DIRECT ENERGY TRANSFER/MULTIMISSION SPACECRAFT MODULAR POWER SYSTEM (UNIX VERSION)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagielski, J. M.

    1994-01-01

    The DET/MPS programs model and simulate the Direct Energy Transfer and Multimission Spacecraft Modular Power System in order to aid both in design and in analysis of orbital energy balance. Typically, the DET power system has the solar array directly to the spacecraft bus, and the central building block of MPS is the Standard Power Regulator Unit. DET/MPS allows a minute-by-minute simulation of the power system's performance as it responds to various orbital parameters, focusing its output on solar array output and battery characteristics. While this package is limited in terms of orbital mechanics, it is sufficient to calculate eclipse and solar array data for circular or non-circular orbits. DET/MPS can be adjusted to run one or sequential orbits up to about one week, simulated time. These programs have been used on a variety of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft projects. DET/MPS is written in FORTRAN 77 with some VAX-type extensions. Any FORTRAN 77 compiler that includes VAX extensions should be able to compile and run the program with little or no modifications. The compiler must at least support free-form (or tab-delineated) source format and 'do do-while end-do' control structures. DET/MPS is available for three platforms: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX series computers running VMS, is available in DEC VAX Backup format on a 9-track 1600 BPI tape (standard distribution) or TK50 tape cartridge; GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers, is available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format; and GSC-13444, for Macintosh computers running AU/X with either the NKR FORTRAN or AbSoft MacFORTRAN II compilers, is available on a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Source code and test data are supplied. The UNIX version of DET requires 90K of main memory for execution. DET/MPS was developed in 1990. A/UX and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. VMS, DEC VAX and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. UNIX is a

  12. Explicitly represented polygon wall boundary model for the explicit MPS method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitsume, Naoto; Yoshimura, Shinobu; Murotani, Kohei; Yamada, Tomonori

    2015-05-01

    This study presents an accurate and robust boundary model, the explicitly represented polygon (ERP) wall boundary model, to treat arbitrarily shaped wall boundaries in the explicit moving particle simulation (E-MPS) method, which is a mesh-free particle method for strong form partial differential equations. The ERP model expresses wall boundaries as polygons, which are explicitly represented without using the distance function. These are derived so that for viscous fluids, and with less computational cost, they satisfy the Neumann boundary condition for the pressure and the slip/no-slip condition on the wall surface. The proposed model is verified and validated by comparing computed results with the theoretical solution, results obtained by other models, and experimental results. Two simulations with complex boundary movements are conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the E-MPS method to the ERP model.

  13. Proceedings of the 1st Nordic Optimization Symposium - 10th Nordic MPS meeting, Copenhagen 2006

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Jens; Jørgensen, Rene Munk; Kohl, Niklas

    2006-01-01

    , Operations Research and Mathematical Programming. Finally we would like to thank our sponsors and supporter for their contributions. It has among other things made it possible to give free registration to a number of researchers from the Baltic countries and Ph.D. students in general. We wish you all......On behalf of the Technical University of Denmark, the Danish Operations Research Society and the Nordic Section of the Mathematical Programming Society we welcome you to Copenhagen and the 1st Nordic Optimization Symposium - the 10th meeting of the Nordic MPS. The meetings of the Nordic MPS have...... to add a new title, that reflects the much broader field that is our playground at these meetings. Still the odd trustworthy title “Meeting of the Nordic MPS” has been maintained to demonstrate the origin of the symposium. It is our hope that future Nordic MPS meetings will carry on using this “double...

  14. Development of MPS Method for Analyzing Melt Spreading Behavior and MCCI in Severe Accidents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaji, Akifumi; Li, Xin

    2016-08-01

    Spreading of molten core (corium) on reactor containment vessel floor and molten corium-concrete interaction (MCCI) are important phenomena in the late phase of a severe accident for assessment of the containment integrity and managing the severe accident. The severe accident research at Waseda University has been advancing to show that simulations with moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method (one of the particle methods) can greatly improve the analytical capability and mechanical understanding of the melt behavior in severe accidents. MPS models have been developed and verified regarding calculations of radiation and thermal field, solid-liquid phase transition, buoyancy, and temperature dependency of viscosity to simulate phenomena, such as spreading of corium, ablation of concrete by the corium, crust formation and cooling of the corium by top flooding. Validations have been conducted against experiments such as FARO L26S, ECOKATS-V1, Theofanous, and SPREAD for spreading, SURC-2, SURC-4, SWISS-1, and SWISS-2 for MCCI. These validations cover melt spreading behaviors and MCCI by mixture of molten oxides (including prototypic UO2-ZrO2), metals, and water. Generally, the analytical results show good agreement with the experiment with respect to the leading edge of spreading melt and ablation front history of concrete. The MPS results indicate that crust formation may play important roles in melt spreading and MCCI. There is a need to develop a code for two dimensional MCCI experiment simulation with MPS method as future study, which will be able to simulate anisotropic ablation of concrete.

  15. Who Decides Higher Education Policy? MPS, VCS, STEM and HASS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tight, Malcolm

    2012-01-01

    In the UK, and in many other countries, policy makers and funding bodies emphasise the importance of the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as opposed to the HASS disciplines (humanities, arts and social sciences), in higher education. Yet an examination of the biographies of UK members of parliament (MPs)…

  16. Strategy for the Long Haul. Special Operations Forces: Future Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-01-01

    College, 2006); and David Tucker and Chris- topher Lamb , “Restructuring Special Operations Forces for Emerging Threats, NDU Strategic Forum, January...Secretary of Defense Gates, SOCOM commander Admiral Eric Olson, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for SOLIC/IC Michael Vickers. See: Stew Mag- nuson

  17. Relationship of scattering phase shifts to special radiation force conditions for spheres in axisymmetric wave-fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marston, Philip L; Zhang, Likun

    2017-05-01

    When investigating the radiation forces on spheres in complicated wave-fields, the interpretation of analytical results can be simplified by retaining the s-function notation and associated phase shifts imported into acoustics from quantum scattering theory. For situations in which dissipation is negligible, as taken to be the case in the present investigation, there is an additional simplification in that partial-wave phase shifts become real numbers that vanish when the partial-wave index becomes large and when the wave-number-sphere-radius product vanishes. By restricting attention to monopole and dipole phase shifts, transitions in the axial radiation force for axisymmetric wave-fields are found to be related to wave-field parameters for traveling and standing Bessel wave-fields by considering the ratio of the phase shifts. For traveling waves, the special force conditions concern negative forces while for standing waves, the special force conditions concern vanishing radiation forces. An intermediate step involves considering the functional dependence on phase shifts. An appendix gives an approximation for zero-force plane standing wave conditions. Connections with early investigations of acoustic levitation are mentioned and some complications associated with viscosity are briefly noted.

  18. Changes in maximum muscle strength and rapid muscle force characteristics after long-term special support and reconnaissance missions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Peter Astrup; Jacobsen, Jacob Ole; Thorlund, Jonas B

    2008-01-01

    PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of 8 days of immobilization during a Special Support and Reconnaissance mission (SSR) on muscle mass, contraction dynamics, maximum jump height/power, and body composition. METHODS: Unilateral maximal voluntary contraction, rate...... of force development, and maximal jump height were tested to assess muscle strength/power along with whole-body impedance analysis before and after SSR. RESULTS: Body weight, fat-free mass, and total body water decreased (4-5%) after SSR, along with impairments in maximal jump height (-8%) and knee...... extensor maximal voluntary contraction (-10%). Furthermore, rate of force development was severely affected (-15-30%). CONCLUSIONS: Eight days of immobilization during a covert SSR mission by Special Forces soldiers led to substantial decrements in maximal muscle force and especially in rapid muscle force...

  19. DET/MPS - THE GSFC ENERGY BALANCE PROGRAM, DIRECT ENERGY TRANSFER/MULTIMISSION SPACECRAFT MODULAR POWER SYSTEM (MACINTOSH A/UX VERSION)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagielski, J. M.

    1994-01-01

    The DET/MPS programs model and simulate the Direct Energy Transfer and Multimission Spacecraft Modular Power System in order to aid both in design and in analysis of orbital energy balance. Typically, the DET power system has the solar array directly to the spacecraft bus, and the central building block of MPS is the Standard Power Regulator Unit. DET/MPS allows a minute-by-minute simulation of the power system's performance as it responds to various orbital parameters, focusing its output on solar array output and battery characteristics. While this package is limited in terms of orbital mechanics, it is sufficient to calculate eclipse and solar array data for circular or non-circular orbits. DET/MPS can be adjusted to run one or sequential orbits up to about one week, simulated time. These programs have been used on a variety of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft projects. DET/MPS is written in FORTRAN 77 with some VAX-type extensions. Any FORTRAN 77 compiler that includes VAX extensions should be able to compile and run the program with little or no modifications. The compiler must at least support free-form (or tab-delineated) source format and 'do do-while end-do' control structures. DET/MPS is available for three platforms: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX series computers running VMS, is available in DEC VAX Backup format on a 9-track 1600 BPI tape (standard distribution) or TK50 tape cartridge; GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers, is available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format; and GSC-13444, for Macintosh computers running AU/X with either the NKR FORTRAN or AbSoft MacFORTRAN II compilers, is available on a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Source code and test data are supplied. The UNIX version of DET requires 90K of main memory for execution. DET/MPS was developed in 1990. A/UX and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. VMS, DEC VAX and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. UNIX is a

  20. DET/MPS - THE GSFC ENERGY BALANCE PROGRAM, DIRECT ENERGY TRANSFER/MULTIMISSION SPACECRAFT MODULAR POWER SYSTEM (DEC VAX VMS VERSION)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagielski, J. M.

    1994-01-01

    The DET/MPS programs model and simulate the Direct Energy Transfer and Multimission Spacecraft Modular Power System in order to aid both in design and in analysis of orbital energy balance. Typically, the DET power system has the solar array directly to the spacecraft bus, and the central building block of MPS is the Standard Power Regulator Unit. DET/MPS allows a minute-by-minute simulation of the power system's performance as it responds to various orbital parameters, focusing its output on solar array output and battery characteristics. While this package is limited in terms of orbital mechanics, it is sufficient to calculate eclipse and solar array data for circular or non-circular orbits. DET/MPS can be adjusted to run one or sequential orbits up to about one week, simulated time. These programs have been used on a variety of Goddard Space Flight Center spacecraft projects. DET/MPS is written in FORTRAN 77 with some VAX-type extensions. Any FORTRAN 77 compiler that includes VAX extensions should be able to compile and run the program with little or no modifications. The compiler must at least support free-form (or tab-delineated) source format and 'do do-while end-do' control structures. DET/MPS is available for three platforms: GSC-13374, for DEC VAX series computers running VMS, is available in DEC VAX Backup format on a 9-track 1600 BPI tape (standard distribution) or TK50 tape cartridge; GSC-13443, for UNIX-based computers, is available on a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format; and GSC-13444, for Macintosh computers running AU/X with either the NKR FORTRAN or AbSoft MacFORTRAN II compilers, is available on a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Source code and test data are supplied. The UNIX version of DET requires 90K of main memory for execution. DET/MPS was developed in 1990. A/UX and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. VMS, DEC VAX and TK50 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. UNIX is a

  1. Reform of Command and Control Structures in North Atlantic Treaty Organization Special Operations Forces

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Berg, Robert S

    2007-01-01

    .... The central research question is as follows: Does NATO require a standing Special Operations Force Command and Control structure and combat capability to meet the emerging global security requirements of the Alliance...

  2. The West-African Special Operations Forces: Development and Integration in the Context of the Sub-Saharan Growing Threats

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-10

    Consequently, criminal groups and armed militant gangs have engaged in kidnappings, extortion, car bombings, murder, and other forms of violent attacks...under severe financial constraints, limiting their access to late-model, “high- tech ” weapons and to substantial quantities of materiel. The example...tool, the Special Forces “the fact Special Forces proved today”: the 2014- 2019 military planning law takes it into account, by integrating it into

  3. Association of work-related stress with mental health problems in a special police force unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garbarino, Sergio; Cuomo, Giovanni; Chiorri, Carlo; Magnavita, Nicola

    2013-01-01

    Law and order enforcement tasks may expose special force police officers to significant psychosocial risk factors. The aim of this work is to investigate the relationship between job stress and the presence of mental health symptoms while controlling sociodemographical, occupational and personality variables in special force police officers. At different time points, 292 of 294 members of the 'VI Reparto Mobile', a special police force engaged exclusively in the enforcement of law and order, responded to our invitation to complete questionnaires for the assessment of personality traits, work-related stress (using the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) and the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) models) and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and burnout. Regression analyses showed that lower levels of support and reward and higher levels of effort and overcommitment were associated with higher levels of mental health symptoms. Psychological screening revealed 21 (7.3%) likely cases of mild depression (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI≥10). Officers who had experienced a discrepancy between work effort and rewards showed a marked increase in the risk of depression (OR 7.89, 95% CI 2.32 to 26.82) when compared with their counterparts who did not perceive themselves to be in a condition of distress. The findings of this study suggest that work-related stress may play a role in the development of mental health problems in police officers. The prevalence of mental health symptoms in the cohort investigated here was low, but not negligible in the case of depression. Since special forces police officers have to perform sensitive tasks for which a healthy psychological functioning is needed, the results of this study suggest that steps should be taken to prevent distress and improve the mental well-being of these workers.

  4. Trouble with the Lorentz law of force: incompatibility with special relativity and momentum conservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansuripur, Masud

    2012-05-11

    The Lorentz law of force is the fifth pillar of classical electrodynamics, the other four being Maxwell's macroscopic equations. The Lorentz law is the universal expression of the force exerted by electromagnetic fields on a volume containing a distribution of electrical charges and currents. If electric and magnetic dipoles also happen to be present in a material medium, they are traditionally treated by expressing the corresponding polarization and magnetization distributions in terms of bound-charge and bound-current densities, which are subsequently added to free-charge and free-current densities, respectively. In this way, Maxwell's macroscopic equations are reduced to his microscopic equations, and the Lorentz law is expected to provide a precise expression of the electromagnetic force density on material bodies at all points in space and time. This Letter presents incontrovertible theoretical evidence of the incompatibility of the Lorentz law with the fundamental tenets of special relativity. We argue that the Lorentz law must be abandoned in favor of a more general expression of the electromagnetic force density, such as the one discovered by Einstein and Laub in 1908. Not only is the Einstein-Laub formula consistent with special relativity, it also solves the long-standing problem of "hidden momentum" in classical electrodynamics.

  5. Enzyme replacement therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I among patients followed within the MPS Brazil Network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alícia Dorneles Dornelles

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I is a rare lysosomal disorder caused by deficiency of alph-L-iduronidase. Few clinical trials have assessed the effect of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT for this condition. We conducted an exploratory, open-label, non-randomized, multicenter cohort study of patients with MPS I. Data were collected from questionnaires completed by attending physicians at the time of diagnosis (T1; n = 34 and at a median time of 2.5 years later (T2; n = 24/34. The 24 patients for whom data were available at T2 were allocated into groups: A, no ERT (9 patients; median age at T1 = 36 months; 6 with severe phenotype; B, on ERT (15 patients; median age at T1 = 33 months; 4 with severe phenotype. For all variables in which there was no between-group difference at baseline, a delta of ;±20% was considered clinically relevant. The following clinically relevant differences were identified in group B in T2: lower rates of mortality and reported hospitalization for respiratory infection; lower frequency of hepatosplenomegaly; increased reported rates of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hearing loss; and stabilization of gibbus deformity. These changes could be due to the effect of ERT or of other therapies which have also been found more frequently in group B. Our findings suggest MPS I patients on ERT also receive a better overall care. ERT may have a positive effect on respiratory morbidity and overall mortality in patients with MPS I. Additional studies focusing on these outcomes and on other therapies should be performed.

  6. RoMPS concept review automatic control of space robot, volume 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobbs, M. E.

    1991-01-01

    Topics related to robot operated materials processing in space (RoMPS) are presented in view graph form and include: (1) system concept; (2) Hitchhiker Interface Requirements; (3) robot axis control concepts; (4) Autonomous Experiment Management System; (5) Zymate Robot Controller; (6) Southwest SC-4 Computer; (7) oven control housekeeping data; and (8) power distribution.

  7. Neonatal tolerance induction enables accurate evaluation of gene therapy for MPS I in a canine model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinderer, Christian; Bell, Peter; Louboutin, Jean-Pierre; Katz, Nathan; Zhu, Yanqing; Lin, Gloria; Choa, Ruth; Bagel, Jessica; O'Donnell, Patricia; Fitzgerald, Caitlin A; Langan, Therese; Wang, Ping; Casal, Margret L; Haskins, Mark E; Wilson, James M

    2016-09-01

    High fidelity animal models of human disease are essential for preclinical evaluation of novel gene and protein therapeutics. However, these studies can be complicated by exaggerated immune responses against the human transgene. Here we demonstrate that dogs with a genetic deficiency of the enzyme α-l-iduronidase (IDUA), a model of the lysosomal storage disease mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I), can be rendered immunologically tolerant to human IDUA through neonatal exposure to the enzyme. Using MPS I dogs tolerized to human IDUA as neonates, we evaluated intrathecal delivery of an adeno-associated virus serotype 9 vector expressing human IDUA as a therapy for the central nervous system manifestations of MPS I. These studies established the efficacy of the human vector in the canine model, and allowed for estimation of the minimum effective dose, providing key information for the design of first-in-human trials. This approach can facilitate evaluation of human therapeutics in relevant animal models, and may also have clinical applications for the prevention of immune responses to gene and protein replacement therapies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Any Time, Any Place, Any Gender The Risks and Rewards of Integrating Females into Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-02

    Service report to Congress in 1987, subsequently published commercially as John Collins, Green Berets, SEALs, and Spetsnaz: US & Soviet Special...warfare activities are their Special Forces (SF), more commonly known as “ Green Berets” due their specific cultural artifact, with the assistance of CA...2004. Howarth, Patrick. Undercover: The Men and Women of the Special Operations Executive. London, UK: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980. Howes, Ruth

  9. Local Government Finance in Ghana: Disbursement and Utilisation of the MPs share of the District Assemblies Common Fund

    OpenAIRE

    Nana Nimo Appiah-Agyekum

    2013-01-01

    The establishment of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) in 1993 and concomitant percentage set aside for Members of Parliament (MPs) in 2004 aims to support local governments and legislators in pro-poor development activities in their communities and constituencies. In spite of the importance of the MPs’ share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (MPsCF) in financing local level development in Ghana, very little is known about monitoring systems and procedures on the disbursement and ...

  10. Sexy is what you make it: organizational culture and U.S. Army Special Forces

    OpenAIRE

    Hawk, David L.

    2014-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited The U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) are the most highly trained, best equipped, and most seasoned soldiers to which the United States can turn to achieve national security objectives. The future, however, will require more indirect application of SF, through special warfare operations (e.g., UW, FID, etc.), in a host of hostile and undefined areas around the globe. This manner of employment is a change in emphasis from the direct combat ...

  11. Some additional results on the directional relationships between forces and accelerations in special relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez-Diaz, P.F.

    1979-01-01

    Some directional relationships between forces and accelerations in special relativity have been studied by considering the most general case of a body having x, y and z components of velocity, which is acted upon by a force with nonzero components. The behaviour of asub(y)/asub(x) and asub(y)/asub(z) vs. velocity for different force component ratios is studied in the general situation in which vsub(x) is unequal to vsub(y) is unequal to vsub(z). It is shown that one or two, suddenly varying, negative acceleration components can result for the body at sufficiently high velocities, and an explanation is given. (author)

  12. Some additional results on the directional relationships between forces and accelerations in special relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzales-Diaz, P.F.

    1979-01-01

    Some directional relationships between forces and accelerations in special relativity have been studied by considering the most general case of a body having x, y and z components of velocity, which is acted upon by a force with nonzero components. The behaviour of a sub(y)/ a sub(x) and a sub(y)/ a sub(z) vs. velocity for different force component ratios is studied in the general situation in which vsub(x) different from Vsub(y)different from vsub(z). It is shown that one or two, suddently varying, negative acceleration components can result for the body at sufficiently high velocities, and an explanation is given

  13. Control of the electrical conductivity of composites of antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles and acrylate by grafting of 3-methacryloxpropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Posthumus, W.; Laven, J.; With, de G.; Linde, van der R.

    2006-01-01

    The effect of the addition of antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles on the electrical conductivity of acrylate films is described. To enable dispersing of ATO in acrylate matrices, 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) was grafted on the surface of the filler. The amount of MPS used for

  14. Mean wall-shear stress measurements using the micro-pillar shear-stress sensor MPS3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Große, S; Schröder, W

    2008-01-01

    A new sensor to measure the mean turbulent wall-shear stress in turbulent flows is described. The wall-shear stress sensor MPS 3 has been tested in a well-defined fully developed turbulent pipe flow at Reynolds numbers Re b based on the bulk velocity U b and the pipe diameter D in the range of Re b = 10 000–20 000. The results demonstrate a convincing agreement of the mean wall-shear stress obtained with the new sensor technique with analytical and experimental results from the literature. The sensor device consists of a flexible micro-pillar that extends from the wall into the viscous sublayer. Bending due to the exerting fluid forces, the pillar-tip deflection serves as a measure for the local wall-shear stress. The sensor concept, calibration techniques, the achievable accuracy and error estimates, the fields of application and the sensor limits will be discussed. Furthermore, a first estimate of the pillar dynamic response will be derived showing the potential of the sensor to also measure the turbulent fluctuating wall-shear stress

  15. Redefining the Indirect Approach, Defining Special Operations Forces (SOF Power, and the Global Networking of SOF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott Morrison

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The current Defense Strategy assigns Special Operations Forces (SOF to play a central role in countering terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and irregular warfare. However, there has been little published that defines the role of Special Operations alongside air, land, and sea domains. The U.S. Special Operations Community struggles to define its own theoretical concepts such as direct approach and indirect approach. The U.S. SOF circles typically define direct approach with direct action and the indirect approach with foreign internal defense or security force assistance. Military theorist Liddell Hart viewed the indirect approach as a method to orient upon, target, and upset an adversary’s equilibrium in order to plan for and direct decisive blows. Today, the SOF indirect approach is arguable more applicable due to the prevalence of non-state threats and internal conflicts. Following Hart’s definition, precision raids are among the integral components of a broader application of the indirect approach. The approach also networks U.S. government power as a force when used in concert with allies and local partners. Global networking along with balanced precision raids will exponentially increase the utility of SOF power and position it to appropriately complement all domains to tackle 21st century challenges.

  16. Implications for US Special Operations Forces and the Interagency in Phase Zero: Case Studies in the Pacific Theater, 2000 to 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-10

    What Would Sun Tzu Say?” Military Review (May-June 2004): 20. A note of Special Forces Groups: There are five active duty Special Forces Groups that...2004): 2-4. Maxwell, David. “Operation Enduring Philippines: What Would Sun Tzu Say?” Military Review (May-June 2004): 20-23. Nye Jr., Joseph S...Recommendations for Further Study ............................................................................ 84 BIBLIOGRAPHY

  17. MPS beam control software architecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krauter, K.; Crane, M.

    1993-01-01

    The new Machine Protection System (MPS) now being tested at SLAC has a beam control subsystem resident in processors located close to the beam monitoring devices within the machine. There are two types of beam control micros: Algorithm Processors (AP's) which collect and evaluate data from monitoring devices, and a Supervisor (SUPE) which collects and evaluates data from all the AP's. The SUPE also receives the global machine beamcode indicating beam presence, and passes it on to the AP's. The SUPE receives the beamcode pattern from the Master Pattern Generator (MPG) via a shared-memory communication link. MIL-1553 serial communication is used between the SUPE and the AP's, and between the AP's and the monitoring devices. Multitasking software is used to allow high priority handling of data evaluation and low priority handling of host/user interfacing and event reporting. Pipelining of data between acquisition and evaluation and reporting is used to accommodate the processing capacity, while still supporting full processing at the 36OHz broadcast rate of the beamcode pattern

  18. MPS beam control software architecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krauter, K.; Crane, M.

    1993-04-01

    The new Machine Protection System (MPS) now being tested at SLAC has a beam control subsystem resident in processors located close to the beam monitoring devices within the machine. There are two types of beam control micros: Algorithm Processors (AP's) which collect and evaluate data from monitoring devices, and a Supervisor (SUPE) which collects and evaluates data from all the AP's. The SUPE also receives the global machine beamcode indicating beam presence, and passes it on to the AP's. The SUPE receives the beamcode pattern from the Master Pattern Generator (MPG) via a shared-memory communication link. MIL-1553 serial communication is used between the SUPE and the AP's, and between the AP's and the monitoring devices. Multitasking software is used to allow high priority handling of data evaluation and low priority handling of host/user interfacing and event reporting. Pipelining of data between acquisition and evaluation and reporting is used to accomodate the processing capacity, while still supporting full processing at the 360Hz broadcast rate of the beamcode pattern

  19. Three-dimensional numerical study on the mechanism of anisotropic MCCI by improved MPS method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xin, E-mail: lixin@fuji.waseda.jp; Yamaji, Akifumi

    2017-04-01

    Highlights: • 3-D simulation of a MCCI test was presented with improved moving particle method. • The influence of thermally stable silica aggregates on MCCI has been investigated. • The mechanisms for isotropic/anisotropic ablation have been clarified mechanistically. - Abstract: In two-dimensional (2-D) molten corium-concrete interaction (MCCI) experiments with prototypic corium and siliceous concrete, the more pronounced lateral concrete erosion behavior than that in the axial direction, namely anisotropic ablation, has been a research interest. However, the knowledge of the mechanism on this anisotropic ablation behavior, which is important for severe accident analysis and management, is still limited. In this paper, 3-D simulation of 2-D MCCI experiment VULCANO VB-U7 has been carried out with improved Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method. Heat conduction, phase change, and corium viscosity models have been developed and incorporated into MPS code MPS-SW-MAIN-Ver.2.0 for current study. The influence of thermally stable silica aggregates has been investigated by setting up different simulation cases for analysis. The simulation results suggested reasonable models and assumptions to be considered in order to achieve best estimation of MCCI with prototypic oxidic corium and siliceous concrete. The simulation results also indicated that silica aggregates can contribute to anisotropic ablation. The mechanisms for anisotropic ablation pattern in siliceous concrete as well as isotropic ablation pattern in limestone-rich concrete have been clarified from a mechanistic perspective.

  20. Countering Transnational Organized Crime: How Special Forces Build National Police Capacity in Latin America

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-05-01

    of Bolivia’s economy at the time.77 In addition to political instability, a weak economy, and cultural ties to coca, Bolivia faced the geographic...This research encompasses three cases in which US Special Forces partnered with national police units to achieve this objective: Bolivia , Colombia...

  1. Fabrication of γ-MPS-Modified HNT-PMMA Nanocomposites by Ultrasound-Assisted Miniemulsion Polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buruga, Kezia; Kalathi, Jagannathan T.

    2018-04-01

    Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were modified with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) to improve their interaction with the polymer, and the modified HNTs (MHNTs) were subsequently used for the synthesis of MHNT-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites by miniemulsion polymerization assisted by ultrasound. Reduced agglomeration of HNTs due to modification with γ-MPS was evident from scanning electron microscopy analysis. Modification of HNTs and exfoliation of MHNTs in the polymer nanocomposite were confirmed by the presence of their respective characteristic peaks in Fourier-transform infrared spectra and x-ray diffraction patterns. Transmission electron microscopic analysis showed that the surface of the MHNTs differed significantly from that of unmodified HNTs. MHNT-PMMA nanocomposite exhibited significantly higher glass-transition temperature (T g) compared with neat PMMA or unmodified HNT-PMMA nanocomposite. Hence, such modification of HNTs along with miniemulsion polymerization assisted by ultrasound is a promising approach to achieve better dispersion of HNTs in the polymer and to obtain nanocomposites with enhanced properties.

  2. Investigation on influence of crust formation on VULCANO VE-U7 corium spreading with MPS method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yasumura, Yusan; Yamaji, Akifumi; Furuya, Masahiro; Ohishi, Yuji; Duan, Guangtao

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The new crust formation model was developed for the MPS spreading analysis code. • The VULCANO VE-U7 corium spreading experiment was analyzed by the developed code. • The termination of the spreading was governed by the crust formation at the leading edge. - Abstract: In a severe accident of a light water reactor, the corium spreading behavior on a containment floor is important as it may threaten the containment vessel integrity. The Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method is one of the Lagrangian particle methods for simulation of incompressible flow. In this study, the MPS method is further developed to simulate corium spreading involving not only flow, but also heat transfer, phase change and thermo-physical property change of corium. A new crust formation model was developed, in which, immobilization of crust was modeled by stopping the particle movement when its solid fraction is above the threshold and is in contact with the substrate or any other immobilized particles. The VULCANO VE-U7 corium spreading experiment was analyzed by the developed MPS spreading analysis code to investigate influences of different particle sizes, the corium viscosity changes, and the “immobilization solid fraction” of the crust formation model on the spreading and its termination. Viscosity change of the corium was influential to the overall progression of the spreading leading edge, whereas termination of the spreading was primarily determined by the immobilization of the leading edge (i.e., crust formation). The progression of the leading edge and termination of the spreading were well predicted, but the simulation overestimated the substrate temperature. Further investigations may be necessary for the future study to see if thermal resistance at the corium-substrate boundary has significant influence on the overall spreading behavior and its termination.

  3. Features force between the foot and performance of special-based tests young basketball players

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.V. Stroganov

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose . A quantitative analysis of biomechanical force interactions between the foot and the support when the athletes special tests. Material and methods . In the experiment involved 30 young athletes aged 7-8 years who are at the stage of initial training. Subjects performed four tests: jump up from their seats repulsion two feet, jump up and down with one foot repulsion run, stop step, jump stop. Results . As a result of studies to obtain quantitative values of reference indices interactions as the maximum reaction force impulse force, force gradient, the reference duration, and other interactions. Revealed that when jumping forward and upward to run and jump and step stops the horizontal component of force production is from 38 to 73 % of the resulting value. Conclusions . Significant power load on the musculoskeletal system and in particular the foot of young basketball players can lead to abnormalities in the foot. In connection with what the training process should include funds for the correction and prevention of foot function.

  4. Application of Three-Class ROC Analysis to Task-Based Image Quality Assessment of Simultaneous Dual-Isotope Myocardial Perfusion SPECT (MPS)

    OpenAIRE

    He, Xin; Song, Xiyun; Frey, Eric C.

    2008-01-01

    The diagnosis of cardiac disease using dual-isotope myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) is based on the defect status in both stress and rest images, and can be modeled as a three-class task of classifying patients as having no, reversible, or fixed perfusion defects. Simultaneous acquisition protocols for dual-isotope MPS imaging have gained much interest due to their advantages including perfect registration of the 201Tl and 99mTc images in space and time, increased patient comfort, and higher...

  5. A Remedy to Crises: Danish Special Operations Forces in Whole-of-Government Stabilization Engagements

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    special operations forces, capacity building, state building 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 89 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT... psychology , beliefs (such as religion), and behaviors.”66 This knowledge is essential for decision makers who maneuver not only against adversaries, but...To further influence and inform target audiences, the military uses a variety of information-operation capabilities, including psychological

  6. From Bosnia to Baghdad: The Evolution of US Army Special Forces From 1995-2004

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-09-01

    BIJELJINA (OPERATION JOINT FORGE)............................... 13 H . FROM JCO TO SR (OPERATION ALLIED FORCE)......................... 14 I. SPECIAL...would only work with and report on Serbian villages and “Bosniak teams” exclusively focusing their efforts upon Bosnian Muslim villages.25 H . FROM JCO...processing station. Ramadani , the Sefer faction leader, arrived the next day at the demobilization point with approximately 40 faction members, including

  7. Method of development force at the young gymnasts on the stages of initial and specialized preparation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khudolii O.N.

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The terms of effective development of force are considered for young gymnasts on the stages of initial and specialized preparation. The models of urgent and moved aside training effect of the power loadings are certain for young gymnasts 7-13 years. It is set that the process of power preparation of young gymnasts can be separate on two stages. On the first stage by means of the concentrated power loadings the expressed decline of force of group of muscles is arrived at. On the second stage by means of favourable a display maximal efforts of loadings the increase of force of group of muscles is arrived at. Application of the power loadings of different orientation is given by possibility during 10-12 employments on 30-60% to increase force of group of muscles, shorten time of training on development of force in two times.

  8. Sharpening the Tip of the Spear: Preparing Special Forces Detachment Commanders for the Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-05-19

    Persian Farsi, Korean, and Thai ) is 24 weeks long. Soldiers must successfully pass the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) by demonstrating...Brief (Fort Bragg, NC: 2007), 2. 29 real world GWOT project in coordination with one of the Theatre Special Operation Commands (TSOC).89 Weeks 13...Forces (JSOTF) with parallel major general Division commanders within theatre ? A second suggestion for future research begins with the question

  9. StringForce

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barendregt, Wolmet; Börjesson, Peter; Eriksson, Eva

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we present the forced collaborative interaction game StringForce. StringForce is developed for a special education context to support training of collaboration skills, using readily available technologies and avoiding the creation of a "mobile bubble". In order to play String......Force two or four physically collocated tablets are required. These tablets are connected to form one large shared game area. The game can only be played by collaborating. StringForce extends previous work, both technologically and regarding social-emotional training. We believe String......Force to be an interesting demo for the IDC community, as it intertwines several relevant research fields, such as mobile interaction and collaborative gaming in the special education context....

  10. Special Forces and the Art of Influence: A Grassroots Approach to Psychological Operations in an Unconventional Warfare Environment

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Thomas, II, Joel W

    2006-01-01

    This thesis researches the intricacies of the art of influence in an unconventional warfare environment to develop a model of influence that can be utilized by Special Forces conducting unconventional warfare...

  11. Special Forces and the Art of Influence: A Grassroots Approach to Psychological Operations in an Unconventional Warfare Environment

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Thomas, II, Joel W

    2006-01-01

    .... The research was based on several premises: (1) the strategic utility of Special Forces (SF) lies in its ability to influence a target audience in an unconventional warfare (UW) environment; (2...

  12. Gravity, Special Relativity, and the Strong Force A Bohr-Einstein-de Broglie Model for the Formation of Hadrons

    CERN Document Server

    Vayenas, Constantinos G

    2012-01-01

    This book shows that the strong interaction forces, which keep hadrons and nuclei together, are relativistic gravitational forces exerted between very small particles in the mass range of neutrinos. First, this book considers the problematic motion of two charged particles under the influence of electrostatic and gravitational forces only, which shows that bound states are formed by following the same semi-classical methodology used by Bohr to describe the H atom. This approach is also coupled with Newton's gravitational law and with Einstein's special relativity. The results agree with experi

  13. MPS Vax monitor and control software architecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allison, S.; Spencer, N.; Underwood, K.; VanOlst, D.; Zelanzy, M.

    1993-04-01

    The new Machine Protection System (MPS) now being tested at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) includes monitoring and controlling facilities integrated into the existing VAX control system. The actual machine protection is performed by VME micros which control the beam repetition rate on a pulse-by-pulse basis based on measurements from fault detectors. The VAX is used to control and configure the VME micros, configure custom CAMAC modules providing the fault detector inputs, monitor and report faults and system errors, update the SLC database, and interface with the user. The design goals of the VAX software include a database-driven system to allow configuration changes without code changes, use of a standard TCP/IP-based message service for communication, use of existing SLCNET micros for CAMAC configuration, security and verification features to prevent unauthorized access, error and alarm logging and display updates as quickly as possible, and use of touch panels and X-windows displays for the user interface

  14. Residual glycosaminoglycan accumulation in mitral and aortic valves of a patient with attenuated MPS I (Scheie syndrome after 6 years of enzyme replacement therapy: Implications for early diagnosis and therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yohei Sato

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS is an inherited metabolic disease caused by deficiency of the enzymes needed for glycosaminoglycan (GAG degradation. MPS type I is caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-l-iduronidase and is classified into Hurler syndrome, Scheie syndrome, and Hurler–Scheie syndrome based on disease severity and onset. Cardiac complications such as left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiac valve disease, and coronary artery disease are often observed in MPS type I. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT has been available for MPS type I, but the efficacy of this treatment for cardiac valve disease is unknown. We report on a 56-year-old female patient with attenuated MPS I (Scheie syndrome who developed aortic and mitral stenosis and coronary artery narrowing. The cardiac valve disease progressed despite ERT and she finally underwent double valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting. The pathology of the cardiac valves revealed GAG accumulation and lysosomal enlargement in both the mitral and aortic valves. Zebra body formation was also confirmed using electron microscopy. Our results suggest that ERT had limited efficacy in previously established cardiac valve disease. Early diagnosis and initiation of ERT is crucial to avoid further cardiac complications in MPS type I.

  15. Reservoir Modeling by Data Integration via Intermediate Spaces and Artificial Intelligence Tools in MPS Simulation Frameworks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmadi, Rouhollah; Khamehchi, Ehsan

    2013-01-01

    Conditioning stochastic simulations are very important in many geostatistical applications that call for the introduction of nonlinear and multiple-point data in reservoir modeling. Here, a new methodology is proposed for the incorporation of different data types into multiple-point statistics (MPS) simulation frameworks. Unlike the previous techniques that call for an approximate forward model (filter) for integration of secondary data into geologically constructed models, the proposed approach develops an intermediate space where all the primary and secondary data are easily mapped onto. Definition of the intermediate space, as may be achieved via application of artificial intelligence tools like neural networks and fuzzy inference systems, eliminates the need for using filters as in previous techniques. The applicability of the proposed approach in conditioning MPS simulations to static and geologic data is verified by modeling a real example of discrete fracture networks using conventional well-log data. The training patterns are well reproduced in the realizations, while the model is also consistent with the map of secondary data

  16. Reservoir Modeling by Data Integration via Intermediate Spaces and Artificial Intelligence Tools in MPS Simulation Frameworks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmadi, Rouhollah, E-mail: rouhollahahmadi@yahoo.com [Amirkabir University of Technology, PhD Student at Reservoir Engineering, Department of Petroleum Engineering (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khamehchi, Ehsan [Amirkabir University of Technology, Faculty of Petroleum Engineering (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2013-12-15

    Conditioning stochastic simulations are very important in many geostatistical applications that call for the introduction of nonlinear and multiple-point data in reservoir modeling. Here, a new methodology is proposed for the incorporation of different data types into multiple-point statistics (MPS) simulation frameworks. Unlike the previous techniques that call for an approximate forward model (filter) for integration of secondary data into geologically constructed models, the proposed approach develops an intermediate space where all the primary and secondary data are easily mapped onto. Definition of the intermediate space, as may be achieved via application of artificial intelligence tools like neural networks and fuzzy inference systems, eliminates the need for using filters as in previous techniques. The applicability of the proposed approach in conditioning MPS simulations to static and geologic data is verified by modeling a real example of discrete fracture networks using conventional well-log data. The training patterns are well reproduced in the realizations, while the model is also consistent with the map of secondary data.

  17. Effects of External Digital Elevation Model Inaccuracy on StaMPS-PS Processing: A Case Study in Shenzhen, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanan Du

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available External Digital Elevation Models (DEMs with different resolutions and accuracies cause different topographic residuals in differential interferograms of Multi-temporal InSAR (MTInSAR, especially for the phase-based StaMPS-PS. The PS selection and deformation parameter estimation of StaMPS-PS are closely related to the spatially uncorrected error, which is directly affected by external DEMs. However, it is still far from clear how the high resolution and accurate external DEM affects the results of the StaMPS-PS (e.g., PS selection and deformation parameter calculation on different platforms (X band TerraSAR, C band ENVISAT ASAR and L band ALOS/PALSAR1. In this study, abundant synthetic tests are performed to assess the influences of external DEMs on parameter estimations, such as the mean deformation rate and the deformation time-series. Real SAR images, covering Shenzhen city in China, are also selected to analyze the PS selection and distribution as well as to validate the results of synthetic tests. The results show that the PS points selected by the 5 m TanDEM-X DEM are 10.32%, 4.25% and 0.34% more than those selected by the 30 m SRTM DEM at X, C and L bands SAR platforms, respectively, when a multi-look geocoding operation is adopted for X band in the SRTM DEM case. We also find that the influences of external DEMs on the mean deformation rate are not significant and are inversely proportional to the wavelength of the satellite platforms. The standard deviations of the mean deformation rate difference for the X, C and L bands are 0.54, 0.30 and 0.10 mm/year, respectively. Similarly, the influences of external DEMs on the deformation time-series estimation for the three platforms are also slight, except for local artifacts whose root-mean-square error (RMSE ≥ 6 mm. Based on these analyses, some implications and suggestions for external DEMs on StaMPS-PS processing are discussed and provided.

  18. Liquid radwaste processing, operational experience utilizing Duratek Mobile Process System (MPS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hunkele, W.; Jensen, C.E.; Duratek Corp., Beltsville, MD)

    1985-01-01

    The use of Duratek's Mobile Process System (MPS) employing sluiceable pressure vessels and improved operational techniques generates operational efficiencies including volume reduction (VR), reduced personnel labor and exposure and higher flowrates for cleanup of liquid radwaste streams in an operating nuclear power plant (Salem Generating Station). Significant additional VR is achievable based on laboratory and on-site experience utilizing Durasil 70. Under high conductivity, actual waste stream conditions, this proprietary media has demonstrated through-puts of a magnitude 15 times higher than organic cation resin. A long-term problem, cobalt species removal, is mitigated by this media

  19. Mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete state-of-the-art report of the RILEM technical committee 228-MPS on mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete

    CERN Document Server

    Schutter, Geert

    2014-01-01

    The State-of-the-Art Report of RILEM Technical Committee 228-MPS on Mechanical properties of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) summarizes an extensive body of information related to mechanical properties and mechanical behaviour of SCC. Due attention is given to the fact that the composition of SCC varies significantly. A wide range of  mechanical properties are considered, including compressive strength, stress-strain relationship, tensile and flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, shear strength, effect of elevated temperature, such as fire spalling and residual properties after fire, in-situ properties, creep, shrinkage, bond properties, and structural behaviour. A chapter on fibre-reinforced SCC is included, as well as a chapter on specialty SCC, such as light-weight SCC, heavy-weight SCC, preplaced aggregate SCC, special fibre reinforced SCC, and underwater concrete.

  20. Special Operations Doctrine: Is it Needed

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-07

    AOB), eight Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alphas (SFODAs)2, and Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations teams working alongside two bat...Operations doctrine. Sixty years after the Army’s first special operations units were formed, the time had arrived for writing how Army special operations...Affairs, Psychological Operations, and Special Forces, the effort inte- grated the roles and missions of the Ranger Regiment, Special Mission Units, and

  1. U.S. Special Operations Command Training and Education Program

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Gimble, Thomas

    1996-01-01

    .... Special Operations Command (USCINCSOC), to train assigned forces to meet special operations mission taskings and to ensure interoperability with conventional forces and other special operations forces (SOF...

  2. Investigation of military training injuries in a special force corps in 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gang ZHAO

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective To investigate the incidence, related influencing factors and predilection sites of training injuries in a special force corps for providing a basis of effective prevention of the injuries. Methods Four hundred and sixty-four officers and soldiers were randomly selected by lottery method from a special force corps in May 2011, and the training injuries as well as their related information was investigated by a questionnaire method. The medical records of the 464 subjects from May 2010 to May 2011 were reviewed. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 19.0 software. Results Of the 464 subjects, 165(35.6% never experienced injuries, and 299(64.4% were injured due to training in the last one year. A total of 505 person-time injuries occurred in 464 subjects, and the incidence of injury was 109 per 100 person-year. The major risk factors for training injuries included above average age, fondness of multiple sports, greater labor force, or higher frequency of sport exercises before enlistment, poor sleep or diet caused by training burden, and higher SCL-90 somatization score. The major protective factors comprised of higher military rank, lower-intensity training, higher education level, higher labor frequency before enlistment, higher SCL-90 phobic anxiety score, higher SCL-90 depression score, SCL-90 spirit score, and higher satisfaction degree on training program. The major sites of training injuries were lower extremities and lower back (accounting for 73.0%. Most injuries occurred below the knee (accounting for 49.0%, including the foot (6.5%, ankle (13.6%, leg(7.3% and knee (21.6%, followed by the lower back (accounting for 20.7%. Conclusions The risk factors of military training injuries involve various aspects, and continuous high intensive and highly difficult training items are the main reason of training injuries, and the lower extremities and lower back are the major locations. Psychological factors are

  3. PENJADWALAN PRODUKSI IKS-FILLER PADA PROSES GROUND CALCIUM CARBONATE MENGGUNAKAN METODE MPS DI PERUSAHAAN KERTAS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Supriyadi Supriyadi

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Persaingan industri kertas semakin ketat dengan banyaknya industri atau perusahaan yang bergerak dalam industri yang sama dalam bersaing mendapatkan dan mempertahankan pelanggan. Permasalahan yang terjadi saat ini di CaCO3 Section pada Perusahaan Kertas adalah belum tersedianya jadwal induk produksi (Master Production Schedule = MPS sebagai dasar penentuan proses produksi IKS-Filler yang menyebabkan kekurangan persediaan sehingga kualitas kertas cacat dan perusahaan menderita kerugian yang cukup besar. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisa peramalan yang sesuai untuk diterapkan, merencanakan produksi dengan biaya terendah, penjadwalan produksi sebagai dasar proses produksi dan menghitung persediaan pengaman. Metode yang digunakan adalah peramalan (moving average, perencanaan produksi (level production plan, chase plant, dan intermediate plan, penjadwalan produksi (MPS trial and error dan menganalisis jumlah persediaan pengaman (safety stock menggunakan distribusi normal. Dari hasil pengolahan data menyimpulkan bahwa peramalan yang sesuai adalah Moving Average (n = 3 dengan nilai MAD terkecil dan tracking signal yang tidak menyimpang. Biaya terendah perencanaan produksi menggunakan metode intermediate plan sebesar 56,5 USD. Jadwal Induk Produksi mempunyai persediaan akhir 191 Ton dan rata-rata produksi tiap minggu sebesar 1,852 Ton. Jumlah persediaan pengaman dengan tingkat layanan 95% sebesar 101,75 Ton.

  4. Oxygen Toxicity and Special Operations Forces Diving: Hidden and Dangerous

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thijs T. Wingelaar

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In Special Operations Forces (SOF closed-circuit rebreathers with 100% oxygen are commonly utilized for covert diving operations. Exposure to high partial pressures of oxygen (PO2 could cause damage to the central nervous system (CNS and pulmonary system. Longer exposure time and higher PO2 leads to faster development of more serious pathology. Exposure to a PO2 above 1.4 ATA can cause CNS toxicity, leading to a wide range of neurologic complaints including convulsions. Pulmonary oxygen toxicity develops over time when exposed to a PO2 above 0.5 ATA and can lead to inflammation and fibrosis of lung tissue. Oxygen can also be toxic for the ocular system and may have systemic effects on the inflammatory system. Moreover, some of the effects of oxygen toxicity are irreversible. This paper describes the pathophysiology, epidemiology, signs and symptoms, risk factors and prediction models of oxygen toxicity, and their limitations on SOF diving.

