WorldWideScience

Sample records for pilot species project

  1. 7 CFR 1955.132 - Pilot projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 14 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Pilot projects. 1955.132 Section 1955.132 Agriculture... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Disposal of Inventory Property General § 1955.132 Pilot projects. FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 may conduct pilot projects to test policies and...

  2. Pilot project as enabler?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neisig, Margit; Glimø, Helle; Holm, Catrine Granzow

    This article deals with a systemic perspective on transition. The field of study addressed is a pilot project as enabler of transition in a highly complex polycentric context. From a Luhmannian systemic approach, a framework is created to understand and address barriers of change occurred using...... pilot projects as enabler of transition. Aspects of how to create trust and deal with distrust during a transition are addressed. The transition in focus is the concept of New Public Management and how it is applied in the management of the Employment Service in Denmark. The transition regards...

  3. 7 CFR 1412.48 - Planting Transferability Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Planting Transferability Pilot Project. 1412.48... and Peanuts 2008 through 2012 § 1412.48 Planting Transferability Pilot Project. (a) Notwithstanding § 1412.47, for each of the 2009 and subsequent crop years, the Planting Transferability Pilot Project...

  4. Pilot Project: analysis, development and projection

    OpenAIRE

    Tapia Abril, Verónica Emilia; Chérrez Rodas, Karina; García Pesántez, Gabriela Rosana; Maldonado Marchán, María Elisa; Bustamante Montesdeoca, José Luis

    2014-01-01

    Since the introduction of ICT in architecture and teaching, pedagogies of education have faced their learning paradigms change. Institutes of higher education have folded to this motion and have undergone a process of change by implementing multimedia elements in their subjects. Through the pilot project educational videos that aim to meet the highest standards of educational videos described by Van Dam have been developed. The project expects to generate educational videos for different depa...

  5. SkyMine Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Christenson, Norm; Walters, Jerel

    2014-12-31

    This Topical Report addresses accomplishments achieved during Phase 2b of the SkyMine® Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project. The primary objectives of this project are to design, construct, and operate a system to capture CO2 from a slipstream of flue gas from a commercial coal-fired cement kiln, convert that CO2 to products having commercial value (i.e., beneficial use), show the economic viability of the CO2 capture and conversion process, and thereby advance the technology to the point of readiness for commercial scale demonstration and deployment. The overall process is carbon negative, resulting in mineralization of CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. The project will also substantiate market opportunities for the technology by sales of chemicals into existing markets, and identify opportunities to improve technology performance and reduce costs at the commercial scale. The project is being conducted in two phases. The primary objectives of Phase 1 were to evaluate proven SkyMine® process chemistry for commercial pilot-scale operation and complete the preliminary design for the pilot plant to be built and operated in Phase 2, complete a NEPA evaluation, and develop a comprehensive carbon life cycle analysis. The objective of Phase 2b was to build the pilot plant to be operated and tested in Phase 2c.

  6. Carbon dioxide cleaning pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knight, L.; Blackman, T.E.

    1994-01-01

    In 1989, radioactive-contaminated metal at the Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) was cleaned using a solvent paint stripper (Methylene chloride). One-third of the radioactive material was able to be recycled; two-thirds went to the scrap pile as low-level mixed waste. In addition, waste solvent solutions also required disposal. Not only was this an inefficient process, it was later prohibited by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 40 CFR 268. A better way of doing business was needed. In the search for a solution to this situation, it was decided to study the advantages of using a new technology - pelletized carbon dioxide cleaning. A proof of principle demonstration occurred in December 1990 to test whether such a system could clean radioactive-contaminated metal. The proof of principle demonstration was expanded in June 1992 with a pilot project. The purpose of the pilot project was three fold: (1) to clean metal so that it can satisfy free release criteria for residual radioactive contamination at the Rocky Flats Plant (RFP); (2) to compare two different carbon dioxide cleaning systems; and (3) to determine the cost-effectiveness of decontamination process in a production situation and compare the cost of shipping the metal off site for waste disposal. The pilot project was completed in August 1993. The results of the pilot project were: (1) 90% of those items which were decontaminated, successfully met the free release criteria , (2) the Alpheus Model 250 was selected to be used on plantsite and (3) the break even cost of decontaminating the metal vs shipping the contaminated material offsite for disposal was a cleaning rate of 90 pounds per hour, which was easily achieved

  7. SkyMine Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joe Jones; Clive Barton; Mark Clayton; Al Yablonsky; David Legere

    2010-09-30

    This Topical Report addresses accomplishments achieved during Phase 1 of the SkyMine{reg_sign} Carbon Mineralization Pilot Project. The primary objectives of this project are to design, construct, and operate a system to capture CO{sub 2} from a slipstream of flue gas from a commercial coal-fired cement kiln, convert that CO{sub 2} to products having commercial value (i.e., beneficial use), show the economic viability of the CO{sub 2} capture and conversion process, and thereby advance the technology to a point of readiness for commercial scale demonstration and proliferation. The project will also substantiate market opportunities for the technology by sales of chemicals into existing markets, and identify opportunities to improve technology performance and reduce costs at commercial scale. The primary objectives of Phase 1 of the project were to elaborate proven SkyMine{reg_sign} process chemistry to commercial pilot-scale operation and complete the preliminary design ('Reference Plant Design') for the pilot plant to be built and operated in Phase 2. Additionally, during Phase 1, information necessary to inform a DOE determination regarding NEPA requirements for the project was developed, and a comprehensive carbon lifecycle analysis was completed. These items were included in the formal application for funding under Phase 2. All Phase 1 objectives were successfully met on schedule and within budget.