  5. Parental social support, coping strategies, resilience factors, stress, anxiety and depression levels in parents of children with MPS III (Sanfilippo syndrome) or children with intellectual disabilities (ID).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Sheena; Cross, Elaine; Wraith, James Edmond; Jones, Simon; Mahon, Louise; Lomax, Michelle; Bigger, Brian; Hare, Dougal

    2013-03-01

    Mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III, Sanfilippo syndrome) is a lysosomal storage disorder, caused by a deficiency in one of four enzymes involved in the catabolism of the glycosaminoglycan heparan sulphate. It is a degenerative disorder, with a progressive decline in children's intellectual and physical functioning. There is currently no cure for the disorder. To date there is a paucity of research on how this disorder impacts parents psychological functioning. Specifically, research in the area has failed to employ adequate control groups to assess if the impact of this disorder on parents psychological functioning differs from parenting a child with intellectual disability (ID). The current study examined child behaviour and parental psychological functioning in 23 parents of children with MPS III and 23 parents of children with ID. Parents completed postal questionnaires about their child's behaviour and abilities and their own psychological functioning. Parents of children with MPS III reported fewer behavioural difficulties as their child aged, more severe level of intellectual disability, and similar levels of perceived social support, coping techniques, stress, anxiety and depression levels as parents of children with ID. Both groups of parents scored above the clinical cut off for anxiety and depression. Parents of children with MPS III rated themselves as significantly less future-orientated and goal directed than parents of children with ID. Services should develop support packages for parents of children with MPS III that incorporate an understanding of the unique stressors and current-difficulty approach of this population. Future research should examine gender differences between parental psychological functioning, using mixed qualitative and quantitative approaches, and utilise matched developmental level and typically developing control groups.

  6. Clinical Analysis about Diagnosis and Treatment of 86 Hand Paresthesia Cases Using MPS Theory and Pharmacopuncture Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung-Won Oh

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives : Hand paresthesia is common syndrome and the cause is more unknown than known reason. The Purpose of this study were investigated the effects of Myofacial Pain Syndrome theory to make diagnosis and treatment by Pharmacopuncture for the patients of hand paresthesia. Method : This study was carried out to established the clinical criteria of hand parethesia. The patients who had past history of diabeics, neuropathy induced by alcohol or drug were excluded, and 86 patients who had hand paresthesia related with unknown-reason was selected by the interview process. And the effects of Pharmacopuncture theory were analyzed using VAS score before and after treatment. Results and conclusions : 56.9% of unknown-reason patients are positive at diagnosis by MPS theory. While positive group decrease from 62.81±14.27 to 25.28±15.97, negative group decrease from 55.88±10.92 to 48.28±14.01 by VAS scores. Positive group was accordingly more effective than negative group. So diagnosis and treatment for hand numbness patients by MPS theory was useful in clinical.

  7. Maximum Potential Score (MPS: An operating model for a successful customer-focused strategy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cabello González, José Manuel

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available One of marketers’ chief objectives is to achieve customer loyalty, which is a key factor for profitable growth. Therefore, they need to develop a strategy that attracts and maintains customers, giving them adequate motives, both tangible (prices and promotions and intangible (personalized service and treatment, to satisfy a customer and make him loyal to the company. Finding a way to accurately measure satisfaction and customer loyalty is very important. With regard to typical Relationship Marketing measures, we can consider listening to customers, which can help to achieve a competitive sustainable advantage. Customer satisfaction surveys are essential tools for listening to customers. Short questionnaires have gained considerable acceptance among marketers as a means to achieve a customer satisfaction measure. Our research provides an indication of the benefits of a short questionnaire (one/three questions. We find that the number of questions survey is significantly related to the participation in the survey (Net Promoter Score or NPS. We also prove that a the three question survey is more likely to have more participants than a traditional survey (Maximum Potential Score or MPS . Our main goal is to analyse one method as a potential predictor of customer loyalty. Using surveys, we attempt to empirically establish the causal factors in determining the satisfaction of customers. This paper describes a maximum potential operating model that captures with a three questions survey, important elements for a successful customer-focused strategy. MPS may give us lower participation rates than NPS but important information that helps to convert unhappy customers or just satisfied customers, into loyal customers.

  8. Intrathecal enzyme replacement therapy reduces lysosomal storage in the brain and meninges of the canine model of MPS I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakkis, E; McEntee, M; Vogler, C; Le, S; Levy, B; Belichenko, P; Mobley, W; Dickson, P; Hanson, S; Passage, M

    2004-01-01

    Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been developed for several lysosomal storage disorders, including mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), and is effective at reducing lysosomal storage in many tissues and in ameliorating clinical disease. However, intravenous ERT does not adequately treat storage disease in the central nervous system (CNS), presumably due to effects of the blood-brain barrier on enzyme distribution. To circumvent this barrier, we studied whether intrathecal (IT) recombinant human alpha-L-iduronidase (rhIDU) could penetrate and treat the brain and meninges. An initial dose-response study showed that doses of 0.46-4.14 mg of IT rhIDU successfully penetrated the brain of normal dogs and reached tissue levels 5.6 to 18.9-fold normal overall and 2.7 to 5.9-fold normal in deep brain sections lacking CSF contact. To assess the efficacy and safety in treating lysosomal storage disease, four weekly doses of approximately 1 mg of IT rhIDU were administered to MPS I-affected dogs resulting in a mean 23- and 300-fold normal levels of iduronidase in total brain and meninges, respectively. Quantitative glycosaminoglycan (GAG) analysis showed that the IT treatment reduced mean total brain GAG to normal levels and achieved a 57% reduction in meningeal GAG levels accompanied by histologic improvement in lysosomal storage in all cell types. The dogs did develop a dose-dependent immune response against the recombinant human protein and a meningeal lymphocytic/plasmacytic infiltrate. The IT route of ERT administration may be an effective way to treat the CNS disease in MPS I and could be applicable to other lysosomal storage disorders.

  9. Editors’ Introduction for NANO Special Issue 12: Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Narrative, Characters, Media, and Event

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason W. Ellis

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The Force Awakens enables, even fosters comparisons: is Rey a worthy hero? Is Finn believable as a once-Stormtrooper turned good resistance fighter? Is Kylo Ren anywhere close in power and ability to his role model, Darth Vader? Readers can glean my opinion from that evaluative sentence. Are the scenes parallel to earlier movies? This movie, the new characters, the new poster, the toys, the novelization (by Alan Dean Foster, the science fiction writer and film novelization specialist who served as ghost writer for George Lucas’ Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, 1976, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2016, and the countless viewing parties, the information sites such as Wookieepedia, and wonderful spoofs such as YouTube’s Bad Lip Reading enable me to say that this film is far beyond simple nostalgia and money-making scheme—though both of those are in play here. It is not the completeness and closure of The Force Awakens that compelled the editors to select that movie and those experiences for a special issue. Instead, it is the excitement that this jump-start has created. The structure at the center of the Star Wars universe has held, and the future looks bright for more new characters and also more wars. The battle for political and economic control on Jakku has something to do with our current Earth-bound problems about inequality and migration and war. But more locally, for Issue 12, questions about identity come to the fore: Who gets to create new Star Wars characters? Who gets to play those new characters? Who gets to play with storylines? Who gets to be the hero and villain? Who gets to voice opinions about the new shape of the First Order? These questions lead to “how” questions—especially how should new viewers and readers understand The Force Awakens. These questions motivate the four articles and one interview in this special issue.

  10. Countering North Korean Special Purpose Forces

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Krause, Troy

    1999-01-01

    As United States and Republic of Korea forces stand to defend against a DPRK attack, one of the most formidable tasks is how to counter a second front in the Joint Rear Security Area of the Republic of Korea...

  11. Application of three-class ROC analysis to task-based image quality assessment of simultaneous dual-isotope myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xin; Song, Xiyun; Frey, Eric C

    2008-11-01

    The diagnosis of cardiac disease using dual-isotope myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) is based on the defect status in both stress and rest images, and can be modeled as a three-class task of classifying patients as having no, reversible, or fixed perfusion defects. Simultaneous acquisition protocols for dual-isotope MPS imaging have gained much interest due to their advantages including perfect registration of the (201)Tl and (99m)Tc images in space and time, increased patient comfort, and higher clinical throughput. As a result of simultaneous acquisition, however, crosstalk contamination, where photons emitted by one isotope contribute to the image of the other isotope, degrades image quality. Minimizing the crosstalk is important in obtaining the best possible image quality. One way to minimize the crosstalk is to optimize the injected activity of the two isotopes by considering the three-class nature of the diagnostic problem. To effectively do so, we have previously developed a three-class receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis methodology that extends and unifies the decision theoretic, linear discriminant analysis, and psychophysical foundations of binary ROC analysis in a three-class paradigm. In this work, we applied the proposed three-class ROC methodology to the assessment of the image quality of simultaneous dual-isotope MPS imaging techniques and the determination of the optimal injected activity combination. In addition to this application, the rapid development of diagnostic imaging techniques has produced an increasing number of clinical diagnostic tasks that involve not only disease detection, but also disease characterization and are thus multiclass tasks. This paper provides a practical example of the application of the proposed three-class ROC analysis methodology to medical problems.

  12. Energy Balance and Diet Quality During the US Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command Individual Training Course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepowitz, John J; Armstrong, Nicholes J; Pasiakos, Stefan M

    This study characterized the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), energy intake (EI), body weight, and diet quality (using the Healthy Eating Index-2010 [HEI]) of 20 male US Marines participating in the 9-month US Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command Individual Training Course (ITC). TDEE was highest (ρ energy balance. Education regarding the importance of maintaining healthy eating patterns while in garrison, consuming more carbohydrate and protein, and better matching EI with TDEE during strenuous training exercises may be warranted. 2017.

  13. Handbook of force transducers

    CERN Document Server

    Stefanescu, Dan Mihai

    2011-01-01

    Part I introduces the basic ""Principles and Methods of Force Measurement"" acording to a classification into a dozen of force transducers types: resistive, inductive, capacitive, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, electrodynamic, magnetoelastic, galvanomagnetic (Hall-effect), vibrating wires, (micro)resonators, acoustic and gyroscopic. Two special chapters refer to force balance techniques and to combined methods in force measurement. Part II discusses the ""(Strain Gauge) Force Transducers Components"", evolving from the classical force transducer to the digital / intelligent one, with the inco

  14. Psychological aptitude evaluation of the special forces candidate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genoni, Luca; Jelmini, F; Lang, M; Muggli, F

    2017-02-01

    Changes in recruitment procedures reduced early dismissal rates from Swiss military basic recruitment schools; however, such improvements were not reflected in premature discharge rates from the special forces (SF) (Grenadier) recruitment school. A six-item questionnaire designed to identify recruits likely to be subject to premature dismissal on psychological or psychiatric grounds was developed and prospectively validated. The questionnaire was based on an analysis of medical and psychiatric/psychological records of 26 recruits dismissed from a SF recruitment school. Six items were identified that appeared to have prognostic value for early discharge. These six questions were submitted to the remaining applicants in the recruitment school by a suitably qualified psychologist or psychiatrist and effectively identified candidates who would be discharged early. Based on these results a 0-6 scale was developed and applied prospectively to subsequent Grenadier recruitment courses. Statistical analysis showed that 75% of candidates with the lowest scores would eventually complete the course and that no candidates with highest scores would subsequently complete the recruitment course. Prospective studies in subsequent recruitment courses candidates with high scores were classified as not qualified to enter the course, and those with intermediate scores were subject to additional in-depth interviews with a psychologist or psychiatrist to determine their suitability. In the following courses a correlation was established between the questionnaire score and week of discharge for those discharged. Application of this method during subsequent recruitment courses has reduced early dismissal from Swiss SF recruitment schools. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  15. Small-State Special Operations in a Comprehensive Stabilisation Context

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnsen, Anton Asklund

    takeaways were: Special operations as a force multiplier: Can special operations enable other stabilisation agents, locals as well as internationals, to accomplish their missions more effectively? This includes NGOs, diplomats or other officials, other military units, etc. How can the mindset required...... to enable ‘whole-of-government’ approaches be promoted? Economy of force considerations: Are special operations truly a cheaper means of reaching certain ends? When are small and indirect approaches involving special operations forces effective and when are they not? Special operations as expansion......“Small-State Special Operations in a Comprehensive Stabilisation Context: What to Know and Where to Go?” was the headline of a conference held at the Royal Danish Defence College, facilitated by the Institute for Strategy. As a product of this conference, a report has been written which highlights...

  16. Functional correction of neurological and somatic disorders at later stages of disease in MPS IIIA mice by systemic scAAV9-hSGSH gene delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haiyan Fu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The reversibility of neuropathic lysosomal storage diseases, including MPS IIIA, is a major goal in therapeutic development, due to typically late diagnoses and a large population of untreated patients. We used self-complementary adeno-associated virus (scAAV serotype 9 vector expressing human N-sulfoglucosamine sulfohydrolase (SGSH to test the efficacy of treatment at later stages of the disease. We treated MPS IIIA mice at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 9 months of age with an intravenous injection of scAAV9-U1a-hSGSH vector, leading to restoration of SGSH activity and reduction of glycosaminoglycans (GAG throughout the central nervous system (CNS and somatic tissues at a dose of 5E12 vg/kg. Treatment up to 3 months age improved learning ability in the Morris water maze at 7.5 months, and lifespan was normalized. In mice treated at 6 months age, behavioral performance was impaired at 7.5 months, but did not decline further when retested at 12 months, and lifespan was increased, but not normalized. Treatment at 9 months did not increase life-span, though the GAG storage pathology in the CNS was improved. The study suggests that there is potential for gene therapy intervention in MPS IIIA at intermediate stages of the disease, and extends the clinical relevance of our systemic scAAV9-hSGSH gene delivery approach.

  17. Social networks, politics and Commitment 2.0: Spanish MPs on Facebook

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Sixto, B.A.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In a technologically and sociologically advanced society, the organizations that do not use the new media and the cyber communication techniques are probably doomed to failure. In this virtual sphere the social networks constitute a suitable resource and channel for the implementation of political marketing 2.0, as it provides a scenario where the interaction with users is possible. From this perspective, we verified their presence of the 350 members of the Spanish Congress on Facebook, the country’s most popular social network, in order to establish the predominant typologies, updating frequency, contents, resources, and the types of information posted in this spaces.This article also examines the interactivity of MPs in what we have termed Commitment 2.0: political communication in personal contexts such as social networks requires going from the participatory attitude to the participatory action; that is, to accept the interaction 2.0 as the correct behaviour on the network.

  18. Energy expenditure and intake during Special Operations Forces field training in a jungle and glacial environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Caleb D; Simonson, Andrew J; Darnell, Matthew E; DeLany, James P; Wohleber, Meleesa F; Connaboy, Christopher

    2018-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify and compare energy requirements specific to Special Operations Forces in field training, in both cool and hot environments. Three separate training sessions were evaluated, 2 in a hot environment (n = 21) and 1 in a cool environment (n = 8). Total energy expenditure was calculated using doubly labeled water. Dietary intake was assessed via self-report at the end of each training mission day, and macronutrient intakes were calculated. Across the 3 missions, mean energy expenditure (4618 ± 1350 kcal/day) exceeded mean energy intake (2429 ± 838 kcal/day) by an average of 2200 kcal/day. Macronutrient intakes (carbohydrates (g/(kg·day body weight (bw)) -1 ) = 3.2 ± 1.2; protein (g/(kg·day bw) -1 ) = 1.3 ± 0.7; fat (g/(kg·day bw) -1 ) = 1.2 ± 0.7) showed inadequate carbohydrate and possibly protein intake across the study period, compared with common recommendations. Total energy expenditures were found to be similar between hot (4664 ± 1399 kcal/day) and cool (4549 ± 1221 kcal/day) environments. However, energy intake was found to be higher in the cool (3001 ± 900 kcal/day) compared with hot (2200 ± 711 kcal/day) environments. Based on the identified energy deficit, high variation in energy expenditures, and poor macronutrient intake, a greater attention to feeding practices during similar training scenarios for Special Operations Forces is needed to help maintain performance and health. The differences in environmental heat stress between the 2 climates/environments had no observed effect on energy expenditures, but may have influenced intakes.

  19. The National Police Forces TEDAX-NRBQ speciality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez, A.

    2010-01-01

    The National Police Force has a group specialising in nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical incidents, known as TEDAXNRBQ. The Nuclear Safety Council cooperates closely with this group on nuclear safety and radiological protection matters. (Author)

  20. Unconventional Military Advising Mission Conducted by Conventional US Military Forces

    OpenAIRE

    Hajjar, Remi M.

    2016-01-01

    This article examines how and why many contemporary US mainstream military advisors—as compared to Special Forces advisors—often work from a position of disadvantage when conducting unconventional advising missions. Post-9/11 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan have caused the US military to adapt to myriad complexities, including a renewed need for the widespread execution of the unconventional military advising mission by the Special Forces and conventional units. Although Special Forces ty...

  1. Anti-fatigue activity of polysaccharide fractions from Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Sun, Qingrui; Meng, Qingran; Wang, Lei; Xiong, Wentao; Zhang, Lianfu

    2017-02-01

    The two fractions of polysaccharide MPS-1 and MPS-2 were extracted from Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) by water, and purified using a DEAE-52 and a Sephadex G-100 column. The molecular weight (M W ) of MPS-1 was 7.6kDa, and the M W of MPS-2 was 6.7kDa. The MPS-1 was composed of xylose, arabinose, galactose and glucose, with the mole ratio 1:1.7:3.3:30.5; the MPS-2 was composed of arabinose, galactose and glucose, with the mole ratio 1:1.3:36.8. The IR spectrum implied that only α-pyranose existed in MPS-1, and both α-pyranose and β-pyranose existed in MPS-2. The anti-fatigue activities of MPS-1 and MPS-2 were measured by the forced swimming test, along with the determination of blood lactate (BLA), urea nitrogen (BUN), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and liver glycogen (LG). The results indicated that both MPS-1 and MPS-2 presented dose-dependently positive effects on the fatigue related parameters. Additionally, MPS-2 has a better anti-fatigue effect than MPS-1. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. U.S. Joint Special Operations Forces: Two Few, Overworked, Young, Homogenous & Macho to Fulfill the Unconventional Demands of the Long War?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-05-28

    OVERWORKED , YOUNG, HOMOGENOUS, & MACHO TO FULFILL THE UNCONVENTIONAL DEMANDS OF THE LONG WAR? SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR...U.S. Joint Special Operations Forces: Two Few, Overworked , Young, Homogenous & Macho to Fulfill the Unconventional Demands of the Long War? 5a...to be the targets of nearly daily mortar, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and occasional suicide vehicle-borne IED (SVBIED) attacks. It

  3. Strategic Utilization of Norwegian Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-01

    missions on large industrial targets deep in enemy territory.61 During the winter 1942–43, FSSF’s expected mission, “Project Plough ,” an assault on... killed by members from the Canadian Airborne Regiment.68 In 1993, when the Canadian Forces took over the domestic counterterrorist responsibility

  4. Identification of the hot spot residues for pyridine derivative inhibitor CCT251455 and ATP substrate binding on monopolar spindle 1 (MPS1) kinase by molecular dynamic simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kai; Duan, Wenxiu; Han, Qianqian; Sun, Xuan; Li, Wenqian; Hu, Shuangyun; Wan, Jiajia; Wu, Jiang; Ge, Yushu; Liu, Dan

    2018-03-08

    Protein kinase monopolar spindle 1 plays an important role in spindle assembly checkpoint at the onset of mitosis. Over expression of MPS1 correlated with a wide range of human tumors makes it an attractive target for finding an effective and specific inhibitor. In this work, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of protein MPS1 itself as well as protein bound systems with the inhibitor and natural substrate based on crystal structures. The reported orally bioavailable 1 h-pyrrolo [3,2-c] pyridine inhibitors of MPS1 maintained stable binding in the catalytic site, while natural substrate ATP could not stay. Comparative study of stability and flexibility of three systems reveals position shifting of β-sheet region within the catalytic site, which indicates inhibition mechanism was through stabilizing the β-sheet region. Binding free energies calculated with MM-GB/PBSA method shows different binding affinity for inhibitor and ATP. Finally, interactions between protein and inhibitor during molecular dynamic simulations were measured and counted. Residue Gly605 and Leu654 were suggested as important hot spots for stable binding of inhibitor by molecular dynamic simulation. Our results reveal an important position shifting within catalytic site for non-inhibited proteins. Together with hot spots found by molecular dynamic simulation, the results provide important information of inhibition mechanism and will be referenced for designing novel inhibitors.

  5. Pose control of the chain composed of magnetic particles using external uniform and gradient magnetic fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, J. F.; Shao, C. L.; Gu, B. Q.

    2016-01-01

    Magnetic particles (MPs) are known to respond to a magnetic field and can be moved by magnetic force, which make them good carriers in bioengineering and pharmaceutical engineering. In this paper, a pose control method for the straight chain composed of MPs is proposed, and the chain with one pose can be moved to another position with another pose using alternately employed uniform and gradient magnetic fields. Based on computer simulations, it is revealed that in the uniform magnetic field, the MPs form a straight chain with the same separation space along the field lines, and once the uniform magnetic field rotates, the chain also rotates with the field. In the gradient magnetic field, the MPs move toward the higher field so that the translation of the chain can be realized. The simulation results indicate that while the uniform magnetic field is rotating, there exists certain hysteresis between the chain and the field, and the chain is not straight anymore. So the uniform magnetic field should rest at the target angle for a period to make the chain fully relax to be straight. For nanoMP, its magnetic moment directly determines the gradient magnetic force which is much smaller than the dipole–dipole force among MPs. Therefore, the translation of the chain is much more time-consuming than rotation. To enlarge the translational velocity, it is suggested to increase the size of MPs or the magnetic field gradient

  6. Intermolecular and surface forces

    CERN Document Server

    Israelachvili, Jacob N

    2011-01-01

    This reference describes the role of various intermolecular and interparticle forces in determining the properties of simple systems such as gases, liquids and solids, with a special focus on more complex colloidal, polymeric and biological systems. The book provides a thorough foundation in theories and concepts of intermolecular forces, allowing researchers and students to recognize which forces are important in any particular system, as well as how to control these forces. This third edition is expanded into three sections and contains five new chapters over the previous edition.· starts fr

  7. Caulimoviridae Tubule-Guided Transport Is Dictated by Movement Protein Properties ▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Navarro, Jesús; Fajardo, Thor; Zicca, Stefania; Pallás, Vicente; Stavolone, Livia

    2010-01-01

    Plant viruses move through plasmodesmata (PD) either as nucleoprotein complexes (NPCs) or as tubule-guided encapsidated particles with the help of movement proteins (MPs). To explore how and why MPs specialize in one mechanism or the other, we tested the exchangeability of MPs encoded by DNA and RNA virus genomes by means of an engineered alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) system. We show that Caulimoviridae (DNA genome virus) MPs are competent for RNA virus particle transport but are unable to mediate NPC movement, and we discuss this restriction in terms of the evolution of DNA virus MPs as a means of mediating DNA viral genome entry into the RNA-trafficking PD pathway. PMID:20130061

  8. Tectonics, orbital forcing, global climate change, and human evolution in Africa: introduction to the African paleoclimate special volume.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maslin, Mark A; Christensen, Beth

    2007-11-01

    The late Cenozoic climate of Africa is a critical component for understanding human evolution. African climate is controlled by major tectonic changes, global climate transitions, and local variations in orbital forcing. We introduce the special African Paleoclimate Issue of the Journal of Human Evolution by providing a background for and synthesis of the latest work relating to the environmental context for human evolution. Records presented in this special issue suggest that the regional tectonics, appearance of C(4) plants in East Africa, and late Cenozoic global cooling combined to produce a long-term drying trend in East Africa. Of particular importance is the uplift associated with the East African Rift Valley formation, which altered wind flow patterns from a more zonal to more meridinal direction. Results in this volume suggest a marked difference in the climate history of southern and eastern Africa, though both are clearly influenced by the major global climate thresholds crossed in the last 3 million years. Papers in this volume present lake, speleothem, and marine paleoclimate records showing that the East African long-term drying trend is punctuated by episodes of short, alternating periods of extreme wetness and aridity. These periods of extreme climate variability are characterized by the precession-forced appearance and disappearance of large, deep lakes in the East African Rift Valley and paralleled by low and high wind-driven dust loads reaching the adjacent ocean basins. Dating of these records show that over the last 3 million years such periods only occur at the times of major global climatic transitions, such as the intensification of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (2.7-2.5 Ma), intensification of the Walker Circulation (1.9-1.7 Ma), and the Mid-Pleistocene Revolution (1-0.7 Ma). Authors in this volume suggest this onset occurs as high latitude forcing in both Hemispheres compresses the Intertropical Convergence Zone so that East Africa

  9. "EOD, Up!": How Explosive Ordnance Disposal Forces Can Best Support Special Operations Forces

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Draper, Stephen R

    2006-01-01

    ... with them. This thesis employs a variety of methodologies, from an analysis of required capabilities to an application of game theory, to determine how SOF can be best supported by existing EOD forces...

  10. Objectives, Budgets, Thresholds, and Opportunity Costs-A Health Economics Approach: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [4].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danzon, Patricia M; Drummond, Michael F; Towse, Adrian; Pauly, Mark V

    2018-02-01

    The fourth section of our Special Task Force report focuses on a health plan or payer's technology adoption or reimbursement decision, given the array of technologies, on the basis of their different values and costs. We discuss the role of budgets, thresholds, opportunity costs, and affordability in making decisions. First, we discuss the use of budgets and thresholds in private and public health plans, their interdependence, and connection to opportunity cost. Essentially, each payer should adopt a decision rule about what is good value for money given their budget; consistent use of a cost-per-quality-adjusted life-year threshold will ensure the maximum health gain for the budget. In the United States, different public and private insurance programs could use different thresholds, reflecting the differing generosity of their budgets and implying different levels of access to technologies. In addition, different insurance plans could consider different additional elements to the quality-adjusted life-year metric discussed elsewhere in our Special Task Force report. We then define affordability and discuss approaches to deal with it, including consideration of disinvestment and related adjustment costs, the impact of delaying new technologies, and comparative cost effectiveness of technologies. Over time, the availability of new technologies may increase the amount that populations want to spend on health care. We then discuss potential modifiers to thresholds, including uncertainty about the evidence used in the decision-making process. This article concludes by discussing the application of these concepts in the context of the pluralistic US health care system, as well as the "excess burden" of tax-financed public programs versus private programs. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A Health Economics Approach to US Value Assessment Frameworks-Introduction: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [1].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, Peter J; Willke, Richard J; Garrison, Louis P

    2018-02-01

    Concerns about rising spending on prescription drugs and other areas of health care have led to multiple initiatives in the United States designed to measure and communicate the value of pharmaceuticals and other technologies for decision making. In this section we introduce the work of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Special Task Force on US Value Assessment Frameworks formed to review relevant perspectives and appropriate approaches and methods to support the definition and use of high-quality value frameworks. The Special Task Force was part of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Initiative on US Value Assessment Frameworks, which enlisted the expertise of leading health economists, concentrating on what the field of health economics can provide to help inform the development and use of value assessment frameworks. We focus on five value framework initiatives: the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. These entities differ in their missions, scope of activities, and methodological approaches. Because they are gaining visibility and some traction in the United States, it is essential to scrutinize whether the frameworks use approaches that are transparent as well as conceptually and methodologically sound. Our objectives were to describe the conceptual bases for value and its use in decision making, critically examine existing value frameworks, discuss the importance of sound conceptual underpinning, identify key elements of value relevant to specific decision contexts, and recommend good practice in value definition and implementation as well as areas for further research. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc

  12. Early treatment with laronidase improves clinical outcomes in patients with attenuated MPS I: a retrospective case series analysis of nine sibships

    OpenAIRE

    Al-Sannaa, Nouriya A.; Bay, Luisa; Barbouth, Deborah S.; Benhayoun, Youssef; Goizet, Cyril; Guelbert, Norberto; Jones, Simon A.; Kyosen, Sandra Obikawa; Martins, Ana Maria; Phornphutkul, Chanika; Reig, Celia; Pleat, Rebecca; Fallet, Shari; Ivanovska Holder, Iva

    2015-01-01

    Background Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with laronidase, (recombinant human α-L-iduronidase; Aldurazyme) is the primary treatment option for patients with attenuated mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I). This study examined the effect of early ERT on clinical manifestations. Methods This multinational, retrospective case series abstracted data from records of 20 patients with Hurler-Scheie syndrome within nine sibships that included older siblings treated with laronidase after the develop...

  13. Deriving force field parameters for coordination complexes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Norrby, Per-Ola; Brandt, Peter

    2001-01-01

    The process of deriving molecular mechanics force fields for coordination complexes is outlined. Force field basics are introduced with an emphasis on special requirements for metal complexes. The review is then focused on how to set up the initial model, define the target, refine the parameters......, and validate the final force field, Alternatives to force field derivation are discussed briefly....

  14. Poly(NIPAM-co-MPS-grafted multimodal porous silica nanoparticles as reverse thermoresponsive drug delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushilkumar A. Jadhav

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid drug delivery systems (DDS have been prepared by grafting poly(NIPAM-co-MPS chains on multimodal porous silica nanoparticles having an inner mesoporous structure and an outer thin layer of micropores. The hybrid thermoresponsive DDS were fully characterized and loaded with a model drug. The in vitro drug release tests are carried out at below and above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST of the copolymer. The results have revealed that due to the presence of small diameter (~1.3 nm micropores at the periphery of the particles, the collapsed globules of the thermoresponsive copolymer above its LCST hinders the complete release of the drug which resulted in a reverse thermoresponsive drug release profile by the hybrid DDS.

  15. Analysis OpenMP performance of AMD and Intel architecture for breaking waves simulation using MPS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alamsyah, M. N. A.; Utomo, A.; Gunawan, P. H.

    2018-03-01

    Simulation of breaking waves by using Navier-Stokes equation via moving particle semi-implicit method (MPS) over close domain is given. The results show the parallel computing on multicore architecture using OpenMP platform can reduce the computational time almost half of the serial time. Here, the comparison using two computer architectures (AMD and Intel) are performed. The results using Intel architecture is shown better than AMD architecture in CPU time. However, in efficiency, the computer with AMD architecture gives slightly higher than the Intel. For the simulation by 1512 number of particles, the CPU time using Intel and AMD are 12662.47 and 28282.30 respectively. Moreover, the efficiency using similar number of particles, AMD obtains 50.09 % and Intel up to 49.42 %.

  16. Ehrenfest force in inhomogeneous magnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sisakyan, A.N.; Shevchenko, O.Yu.; Samojlov, V.N.

    2000-01-01

    The Ehrenfest force in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is calculated. It is shown that there exist such (very rare) topologically nontrivial physical situations when the Gauss theorem in its classic formulation fails and, as a consequence, apart from the usual Lorentz force an additional, purely imaginary force acts on the charged particle. This force arises only in inhomogeneous magnetic fields of special configurations, has a purely quantum origin, and disappears in the classical limit

  17. 9/11 and Canadian Special Operations Forces: How 40 Selected Men Indelibly Influenced the Future of the Force

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-23

    Terrorism strategy/plan and an unresolved dialogue surrounding special operations aviation (SO Avn ) deficiencies are but two specific examples of...Regiment-like sister unit (the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR)) is created, an expanded SO Avn capability is formed (427 Special Operations...an adequate SO Avn Squadron under command, maturing CJIRU and CSOR sister units and lately a small but effective SOF training organization.127

  18. Research Article Special Issue

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2017-08-08

    Aug 8, 2017 ... For predicting purposes, artificial neural network (ANN) and ... This study focused on the area of the southern region in Peninsular Malaysia. ... CA was used to investigate the spatial of the sampling sites. HAC ..... In the case of MPS, the first VF1 explains 43.3% of the total variance and it has strong positive.

  19. Special Operations Forces (SOF) technical analysis and evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1987-08-31

    In response to Task Order 001, Los Alamos National Laboratory Contract 9-L5H-1508P-1, Betac Corporation is pleased to provide ten quick-response, short-term analytical papers in support of Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) and Special Operations (SO). The papers are study methodologies which provide background, baseline, concepts, approaches, and recommendations in the mission areas identified in the Statement of Work. Although the Statement of Work specifies only nine papers, a tenth paper has been included addressing Command Relationships, since this subject affects all other topics and is of critical importance to USCINCSOC in establishing the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Each paper addresses the feasibility of further effort in each area of interest. The ten papers address: (1) mission support systems; (2) research, development, and acquisition; (3) headquarters equipment; (4) C3I architecture; (5) intelligence dissemination; (6) intelligence collection management; (7) intelligence support to SOF targeting; (8) joint mission area analysis (JMAA); (9) joint SOF master plan; and (10) command relationships.

  20. Search for minimal paths in modified networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeh, W.-C.

    2002-01-01

    The problem of searching for all minimal paths (MPs) in a network obtained by modifying the original network, e.g. for network expansion or reinforcement, is discussed and solved in this study. The existing best-known method to solve this problem was a straightforward approach. It needed extensive comparison and verification, and failed to solve some special but important cases. Therefore, a more efficient, intuitive and generalized method to search for all MPs without an extensive research procedure is proposed. In this presentation, first we develop an intuitive algorithm based upon the reformation of all MPs in the original network to search for all MPs in a modified network. Next, the computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is analyzed and compared with the existing methods. Finally, examples illustrate how all MPs are generated in a modified network based upon the reformation of all of the MPs in the corresponding original network

  1. Hybrid Warfare: How to Shape Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-10

    irregular tactics, information operations, and deliberate terrorism as they waged war against Russia in the territory of Chechnya and o deep in Russian...Russia initially had to withdraw its forces from Chechnya , but later led by a former KGB operative, Vladimir Putin, were able to defeat the Chechen rebels

  2. Statement about researches relative to the operation stability of the MPS P230 of Ariane 5; Point sur les recherches relatives a la stabilite de fonctionnement du MPS P230 d'Ariane 5

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vuillot, F.

    1998-07-01

    This paper makes a statement about the researches carried out in the framework of the ASSM (Aerodynamics of Segmented Solid Motors) research program on the operation stability of the MPS P230 solid propellant engine of the French Ariane 5 launcher. After a brief historical recall of the works performed on this topic during the last 10 years, the present day situation is detailed. The feasibility of a numerical capture of the instability phenomenon is now achieved and 3 scenarios leading to swirl flow instabilities could be identified. These scenarios were validated using numerical simulation, simulation in cold gases, and launcher tests. However, one scenario based on a strong instability mechanism, seems to better fit with the observations made on the P230 engine and will deeply influence the scientific strategy of the research program. (J.S.)

  3. Association of prospective lower extremity musculoskeletal injury and musculoskeletal, balance, and physiological characteristics in Special Operations Forces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keenan, Karen A; Wohleber, Meleesa F; Perlsweig, Katherine A; Baldwin, Thomas M; Caviston, Michael; Lovalekar, Mita; Connaboy, Christopher; Nindl, Bradley C; Beals, Kim

    2017-11-01

    Previous research has examined lower extremity (LE) musculoskeletal injury (MSI) patterns and risk factors in Special Operations Forces (SOF) trainees, conventional military personnel, and athletes; however, it is unclear if SOF have the same patterns/risk factors. This study aimed to determine the association of musculoskeletal, balance, and physiological characteristics with LE MSI in SOF. Cohort study. A total of 726 Air Force (N=140), Navy Sea, Air, and Land (N=301), and Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen (N=285) SOF (age=25.72±4.77years, height=178.34±6.63cm, weight=84.28±9.03kg) participated in laboratory testing, including: LE muscular strength and flexibility; balance; body composition; anaerobic power/capacity; and aerobic capacity. Medical charts were reviewed for LE MSI 365days following laboratory testing. Participants were assigned by injury status and laboratory data stratified by tertile. Chi-square statistics were calculated to determine the frequency of LE MSI across tertiles for each characteristic. There was a significant association between LE MSI and: ankle inversion strength (weaker side: Χ(2)=17.703; stronger side: Χ(2)=18.911; p≤0.001); ankle eversion/inversion strength ratio (lower side: Χ(2)=13.456; higher side: Χ(2)=16.885; p≤0.001); hamstring flexibility (less flexible: Χ(2)=19.930; more flexible Χ(2)=15.185; p≤0.001); gastrocnemius-soleus flexibility (less flexible: Χ(2)=7.889, p=0.019); dynamic balance asymmetry (Χ(2)=7.444, p=0.024); Vestibular and Preference ratios (Χ(2)=9.124, p=0.010 and Χ(2)=6.572, p=0.037, respectively); and aerobic capacity (Χ(2)=13.935, p=0.001). Characteristics associated with LE MSI are unique in SOF. Human performance program initiatives should include efforts to optimize ankle strength and flexibility, maintain moderate hamstring flexibility, expand dynamic balance strategies, and maximize aerobic capacity to reduce LE MSI risk. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights

  4. DefenseLink Special: U.S. Forces Help Afghan Soldiers Train for Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Us Afghanistan, U.S. Forces Help Afghan Soldiers Train for Future 'Forces of Freedom, Decency Will people, defend our freedom, and send a clear message to the extremists: The forces of freedom and decency will prevail," he said in a speech at Latvia University. Story U.S. Soldiers Work With Afghan Army

  5. Multidisciplinary Team Approach Is Key for Managing Pregnancy and Delivery in Patient with Rare, Complex MPS I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troko, J; Poonawala, Y; Geberhiwot, T; Martin, B

    2016-01-01

    A 23-year-old primiparous lady (Ms S) was referred to preconception clinic with known Hurler-Scheie syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis 1). Ms S had been under the care of the adult inherited metabolic disorder physicians prior to becoming pregnant. She and her partner received prenatal counselling and following spontaneous conception was closely managed by a multidisciplinary team involving foetomaternal obstetricians, anaesthetists, cardiologists, geneticists and endocrinologists in two tertiary referral hospitals throughout her pregnancy. She went on to deliver a live male child at 37/40 by elective caesarean section. As far as we are aware, this is the first case report of a term pregnancy in a woman with moderate to severe mucopolysaccharidosis 1 (MPS 1).

  6. Substance use and misuse in the Croatian Army Special Forces: prevalence and influencing factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damir Sekulic

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: In addition to being a serious health-hazard, substance-use-and-misuse (SUM in military forces negatively infl uences physical fi tness and army readiness. The aim of this study was to defi ne the prevalence of SUM, which includes cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and multiple SUM (i.e. practice of daily smoking and harmful alcohol drinking, and factors infl uencing SUM in the Croatian Special Army Forces (SAF. Materials and Methods: We studied 73 SAF members. A self-administered validated questionnaire was used to gather socio-demographic and military-professionrelated data, and SUM factors. The associations between studied variables were established by the Chi2 test, and forward conditional logistic regression (FCLR. Results: With less than 40% of daily smokers, smoking was within expected values. Almost 80% of the examinees reported no binge drinking, while 54% reported harmful drinking according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identifi cation Test scale. Paternity and education level were negatively associated with daily smoking, while higher incidence of daily smoking was found for privates and those who practiced harmful drinking (all at p < 0.05. The FCLR demonstrated a higher risk of harmful alcohol consumption for younger commissioned offi cers (OR for military rank = 5.54, 95% CI: 2.19-13.99; OR for age = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95. Conclusion: Although SUM incidence was not alarming compared to the overall population and the previously reported military data, additional efforts are necessary in order to decrease cigarette consumption. The study showed that protective/risk structure of the substance misuse in the military should be investigated specifi cally with regard to particular military services, corps, and socio-cultural environment.

  7. Merit Principles Survey 2016 Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    Merit Systems Protection Board — MPS contains a combination of core items that MSPB tracks over time and special-purpose items developed to support a particular special study. This survey differs...

  8. Clinicians' perspective of the current diagnostic criteria for myofascial pain syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosman-Rimon, Liza; Clarke, Hance; Chan, Aaron K; Mills, Patricia Branco; Rathbone, Alasdair Timothy Llewelyn; Kumbhare, Dinesh

    2017-01-01

    Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the most common chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. However, MPS is often under-diagnosed. The purpose of this study was to characterize practicing clinicians' perspectives of the current diagnostic criteria for MPS. A cross-sectional study design was used with a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated clinicians' perspective of the current diagnostic criteria for MPS. The sample population (n= 119) consisted of 40% family physicians, 31% physical medicine (PM) and rehabilitation specialists, 11% rheumatologists, 10% emergency room (ER) physicians, and 8% anesthesiologists specializing in chronic pain. Our findings demonstrated that participating clinicians agree that ``point tenderness'' and ``pain reproduction'' are criteria for MPS. In contrast, the clinicians do not consider ``autonomic symptoms'' as an important criterion for MPS. The anesthesiologists view ``restricted range of motion'' as a criterion for MPS more than the other groups, and they tend to consider ``referred pain'' and ``pain reproduction'' as criteria. Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists and anesthesiologists tend to view ``local twitch response'' more as a criterion for MPS compared with the other groups. Most groups of clinicians consider ``weakness without atrophy'' as an important MPS criterion except for family physicians. It is important to note that ``poor sleep'', ``daytime fatigue'' and ``cognitive symptoms'', which are not considered as MPS symptoms, are often mistaken for MPS among practicing clinicians. Our findings suggest that the diagnostic criteria are not well known, highlighting the need for an expert consensus to determine the importance of each criterion for MPS diagnosis.

  9. The Armed Force of the Philippines and Special Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-12-01

    149 Abueva, J. (1971). Ramon Magsaysay: A Political Biography. Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House. (p. 180). 150...Biography. Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House. Armed Force of the Philippines Field Circular 3-7-1. (2001). Knowing the Terrorists: The Abu

  10. Early treatment with laronidase improves clinical outcomes in patients with attenuated MPS I: a retrospective case series analysis of nine sibships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Sannaa, Nouriya A; Bay, Luisa; Barbouth, Deborah S; Benhayoun, Youssef; Goizet, Cyril; Guelbert, Norberto; Jones, Simon A; Kyosen, Sandra Obikawa; Martins, Ana Maria; Phornphutkul, Chanika; Reig, Celia; Pleat, Rebecca; Fallet, Shari; Ivanovska Holder, Iva

    2015-10-07

    Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with laronidase, (recombinant human α-L-iduronidase; Aldurazyme) is the primary treatment option for patients with attenuated mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I). This study examined the effect of early ERT on clinical manifestations. This multinational, retrospective case series abstracted data from records of 20 patients with Hurler-Scheie syndrome within nine sibships that included older siblings treated with laronidase after the development of significant clinical symptoms, and younger siblings treated before significant symptomatology. Median age at diagnosis was 5.6 and 0.5 years for older and younger siblings, respectively. Median age at ERT initiation was 7.9 and 1.9 years for older and younger siblings, respectively. Improvement or stabilization of somatic signs and symptoms was more notable in younger siblings. Organomegaly present at onset of ERT improved in the majority of both older and younger siblings. Analysis of physician-rated symptom severity demonstrated that cardiac, musculoskeletal, and cognitive symptoms, when absent or mild in younger siblings at ERT initiation, generally did not develop or progress. The majority of older siblings had height/length Z-scores greater than two standard deviations below the mean (less than -2) at both time points. In general, Z-scores for younger siblings were closer to the sex- and age-matched means at follow-up. These findings suggest early initiation of laronidase, prior to the onset of symptoms in patients with attenuated MPS I, can slow or prevent the development of severe clinical manifestations.

  11. Trace Contraband Detection Field-Test by the South Texas Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hannum, David W. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Contraband Detection Dept.; Shannon, Gary W. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Contraband Detection Dept.

    2006-04-01

    This report describes the collaboration between the South Texas Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force (STSCNTF) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in a field test that provided prototype hand-held trace detection technology for use in counter-drug operations. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ)/National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)/Border Research and Technology Center (BRTC) was contacted by STSCNTF for assistance in obtaining cutting-edge technology. The BRTC created a pilot project for Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the STSCNTF for the use of SNL’s Hound, a hand-held sample collection and preconcentration system that, when combined with a commercial chemical detector, can be used for the trace detection of illicit drugs and explosives. The STSCNTF operates in an area of high narcotics trafficking where methods of concealment make the detection of narcotics challenging. Sandia National Laboratories’ (SNL) Contraband Detection Department personnel provided the Hound system hardware and operational training. The Hound system combines the GE VaporTracer2, a hand-held commercial chemical detector, with an SNL-developed sample collection and preconcentration system. The South Texas Task force reported a variety of successes, including identification of a major shipment of methamphetamines, the discovery of hidden compartments in vehicles that contained illegal drugs and currency used in drug deals, and the identification of a suspect in a nightclub shooting. The main advantage of the hand-held trace detection unit is its ability to quickly identify the type of chemical (drugs or explosives) without a long lag time for laboratory analysis, which is the most common analysis method for current law enforcement procedures.

  12. Inter-Association Task Force Report on Image.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Special Libraries Association, Washington, DC.

    In 1988, the Board of Directors of the Special Libraries Association provided funding to a task force to gather data which would determine how certain segments of society perceive librarians, how librarians view themselves and their colleagues, and to provide recommendations for addressing the issue of image. The task force project consisted of…

  13. Air Commando Intel: Optimizing Specialization Training for Air Force Special Operations Command Intelligence Officers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-01

    15 2. Managing Careers by Core Competencies ......................................15 D. GLASS CEILINGS ...Transforming the Force: Past, Present & Future,” Slide presentation, Washington, D.C., October 28, 2002, 5. 38 Ibid. 17 D. GLASS CEILINGS Getting AF...Agency Support to PR MSN Mission Planning SOF Mission Planning Exercise/Organization, Case Studies (Somalia/ Lebanon ), HUMINT case study SYS Systems

  14. What's in a Rash? Viral Exanthem Versus CBRNE Exposure: Teleconsultation Support for Two Special Forces Soldiers With Diffuse Rash in an Austere Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Howard D; Butterfield, Samuel; Maddry, Joseph; Powell, Douglas; Vasios, William N; Yun, Heather; Ferraro, David; Pamplin, Jeremy C

    2018-01-01

    Review clinical thought process and key principles for diagnosing weaponized chemical and biologic injuries. Clinical Context: Special Operation Forces (SOF) team deployed in an undisclosed, austere environment. Organic Expertise: Two SOF Soldiers with civilian EMT-Basic certification. Closest Medical Support: Mobile Forward Surgical Team (2 hours away); medical consults available by e-mail, phone, or video-teleconsultation. Earliest Evacuation: Earliest military evacuation from country 12-24 hours. With teleconsultation, patients departed to Germany as originally scheduled without need for Medical Evacuation. 2018.

  15. Covariant theory of gravitation in the framework of special relativity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, R. S.; Brentan, H. B.

    2018-04-01

    In this work, we study the magnetic effects of gravity in the framework of special relativity. Imposing covariance of the gravitational force with respect to the Lorentz transformations, we show from a thought experiment that a magnetic-like force must be present whenever two or more bodies are in motion. The exact expression for this gravitomagnetic force is then derived purely from special relativity and the consequences of such a covariant theory are developed. For instance, we show that the gravitomagnetic fields satisfy a system of differential equations similar to the Maxwell equations of electrodynamics. This implies that the gravitational waves spread out with the speed of light in a flat spacetime, which is in agreement with the recent results concerning the gravitational waves detection. We also propose that the vector potential can be associated with the interaction momentum in the same way as the scalar potential is usually associated with the interaction energy. Other topics are also discussed, for example, the transformation laws for the fields, the energy and momentum stored in the gravitomagnetic fields, the invariance of the gravitational mass and so on. We remark that is not our intention here to propose an alternative theory of gravitation but, rather, only a first approximation for the gravitational phenomena, so that it can be applied whenever the gravitational force can be regarded as an ordinary effective force field and special relativity can be used with safety. To make this point clear we present briefly a comparison between our approach and that based on the (linearized) Einstein's theory. Finally, we remark that although we have assumed nothing from the electromagnetic theory, we found that gravity and electricity share many properties in common -these similarities, in fact, are just a requirement of special relativity that must apply to any physically acceptable force field.

  16. Special Warfare: Restructuring for the Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    Civil affairs CAPs combined action platoons CAS close-air support CBI China-Burma-India [theater] CDI Community Defense Initiative CENTCOM [U.S...special forces’ creed has changed over time, the sentiment has remained. The history of the basic unit of special forces—the SFODA—can be traced back to...reassigned CIDG forces no longer held the advantage of insight into local cultural norms and daily activities since they were no longer operating near

  17. Controlled trapping and detection of magnetic particles by a magnetic microactuator and a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor

    KAUST Repository

    Giouroudi, Ioanna

    2014-04-01

    This paper presents the design and testing of an integrated micro-chip for the controlled trapping and detection of magnetic particles (MPs). A unique magnetic micro-actuator consisting of square-shaped conductors is used to manipulate the MPs towards a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensing element which rapidly detects the majority of MPs trapped around the square-shaped conductors. The ability to precisely transport a small number of MPs in a controlled manner over long distances by magnetic forces enables the rapid concentration of a majority of MPs to the sensing zone for detection. This is especially important in low concentration samples. The conductors are designed in such a manner so as to increase the capture efficiency as well as the precision and speed of transportation. By switching current to different conductors, MPs can be manipulated and immobilized on the innermost conductor where the GMR sensor is located. This technique rapidly guides the MPs towards the sensing zone. Secondly, for optimum measurement capability with high spatial resolution the GMR sensor is fabricated directly underneath and all along the innermost conductor to detect the stray fields originating from the MPs. Finally, a microfluidic channel is fabricated on top of this micro-chip. Experiments inside the microchannel were carried out and the MPs were successfully trapped at the sensing area. © (2014) Trans Tech Publications.

  18. Microfluidic biosensing device for controlled trapping and detection of magnetic microparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Giouroudi, Ioanna

    2013-05-01

    A magnetic microfluidic device is proposed to transport and trap magnetic microparticles (MPs) to a sensing area. Once the MPs are concentrated in the vicinity of the sensing area, a spin valve type giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor is used to detect their presence. The device is used for the detection of biological targets once they are labeled with functionalized MPs. Manipulation of the MPs is achieved by employing a microstructure which consists of planar ringshaped conducting microloops. These microloops are designed to produce high magnetic field gradients which are directly proportional to the force applied to manipulate the MPs. Upon sequential application of current, starting from the outermost loop, MPs are directed to move from the outermost to the innermost loop. The speed with which the MPs move towards the sensing area is controlled by the speed with which current is switched between the loops. On top of the microstructure, a microfluidic channel is fabricated using a standard photolithography technique and a dry film resist layer (Ordyl SY355). Experimental results showed that MPs of different diameters were successfully trapped at the sensing area and detected by the GMR sensor located directly under the innermost square loop. © 2013 IEEE.

  19. Health Professions Officer Special Pay Study HPOSPS

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-08-01

    the career field and the tax: Student-Transient-Prisoner/Patient ( STP ), Special Duty, and Outside. o STP : The Army equivalent of this Air Force...patterns due to their highly marketable skills which can be transferred to another form of public service (e.g., inter-Service transfer) or are in high... STP , and developmental opportunities (primarily special duties). The inventory identifies categories indicating skill availability (“Not Fully

  20. On the generalized potential of inertial forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siboni, S

    2009-01-01

    The generalized potential of the inertial forces acting on a holonomic system in an accelerated reference frame is derived in a way which admits a simple physical interpretation. It is shown that the generalized potential refers to all the inertial forces and, apart from the very special case of a uniformly rotating frame, it is impossible to distinguish a contribution to only the Coriolis force and a contribution pertaining to the residual, velocity-independent fictitious forces. Such an approach to the determination of the generalized potential of inertial forces may be helpful in introducing the topic of the generalized potential to advanced undergraduate and graduate students

  1. 20 CFR 655.102 - Special procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special procedures. 655.102 Section 655.102 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT OF... in force until modified by the Administrator. ...

  2. SOCIAL-PEDAGOGICAL WORK WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE FORCEDLY RE-SETTLED FROM THE ZONE OF MILITARY CONFLICT TO THE SPECIALLY CREATED SETTLEMENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liudmila Tsybulko

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The normative documents, statistic data concerning the people, who are forcedly resettled, are analysed in the article. The aim of the article is to describe the organizational stages of social workers; to determine the features of each stage, to consider the most effective methods and forms of each of the identified stages. Separate facts of creating towns for settlers are studied; information, given in scientific sociological and psychological works, is generalized. The stages of social activity of educators with children of compelled settlers (preparatory, organizational-active and analytical-corrective are determined on the basis of the carried out analysis. The essence of the activity, the methods and forms, the efficiency in realization of work with children, who are forcedly resettled, will be higher upon condition of drawing parents into corresponding forms and kinds of social pedagogical work. The author singles out three stages of work: the preparatory, organizational and activity, analytical and corrective stage. The methods and techniques of social work that shold be applied on each stage are disclosed. The author emphasizes, that not only professionals in the field of education but also representatives of state institutions – organs of executive power, health service, town centers of social service for family, children and youth, public organizations, charity funds and volunteers, which have corresponding specialization or special training, should be drown into realization of proposed stages of work with children-settlers. The author comes to the conclusion that in sprite of existence of already organized work with settlers’ families in Ukraine, more attention should be paid just to work with children because this generation creates the future of our country.

  3. Special relativity and classical field theory

    CERN Document Server

    Susskind, Leonard

    2017-01-01

    Physicist Leonard Susskind and data engineer Art Friedman are back. This time, they introduce readers to Einstein's special relativity and Maxwell's classical field theory. Using their typical brand of real math, enlightening drawings, and humor, Susskind and Friedman walk us through the complexities of waves, forces, and particles by exploring special relativity and electromagnetism. It's a must-read for both devotees of the series and any armchair physicist who wants to improve their knowledge of physics' deepest truths.

  4. Detection and isolation of cell-derived microparticles are compromised by protein complexes resulting from shared biophysical parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    György, Bence; Módos, Károly; Pállinger, Eva; Pálóczi, Krisztina; Pásztói, Mária; Misják, Petra; Deli, Mária A; Sipos, Aron; Szalai, Anikó; Voszka, István; Polgár, Anna; Tóth, Kálmán; Csete, Mária; Nagy, György; Gay, Steffen; Falus, András; Kittel, Agnes; Buzás, Edit I

    2011-01-27

    Numerous diseases, recently reported to associate with elevated microvesicle/microparticle (MP) counts, have also long been known to be characterized by accelerated immune complex (IC) formation. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential overlap between parameters of protein complexes (eg, ICs or avidin-biotin complexes) and MPs, which might perturb detection and/or isolation of MPs. In this work, after comprehensive characterization of MPs by electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light-scattering analysis, and flow cytometry, for the first time, we drive attention to the fact that protein complexes, especially insoluble ICs, overlap in biophysical properties (size, light scattering, and sedimentation) with MPs. This, in turn, affects MP quantification by flow cytometry and purification by differential centrifugation, especially in diseases in which IC formation is common, including not only autoimmune diseases, but also hematologic disorders, infections, and cancer. These data may necessitate reevaluation of certain published data on patient-derived MPs and contribute to correct the clinical laboratory assessment of the presence and biologic functions of MPs in health and disease.

  5. Keeping Special Forces Special: Regional Proficiency in Special Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-01

    and traveled extensively throughout my AOR for work and leisure . I am now [serving] as an Army attaché in Southeast Asia and can go toe-to-toe with...Southeast Asia Brunei Darussalam Cambodia Indonesia Lao People’s Democratic Republic Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Timor-Leste Viet

  6. Mitigating the Cultural Challenges of SOF/Conventional Force Interdependence

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-01

    Cultural Challenges of SOF / Conventional Force Interdependence 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S...January 16, 2013. 31 Daniel French , “Integration of General Purpose Forces and Army Special Operations,” 1. 32 Edward L. Cardon , “Recognizing

  7. Special Forces Medical Sergeants' perceptions and beliefs regarding their current medical sustainment program: implications for the field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Ramey L; DeZee, Kent J

    2014-01-01

    Special Forces Medical Sergeants (SFMS) are trained to provide trauma and medical care in support of military operations and diplomatic missions throughout the world with indirect physician oversight. This study assessed their perceptions of the current program designed to sustain their medical skills. An Internet-based survey was developed using the constructs of the Theory of Reasoned Action/Planned Behavior and validated through survey best practices. Of the 334 respondents, 92.8% had deployed at least once as an SFMS. Respondents reported spending 4 hours per week sustaining their medical skills and were highly confident that they could perform their duties on a no-notice deployment. On a 5-point, Likert-type response scale, SFMS felt that only slight change is needed to the Special Operations Medical Skills Sustainment Course (mean: 2.17; standard deviation [SD]: 1.05), while moderate change is needed to the Medical Proficiency Training (mean: 2.82; SD: 1.21) and nontrauma modules (mean: 3.02; SD: 1.22). Respondents desire a medical sustainment program that is provided by subject matter experts, involves actual patient care, incorporates new technology, uses hands-on simulation, and is always available. SFMS are challenged to sustain their medical skills in the current operational environment, and barriers to medical training should be minimized to facilitate sustainment training. Changes to the current medical sustainment program should incorporate operator-level perspectives to ensure acceptability and utility but must be balanced with organizational realities. Improving the medical sustainment program will prepare SFMS for the challenges of future missions. 2014.

  8. Contribution of Leg-Muscle Forces to Paddle Force and Kayak Speed During Maximal-Effort Flat-Water Paddling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsson, Johnny E; Rosdahl, Hans G

    2016-01-01

    The purpose was to investigate the contribution of leg-muscle-generated forces to paddle force and kayak speed during maximal-effort flat-water paddling. Five elite male kayakers at national and international level participated. The participants warmed up at progressively increasing speeds and then performed a maximal-effort, nonrestricted paddling sequence. This was followed after 5 min rest by a maximal-effort paddling sequence with the leg action restricted--the knee joints "locked." Left- and right-side foot-bar and paddle forces were recorded with specially designed force devices. In addition, knee angular displacement of the right and left knees was recorded with electrogoniometric technique, and the kayak speed was calculated from GPS signals sampled at 5 Hz. The results showed that reduction in both push and pull foot-bar forces resulted in a reduction of 21% and 16% in mean paddle-stroke force and mean kayak speed, respectively. Thus, the contribution of foot-bar force from lower-limb action significantly contributes to kayakers' paddling performance.

  9. The Role of Special Operations Forces in Information Warfare: Enablers, Not Cyber Warriors

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Edgar, Jeffry

    2000-01-01

    ... (IW) - is not unique to SOF. Conventional forces also execute IW. As a result, SOF runs the risk of losing its unique character as it tries to assume a role that conventional forces can fulfill...

  10. SPECIALIZED COURTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioana Nely Militaru

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on 1 December 2009, improved functioning judicial system European Union ( EU. Court of Justice of the EU has been reformed, said Treaty changing the EU courts so very name : Court of Justice of the EU, the Court referred to above, the Court of First Instance, and specialized courts, known previously, judicial panels. The paper shows the first part of his creation, composition and competence of the specialized courts, and as a manifestation of them in the second part examines the Civil Service Tribunal, the same point of view. EU specialized courts may be set up in specific areas, specializing in some technical disputes. These specialized courts have jurisdiction to hear and decide the cases in the first instance with the possibility that their decision subject to appeal to the General Court . In this context, to resolve disputes between the Union and its officials was established Tribunal.

  11. Understrength Air Force Officer Career Fields. A Force Management Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-01-01

    LtCol John Crown (DPSA). In addition, we had very helpful interviews with Mr. Vaughan Blackstone (DPAPP) and Mr. Dennis Miller (DPPAO). Also at...problems in managing personnel assignments. First, there is a high " tax " for special-duty jobs that requires them to place personnel officers into...targeted year-groups populated above the ideal force- structure line (called TOPLINE), in the run up to the RIF of 1992, the desire to avoid or

  12. [Interaction of mental health and forced married migrants in Germany].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kizilhan, Jan

    2015-11-01

    The study examines the interaction of the forced married migrants and the frequency of the psychological illness. Forced-married and not forced-married migrants are compared concerning her psychological illness in psychosomatic clinics in Germany. Forced-married women reported significantly more about psychological illness and have undertaken on average at least four times a suicide attempt. Forced-married women suffer lifelong from this event and need, with taking into account cultural migration-specific aspects, special support in the psychosocial consultation and medical-therapeutic treatment. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  13. Organizing Special Operations Forces: Navigating the Paradoxical Requirements of Institutional-Bureaucratic and operational Environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalgaard-Nielsen, Anja

    2017-01-01

    Increased focus on the potential of special operations has lead several countries to establish dedicated special operations organizations. Analysts have warned against bureaucratization, yet little research has explored the effect of organizational formalization or asked how best to organize....... This article draws from research into high-reliability organizations and interviews in Denmark’s Special Operations Command. It contrasts the demands of the command’s institutional-bureaucratic and operational environments and argues that the ability to straddle them is key to success. The high...

  14. Public health foodborne illness case study during a Special Operations Forces deployment to South America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCown, Michael; Grzeszak, Benjamin

    2010-01-01

    Although many public health articles have been published detailing foodborne illness outbreaks, a medical literature search revealed no articles that detail a case study or a specific response of a deployed U.S. military unit to a potential foodborne illness. This article describes a recent public health case study of a U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) team sickened while deployed to South America. It highlights public health factors which may affect U.S. personnel deployed or serving overseas and may serve as a guide for a deployed SOF medic to reference in response to a potential food- or waterborne illness outbreak. Eight food samples and five water samples were collected. The food samples were obtained from the host nation kitchen that provided food to the SOF team. The water samples were collected from the kitchen as well as from multiple sites on the host nation base. These samples were packaged in sterile containers, stored at appropriate temperatures, and submitted to a U.S. Army diagnostic laboratory for analysis. Laboratory results confirmed the presence of elevated aerobic plate counts (APCs) in the food prepared by the host nation and consumed by the SOF team. High APCs in food are the primary indicator of improper sanitation of food preparation surfaces and utensils. This case study concluded that poor kitchen sanitation, improper food storage, preparation, and/or holding were the probable conditions that led to the team?s symptoms. These results emphasize the importance of ensuring safe food and water for U.S. personnel serving overseas, especially in a deployment or combat setting. Contaminated food and/or water will negatively impact the health and availability of forces, which may lead to mission failure. The SOF medic must respond to potential outbreaks and be able to (1) critically inspect food preparation areas and accurately advise commanders in order to correct deficiencies and (2) perform food/water surveillance testing consistently

  15. MEDIATION IN THE OFFENCES FROM THE SPECIAL LAWS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel-Cristian Constantinescu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Changesin Romanian penal laws coming into force from 1st February 2014 brought an increasing number of offenses for which it is possible a penal mediation, including the offenses from the special laws (not included in the main Penal Code, for which the withdrawal of the advance complaint or the reconciliation of the parties removes the penal responsibility. These offences from the special laws are reviewed and detailed by the author with the mark of the removal mode of the penal responsibility, achieving a practical table for practitioners. Mediation procedure in the special laws crimes is similar into the general criminal mediation, but the application of the most favourable in time law may require special attention.

  16. Study of special capacity in boxers with different styles of fight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.V. Aksutin

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Purpose : the determination of tendency in boxer to a certain style of fight is important at all stages. Material : The special capacity in boxers with different styles of fight were studied. The special capacity and the impact force were studied by special training equipment among 23 boxers of higher qualification. The absolute and the relative strength of serial and single strikes were studied. Results : the results indicated that the absolutely impact force, the total tonnage and the relative strength of his right hand of strikes in boxers-“strongman” are more higher than in boxers with different styles. In boxers-“player” the power-hitting left-handed is more increasing for different styles. This fact indicates the presence among boxers-“player” the left-handed persons. Conclusions : the presented data are indicated about more higher of special endurance in boxers-“fastest”. This group of boxers differs from other of more higher development speed endurance

  17. Performance of a novel micro force vector sensor and outlook into its biomedical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meiss, Thorsten; Rossner, Tim; Minamisava Faria, Carlos; Völlmeke, Stefan; Opitz, Thomas; Werthschützky, Roland

    2011-05-01

    For the HapCath system, which provides haptic feedback of the forces acting on a guide wire's tip during vascular catheterization, very small piezoresistive force sensors of 200•200•640μm3 have been developed. This paper focuses on the characterization of the measurement performance and on possible new applications. Besides the determination of the dynamic measurement performance, special focus is put onto the results of the 3- component force vector calibration. This article addresses special advantageous characteristics of the sensor, but also the limits of applicability will be addressed. As for the special characteristics of the sensor, the second part of the article demonstrates new applications which can be opened up with the novel force sensor, like automatic navigation of medical or biological instruments without impacting surrounding tissue, surface roughness evaluation in biomedical systems, needle insertion with tactile or higher level feedback, or even building tactile hairs for artificial organisms.

  18. The Other Quiet Professionals: Lessons for Future Cyber Forces from the Evolution of Special Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    tions Command), John Mense (INSCOM), Paul Schuh (JFCC-NW), Russell Fenton (U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command), and CW5 Todd Boudreau and...Surdu, 2009, pp. 16–17). Doctrine Irregular warfare and SOF doctrine lagged operational activities after the Vietnam War and prior to the...forces are, at their operating core, small teams of highly skilled specialists, and both communities value skilled personnel above all else. Irregular

  19. Apollo's Warriors: US Air Force Special Operations during the Cold War

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hass, Michael

    1997-01-01

    .... Attempting to capture the history of USAF special operations from the beginning of the cold war to the end of the Second Indochina War is an exercise in humility the historian's worst nightmare in some respects...

  20. Resonance Special Issue - World Year of Physics -RE ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Resonance Special Issue - World Year of Physics. Vol 10, No 12, ... Origin (?) of the Universe - The Expanding Universe. Jayant V Narlikar. 12 ... Einstein's Last Dream: The Space - Time Unification of Fundamental Forces. Abdus Salam.

  1. Optimizing Armed Forces Capabilities for Hybrid Warfare – New Challenge for Slovak Armed Forces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter PINDJÁK

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the optimization of military capabilities of the Slovak Armed Forces for conducting operations in a hybrid conflict, which represents one of the possible scenarios of irregular warfare. Whereas in the regular warfare adversaries intend to eliminate the centers of gravity of each other, most often command and control structures, in irregular conflicts, the center of gravity shifts towards the will and cognitive perception of the target population. Hybrid warfare comprises a thoroughly planned combination of conventional military approaches and kinetic operations with subversive, irregular activities, including information and cyber operations. These efforts are often accompanied by intensified activities of intelligence services, special operation forces, and even mercenary and other paramilitary groups. The development of irregular warfare capabilities within the Slovak Armed Forces will require a progressive transformation process that may turn the armed forces into a modern and adaptable element of power, capable of deployment in national and international crisis management operations.

  2. Forced harmonic oscillations of the Euler-Bernoulli beam with resistance forces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuriy S. Krutiy

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The important issue in the oscillation theory is the study of resistance impact on oscillatory processes. Unlike the calculations of free oscillations, that reside in determination of natural frequencies and waveshapes and unlike the calculations of forced oscillations far away from resonance, that are performing without reference to friction, the oscillations researches in vicinity of resonance need accounting of friction forces. Special attention is paid to forced transverse fluctuations in beams as an important technical problem for engineering and building. Aim: The aim of the work is constructing of analytical solution of the problem of forced transverse vibrations of a straight rod with constant cross-section, which is under the influence of the harmonic load taking into account external and internal resistances. Materials and Methods: The internal resistance is taken into account using the corrected hypothesis of Kelvin-Voigt which reflects the empirically proven fact about the frequency-independent internal friction in the material. The external friction is also considered as frequency-independent. Results: An analytical solution is built for the differential equation of forced transverse oscillations of a straight rod with constant cross-section which is under the influence of the harmonic load taking into account external and internal resistances. As a result, analytically derived formulae are presented which describe the forced dynamic oscillations and the dynamic internal forces due to the harmonic load applied to the rod thus reducing the problem with any possible fixed ends to the search of unknown integration constants represented in a form of initial parameters.

  3. Exploring the role of motivational and coping resources in a Special Forces selection process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marié de Beer

    2014-07-01

    Research purpose: The purpose was to compare selected and not-selected candidates in terms of their sense of coherence, hardiness, locus of control and self-efficacy and to explore what they considered important for success in the selection process. Motivation for the study: Because of high attrition rates in Special Forces selection, the evaluation of the role of motivation and coping resources in terms of possible predictive utility could benefit the organisation from a logistical, financial and efficiency point of view. Research design, approach and method: A mixed-method cross-sectional survey design was used to assess an all-male candidate group (N = 73. The selected and not-selected groups were compared with regard to their sense of coherence, hardiness, locus of control and self-efficacy mean scores. Main findings: No statistically significant differences were found between the mean scores of the two groups concerning the quantitative measures used. Practical/managerial implications: The quantitative measures generally showed acceptable coefficient alpha reliabilities. Although no statistically significant mean differences were found between the groups, candidates showed high levels of sense of coherence, high levels of self-efficacy and average levels of hardiness and internal locus of control. The qualitative data confirmed the relevance of the quantitative constructs and pointed to additional aspects already considered in preparation for and during the selection process. Contribution/value-add: The results provide information regarding the constructs and measures used in a military context.

  4. Educational Attainment of Workers, March 1982-83. Special Labor Force Report. Bulletin 2191.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL), Washington, DC.

    As this report illustrates, nearly one in four adult workers today has completed college, while in 1970 just one in seven had as much formal schooling. This growth, together with the higher labor force participation rates of college graduates, has generated significant increases in the college-educated work force. Other factors include women's…

  5. Defense Infrastructure: Realignment of Air Force Special Operations Command Units to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Lepore, Brian J

    2008-01-01

    .... As a result, Cannon Air Force Base will remain open. While DOD has satisfied the intent of the recommendation by finding a new mission for the base, this BRAC recommendation was unusual because it contained a contingency clause...

  6. Sample preparation method for scanning force microscopy

    CERN Document Server

    Jankov, I R; Szente, R N; Carreno, M N P; Swart, J W; Landers, R

    2001-01-01

    We present a method of sample preparation for studies of ion implantation on metal surfaces. The method, employing a mechanical mask, is specially adapted for samples analysed by Scanning Force Microscopy. It was successfully tested on polycrystalline copper substrates implanted with phosphorus ions at an acceleration voltage of 39 keV. The changes of the electrical properties of the surface were measured by Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy and the surface composition was analysed by Auger Electron Spectroscopy.

  7. Numerical analysis of crust formation in molten core-concrete interaction using MPS method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seiichi, Koshizuka; Shoji, Matsuura; Mizue, Sekine; Yoshiaki, Oka

    2001-01-01

    A two-dimensional code is developed for molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI) based on Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method. Heat transfer is calculated without any specific correlations. A particle can be changed to a moving (fluid) or fixed (solid) particle corresponding to its enthalpy, which provide the phase change model for particles. The phase change model is verified by one-dimensional test calculations. Nucleate boiling and radiation heat transfers are considered between the core debris and the water pool. The developed code is applied to SWISS-2 experiment in which stainless steel is used as the melt material. Calculated heat flux to the water pool agrees well with the experiment, though the ablation speed in the concrete is a little slower. A stable crust is formed in a short time after water is poured in and the heat flux to the water pool rapidly decreases. MACE-M0 using corium is also analyzed. The ablation speed of concrete is slower than that of SWISS-2 because of low heat conduction in corium. An unlimited geometry is analyzed by setting the cyclic boundary condition on the sides. When the crust is broken by the decomposition gas, heat transfer to the water pool is kept high for a longer time because the crust re-formation is delayed. (author)

  8. Active Magnetic Bearings – Magnetic Forces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjølhede, Klaus

    2006-01-01

    Parameter identification procedures and model validation are major steps towards intelligent machines supported by active magnetic bearings (AMB). The ability of measuring the electromagnetic bearing forces, or deriving them from measuring the magnetic flux, strongly contributes to the model...... of the work is the characterization of magnetic forces by using two experimental different experimental approaches. Such approaches are investigated and described in details. A special test rig is designed where the 4 poles - AMB is able to generate forces up to 1900 N. The high precision characterization...... of the magnetic forces are led by using different experimental tests: (I) by using hall sensors mounted directly on the poles (precise measurements of the magnetic flux) and by an auxiliary system, composed of strain gages and flexible beams attached to the rotor; (II) by measuring the input current and bearing...

  9. [Design on tester of pull-out force for orthodontic micro implant].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, He; Wu, Pei; Wang, Huiyuan; Chen, Yan; Bao, Xuemei

    2013-09-01

    A special device for measuring the pull-out force of orthodontic micro implant was designed, which has the characteristics of simple construction and easy operation, and can be used to detect the pull-out-force of orthodontic micro implant. The tested data was stored and analyzed by a computer, and as the results, the pull-out-force curve, maximum pull-out force as well as average pull-out force were outputted, which was applied in analyzing or investigating the initial stability and immediate loading property of orthodontic micro implant.

  10. The sources of sharing externalities: Specialization vs Competition

    OpenAIRE

    Bucci, Alberto; Ushchev, Philip

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we undertake an in-depth inquiry into the nature of sharing externalities, and study how they affect the market outcome. We show that the key thing for understanding sharing externalities is the interplay between two forces: the specialization/complexity effect, on the one hand, and the competition effect, on the other hand. How the interaction between these two forces generates endogenous increasing returns to scale is definitely understudied in the literature because of the w...

  11. Stability diagram for the forced Kuramoto model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Childs, Lauren M; Strogatz, Steven H

    2008-12-01

    We analyze the periodically forced Kuramoto model. This system consists of an infinite population of phase oscillators with random intrinsic frequencies, global sinusoidal coupling, and external sinusoidal forcing. It represents an idealization of many phenomena in physics, chemistry, and biology in which mutual synchronization competes with forced synchronization. In other words, the oscillators in the population try to synchronize with one another while also trying to lock onto an external drive. Previous work on the forced Kuramoto model uncovered two main types of attractors, called forced entrainment and mutual entrainment, but the details of the bifurcations between them were unclear. Here we present a complete bifurcation analysis of the model for a special case in which the infinite-dimensional dynamics collapse to a two-dimensional system. Exact results are obtained for the locations of Hopf, saddle-node, and Takens-Bogdanov bifurcations. The resulting stability diagram bears a striking resemblance to that for the weakly nonlinear forced van der Pol oscillator.

  12. Force scanning: a rapid, high-resolution approach for spatial mechanical property mapping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darling, E M

    2011-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used to co-localize mechanical properties and topographical features through property mapping techniques. The most common approach for testing biological materials at the microscale and nanoscale is force mapping, which involves taking individual force curves at discrete sites across a region of interest. The limitations of force mapping include long testing times and low resolution. While newer AFM methodologies, like modulated scanning and torsional oscillation, circumvent this problem, their adoption for biological materials has been limited. This could be due to their need for specialized software algorithms and/or hardware. The objective of this study is to develop a novel force scanning technique using AFM to rapidly capture high-resolution topographical images of soft biological materials while simultaneously quantifying their mechanical properties. Force scanning is a straightforward methodology applicable to a wide range of materials and testing environments, requiring no special modification to standard AFMs. Essentially, if a contact-mode image can be acquired, then force scanning can be used to produce a spatial modulus map. The current study first validates this technique using agarose gels, comparing results to ones achieved by the standard force mapping approach. Biologically relevant demonstrations are then presented for high-resolution modulus mapping of individual cells, cell-cell interfaces, and articular cartilage tissue.

  13. Return on Investment: Ensuring Special Forces Can Fight Another Day

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-01

    De Oppresso Liber! 1 I. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GREEN BERET INVESTMENT The cost in time, money and the national treasure of the nation’s young men...that must be conducted by the individual Green Beret: annual suicide training, airborne and special skills sustainment, marksmanship training, medical...instated for a SF Soldier who may find himself delinquent in a standard. This six-month period can and should coincide with a bar from reenlistment as

  14. Air Bag Momentum Force Including Aspiration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guy Nusholtz

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available A gas-jet momentum force drives the air bag into position during a crash. The magnitude of this force can change as a result of aspiration. To determine the potential magnitude of the effect on the momentum force and mass flow rate in an aspirated system, a series of experiments and simulations of those experiments was conducted. The simulation consists of a two-dimensional unsteady isentropic CFD model with special “infinite boundaries”. One of the difficulties in simulating the gas-jet behavior is determining the mass flow rate. To improve the reliability of the mass flow rate input to the simulation, a sampling procedure involving multiple tests was used, and an average of the tests was adopted.

  15. Optimization of preparation of skilled wrestlers by perfection of method of the special preparation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogar' G.O.

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The author method of the special physical preparation of skilled fighters is presented. A method carries stage-by-stage character. On the first stage effectively to conduct the accented power training. On the second stage - to perfect explosive force. Tasks of the third stage are perfection of speed force and lactate component of energy supply. On the fourth stage the special is perfected speed-power endurance. The fifth stage coincides with beginning of competition period of macrocycle.

  16. Special Operations Forces Language and Culture Needs Assessment: Immersion Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-01

    in TL Listen in TL Train or teach other in TL Conduct business negotiations in TL Use TL to maintain control Use TL to persuade people Use informal... teach what you’re going to do, you do a practical exercise where they’re integrating, the person’s integrating what you just taught them in a...1990). Investigating fluency in EFL : A quantitative approach. Language Learning, 3, 387– 417. Owens, W. (2010). Improving cultural education of Special

  17. The Need to Increase Marine Corps Special Operations Command

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    Operations University presentation by Major Mark Raney for USSOCOM elective (lecture, MCU, Quantico VA, 17 Feb 20Q9). 5 Stew Magnuson, "Marine Special...2008 Posture Statement.doc (Accessed 23 December, 2008) 20 David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb , United States Special Operations Forces (New York...invasion of Afghanistan encroached on the Marine Corps historical role of being "soldiers from the sea." 38 David Tucker and Christopher J. lamb , 182

  18. U.S. Air Force Families with Young Children Who Have Special Needs

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Copeland, Carol M

    2005-01-01

    ... . One such strain is the mobility of military families . Families who have children with special needs encounter specific challenges in managing mobility due to the geographically based differences in service delivery...

  19. Rangers and the Strategic Requirements for Direct Action Forces

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Zunde, Aidis

    1998-01-01

    .... This analysis indicates that the achievement of strategic ends also requires a large-scale special operations ground direct action force to accomplish direct action missions beyond the capabilities of other assets...

  20. U.S. Special Operations Forces in the Philippines, 2001-2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    brother-in-law and senior AQ finan- cier Mohammed Jamal Khalifa used Philippine front companies and charities to support the Bojinka plots, as well...adversaries. The population ideally becomes less hospitable to the enemy forces, which shrinks their sup- port base, resources, and room for maneuver. Local...the entire Sulu archipelago, of which Jolo was the capital, to be a hospitable environment indeed, permitting freedom of movement from island to

  1. A specialized bioengineering ion beam line

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, L.D.; Sangyuenyongpipat, S.; Sriprom, C.; Thongleurm, C.; Suwanksum, R.; Tondee, N.; Prakrajang, K.; Vilaithong, T.; Brown, I.G.; Wiedemann, H.

    2007-01-01

    A specialized bioengineering ion beam line has recently been completed at Chiang Mai University to meet rapidly growing needs of research and application development in low-energy ion beam biotechnology. This beam line possesses special features: vertical main beam line, low-energy (30 keV) ion beams, double swerve of the beam, a fast pumped target chamber, and an in-situ atomic force microscope (AFM) system chamber. The whole beam line is situated in a bioclean environment, occupying two stories. The quality of the ion beam has been studied. It has proved that this beam line has significantly contributed to our research work on low-energy ion beam biotechnology

  2. Microparticle adhesion studies by atomic force microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Segeren, L.H.G.J.; Siebum, B.; Karssenberg, F.G.; Berg, van den J.W.A.; Vancso, G.J.

    2002-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most flexible and simple techniques for probing surface interactions. This article reviews AFM studies on particle adhesion. Special attention is paid to the characterization of roughness and its effect on adhesion. This is of importance when comparing the

  3. Inertial reference frames and gravitational forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santavy, I.

    1981-01-01

    The connection between different definitions of inertial, i.e. fundamental, reference frames and the corresponding characterisation of gravitational fields by gravitational forces are considered from the point of view of their possible interpretation in university introductory courses. The introduction of a special class of reference frames, denoted 'mixed reference frames' is proposed and discussed. (author)

  4. Factors which influence on force of boxers` and footballers` shots on the stage of base pre-treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikitenko S.A.

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available On the stage of base pre-treatment factors which influence on force of shots the hands of boxers and feet of footballers as a criterion of competition activity efficiency are certain. Connections are certain between force of shots by hands and feet. The objective test of the specialized sense determination of boxers` and footballers` shots is offered. It is recommended to develop maximal and explosive force of all parts of sportsman body at implementation preparatory exercises with the further transfer of physical qualities on implementation of the special exercises.

  5. Classical description of dynamical many-body systems with central forces, spin-orbit forces and spin-spin forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goepfert, A.

    1994-01-01

    This thesis develops a new model, and related numerical methods, to describe classical time-dependent many-body systems interacting through central forces, spin-orbit forces and spin-spin forces. The model is based on two-particle interactions. The two-body forces consist of attractive and repulsive parts. In this model the investigated multi-particle systems are self-bound. Also the total potential of the whole ensemble is derived from the two-particle potential and is not imposed 'from outside'. Each particle has the three degrees of freedom of its centre-of-mass motion and the spin degree of freedom. The model allows for the particles to be either charged or uncharged. Furthermore, each particle has an angular momentum, an intrinsic spin, and a magnetic dipole moment. Through the electromagnetic forces between these charges and moments there arise dynamical couplings between them. The internal interactions between the charges and moments are well described by electromagnetic coupling mechanisms. In fact, compared to conventional classical molecular dynamics calculations in van der Waals clusters, which have no spin degrees of freedom, or for Heisenberg spin Systems, which have no orbital degrees of freedom, the model presented here contains both types of degrees of freedom with a highly non-trivial coupling. The model allows to study the fundamental effects resulting from the dynamical coupling of the spin and the orbital-motion sub-systems. In particular, the dynamics of the particle mass points show a behaviour basically different from the one of particles in a potential with only central forces. Furthermore, a special type of quenching procedure was invented, which tends to drive the multi-particle Systems into states with highly periodic, non-ergodic behaviour. Application of the model to cluster simulations has provided evidence that the model can also be used to investigate items like solid-to-liquid phase transitions (melting), isomerism and specific heat

  6. Non-linear vibrations induced by fluidelastic forces in tube bundles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langre, E. de; Hadj-Sadok, C.; Beaufils, B.

    1992-01-01

    We present in this paper computations of the response of a loosely supported tube to fluid elastic forces. Several models of forces are considered, including negative damping, coupling forces and Price and Paidoussis' model. Unidirectional and bidirectional motions are studied, special attention being paid to the evolution of dynamic parameters influencing wear and to the changes in the dynamic regimes. The influence of the coefficient of friction is also analysed. A corrective methodology is proposed for the use of the negative damping model in non-linear computations

  7. Reintroducing the concept of force into relativity theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahajan, S.; Qadir, A.; Valanju, P.

    1979-07-01

    It is suggested that re-introducing forces into relativity theory may provide new insights and results. A look at the Kerr-Newmann geometry, and special cases of it, from this viewpoint indicates that there can be a short range repulsion in general. This repulsion suggests that naked singularities may be physically feasible. It is also found that there is a gravito-electric repulsion which would be important to consider in a grand unification scheme of strong, weak and electromagnetic forces. 8 references

  8. Reintroducing the concept of force into relativity theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahajan, S.; Qadir, A.; Valanju, P.

    1979-07-01

    It is suggested that re-introducing forces into relativity theory may provide new insights and results. A look at the Kerr-Newmann geometry, and special cases of it, from this viewpoint indicates that there can be a short range repulsion in general. This repulsion suggests that naked singularities may be physically feasible. It is also found that there is a gravito-electric repulsion which would be important to consider in a grand unification scheme of strong, weak and electromagnetic forces. 8 references.

  9. Generalization of the Biot--Savart law to Maxwell's equations using special relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neuenschwander, D.E.; Turner, B.N.

    1992-01-01

    Maxwell's equations are obtained by generalizing the laws of magnetostatics, which follow from the Biot--Savart law and superposition, to be consistent with special relativity. The Lorentz force on a charged particle and its rate of energy change also follow by making Newton's second law for a particle in a magnetostatic field consistent with special relativity

  10. Effects of silane on the interfacial fracture of a parylene film over a stainless steel substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, T.; Meng, J.; Rahbar, N.; Li, H.; Papandreou, G.; Maryanoff, C.A.; Soboyejo, W.O.

    2012-01-01

    Parylene can be coated on stainless steel substrates with and without γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) as an adhesion promoter. In order to study the effects of silane (γ-MPS) on the adhesion and mixed-mode interfacial fracture performance between parylene C and 316L stainless steel, this paper presents the results of a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to obtain pull-off forces between parylene coated AFM tips with or without γ-MPS and 316L substrates. A combination of adhesion theories and fracture mechanics models was then used to obtain estimates of the fracture energy release rates over a wide range of mode mixities between pure mode I and pure mode II. The trends in the estimates were shown to be in good agreement with experimental measurements of interfacial fracture toughness obtained from Brazil nut tests coated with parylene C in the presence or absence of γ-MPS over the same range of mode mixities. The study determined that the contribution of silane to the adhesion of parylene C to 316L steel was modest. - Highlights: ► An integrated experimental and modeling approach was applied to characterize effects of silane on interfacial fracture behavior of a parylene film over a stainless steel substrate. ► AFM measurements were obtained for the adhesion of parylene over stainless steel in the presence and absence wiht γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane(γ-MPS). ► Brazil nut test was also used to measure interfacial fracture energy release rates over a wide range of mode mixities. ► Good agreement was achieved between these measurements and predictions from both zone and row fracture mechanics models.

  11. Match your sales force structure to your business life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoltners, Andris A; Sinha, Prabhakant; Lorimer, Sally E

    2006-01-01

    Although companies devote considerable time and money to managing their sales forces, few focus much thought on how the structure of the sales force needs to change over the life cycle of a product or a business. However, the organization and goals of a sales operation have to evolve as businesses start up, grow, mature, and decline if a company wants to keep winning the race for customers. Specifically, firms must consider and alter four factors over time: the differing roles that internal salespeople and external selling partners should play, the size of the sales force, its degree of specialization, and how salespeople apportion their efforts among different customers, products, and activities. These variables are critical because they determine how quickly sales forces respond to market opportunities, they influence sales reps' performance, and they affect companies' revenues, costs, and profitability. In this article, the authors use timeseries data and cases to explain how, at each stage, firms can best tackle the relevant issues and get the most out of their sales forces. During start-up, smart companies focus on how big their sales staff should be and on whether they can depend upon selling partners. In the growth phase, they concentrate on getting the sales force's degree of specialization and size right. When businesses hit maturity, companies should better allocate existing resources and hire more general-purpose salespeople. Finally, as organizations go into decline, wise sales leaders reduce sales force size and use partners to keep the business afloat for as long as possible.

  12. Cutting force measurement of electrical jigsaw by strain gauges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kazup, L; Varadine Szarka, A

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes a measuring method based on strain gauges for accurate specification of electric jigsaw's cutting force. The goal of the measurement is to provide an overall perspective about generated forces in a jigsaw's gearbox during a cutting period. The lifetime of the tool is affected by these forces primarily. This analysis is part of the research and development project aiming to develop a special linear magnetic brake for realizing automatic lifetime tests of electric jigsaws or similar handheld tools. The accurate specification of cutting force facilitates to define realistic test cycles during the automatic lifetime test. The accuracy and precision resulted by the well described cutting force characteristic and the possibility of automation provide new dimension for lifetime testing of the handheld tools with alternating movement. (paper)

  13. Unlocking hidden community assets : Marginal specialization and community resilience of Gypsy-Travelers in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salemink, Koen

    2016-01-01

    Enduring social exclusion has forced Gypsy-Travelers to specialize in marginal economic activities. These marginal specializations build on specific skills, attitudes, and strategies which are valuable for the communities’ overall development. Today’s Gypsy-Traveler communities face a context of

  14. Reducing detrimental electrostatic effects in Casimir-force measurements and Casimir-force-based microdevices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jun; Klimchitskaya, G. L.; Mostepanenko, V. M.; Mohideen, U.

    2018-03-01

    It is well known that residual electrostatic forces create significant difficulties in precise measurements of the Casimir force and the wide use of Casimir-operated microdevices. We experimentally demonstrate that, with the help of Ar-ion cleaning of the surfaces, it is possible to make electrostatic effects negligibly small compared to the Casimir interaction. Our experimental setup consists of a dynamic atomic force microscope supplemented with an Ar-ion gun and argon reservoir. The residual potential difference between the Au-coated surfaces of a sphere and those of a plate was measured both before and after in situ Ar-ion cleaning. It is shown that this cleaning decreases the magnitude of the residual potential by up to an order of magnitude and makes it almost independent of the separation. The gradient of the Casimir force was measured using ordinary samples subjected to Ar-ion cleaning. The obtained results are shown to be in good agreement both with previous precision measurements using specially selected samples and with theoretical predictions of the Lifshitz theory. The conclusion is made that the suggested method of in situ Ar-ion cleaning is effective in reducing the electrostatic effects and therefore is a great resource for experiments on measuring the Casimir interaction and for Casimir-operated microdevices.

  15. Correlated Fluorescence-Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of the Clathrin Mediated Endocytosis in SKMEL Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Steve; Hor, Amy; Luu, Anh; Kang, Lin; Scott, Brandon; Bailey, Elizabeth; Hoppe, Adam

    Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is one of the central pathways for cargo transport into cells, and plays a major role in the maintenance of cellular functions, such as intercellular signaling, nutrient intake, and turnover of plasma membrane in cells. The clathrin-mediated endocytosis process involves invagination and formation of clathrin-coated vesicles. However, the biophysical mechanisms of vesicle formation are still debated. We investigate clathrin vesicle formation mechanisms through the utilization of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy for high resolution topographical imaging in neutral buffer solution of unroofed cells exposing the inner membrane, combined with fluorescence imaging to definitively label intracellular constituents with specific fluorescent fusion proteins (actin filaments labeled with green phalloidin-antibody and clathrin coated vesicles with the fusion protein Tq2) in SKMEL (Human Melanoma) cells. Results from our work are compared against dynamical polarized total internal fluorescence (TIRF), super-resolution photo-activated localization microscopy (PALM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to draw conclusions regarding the prominent model of vesicle formation in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Funding provided by NSF MPS/DMR/BMAT award # 1206908.

  16. Unified Technical Concepts. Module 8: Force Transformers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Technical Education Research Center, Waco, TX.

    This concept module on force transformers is one of thirteen modules that provide a flexible, laboratory-based physics instructional package designed to meet the specialized needs of students in two-year, postsecondary technical schools. Each of the thirteen concept modules discusses a single physics concept and how it is applied to each energy…

  17. Capital Improvement Program Environmental Assessment, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-01

    Counsel • Air Force Office of Special Investigations • Air Force Audit Agency • Boeing Aerospace Operations Inc . • Defense Security Service...this corresponds to a factor of 10 in relative sound energy (Bolt, Beranek, and Meuman, Inc . 1973). Table 4-1 shows the dBA scale of commons...configuration for the B-47. Intact -Interior shop upgraded for Nike Hercules in 1961. 5020 Field Maintenance Hangar Large Aircraft Maintenance Dock

  18. Administrative Circular No. 23 (Rev. 4) - Special working hours

    CERN Document Server

    Department Head Office - HR Department

    2016-01-01

    Administrative Circular No. 23 (Rev. 4) entitled "Special working hours", approved by the Director-General following discussion in the Standing Concertation Committee meeting on 22 March 2016, will be available on 1st September 2016 via the following link: https://cds.cern.ch/record/2208539.   This revised circular cancels and replaces Administrative Circular No. 23 (Rev. 3) also entitled "Special working hours" of January 2013. This document contains modifications to reflect the new career structure and ensuring the provision consistent with practice that compensation or remuneration of special working hours performed remotely is possible only in case of emergency.   This circular will enter into force on 1st September 2016.

  19. Diffusion in the special theory of relativity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, Joachim

    2009-11-01

    The Markovian diffusion theory is generalized within the framework of the special theory of relativity. Since the velocity space in relativity is a hyperboloid, the mathematical stochastic calculus on Riemanian manifolds can be applied but adopted here to the velocity space. A generalized Langevin equation in the fiber space of position, velocity, and orthonormal velocity frames is defined from which the generalized relativistic Kramers equation in the phase space in external force fields is derived. The obtained diffusion equation is invariant under Lorentz transformations and its stationary solution is given by the Jüttner distribution. Besides, a nonstationary analytical solution is derived for the example of force-free relativistic diffusion.

  20. Special Operations Forces: C-130 Upgrade Plan Could Help Fix Electronic Warfare Deficiencies

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1998-01-01

    In response to a concern that threats to the U.S. Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM) aircraft are increasing, while funds available for electronic warfare are decreasing, the General Accounting Office...

  1. Children of Working Mothers, March 1975: Summary, Special Labor Force Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL), Washington, DC.

    The following are some of the findings based on the results of the annual survey of marital and family characteristics of workers: (1) about 27.6 million of 62.7 million children had mothers in the labor force (over 2 million more than in March 1970); (2) 1.1 million of 6.5 million children under six were in families headed by women (71 percent…

  2. A force measurement system based on an electrostatic sensing and actuating technique for calibrating force in a micronewton range with a resolution of nanonewton scale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Sheng-Jui; Pan, Sheau-Shi

    2011-01-01

    This paper introduces a force measurement system recently established at the Center for Measurement Standards, Industrial Technology Research Institute for calibrating forces in a micronewton range with a resolution of a few nanonewtons. The force balance consists of a monolithic flexure stage and a specially made capacitor for electrostatic sensing and actuating. The capacitor is formed by three electrodes which can be utilized as a capacitive position sensor and an electrostatic force actuator at the same time. Force balance control is implemented with a digital controller by which the signal of the stage deflection is acquired, filtered and fed back to the electrostatic force driver to bring the flexure stage to the null position. The detailed description of the apparatus including the design of a monolithic flexure stage, principle of capacitive position sensing/electrostatic actuation and the force balance control is given in the paper. Finally, we present the results of electrostatic force calibration and the weighing of a 1 mg wire weight

  3. As solid as a rock-comparison of CE- and MPS-based analyses of the petrosal bone as a source of DNA for forensic identification of challenging cranial bones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulstein, Galina; Hadrys, Thorsten; Wiegand, Peter

    2018-01-01

    Short tandem repeat (STR) typing from skeletal remains can be a difficult task. Dependent on the environmental conditions of the provenance of the bones, DNA can be degraded and STR typing inhibited. Generally, dense and compact bones are known to preserve DNA better. Several studies already proved that femora and teeth have high DNA typing success rates. Unfortunately, these elements are not present in all cases involving skeletal remains. Processing partial or singular skeletal elements, it is favorable to select bone areas where DNA preservation is comparably higher. Especially, cranial bones are often accidentally discovered during criminal investigations. The cranial bone is composed of multiple parts. In this examination, we evaluated the potential of the petrous bone for human identification of skeletal remains in forensic case work. Material from different sections of eight unknown cranial bones and-where available-additionally other skeletal elements, collected at the DNA department of the Institute of Legal Medicine in Ulm, Germany, from 2010 to 2017, were processed with an optimized DNA extraction and STR typing strategy. The results highlight that STR typing from the petrous bones leads to reportable profiles in all individuals, even in cases where the analysis of the parietal bone failed. Moreover, the comparison of capillary electrophorese (CE) typing to massively parallel sequencing (MPS) analysis shows that MPS has the potential to analyze degraded human remains and is even capable to provide additional information about phenotype and ancestry of unknown individuals.

  4. SIGAR Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-30

    reluctance or inability to impose accountability, especially on wealthy or well-connected persons in government and society Women entrepreneurs meet...including of women accused of so-called moral crimes; prolonged pretrial detentions; judicial corruption and ineffectiveness; violations of privacy...which can affect readiness, retention, and morale . GAO made 10 recommendations to DOD related to U.S. Special Operations Forces. DOD concurred or

  5. Looking hard at the electroweak force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baur, Ulrich; Errede, Steven; Mueller, Thomas

    1995-01-01

    While recent experiments have beautifully confirmed many of the predictions of the electroweak unification of electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force, some direct consequences of the electroweak symmetry involve special properties of the three force carriers - the electrically charged W and neutral Z carrying the weak force and the photon of electromagnetism. These special properties have yet to be measured accurately. In the electroweak picture these force carriers (vector bosons) can interact with each other. These properties are 'non-abelian' - they are dependent on the order in which they are applied. [Most operations can be applied in any order, for example simple arithmetic: 6x(3+2) = (6x3)+(6x2). These are 'abelian'. An example of a non-abelian operator is the logarithm: log(x+y) does not equal log(x) + log(y).] Summarizing the current theoretical and experimental understanding of these self-interactions, and discussing the prospects of measuring them in future experiments, was the purpose of the ''International Symposium on Vector Boson Self-Interactions'' held earlier this year at UCLA, the first meeting entirely devoted to this topic. Progress in measuring the selfcouplings of vector bosons has been fueled recently by the CDF and DO Collaborations at Fermilab's protonantiproton collider. Using data from vector boson pair production, these studies are extracting information on the WW-photon, WWZ and ZZphoton interactions, as well as the magnetic and electric quadrupole moments of the W boson. At UCLA, Hiro Aihara (Berkeley) and Theresa Fuess (Argonne) summarized the CDF and DO results from the 1992-93 run. Information on potential ZZ-gamma interactions can also be gained from single photon production at CERN's LEP electronpositron collider, as detailed by Peter Maettig (Bonn), and from rare B meson decays, reviewed by Steve Playfer (Syracuse)

  6. Using the Labour of Special Squads in the Stalingrad Region in 1942-1945

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergey G. Sidorov

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Special purpose camps for the NKVD of the USSR were established in 1941 to carry out a special inspection of former Red Army servicemen emerging from captivity or encirclement. In 1942 the labour of special squads started to be carried out at certain economic facilities of the country. The article deals with the issues related to the use of special forces in the Stalingrad region during the Great Patriotic War. The case of the Stalingrad region is interesting due to the fact that it showcases the overall evolution of the system of special camps, beginning with the creation of the first camps on December 28, 1941 by the Order of the NKVD of the USSR, and till their liquidation, which began in 1945. The Kamyshinsky special camp, which provided the workforce fo railway construction, was one of the first special camps in which forced labour of the special squads was used. Later, camp no. 018, which provided the workforce for restoration of the destroyed enterprises, was established in the region. The camp’s personnel worked mainly on the restoration of the Stalingrad Tractor Plant. The authors also study other regional objects on which special squads’ labour was used, as well as their organization and effectiveness. It is noted that the labour of highly qualified special squads was in demand in various sectors of the economy. The variable composition of special camps located on the territory of the Stalingrad region made a significant contribution to the restoration of the city and its major plants. This was promoted by the increasing literacy of labour organization, and by the improvement of the material supply of special camps. Special attention is paid to the transfer of the special squads to the permanent staff of industry. V.V. Shevchenko compiled the necessary sources and wrote the paper. S.G. Sidorov revealed some relevant sources, pointed out the conception and accomplished academic editing of the paper.

  7. [System of rehabilitation in the Armed Forces: history, current situation, and perspectives of development].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisun, A Ia; Shchegol'kov, A M; Iudin, V E; Beliakin, S A; Ivanov, V N; Budko, A A; Ovechkin, I G

    2009-08-01

    There are two main directions of development of medical rehabilitation in the Armed Forces of RF for now-days: medical-psychological rehabilitation of military service men among special contingents, realizing special military duty (air- and NAVY-staff, staff duty shift of Missile Force of Special Purpose) and medical rehabilitation of military service men, participants of battle action in accordance with sub-program "Social support and rehabilitation of invalids in consequence of battle action or battle trauma" of Federal Purpose Program in the sphere of social support of invalids. The authors mark necessity of reorientation of medical strategy from evaluation of determination of symptoms of already existent disease to evaluation of determination of adaptation reserves of organism of military service men, determination of changes in organism on the stage of pre-disease.

  8. Protein-Ligand Informatics Force Field (PLIff): Toward a Fully Knowledge Driven "Force Field" for Biomolecular Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verdonk, Marcel L; Ludlow, R Frederick; Giangreco, Ilenia; Rathi, Prakash Chandra

    2016-07-28

    The Protein Data Bank (PDB) contains a wealth of data on nonbonded biomolecular interactions. If this information could be distilled down to nonbonded interaction potentials, these would have some key advantages over standard force fields. However, there are some important outstanding issues to address in order to do this successfully. This paper introduces the protein-ligand informatics "force field", PLIff, which begins to address these key challenges ( https://bitbucket.org/AstexUK/pli ). As a result of their knowledge-based nature, the next-generation nonbonded potentials that make up PLIff automatically capture a wide range of interaction types, including special interactions that are often poorly described by standard force fields. We illustrate how PLIff may be used in structure-based design applications, including interaction fields, fragment mapping, and protein-ligand docking. PLIff performs at least as well as state-of-the art scoring functions in terms of pose predictions and ranking compounds in a virtual screening context.

  9. 77 FR 41479 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to Executive Order 12978

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-13

    ..., Maria Teresa), c/o INVERSIONES MPS S.A., Bogota, Colombia; c/o PROYECTOS Y SOLUCIONES INMOBILIARIA LTDA., Bogota, Colombia; c/o GERENCIA DE PROYECTOS Y SOLUCIONES LTDA., Bogota, Colombia; DOB 3 Aug 1957; POB...

  10. Does political ideology moderate stress: the special case of soldiers conducting forced evacuation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shechner, Tomer; Slone, Michelle; Bialik, Gadi

    2007-04-01

    This study examined the moderating role of political ideology on psychological outcomes for Israeli soldiers participating in the forced evacuation of Jewish settlements from Gaza. Change in psychopathology and well-being was assessed for 3 concurrent mission groups differing in their political ideological contentiousness--forced evacuation, Gaza security, and Northern border security. After soldiers in each mission group were classified on the basis of relatively left- or right-wing political ideological tendencies, the authors examined differential impact of each mission on soldiers of differing political ideology. Results confirmed strong moderation effects of political ideology on psychological outcomes in these extreme contexts. Implications for research, prevention, and treatment are discussed. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

  11. Design of a self-aligned, wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with 10 nm magnetic force microscope resolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karcı, Özgür [NanoMagnetics Instruments Ltd., Hacettepe - İvedik OSB Teknokent, 1368. Cad., No: 61/33, 06370, Yenimahalle, Ankara (Turkey); Department of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Dede, Münir [NanoMagnetics Instruments Ltd., Hacettepe - İvedik OSB Teknokent, 1368. Cad., No: 61/33, 06370, Yenimahalle, Ankara (Turkey); Oral, Ahmet, E-mail: orahmet@metu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

    2014-10-01

    We describe the design of a wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with a self-aligned fibre-cantilever mechanism. An alignment chip with alignment groves and a special mechanical design are used to eliminate tedious and time consuming fibre-cantilever alignment procedure for the entire temperature range. A low noise, Michelson fibre interferometer was integrated into the system for measuring deflection of the cantilever. The spectral noise density of the system was measured to be ~12 fm/√Hz at 4.2 K at 3 mW incident optical power. Abrikosov vortices in BSCCO(2212) single crystal sample and a high density hard disk sample were imaged at 10 nm resolution to demonstrate the performance of the system.

  12. Design of a self-aligned, wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with 10 nm magnetic force microscope resolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karcı, Özgür; Dede, Münir; Oral, Ahmet

    2014-01-01

    We describe the design of a wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with a self-aligned fibre-cantilever mechanism. An alignment chip with alignment groves and a special mechanical design are used to eliminate tedious and time consuming fibre-cantilever alignment procedure for the entire temperature range. A low noise, Michelson fibre interferometer was integrated into the system for measuring deflection of the cantilever. The spectral noise density of the system was measured to be ∼12 fm/√Hz at 4.2 K at 3 mW incident optical power. Abrikosov vortices in BSCCO(2212) single crystal sample and a high density hard disk sample were imaged at 10 nm resolution to demonstrate the performance of the system

  13. Design Principles for Rapid Prototyping Forces Sensors using 3D Printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesner, Samuel B; Howe, Robert D

    2011-07-21

    Force sensors provide critical information for robot manipulators, manufacturing processes, and haptic interfaces. Commercial force sensors, however, are generally not adapted to specific system requirements, resulting in sensors with excess size, cost, and fragility. To overcome these issues, 3D printers can be used to create components for the quick and inexpensive development of force sensors. Limitations of this rapid prototyping technology, however, require specialized design principles. In this paper, we discuss techniques for rapidly developing simple force sensors, including selecting and attaching metal flexures, using inexpensive and simple displacement transducers, and 3D printing features to aid in assembly. These design methods are illustrated through the design and fabrication of a miniature force sensor for the tip of a robotic catheter system. The resulting force sensor prototype can measure forces with an accuracy of as low as 2% of the 10 N measurement range.

  14. Effects of magnetized walls on the particle structure and the yield stress of magnetorheological fluids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Jianfeng, E-mail: zhoujianfeng@njtech.edu.cn [School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, Jiangsu (China); Mo, Jingwen [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Shao, Chunlei [School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, Jiangsu (China); Li, Zhigang [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong)

    2015-09-01

    In this work, we investigate the quasi-static shear deformation of magnetic particles (MPs) in a Couette flow of magnetorheological (MR) fluids through Stokesian dynamic simulations. The magnetized walls are modeled by a congregation of magnetic dipoles and their effects on the MPs are considered. The simple shear flow of the base fluid with linear velocity distribution is used to generate the shear deformation of the MP structure and the yield stresses under different shear rates are obtained. Comparing with the relatively long chains forming in base fluid without the effect of magnetized walls, the initial structure of MPs is mainly in the form of short chains due to the attractive force of walls. At the beginning of the shear deformation of the MP structure, the concentration of MPs near the walls is found. As the shear deformation develops, however, the chains concentrate at the center of the simulation domain and the MPs near wall boundaries are attracted to the center. The yield stress depends on the initial structure of MPs which is affected by the magnetized walls. It is revealed that the larger shear rate of base fluid results in the larger yield stress, and the effects of the magnetization intensity of the walls and their space distance on the yield stress are also investigated. - Highlights: • We model a Couette flow of magnetorheological fluid considering magnetized walls. • The walls are modeled by a congregation of magnetic dipoles. • Initial structure of MPs is remarkably affected by the walls, so is yield stress. • Larger base fluid shear rate causes the larger shear deformation and larger yield stress.

  15. Effects of magnetized walls on the particle structure and the yield stress of magnetorheological fluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Jianfeng; Mo, Jingwen; Shao, Chunlei; Li, Zhigang

    2015-01-01

    In this work, we investigate the quasi-static shear deformation of magnetic particles (MPs) in a Couette flow of magnetorheological (MR) fluids through Stokesian dynamic simulations. The magnetized walls are modeled by a congregation of magnetic dipoles and their effects on the MPs are considered. The simple shear flow of the base fluid with linear velocity distribution is used to generate the shear deformation of the MP structure and the yield stresses under different shear rates are obtained. Comparing with the relatively long chains forming in base fluid without the effect of magnetized walls, the initial structure of MPs is mainly in the form of short chains due to the attractive force of walls. At the beginning of the shear deformation of the MP structure, the concentration of MPs near the walls is found. As the shear deformation develops, however, the chains concentrate at the center of the simulation domain and the MPs near wall boundaries are attracted to the center. The yield stress depends on the initial structure of MPs which is affected by the magnetized walls. It is revealed that the larger shear rate of base fluid results in the larger yield stress, and the effects of the magnetization intensity of the walls and their space distance on the yield stress are also investigated. - Highlights: • We model a Couette flow of magnetorheological fluid considering magnetized walls. • The walls are modeled by a congregation of magnetic dipoles. • Initial structure of MPs is remarkably affected by the walls, so is yield stress. • Larger base fluid shear rate causes the larger shear deformation and larger yield stress

  16. Joint Force Quarterly. Issue 57, 2nd Quarter 2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    specialized equipment and chemicals.18 While this early work provides a proof of concept, genetic engineering and combinatorial chemistry in the future will...is, entails three steps. Using the reverse planning rubric , the first step is to determine the endstate or goal of joint force development, next

  17. In Silence Toward The Unknown: Principles Of Special Reconnaissance And Surveillance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    learn and improve.” Merriam-Webster, s.v. “heuristic,” accessed January 10, 2016, http://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary /heuristic. 195 McRaven, Spec...theory,” accessed November 20, 2015, http://www.merriam- webster.com/ dictionary /theory. 231 U.S. Department of the Army, Special Operations, ADRP 3...Operation Chromite The North Korean forces had attacked on 25 June 1950 and pushed the U.S.-led United Nations forces to the Pusan (Busan) pocket or

  18. Nuclear demagnetisation and brute force polarisation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konter, J.A.

    1976-01-01

    The techniques of adiabatic demagnetization and brute force are described extensively. Special attention is paid to the thermostatic aspects and the problems caused by heat leaks and thermal barriers. Some thermometric experiments on copper are reported concerning the heat exchange between the nuclear spin system and the conduction electron system. A brute force experiment on 95 Nb yielded a nuclear magnetic moment of μ = (6.3 +- 0.1)μsub(n). A feasibility study is made on the use of PrCu 6 hyperfine enhanced paramagnet instead of the paramagnetic salt used as a intermediate cooling stage between the dilution refrigerator and the purely nuclear refrigeration stage. This will allow for experiments of long duration (one hour and more) in the sub-milli-kelvins temperature region

  19. Physical protection of special nuclear materials in the Federal Republic of Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rossnagel, A.

    1987-01-01

    Measures to protect special nuclear materials in West Germany are based on a relatively likely average threat and not on the less-likely but maximum credible threat. The reason is to avoid the costs of maintaining a very high level of security that is seldom needed. The concept of delayed action, which divides the responsibility for security between private protection forces and local police forces, would be insufficient in the event of the maximum credible threat. In principle, sufficient security is possible only when the facilities and transports are constantly protected by a police force large enough to deal with the maximum credible threat without assistance from outside. They must also be adequately armed to avert all possible attackers, and they must be paid by the licensees. The threat of an insider(s) diverting special nuclear material can be addressed only by strengthening the scope and depth of the checks on applicants and employees and the permanent work controls. It is recognized, however, that such security measures may not be compatible with constitutional civil liberties

  20. The Texts of the Agency's Relationship Agreements with Specialized Agencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1960-01-01

    The texts of the relationship agreements which the Agency has concluded with the specialized agencies listed below, together with the respective protocols authenticating them, are reproduced in this document in the order which the agreements entered into force, for the information of all Members of the Agency

  1. Force delivery of Ni-Ti coil springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manhartsberger, C; Seidenbusch, W

    1996-01-01

    Sentalloy springs (GAC, Central Islip, N.Y.) of the open and closed type were investigated with a special designed device. The closed coil springs were subjected to a tensile and the open coil springs to a compression test. After a first measurement, the springs were activated for a period of 4 weeks and then reinvestigated with the same procedure. It could be shown distinctly that, with the different coil springs, the force delivery given by the producer could be achieved only within certain limits. To remain in the martensitic plateau, changed activation ranges, and for the Sentalloy coil springs white and red of the open and closed type, also changed force deliveries had to be taken into account. There was a distinct decrease in force delivery between the first and second measurement. After considering the loading curves of all the Sentalloy coil springs and choosing the right activation range respective to the force delivery, it was found that the coil springs deliver a superior clinical behavior and open new treatment possibilities.

  2. Strategic Reality and Tactical Mirages: Special Operations and the Iranian Hostage Rescue, 1979-1980

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-01

    STRATEGIC REALITY & TACTICAL MIRAGES: SPECIAL OPERATIONS & THE IRANIAN HOSTAGE RESCUE, 1979-1980 BY MARK L. HAMILTON...remaining significant observations, such as technological capabilities,3 are not applicable to this thesis which focuses on decision making by government...not surviving the post–Vietnam drawdown.”9 While the Air Force reduced special operations personnel and equipment, the Army’s response was mixed

  3. Examination of biogenic selenium-containing nanosystems based on polyelectrolyte complexes by atomic force, Kelvin probe force and electron microscopy methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sukhanova, T. E., E-mail: tat-sukhanova@mail.ru; Vylegzhanina, M. E.; Valueva, S. V.; Volkov, A. Ya.; Kutin, A. A. [Institute of Macromolecular Compounds RAS, 199004 Bolshoy Pr., 31, St.-Petersburg (Russian Federation); Temiryazeva, M. P.; Temiryazev, A. G. [Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics (Fryazino Branch) Russian Academy of Sciences, Fryazino, Moscow region, 141190 (Russian Federation)

    2016-06-17

    The morphology and electrical properties of biogenic selenium-containing nanosystems based on polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were examined using AFM, Kelvin Probe Force and electron microscopy methods. It has been found, that prepared nanostructures significantly differed in their morphological types and parameters. In particular, multilayers capsules can be produced via varying synthesis conditions, especially, the selenium–PEC mass ratio ν. At the “special point” (ν = 0.1), filled and hollow nano- and microcapsules are formed in the system. The multilayer character of the capsules walls is visible in the phase images. Kelvin Probe Force images showed the inhomogeneity of potential distribution in capsules and outside them.

  4. Special Relativity and Magnetism in an Introductory Physics Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piccioni, R. G.

    2007-01-01

    Too often, students in introductory courses are left with the impression that Einstein's special theory of relativity comes into play only when the relative speed of two objects is an appreciable fraction of the speed of light ("c"). In fact, relativistic length contraction, along with Coulomb's law, accounts quantitatively for the force on a…

  5. Direct Cytoskeleton Forces Cause Membrane Softening in Red Blood Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-García, Ruddi; López-Montero, Iván; Mell, Michael; Egea, Gustavo; Gov, Nir S.; Monroy, Francisco

    2015-01-01

    Erythrocytes are flexible cells specialized in the systemic transport of oxygen in vertebrates. This physiological function is connected to their outstanding ability to deform in passing through narrow capillaries. In recent years, there has been an influx of experimental evidence of enhanced cell-shape fluctuations related to metabolically driven activity of the erythroid membrane skeleton. However, no direct observation of the active cytoskeleton forces has yet been reported to our knowledge. Here, we show experimental evidence of the presence of temporally correlated forces superposed over the thermal fluctuations of the erythrocyte membrane. These forces are ATP-dependent and drive enhanced flickering motions in human erythrocytes. Theoretical analyses provide support for a direct force exerted on the membrane by the cytoskeleton nodes as pulses of well-defined average duration. In addition, such metabolically regulated active forces cause global membrane softening, a mechanical attribute related to the functional erythroid deformability. PMID:26083919

  6. Factors for a successful sales force during the corporate life cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian Gelu LUPU

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The organisations, like all living organisms, have a lifecycle and undergo very predictable and repetitive patterns of behaviour as they grow and develop. Although companies devote considerable time and money to managing their sales forces, few focus much on how the sale forces needs to change over the life cycle of an organisation. In this article, the authors explain how, at each stage, company can best tackle the relevant issues and get the most out of their sales forces, how to develop the best sales force structures for each of the four stages of the business life cycle. Specifically, companies must alter four factors over time: the roles that the sales force and selling partners play, the size of the sales force, the sales force’s degree of specialization, and how salespeople apportion their efforts among different customers, products and activities.

  7. Special Education: A Microcosm of Bureaucracy. Part Two: The Elements of the System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Ann D.

    1971-01-01

    Delineates a case study of special education that provides a unique microcosm of the emergence of an educational subsystem with inherent and forceful bureaucratic controls that were present from its inception. (Author)

  8. The Texts of the Agency's Relationship Agreements with Specialized Agencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1960-01-01

    The texts of the relationship agreements which the Agency has concluded with the specialized agencies listed below, together with the respective protocols authenticating them, are reproduced in this document in the order which the agreements entered into force, for the information of all Members of the Agency [es

  9. The Texts of the Agency's Relationship Agreements with Specialized Agencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1960-01-01

    The texts of the relationship agreements which the Agency has concluded with the specialized agencies listed below, together with the respective protocols authenticating them, are reproduced in this document in the order which the agreements entered into force, for the information of all Members of the Agency [fr

  10. Van der Waals-like forces between hadrons induced by color confining potentials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gavela, M.B.; Yaouanc, A. le; Oliver, L.; Pene, O.; Raynal, J.C.; Sood, S.

    1979-01-01

    The London treatment of van der Waals forces is generalized to long-range forces induced by instantaneous confining potentials. Special attention is given to the problem of accounting for the intermediate colour-octet states. The result is in contradiciton with data on nucleon-nucleon phase shifts for any confining potential V(r) = -a(Σsub(A)lambdasup(A)lambda sup(A))rsup(α) for α > 0.1. (Auth.)

  11. Strategic Choice: United States Special Forces’ Comparative Advantage in Irregular Warfare

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-03-01

    metrics. 124 James Kiras, Special Operations and the Nature of Strategy : From World War II to the War on Terrorism , Vol. 17 (New York: Routledge...Operations and the nature of Strategy : From World War II to the War on Terrorism . Vol. 17. New York: Routledge. 2006. Liddell Hart, B. H. Strategy . New...indirect strategies . This thesis examines the conflict interaction between weak and strong actors. For the strong actor, this thesis identifies that

  12. Research on Crime of Fabricating, Stealing, Trading Special Signs of the Armed Forces%伪造、盗窃、买卖武装部队专用标志罪的探讨

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    张建田; 张悦

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, the behavior of fabricating, stealing, trading special sign ot the armea Iorces is m- creasing, which disrupts the social order, damages the armed forces ' reputation, and impacts the armed forces' routine training work. The crime of fabricating, stealing, trading special sign of the armed forces was formally writ- ten into criminal law in "the Amendments of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (seven)" , which is not only an important development in criminal law, but also an sufficient measure to maintain national defense. Based on concept of the crime of fabricating, stealing, trading special signs of the armed forces, this paper briefly review and expounds the evolution of the legislation of the crime. This paper then discusses the crime from composi- tion of the subject, subjective aspects, the object and objective aspect in detail, then briefly discuses the punish- ment.%近些年来,伪造、盗窃、买卖武装部队专用标志的情况不断增多,严重扰乱了社会管理秩序,损害了军队形象和声誉,妨害了部队战备、训练等工作的正常进行。《中华人民共和国刑法修正案(七)》将伪造、盗窃、买卖武装部队专用标志罪正式入刑,这是我国刑事立法的重要完善,也是维护国防利益的重要举措。本文在界定了伪造、盗窃、买卖武装部队专用标志罪概念的基础上,简要梳理了此类犯罪的立法沿革、概况,按照刑法理论分别从犯罪主体、犯罪主观方面、犯罪客体和犯罪客观方面对本罪的犯罪构成要件进行了论述,探讨了此罪与非罪、此罪与彼罪的政策界限,并对处罚进行了简要分析。

  13. Treecode with a Special-Purpose Processor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makino, Junichiro

    1991-08-01

    We describe an implementation of the modified Barnes-Hut tree algorithm for a gravitational N-body calculation on a GRAPE (GRAvity PipE) backend processor. GRAPE is a special-purpose computer for N-body calculations. It receives the positions and masses of particles from a host computer and then calculates the gravitational force at each coordinate specified by the host. To use this GRAPE processor with the hierarchical tree algorithm, the host computer must maintain a list of all nodes that exert force on a particle. If we create this list for each particle of the system at each timestep, the number of floating-point operations on the host and that on GRAPE would become comparable, and the increased speed obtained by using GRAPE would be small. In our modified algorithm, we create a list of nodes for many particles. Thus, the amount of the work required of the host is significantly reduced. This algorithm was originally developed by Barnes in order to vectorize the force calculation on a Cyber 205. With this algorithm, the computing time of the force calculation becomes comparable to that of the tree construction, if the GRAPE backend processor is sufficiently fast. The obtained speed-up factor is 30 to 50 for a RISC-based host computer and GRAPE-1A with a peak speed of 240 Mflops.

  14. Catalyst for Change: The Department of Defense as a Forcing Function for the Whole-of-Government Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-24

    Huffingtonpost (24 September 2009). 24 Obama, 3. 13 services, Special Forces, and security personnel. The estimated total number of forces for the...Will Be Required Over Five Years in Afghanistan.” Huffingtonpost , September 12, 2009. Bankus, Brent C., and James Kievit. “The Army and Marines and

  15. Assessing the Role of Surgical Strike Operations in Support of a Special Warfare Campaign

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-09

    classic example of special warfare in action is the use of Special Forces soldiers to facilitate the Northern Alliance’s overthrow of the Taliban...Finally, the tempo of surgical strike operations must be taken into account. Renowned British counterinsurgent of the Boer War, Charles Callwell...December 2016, accessed 15 December 2016, http://edition.cnn.com/2010/ WORLD /asiapcf/10/09/ afghanistan.british.worker.death/index.html?hpt=T2. 43 camps

  16. Structural Health Monitoring for a Z-Type Special Vehicle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaolin Yuan

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays there exist various kinds of special vehicles designed for some purposes, which are different from regular vehicles in overall dimension and design. In that case, accidents such as overturning will lead to large economical loss and casualties. There are still no technical specifications to follow to ensure the safe operation and driving of these special vehicles. Owing to the poor efficiency of regular maintenance, it is more feasible and effective to apply real-time monitoring during the operation and driving process. In this paper, the fiber Bragg grating (FBG sensors are used to monitor the safety of a z-type special vehicle. Based on the structural features and force distribution, a reasonable structural health monitoring (SHM scheme is presented. Comparing the monitoring results with the finite element simulation results guarantees the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring results. Large amounts of data are collected during the operation and driving progress to evaluate the structural safety condition and provide reference for SHM systems developed for other special vehicles.

  17. Kelvin probe force microscopy from single charge detection to device characterization

    CERN Document Server

    Glatzel, Thilo

    2018-01-01

    This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the methods and variety of Kelvin probe force microscopy, including technical details. It also offers an overview of the recent developments and numerous applications, ranging from semiconductor materials, nanostructures and devices to sub-molecular and atomic scale electrostatics. In the last 25 years, Kelvin probe force microscopy has developed from a specialized technique applied by a few scanning probe microscopy experts into a tool used by numerous research and development groups around the globe. This sequel to the editors’ previous volume “Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy: Measuring and Compensating Electrostatic Forces,” presents new and complementary topics. It is intended for a broad readership, from undergraduate students to lab technicians and scanning probe microscopy experts who are new to the field.

  18. The Roles of Decision Makers in Special Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Forces’ role in solving complex problems. Government leadership is eager to use Special Operations Forces (SOF) to respond to these complex problems...international community and the Israeli authorities as well. The PFLP leadership , in particular, favored hijacking as a terrorist action.12 Other...people’s problems. The members of the Democratic Revolutionary Front of the Liberation of Arabistan thought that calling the rest of the world’s attention

  19. A practical introduction to tensor networks: Matrix product states and projected entangled pair states

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Orús, Román, E-mail: roman.orus@uni-mainz.de

    2014-10-15

    This is a partly non-technical introduction to selected topics on tensor network methods, based on several lectures and introductory seminars given on the subject. It should be a good place for newcomers to get familiarized with some of the key ideas in the field, specially regarding the numerics. After a very general introduction we motivate the concept of tensor network and provide several examples. We then move on to explain some basics about Matrix Product States (MPS) and Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS). Selected details on some of the associated numerical methods for 1d and 2d quantum lattice systems are also discussed. - Highlights: • A practical introduction to selected aspects of tensor network methods is presented. • We provide analytical examples of MPS and 2d PEPS. • We provide basic aspects on several numerical methods for MPS and 2d PEPS. • We discuss a number of applications of tensor network methods from a broad perspective.

  20. Research on Evacuation Based on Social Force Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, W.; Deng, Z.; Li, W.; Lin, J.

    2017-09-01

    Crowded centers always cause personnel casualties in evacuation operations. Stampede events often occur by hit, squeeze and crush due to panic. It is of vital important to alleviate such situation. With the deepening of personnel evacuation research, more and more researchers are committed to study individual behaviors and self-organization phenomenon in evacuation process. The study mainly includes: 1, enrich the social force model from different facets such as visual, psychological, external force to descript more realistic evacuation; 2, research on causes and effects of self - organization phenomenon. In this paper, we focus on disorder motion that occurs in the crowded indoor publics, especially the narrow channel and safety exits and other special arteries. We put forward the improved social force model to depict pedestrians' behaviors, an orderly speed-stratification evacuation method to solve disorder problem, and shape-changed export to alleviate congestion. The result of this work shows an improvement of evacuation efficiency by 19.5 %. Guiding pedestrians' direction to slow down the influence of social forces has a guidance function in improving the efficiency of indoor emergency evacuation.

  1. Sexy is What You Make it: Organizational Culture and U.S. Army Special Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    are an accumulation of a group’s learning as it pertains to behavioral, emotional, and cognitive elements of the group’s total psychological ...Organizational Performance in the Military (Summary). Frontiers of Entrepreneurship , 27 (21), Article 6. The future of U.S. Special Operations

  2. Causes of death in U.S. Special Operations Forces in the global war on terrorism: 2001-2004.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holcomb, John B; McMullin, Neil R; Pearse, Lisa; Caruso, Jim; Wade, Charles E; Oetjen-Gerdes, Lynne; Champion, Howard R; Lawnick, Mimi; Farr, Warner; Rodriguez, Sam; Butler, Frank K

    2007-06-01

    Effective combat trauma management strategies depend upon an understanding of the epidemiology of death on the battlefield. A panel of military medical experts reviewed photographs and autopsy and treatment records for all Special Operations Forces (SOF) who died between October 2001 and November 2004 (n = 82). Fatal wounds were classified as nonsurvivable or potentially survivable. Training and equipment available at the time of injury were taken into consideration. A structured analysis was conducted to identify equipment, training, or research requirements for improved future outcomes. Five (6%) of 82 casualties had died in an aircraft crash, and their bodies were lost at sea; autopsies had been performed on all other 77 soldiers. Nineteen deaths, including the deaths at sea were noncombat; all others were combat related. Deaths were caused by explosions (43%), gunshot wounds (28%), aircraft accidents (23%), and blunt trauma (6%). Seventy of 82 deaths (85%) were classified as nonsurvivable; 12 deaths (15%) were classified as potentially survivable. Of those with potentially survivable injuries, 16 causes of death were identified: 8 (50%) truncal hemorrhage, 3 (19%) compressible hemorrhage, 2 (13%) hemorrhage amenable to tourniquet, and 1 (6%) each from tension pneumothorax, airway obstruction, and sepsis. The population with nonsurvivable injuries was more severely injured than the population with potentially survivable injuries. Structured analysis identified improved methods of truncal hemorrhage control as a principal research requirement. The majority of deaths on the modern battlefield are nonsurvivable. Improved methods of intravenous or intracavitary, noncompressible hemostasis combined with rapid evacuation to surgery may increase survival.

  3. Approaches to Aggregation and Decision Making-A Health Economics Approach: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [5].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelps, Charles E; Lakdawalla, Darius N; Basu, Anirban; Drummond, Michael F; Towse, Adrian; Danzon, Patricia M

    2018-02-01

    The fifth section of our Special Task Force report identifies and discusses two aggregation issues: 1) aggregation of cost and benefit information across individuals to a population level for benefit plan decision making and 2) combining multiple elements of value into a single value metric for individuals. First, we argue that additional elements could be included in measures of value, but such elements have not generally been included in measures of quality-adjusted life-years. For example, we describe a recently developed extended cost-effectiveness analysis (ECEA) that provides a good example of how to use a broader concept of utility. ECEA adds two features-measures of financial risk protection and income distributional consequences. We then discuss a further option for expanding this approach-augmented CEA, which can introduce many value measures. Neither of these approaches, however, provide a comprehensive measure of value. To resolve this issue, we review a technique called multicriteria decision analysis that can provide a comprehensive measure of value. We then discuss budget-setting and prioritization using multicriteria decision analysis, issues not yet fully resolved. Next, we discuss deliberative processes, which represent another important approach for population- or plan-level decisions used by many health technology assessment bodies. These use quantitative information on CEA and other elements, but the group decisions are reached by a deliberative voting process. Finally, we briefly discuss the use of stated preference methods for developing "hedonic" value frameworks, and conclude with some recommendations in this area. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Foreign Internal Defense. Does Air Force Special Operations Have What it Takes?,

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-12-01

    anything in the air or on the ground. However, while the desert conditions in areas of Peru and Chile are similarly without rain, their surrounding...example, during CABANAS 89, a joint/combined exercise, Honduran officials did not allow the use of CASA -212 aircraft in the. exercise because of...correctly understood while flying en route to Desert One on the Iranian hostage rescue mission. The experience is described by Col James H. Kyle, US Air Force

  5. Atomic Energy Authority (Special Constables) Act 1976 of 10 June 1976

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1976-01-01

    This Act, which came into force on 10th June 1976, extends the powers of the UKAEA's Special Constables (i.e. Police) so that they may be better able to safeguard fissile materials in nuclear installations and during transport. Under the Act the UKAEA's Special Constables are deemed to be Crown servants for the purposes of the Firearms Act 1968, Section 2, and it extends the kind of property in relation to which the UKAEA's Special Constables may exercise their powers when they are outside the premises within which they were appointed to act. It also extends the geographical limits within which the UKAEA's Special Constables may exercise their powers, so that their powers may now be exercised wherever they may go in order to safeguard fissile materials or to pursue persons believed to have removed or attempted to remove such materials unlawfully. (NEA) [fr

  6. Report on Adaptive Force, a specific neuromuscular function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marko Hoff

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available In real life motions, as well as in sports, the adaptation of the neuromuscular systems to externally applied forces plays an important role. The term Adaptive Force (AF shall characterize the ability of the nerve-muscle-system to adapt to impacting external forces during isometric and eccentric muscle action. The focus in this paper is on the concept of this neuromuscular action, which is not yet described in this way. A measuring system was constructed and evaluated for this specific neuromuscular function, but only the main information of the evaluation of the measuring system and the preliminary reference values are mentioned here, while an article with detailed description will be published separately. This paper concentrates on the three following points: 1 What is the peculiarity of this neuromuscular function, introduced as AF? 2 Is the measuring system able to capture its specific characteristics and which phases of measurement occur? 3 It seems reasonable to discuss if AF can be distinguished and classified among the known force concepts. The article describes the measuring system and how it is able to capture special features of real life motions like submaximal intensities and the subjects’ option to react adequately on external varying forces. Furthermore, within one measurement the system records three different force qualities: the isometric submaximal Adaptive Force (AFiso, the maximal isometric Adaptive Force (AFisomax and the maximal eccentric Adaptive Force (AFeccmax. Each of these phases provide different and unique information on the nerve-muscle-system that are discussed in detail. Important, in terms of the Adaptive Force, seems to be the combination of conditional and coordinative abilities.

  7. Preserving The UK-US Special Relationship: A Tactically Capable And Interoperable Royal Air Force In 2036

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama July 2015 / June 2016 DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. AU/ACSC/Radley J...Force in the context of the United States’ pivot to Asia, pursuit of the ‘Third Offset, and the potential for future warfare in an Anti-Access/Area...upholding the contemporary rules- based international order, the United Kingdom is likely to remain committed to maintaining a close strategic

  8. SMART SPECIALIZATION, ELEMENT OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florina Popa

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Research-Development and innovation expenditure (conditions of a few high specializations in different fields of science know an increasing importance, both at countries level and regions, on the background of challenges that occur in economic growth, at European Union level, involving investment increase in knowledge, respectively, education, professional training, research and development. The existence of a good model of territorial development means finding a strategy and governance able to create new economic activities that capitalize the competitive and comparative advantages of territorial potential, in global context. The new strategy of economic transformation at local level, the smart specialization, aims to promote efficient and effective use of public investment in research, based on innovation encouragement, at regional level, that should lead to economic growth and prosperity of regions. The implementation of strategy`s instruments involves an integrated approach, by using own forces and potential of each region, that should meet the requirements of European Agenda, for growth and competitiveness achievement. By identifying the fields with high potential, at regional level, and their strengthening, the smart specialization can concur to regions access on global markets and international value chain. The study briefly expounds the concept of smart specialization and its constituent sizes, principles of action in the field of research-development and innovation. There are also considered the implementation stages of "strategy", in the interventions at regional level, as well as the advantages and risks that it entails.

  9. Characteristics of Bone Injuries Resulting from Knife Wounds Incised with Different Forces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphrey, Caitlin; Kumaratilake, Jaliya; Henneberg, Maciej

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this research was to experimentally determine the characteristics of incised bone wounds, which are commonly found in defense injuries. A specially constructed pivoting arm device was used to inflict wounds with controlled forces and direction. Five knives were selected to inflict the wounds on porcine forelimbs. Eight incised wounds were made per knife per force. A larger knife and a greater force caused longer and wider bone wounds. Comparisons of individual knives at the two forces produced varying results in the bone wounds. A correlation was seen between the force and the length (r = 0.69), width (r = 0.63), and depth (r = 0.57) of bone wounds. Serrated-edge and nonserrated knives can be distinguished from the appearance of the wound. The outcomes may be applicable in forensic investigations to ascertain the forces associated with incised wounds and identify the specific knife used. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  10. Postural And Eye-Positional Effects On Human Biting Force: An Experimental Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Altay Tabancacı

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Muscle groups affected on biting force are called temporal muscle as a major and masseter muscle as a minor. According to the human posture stability, forces of these muscles vary with the force directions. In this case, experimental investigation is strictly important such that biting force under different postural and eye- positional situations is changed. In this study, seven-male and seven-female within the age-range of 17-24 are considered corresponding to having with restorated molar tooth and without that type of tooth. With the help of specially designed biting fork, different posture- and eye-positions are investigated for experimental biting force analysis. Changes in eye-positions are not indicated significant difference for all postural positions. On one hand, it is obtained that biting force of no-filling tooth in men becomes maximum if facial muscles give full effort to biting. On the other hand, effect of facial muscles for women is not clearly noticed depending on the postural differences.

  11. Approximate theory the electromagnetic energy of solenoid in special relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prastyaningrum, I; Kartikaningsih, S.

    2017-01-01

    Solenoid is a device that is often used in electronic devices. A solenoid is electrified will cause a magnetic field. In our analysis, we just focus on the electromagnetic energy for solenoid form. We purpose to analyze by the theoretical approach in special relativity. Our approach is begun on the Biot Savart law and Lorentz force. Special theory relativity can be derived from the Biot Savart law, and for the energy can be derived from Lorentz for, by first determining the momentum equation. We choose the solenoid form with the goal of the future can be used to improve the efficiency of the electrical motor. (paper)

  12. The Regional Special Operations Headquarters: Franchising the NATO Model as a Hedge in Lean Times

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-01

    1 AIR FORCE FELLOWS AIR UNIVERSITY THE REGIONAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS HEADQUARTERS: FRANCHISING THE NATO MODEL AS A HEDGE IN LEAN...Headquarters: Franchising The NATO Model As A Hedge In Lean Times 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d...it is not copyrighted, but is the property of the United States government. 3 The Regional Special Operations Headquarters: Franchising the

  13. Numerical analysis of special-shaped surface in abrasive flow machining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Junye; Zhou, Zengwei; Wu, Guiling; Lu, Hui; Sun, Zhihuai

    2018-03-01

    Solid-liquid two-phase abrasive flow machining is a method to effectively polish the surface of Special-shaped surface parts. Based on the processing characteristics of the abrasive flow machining. The standard model and the pressure-coupled SIMPLEC algorithm are used. The shear force and velocity of the near-wall surface of the runner of the solid-liquid two-phase abrasive machining with different inlet pressure are analyzed. The numerical simulation results show that the inlet pressure has little effect on the velocity, and the shear force has a linear relationship with the inlet pressure. To obtain a better polishing effect, the outlet pressure can be appropriately increased.

  14. Institutional Challenges to Viable Civil-Military Relations in Malawi

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-03-01

    teacher who was responsible for discipline and physical education and was the most feared teacher at every institution. In short, Banda successfully...of guidance is particularly evident in the higher education program of the armed forces. The Malawi Defense Force, in 2007, established a Centre for...has lost respect, due to what he termed childish and irresponsible, with opposition MPs and their leaders who use abusive language while transacting

  15. Many-body forces in nuclear shell-model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rath, P.K.

    1985-01-01

    In the microscopic derivation of the effective Hamiltonian for the nuclear shell model many-body forces between the valence nucleons occur. These many-body forces can be discriminated in ''real'' many-body forces, which can be related to mesonic and internal degrees of freedom of the nucleons, and ''effective'' many-body forces, which arise by the confinement of the nucleonic Hilbert space to the finite-dimension shell-model space. In the present thesis the influences of such three-body forces on the spectra of sd-shell nuclei are studied. For this the two common techniques for shell-model calculations (Oak Ridge-Rochester and Glasgow representation) are extended in such way that a general three-body term in the Hamiltonian can be regarded. The studies show that the repulsive contributions of the considered three-nucleon forces become more important with increasing number of valence nucleons. By this the particle-number dependence of empirical two-nucleon forces can be qualitatively explained. A special kind of effective many-body force occurs in the folded diagram expansion of the energy-dependent effective Hamiltonian for the shell model. Thereby it is shown that the contributions of the folded diagrams with three nucleons are just as important as those with two nucleons. Thus it is to be suspected that the folded diagram expansion contains many-particle terms with arbitrary particle number. The present studies however show that four nucleon effects are neglegible so that the folded diagram expansion can be confined to two- and three-particle terms. In shell-model calculations which extend over several main shells the influences of the spurious center-of-mass motion must be regarded. A procedure is discussed by which these spurious degrees of freedom can be exactly separated. (orig.) [de

  16. Classical dynamics with curl forces, and motion driven by time-dependent flux

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berry, M V; Shukla, Pragya

    2012-01-01

    For position-dependent forces whose curl is non-zero (‘curl forces’), there is no associated scalar potential and therefore no obvious Hamiltonian or Lagrangean and, except in special cases, no obvious conserved quantities. Nevertheless, the motion is nondissipative (measure-preserving in position and velocity). In a class of planar motions, some of which are exactly solvable, the curl force is directed azimuthally with a magnitude varying with radius, and the orbits are usually spirals. If the curl is concentrated at the origin (for example, the curl force could be an electric field generated by a changing localized magnetic flux, as in the betatron), a Hamiltonian does exist but violates the rotational symmetry of the force. In this case, reminiscent of the Aharonov–Bohm effect, the spiralling is extraordinarily slow. (paper)

  17. The Text of the Executing Agency Agreement between the Agency and the United Nations Special Fund

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1962-02-07

    The text of the Executing Agency Agreement between the Agency and the United Nations Special Fund, which was approved by the General Conference on 5 October 1961 and which entered into force on 29 November 1961 upon signature by the Director General of the Agency and the Managing Director of the Special Fund, is reproduced in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency.

  18. The Text of the Executing Agency Agreement between the Agency and the United Nations Special Fund

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1962-01-01

    The text of the Executing Agency Agreement between the Agency and the United Nations Special Fund, which was approved by the General Conference on 5 October 1961 and which entered into force on 29 November 1961 upon signature by the Director General of the Agency and the Managing Director of the Special Fund, is reproduced in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency

  19. Force Limited Random Vibration Test of TESS Camera Mass Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlicek, Alexandra; Hwang, James Ho-Jin; Rey, Justin J.

    2015-01-01

    The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a spaceborne instrument consisting of four wide field-of-view-CCD cameras dedicated to the discovery of exoplanets around the brightest stars. As part of the environmental testing campaign, force limiting was used to simulate a realistic random vibration launch environment. While the force limit vibration test method is a standard approach used at multiple institutions including Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC), and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), it is still difficult to find an actual implementation process in the literature. This paper describes the step-by-step process on how the force limit method was developed and applied on the TESS camera mass model. The process description includes the design of special fixtures to mount the test article for properly installing force transducers, development of the force spectral density using the semi-empirical method, estimation of the fuzzy factor (C2) based on the mass ratio between the supporting structure and the test article, subsequent validating of the C2 factor during the vibration test, and calculation of the C.G. accelerations using the Root Mean Square (RMS) reaction force in the spectral domain and the peak reaction force in the time domain.

  20. Ponderomotive force, magnetic fields and hydrodynamics of laser produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bobin, J.-L.; Wee Woo; Degroot, J.-S.

    1977-01-01

    Nonlinear effects deeply change the structure of a laser driven plasma flow. For high intensities, the radiation pressure should be taken into account. It acts through a ponderomotive force proportional to the electron density and to the gradient of the mean electric field energy density of the incident wave. Static magnetic fields originate from a term in the ponderomotive force which includes radiation absorption and whose curl is non zero. The basic properties of the structure are determined analytically in the absence of thermal conductivity and magnetic fields: steep density gradient close to the cut-off density, shelf at lower densities. The conditions of a steady state regime are set up. The isothermal case is specially investigated. It is shown that the cavities which are created in a motionless plasma may disappear due to the onset of a flow. Regions in which electromagnetic forces arising from the static field compensate the ponderomotive force are determined. The subsequent effects on the flow itself are studied [fr

  1. Realigning Coast Guard Enhanced Maritime Capabilities: A Lesson Learned from the U.S. Special Operations Command

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Poulin, Steven D

    2005-01-01

    .... The Coast Guard faces major challenges in executing its responsibilities and must leverage the capabilities of its specially trained boarding teams, small boat security forces, and hazardous materials response teams...

  2. Review of Recent US Value Frameworks-A Health Economics Approach: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [6].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willke, Richard J; Neumann, Peter J; Garrison, Louis P; Ramsey, Scott D

    2018-02-01

    The sixth section of our Special Task Force (STF) report reviews and comments on recent US-oriented value assessment frameworks, specifically those published by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We review published commentaries that address the validity, reliability, and conceptual underpinnings of these frameworks. We find common themes of critique regarding the strengths and limitations across frameworks. Particular shortcomings of some frameworks pose greater threats to their face validity and utility compared with others. The most significant limitations include lack of clear perspective (e.g., patient vs. health plan) and poor transparency in accounting for costs and benefits. We then review how each framework adheres to core STF recommendations, with particular emphasis on whether the framework can be used to support coverage decisions by health insurers, and whether it adheres to core principles of cost-effectiveness analysis. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Research framework most closely adheres to core STF recommendations. Others have significant limitations that vary widely from framework to framework. We also review how the frameworks follow STF recommendations for addressing potentially relevant issues beyond cost-effectiveness analysis - for example, equity in resource allocation and patient heterogeneity. Finally, we review whether and how each framework uses value thresholds and addresses affordability concerns. We conclude with suggestions for further research, particularly in the areas of testing the measurement and use of novel elements of value and deliberative processes. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. High force measurement sensitivity with fiber Bragg gratings fabricated in uniform-waist fiber tapers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wieduwilt, Torsten; Brückner, Sven; Bartelt, Hartmut

    2011-01-01

    Fiber Bragg gratings inscribed in the waist of tapered photosensitive fibers offer specific attractive properties for sensing applications. A small-diameter fiber reduces structural influences for imbedded fiber sensing elements. In the case of application as a force-sensing element for tensile forces, sensitivity scales inversely with the fiber cross-sectional area. It is therefore possible to increase force sensitivity by several orders of magnitude compared to Bragg grating sensors in conventionally sized fibers. Special requirements for such Bragg grating arrangements are discussed and experimental measurements for different fiber taper diameters down to 4 µm are presented

  4. Compression force-depth relationship during out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomlinson, A E; Nysaether, J; Kramer-Johansen, J; Steen, P A; Dorph, E

    2007-03-01

    Recent clinical studies reporting the high frequency of inadequate chest compression depth (compression depth in certain patients. Using a specially designed monitor/defibrillator equipped with a sternal pad fitted with an accelerometer and a pressure sensor, compression force and depth was measured during CPR in 91 adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. There was a strong non-linear relationship between the force of compression and depth achieved. Mean applied force for all patients was 30.3+/-8.2 kg and mean absolute compression depth 42+/-8 mm. For 87 of 91 patients 38 mm compression depth was obtained with less than 50 kg. Stiffer chests were compressed more forcefully than softer chests (pcompressed more deeply than stiffer chests (p=0.001). The force needed to reach 38 mm compression depth (F38) and mean compression force were higher for males than for females: 29.8+/-14.5 kg versus 22.5+/-10.2 kg (pcompression depth with age, but a significant 1.5 kg mean decrease in applied force for each 10 years increase in age (pcompressions performed. Average residual force during decompression was 1.7+/-1.0 kg, corresponding to an average residual depth of 3+/-2 mm. In most out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims adequate chest compression depth can be achieved by a force<50 kg, indicating that an average sized and fit rescuer should be able to perform effective CPR in most adult patients.

  5. Tints of discourse on evaluation in training teachers of Special Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandra Boer Possa

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we discuss the effects of meaning that operate in the diagnosis and evaluationprocesses that subjectivate the teacher performance of Special Education, considering the naturalization of these practices. To discuss, we take as materiality of analysis fragments ofinternship reports produced by the academics of Special Education Course at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. In the analysis, we use the concepts and methodological anchored in Foucault studies. We consider that there are not distinct and dialectical poles of a clinicaland diagnostic evaluation or an assessment in Special Education, because there is a tensionof forces that coexist and characterize the performance of the teacher in this field: the abnormality, the persons with disability, the identification and mediation processes of teaching and learning that enhance the arrival of the persons with disability closer to normality.

  6. Ponderomotive forces in electrodynamics of moving media: The Minkowski and Abraham approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesterenko, V. V.; Nesterenko, A. V.

    2016-09-01

    In the general setting of the problem, the explicit compact formulae are derived for the ponderomotive forces in the macroscopic electrodynamics of moving media in the Minkowski and Abraham approaches. Taking account of the Minkowski constitutive relations and making use of a special representation for the Abraham energy-momentum tensor enable one to obtain a compact expression for the Abraham force in the case of arbitrary dependence of the medium velocity on spatial coordinates and the time and for nonstationary external electromagnetic field. We term the difference between the ponderomotive forces in the Abraham and Minkowski approaches as the Abraham force not only under consideration of media at rest but also in the case of moving media. The Lorentz force is found which is exerted by external electromagnetic field on the conduction current in a medium, the covariant Ohm law, and the constitutive Minkowski relations being taken into account. The physical argumentation is traced for the definition of the 4-vector of the ponderomotive force as the 4-divergence of the energy-momentum tensor of electromagnetic field in a medium.

  7. Optics and optronics in university courses for officers of the Federal Armed Forces - special curricula and hands-on lessons vs. academic requirements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahlweg, Cornelius; Rothe, Hendrik

    2016-09-01

    For more than two decades lessons in optics, digital image processing and optronics are compulsory optional subjects and as such integral parts of the courses in mechanical engineering at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Hamburg. They are provided by the Chair for Measurement and Information Technology. Historically, the curricula started as typical basic lessons in optics and digital image processing and related sensors. Practical sessions originally concentrated on image processing procedures in Pascal, C and later Matlab. They evolved into a broad portfolio of practical hands-on lessons in lab and field, including high-tech and especially military equipment, but also homemaker style primitive experiments, of which the paper will give a methodical overview. A special topic - as always with optics in education - is the introduction to the various levels of abstraction in conjunction with the highly complex and wide-ranging matter squeezed into only two trimesters - instead of semesters at civil universities - for an audience being subject to strains from both study and duty. The talk will be accompanied by striking multi-media material, which will be also part of the multi-media attachment of the paper.

  8. The safety of dipyridamole myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in patients with end-stage chronic airways limitations (CAL)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roman, M.R.; Freeman, A.P.; Angelides, S.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: Dipyridamole MPS is a well-established investigative technique in the diagnosis and pre-operative risk stratification of patients with possible coronary artery disease. However, there remains a concern of its use in patients with end-stage chronic airways limitations (CAL). Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is a recent therapeutic option for such patients. The options for non-invasive pre-operative cardiac assessment in such patients are limited. This study reviewed the safety of dipyridamole use in such a clinical setting. 20 patients (10M, 10F, mean age 64.8 yrs) were evaluated. None had any history of ischaemic heart disease. Dipyridamole was administered intravenously at a dose of 0.05 mg/kg. Six patients remained asymptomatic throughout the procedure, while none experienced any chest pain. Two patients experienced moderate dyspnoea, which was rapidly relieved with aminophylline (100mg IV) during the recovery phase of the study. Two others developed mild dyspnoea; one settled spontaneously, while the other responded promptly to aminophylline. Aminophylline was administered to nine other patients to reverse minor symptoms (headache, flushing sensation). One other patient developed marked hypotension (SBP fell >20mmHg) and bradycardia, but no ECG changes for myocardial ischaemia. He responded well to aminophylline. His myocardial perfusion scan demonstrated extensive reversible myocardial ischaemia. Although the population size was small, dipyridamole appears safe to use in patients with end-stage CAL. Copyright (2000) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

  9. Delayed memory effects after intense stress in Special Forces candidates: exploring path processes between cortisol secretion and memory recall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taverniers, John; Taylor, Marcus K; Smeets, Tom

    2013-05-01

    The aim of this paper is twofold. First, it explores delayed effects of high endogenously evoked cortisol concentrations on visuo-spatial declarative memory. Subsequently, it applies multiple mediation (MM) analyses to reveal path processes between stress and cognitive performance in a sample of 24 male Special Forces (SF) candidates (mean age = 27.0 years, SD = 4.1). The SF candidates were randomly assigned to a control (n = 12) or an intense stress group (n = 12), and cortisol secretion for the intense stress condition was triggered by a brusque 60 min prisoner of war exercise. Stress exposure provoked robust increases in cortisol concentrations and a significant decline in immediate recall performance, measured with the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF). The relative retrieval differences in regard to the ROCF persisted even after a recovery period of 24 h, as both groups showed similar levels of memory decline over 24 h. Next, the study applied a MM design that involved distribution-independent asymptotic and resampling strategies to extend traditional bivariate analyses. MM results showed that ROCF performance was mediated by increases in cortisol concentrations. Considering the studied variables, the current analysis was the first to provide statistical support for the generally accepted thesis that cortisol secretion in itself, rather than subjective strain or the experimental treatment, affects cognitive performance. The revelation of such path processes is important because it establishes process identification and may refine existing paradigms.

  10. The dental specialties related articles published in Medical Journal Armed Forces India from 2000 to 2014 over a 15-year period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamim, Thorakkal

    2015-12-01

    There is a paucity of information about the dental specialties related articles published in the Medical Journal Armed Forces India (MJAFI). This study aimed to audit the dental specialities related articles published in MJAFI from 2000 to 2014 over a 15-year period. Bibliometric analysis of sixty issues of MJAFI from 2000 to 2014 were performed using web-based search. The articles published were analyzed for type of article and topic of individual dental specialities. The articles published were also evaluated to identify whether the study was an Armed Forces Medical Research Committee Project or funded research project or not. Out of the total 118 published articles related to dental specialities, original articles (55) and case reports (49) contribute the major share. The highest number of dental specialities related articles was published in 2009 with 16, followed by 2010 with 13 and 2011 with 11 and the least published year was 2013 with 3 articles. Regarding the relationship with dental specialities, the maximum number of published articles were related to oral medicine and radiology (56) followed by oral and maxillofacial surgery (49), orthodontics (23) and prosthodontics (17). Among the articles published in MJAFI, maxillofacial injuries (11) followed by orthodontic treatment (8) and craniofacial deformities (8) form the major attraction of the contributors. Among the 118 dental speciality articles, there were only 4 Armed Forces Medical Research Committee Project articles and 19 funded research project articles. An equal distribution of articles related to clinical dentistry and nonclinical dentistry is maintained for the MJAFI from 2000 to 2014 over a 15-year period.

  11. Control Design of Active Magnetic Bearings for Rotors Subjected to Destabilising Seal Forces - Theory & Experiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauridsen, Jonas Skjødt

    . At present, there is no generally accepted method for determination of dynamic seal forces. Therefore, large uncertainties must be expected when modelling dynamic seal forces and consequently also in rotor-dynamic stability analysis. This thesis focuses on i) closed loop identification of uncertain AMB...... parameters, ii) closed loop identification of unknown stiffness and damping coefficients of a dynamicseal model and iii) the design of AMB controllers to handle dynamic seal forces. Controllers that can guarantee stability and performance in the presence of uncertainseal forces are of special interest...... the uncertaintiesin seal forces and for LPV control synthesis, to compensate for known changes in seal forces due to changes in operating conditions. A rotor dynamic test facility with a rigid rotor, two radial AMBs and one annular test seal is used for i) closed loop identification of parameters in the AMB...

  12. Psychophysiological states and special performance of boxers with different styles of fight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.V. Aksutin

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose : The style of the fight is one of the important factors that affect the quality of the arts in boxing. Particularly important factor in the modern boxing are the mental processes that are involved in forecasting and analyzing the situation that arises in the ring and are associated with cognitive functions. Purpose - to examine the psychophysiological state and a special performance for skilled boxers with different styles of input match. Material : 22 highly qualification boxer aged 18-23 years were studies. The absolute and the relative strength of serial and single strikes were studied. Definition of special performance and power strokes performed on a special simulator. Recorded the absolute and relative strength of serial and single strikes. Results : The results show that the attacking style of the fight in boxing is accompanied by the presence of a high level of efficiency, reduction of fatigue, anxiety, and depending on the condition of vegetative functions. Showed a reduction in the growth of autonomy and heteronomy in the structure of psycho-physiological state of boxers with the attacking style of the fight, which indicates the presence of compromise and avoidance of external failures. Conclusions : Boxers with attacking style of fight characterized by high values of the left side impact forces and reduce the values of the right direct strike force, compared with boxers protective style of fight.

  13. Modelling of deformation process for the layer of elastoviscoplastic media under surface action of periodic force of arbitrary type

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikheyev, V. V.; Saveliev, S. V.

    2018-01-01

    Description of deflected mode for different types of materials under action of external force plays special role for wide variety of applications - from construction mechanics to circuits engineering. This article con-siders the problem of plastic deformation of the layer of elastoviscolastic soil under surface periodic force. The problem was solved with use of the modified lumped parameters approach which takes into account close to real distribution of normal stress in the depth of the layer along with changes in local mechanical properties of the material taking place during plastic deformation. Special numeric algorithm was worked out for computer modeling of the process. As an example of application suggested algorithm was realized for the deformation of the layer of elasoviscoplastic material by the source of external lateral force with the parameters of real technological process of soil compaction.

  14. Measuring of beat up force on weaving machines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bílek Martin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The textile material (warp is stressed cyclically at a relative high frequency during the weaving process. Therefore, the special measuring device for analysis of beat up force in the textile material during the weaving process, has been devised in the Weaving Laboratory of the TUL. This paper includes a description of this measuring device. The experimental part includes measurements results for various materials (PES and VS and various warp thread densities of the produced fabric.

  15. The effect of ac-driven force on superlubricity in a two-dimensional Frenkel-Kontorova model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Maimai

    2010-01-01

    By using the molecular dynamic simulation method with a fourth-order Runge-Kutta algorithm, a two-dimensional dc- and ac-driven Frenkel-Kontorova model with a square symmetry substrate potential for a square lattice layer has been investigated in this paper. For this system, the effects of many different parameters on the static friction force have been studied in detail. It was found that not only the amplitude and frequency of the ac-driven force, but also the direction of dc- and ac-driven forces and the misfit angle between two layers have a strong influence on the static friction force. This indicated that the phenomenon of superlubricity appears easily with larger ac amplitude and smaller ac frequency for some special direction of the external driving force and misfit angle.

  16. Active Control of Contact Force for a Pantograph-Catenary System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiqiang Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The performance of the high speed trains depends critically on the quality of the contact in the pantograph-catenary interaction. Maintaining a constant contact force needs taking special measures and one of the methods is to utilize active control to optimize the contact force. A number of active control methods have been proposed in the past decade. However, the primary objective of these methods has been to reduce the variation of the contact force in the pantograph-catenary system, ignoring the effects of locomotive vibrations on pantograph-catenary dynamics. Motivated by the problems in active control of vibration in large scale structures, the author has developed a geometric framework specifically targeting the remote vibration suppression problem based only on local control action. It is the intention of the paper to demonstrate its potential in the active control of the pantograph-catenary interaction, aiming to minimize the variation of the contact force while simultaneously suppressing the vibration disturbance from the train. A numerical study is provided through the application to a simplified pantograph-catenary model.

  17. United States Army Reserve in Operation Desert Storm. Enemy Prisoner of War Operations: The 800th Military Police Brigade

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-06-12

    to be somewhat lower than these, but this gives an idea of the allocation of MPs among the various organizations and components. 8 Trained atun Ready...48 Trained atun Ready Twice the Citizen Figure 24. Assignment of MP Units to Customs Inspection Duties (15 April 1991) UNIT LOCATION Task Force

  18. A resolution study for electrostatic force microscopy on bimetallic samples using the boundary element method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen Yongxing; Lee, Minhwan; Lee, Wonyoung; Barnett, David M; Pinsky, Peter M; Prinz, Friedrich B

    2008-01-01

    Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) is a special design of non-contact atomic force microscopy used for detecting electrostatic interactions between the probe tip and the sample. Its resolution is limited by the finite probe size and the long-range characteristics of electrostatic forces. Therefore, quantitative analysis is crucial to understanding the relationship between the actual local surface potential distribution and the quantities obtained from EFM measurements. To study EFM measurements on bimetallic samples with surface potential inhomogeneities as a special case, we have simulated such measurements using the boundary element method and calculated the force component and force gradient component that would be measured by amplitude modulation (AM) EFM and frequency modulation (FM) EFM, respectively. Such analyses have been performed for inhomogeneities of various shapes and sizes, for different tip-sample separations and tip geometries, for different applied voltages, and for different media (e.g., vacuum or water) in which the experiment is performed. For a sample with a surface potential discontinuity, the FM-EFM resolution expression agrees with the literature; however, the simulation for AM-EFM suggests the existence of an optimal tip radius of curvature in terms of resolution. On the other hand, for samples with strip- and disk-shaped surface potential inhomogeneities, we have obtained quantitative expressions for the detectability size requirements as a function of experimental conditions for both AM- and FM-EFMs, which suggest that a larger tip radius of curvature is moderately favored for detecting the presence of such inhomogeneities

  19. Use of Special Operations Forces in United Nations Missions: a Method to Resolve Complexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-05-21

    physical stamina and psychological stability, followed by a rigorous training program are the imperatives to create SOF soldiers.42 Mark Bowden in...recommendation is that the United Nations should establish a Special Operations planning cell within the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. As of...now, the cell is nonexistent. This cell should be able to facilitate the integration of SOF into the overall peace operations concept. Finally, the

  20. Stability of elastic columns with periodic retarded follower forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Haitao; Butcher, Eric A.

    2005-09-01

    The objective of this work is to present a stability analysis for elastic columns under the influence of periodically varying follower forces whose orientation is retarded, i.e., depends on the position of the system at a previous time. One- and two-degree-of-freedom (dof) discretized systems under the simultaneous influence of both parametric excitation and time-delay, whose effects on such systems have previously been only considered separately, are studied. By employing an orthogonal polynomial approximation, the infinite-dimensional Floquet transition matrix associated with the time-periodic differential-delay system is approximated. The stability criteria that all the eigenvalues (Floquet multipliers) of this matrix must lie within the unit circle is then applied. The stability charts for different combinations of the remaining system parameters are shown, and the previously reported results for the special cases where either the parametric excitation or the time-delay vanishes are verified. Two cases, when the parametric forcing period is equal to or twice the delay period are taken into consideration in this work. For special cases of the single dof system, the numerical stability plots are verified by considering the analytical expressions for the corresponding stability boundaries for an analogous delayed Mathieu equation.

  1. Step-edge calibration of torsional sensitivity for lateral force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sul, Onejae; Jang, Seongjin; Yang, Eui-Hyeok

    2009-01-01

    A novel calibration technique has been developed for lateral force microscopy (LFM). Typically, special preparation of the atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever or a substrate is required for LFM calibration. The new calibration technique reported in this paper greatly reduces the required preparation processes by simply scanning over a rigid step and measuring the response of the AFM photodiode in the normal and lateral directions. When an AFM tip touches a step while scanning, the tip experiences a reaction force from the step edge, and the amount of torsion can be estimated based on the ratio of the normal and torsional spring constants of an AFM cantilever. Therefore, the torsion can be calibrated using the measured response of the photodiode from the lateral movement of the AFM tip. This new calibration technique has been tested and confirmed by measuring Young's modulus of a nickel (Ni) nanowire

  2. Future Capabilities and Technologies for the Air Force in 2030. Executive Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-07-01

    Operation Eldorado Canyon, flew combat missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina, and commanded a special operations task force in Korea . In 1996, Colonel Geis...2007,  http://www.askasia.org/teachers/ essays/essay.php?no=38; and Robert E.  Gamer , ed., Understanding Contemporary China (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner

  3. Development of an Information Security Awareness Training Program for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Alageel, Sami

    2003-01-01

    The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) are vulnerable to the same kinds of threats to its information infrastructure as the rest of the industrialized nations, As an officer in the RSNF, I am familiar with the special information...

  4. Defining Elements of Value in Health Care-A Health Economics Approach: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [3].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakdawalla, Darius N; Doshi, Jalpa A; Garrison, Louis P; Phelps, Charles E; Basu, Anirban; Danzon, Patricia M

    2018-02-01

    The third section of our Special Task Force report identifies and defines a series of elements that warrant consideration in value assessments of medical technologies. We aim to broaden the view of what constitutes value in health care and to spur new research on incorporating additional elements of value into cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). Twelve potential elements of value are considered. Four of them-quality-adjusted life-years, net costs, productivity, and adherence-improving factors-are conventionally included or considered in value assessments. Eight others, which would be more novel in economic assessments, are defined and discussed: reduction in uncertainty, fear of contagion, insurance value, severity of disease, value of hope, real option value, equity, and scientific spillovers. Most of these are theoretically well understood and available for inclusion in value assessments. The two exceptions are equity and scientific spillover effects, which require more theoretical development and consensus. A number of regulatory authorities around the globe have shown interest in some of these novel elements. Augmenting CEA to consider these additional elements would result in a more comprehensive CEA in line with the "impact inventory" of the Second Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. Possible approaches for valuation and inclusion of these elements include integrating them as part of a net monetary benefit calculation, including elements as attributes in health state descriptions, or using them as criteria in a multicriteria decision analysis. Further research is needed on how best to measure and include them in decision making. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. THE NEED OF SPECIAL TECHNIQUE IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter LIPTÁK

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Operation of special equipment is possible in crisis situations. It is because special equipment is designed for operation in non-standard often extreme conditions and situation, it is available, it has a high degree of crossing capability and it is able to provide basic living conditions even in field, e.g. provision of power for hospital, transportation of wounded and injured persons, supplies, medical care in field conditions, delivery of potable and utility water etc. The authors in the paper deal with a possibility to provide electric energy through advanced renewable sources, especially in meeting tasks in areas with no public mains, possible supplies of potable and non-potable water, embedding such assets into mobile systems. The authors in publication summarize results of research within the „Use of renewable sources of energy in practice project“. System of modeling and computer-aided simulation of renewable sources of energy has been proposed within this project. Application of a system for designing of power systems in logistic containers is expected. The knowledge on power balance of logistic containers operated by the SR Armed Forces in missions abroad is summarized in the last chapter of the paper. Experiences with operating the equipment in crisis and extreme conditions have proved a possibility to export and deploy machines and weaponry equipment of the SR Armed Forces into extreme climatic conditions, e.g. out of European conditions etc.

  6. Learning on the Move, OSS Detachment 101 Special Operations in Burma

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-12

    actions would serve as shaping effects for larger conventional operations. Modern US Army Special Operations doctrine further supports this...their irregular brand of warfare as the decisive operation for a campaign where conventional forces were not suitable, prepared, or politically...Operations doctrine, America’s early SOF did not have the luxury of implementing schoolhouse solution sets and designed each solution as a campaign unfolded

  7. Specialization Patterns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, Ulrik Pagh; Lawall, Julia Laetitia; Consel, Charles

    2000-01-01

    Design patterns offer many advantages for software development, but can introduce inefficiency into the final program. Program specialization can eliminate such overheads, but is most effective when targeted by the user to specific bottlenecks. Consequently, we propose that these concepts...... are complementary. Program specialization can optimize programs written using design patterns, and design patterns provide information about the program structure that can guide specialization. Concretely, we propose specialization patterns, which describe how to apply program specialization to optimize uses...... of design patterns. In this paper, we analyze the specialization opportunities provided by specific uses of design patterns. Based on the analysis of each design pattern, we define the associated specialization pattern. These specialization opportunities can be declared using the specialization classes...

  8. High-intensity stress elicits robust cortisol increases, and impairs working memory and visuo-spatial declarative memory in Special Forces candidates: A field experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taverniers, John; Van Ruysseveldt, Joris; Smeets, Tom; von Grumbkow, Jasper

    2010-07-01

    While running a selection procedure, 27 male Belgian Special Forces candidates, with a mean age of 27.4 years (SD = 5.1), were randomly assigned to a no-stress control (n = 14) or a high-intensity stress group (n = 13). Participants in the latter group were exposed to an extremely strenuous mock prisoner of war (POW) exercise. Immediately after stress or control treatment, working memory and visuo-spatial declarative memory performances were measured by the digit span (DS) test and the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF), respectively. Concurrently, stress levels were assessed by obtaining salivary cortisol measurements and subjectively by the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). As expected, exposure to high-intensity stress led to both robust cortisol increases and significant differences in TLX scores. Stress induction also significantly impaired DS and ROCF performances. Moreover, delta cortisol increases and ROCF performance in the POW stress group showed a significant negative correlation, while DS performances followed the same tendency. Summarizing, the current findings complement and extend previous work on hormonal stress effects, and the subsequent performance deterioration on two memory tests in a unique high-intensity stress environment.

  9. Life Changes, Connection Stays: Photo Sharing and Social Connectedness for People with Special Needs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dijk, Elisabeth M.A.G.; Dadlani, Pavan; van Halteren, Aart; Biemans, Margaretha Catharina Maria; Brinkman, W.P.; Neerincx, M.

    We study the effects of digital photo sharing on social connectedness of people with special needs. We target people dealing with a transition in life that forced them to live away from their family and friends. Our study included four people with spinal-cord injury staying in a rehabilitation

  10. Air Force Journal of Logistics. Volume 35, Numbers 1 and 2. Spring/Summer 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    service in operations Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan and Philippines ) and as the Joint Special Operations Air Component J4 during... tardiness , and turnover." All of these are important to organizations, especially the Air Force concerning both its active duty and civil service

  11. High-Performance Flexible Force and Temperature Sensing Array with a Robust Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min-Seok; Song, Han-Wook; Park, Yon-Kyu

    We have developed a flexible tactile sensor array capable of sensing physical quantities, e.g. force and temperature with high-performances and high spatial resolution. The fabricated tactile sensor consists of 8 × 8 force measuring array with 1 mm spacing and a thin metal (copper) temperature sensor. The flexible force sensing array consists of sub-millimetre-size bar-shaped semi-conductor strain gage array attached to a thin and flexible printed circuit board covered by stretchable elastomeric material on both sides. This design incorporates benefits of both materials; the semi-conductor's high performance and the polymer's mechanical flexibility and robustness, while overcoming their drawbacks of those two materials. Special fabrication processes, so called “dry-transfer technique” have been used to fabricate the tactile sensor along with standard micro-fabrication processes.

  12. Smoking in the United States Air Force: Trends, Most Prevalent Diseases and their Association with Cost

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-01

    alcohol use (University of Minnesota, 2010). Tobacco use is one of the most significant health issues that the U.S. military faces today . In 2002, it...rates among the active duty members of the Air Force of the United States. Smoking is a severe phenomenon for the Air Force today because it is...allurement. In addition, they launch special tobacco products for women, the so called “ feminized cigarettes”, trying to create more female smokers

  13. Accomplishing American Strategic Goals in the Middle East through Persistent Special Operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-01

    LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Utility of SOF Vs . GPF in Various Conflicts ..................................................27 xii THIS PAGE...Headquarters and Support Company , 3 rd Battalion, 5 th Special Forces Group (Airborne) who have tirelessly stayed in the fight. xviii THIS... franchise industry by extending ties to regional extremist groups through financing and training. Al Qaeda Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Iranian influence

  14. Determination of Quantum Chemistry Based Force Fields for Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Aromatic Polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaffe, Richard; Langhoff, Stephen R. (Technical Monitor)

    1995-01-01

    Ab initio quantum chemistry calculations for model molecules can be used to parameterize force fields for molecular dynamics simulations of polymers. Emphasis in our research group is on using quantum chemistry-based force fields for molecular dynamics simulations of organic polymers in the melt and glassy states, but the methodology is applicable to simulations of small molecules, multicomponent systems and solutions. Special attention is paid to deriving reliable descriptions of the non-bonded and electrostatic interactions. Several procedures have been developed for deriving and calibrating these parameters. Our force fields for aromatic polyimide simulations will be described. In this application, the intermolecular interactions are the critical factor in determining many properties of the polymer (including its color).

  15. A New Vector for Air Force Development of Joint Leaders

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-26

    All Saying the Same Thing?”. A survey of leadership literature also includes: Richard L. Daft , The Leadership Experience (South-Western, 2002...dividing and specializing labor, to perform a mission or achieve an objective.”13 In The Leadership Experience, Richard Daft defines culture as a...Air Force, policy is also a significant mechanism 14 Richard L. Daft , The Leadership Experience, 2nd ed. (Mason, Ohio: South-Western, 2002), 510. 15

  16. Die zukünftige Ausrichtung der AGMB: ein Bericht aus der Task-Force / The future strategic concept of the AGMB: a preliminary report given by the task force

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kintzel, Melanie

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available In the spring of 2008 the managing-committee of the Medical Library Association (AGMB invited the members to form a task force in order to concentrate on a new strategic concept for the association and develop corresponding recommendations and visions. Stagnating attendance at the association’s annual conferences in recent years as well as difficulties in finding future venues and new candidates for the elections to the board gave reason to this scheme. This article introduces the members of the task force and their work hitherto with a special focus on the member survey conducted in the summer of 2008 and its first results.

  17. Program specialization

    CERN Document Server

    Marlet, Renaud

    2013-01-01

    This book presents the principles and techniques of program specialization - a general method to make programs faster (and possibly smaller) when some inputs can be known in advance. As an illustration, it describes the architecture of Tempo, an offline program specializer for C that can also specialize code at runtime, and provides figures for concrete applications in various domains. Technical details address issues related to program analysis precision, value reification, incomplete program specialization, strategies to exploit specialized program, incremental specialization, and data speci

  18. Pionic retardation effects in two-pion-exchange three-nucleon forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coon, S.A.; Friar, J.L.

    1986-01-01

    Those two-pion-exchange three-nucleon forces which arise from nuclear processes that involve only pions and nucleons are calculated. Among the processes which contribute are pion seagulls (e.g., nucleon-antinucleon pair terms) and overlapping, retarded pion exchanges. The resulting potential is shown to be a (v/c) 2 relativistic correction, and satisfies nontrivial constraints from special relativity. The relativistic ambiguities found before in treatments of relativistic corrections to the one-pion-exchange nuclear charge operator and two-body potential are also present in the three-nucleon potential. The resulting three-nucleon force differs from the original Tucson-Melbourne potential only in the presence of several new nonlocal terms, and in the specification of the choice of ambiguity parameters in the latter potential

  19. Pionic retardation effects in two-pion-exchange three-nucleon forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coon, S. A.; Friar, J. L.

    1986-09-01

    Those two-pion-exchange three-nucleon forces which arise from nuclear processes that involve only pions and nucleons are calculated. Among the processes which contribute are pion seagulls (e.g., nucleon-antinucleon pair terms) and overlapping, retarded pion exchanges. The resulting potential is shown to be a (v/c)2 relativistic correction, and satisfies nontrivial constraints from special relativity. The relativistic ambiguities found before in treatments of relativistic corrections to the one-pion-exchange nuclear charge operator and two-body potential are also present in the three-nucleon potential. The resulting three-nucleon force differs from the original Tucson-Melbourne potential only in the presence of several new nonlocal terms, and in the specification of the choice of ambiguity parameters in the latter potential.

  20. Pionic retardation effects in two-pion-exchange three-nucleon forces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coon, S.A.; Friar, J.L.

    1986-09-01

    Those two-pion-exchange three-nucleon forces which arise from nuclear processes that involve only pions and nucleons are calculated. Among the processes which contribute are pion seagulls (e.g., nucleon-antinucleon pair terms) and overlapping, retarded pion exchanges. The resulting potential is shown to be a (v-italic/c-italic)/sup 2/ relativistic correction, and satisfies nontrivial constraints from special relativity. The relativistic ambiguities found before in treatments of relativistic corrections to the one-pion-exchange nuclear charge operator and two-body potential are also present in the three-nucleon potential. The resulting three-nucleon force differs from the original Tucson-Melbourne potential only in the presence of several new nonlocal terms, and in the specification of the choice of ambiguity parameters in the latter potential.

  1. Microparticles in sputum of COPD patients: a potential biomarker of the disease?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lacedonia D

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Donato Lacedonia,1,* Giovanna Elisiana Carpagnano,1,* Teresa Trotta,2 Grazia Pia Palladino,1 Maria Antonietta Panaro,3 Liugi Davide Zoppo,1 Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro,1 Chiara Porro21Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, 2Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, 3Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Microparticles (MPs are small membrane vesicles of 0.1–1 µm which are released by cells following chemical, physical, and apoptotic stimuli. MPs represent more than a miniature version of the cell. Their composition and function depend not only on cellular origin, but also on stimuli. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is a lung disease characterized by nearly irreversible lung destruction which results in airway limitation.Purpose: We investigated the presence and source of MPs in sputum of COPD patients to evaluate if changes in MP number and origin may reflect the pathophysiological conditions of disease and may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic use.Methods: Induced sputum samples were collected from 18 male subjects and liquefied with Sputasol. MPs obtained were immunolabeled for leukocyte (CD11a, granulocyte (CD66b, monocyte-macrophage (CD11b, platelets and megakaryocytic cells (CD41, endothelial cells (CD31, and red blood cells (CD235ab and analyzed by cytofluorimetry.Results: There was a negative correlation between CD31-MPs and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (R=−53, P<0.05 and CD66b-MP level was correlated with worse performance index of COPD such as the Body mass index airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise capacity (BODE; they were negatively correlated with 6-minute walking test: 0.65 and −0.64, respectively (P<0.05. CD235ab-MPs showed a negative correlation with body mass index (R=−0.86, P

  2. The Peaceful Uses of Military Forces. Praeger Special Studies in International Politics and Public Affairs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanning, Hugh

    This study of the peaceful uses of military forces (PUMF) offers a compendium of information and principles for the planning and conduct of such PUMF activities as meeting disaster or emergency relief situations, education and training, and economic and social projects. The provision of training opportunities by the military is a means of…

  3. The National Police Forces TEDAX-NRBQ speciality; La especialidad TEDAX-NRBQ del Cuerpo Nacional de Policia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez, A.

    2010-07-01

    The National Police Force has a group specialising in nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical incidents, known as TEDAXNRBQ. The Nuclear Safety Council cooperates closely with this group on nuclear safety and radiological protection matters. (Author)

  4. On-chip bio-analyte detection utilizing the velocity of magnetic microparticles in a fluid

    KAUST Repository

    Giouroudi, Ioanna

    2011-03-22

    A biosensing principle utilizing the motion of suspended magnetic microparticles in a microfluidic system is presented. The system utilizes the innovative concept of the velocity dependence of magnetic microparticles (MPs) due to their volumetric change when analyte is attached to their surface via antibody–antigen binding. When the magnetic microparticles are attracted by a magnetic field within a microfluidic channel their velocity depends on the presence of analyte. Specifically, their velocity decreases drastically when the magnetic microparticles are covered by (nonmagnetic) analyte (LMPs) due to the increased drag force in the opposite direction to that of the magnetic force. Experiments were carried out as a proof of concept. A promising 52% decrease in the velocity of the LMPs in comparison to that of the MPs was measured when both of them were accelerated inside a microfluidic channel using an external permanent magnet. The presented biosensing methodology offers a compact and integrated solution for a new kind of on-chip analysis with potentially high sensitivity and shorter acquisition time than conventional laboratory based systems.

  5. Do special constables in London feel that they are adequately prepared to meet their first aid responsibilities? A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandan, Joht Singh; Meakin, Richard

    2016-01-29

    This study's aims were to explore the views of special constables in the London metropolitan police force concerning their obligations and skills as first aiders. The metropolitan police force provides police officers to act as first responders to emergency calls made by the public. Special constables act with the same powers and responsibility as police officers and are required to deal with incidents involving medical emergencies. West London Police Station. Fifteen special constables entered and completed the study. A qualitative study involving semistructured interviews, participant observation, and reflective work. The outcome measures were the themes derived from the 'thematic framework approach' to analysis. Four main themes were identified. (1) 'Our responsibility?'--Special constables felt they had a responsibility, but were unsure of the origin of this responsibility, with many feeling it stemmed from public expectation. (2) 'Confidence'--Special constables had mixed feelings regarding their confidence in first aid scenarios and many felt that more could be done to improve their confidence. (3) 'Training needs'--Many felt the current training system was lacking in several ways including regularity, teaching and content. (4) 'Personal first aid knowledge'--Special constables were disappointed with their past performances. Owing to the small size of this study, the conclusions are limited; however, if the findings are confirmed by larger studies, they suggest the need to improve the confidence of special constables in first aid situations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  6. Corrected direct force balance method for atomic force microscopy lateral force calibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asay, David B.; Hsiao, Erik; Kim, Seong H.

    2009-01-01

    This paper reports corrections and improvements of the previously reported direct force balance method (DFBM) developed for lateral calibration of atomic force microscopy. The DFBM method employs the lateral force signal obtained during a force-distance measurement on a sloped surface and relates this signal to the applied load and the slope of the surface to determine the lateral calibration factor. In the original publication [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 043903 (2006)], the tip-substrate contact was assumed to be pinned at the point of contact, i.e., no slip along the slope. In control experiments, the tip was found to slide along the slope during force-distance curve measurement. This paper presents the correct force balance for lateral force calibration.

  7. Detection of Special Operations Forces Using Night Vision Devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, C.M.

    2001-10-22

    Night vision devices, such image intensifiers and infrared imagers, are readily available to a host of nations, organizations, and individuals through international commerce. Once the trademark of special operations units, these devices are widely advertised to ''turn night into day''. In truth, they cannot accomplish this formidable task, but they do offer impressive enhancement of vision in limited light scenarios through electronically generated images. Image intensifiers and infrared imagers are both electronic devices for enhancing vision in the dark. However, each is based upon a totally different physical phenomenon. Image intensifiers amplify the available light energy whereas infrared imagers detect the thermal energy radiated from all objects. Because of this, each device operates from energy which is present in a different portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This leads to differences in the ability of each device to detect and/or identify objects. This report is a compilation of the available information on both state-of-the-art image intensifiers and infrared imagers. Image intensifiers developed in the United States, as well as some foreign made image intensifiers, are discussed. Image intensifiers are categorized according to their spectral response and sensitivity using the nomenclature of GEN I, GEN II, and GEN III. As the first generation of image intensifiers, GEN I, were large and of limited performance, this report will deal with only GEN II and GEN III equipment. Infrared imagers are generally categorized according to their spectral response, sensor materials, and related sensor operating temperature using the nomenclature Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) Cooled and Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) Uncooled. MWIR Cooled refers to infrared imagers which operate in the 3 to 5 {micro}m wavelength electromagnetic spectral region and require either mechanical or thermoelectric coolers to keep the sensors operating at 77 K

  8. Muscle as a collagen fiber reinforced composite material: force transmission in muscle and whole limbs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huijing, P.A.J.B.M.

    1999-01-01

    Even though no direct physiologic evidence proving that myo-tendinous junctions at the end of myofibers are sites of force transmission is available, these locations are accepted to support this function, because its specialized morphology resembles that of load-bearing membranes in structure and

  9. Language workbench user interfaces for data analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria M. Benson

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Biological data analysis is frequently performed with command line software. While this practice provides considerable flexibility for computationally savy individuals, such as investigators trained in bioinformatics, this also creates a barrier to the widespread use of data analysis software by investigators trained as biologists and/or clinicians. Workflow systems such as Galaxy and Taverna have been developed to try and provide generic user interfaces that can wrap command line analysis software. These solutions are useful for problems that can be solved with workflows, and that do not require specialized user interfaces. However, some types of analyses can benefit from custom user interfaces. For instance, developing biomarker models from high-throughput data is a type of analysis that can be expressed more succinctly with specialized user interfaces. Here, we show how Language Workbench (LW technology can be used to model the biomarker development and validation process. We developed a language that models the concepts of Dataset, Endpoint, Feature Selection Method and Classifier. These high-level language concepts map directly to abstractions that analysts who develop biomarker models are familiar with. We found that user interfaces developed in the Meta-Programming System (MPS LW provide convenient means to configure a biomarker development project, to train models and view the validation statistics. We discuss several advantages of developing user interfaces for data analysis with a LW, including increased interface consistency, portability and extension by language composition. The language developed during this experiment is distributed as an MPS plugin (available at http://campagnelab.org/software/bdval-for-mps/.

  10. Language workbench user interfaces for data analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benson, Victoria M.

    2015-01-01

    Biological data analysis is frequently performed with command line software. While this practice provides considerable flexibility for computationally savy individuals, such as investigators trained in bioinformatics, this also creates a barrier to the widespread use of data analysis software by investigators trained as biologists and/or clinicians. Workflow systems such as Galaxy and Taverna have been developed to try and provide generic user interfaces that can wrap command line analysis software. These solutions are useful for problems that can be solved with workflows, and that do not require specialized user interfaces. However, some types of analyses can benefit from custom user interfaces. For instance, developing biomarker models from high-throughput data is a type of analysis that can be expressed more succinctly with specialized user interfaces. Here, we show how Language Workbench (LW) technology can be used to model the biomarker development and validation process. We developed a language that models the concepts of Dataset, Endpoint, Feature Selection Method and Classifier. These high-level language concepts map directly to abstractions that analysts who develop biomarker models are familiar with. We found that user interfaces developed in the Meta-Programming System (MPS) LW provide convenient means to configure a biomarker development project, to train models and view the validation statistics. We discuss several advantages of developing user interfaces for data analysis with a LW, including increased interface consistency, portability and extension by language composition. The language developed during this experiment is distributed as an MPS plugin (available at http://campagnelab.org/software/bdval-for-mps/). PMID:25755929

  11. An examination of the misuse of prescription stimulants among college students using the theory of planned behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallucci, Andrew; Martin, Ryan; Beaujean, Alex; Usdan, Stuart

    2015-01-01

    The misuse of prescription stimulants (MPS) is an emergent adverse health behavior among undergraduate college students. However, current research on MPS is largely atheoretical. The purpose of this study was to validate a survey to assess MPS-related theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs (i.e. attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) and determine the relationship between these constructs, MPS-related risk factors (e.g. gender and class status), and current MPS (i.e. past 30 days use) among college students. Participants (N = 978, 67.8% female and 82.9% Caucasian) at a large public university in the southeastern USA completed a survey assessing MPS and MPS-related TPB constructs during fall 2010. To examine the relationship between MPS-related TPB constructs and current MPS, we conducted (1) confirmatory factor analyses to validate that our survey items assessed MPS-related TPB constructs and (2) a series of regression analyses to examine associations between MPS-related TPB constructs, potential MPS-related risk factors, and MPS in this sample. Our factor analyses indicated that the survey items assessed MPS-related TPB constructs and our multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that perceived behavioral control was significantly associated with current MPS. In addition, analyses found that having a prescription stimulant was a protective factor against MPS when the model included MPS-related TPB variables.

  12. A High Performance Sensor for Triaxial Cutting Force Measurement in Turning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    You Zhao

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a high performance triaxial cutting force sensor with excellent accuracy, favorable natural frequency and acceptable cross-interference for high speed turning process. Octagonal ring is selected as sensitive element of the designed sensor, which is drawn inspiration from ring theory. A novel structure of two mutual-perpendicular octagonal rings is proposed and three Wheatstone full bridge circuits are specially organized in order to obtain triaxial cutting force components and restrain cross-interference. Firstly, the newly developed sensor is tested in static calibration; test results indicate that the sensor possesses outstanding accuracy in the range of 0.38%–0.83%. Secondly, impacting modal tests are conducted to identify the natural frequencies of the sensor in triaxial directions (i.e., 1147 Hz, 1122 Hz and 2035 Hz, which implies that the devised sensor can be used for cutting force measurement in a high speed lathe when the spindle speed does not exceed 17,205 rev/min in continuous cutting condition. Finally, an application of the sensor in turning process is operated to show its performance for real-time cutting force measurement; the measured cutting forces demonstrate a good accordance with the variation of cutting parameters. Thus, the developed sensor possesses perfect properties and it gains great potential for real-time cutting force measurement in turning.

  13. Compatibility of the Ampere and Lorentz force laws with the virtual-work concept

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graneau, P.

    1983-01-01

    Whenever the reaction forces between parts of an electric circuit have to be calculated, as in the design of railguns, a choice has to be made between three available formulae which have evolved during the past 160 years. The first was Ampere's force law for the mechanical interaction between two current elements. Neumann then derived the virtual-work formula from what may be called the Ampere-Neumann electrodynamics. The last to be introduced was the Lorentz force law. This paper investigates whether both the Amperian and the Lorentzian forces are compatible with the virtual-work concept. The conclusion is that only Ampere's formula agrees in all cases with the virtual-work idea, but in special circumstances the Lorentz law will give the same result. After demonstrating how Ampere's law can be derived from the virtual-work formula, it is shown that for two closed circuits the relativistic component of the Lorentz force vanishes under the double integral around the two circuits. The remaining nonvanishing term is also present in the Ampere electrodynamics. This is not the case when considering the reaction forces between two parts of an isolated circuit. The Lorentz force is then, in general, not compatible with the virtual-work concept unless the circuit possesses a high degree of symmetry

  14. Force Profiles of a Linear Switched Reluctance Motor Having Special Pole Face Shapes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHADRESEKAR, V.

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the results of a finite element analysis are carried out on an new stator geometry of a three phase longitudinal flux Linear Switched Reluctance Motor (LSRM. In the new geometry, pole shoes are affixed to the stator poles. Static and dynamic characteristics for the proposed structure have been highlighted. Motor performance for variable load conditions is discussed. Frequency spectrum analyses of force profile using the fast Fourier transform (FFT are described to predict the vibration frequencies. The 2-Dimensional (2-D finite element analysis (FEA and the experimental results of this paper prove that LSRMs are one of the strong candidates for linear propulsion drives.

  15. Teeth grinding, oral motor performance and maximal bite force in cerebral palsy children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botti Rodrigues Santos, Maria Teresa; Duarte Ferreira, Maria Cristina; de Oliveira Guaré, Renata; Guimarães, Antonio Sergio; Lira Ortega, Adriana

    2015-01-01

    Identify whether the degree of oral motor performance is related to the presence of teeth grinding and maximal bite force values in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Ninety-five spastic cerebral palsy children with and without teeth grinding, according to caregivers' reports, were submitted to a comprehensive oral motor performance evaluation during the feeding process using the Oral Motor Assessment Scale. Maximal bite force was measured using an electronic gnathodynamometer. The teeth grinding group (n = 42) was younger, used anticonvulsant drugs, and was more frequently classified within the subfunctional oral motor performance category. Teeth grinding subfunctional spastic cerebral palsy children presented lower values of maximal bite force. The functional groups showing the presence or absence of teeth grinding presented higher values of maximal bite force compared with the subfunctional groups. In spastic cerebral palsy children, teeth grinding is associated with the worse oral motor performance. © 2015 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Core-annular flow through a horizontal pipe : Hydrodynamic counterbalancing of buoyancy force on core

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ooms, G.; Vuik, C.; Poesio, P.

    2007-01-01

    A theoretical investigation has been made of core-annular flow: the flow of a high-viscosity liquid core surrounded by a low-viscosity liquid annular layer through a horizontal pipe. Special attention is paid to the question of how the buoyancy force on the core, caused by a density difference

  17. Force and Motion Characteristics of Contamination Particles near the High Voltage End of UHVDC Insulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Lan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available It is important to reveal the relations of physical factors to deposition of contaminants on insulator. In this paper, the simulation model of high voltage end of insulator was established to study the force and motion characteristics of particles affected by electric force and airflow drag force near the ultra-high voltage direct current (UHVDC insulator. By finite element method, the electric field was set specially to be similar to the one near practical insulator, the steady fluid field was simulated. The electric force and air drag force were loaded on the uniformly charged particles. The characteristics of the two forces on particles, the relationship between quantity of electric charge on particles and probability of particles contacting the insulator were analyzed. It was found that, near the sheds, airflow drag force on particles is significantly greater than electric force with less electric charge. As the charge multiplies, electric force increases linearly, airflow drag force grows more slowly. There is a trend that the magnitude of electric force and drag force is going to similar. Meanwhile, the probability of particles contacting the insulator is increased too. However, at a certain level of charge which has different value with different airflow velocity, the contact probability has extremum here. After exceeding the value, as the charge increasing, the contact probability decreases gradually.

  18. Efficient algorithms for maximum likelihood decoding in the surface code

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravyi, Sergey; Suchara, Martin; Vargo, Alexander

    2014-09-01

    We describe two implementations of the optimal error correction algorithm known as the maximum likelihood decoder (MLD) for the two-dimensional surface code with a noiseless syndrome extraction. First, we show how to implement MLD exactly in time O (n2), where n is the number of code qubits. Our implementation uses a reduction from MLD to simulation of matchgate quantum circuits. This reduction however requires a special noise model with independent bit-flip and phase-flip errors. Secondly, we show how to implement MLD approximately for more general noise models using matrix product states (MPS). Our implementation has running time O (nχ3), where χ is a parameter that controls the approximation precision. The key step of our algorithm, borrowed from the density matrix renormalization-group method, is a subroutine for contracting a tensor network on the two-dimensional grid. The subroutine uses MPS with a bond dimension χ to approximate the sequence of tensors arising in the course of contraction. We benchmark the MPS-based decoder against the standard minimum weight matching decoder observing a significant reduction of the logical error probability for χ ≥4.

  19. Self-consistent Optomechanical Dynamics and Radiation Forces in Thermal Light Fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sonnleitner, M.

    2014-01-01

    We discuss two different aspects of the mechanical interaction between neutral matter and electromagnetic radiation.The first part addresses the complex dynamics of an elastic dielectric deformed by optical forces. To do so we use a one-dimensional model describing the medium by an array of beam splitters such that the interaction with the incident waves can be described with a transfer-matrix approach. Since the force on each individual beam splitter is known we thus obtain the correct volumetric force density inside the medium. Sending a light field through an initially homogeneous dielectric then results in density modulations which in turn alter the optical properties of this medium.The second part is concerned with mechanical light-effects on atoms in thermal radiation fields. At hand of a generic setup of an atom interacting with a hot sphere emitting blackbody radiation we show that the emerging gradient force may surpass gravity by several orders of magnitude. The strength of the repulsive scattering force strongly depends on the spectrum of the involved atoms and can be neglected in some setups. A special emphasis lies on possible implications on astrophysical scenarios where the interactions between heated dust and atoms, molecules or nanoparticles are of crucial interest. (author) [de

  20. Interim Analysis of Iraqi Security Force Information Provided by the Department of Defense Report, "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq"

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Nguyen, Tinh; Thompson, Charles; Williams, Roger M

    2008-01-01

    .... One indicator being reported is information on the number of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) authorized (required), assigned (on-the-payroll), and trained. The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction...

  1. Investigation of Calibrating Force Transducer Using Sinusoidal Force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Li; Wang Yu; Zhang Lizhe

    2010-01-01

    Sinusoidal force calibration method was studied several years before at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). A similar dynamic force calibration system is developed at Changcheng Institute of Metrology and Measurement (CIMM). It uses electro-dynamic shakers to generate dynamic force in the range from 1 N to 20 kN, and heterodyne laser interferometers are used for acceleration measurement. The force transducer to be calibrated is mounted on the shaker, and a mass block is screwed on the top of force transducer, the sinusoidal forces realized by accelerated load masses are traceable to acceleration and mass according to the force definition. The methods of determining Spatial-dependent acceleration on mass block and measuring the end mass of force transducer in dynamic force calibration are discussed in this paper.

  2. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF FLIGHT SPEED ON DRAG FORCE IN THE AUTOGYRO MODEL

    OpenAIRE

    Zbigniew Czyż; Paweł Magryta; Marcin Szlachetka

    2015-01-01

    The paper presents the experimental investigation of the impact of velocity on drag force in the autogyro model. One of the methods which simulate motion of the flying object consists of using a wind tunnel. In this case, test object is stationary and the motion of air is forced by e.g. a special fan. The costs related with renting and the wind tunnel service are still very high. In this paper, the motion of the autogyro with respect to the air, was produced by fixing this model with scale to...

  3. Special sliding door with storable handrail to support senior and handicapped persons to walk by themselves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saitou, K.; Noda, N.-A.; Sano, Y.; Takase, Y.; Murai, K.; Wang, Z. F.; Li, S. Q.; Liu, X.; Tanaka, H.; Kubo, Y.

    2018-06-01

    In this paper, special sliding door is designed in order to support senior and handicapped persons to walk by themselves in hospitals and nursing facilities. This semiautomatic lifting equipment is utilized for the storable handrail to make sure the bad health persons are able to open the door by using a weak force. In this study, to design the equipment of the handrail, the theoretical formula of opening force is derived. Then the simulation is performed by varying geometrical conditions. The simulation results are compared with the experiment results.

  4. Collisionless ion drag force on a spherical grain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hutchinson, I H

    2006-01-01

    The ion drag force on a spherical grain situated in a flowing collisionless plasma is obtained from the specialized coordinate electrostatic particle and thermals in cell simulation code (SCEPTIC) (Hutchinson 2002 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 44 1953, Hutchinson 2003 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 45 1477, Hutchinson 2005 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 47 71) and compared with recent analytic approximate treatments in the interesting and relevant case when the Debye length is only moderately larger than the sphere radius. There is a substantial complex structure in the results for transonic flows, which is explained in terms of the details of ion orbits. Naturally the prior analytic approximations miss this structure, and as a result they seriously underestimate the drag for speeds near the sound speed. An easy-to-evaluate expression for force is provided that fits the comprehensive results of the code. This expression, with minor modification, also fits the results even for Debye length much smaller than the sphere radius

  5. Hemispheric Specialization and Recognition Memory for Abstract and Realistic Pictures: A Comparison of Painters and Laymen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogt, S.; Magnussen, S.

    2005-01-01

    Recognition memory and hemispheric specialization were assessed for abstract colour/black and white pictures of sport situations in painters and visually naive subjects using a forced choice yes/no tachistoscopic procedure. Reaction times showed a significant three-way interaction of picture type, expertise, and visual field, indicating that…

  6. An atomic force microscope nanoscalpel for nanolithography and biological applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beard, J D; Burbridge, D J; Moskalenko, A V; Dudko, O; Gordeev, S N [Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Yarova, P L; Smirnov, S V, E-mail: jdb28@bath.ac.u [Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom)

    2009-11-04

    We present the fabrication of specialized nanotools, termed nanoscalpels, and their application for nanolithography and nanomechanical manipulation of biological objects. Fabricated nanoscalpels have the shape of a thin blade with the controlled thickness of 20-30 nm and width of 100-200 nm. They were fabricated using electron beam induced deposition at the apex of atomic force microscope probes and are hard enough for a single cut to penetrate a {approx}45 nm thick gold layer; and thus can be used for making narrow electrode gaps required for fabrication of nanoelectronic devices. As an atomic force microscope-based technique the nanoscalpel provides simultaneous control of the applied cutting force and the depth of the cut. Using mammalian cells as an example, we demonstrated their ability to make narrow incisions and measurements of local elastic and inelastic characteristics of a cell, making nanoscalpels also useful as a nanosurgical tool in cell biology. Therefore, we believe that the nanoscalpel could serve as an important tool for nanofabrication and nanosurgery on biological objects.

  7. Land contamination. Technical guidance on special sites: nuclear sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, M.; Steeds, J.; Slade, N.

    2001-01-01

    Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 sets out a regulatory regime for the identification and remediation of land where contamination is causing unacceptable risks to defined receptors. The Environment Agency has a number of regulatory roles under this regime. Where land is designated as a Special Site, as defined in the Contaminated Land (England) Regulations 2000, the Agency will act as the enforcing authority. It is expected that a similar regime will be introduced in Wales during 2001, but the reader should check whether definitions of Special Sites in the Welsh regulations are the same as in the English ones. The Environment Agency's approach to carrying out its regulatory responsibilities is set out in its Part RA Process Documentation,, available on the Agency website (www.environment-agency. gov.uk). This documentation sets out how the Agency intends to carry out its responsibilities under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which came into force in England on 1 April 2000

  8. Specialized science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casadevall, Arturo; Fang, Ferric C

    2014-04-01

    As the body of scientific knowledge in a discipline increases, there is pressure for specialization. Fields spawn subfields that then become entities in themselves that promote further specialization. The process by which scientists join specialized groups has remarkable similarities to the guild system of the middle ages. The advantages of specialization of science include efficiency, the establishment of normative standards, and the potential for greater rigor in experimental research. However, specialization also carries risks of monopoly, monotony, and isolation. The current tendency to judge scientific work by the impact factor of the journal in which it is published may have roots in overspecialization, as scientists are less able to critically evaluate work outside their field than before. Scientists in particular define themselves through group identity and adopt practices that conform to the expectations and dynamics of such groups. As part of our continuing analysis of issues confronting contemporary science, we analyze the emergence and consequences of specialization in science, with a particular emphasis on microbiology, a field highly vulnerable to balkanization along microbial phylogenetic boundaries, and suggest that specialization carries significant costs. We propose measures to mitigate the detrimental effects of scientific specialism.

  9. HIV in insurgency forces in sub-Saharan Africa - a personal view of policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miles, Steven H

    2003-03-01

    The special requirements for HIV-prevention programmes by armed forces or insurgency groups in very poor countries that are in active conflict have not been well described. Customary military programme components include: education on sexually transmitted diseases, condom distribution, and HIV testing. Programmes for these armed forces must address: a command structure that may not prioritize this activity, severe resource and logistical constraints, weak health systems for treating sexually transmitted illness, beliefs in traditional medicines for symptoms of sexually transmitted illness, illiteracy that diminishes the utility of educational pamphlets, rape and sexual bartering by soldiers, battlefield transfusions, tattooing and the co-epidemic of tuberculosis.

  10. A MEMS sensor for microscale force measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majcherek, S; Aman, A; Fochtmann, J

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the development and testing of a new MEMS-based sensor device for microscale contact force measurements. A special MEMS cell was developed to reach higher lateral resolution than common steel-based load cells with foil-type strain gauges as mechanical-electrical converters. The design provided more than one normal force measurement point with spatial resolution in submillimeter range. Specific geometric adaption of the MEMS-device allowed adjustability of its measurement range between 0.5 and 5 N. The thin film nickel-chromium piezo resistors were used to achieve a mechanical-electrical conversion. The production process was realized by established silicon processing technologies such as deep reactive ion etching and vapor deposition (sputtering). The sensor was tested in two steps. Firstly, the sensor characteristics were carried out by application of defined loads at the measurement points by a push-pull tester. As a result, the sensor showed linear behavior. A measurement system analysis (MSA1) was performed to define the reliability of the measurement system. The measured force values had the maximal relative deviation of 1% to average value of 1.97 N. Secondly, the sensor was tested under near-industrial conditions. In this context, the thermal induced relaxation behavior of the electrical connector contact springs was investigated. The handling of emerging problems during the characterization process of the sensor is also described. (paper)

  11. Forced fluid dynamics from blackfolds in general supergravity backgrounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armas, Jay [Physique Théorique et Mathématique,Université Libre de Bruxelles and International Solvay Institutes,ULB-Campus Plaine CP231, B-1050 Brussels (Belgium); Gath, Jakob [Centre de Physique Théorique, École Polytechnique,CNRS UMR 7644, Université Paris-Saclay,F-91128 Palaiseau (France); Niarchos, Vasilis [Crete Center for Theoretical Physics, Institute of Theoretical and Computational Physics,Crete Center for Quantum Complexity and Nanotechnology,Department of Physics, University of Crete,Heraklion, 71303 (Greece); Obers, Niels A.; Pedersen, Andreas Vigand [The Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen University,Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø (Denmark)

    2016-10-27

    We present a general treatment of the leading order dynamics of the collective modes of charged dilatonic p-brane solutions of (super)gravity theories in arbitrary backgrounds. To this end we employ the general strategy of the blackfold approach which is based on a long-wavelength derivative expansion around an exact or approximate solution of the (super)gravity equations of motion. The resulting collective mode equations are formulated as forced hydrodynamic equations on dynamically embedded hypersurfaces. We derive them in full generality (including all possible asymptotic fluxes and dilaton profiles) in a far-zone analysis of the (super)gravity equations and in representative examples in a near-zone analysis. An independent treatment based on the study of external couplings in hydrostatic partition functions is also presented. Special emphasis is given to the forced collective mode equations that arise in type IIA/B and eleven-dimensional supergravities, where besides the standard Lorentz force couplings our analysis reveals additional couplings to the background, including terms that arise from Chern-Simons interactions. We also present a general overview of the blackfold approach and some of the key conceptual issues that arise when applied to arbitrary backgrounds.

  12. Training the Twenty-First Century Special Forces Warrior: Does Character Matter When Training the Adaptive Leader

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-06-16

    whale that caused the ship to sink, forcing Marion and three others to take refuge in one of the lifeboats (Cummings 2005, 1). He spent a week on...disorder (2004, 4). The post-traumatic stress disorder then often spurs other addictive behaviors, increasing the inability to regain normalcy among

  13. Remark on the role of the driving force in BWR instability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dykin, V.; Pazsit, I.

    2009-01-01

    Simple models of BWR instability, used e.g. in understanding the role of the various oscillation modes in the overall stability of the plant, assume that each oscillation mode can be described by a second order system (a damped harmonic oscillator) driven by a white noise driving force. Change of the decay ratio (DR) of the observed signal is, as a rule, associated with the changing of the parameters of the damped oscillator, mainly its damping coefficient, and is interpreted in terms of the change of the stability of the system. However, conceptually, one cannot exclude cases when the change of the response of a driven damped oscillator is due to the change of the properties of the driving force. In this work we investigate the effect of a non-white driving force on the behaviour of the system. A question of interest is how changes of the spectrum of the driving force influence the observed autocorrelation function (ACF) of the resulting signal. Hence we calculate the response of a damped harmonic oscillator driven by a non-white driving force, corresponding to the reactivity effect of propagating density fluctuations in two-phase flow. It is shown how in some special cases such a driving force, when interpreting the neutron noise as if induced by a white noise driving source, can lead to an erroneous conclusion regarding the stability of the system. It is also concluded that in the practically interesting cases the effect of the coloured driving force, arising from propagating density fluctuations, is negligible.

  14. Shear forces in the contact patch of a braked-racing tyre

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Patrick; Sharp, Robin S.

    2012-12-01

    This article identifies tyre modelling features that are fundamental to the accurate simulation of the shear forces in the contact patch of a steady-rolling, slipping and cambered racing tyre. The features investigated include contact patch shape, contact pressure distribution, carcass flexibility, rolling radius (RR) variations and friction coefficient. Using a previously described physical tyre model of modular nature, validated for static conditions, the influence of each feature on the shear forces generated is examined under different running conditions, including normal loads of 1500, 3000 and 4500 N, camber angles of 0° and-3°, and longitudinal slip ratios from 0 to-20%. Special attention is paid to heavy braking, in which context the aligning moment is of great interest in terms of its connection with the limit-handling feel. The results of the simulations reveal that true representations of the contact patch shape, carcass flexibility and lateral RR variation are essential for an accurate prediction of the distribution and the magnitude of the shear forces generated at the tread-road interface of the cambered tyre. Independent of the camber angle, the contact pressure distribution primarily influences the shear force distribution and the slip characteristics around the peak longitudinal force. At low brake-slip ratios, the friction coefficient affects the shear forces in terms of their distribution, while, at medium to high-slip ratios, the force magnitude is significantly affected. On the one hand, these findings help in the creation of efficient yet accurate tyre models. On the other hand, the research results allow improved understanding of how individual tyre components affect the generation of shear forces in the contact patch of a rolling and slipping tyre.

  15. An Overview of Value, Perspective, and Decision Context-A Health Economics Approach: An ISPOR Special Task Force Report [2].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrison, Louis P; Pauly, Mark V; Willke, Richard J; Neumann, Peter J

    2018-02-01

    The second section of our Special Task Force builds on the discussion of value and perspective in the previous article of the report by 1) defining a health economics approach to the concept of value in health care systems; 2) discussing the relationship of value to perspective and decision context, that is, how recently proposed value frameworks vary by the types of decisions being made and by the stakeholders involved; 3) describing the patient perspective on value because the patient is a key stakeholder, but one also wearing the hat of a health insurance purchaser; and 4) discussing how value is relevant in the market-based US system of mixed private and public insurance, and differs from its use in single-payer systems. The five recent value frameworks that motivated this report vary in the types of decisions they intend to inform, ranging from coverage, access, and pricing decisions to those defining appropriate clinical pathways and to supporting provider-clinician shared decision making. Each of these value frameworks must be evaluated in its own decision context for its own objectives. Existing guidelines for cost-effectiveness analysis emphasize the importance of clearly specifying the perspective from which the analysis is undertaken. Relevant perspectives may include, among others, 1) the health plan enrollee, 2) the patient, 3) the health plan manager, 4) the provider, 5) the technology manufacturer, 6) the specialty society, 7) government regulators, or 8) society as a whole. A valid and informative cost-effectiveness analysis could be conducted from the perspective of any of these stakeholders, depending on the decision context. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. 75 FR 57859 - Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-23

    ... Home Adaptation AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Department of... specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grants. This final rule incorporates certain... regulations pertaining to eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH) grants and special home adaptation...

  17. Doubly magic nuclei from lattice QCD forces at MPS=469 MeV /c2

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIlroy, C.; Barbieri, C.; Inoue, T.; Doi, T.; Hatsuda, T.

    2018-02-01

    We perform ab initio self-consistent Green's function calculations of the closed shell nuclei 4He, 16O, and 40Ca, based on two-nucleon potentials derived from lattice QCD simulations, in the flavor SU(3) limit and at the pseudoscalar meson mass of 469 MeV/c2. The nucleon-nucleon interaction is obtained using the hadrons-to-atomic-nuclei-from-lattice (HAL) QCD method, and its short-distance repulsion is treated by means of ladder resummations outside the model space. Our results show that this approach diagonalizes ultraviolet degrees of freedom correctly. Therefore, ground-state energies can be obtained from infrared extrapolations even for the relatively hard potentials of HAL QCD. Comparing to previous Brueckner Hartree-Fock calculations, the total binding energies are sensibly improved by the full account of many-body correlations. The results suggest an interesting possible behavior in which nuclei are unbound at very large pion masses and islands of stability appear at first around the traditional doubly magic numbers when the pion mass is lowered toward its physical value. The calculated one-nucleon spectral distributions are qualitatively close to those of real nuclei even for the pseudoscalar meson mass considered here.

  18. Disease: H00421 [KEGG MEDICUS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available e nervous system, and are considered as potentially amenable to enzyme replacement therapy. Inherited metabo...C00607] Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (MPS1, MPS4, MPS6, MPS7) Enzyme-replacement therapy (MPS1, M

  19. Report of the Material Control and Material Accounting Task Force: summary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-03-01

    A special review was made of the safeguards maintained by licensees possessing 5 kg or more of strategic special nuclear material (SSNM), i.e., plutonium, uranium-233, or uranium enriched in the uranium-235 isotope to 20 percent or more. A Task Force was formed to define the roles and objectives of material control and material accounting in the NRC safeguards program; recommend goals for material control and material accounting systems based on their roles and objectives; assess the extent to which the existing regulatory base meets or provides the capability to meet the recommended goals; and to provide direction for material control and material accounting development, including both near-term and long-term upgrades. Based on results of Task Force investigations it is recommended that licensee plans for measurement control programs be submitted in response to Section 70.57(c) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Other recommendations include the review and upgrading, as necessary, of measurement error propagation models used by each licensee; revision of Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System (NMMSS) reporting entities for SSNM licensees to be consistent with the partitioning of facilities into plants or, if appropriate, accounting units; review of NMMSS reporting entities for SSNM licensees to assure that data for high enriched uranium operations are clearly separated from low enriched uranium operations; upgrading of the editing by NMMSS of reported licensee safeguards data for accuracy and consistency; and the acquisition of (a) a secure interactive computer capability for use in collecting, storing, sorting, and analyzing special nuclear material accounting data, and (b) associated flexible computer software that presents safeguards information in a succinct and comprehensive manner

  20. Planning and Organizing the Postwar Air Force 1943-1947,

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-01-01

    power and air organization as formed over the decades since World War 1. These had great influence after World War 11 on the collective frame of mind of...author in the collections of’ the Air Force Chief’s of’ Staff. A special debt is due Larry Paszek. f’or his persistent search for photos, and F his...FIfil ’Nc Hranch ,ince 1970. During,- 1959-1966. he had been hi’t4orian at Stratee-i, \\it Commiand Hleadquartters. Offutt AFB3. Nebraska. Mr. \\\\ odk hold

  1. Membrane Protected Apoptotic Trophoblast Microparticles Contain Nucleic Acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orozco, Aaron F.; Jorgez, Carolina J.; Horne, Cassandra; Marquez-Do, Deborah A.; Chapman, Matthew R.; Rodgers, John R.; Bischoff, Farideh Z.; Lewis, Dorothy E.

    2008-01-01

    Microparticles (MPs) that circulate in blood may be a source of DNA for molecular analyses, including prenatal genetic diagnoses. Because MPs are heterogeneous in nature, however, further characterization is important before use in clinical settings. One key question is whether DNA is either bound to aggregates of blood proteins and lipid micelles or intrinsically associated with MPs from dying cells. To test the latter hypothesis, we asked whether MPs derived in vitro from dying cells were similar to those in maternal plasma. JEG-3 cells model extravillous trophoblasts, which predominate during the first trimester of pregnancy when prenatal diagnosis is most relevant. MPs were derived from apoptosis and increased over 48 hours. Compared with necrotic MPs, DNA in apoptotic MPs was more fragmented and resistant to plasma DNases. Membrane-specific dyes indicated that apoptotic MPs had more membranous material, which protects nucleic acids, including RNA. Flow cytometry showed that MPs derived from dying cells displayed light scatter and DNA staining similar to MPs found in maternal plasma. Quantification of maternal MPs using characteristics defined by MPs generated in vitro revealed a significant increase of DNA+ MPs in the plasma of women with preeclampsia compared with plasma from women with normal pregnancies. Apoptotic MPs are therefore a likely source of stable DNA that could be enriched for both early genetic diagnosis and monitoring of pathological pregnancies. PMID:18974299

  2. Dark energy and the fifth force problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guendelman, E I; Kaganovich, A B

    2008-01-01

    Generally accepted explanation of the observed accelerated expansion of the present day universe is based on the idea of the existence of a new entity called dark energy. Resolution of the 'cosmic coincidence' problem implies that dark energy and dark matter follow the same scaling solution during a significant period of evolution. This becomes possible only if there exists a coupling of the dark energy (modeled by a light scalar field) to dark matter. This conclusion following from the observed cosmological data serves for an additional evidence of well-known theoretical predictions of a light scalar coupled to matter. However, according to the results of the fifth force experiments, a similar coupling of the light scalar field to visible (baryonic) matter is strongly suppressed. After a brief review of some models intended for resolution of this 'fifth force problem', we present a model with spontaneously broken scale invariance where the strength of the dilaton-to-matter coupling appears to be dependent on the matter density. This is realized without any special assumptions in the underlying action intended for obtaining such a dependence. As a result the dilaton-to-matter coupling constant measured under conditions of all known fifth force experiments turns out automatically (without any sort of fine tuning) to be so small that, at least in the near future, experiments will not be able to reveal it. On the other hand, if the matter is very diluted (such as galaxy halo dark matter) then its coupling to the dilaton may not be weak. However, the latter situation is realized under conditions not compatible with the design of the fifth force experiments

  3. Administrative circular n°23 (Rev. 3) – Special working hours

    CERN Multimedia

    2013-01-01

    Administrative Circular No. 23 (Rev. 3) entitled “Special working hours”, approved by the Director-General following discussion at the Standing Concertation Committee meeting of 11 October 2012 and entering into force on 1 January 2013, is available on the intranet site of the Human Resources Department.   This circular is applicable to staff members and fellows. It cancels and replaces Administrative Circular No. 23 (Rev. 2) entitled “Special working hours” of December 2008. Paragraph 6 a) of Annex II of this circular was revised following the modification of Article III 1.04 of the Staff Regulations approved by Council on 14 December 2012. The modification serves to adapt the minimum rest time to the fact that, in case of rapidly alternating shifts, a maximum of seven consecutive shifts may be performed. Department Head Office HR Department

  4. Muscle as a collagen fiber reinforced composite: a review of force transmission in muscle and whole limb

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huijing, P.A.J.B.M.

    1999-01-01

    Even though no direct physiologic evidence proving that myo-tendinous junctions at the end of myofibers are sites of force transmission is available, these locations are accepted to support this function, because its specialized morphology resembles that of load-bearing membranes in structure and

  5. Subatomic forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutton, C.

    1989-01-01

    Inside the atom, particles interact through two forces which are never felt in the everyday world. But they may hold the key to the Universe. These ideas on subatomic forces are discussed with respect to the strong force, the electromagnetic force and the electroweak force. (author)

  6. The Effectiveness of Policies that Promote Labor Force Participation of Women with Children: A Collection of National Studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cascio, Elizabeth; Haider, Steven; Nielsen, Helena Skyt

    2015-01-01

    Numerous countries have enacted policies to promote the labor force participation of women around the years of childbearing, and unsurprisingly, many research articles have been devoted to evaluating their effectiveness. Perhaps more surprisingly, however, six such articles were submitted...... independently over several months to Labour Economics and subsequently made it through the normal review process. These articles are collected in the Special Section that follows. This article provides additional background to facilitate the understanding of the policies that are evaluated in the Special...

  7. Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yongfeng; Zhang, Yan; Lemos, Bernardo; Ren, Hongqiang

    2017-04-01

    Microplastics (MPs) are a significant environmental health issue and increasingly greater source of concern. MPs have been detected in oceans, rivers, sediments, sewages, soil and even table salts. MPs exposure on marine organisms and humans has been documented, but information about the toxicity of MPs in mammal is limited. Here we used fluorescent and pristine polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) particles with two diameters (5 μm and 20 μm) to investigate the tissue distribution, accumulation, and tissue-specific health risk of MPs in mice. Results indicated that MPs accumulated in liver, kidney and gut, with a tissue-accumulation kinetics and distribution pattern that was strongly depended on the MPs particle size. In addition, analyses of multiple biochemical biomarkers and metabolomic profiles suggested that MPs exposure induced disturbance of energy and lipid metabolism as well as oxidative stress. Interestingly, blood biomarkers of neurotoxicity were also altered. Our results uncovered the distribution and accumulation of MPs across mice tissues and revealed significant alteration in several biomarkers that indicate potential toxicity from MPs exposure. Collectively, our data provided new evidence for the adverse consequences of MPs.

  8. The Model Analysis of a Complex Tuning Fork Probe and Its Application in Bimodal Atomic Force Microscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhichao Wu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A new electromechanical coupling model was built to quantitatively analyze the tuning fork probes, especially the complex ones. A special feature of a novel, soft tuning fork probe, that the second eigenfrequency of the probe was insensitive to the effective force gradient, was found and used in a homemade bimodal atomic force microscopy to measure power dissipation quantitatively. By transforming the mechanical parameters to the electrical parameters, a monotonous and concise method without using phase to calculate the power dissipation was proposed.

  9. Special geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strominger, A.

    1990-01-01

    A special manifold is an allowed target manifold for the vector multiplets of D=4, N=2 supergravity. These manifolds are of interest for string theory because the moduli spaces of Calabi-Yau threefolds and c=9, (2,2) conformal field theories are special. Previous work has given a local, coordinate-dependent characterization of special geometry. A global description of special geometries is given herein, and their properties are studied. A special manifold M of complex dimension n is characterized by the existence of a holomorphic Sp(2n+2,R)xGL(1,C) vector bundle over M with a nowhere-vanishing holomorphic section Ω. The Kaehler potential on M is the logarithm of the Sp(2n+2,R) invariant norm of Ω. (orig.)

  10. Quadriceps force and anterior tibial force occur obviously later than vertical ground reaction force: a simulation study

    OpenAIRE

    Ueno, Ryo; Ishida, Tomoya; Yamanaka, Masanori; Taniguchi, Shohei; Ikuta, Ryohei; Samukawa, Mina; Saito, Hiroshi; Tohyama, Harukazu

    2017-01-01

    Background: Although it is well known that quadriceps force generates anterior tibial force, it has been unclear whether quadriceps force causes great anterior tibial force during the early phase of a landing task. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the quadriceps force induced great anterior tibial force during the early phase of a landing task. Methods: Fourteen young, healthy, female subjects performed a single-leg landing task. Muscle force and anterior tibial force w...

  11. Trophic specialization influences the rate of environmental niche evolution in damselfishes (Pomacentridae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litsios, Glenn; Pellissier, Loïc; Forest, Félix; Lexer, Christian; Pearman, Peter B; Zimmermann, Niklaus E; Salamin, Nicolas

    2012-09-22

    The rate of environmental niche evolution describes the capability of species to explore the available environmental space and is known to vary among species owing to lineage-specific factors. Trophic specialization is a main force driving species evolution and is responsible for classical examples of adaptive radiations in fishes. We investigate the effect of trophic specialization on the rate of environmental niche evolution in the damselfish, Pomacentridae, which is an important family of tropical reef fishes. First, phylogenetic niche conservatism is not detected in the family using a standard test of phylogenetic signal, and we demonstrate that the environmental niches of damselfishes that differ in trophic specialization are not equivalent while they still overlap at their mean values. Second, we estimate the relative rates of niche evolution on the phylogenetic tree and show the heterogeneity among rates of environmental niche evolution of the three trophic groups. We suggest that behavioural characteristics related to trophic specialization can constrain the evolution of the environmental niche and lead to conserved niches in specialist lineages. Our results show the extent of influence of several traits on the evolution of the environmental niche and shed new light on the evolution of damselfishes, which is a key lineage in current efforts to conserve biodiversity in coral reefs.

  12. Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Main Propulsion System (MPS) Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) Flow Control Valve (FCV) Poppet Eddy Current (EC) Inspection Probability of Detection (POD) Study. Volume 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piascik, Robert S.; Prosser, William H.

    2011-01-01

    The Director of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), requested an independent assessment of the anomalous gaseous hydrogen (GH2) flow incident on the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Vehicle (OV)-105 during the Space Transportation System (STS)-126 mission. The main propulsion system (MPS) engine #2 GH2 flow control valve (FCV) LV-57 transition from low towards high flow position without being commanded. Post-flight examination revealed that the FCV LV-57 poppet had experienced a fatigue failure that liberated a section of the poppet flange. The NESC assessment provided a peer review of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD), stress analysis, and impact testing. A probability of detection (POD) study was requested by the SSP Orbiter Project for the eddy current (EC) nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques that were developed to inspect the flight FCV poppets. This report contains the findings and recommendations from the NESC assessment.

  13. Operating force information on-line acquisition of a novel slave manipulator for vascular interventional surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yan; Guo, Shuxiang; Xiao, Nan; Wang, Yuxin; Li, Youxiang; Jiang, Yuhua

    2018-04-02

    Vascular interventional surgery has its advantages compared to traditional operation. Master-slave robotic technology can further improve the operation accuracy, efficiency and safety of this complicated and high risk surgery. However, on-line acquisition of operating force information of catheter and guidewire remains to be a significant obstacle on the path to enhancing robotic surgery safety. Thus, a novel slave manipulator is proposed in this paper to realize on-line sensing of guidewire torsional operating torque and axial operation force during robotic assisted operations. A strain sensor is specially designed to detect the small scale torsional operation torque with low rotational frequency. Additionally, the axial operating force is detected via a load cell, which is incorporated into a sliding mechanism to eliminate the influence of friction. For validation, calibration and performance evaluation experiments are conducted. The results indicate that the proposed operation torque and force detection device is effective. Thus, it can provide the foundation for enabling accurate haptic feedback to the surgeon to improve surgical safety.

  14. DIAGNOSTICS OF MOTOR ABILITY AS A BASE OF CORRECTION PLANNING OF TRANSFORMATION PROCESSES IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kosta Goranović

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available In the research, at sample of 80 tested, employees in the special police force, as representatives of police population age from 20 to 25, diagnostics of motor potential in transitive period of annual macrostructure was done. The aim of the research was doing potential correction in planning and programming of transformation process in the next cycles of sports preparation on the base of diagnosed quantitative value of motor abilities. Besides analyses of achieved values, the difference was established between two leading teams in the space of measuring potential. The research results indicated to statistically important differences between two groups of tested people, as well as to unacceptable level of development in some abilities. The achieved results are, from aspect of training process’ control, the indicator to instructors’ team on the need of correction of transformation process’ content, with aim of improving bad segments. Diagnostics of motor abilities with measuring instruments in terrain conditions is one of methods, which can be in function of valorising transformation process of the special police force, taking into account specifics of their professional manifestation.

  15. Necrosis of HepG2 cancer cells induced by the vibration of magnetic particles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Biran [Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée (LPMC), CNRS UMR 7336, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice (France); Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, 28 Avenue de Valrose, F-06100 Nice (France); Bienvenu, Céline [Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, 28 Avenue de Valrose, F-06100 Nice (France); Mendez-Garza, Juan; Lançon, Pascal; Madeira, Alexandra [Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée (LPMC), CNRS UMR 7336, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice (France); Vierling, Pierre [Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, 28 Avenue de Valrose, F-06100 Nice (France); Di Giorgio, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.di-giorgio@unice.fr [Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, 28 Avenue de Valrose, F-06100 Nice (France); Bossis, Georges, E-mail: bossis@unice.fr [Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée (LPMC), CNRS UMR 7336, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice (France)

    2013-10-15

    Experiments of magnetolysis, i.e., destruction of cells induced with magnetic particles (MPs) submitted to the application of a magnetic field, were conducted on HepG2 cancer cells. We herein demonstrate the usefulness of combining anisotropic MPs with an alternative magnetic field in magnetolysis. Thus, the application of an alternative magnetic field of low frequency (a few Hertz) in the presence of anisotropic, submicronic particles allowed the destruction of cancer cells “in vitro”. We also show that a constant magnetic field is far less efficient than an oscillating one. Moreover, we demonstrate that, at equal particle volume, it is much more efficient to utilize spindle shaped particles rather than spherical ones. In order to get deeper insight into the mechanism of magnetolysis experiments, we performed a study by AFM, which strongly supports that the magnetic field induces the formation of clusters of particles becoming then large enough todamage cell membranes. - Highlights: • Magnetic force was applied on cancer cells through magnetic particles. • The penetration depth was predicted, both for spherical and ellipsoidal particles. • Alternative force was shown to damage the cells contrary to static force. • The effect of indentation of magnetic particles was compared to the one of AFM tips. • The damage was attributed to the formation of clusters of particles.

  16. Effects of density and force discretizations on spurious velocities in lattice Boltzmann equation for two-phase flows

    KAUST Repository

    Xiong, Yuan

    2014-04-28

    Spurious current emerging in the vicinity of phase interfaces is a well-known disadvantage of the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) for two-phase flows. Previous analysis shows that this unphysical phenomenon comes from the force imbalance at discrete level inherited in LBE (Guo et al 2011 Phys. Rev. E 83 036707). Based on the analysis of the LBE free of checkerboard effects, in this work we further show that the force imbalance is caused by the different discretization stencils: the implicit one from the streaming process and the explicit one from the discretization of the force term. Particularly, the total contribution includes two parts, one from the difference between the intrinsically discretized density (or ideal gas pressure) gradient and the explicit ones in the force term, and the other from the explicit discretized chemical potential gradients in the intrinsically discretized force term. The former contribution is a special feature of LBE which was not realized previously.

  17. Effects of Combat Deployment on Anthropometrics and Physiological Status of U.S. Army Special Operations Forces Soldiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farina, Emily K; Taylor, Jonathan C; Means, Gary E; Williams, Kelly W; Murphy, Nancy E; Margolis, Lee M; Pasiakos, Stefan M; Lieberman, Harris R; McClung, James P

    2017-03-01

    U.S. Army Special Operations Forces (SOF) soldiers deploy frequently and conduct military operations through special warfare and surgical strike capabilities. Tasks required to execute these capabilities may induce physical and mental stress and have the potential to degrade soldier physiological status. No investigations have longitudinally characterized whether combat deployment alters anthropometrics or biochemical markers of physiological status in a SOF population of frequent deployers. Effects of modern combat deployment on longitudinal changes in anthropometrics and physiological status of elite U.S. Army SOF soldiers (n = 50) were assessed. Changes in measures of body composition, grip strength, physiological status, and health behaviors from baseline to postdeployment were determined with paired t test and McNemar's statistic. Baseline measures were obtained between 4 and 8 weeks before deployment. Deployment length was a uniform duration of time between 3 and 6 months (all soldiers completed the same length of deployment). Post hoc analyses determined change in body mass within quartiles of baseline body mass with paired t test and associations between change in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and change in body mass with correlation coefficient. The study was approved by the Human Use Review Committee at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts. In response to deployment, increases in lean mass (77.1 ± 7.6 to 77.8 ± 7.5 kg), maximum grip strength (57.9 ± 7.2 to 61.6 ± 8.8 kg), and conduct of aerobic (156 ± 106 to 250 ± 182 minutes/week) and strength training (190 ± 101 to 336 ± 251 minutes/week) exercise were observed (p < 0.05). Increases in serum SHBG (35.42 ± 10.68 to 38.77 ± 12.26 nmol/L) and decreases in serum cortisol (443.2 ± 79.3 to 381.9 ± 111.6 nmol/L) were also observed (p < 0.05). Body mass changes were dependent on baseline body mass. Soldiers in the lowest quartile of baseline body

  18. Adding Value to Force Diagrams: Representing Relative Force Magnitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendel, Paul

    2011-05-01

    Nearly all physics instructors recognize the instructional value of force diagrams, and this journal has published several collections of exercises to improve student skill in this area.1-4 Yet some instructors worry that too few students perceive the conceptual and problem-solving utility of force diagrams,4-6 and over recent years a rich variety of approaches has been proposed to add value to force diagrams. Suggestions include strategies for identifying candidate forces,6,7 emphasizing the distinction between "contact" and "noncontact" forces,5,8 and the use of computer-based tutorials.9,10 Instructors have suggested a variety of conventions for constructing force diagrams, including approaches to arrow placement and orientation2,11-13 and proposed notations for locating forces or marking action-reaction force pairs.8,11,14,15

  19. Thrust evaluation of magneto plasma sail that obtains an electromagnetic thrust from the solar wind

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kajimura, Yoshihiro; Funaki, Ikkoh; Usui, Hideyuki; Yamakawa, Hiroshi

    2011-01-01

    Magneto Plasma Sail (MPS) is a propulsion system used in space, which generates its force by the interaction between the solar wind and an inflated magnetic field via a plasma injection. The quantitative evaluation of the thrust increment generated by injecting a plasma jet with a β in less than unity was conducted by three-dimensional hybrid particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations in an ion inertia scale. The injected plasma β in is 0.02 and the ratio of Larmor radius of injected ion to the representative length of the magnetic field is 0.5 at the injection point. In this situation, the obtained thrust of the MPS is 1.6 mN compared with the 0.2 mN of the thrust obtained by the pure magnetic sail since the induced current region on magnetosphere expanded by the magnetic inflation. (author)

  20. Optimizing Global Force Management for Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Decisions with Multiple Objectives, Keeney and Raiffa (1993) describe the use of Multiple Attribute Utility Theory to create superior consequences...forming an additive value model. Keeney (2002) popularized the use of “value functions” by using Multiple Attribute Utility Theory in a decision context...prohibiting the fulfillment of missions to make better-informed decisions on which missions requiring the same limited resources to fulfill, or on how to

  1. Urban special education policy and the lived experience of stigma in a high school science classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hale, Chris

    2015-12-01

    In this paper, I provide a window into the lived experience of a group of urban high school science students confronted with the stigma associated with special education, disability, and academic failure and present tools to understanding the ideological forces and institutional structures that undermine the ability of schools to create a culture of care and inclusion of children with disabilities. With the purpose of understanding the context of these students' tainted social status within the school community, I draw connections between the ideological bipolarity and ambiguity of federal and state special education law and the lack of moral commitment at the local level to including and protecting the rights of children with disabilities in New York City schools. An important element of this paper is an exploration of a decade of neoliberal reform in the New York City Department of Education and the meticulously documented failure of New York City's special education system to provide mandated services, adequately include special education students, and generally protect the rights of children with disabilities. I conclude that the ableism embedded in special education law and a lack of meaningful enforcement renders special education regulations intangible to administrators whereas neoliberal performance benchmarks are extremely salient due to the dire consequences for schools of not meeting them.

  2. CONTEMPORARY DESIGN CONCEPTS IN CAMOUFLAGE: UNIVERSAL VERSUS SPECIALIZED

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TACHEV Momchil

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available In present days there is a strong influence of the concept incorporating increased use of low intensive colours and small “digitalized” form structures for modern army camouflage designs. It was proclaimed as a revolutionary “universal” design line. It was supposed to be superior to others patterns designs and to be optimal for most types of environment. Meanwhile, some arm forces insist on developing more limited as terrain range camouflage design but with better efficiency and specialization. These two concepts in design reflect the political and the military philosophies of the countries they represent. However, at the end for the soldiers at the battlefield it is a matter of survival.

  3. A Health Economics Approach to US Value Assessment Frameworks-Summary and Recommendations of the ISPOR Special Task Force Report [7].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrison, Louis P; Neumann, Peter J; Willke, Richard J; Basu, Anirban; Danzon, Patricia M; Doshi, Jalpa A; Drummond, Michael F; Lakdawalla, Darius N; Pauly, Mark V; Phelps, Charles E; Ramsey, Scott D; Towse, Adrian; Weinstein, Milton C

    2018-02-01

    This summary section first lists key points from each of the six sections of the report, followed by six key recommendations. The Special Task Force chose to take a health economics approach to the question of whether a health plan should cover and reimburse a specific technology, beginning with the view that the conventional cost-per-quality-adjusted life-year metric has both strengths as a starting point and recognized limitations. This report calls for the development of a more comprehensive economic evaluation that could include novel elements of value (e.g., insurance value and equity) as part of either an "augmented" cost-effectiveness analysis or a multicriteria decision analysis. Given an aggregation of elements to a measure of value, consistent use of a cost-effectiveness threshold can help ensure the maximization of health gain and well-being for a given budget. These decisions can benefit from the use of deliberative processes. The six recommendations are to: 1) be explicit about decision context and perspective in value assessment frameworks; 2) base health plan coverage and reimbursement decisions on an evaluation of the incremental costs and benefits of health care technologies as is provided by cost-effectiveness analysis; 3) develop value thresholds to serve as one important input to help guide coverage and reimbursement decisions; 4) manage budget constraints and affordability on the basis of cost-effectiveness principles; 5) test and consider using structured deliberative processes for health plan coverage and reimbursement decisions; and 6) explore and test novel elements of benefit to improve value measures that reflect the perspectives of both plan members and patients. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Force and Directional Force Modulation Effects on Accuracy and Variability in Low-Level Pinch Force Tracking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sangsoo; Spirduso, Waneen; Eakin, Tim; Abraham, Lawrence

    2018-01-01

    The authors investigated how varying the required low-level forces and the direction of force change affect accuracy and variability of force production in a cyclic isometric pinch force tracking task. Eighteen healthy right-handed adult volunteers performed the tracking task over 3 different force ranges. Root mean square error and coefficient of variation were higher at lower force levels and during minimum reversals compared with maximum reversals. Overall, the thumb showed greater root mean square error and coefficient of variation scores than did the index finger during maximum reversals, but not during minimum reversals. The observed impaired performance during minimum reversals might originate from history-dependent mechanisms of force production and highly coupled 2-digit performance.

  5. Study on Stationarity of Random Load Spectrum Based on the Special Road

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Huawen; Zhang, Weigong; Wang, Dong

    2017-09-01

    In the special road quality assessment method, there is a method using a wheel force sensor, the essence of this method is collecting the load spectrum of the car to reflect the quality of road. According to the definition of stochastic process, it is easy to find that the load spectrum is a stochastic process. However, the analysis method and application range of different random processes are very different, especially in engineering practice, which will directly affect the design and development of the experiment. Therefore, determining the type of a random process has important practical significance. Based on the analysis of the digital characteristics of road load spectrum, this paper determines that the road load spectrum in this experiment belongs to a stationary stochastic process, paving the way for the follow-up modeling and feature extraction of the special road.

  6. Microplastics have a more profound impact than elevated temperatures on the predatory performance, digestion and energy metabolism of an Amazonian cichlid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Bin; Zhang, Nan; Jin, Shi-Rong; Chen, Zai-Zhong; Gao, Jian-Zhong; Liu, Ying; Liu, Han-Peng; Xu, Zhe

    2018-02-01

    Knowledge on the impacts of microplastics (MPs) pollution on freshwater environments and biota remains limited. Meanwhile, freshwater ecosystems have been threatened by elevated temperatures caused by climate change. To date, no information exists on how MPs-especially under elevated temperature conditions-affect predatory performance, digestive processes and metabolic pathways in freshwater organisms. Here, we examined MPs, elevated temperature and their combined effects on juveniles (0+ group) of an Amazonian cichlid, the discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus). For 30 days, fish were exposed to ambient or elevated temperatures (i.e., 28 or 31 °C) in the absence or presence of MPs (i.e., 0 or 200 μg/L). The following metrics were quantified: MPs accumulation; predatory performance; and biomarkers involved in neurotransmission, digestion and energy production. The results showed that survival rate and body length were not affected by MPs, elevated temperatures or their combination. Elevated temperatures resulted in an increase in MP concentrations in fish bodies. Exposure to MPs decreased the post-exposure predatory performance (PEPP) at ambient temperatures but not at elevated temperatures. Elevated temperatures, however, had no effect on the PEPP but antagonistically interacted with MPs, leading to similar predatory performances under present and future conditions. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was only affected by MPs and decreased in the presence of MPs, indicating adverse effects in nervous and neuromuscular function and, thus, potentially in predatory performance. Trypsin activity was only influenced by MPs and decreased during exposure to MPs. Elevated temperatures or MPs alone increased the amylase activity but interacted antagonistically. Lipase activity was not influenced by either of the two stressors. In contrast, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was affected by MPs or elevated temperatures alone and decreased with both stressors

  7. Direct measurements of intermolecular forces by chemical force microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vezenov, Dmitri Vitalievich

    1999-12-01

    Detailed description of intermolecular forces is key to understanding a wide range of phenomena from molecular recognition to materials failure. The unique features of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to make point contact force measurements with ultra high sensitivity and to generate spatial maps of surface topography and forces have been extended to include measurements between well-defined organic molecular groups. Chemical modification of AFM probes with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) was used to make them sensitive to specific molecular interactions. This novel chemical force microscopy (CFM) technique was used to probe forces between different molecular groups in a range of environments (vacuum, organic liquids and aqueous solutions); measure surface energetics on a nanometer scale; determine pK values of the surface acid and base groups; measure forces to stretch and unbind a short synthetic DNA duplex and map the spatial distribution of specific functional groups and their ionization state. Studies of adhesion forces demonstrated the important contribution of hydrogen bonding to interactions between simple organic functionalities. The chemical identity of the tip and substrate surfaces as well as the medium had a dramatic effect on adhesion between model monolayers. A direct correlation between surface free energy and adhesion forces was established. The adhesion between epoxy polymer and model mixed SAMs varied with the amount of hydrogen bonding component in the monolayers. A consistent interpretation of CFM measurements in polar solvents was provided by contact mechanics models and intermolecular force components theory. Forces between tips and surfaces functionalized with SAMs terminating in acid or base groups depended on their ionization state. A novel method of force titration was introduced for highly local characterization of the pK's of surface functional groups. The pH-dependent changes in friction forces were exploited to map spatially the

  8. STRATEGIC COMBINED JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND THE BALANCE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND COMMON INTEREST

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florin NEGULESCU

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper’s purpose is to explore how the relation between national interest and common interest of different countries determine them to build a transnational military alliance in order to achieve common strategic aims by launching strategic combined joint special operations. Those common strategic aims are composed, in variable percentages, of the partners’ national goals. The use of special operations for achieving national objectives is made after all political possibilities are ruled out and when using conventional forces is neither necessary nor recommended. The balance between the coalition’s common interest and member states’ national interest influences the strength of the partnership. There are three types of relations between the common interest of the coalition and the national interest of a state: direct, complementary, and opportunistic relationships

  9. Stress Analysis of Boom of Special Mobile Crane for Plain Region in Transmission Line

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Jian; Shao, Tao; Chen, Jun; Wan, Jiancheng; Li, Zhonghuan; Jiang, Ming

    2017-10-01

    Basis of the boom force analysis of special mobile crane for plain region in transmission line, the load type of boom design is confirmed. According to the different combinations of boom sections, the composite pattern of the different boom length is obtained to suit the actual conditions of boom overlapping. The large deformation model is employed with FEM to simulate the stress distribution of boom, and the calculation results are checked. The performance curves of rated load with different arm length and different working range are obtained, which ensures the lifting capacity of special mobile crane meeting the requirement of tower erection of transmission line. The proposed FEM of boom of mobile crane would provide certain guiding and reference to the boom design.

  10. Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Main Propulsion System (MPS) Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) Flow Control Valve (FCV) Poppet Eddy Current (EC) Inspection Probability of Detection (POD) Study. Volume 2; Appendices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piascik, Robert S.; Prosser, William H.

    2011-01-01

    The Director of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), requested an independent assessment of the anomalous gaseous hydrogen (GH2) flow incident on the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Vehicle (OV)-105 during the Space Transportation System (STS)-126 mission. The main propulsion system (MPS) engine #2 GH2 flow control valve (FCV) LV-57 transition from low towards high flow position without being commanded. Post-flight examination revealed that the FCV LV-57 poppet had experienced a fatigue failure that liberated a section of the poppet flange. The NESC assessment provided a peer review of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD), stress analysis, and impact testing. A probability of detection (POD) study was requested by the SSP Orbiter Project for the eddy current (EC) nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques that were developed to inspect the flight FCV poppets. This report contains the Appendices to the main report.

  11. IPCC Special report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon

    2001-01-01

    This special report on emissions scenarios (SRES) is intended to reflect the most recent trends in driving forces of emissions; population projections economic development, and structural and technological change. It serves as an update to IS92 scenarios developed by IPCC in the early 1990s to illustrate a plausible range of future greenhouse gas emissions. This update is based on a review of the literature and the development of a database of over 400 global and regional scenarios; 190 of these extend from 1900 to 2100 and thus fed into the development of the narrative scenarios and storylines. Based on the literature review, a set of four alternative scenario families, having a total of 40 emission scenarios have been developed. Each scenario family includes a narrative storyline which describes a demographic, social. economic, technological, environmental and policy future. Characteristic features of each of the four families are summarized and a comparison is made between the IS92 and SRES. One of the main conclusions of this recent scenario construction effort is the realization that alternative combinations of main scenario driving forces can lead to similar levels of GHG emissions by the end of the 21st century, and that scenarios with different underlying assumptions can result in very similar climate change

  12. Directed motion of spheres induced by unbiased driving forces in viscous fluids beyond the Stokes' law regime

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casado-Pascual, Jesús

    2018-03-01

    The emergence of directed motion is investigated in a system consisting of a sphere immersed in a viscous fluid and subjected to time-periodic forces of zero average. The directed motion arises from the combined action of a nonlinear drag force and the applied driving forces, in the absence of any periodic substrate potential. Necessary conditions for the existence of such directed motion are obtained and an analytical expression for the average terminal velocity is derived within the adiabatic approximation. Special attention is paid to the case of two mutually perpendicular forces with sinusoidal time dependence, one with twice the period of the other. It is shown that, although neither of these two forces induces directed motion when acting separately, when added together, the resultant force generates directed motion along the direction of the force with the shortest period. The dependence of the average terminal velocity on the system parameters is analyzed numerically and compared with that obtained using the adiabatic approximation. Among other results, it is found that, for appropriate parameter values, the direction of the average terminal velocity can be reversed by varying the forcing strength. Furthermore, certain aspects of the observed phenomenology are explained by means of symmetry arguments.

  13. Specialization Patterns

    OpenAIRE

    Schultz , Ulrik Pagh; Lawall , Julia ,; Consel , Charles

    1999-01-01

    Design patterns offer numerous advantages for software development, but can introduce inefficiency into the finished program. Program specialization can eliminate such overheads, but is most effective when targeted by the user to specific bottlenecks. Consequently, we propose to consider program specialization and design patterns as complementary concepts. On the one hand, program specialization can optimize object-oriented programs written using design patterns. On the other hand, design pat...

  14. Forced normalisation precipitated by lamotrigine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemens, Béla

    2005-10-01

    To report two patients with lamotrigine-induced forced normalization (FN). Evaluation of the patient files, EEG, and video-EEG records, with special reference to the parallel clinical and EEG changes before, during, and after FN. This is the first documented report of lamotrigine-induced FN. The two epileptic patients (one of them was a 10-year-old girl) were successfully treated with lamotrigine. Their seizures ceased and interictal epileptiform events disappeared from the EEG record. Simultaneously, the patients displayed de novo occurrence of psychopathologic manifestations and disturbed behaviour. Reduction of the daily dose of LTG led to disappearance of the psychopathological symptoms and reappearance of the spikes but not the seizures. Lamotrigine may precipitate FN in adults and children. Analysis of the cases showed that lamotrigine-induced FN is a dose-dependent phenomenon and can be treated by reduction of the daily dose of the drug.

  15. Study on the Bearing Mode and Force Transfer Path of Composite Bucket Foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaohua He

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper elaborates on a new composite bucket foundation (CBF structural system for offshore wind turbines. The proposed CBF consists of a special force transition section, a beam system structure upper steel bucket cover and a large-scale steel bucket with honeycomb structure rooms. It can be prefabricated onshore, self-floated on the sea and then towed to the appointed sea area before sinking to the sea soil under negative pressure. This is called the “one-step” installation technology. Arc- and line-type bucket foundations are calculated by both theory and the finite element method to discuss their force transfer paths and bearing modes. Owning to the special structural form, the transition section can effectively convert the huge load and bending moment into controllable tension and compressive stress, as well as adjust the structure balance. The bearing model and percentage of each part of the composite foundation under monotonous and ultimate load conditions are also calculated. Results indicate that the bearing mode of CBF is a typical top cover mode. In addition, the curvature impact of arc-type is studied and the results reveal that the structure type of the transition section is more important than the diameter ratio between the bottom transition section and the bucket.

  16. National Guard Special Forces: Enhancing the Contributions of Reserve Component Army Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Predictability discussions struck a similar theme, specifically, that given notice that mobi - lization would occur at some future point, the unit could be ready...recommendation described earlier in this chapter may be indicated.1 Advertise for the skills desired, and encourage soldiers with those skills to

  17. Special software for computing the special functions of wave catastrophes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrey S. Kryukovsky

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The method of ordinary differential equations in the context of calculating the special functions of wave catastrophes is considered. Complementary numerical methods and algorithms are described. The paper shows approaches to accelerate such calculations using capabilities of modern computing systems. Methods for calculating the special functions of wave catastrophes are considered in the framework of parallel computing and distributed systems. The paper covers the development process of special software for calculating of special functions, questions of portability, extensibility and interoperability.

  18. Circulating Endothelial-Derived Activated Microparticle: A Useful Biomarker for Predicting One-Year Mortality in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin-Chou Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. This study tested the hypothesis that circulating microparticles (MPs are useful biomarkers for predicting one-year mortality in patients with end-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC. Methods and Results. One hundred seven patients were prospectively enrolled into the study between April 2011 and February 2012, and each patient received regular follow-up after enrollment. Levels of four MPs in circulation, (1 platelet-derived activated MPs (PDAc-MPs, (2 platelet-derived apoptotic MPs (PDAp-MPs, (3 endothelial-derived activated MPs (EDAc-MPs, and (4 endothelial-derived apoptotic MPs (EDAp-MPs, were measured just after the patient was enrolled into the study using flow cytometry. Patients who survived for more than one year were categorized into group 1 (n=56 (one-year survivors and patients who survived less than one year were categorized into group 2 (n=51 (one-year nonsurvivors. Male gender, incidence of liver metastasis, progression of disease after first-line treatment, poor performance status, and the Charlson comorbidity index were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (all P<0.05. Additionally, as measured by flow cytometry, only the circulating level of EDAc-MPs was found to be significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (P=0.006. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that circulating level of EDAc-MPs along with brain metastasis and male gender significantly and independently predictive of one-year mortality (all P<0.035. Conclusion. Circulating EDAc-MPs may be a useful biomarker predictive of one-year morality in ES-NSCLC patients.

  19. Controlling the synergetic effects in (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane and (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane coadsorption on stainless steel surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vuori, Leena; Hannula, Markku; Lahtonen, Kimmo; Jussila, Petri; Ali-Löytty, Harri; Hirsimäki, Mika; Pärna, Rainer; Nõmmiste, Ergo; Valden, Mika

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We studied the coadsorption of APS and MPS silanes on stainless steel. • Well-ordered monolayers of APS/MPS were fabricated with liquid phase deposition. • SR-PES enabled the determination of the APS and MPS orientation. • Inelastic electron background analysis was used to determine overlayer thicknesses. • The APS/MPS surface concentration is non-equal to the solution concentration. - Abstract: A versatile and economic method of preparing covalently-bound and uniform bifunctional silane monolayers on stainless steel is presented. Stainless steel is first electrochemically hydroxylated to enable the formation of a bifunctional overlayer via simultaneous liquid-phase deposition of two organofunctional silanes: (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APS) and (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS). The chemical composition, in-depth distribution, molecular orientation and chemical bonds in APS, MPS and APS/MPS layers over a range of APS/MPS mixing ratios are studied with synchrotron radiation mediated photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-PES), conventional X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy filtered X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (EF-XPEEM). Inelastic electron energy-loss background (IEEB) analysis is employed to determine the surface morphology of the silanized samples. Coadsorption is shown to produce a covalently-bound and highly ordered monolayer with a controllable MPS surface concentration within APS matrix. The results show evidence of strong synergistic effects during simultaneous adsorption of MPS and APS from liquid phase. While the uptake of MPS alone is low, the coadsorption of MPS and APS strongly enhances both the uptake of MPS and ordering in the APS/MPS overlayer. Results from PES, EF-XPEEM and IEEB analysis reveal that the surface is predominantly covered by a well-ordered APS/MPS monolayer with only slight degree of clustering. Clustering is attributed to different hydrolysis rates in

  20. Study on comparison of special moment frame steel structure (SMF) and base isolation special moment frame steel structure (BI-SMF) in Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setiawan, Jody; Nakazawa, Shoji

    2017-10-01

    This paper discusses about comparison of seismic response behaviors, seismic performance and seismic loss function of a conventional special moment frame steel structure (SMF) and a special moment frame steel structure with base isolation (BI-SMF). The validation of the proposed simplified estimation method of the maximum deformation of the base isolation system by using the equivalent linearization method and the validation of the design shear force of the superstructure are investigated from results of the nonlinear dynamic response analysis. In recent years, the constructions of steel office buildings with seismic isolation system are proceeding even in Indonesia where the risk of earthquakes is high. Although the design code for the seismic isolation structure has been proposed, there is no actual construction example for special moment frame steel structure with base isolation. Therefore, in this research, the SMF and BI-SMF buildings are designed by Indonesian Building Code which are assumed to be built at Padang City in Indonesia. The material of base isolation system is high damping rubber bearing. Dynamic eigenvalue analysis and nonlinear dynamic response analysis are carried out to show the dynamic characteristics and seismic performance. In addition, the seismic loss function is obtained from damage state probability and repair cost. For the response analysis, simulated ground accelerations, which have the phases of recorded seismic waves (El Centro NS, El Centro EW, Kobe NS and Kobe EW), adapted to the response spectrum prescribed by the Indonesian design code, that has, are used.

  1. Detailed Occupation and Years of School Completed by Age, for the Civilian Labor Force by Sex, Race, and Spanish Origin: 1980 Census of Population Supplementary Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priebe, John A.; And Others

    The report presents tabular data on occupation and years of school completed by age for the civilian labor force, by sex, race and Spanish origin, obtained from the 1980 Census/Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Special File. All tables list males and females separately for each category. Table 1 lists totals for 613 labor force categories, then…

  2. By, with, and through: the theory and practice of special operations capacity-building

    OpenAIRE

    Heisler, Anthony F.

    2014-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This thesis presents a theory of how U.S. special operations forces (USSOF) build partner capacity. Building partner capacity (BPC) is a cornerstone of America’s post-9/11 security strategy and a signature mission of USSOF. However, USSOF lacks a theory that articulates how capacity is built or the keys to its success. This thesis explores BPC from the top down, through national security documents, doctrine, and case studies. It identi...

  3. Occupational asthma due to manual metal-arc welding of special stainless steels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannu, T; Piipari, R; Kasurinen, H; Keskinen, H; Tuppurainen, M; Tuomi, T

    2005-10-01

    Occupational asthma (OA) can be induced by fumes of manual metal-arc welding on stainless steel. In recent years, the use of special stainless steels (SSS) with high chromium content has increased. This study presents two cases of OA caused by manual metal-arc welding on SSS. In both cases, the diagnosis of OA was based on respiratory symptoms, occupational exposure and positive findings in the specific challenge tests. In the first case, a 46-yr-old welder had experienced severe dyspnoea while welding SSS (SMO steel), but not in other situations. Challenge tests with both mild steel and stainless steel using a common electrode were negative. Welding SSS with a special electrode caused a delayed 37% drop in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). In the second case, a 34-yr-old male had started to experience dyspnoea during the past few years, while welding especially SSS (Duplex steel). The workplace peak expiratory flow monitoring was suggestive of OA. Challenge tests with both mild steel and stainless steel using a common electrode did not cause bronchial obstruction. Welding SSS with a special electrode caused a delayed 31% drop in FEV1. In conclusion, exposure to manual metal-arc welding fumes of special stainless steel should be considered as a new cause of occupational asthma.

  4. Brazing of special metallic materials and material combinations using a special material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lison, R.

    1981-01-01

    The special materials include metals of groups IVa, Va and VIa of the periodic tables and their alloys. Their particular properties have won them applications in many highly specialized industries. For these materials to be used, mastery of thermal joining methods appropriate to their characteristics is necessary. High-temperature brazing is one such method for joining special materials. This paper presents variants of this technique suitable for each individual special material. Compatibility tests between various brazing metals and various special materials have been carried out by simulating the temperature/time cycle involved in brazing procedures. Special materials are relatively expensive, and their special properties are not required at every point in a structure: elsewhere they can be replaced by a different special material or by other metals or alloys. This means that joints must be made between two special materials or between a special material and a conventional material. When certain conditions are fulfilled, such joins can be made by high-temperature brazing. This paper also shows the extent to which the geometry of the join determines the choice of process. Example of applications are also given. (orig.)

  5. Experimental studies of gravitation and feebler forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cowsik, R.

    1993-01-01

    The theoretical motivations and the experimental context pertaining to the recent experimental studies of the Weak equivalence Principle and the open-quotes Fifth Forceclose quotes are reviewed briefly. With such a backdrop, the innovative design and the technical details of the several new experiments in this area are presented with a special emphasis on the experiments underway at Gauribidanur, situated on the Deccan Plateau. These experiments jointly rule out the existence of any new forces coupling to baryon or lepton number with a coupling greater than about 10 -4 of gravitation per a.m.u. at ranges of about 0.5m and longer. In a few years the author hopes to test the weak equivalence principle with sensitivity exceeding 10 -13

  6. Algorithmically specialized parallel computers

    CERN Document Server

    Snyder, Lawrence; Gannon, Dennis B

    1985-01-01

    Algorithmically Specialized Parallel Computers focuses on the concept and characteristics of an algorithmically specialized computer.This book discusses the algorithmically specialized computers, algorithmic specialization using VLSI, and innovative architectures. The architectures and algorithms for digital signal, speech, and image processing and specialized architectures for numerical computations are also elaborated. Other topics include the model for analyzing generalized inter-processor, pipelined architecture for search tree maintenance, and specialized computer organization for raster

  7. Dispersion Forces

    CERN Document Server

    Buhmann, Stefan Yoshi

    2012-01-01

    In this book, a modern unified theory of dispersion forces on atoms and bodies is presented which covers a broad range of advanced aspects and scenarios. Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics is shown to provide a powerful framework for dispersion forces which allows for discussing general properties like their non-additivity and the relation between microscopic and macroscopic interactions. It is demonstrated how the general results can be used to obtain dispersion forces on atoms in the presence of bodies of various shapes and materials. Starting with a brief recapitulation of volume I, this volume II deals especially with bodies of irregular shapes, universal scaling laws, dynamical forces on excited atoms, enhanced forces in cavity quantum electrodynamics, non-equilibrium forces in thermal environments and quantum friction. The book gives both the specialist and those new to the field a thorough overview over recent results in the field. It provides a toolbox for studying dispersion forces in various contex...

  8. Moving the Agenda on Noncommunicable Diseases: Policy Implications of Mobile Phone Surveys in Low and Middle-Income Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pariyo, George W; Wosu, Adaeze C; Gibson, Dustin G; Labrique, Alain B; Ali, Joseph; Hyder, Adnan A

    2017-05-05

    The growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), for example, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presents special challenges for policy makers, due to resource constraints and lack of timely data for decision-making. Concurrently, the increasing ubiquity of mobile phones in LMICs presents possibilities for rapid collection of population-based data to inform the policy process. The objective of this paper is to highlight potential benefits of mobile phone surveys (MPS) for developing, implementing, and evaluating NCD prevention and control policies. To achieve this aim, we first provide a brief overview of major global commitments to NCD prevention and control, and subsequently explore how countries can translate these commitments into policy action at the national level. Using the policy cycle as our frame of reference, we highlight potential benefits of MPS which include (1) potential cost-effectiveness of using MPS to inform NCD policy actions compared with using traditional household surveys; (2) timeliness of assessments to feed into policy and planning cycles; (3) tracking progress of interventions, hence assessment of reach, coverage, and distribution; (4) better targeting of interventions, for example, to high-risk groups; (5) timely course correction for suboptimal or non-effective interventions; (6) assessing fairness in financial contribution and financial risk protection for those affected by NCDs in the spirit of universal health coverage (UHC); and (7) monitoring progress in reducing catastrophic medical expenditure due to chronic health conditions in general, and NCDs in particular. We conclude that MPS have potential to become a powerful data collection tool to inform policies that address public health challenges such as NCDs. Additional forthcoming assessments of MPS in LMICs will inform opportunities to maximize this technology. ©George W Pariyo, Adaeze C Wosu, Dustin G

  9. Comparison of Static Force Sense of Knee Extension between Women with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Healthy Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Salah-Zadeh

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Patellofemoaral pain syndrome (PFPS is a common musculoskeletal disorder. Proprioception is important factor in neuromuscular control. Others studies showed that, because of pain and abnormal stresses on soft tissue around joint and Proprioception may be change in these patients. The aim of this study was investigation of sense of quadriceps muscle force accuracy in patients with PFPS. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional and case –control study, thirty four young women with and without PFPS were participated. Biodex isokinetic dynamometer was used to measure isometric torque and sense of quadriceps static force. Force matching with ipsilateral limb was used by determining of reference force levels (20 and 60% of maximal voluntary isometric force (MVIF in 20 and 60 degree of knee flexion and attempting to perception and reproduction of target forces .Absolute error (AE, constant error (CE and variability error (VE were calculated for evaluation sense of force accuracy. Data were analyzed by independent T test and Logistics Regression. Results: There was statistically difference in force reproduction error in 60 degree and 60% MVIF between two groups (P<0.005. Sense of force errors were high in patient group. Conclusion: The results confirmed the past studies and showed that proprioception may be altered in PFPS patients because of changes proprioception afferents, specially for quadriceps muscle receptors.

  10. Damping-controlled fluidelastic instability forces in multi-span tubes with loose supports

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassan, Marwan A.; Rogers, Robert J.; Gerber, Andrew G.

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents simulations of a loosely supported multi-span tube subjected to turbulence and fluidelastic instability forces in order to compare several time-domain fluid force models simulating the damping-controlled fluidelastic instability mechanism in tube arrays. These models include the negative damping model based on the Connors equation, fluid force coefficient-based models (Chen; Tanaka and Takahara), and two semi-analytical models (Price and Paidoussis; and Lever and Weaver). Time domain modelling challenges for each of these theories are discussed. The implemented models are validated against available experimental data. The linear simulations (without tube/support clearance) show that the Connors-equation based model exhibits the most conservative prediction of the critical flow velocity when the recommended design values for the Connors equation are used. The models are then utilized to simulate the nonlinear response of a three-span cantilever tube in a lattice bar support subjected to air crossflow. The tube is subjected to a single-phase flow passing over the spans where the flow velocity and the support clearance are varied. Special attention is paid to the tube/support interaction parameters that affect wear, such as impact forces, contact ratio, and normal work rate. As was seen for the linear cases, the reduced flow velocity at the instability threshold differs for the fluid force models considered. The investigated models do, however, exhibit similar response characteristics for the impact force, tip lift response, and work rate, except for the Connors-based model that overestimates the response and the tube/support interaction parameters for the loose support case, especially at large clearances.

  11. Myocardial Perfusion SPECT 2015 in Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burchert, Wolfgang; Schäfer, Wolfgang; Hacker, Marcus

    2016-01-01

    Summary Aim The working group Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine of the German Society of Nuclear Medicine presents the results of the 7th survey of myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) of the reporting year 2015. Method 268 questionnaires (173 practices [PR], 67 hospitals [HO], 28 university hospitals [UH]) were evaluated. Results of the last survey from 2012 are set in squared brackets. Results MPS of 121 939 [105 941] patients were reported. 98 % [95 %] of all MPS were performed with Tc-99m radiopharmaceuticals and 2 % [5 %] with Tl-201. 78 % [79 %] of all patients were studied in PR, 14 % [15 %] in HO, and 8 % [6 %] in UH. A pharmacological stress test was performed in 43 % [39 %] (22 % [24 %] adenosine, 20 % [9 %] regadenoson, 1% [6 %] dipyridamole or dobutamine). Attenuation correction was applied in 25 % [2009: 10 %] of MPS. Gated SPECT was performed in 78 % [70 %] of all rest MPS, in 80 % [73 %] of all stress and in 76 % [67 %] of all stress and rest MPS. 53 % [33 %] of all nuclear medicine departments performed MPS scoring by default, whereas 24 % [41 %] did not apply any quantification. 31 % [26 %] of all departments noticed an increase in their counted MPS and 29 % [29 %] no changes. Data from 89 departments which participated in all surveys showed an increase in MPS count of 11.1 % (PR: 12.2 %, HO: 4.8 %, UH: 18.4 %). 70 % [60 %] of the MPS were requested by ambulatory care cardiologists. Conclusion The 2015 MPS survey reveals a high-grade adherence of routine MPS practice to current guidelines. The positive trend in MPS performance and number of MPS already observed in 2012 continues. Educational training remains necessary in the field of SPECT scoring. PMID:27909712

  12. Altered corneal stromal matrix organization is associated with mucopolysaccharidosis I, III and VI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alroy, J; Haskins, M; Birk, D E

    1999-05-01

    The presence of cloudy corneas is a prominent feature of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) types I and VI, but not MPS IIIA or IIIB. The cause of corneal cloudiness in MPS I and VI is speculative. Transparency of the cornea is dependent on the uniform diameter and the regular spacing and arrangement of the collagen fibrils within the stroma. Alterations in the spacing of collagen fibrils in a variety of conditions including corneal edema, scars, and macular corneal dystrophy is clinically manifested as corneal opacity. The purpose of this study was to compare the structural organization of the stromal extracellular matrix of normal corneas with that of MPS corneas. The size and arrangement of collagen fibrils in cloudy corneas from patients with MPS I were examined. The alterations observed were an increased mean fibril diameter with a broader distribution in the MPS corneas. The MPS I corneas also had altered fibril spacing and more irregular packing compared with normal control corneas. The clear corneas of patients with MPS IIIA and IIIB also showed increases in mean fibril diameter and fibril spacing. However, there was less variation indicating more regularity than seen in MPS I. In addition, corneas from cat models of certain MPS were compared to the human corneas. Cats with MPS I and VI, as well as normal control cats, were examined. Structural alterations comparable to those seen in human MPS corneas were seen in MPS I and VI cats relative to normal clear corneas. The findings suggest that cloudy corneas in MPS I and VI are in part a consequence of structural alterations in the corneal stroma, including abnormal spacing, size, and arrangement of collagen fibrils. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  13. Specialized languages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mousten, Birthe; Laursen, Anne Lise

    2016-01-01

    Across different fields of research, one feature is often overlooked: the use of language for specialized purposes (LSP) as a cross-discipline. Mastering cross-disciplinarity is the precondition for communicating detailed results within any field. Researchers in specialized languages work cross...... science fields communicate their findings. With this article, we want to create awareness of the work in this special area of language studies and of the inherent cross-disciplinarity that makes LSP special compared to common-core language. An acknowledgement of the importance of this field both in terms...... of more empirical studies and in terms of a greater application of the results would give language specialists in trade and industry a solid and updated basis for communication and language use....

  14. Strategic alliance, a way forward for violence against women: a case for the Special Cells, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dave, Anjali

    2013-10-01

    This article attempts to describe the experiences of violated women and the struggles of social workers to contest violence against women in the Indian context. It begins with a brief account of an "indigenous model": the establishment of a service for violated women in India within the police force--the Special Cell on Violence Against Women. The article traces the strategic location, vision, growth, present position, expansion, and replication of the Special Cell in India, and discusses the necessity of working simultaneously with violated women, formal systems, and social structures; its contribution to the campaign for a Domestic Violence Act; and the resultant outcomes. The arduous nature of the work required for violated women and the women's own assessment of the Special Cells were accessed through a rigorous evaluation study, which is presented in the article, providing an answer and affirmation to the question: Why work with the Establishment--the State.

  15. Final Environmental Assessment for the First Air Force Air Operations Center, First Air Force Headquarters/Air Force Forces Center, and Highway 98 Overpass at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    no comments regarding the Draft Environmental Assessment for the First Air Force Operations Center, First Air Force Headquarters/Air Force Forces...COUNCIL ] No Comment BAY - BAY COUNTY No Final Comments Received ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY UNIT - OFFICE OF POLICY AND BUDGET, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY UNIT NO ...CONSERVATION COMMISSION [ NO COMMENT BY BRIAN BARNETT ON 4/12/04. [STATE - FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE [ No Comment [TRANSPORTATION - FLORIDA DEPARTMENT

  16. Surface complement C3 fragments and cellular binding of microparticles in patients with SLE

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winberg, Line Kjær; Nielsen, Claus Henrik; Jacobsen, Søren

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To examine microparticles (MPs) from patients with SLE and healthy controls (HCs) by determining the cellular origin of the MPs, quantifying attached fragments of complement component 3 (C3) and assessing the ability of MPs to bind to circulating phagocytes and erythrocytes. These fea......Objectives: To examine microparticles (MPs) from patients with SLE and healthy controls (HCs) by determining the cellular origin of the MPs, quantifying attached fragments of complement component 3 (C3) and assessing the ability of MPs to bind to circulating phagocytes and erythrocytes...

  17. Contribution of van der Waals forces to the plasticity of magnesium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Zhigang; Liu, Wei; Li, Shuang; Zhang, Dalong; Zhao, Yonghao; Lavernia, Enrique J.; Zhu, Yuntian

    2016-01-01

    The accurate determination of stacking fault energies (SFE) and associated restoring forces is important for understanding plastic deformation, especially the dislocation emission and motion in metals. In this work, we use density-functional theory (DFT) calculations to, systematically study the all-dimension relaxed atomic models of Mg crystal slip, with a special focus on the “subslip modes” in prismatic and pyramidal slip systems. We find that slip systems with large interplanar distances are readily activated, which agrees well with experimental observations. Inclusion of the ubiquitous van der Waals (vdW) interactions results in lower generalized stacking fault energy curves. Remarkably, the unstable SFE value of pyramidal-II system is strongly reduced by up to 69 mJ/m 2 , and the related restoring stress is lowered by 0.74 GPa after taking into account the vdW energy. Our calculations indicate significant effect of vdW forces on the plasticity of Mg. - Graphical abstract: By using density-functional theory calculations, we systematically study the generalized stacking fault energy for pure Mg, and demonstrated pronounced contributions of van der Waals forces to the plasticity of Mg.

  18. New perspectives on forced migration in the history of twentieth-century neuroscience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stahnisch, Frank W; Russell, Gül

    2016-01-01

    This special issue of the Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, comprised of six articles and one commentary, reflects on the multifold dimensions of intellectual migration in the neurosciences and illustrates them by relevant case studies, biographies, and surveys from twentieth-century history of science and medicine perspectives. The special issue as a whole strives to emphasize the impact of forced migration in the neurosciences and psychiatry from an interdisciplinary perspective by, first, describing the general research topic, second, by showing how new models can be applied to the historiography and social studies of twentieth-century neuroscience, and, third, by providing a deeper understanding of the impact of European émigré researchers on emerging allied fields, such as neurogenetics, biological psychiatry, psychosomatics, and public mental health, etc. as resulting from this process at large.

  19. Public Policy Impact Assessment of the Special Program Uprooted: A Quantitative Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco J. Pérez Torres

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The long internal conflict in Colombia has led to the forced displacement and poverty of a large segment of the population that has also been victim of acts of violation of human rights and has consequently suffered detriment in their living conditions. In response, Colombian authorities have implemented public policies based on special programs, whose general purpose is to reduce the impact of uprooting, to alleviate poverty, and to rebuild the social fabric of these populations. In this context, this research, using Propensity Score Matching methods, evaluates and measures the impact on vulnerable population living in displacement and extreme poverty in the cities of Neiva, Bucaramanga, Sincelejo, and Montelíbano, beneficiary of the Special Program Uprooted, which is funded by Social Action and the European Union in order to “reduce the extreme vulnerability of displaced population and host communities in Colombia.”

  20. Information-based physics, influence, and forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walsh, James Lyons; Knuth, Kevin H.

    2015-01-01

    In recent works, Knuth and Bahreyni have demonstrated that the concepts of space and time are emergent in a coarse-grained model of direct particle-particle influence. In addition, Knuth demonstrated that observer-made inferences regarding the free particle, which is defined as a particle that influences others, but is not itself influenced, result in a situation identical to the Feynman checkerboard model of the Dirac equation. This suggests that the same theoretical framework that gives rise to an emergent spacetime is consistent with quantum mechanics. In this paper, we begin to explore the effect of influence on the emergent properties of a particle. This initial study suggests that when a particle is influenced, it is interpreted as accelerating in a manner consistent with special relativity implying that, at least in this situation, influence can be conceived of as a force

  1. Magnetic tagging of cell-derived microparticles: new prospects for imaging and manipulation of these mediators of biological information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vats, Nidhi; Wilhelm, Claire; Rautou, Pierre-Emmanuel; Poirier-Quinot, Marie; Péchoux, Christine; Devue, Cécile; Boulanger, Chantal M; Gazeau, Florence

    2010-07-01

    Submicron membrane fragments termed microparticles (MPs), which are released by apoptotic or activated cells, are newly considered as vectors of biological information and actors of pathology development. We propose the tagging of MPs with magnetic nanoparticles as a new approach allowing imaging, manipulation and targeting of cell-derived MPs. MPs generated in vitro from human endothelial cells or isolated from atherosclerotic plaques were labeled using citrate-coated 8 nm iron-oxide nanoparticles. MPs were tagged with magnetic nanoparticles on their surface and detected as Annexin-V positive by flow cytometry. Labeled MPs could be mobilized, isolated and manipulated at a distance in a magnetic field gradient. Magnetic mobility of labeled MPs was quantified by micromagnetophoresis. Interactions of labeled MPs with endothelial cells could be triggered and modulated by magnetic guidance. Nanoparticles served as tracers at different scales: at the subcellular level by electron microscopy, at the cellular level by histology and at the macroscopic level by MRI. Magnetic labeling of biogenic MPs opens new prospects for noninvasive monitoring and distal manipulations of these biological effectors.

  2. DNA immobilization on polymer-modified Si surface by controlling pH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demirel, Goekcen Birlik; Caykara, Tuncer

    2009-01-01

    A novel approach based on polymer-modified Si surface as DNA sensor platforms is presented. The polymer-modified Si surface was prepared by using 3-(methacryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane [γ-MPS] and poly(acrylamide) [PAAm]. Firstly, a layer of γ-MPS was formed on the hydroxylated silicon surface as a monolayer and then modified with different molecular weight of PAAm to form polymer-modified surface. The polymer-modified Si surface was used for dsDNA immobilization. All steps about formation of layer structure were characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared (ATR-FTIR), and contact angle (CA) measurements. We found that in this case the amount of dsDNA immobilized onto the surface was dictated by the electrostatic interaction between the substrate surface and the DNA. Our results thus demonstrated that DNA molecules could be immobilized differently onto the polymer-modified support surface via electrostatic interactions.

  3. Numerical simulation of dipolar magnetic field inflation due to equatorial ring-current

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kajimura, Yoshihiro; Funaki, Ikkoh; Shinohara, Iku; Usui, Hideyuki; Matsumoto, Masaharu; Yamakawa, Hiroshi

    2014-01-01

    Magneto Plasma Sail (MPS) is one of the next generation space propulsion systems which generates a propulsive force using the interaction between the solar wind plasma and an artificial inflated magnetosphere generated by a superconductive coil. In the MPS system, the magnetosphere as a sail must be inflated by the plasma injection from the spacecraft in order to obtain the thrust gain. In the present study, the magnetic inflation concept is numerically tested by so-called ion one-component plasma model. As a simulation result, the magnetic moment of the system is drastically increased up to 45 times that of the coil current at plasma-β = 20 and r Li /L (radius of gyro motion / characteristics length of the magnetic field) = 0.01, and this is the first successful magnetosphere inflation obtained by numerical simulation. Corresponding maximum thrust gain is also estimated to be about 45. (author)

  4. Paramedic specialization: a strategy for better out-of-hospital care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caffrey, Sean M; Clark, John R; Bourn, Scott; Cole, Jim; Cole, John S; Mandt, Maria; Murray, Jimm; Sibold, Harry; Stuhlmiller, David; Swanson, Eric R

    2014-01-01

    Demographic, economic, and political forces are driving significant change in the US health care system. Paramedics are a health profession currently providing advanced emergency care and medical transportation throughout the United States. As the health care system demands more team-based care in nonacute, community, interfacility, and tactical response settings, specialized paramedic practitioners could be a valuable and well-positioned resource to meet these needs. Currently, there is limited support for specialty certifications that demand appropriate education, training, or experience standards before specialized practice by paramedics. A fragmented approach to specialty paramedic practice currently exists across our country in which states, regulators, nonprofit organizations, and other health care professions influence and regulate the practice of paramedicine. Multiple other medical professions, however, have already developed effective systems over the last century that can be easily adapted to the practice of paramedicine. Paramedicine practitioners need to organize a profession-based specialty board to organize and standardize a specialty certification system that can be used on a national level. Copyright © 2014 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Relationship of Source Selection Methods to Contract Outcomes: an Analysis of Air Force Source Selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    some occasions, performance is terminated early; this can occur due to either mutual agreement or a breach of contract by one of the parties (Garrett...Relationship of Source Selection Methods to Contract Outcomes: an Analysis of Air Force Source Selection December 2015 Capt Jacques Lamoureux, USAF...on the contract management process, with special emphasis on the source selection methods of tradeoff and lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA

  6. Power variables and bilateral force differences during unloaded and loaded squat jumps in high performance alpine ski racers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Carson; Raschner, Christian; Platzer, Hans-Peter

    2009-05-01

    The purpose of this paper was to investigate the power-load relationship and to compare power variables and bilateral force imbalances between sexes with squat jumps. Twenty men and 17 women, all members of the Austrian alpine ski team (junior and European Cup), performed unloaded and loaded (barbell loads equal to 25, 50, 75, and 100% body weight [BW]) squat jumps with free weights using a specially designed spotting system. Ground reaction force records from 2 force platforms were used to calculate relative average power (P), relative average power in the first 100 ms of the jump (P01), relative average power in the first 200 ms of the jump (P02), jump height, percentage of best jump height (%Jump), and maximal force difference between dominant and nondominant leg (Fmaxdiff). The men displayed significantly higher values at all loads for P and jump height (p free weights.

  7. Rigid two-axis MEMS force plate for measuring cellular traction force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Hidetoshi; Jung, Uijin G; Shimoyama, Isao; Kan, Tetsuo; Tsukagoshi, Takuya; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi

    2016-01-01

    Cellular traction force is one of the important factors for understanding cell behaviors, such as spreading, migration and differentiation. Cells are known to change their behavior according to the mechanical stiffness of the environment. However, the measurement of cell traction forces on a rigid environment has remained difficult. This paper reports a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) force plate that provides a cellular traction force measurement on a rigid substrate. Both the high force sensitivity and high stiffness of the substrate were obtained using piezoresistive sensing elements. The proposed force plate consists of a 70 µ m  ×  15 µ m  ×  5 µ m base as the substrate for cultivating a bovine aortic smooth muscle cell, and the supporting beams with piezoresistors on the sidewall and the surface were used to measure the forces in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The spring constant and force resolution of the fabricated force plate in the horizontal direction were 0.2 N m −1 and less than 0.05 µ N, respectively. The cell traction force was measured, and the traction force increased by approximately 1 µ N over 30 min. These results demonstrate that the proposed force plate is applicable as an effective traction force measurement. (paper)

  8. CO tip functionalization in subatomic resolution atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Minjung; Chelikowsky, James R.

    2015-01-01

    Noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) employing a CO-functionalized tip displays dramatically enhanced resolution wherein covalent bonds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon can be imaged. Employing real-space pseudopotential first-principles calculations, we examine the role of CO in functionalizing the nc-AFM tip. Our calculations allow us to simulate full AFM images and ascertain the enhancement mechanism of the CO molecule. We consider two approaches: one with an explicit inclusion of the CO molecule and one without. By comparing our simulations to existing experimental images, we ascribe the enhanced resolution of the CO functionalized tip to the special orbital characteristics of the CO molecule

  9. Bone marrow transplantation in patients with storage diseases: a developing country experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lange Marcos C.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Bone marrow transplantation (BMT is a therapeutic option for patients with genetic storage diseases. Between 1979 and 2002, eight patients, four females and four males (1 to 13 years old were submitted to this procedure in our center. Six patients had mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS I in 3; MPS III in one and MPS VI in 2, one had adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD and one had Gaucher disease. Five patients had related and three unrelated BMT donor. Three patients developed graft versus host disease (two MPS I and one MPS VI and died between 37 and 151 days after transplantation. Five patients survived 4 to 16 years after transplantation. Three patients improved (one MPS I; one MPS VI and the Gaucher disease patient, one patient had no disease progression (ALD and in one patient this procedure did not change the natural course of the disease (MPS III.

  10. 78 FR 11554 - Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplane, Limit Pilot Forces for Sidestick Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-19

    ... approximately 6,540 pounds of thrust for normal takeoff. The primary flight controls consist of hydraulically... FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy under section 611 of Public Law 92-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.'' The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in accordance with...

  11. Nucleon-deuteron breakup quantities calculated with separable interactions including tensor forces and P-wave interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruinsma, J.; Wageningen, R. van

    1977-01-01

    Nucleon-deuteron breakup calculations at a nucleon bombarding energy of 22.7 MeV have been performed with separable interactions including a tensor force and P-wave interactions. Differential cross sections and a selection of polarization quantities have been computed for special regions of the phase space. The influence of a tensor force and P-wave interactions on the differential cross section is of the order of 20%. Large discrepancies between theory and experiment occur for the vector analyzing powers, both for the kinematically complete and for the incomplete situation. The calculations show that there are kinematical situations in which the differential cross sections and the tensor analyzing powers are sufficiently large to make measurements feasible. (Auth.)

  12. Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the fitness of earthworms in an agricultural soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Dongdong; Wang, Xiao; Luo, Xianxiang; Liu, Guocheng; Zheng, Hao

    2017-04-01

    Microplastics (MPs) pollution is widespread in the environment, while the effects of MPs on the soil organisms are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the fitness of earthworms (E. Foetida) exposed to MPs (Polystyrene, 58 μm) in soils at the concentrations of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2% (w/w). The results showed that MPs had little effects on the fitness of earthworms under low exposure concentrations (≤ 0.5 % (w/w)), while MPs exposure with high concentrations (i.e., 1% and 2%) significantly inhibited the growth and increased the mortality of earthworms. The results indicated that the MPs pollution in soils have an adverse effect on the fitness of soil organisms, and implied the ecological risk of MPs in terrestrial ecosystems.

  13. Spin-Projected Matrix Product States: Versatile Tool for Strongly Correlated Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhendong; Chan, Garnet Kin-Lic

    2017-06-13

    We present a new wave function ansatz that combines the strengths of spin projection with the language of matrix product states (MPS) and matrix product operators (MPO) as used in the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG). Specifically, spin-projected matrix product states (SP-MPS) are constructed as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the spin projector for total spin S and |Ψ MPS (N,M) ⟩ is an MPS wave function with a given particle number N and spin projection M. This new ansatz possesses several attractive features: (1) It provides a much simpler route to achieve spin adaptation (i.e., to create eigenfunctions of Ŝ 2 ) compared to explicitly incorporating the non-Abelian SU(2) symmetry into the MPS. In particular, since the underlying state |Ψ MPS (N,M) ⟩ in the SP-MPS uses only Abelian symmetries, one does not need the singlet embedding scheme for nonsinglet states, as normally employed in spin-adapted DMRG, to achieve a single consistent variationally optimized state. (2) Due to the use of |Ψ MPS (N,M) ⟩ as its underlying state, the SP-MPS can be closely connected to broken-symmetry mean-field states. This allows one to straightforwardly generate the large number of broken-symmetry guesses needed to explore complex electronic landscapes in magnetic systems. Further, this connection can be exploited in the future development of quantum embedding theories for open-shell systems. (3) The sum of MPOs representation for the Hamiltonian and spin projector [Formula: see text] naturally leads to an embarrassingly parallel algorithm for computing expectation values and optimizing SP-MPS. (4) Optimizing SP-MPS belongs to the variation-after-projection (VAP) class of spin-projected theories. Unlike usual spin-projected theories based on determinants, the SP-MPS ansatz can be made essentially exact simply by increasing the bond dimensions in |Ψ MPS (N,M) ⟩. Computing excited states is also simple by imposing orthogonality constraints

  14. Impact Forces from Tsunami-Driven Debris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, H.; Cox, D. T.; Riggs, H.; Naito, C. J.; Kobayashi, M. H.; Piran Aghl, P.

    2012-12-01

    Debris driven by tsunami inundation flow has been known to be a significant threat to structures, yet we lack the constitutive equations necessary to predict debris impact force. The objective of this research project is to improve our understanding of, and predictive capabilities for, tsunami-driven debris impact forces on structures. Of special interest are shipping containers, which are virtually everywhere and which will float even when fully loaded. The forces from such debris hitting structures, for example evacuation shelters and critical port facilities such as fuel storage tanks, are currently not known. This research project focuses on the impact by flexible shipping containers on rigid columns and investigated using large-scale laboratory testing. Full-scale in-air collision experiments were conducted at Lehigh University with 20 ft shipping containers to experimentally quantify the nonlinear behavior of full scale shipping containers as they collide into structural elements. The results from the full scale experiments were used to calibrate computer models and used to design a series of simpler, 1:5 scale wave flume experiments at Oregon State University. Scaled in-air collision tests were conducted using 1:5 scale idealized containers to mimic the container behavior observed in the full scale tests and to provide a direct comparison to the hydraulic model tests. Two specimens were constructed using different materials (aluminum, acrylic) to vary the stiffness. The collision tests showed that at higher speeds, the collision became inelastic as the slope of maximum impact force/velocity decreased with increasing velocity. Hydraulic model tests were conducted using the 1:5 scaled shipping containers to measure the impact load by the containers on a rigid column. The column was instrumented with a load cell to measure impact forces, strain gages to measure the column deflection, and a video camera was used to provide the debris orientation and speed. The

  15. Automated force controller for amplitude modulation atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyagi, Atsushi, E-mail: atsushi.miyagi@inserm.fr, E-mail: simon.scheuring@inserm.fr; Scheuring, Simon, E-mail: atsushi.miyagi@inserm.fr, E-mail: simon.scheuring@inserm.fr [U1006 INSERM, Université Aix-Marseille, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13009 Marseille (France)

    2016-05-15

    Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is widely used in physics, chemistry, and biology to analyze the topography of a sample at nanometer resolution. Controlling precisely the force applied by the AFM tip to the sample is a prerequisite for faithful and reproducible imaging. In amplitude modulation (oscillating) mode AFM, the applied force depends on the free and the setpoint amplitudes of the cantilever oscillation. Therefore, for keeping the applied force constant, not only the setpoint amplitude but also the free amplitude must be kept constant. While the AFM user defines the setpoint amplitude, the free amplitude is typically subject to uncontrollable drift, and hence, unfortunately, the real applied force is permanently drifting during an experiment. This is particularly harmful in biological sciences where increased force destroys the soft biological matter. Here, we have developed a strategy and an electronic circuit that analyzes permanently the free amplitude of oscillation and readjusts the excitation to maintain the free amplitude constant. As a consequence, the real applied force is permanently and automatically controlled with picoNewton precision. With this circuit associated to a high-speed AFM, we illustrate the power of the development through imaging over long-duration and at various forces. The development is applicable for all AFMs and will widen the applicability of AFM to a larger range of samples and to a larger range of (non-specialist) users. Furthermore, from controlled force imaging experiments, the interaction strength between biomolecules can be analyzed.

  16. Imaging stability in force-feedback high-speed atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Byung I.; Boehm, Ryan D.

    2013-01-01

    We studied the stability of force-feedback high-speed atomic force microscopy (HSAFM) by imaging soft, hard, and biological sample surfaces at various applied forces. The HSAFM images showed sudden topographic variations of streaky fringes with a negative applied force when collected on a soft hydrocarbon film grown on a grating sample, whereas they showed stable topographic features with positive applied forces. The instability of HSAFM images with the negative applied force was explained by the transition between contact and noncontact regimes in the force–distance curve. When the grating surface was cleaned, and thus hydrophilic by removing the hydrocarbon film, enhanced imaging stability was observed at both positive and negative applied forces. The higher adhesive interaction between the tip and the surface explains the improved imaging stability. The effects of imaging rate on the imaging stability were tested on an even softer adhesive Escherichia coli biofilm deposited onto the grating structure. The biofilm and planktonic cell structures in HSAFM images were reproducible within the force deviation less than ∼0.5 nN at the imaging rate up to 0.2 s per frame, suggesting that the force-feedback HSAFM was stable for various imaging speeds in imaging softer adhesive biological samples. - Highlights: ► We investigated the imaging stability of force-feedback HSAFM. ► Stable–unstable imaging transitions rely on applied force and sample hydrophilicity. ► The stable–unstable transitions are found to be independent of imaging rate

  17. A bilinear elastic constitutive model applied for midpalatal suture behavior during rapid maxillary expansion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Carvalho Trojan Serpe

    Full Text Available Introduction : This study aims to evaluate the influence of the biomechanical behavior of the midpalatal suture (MPS during the rapid maxillary expansion (RME when modeled by the Finite Element Method. Methods Four simulation alternatives are discussed and, for each analysis, the suture is considered as a functional unit with a different mechanical behavior: (i without MPS elements, (ii MPS with Young's modulus (E equal to 1 MPa, (ii MPS with E equal to 0.01 MPa and (iv MPS with bilinear elastic behavior. Results The stress analysis showed that, when MPS is not considered in the model, stress peaks are reduced in magnitude and their distribution is restricted to a smaller area when compared to the model with the inclusion of MPS (E=1 MPa. The increased suture stiffness also has a direct influence on MPS displacements after 30 expander activations. Conclusion The consideration of the MPS in RME computer models influences greatly the calculated displacements between the suture bone ends, even as the stress levels in maxillary structures. Furthermore, as proposed for the described model, the elastic bilinear behavior assigned to MPS allows coherent prediction of stresses and displacements results, being a good representation for this suture overall behavior.

  18. Hydrodynamic analysis of floating platform for special purposes under complex water environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Guang-ying; Yao, Yun-long

    2018-03-01

    This article studied a new floating offshore platform for special purposes, which was assembled by standard floating modules. By using ANSYS AQWA software, the hydrodynamic model of the platform was established. The time history responses of the platform motions and the cable tension forces were calculate under complex water environments, such as wind, wave, current and mooring. The results showed that the tension of the four cables are far less than the breaking tension of the cable, so that the cable will not break. This study can be referenced by the relevant researchers and engineers.

  19. Development of a NanoBioAnalytical platform for "on-chip" qualification and quantification of platelet-derived microparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obeid, Sameh; Ceroi, Adam; Mourey, Guillaume; Saas, Philippe; Elie-Caille, Celine; Boireau, Wilfrid

    2017-07-15

    Blood microparticles (MPs) are small membrane vesicles (50-1000nm), derived from different cell types. They are known to play important roles in various biological processes and also recognized as potential biomarkers of various health disorders. Different methods are currently used for the detection and characterization of MPs, but none of these methods is capable to quantify and qualify total MPs at the same time, hence, there is a need to develop a new approach for simultaneous detection, characterization and quantification of microparticles. Here we show the potential of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) method coupled to atomic force microscopy (AFM) to quantify and qualify platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs), on the whole nano-to micro-meter scale. The different subpopulations of microparticles could be determined via their capture onto the surface using specific ligands. In order to verify the correlation between the capture level and the microparticles concentration in solution, two calibration standards were used: Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) and synthetic beads with a mean diameter of 53nm and 920nm respectively. The AFM analysis of the biochip surface allowed metrological analysis of captured PMPs and revealed that more than 95% of PMPs were smaller than 300nm. Our results suggest that our NanoBioAnalytical platform, combining SPR and AFM, is a suitable method for a sensitive, reproducible, label-free characterization and quantification of MPs over a wide concentration range (≈10 7 to 10 12 particles/mL; with a limit of detection (LOD) in the lowest ng/µL range) which matches with their typical concentrations in blood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. The metabolic and temporal basis of muscle hypertrophy in response to resistance exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brook, Matthew S; Wilkinson, Daniel J; Smith, Kenneth; Atherton, Philip J

    2016-09-01

    Constituting ∼40% of body mass, skeletal muscle has essential locomotory and metabolic functions. As such, an insight into the control of muscle mass is of great importance for maintaining health and quality-of-life into older age, under conditions of cachectic disease and with rehabilitation. In healthy weight-bearing individuals, muscle mass is maintained by the equilibrium between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown; when this balance tips in favour of MPS hypertrophy occurs. Despite considerable research into pharmacological/nutraceutical interventions, resistance exercise training (RE-T) remains the most potent stimulator of MPS and hypertrophy (in the majority of individuals). However, the mechanism(s) and time course of hypertrophic responses to RE-T remain poorly understood. We would suggest that available data are very much in favour of the notion that the majority of hypertrophy occurs in the early phases of RE-T (though still controversial to some) and that, for the most part, continued gains are hard to come by. Whilst the mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy represent the culmination of mechanical, auto/paracrine and endocrine events, the measurement of MPS remains a cornerstone for understanding the control of hypertrophy - mainly because it is the underlying driving force behind skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Development of sophisticated isotopic techniques (i.e. deuterium oxide) that lend to longer term insight into the control of hypertrophy by sustained RE-T will be paramount in providing insights into the metabolic and temporal regulation of hypertrophy. Such technologies will have broad application in muscle mass intervention for both athletes and for mitigating disease/age-related cachexia and sarcopenia, alike.

  1. 75 FR 47798 - Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services-Special Demonstration Programs-Model...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-09

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services--Special... of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of final... for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services establishes a priority under the Special...

  2. 75 FR 14582 - Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services-Special Demonstration Programs-Model...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services--Special... of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed... for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services proposes a priority under the Special Demonstration...

  3. Principles and applications of force spectroscopy using atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Young Kyu; Kim, Woong; Park, Joon Won [Dept. of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    Single-molecule force spectroscopy is a powerful technique for addressing single molecules. Unseen structures and dynamics of molecules have been elucidated using force spectroscopy. Atomic force microscope (AFM)-based force spectroscopy studies have provided picoNewton force resolution, subnanometer spatial resolution, stiffness of substrates, elasticity of polymers, and thermodynamics and kinetics of single-molecular interactions. In addition, AFM has enabled mapping the distribution of individual molecules in situ, and the quantification of single molecules has been made possible without modification or labeling. In this review, we describe the basic principles, sample preparation, data analysis, and applications of AFM-based force spectroscopy and its future.

  4. A quadruple-scanning-probe force microscope for electrical property measurements of microscopic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higuchi, Seiji; Kubo, Osamu; Kuramochi, Hiromi; Aono, Masakazu; Nakayama, Tomonobu

    2011-01-01

    Four-terminal electrical measurement is realized on a microscopic structure in air, without a lithographic process, using a home-built quadruple-scanning-probe force microscope (QSPFM). The QSPFM has four probes whose positions are individually controlled by obtaining images of a sample in the manner of atomic force microscopy (AFM), and uses the probes as contacting electrodes for electrical measurements. A specially arranged tuning fork probe (TFP) is used as a self-detection force sensor to operate each probe in a frequency modulation AFM mode, resulting in simultaneous imaging of the same microscopic feature on an insulator using the four TFPs. Four-terminal electrical measurement is then demonstrated in air by placing each probe electrode in contact with a graphene flake exfoliated on a silicon dioxide film, and the sheet resistance of the flake is measured by the van der Pauw method. The present work shows that the QSPFM has the potential to measure the intrinsic electrical properties of a wide range of microscopic materials in situ without electrode fabrication.

  5. Three-nucleon forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sauer, P.U.

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, the role of three-nucleon forces in ab initio calculations of nuclear systems is investigated. The difference between genuine and induced many-nucleon forces is emphasized. Induced forces arise in the process of solving the nuclear many-body problem as technical intermediaries toward calculationally converged results. Genuine forces make up the Hamiltonian. They represent the chosen underlying dynamics. The hierarchy of contributions arising from genuine two-, three- and many-nucleon forces is discussed. Signals for the need of the inclusion of genuine three-nucleon forces are studied in nuclear systems, technically best under control, especially in three-nucleon and four-nucleon systems. Genuine three-nucleon forces are important for details in the description of some observables. Their contributions to observables are small on the scale set by two-nucleon forces. (author)

  6. Other Special Waste

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brogaard, Line Kai-Sørensen; Christensen, Thomas Højlund

    2011-01-01

    In addition to the main types of special waste related to municipal solid waste (MSW) mentioned in the previous chapters (health care risk waste, WEEE, impregnated wood, hazardous waste) a range of other fractions of waste have in some countries been defined as special waste that must be handled...... separately from MSW. Some of these other special wastes are briefly described in this chapter with respect to their definition, quantity and composition, and management options. The special wastes mentioned here are batteries, tires, polyvinylchloride (PVC) and food waste....

  7. Clinical and laboratorial study of 19 cases of mucopolysaccharidoses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Albano Lilian M. J.

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS are a heterogeneous group of inborn errors of lysosomal glycosaminoglycan (GAG metabolism. The importance of this group of disorders among the inborn errors of metabolism led us to report 19 cases. METHOD: We performed clinical, radiological, and biochemical evaluations of the suspected patients, which allowed us to establish a definite diagnosis in 19 cases. RESULTS: Not all patients showed increased GAG levels in urine; enzyme assays should be performed in all cases with strong clinical suspicion. The diagnosis was made on average at the age of 48 months, and the 19 MPS cases, after a full clinical, radiological, and biochemical study, were classified as follows: Hurler -- MPS I (1 case; Hunter -- MPS II (2 cases; Sanfilippo -- MPS III (2 cases; Morquio -- MPS IV (4 cases; Maroteaux-Lamy -- MPS VI (9 cases; and Sly -- MPS VII (1 case. DISCUSSION: The high relative frequency of Maroteaux-Lamy disease contrasts with most reports in the literature and could express a population variability.

  8. Microplastics in gut contents of coastal freshwater fish from Río de la Plata estuary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pazos, Rocío S; Maiztegui, Tomás; Colautti, Darío C; Paracampo, Ariel H; Gómez, Nora

    2017-09-15

    The presence of microplastics (MPs) in gut contents of coastal freshwater fish of the Rio de la Plata estuary was studied. Samples were taken in six sites where 87 fish belonging to 11 species and four feeding habits were captured. Presence of MPs was verified in the 100% of fish. The fibres represented the 96% of MPs found. The number of MPs in gut contents was significantly higher close to sewage discharge. There was not found relationship between number of MPs and fish length, weight or feeding habit. The spatial differences in mean number of MPs in fish observed in this study, suggest that environmental availability of MPs could be of great importance to explain the differences found among sampling sites analysed. This work represents the first study about the interaction between MPs and aquatic organisms in this important estuarine ecosystem of South America. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Uncertainties in forces extracted from non-contact atomic force microscopy measurements by fitting of long-range background forces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Sweetman

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In principle, non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM now readily allows for the measurement of forces with sub-nanonewton precision on the atomic scale. In practice, however, the extraction of the often desired ‘short-range’ force from the experimental observable (frequency shift is often far from trivial. In most cases there is a significant contribution to the total tip–sample force due to non-site-specific van der Waals and electrostatic forces. Typically, the contribution from these forces must be removed before the results of the experiment can be successfully interpreted, often by comparison to density functional theory calculations. In this paper we compare the ‘on-minus-off’ method for extracting site-specific forces to a commonly used extrapolation method modelling the long-range forces using a simple power law. By examining the behaviour of the fitting method in the case of two radically different interaction potentials we show that significant uncertainties in the final extracted forces may result from use of the extrapolation method.

  10. Theoretical physics 4 special theory of relativity

    CERN Document Server

    Nolting, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    This concise textbook offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to special relativity, one of the core components of undergraduate physics courses. It follows on naturally from the previous volumes in this series, thus developing the relativistic expansion of classical mechanics and electrodynamics. The first part of the book introduces Lorentz transformations, time dilation, length contraction and Minkowski diagrams. More complex themes are covered in the second part of the book, which describes the four-dimensional covariant formulation for classical mechanics and electrodynamics, including discussion of Maxwell’s equations, the Lorentz force and the covariant Lagrangian formulation. Ideally suited to undergraduate students with some grounding in classical mechanics and electrodynamics, the book is enhanced throughout with learning features such as boxed inserts and chapter summaries, with key mathematical derivations highlighted to aid understanding. The text is supported by numerous worked examples ...

  11. Information literacy instruction in special libraries: the situation in the year 2010 in comparison with the year 2002

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uršula Tarfila

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of the research was to explore if information literacy instruction of Slovenian special library users has been improved since the last study in the year 2002,and if so, in which directions.Methodology/approach: Web-based survey was used to collect data from special libraries;the results were then compared with the findings of the survey carried out in 2002.Results: The results show that information literacy instruction of special library users has remained more or less unchanged. In the 2010 survey included special librarians are aware of the importance of developing information literacy but they are restricted by work overload, lack of resources and time, or are unskilled to perform this activity.As compared to the year 2002, a noticeable change has been observed only in the higher level of co-operation between special libraries and departments of their parent organizations.Research limitation: The sample size of both studies was not even, for advanced understanding of some results additional research methods should be used.Originality/practical implications: The study should stimulate special libraries to make a step forward in developing user instruction. However, information literacy is a core skill of the active working population and the driving force of innovation and competitiveness of the parent organization.

  12. Impact of sample processing on the measurement of circulating microparticles: storage and centrifugation parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vila-Liante, Virtudes; Sánchez-López, Verónica; Martínez-Sales, Vicenta; Ramón-Nuñez, Luis A; Arellano-Orden, Elena; Cano-Ruiz, Alejandra; Rodríguez-Martorell, Francisco J; Gao, Lin; Otero-Candelera, Remedios

    2016-11-01

    Microparticles (MPs) have been shown to be markers of cellular activation and interactions. Pre-analytical conditions such as the centrifugation protocol and sample storage conditions represent an important source of variability in determining MPs values. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of sample storage conditions and centrifugation speed and temperature on the determination of MPs in plasma. Citrate-anticoagulated blood samples obtained from 21 healthy subjects were centrifuged under four different protocols involving different speeds (2500 g or 1500 g) and temperatures (4 °C or 20 °C) to isolate platelet-poor plasma (PPP). The number of MPs in fresh and frozen-thawed PPP were analyzed by flow cytometry, and MPs-mediated procoagulant activity was determined by a thrombin generation test and phospholipid-dependent procoagulant tests. The number of MPs and their procoagulant activity were affected by freeze-thaw cycling and centrifugation speed but not by centrifugation temperature. Sample freezing increased MPs number (six-fold) and thrombin generation (four-fold), and decreased clotting time (two-fold). Low centrifugation speed caused an increase in MPs number and a parallel increase in MP-mediated procoagulant activity. Sample storage conditions and centrifugation speed are important processing conditions affecting MPs number and activity. Before any study, the protocol for MPs isolation should be optimized to ensure a reliable characterization of MPs, which could provide important information for diagnostic purposes and for understanding the pathogenesis of diseases.

  13. Bond dimension witnesses and the structure of homogeneous matrix product states

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Navascues

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available For the past twenty years, Matrix Product States (MPS have been widely used in solid state physics to approximate the ground state of one-dimensional spin chains. In this paper, we study homogeneous MPS (hMPS, or MPS constructed via site-independent tensors and a boundary condition. Exploiting a connection with the theory of matrix algebras, we derive two structural properties shared by all hMPS, namely: a there exist local operators which annihilate all hMPS of a given bond dimension; and b there exist local operators which, when applied over any hMPS of a given bond dimension, decouple (cut the particles where they act from the spin chain while at the same time join (glue the two loose ends back again into a hMPS. Armed with these tools, we show how to systematically derive `bond dimension witnesses', or 2-local operators whose expectation value allows us to lower bound the bond dimension of the underlying hMPS. We extend some of these results to the ansatz of Projected Entangled Pairs States (PEPS. As a bonus, we use our insight on the structure of hMPS to: a derive some theoretical limitations on the use of hMPS and hPEPS for ground state energy computations; b show how to decrease the complexity and boost the speed of convergence of the semidefinite programming hierarchies described in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 020501 (2015] for the characterization of finite-dimensional quantum correlations.

  14. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in Germany in 2009: utilization and state of the practice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lindner, Oliver; Burchert, Wolfgang [University Hospital of the Ruhr University Bochum, Institute of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Heart and Diabetes Centre North Rhine-Westphalia, Bad Oeynhausen (Germany); Bengel, Frank M. [Hanover University School of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hannover (Germany); Zimmermann, Rainer [Klinikum Pforzheim GmbH, Cardiology Department, Pforzheim (Germany); Dahl, Juergen vom [Kliniken Maria Hilf GmbH, Cardiology Department, Moenchengladbach (Germany); Schaefers, Michael [Westfaelische Wilhelms Universitaet Muenster, European Institute of Molecular Imaging, Muenster (Germany)

    2011-08-15

    Since 2006, the working group Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine of the German Society of Nuclear Medicine, in cooperation with the working group Nuclear Cardiology of the German Cardiac Society, has been surveying the utilization and technical realization of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in Germany. This paper presents the results of the reporting year 2009. A total of 291 centres participated in the inquiry, including 179 private practices (PP), 86 hospitals (HO) and 26 university hospitals (UH). MPS of 98,103 patients were reported. The MPS numbers per million population (pmp) were estimated at 2,360; 76% of the MPS were performed in PP, 17% in HO and 7% in UH. The ratio of MPS to coronary angiography to revascularization was 0.5 to 2.3 to 1. Data from 134 centres which participated in the surveys from 2005 to 2009 showed a decrease in MPS utilization of 2.2%. Nearly half of the MPS were requested by ambulatory care cardiologists. Of all MPS studies, 89% were conducted with {sup 99m}Tc perfusion tracers. Ergometry was the preferred stress test (69%). Adenosine was used in 16%, adenosine + exercise in 7%, dipyridamole in 3%, dipyridamole + exercise in 5% and dobutamine in <1%. Gated single proton emission computed tomography (SPECT) acquisition was performed in 56% of all rest MPS and in 56% of all stress MPS. Both rest and stress MPS were ECG gated in 41%. Only 33% of the centres always performed a quantification of the perfusion studies, whereas 51% did not apply any quantification; 4% of the MPS studies were corrected for attenuation, and 17 centres used transmission sources of 12 CT-based systems. A scan activity of 2,380 MPS pmp is in the upper third of the European range. The ratios to coronary angiography and to revascularization suggest that angiography dominates diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease (CAD). The clinical and technical realizations reveal that the predominant goals of further trainings to optimize MPS are in the field

  15. Parliamentary privilege--mortality in members of the Houses of Parliament compared with the UK general population: retrospective cohort analysis, 1945-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennis, John; Crayford, Tim

    2015-12-14

    To examine mortality in members of the two UK Houses of Parliament compared with the general population, 1945-2011. Retrospective cohort analysis of death rates and predictors of mortality in Members of Parliament (MPs) and members of the House of Lords (Lords). UK. 4950 MPs and Lords first joining the UK parliament in 1945-2011. Standardised mortality ratios, comparing all cause death rates of MPs and Lords from first election or appointment with those in the age, sex, and calendar year matched general population. Between 1945 and 2011, mortality was lower in MPs (standardised mortality ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.67 to 0.76) and Lords (0.63, 0.60 to 0.67) than in the general population. Over the same period, death rates among MPs also improved more quickly than in the general population. For every 100 expected deaths, 22 fewer deaths occurred among MPs first elected in 1990-99 compared with MPs first elected in 1945-49. Labour party MPs had 19% higher death rates compared with the general population than did Conservative MPs (relative mortality ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.40). The effect of political party on mortality disappeared when controlling for education level. From 1945 to 2011, MPs and Lords experienced lower mortality than the UK general population, and, at least until 1999, the mortality gap between newly elected MPs and the general population widened. Even among MPs, educational background was an important predictor of mortality, and education possibly explains much of the mortality difference between Labour and Conservative MPs. Social inequalities are alive and well in UK parliamentarians, and at least in terms of mortality, MPs are likely to have never had it so good. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  16. Myocardial perfusion SPECT 2015 in Germany. Results of the 7th survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindner, Oliver; Burchert, Wolfgang; Schäfer, Wolfgang; Hacker, Marcus

    2017-02-14

    The working group Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine of the German Society of Nuclear Medicine presents the results of the 7th survey of myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) of the reporting year 2015. 268 questionnaires (173 practices [PR], 67 hospitals [HO], 28 university hospitals [UH]) were evaluated. Results of the last survey from 2012 are set in squared brackets. MPS of 121 939 [105 941] patients were reported. 98 % [95 %] of all MPS were performed with Tc-99m radiopharmaceuticals and 2 % [5 %] with Tl-201. 78 % [79 %] of all patients were studied in PR, 14 % [15 %] in HO, and 8 % [6 %] in UH. A pharmacological stress test was performed in 43 % [39 %] (22 % [24 %] adenosine, 20 % [9 %] regadenoson, 1 % [6 %] dipyridamole or dobutamine). Attenuation correction was applied in 25 % [2009: 10 %] of MPS. Gated SPECT was performed in 78 % [70 %] of all rest MPS, in 80 % [73 %] of all stress and in 76 % [67 %] of all stress and rest MPS. 53 % [33 %] of all nuclear medicine departments performed MPS scoring by default, whereas 24 % [41 %] did not apply any quantification. 31 % [26 %] of all departments noticed an increase in their counted MPS and 29 % [29 %] no changes. Data from 89 departments which participated in all surveys showed an increase in MPS count of 11.1 % (PR: 12.2 %, HO: 4.8 %, UH: 18.4 %). 70 % [60 %] of the MPS were requested by ambulatory care cardiologists. The 2015 MPS survey reveals a high-grade adherence of routine MPS practice to current guidelines. The positive trend in MPS performance and number of MPS already observed in 2012 continues. Educational training remains necessary in the field of SPECT scoring.

  17. Force modulation for improved conductive-mode atomic force microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koelmans, W.W.; Sebastian, Abu; Despont, Michel; Pozidis, Haris

    We present an improved conductive-mode atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) method by modulating the applied loading force on the tip. Unreliable electrical contact and tip wear are the primary challenges for electrical characterization at the nanometer scale. The experiments show that force modulation

  18. Analysis of ultrasonically rotating droplet using moving particle semi-implicit and distributed point source methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wada, Yuji; Yuge, Kohei; Tanaka, Hiroki; Nakamura, Kentaro

    2016-07-01

    Numerical analysis of the rotation of an ultrasonically levitated droplet with a free surface boundary is discussed. The ultrasonically levitated droplet is often reported to rotate owing to the surface tangential component of acoustic radiation force. To observe the torque from an acoustic wave and clarify the mechanism underlying the phenomena, it is effective to take advantage of numerical simulation using the distributed point source method (DPSM) and moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method, both of which do not require a calculation grid or mesh. In this paper, the numerical treatment of the viscoacoustic torque, which emerges from the viscous boundary layer and governs the acoustical droplet rotation, is discussed. The Reynolds stress traction force is calculated from the DPSM result using the idea of effective normal particle velocity through the boundary layer and input to the MPS surface particles. A droplet levitated in an acoustic chamber is simulated using the proposed calculation method. The droplet is vertically supported by a plane standing wave from an ultrasonic driver and subjected to a rotating sound field excited by two acoustic sources on the side wall with different phases. The rotation of the droplet is successfully reproduced numerically and its acceleration is discussed and compared with those in the literature.

  19. Forging Norwegian Special Operation Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    comparison of the two units’ cultures we therefore needed another tool. The only viable option was to use a more quantitative method, namely to analyze...disagree a great deal more with the claim that there is good communication in FS. In the search to find quantitative answers to what should be...believes that he or she can have a positive impact. Alle mener at de kan ha en positiv innvirkning. 5 Involvement Empowerment Planning is ongoing and

  20. Special Operations Forces: Looking Forward

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Shelton, Henry

    1998-01-01

    The article introduces the United States as the sole superpower. As such the U.S. is obligated to assist other countries in need or threatened by adversaries, as long as it's in our national interests. Future U.S...

  1. Quantum fictitious forces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bialynicki-Birula, I; Cirone, M.A.; Dahl, Jens Peder

    2002-01-01

    We present Heisenberg's equation of motion for the radial variable of a free non-relativistic particle in D dimensions. The resulting radial force consists of three contributions: (i) the quantum fictitious force which is either attractive or repulsive depending on the number of dimensions, (ii......) a singular quantum force located at the origin, and (iii) the centrifugal force associated with non-vanishing angular momentum. Moreover, we use Heisenberg's uncertainty relation to introduce a lower bound for the kinetic energy of an ensemble of neutral particles. This bound is quadratic in the number...... of atoms and can be traced back to the repulsive quantum fictitious potential. All three forces arise for a free particle: "Force without force"....

  2. Biomedical Application of Low Molecular Weight Heparin/Protamine Nano/Micro Particles as Cell- and Growth Factor-Carriers and Coating Matrix

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masayuki Ishihara

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH/protamine (P nano/micro particles (N/MPs (LMWH/P N/MPs were applied as carriers for heparin-binding growth factors (GFs and for adhesive cells including adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs. A mixture of LMWH and P yields a dispersion of N/MPs (100 nm–3 μm in diameter. LMWH/P N/MPs can be immobilized onto cell surfaces or extracellular matrix, control the release, activate GFs and protect various GFs. Furthermore, LMWH/P N/MPs can also bind to adhesive cell surfaces, inducing cells and LMWH/P N/MPs-aggregate formation. Those aggregates substantially promoted cellular viability, and induced vascularization and fibrous tissue formation in vivo. The LMWH/P N/MPs, in combination with ADSCs or BMSCs, are effective cell-carriers and are potential promising novel therapeutic agents for inducing vascularization and fibrous tissue formation in ischemic disease by transplantation of the ADSCs and LMWH/P N/MPs-aggregates. LMWH/P N/MPs can also bind to tissue culture plates and adsorb exogenous GFs or GFs from those cells. The LMWH/P N/MPs-coated matrix in the presence of GFs may provide novel biomaterials that can control cellular activity such as growth and differentiation. Furthermore, three-dimensional (3D cultures of cells including ADSCs and BMSCs using plasma-medium gel with LMWH/P N/MPs exhibited efficient cell proliferation. Thus, LMWH/P N/MPs are an adequate carrier both for GFs and for stromal cells such as ADSCs and BMSCs, and are a functional coating matrix for their cultures.

  3. Production and biological activities of yellow pigments from Monascus fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Gong; Wu, Zhenqiang

    2016-08-01

    Monascus yellow pigments (MYPs), are azaphilone compounds and one of the three main components of total Monascus pigments (MPs). Thirty-five hydrophilic or hydrophobic MYPs have been identified, with the majority being hydrophobic. Apart from screening special Monascus strains, some advanced approaches, such as extractive and high-cell-density fermentations, have been applied for developing or producing new MYPs, especially extracellular hydrophilic MYPs. The outstanding performance of MYPs in terms of resistance to photodegradation, as well as tolerance for temperature and pH, give natural MYPs reasonable prospects, compared with the orange and red MPs, for practical use in the present and future. Meanwhile, MYPs have shown promising potential for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries based on their described bioactivities. This review briefly summarizes the reports to date on chemical structures, biological activities, biosynthetic pathways, production technologies, and physicochemical performances of MYPs. The existing problems for MYPs are discussed and research prospects proposed.

  4. Probing Structural and Catalytic Characteristics of Galactose Oxidase Confined in Nanoscale Chemical Environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ikemoto, Hideki; Mossin, Susanne; Ulstrup, Jens

    2014-01-01

    Galactose oxidase (GAOX) is a special metalloenzyme in terms of its active site structure and catalytic mechanisms. This work reports a study where the enzyme confined in a nanoscale chemical environment provided by mesoporous silicas (MPS) is probed. Two types of MPS, i.e. SBA-15 and MCF, were...... synthesized and used to accommodate GAOX. SBA-15-ROD is rod-shaped particles with periodically ordered nanopores (9.5 nm), while MCF has a mesocellular foam-like structure with randomly distributed pores (23 nm) interconnected by smaller windows (8.8 nm). GAOX is non-covalently confined in SBA-15- ROD, while...... it is covalently immobilized in MCF. Relatively high loadings in the range of 50–60 mg g1 are achieved. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy is used to probe the active site structures of the enzyme. The similar ESR spectra observed for GAOX in the free and immobilized states support that the electronic...

  5. Magnetic particles for in vitro molecular diagnosis: From sample preparation to integration into microsystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tangchaikeeree, Tienrat; Polpanich, Duangporn; Elaissari, Abdelhamid; Jangpatarapongsa, Kulachart

    2017-10-01

    Colloidal magnetic particles (MPs) have been developed in association with molecular diagnosis for several decades. MPs have the great advantage of easy manipulation using a magnet. In nucleic acid detection, these particles can act as a capture support for rapid and simple biomolecule separation. The surfaces of MPs can be modified by coating with various polymer materials to provide functionalization for different applications. The use of MPs enhances the sensitivity and specificity of detection due to the specific activity on the surface of the particles. Practical applications of MPs demonstrate greater efficiency than conventional methods. Beyond traditional detection, MPs have been successfully adopted as a smart carrier in microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip biosensors. The versatility of MPs has enabled their integration into small single detection units. MPs-based biosensors can facilitate rapid and highly sensitive detection of very small amounts of a sample. In this review, the application of MPs to the detection of nucleic acids, from sample preparation to analytical readout systems, is described. State-of-the-art integrated microsystems containing microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip biosensors for the nucleic acid detection are also addressed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Measurement of the force on microparticles in a beam of energetic ions and neutral atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trottenberg, Thomas; Schneider, Viktor; Kersten, Holger

    2010-01-01

    The force on microparticles in an energetic ion beam is investigated experimentally. Hollow glass microspheres are injected into the vertically upward directed beam and their trajectories are recorded with a charge-coupled device camera. The net force on the particles is determined by means of the measured vertical acceleration. The resulting beam pressures are compared with Faraday cup measurements of the ion current density and calorimetric measurements of the beam power density. Due to the neutral gas background, the beam consists, besides the ions, of energetic neutral atoms produced by charge-exchange collisions. It is found that the measured composition of the drag force by an ion and a neutral atom component agrees with a beam model that takes charge-exchange collisions into account. Special attention is paid to the momentum contribution from sputtered atoms, which is shown to be negligible in this experiment, but should become measurable in case of materials with high sputtering yields.

  7. Principals' and Special Education Teachers' Perceptions of Special Education Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mott, Japhia

    2013-01-01

    This explanatory mixed methods study focuses on the perceptions of principals and special education teachers about special education teachers' roles and responsibilities. An online survey was conducted with 11 principals and 41 special education teachers (Resource Specialists and Special Day Class teachers). Independent semi-structured interviews…

  8. Partnership for the Revitalization of National Wind Tunnel Force Measurement Capability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhew, Ray D.; Skelley, Marcus L.; Woike, Mark R.; Bader, Jon B.; Marshall, Timothy J.

    2009-01-01

    Lack of funding and lack of focus on research over the past several years, coupled with force measurement capabilities being decentralized and distributed across the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research centers, has resulted in a significant erosion of (1) capability and infrastructure to produce and calibrate force measurement systems; (2) NASA s working knowledge of those systems; and (3) the quantity of high-quality, full-capability force measurement systems available for use in aeronautics testing. Simultaneously, and at proportional rates, the capability of industry to design, manufacture, and calibrate these test instruments has been eroding primarily because of a lack of investment by the aeronautics community. Technical expertise in this technology area is a core competency in aeronautics testing; it is highly specialized and experience-based, and it represents a niche market for only a few small precision instrument shops in the United States. With this backdrop, NASA s Aeronautics Test Program (ATP) chartered a team to examine the issues and risks associated with the problem, focusing specifically on strain- gage balances. The team partnered with the U.S. Air Force s Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) to exploit their combined capabilities and take a national level government view of the problem. This paper describes the team s approach, its findings, and its recommendations, and the current status for revitalizing the government s balance capability with respect to designing, fabricating, calibrating, and using the instruments.

  9. Special Spiritual Connections: Chaplain Deployments With Special Operations Forces

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-01

    appropriateness of donations could prove unreliable. For example, Ch. Saunders was able to procure the gifted Qurans, but was generally not...17 Gifts and Aid...leaders to engage, inter-religious dialogue, trust building, distribution of gifts and aid, and empowerment of local leaders. By utilizing chaplains

  10. Specialized Police-Based Mental Health Crisis Response: The First 10 Years of Colorado's Crisis Intervention Team Implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalsa, Hari-Mandir K; Denes, Attila C; M Pasini-Hill, Diane; Santelli, Jeffrey C; Baldessarini, Ross J

    2018-02-01

    This study examined the implementation of crisis intervention teams by law enforcement agencies in Colorado. Rates of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) use, arrests, use of force, and injuries were assessed during 6,353 incidents involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Relationships among original complaint, psychiatric illness, substance abuse, violence risk, and disposition of crisis calls were analyzed. Rates of SWAT use (<1%), injuries (<1%), arrests (<5%), and use of force (<5%) were low. The relative risk of transfer to treatment (versus no transfer) was significantly higher for incidents involving psychiatric illness, suicide threat or attempt, weapons, substance abuse, and violence potential. Use of force or SWAT, arrests, and injuries were infrequent. Suicide risk, psychiatric illness and substance abuse, even in the presence of a weapon or violence threat, increased the odds of transfer to treatment, whereas suicide risk lowered the odds of transfer to jail.

  11. Going deeper into phosphorus adsorbents for lake restoration: Combined effects of magnetic particles, intraspecific competition and habitat heterogeneity pressure on Daphnia magna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Arco, Ana; Parra, Gema; de Vicente, Inmaculada

    2018-02-01

    Aquatic population responses to chemical exposure may be exacerbated by intraspecific competition pressures, being also shaped by habitat heterogeneity. Magnetic particles (MPs) have been recently proposed as promising phosphorus (P) adsorbents for lake restoration. This study focuses on assessing the effects of MPs on the abundance of the crustacean Daphnia magna under different levels of both intraspecific competition pressure and habitat heterogeneity. The experimental design consisted of two experiments (in homogeneous and heterogeneous habitats) done in glass jars with four concentrations of MPs: controls of 0g MPsL -1 , and treatments of 1, 1.5 and 2g MPsL -1 . In addition, competition treatments were established by using different population densities, and hence, no competition (C), low (L) and high (H) competition pressures were simulated. The experiments lasted for 7 days, with a 4-day pre-exposure period, in which competition was all allowed to take place, and a 3-day post-exposure period. Twenty-four hours after adding MPs, the MPs were removed by applying a magnetic separation technique. The results showed that competition pressures occurred and significantly reduced population abundances during the pre-exposure period. During the post-exposure period, the combined effects of competition and MPs were detected in both homogeneous (Ho-) and heterogeneous (He-) habitat experiments, showing a significantly drastic reduction in abundances. In fact, the lethal concentration for 50% of the population (LC 50 - 24h) was 0 and 0.16g MPsL -1 in the Ho- and He-experiments respectively, indicating that the addition and especially the removal of MPs cause extreme mortality. These results indicated that even though competition plays a role in shaping populations, its influence was down-weighted by the stronger pressures of MPs. In addition, as no significant differences between homogeneous and heterogeneous habitats were found, we may state that the refuge offered was

  12. Structure and strength at the bonding interface of a titanium-segmented polyurethane composite through 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate for artificial organs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakamoto, Harumi; Doi, Hisashi; Kobayashi, Equo; Yoneyama, Takayuki; Suzuki, Yoshiaki; Hanawa, Takao

    2007-07-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the structure and strength at the bonding interface of a titanium (Ti)-segmented polyurethane (SPU) composite through (3-trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (gamma-MPS) for artificial organs. The effects of the thickness of the gamma-MPS layer on the shear bonding strength between Ti and SPU were investigated. Ti disks were immersed in various concentrations of gamma-MPS solutions for several immersion times. The depth profiles of elements and the thickness of the gamma-MPS layer were determined by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy and ellipsometry, respectively. The bonding stress at the Ti/gamma-MPS/SPU interface was evaluated with a shear bonding test. Furthermore, the fractured surface of a Ti-SPU composite was observed by optical microscopy and characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Consequently, the thickness of the gamma-MPS layer was controlled by the concentration of the gamma-MPS solution and immersion time. The shear bonding stress at the interface increased with the increase of the thickness of the gamma-MPS layer. Therefore, the control of the thickness of the gamma-MPS layer is significant to increase the shear bonding stress at the Ti/gamma-MPS/SPU interface. These results are significant to create composites for artificial organs consisting of other metals and polymers. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Cancer cell–derived microparticles bearing P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 accelerate thrombus formation in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Grace M.; Panicot-Dubois, Laurence; Lacroix, Romaric; Dignat-George, Françoise; Lombardo, Dominique

    2009-01-01

    Recent publications have demonstrated the presence of tissue factor (TF)–bearing microparticles (MPs) in the blood of patients suffering from cancer. However, whether these MPs are involved in thrombosis remains unknown. We show that pancreatic and lung cancer cells produce MPs that express active TF and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1). Cancer cell–derived MPs aggregate platelets via a TF-dependent pathway. In vivo, cancer cell–derived MPs, but not their parent cells, infused into a living mouse accumulate at the site of injury and reduce tail bleeding time and the time to occlusion of venules and arterioles. This thrombotic state is also observed in mice developing tumors. In such mice, the amount of circulating platelet-, endothelial cell–, and cancer cell–derived MPs is increased. Endogenous cancer cell–derived MPs shed from the growing tumor are able to accumulate at the site of injury. Infusion of a blocking P-selectin antibody abolishes the thrombotic state observed after injection of MPs or in mice developing a tumor. Collectively, our results indicate that cancer cell–derived MPs bearing PSGL-1 and TF play a key role in thrombus formation in vivo. Targeting these MPs could be of clinical interest in the prevention of thrombosis and to limit formation of metastasis in cancer patients. PMID:19667060

  14. Entropic force, noncommutative gravity, and ungravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nicolini, Piero

    2010-01-01

    After recalling the basic concepts of gravity as an emergent phenomenon, we analyze the recent derivation of Newton's law in terms of entropic force proposed by Verlinde. By reviewing some points of the procedure, we extend it to the case of a generic quantum gravity entropic correction to get compelling deviations to the Newton's law. More specifically, we study: (1) noncommutative geometry deviations and (2) ungraviton corrections. As a special result in the noncommutative case, we find that the noncommutative character of the manifold would be equivalent to the temperature of a thermodynamic system. Therefore, in analogy to the zero temperature configuration, the description of spacetime in terms of a differential manifold could be obtained only asymptotically. Finally, we extend the Verlinde's derivation to a general case, which includes all possible effects, noncommutativity, ungravity, asymptotically safe gravity, electrostatic energy, and extra dimensions, showing that the procedure is solid versus such modifications.

  15. Quantitative study of FORC diagrams in thermally corrected Stoner– Wohlfarth nanoparticles systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Biasi, E.; Curiale, J.; Zysler, R.D.

    2016-01-01

    The use of FORC diagrams is becoming increasingly popular among researchers devoted to magnetism and magnetic materials. However, a thorough interpretation of this kind of diagrams, in order to achieve quantitative information, requires an appropriate model of the studied system. For that reason most of the FORC studies are used for a qualitative analysis. In magnetic systems thermal fluctuations 'blur' the signatures of the anisotropy, volume and particle interactions distributions, therefore thermal effects in nanoparticles systems conspire against a proper interpretation and analysis of these diagrams. Motivated by this fact, we have quantitatively studied the degree of accuracy of the information extracted from FORC diagrams for the special case of single-domain thermal corrected Stoner– Wohlfarth (easy axes along the external field orientation) nanoparticles systems. In this work, the starting point is an analytical model that describes the behavior of a magnetic nanoparticles system as a function of field, anisotropy, temperature and measurement time. In order to study the quantitative degree of accuracy of our model, we built FORC diagrams for different archetypical cases of magnetic nanoparticles. Our results show that from the quantitative information obtained from the diagrams, under the hypotheses of the proposed model, is possible to recover the features of the original system with accuracy above 95%. This accuracy is improved at low temperatures and also it is possible to access to the anisotropy distribution directly from the FORC coercive field profile. Indeed, our simulations predict that the volume distribution plays a secondary role being the mean value and its deviation the only important parameters. Therefore it is possible to obtain an accurate result for the inversion and interaction fields despite the features of the volume distribution. - Highlights: • Quantify the degree of accuracy of the information obtained using the FORC diagrams.

  16. Effects of chronic anthropogenic disturbance and rainfall on the specialization of ant-plant mutualistic networks in the Caatinga, a Brazilian dry forest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Câmara, Talita; Leal, Inara R; Blüthgen, Nico; Oliveira, Fernanda M P; Queiroz, Rubens T de; Arnan, Xavier

    2018-03-05

    Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change might negatively affect the ecosystem services provided by mutualistic networks. However, the effects of such forces remain poorly characterized. They may be especially important in dry forests, which (1) experience chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CADs) as human populations exploit forest resources, and (2) are predicted to face a 22% decline in rainfall under climate change. In this study, we investigated the separate and combined effects of CADs and rainfall levels on the specialization of mutualistic networks in the Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest typical of north-eastern Brazil. More specifically, we examined interactions between plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and ants. We analysed whether differences in network specialization could arise from environmentally mediated variation in the species composition, namely via the replacement of specialist by generalist species. We characterized these ant-plant networks in 15 plots (20 × 20 m) that varied in CAD intensity and mean annual rainfall. We quantified CAD intensity by calculating three indices related to the main sources of disturbance in the Caatinga: livestock grazing (LG), wood extraction (WE) and miscellaneous resource use (MU). We determined the degree of ant-plant network specialization using four metrics: generality, vulnerability, interaction evenness and H 2 '. Our results indicate that CADs differentially influenced network specialization: we observed positive, negative, and neutral responses along LG, MU and WE gradients, respectively. The pattern was most pronounced with LG. Rainfall also shaped network specialization, markedly increasing it. While LG and rainfall were associated with changes in network species composition, this trend was not related to the degree of species specialization. This result suggests that shifts in network specialization might be related to changes in species behaviour, not species composition

  17. Interfacial force measurements using atomic force microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chu, L.

    2018-01-01

    Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) can not only image the topography of surfaces at atomic resolution, but can also measure accurately the different interaction forces, like repulsive, adhesive and lateral existing between an AFM tip and the sample surface. Based on AFM, various extended techniques have

  18. Carbon monoxide inhalation increases microparticles causing vascular and CNS dysfunction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Jiajun; Yang, Ming [Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Kosterin, Paul [Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Salzberg, Brian M. [Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Milovanova, Tatyana N.; Bhopale, Veena M. [Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Thom, Stephen R., E-mail: sthom@smail.umaryland.edu [Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States)

    2013-12-01

    We hypothesized that circulating microparticles (MPs) play a role in pro-inflammatory effects associated with carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation. Mice exposed for 1 h to 100 ppm CO or more exhibit increases in circulating MPs derived from a variety of vascular cells as well as neutrophil activation. Tissue injury was quantified as 2000 kDa dextran leakage from vessels and as neutrophil sequestration in the brain and skeletal muscle; and central nervous system nerve dysfunction was documented as broadening of the neurohypophysial action potential (AP). Indices of injury occurred following exposures to 1000 ppm for 1 h or to 1000 ppm for 40 min followed by 3000 ppm for 20 min. MPs were implicated in causing injuries because infusing the surfactant MP lytic agent, polyethylene glycol telomere B (PEGtB) abrogated elevations in MPs, vascular leak, neutrophil sequestration and AP prolongation. These manifestations of tissue injury also did not occur in mice lacking myeloperoxidase. Vascular leakage and AP prolongation were produced in naïve mice infused with MPs that had been obtained from CO poisoned mice, but this did not occur with MPs obtained from control mice. We conclude that CO poisoning triggers elevations of MPs that activate neutrophils which subsequently cause tissue injuries. - Highlights: • Circulating microparticles (MPs) increase in mice exposed to 100 ppm CO or more. • MPs are lysed by infusing the surfactant polyethylene glycol telomere B. • CO-induced MPs cause neutrophil activation, vascular leak and CNS dysfunction. • Similar tissue injuries do not arise with MPs obtained from air-exposed, control mice.

  19. Special energies and special frequencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Endrullis, M.; Englisch, H.

    1987-01-01

    ''Special frequencies'' have been asserted to be zeros of the density of frequencies corresponding to a random chain of coupled oscillators. Our investigation includes both this model and the random one-dimensional Schroedinger operator describing an alloy or its discrete analogue. Using the phase method we exactly determine a bilateral Lifsic asymptotic of the integrated density of states k(E) at special energies G s , which is not only of the classical type exp(-c/vertical strokeE-E s vertical stroke 1/2 ) but also exp(-c'/vertical strokeE-E s vertical stroke) is a typical behaviour. In addition, other asymptotics occur, e.g. vertical strokeE-E c vertical stroke c '', which show that k(E) need not be C ∞ . (orig.)

  20. Force Measurement with a Piezoelectric Cantilever in a Scanning Force Microscope

    OpenAIRE

    Tansock, J.; Williams, C. C.

    1992-01-01

    Detection of surface forces between a tip and sample has been demonstrated with a piezoelectric cantilever in a scanning force microscope (SFM). The use of piezoelectric force sensing is particularly advantageous in semiconductor applications where stray light from conventional optical force-sensing methods can significantly modify the local carrier density. Additionally, the piezoelectric sensors are simple, provide good sensitivity to force, and can be batch fabricated. Our piezoelectric fo...