  8. Airlie House Pollution Prevention Technology Transfer pilot projects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thuot, J.R.; Myron, H.; Gatrone, R.; McHenry, J.

    1996-08-01

    The projects were a series of pilot projects developed for DOE with the intention of transferring pollution prevention technology to private industry. The concept was to develop small technology transfer initiatives in partnership with the private sector. Argonne National Laboratory developed three projects: the microscale chemistry in education program, the microscale cost benefit study, and the Bethel New Life recycling trainee program. The two microscale chemistry projects focused on introducing microscale chemistry technologies to secondary and college education. These programs were inexpensive to develop and received excellent evaluations from participants and regulators. The recycle trainee project provided training for two participants and identified recycling and source reduction opportunities in Argonne`s solid waste stream. The pilot projects demonstrated that technology transfer initiatives can be developed and implemented with a small budget and within a short period of time. The essential components of the pilot projects were identification of target technologies that were already available, identification of target audiences, and a focus of effort to achieve a limited but defined objective.

  9. Pre-feasibility study template for nZEB pilot projects development

    OpenAIRE

    Crespo Sánchez, Eva

    2015-01-01

    This document corresponds to Task 5.2 NZEB pilot projects development, Deliverable 5.2 Basic project conceptual design with feasibility analysis for eight pilot project of the SUSTAINCO project and should present a structure of pre-feasibility studies for eight NZEB projects implementation. It aims to give an overview of how SUSTAINCO project implementation is to be prepared and which technical and financial parameters to concern.

  10. The National Conversion Pilot Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roberts, A.V.

    1995-01-01

    The National Conversion Pilot Project (NCPP) is a recycling project under way at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS) in Colorado. The recycling aim of the project is threefold: to reuse existing nuclear weapon component production facilities for the production of commercially marketable products, to reuse existing material (uranium, beryllium, and radioactively contaminated scrap metals) for the production of these products, and to reemploy former Rocky Flats workers in this process

  11. Evaluating Quality in Educational Spaces: OECD/CELE Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Ahlefeld, Hannah

    2009-01-01

    CELE's International Pilot Project on Evaluating Quality in Educational Spaces aims to assist education authorities, schools and others to maximise the use of and investment in learning environments. This article provides an update on the pilot project, which is currently being implemented in Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal and the United…

  12. FGD Franchising Pilot Project of Thermal Power Plants

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2009-01-01

    According to the national policy on enhancing environmental protection,the five major power generation companies are required to carry out flue gas desulphurization(FGD) franchising pilot project in thermal power plants.This paper introduces the development of this pilot project,including the foundation,purpose,objects,demands and procedures.It also discusses some main problems encountered during implementation,involving the understanding,legislation,financing,taxation,pricing and management of franchise.At...

  13. A pilot project on non-conventional learning

    OpenAIRE

    Fernandes, Sara; Cerone, Antonio; Barbosa, L. S.

    2013-01-01

    This poster presents a pilot project on non-conventional learning strategies based on students’ active participation in real-life FLOSS projects. The aim of the project is to validate the hypothesis that the peer-production model, which underlies most FLOSS projects, can enhance the learning-teaching process based on extensive and systematic collaborative practices.

  14. Technical specification for the Quality Information Management System (QIMS) Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hall, R.C.; Claussen, L.M.; Thurston, I.

    1992-01-01

    This document contains implementation details for the Quality Information Management System (QIMS) Pilot Project, which has been released for VAX/VMS systems using the INGRES RDBMS. The INGRES Applications-By-Forms (ABF) software development tool was used to define the modules and screens which comprise the QIMS Pilot application. These specifications together with the QIMS information model and corresponding database definition constitute the QIMS technical specification and implementation description presented herein. The QIMS Pilot Project represents a completed software product which has been released for production use. Further extension projects are planned which will release new versions for QIMS. These versions will offer expanded and enhanced functionality to meet further customer requirements not accommodated by the QIMS Pilot Project.

  15. 76 FR 56272 - Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-12

    ...-0097] Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration... that have applied to participate in the Agency's long- haul pilot program to test and demonstrate the... cross-border long-haul trucking pilot program to test and demonstrate the ability of Mexico-domiciled...

  16. 76 FR 56868 - Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-14

    ...-0097] Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration... that have applied to participate in the Agency's long- haul pilot program to test and demonstrate the... proceed with the initiation of a U.S.-Mexico cross-border long-haul trucking pilot program to test and...

  17. 76 FR 73765 - Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-29

    ...-0097] Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration... that have applied to participate in the Agency's long- haul pilot program to test and demonstrate the... proceed with the initiation of a U.S.-Mexico cross-border long-haul trucking pilot program to test and...

  18. Electronic Government : Caribbean Pilot Project | IDRC ...

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

    Electronic Government : Caribbean Pilot Project. Caribbean countries are increasingly adopting information and communication technologies (ICTs) in ... The Government of Jamaica is willing to donate the solution to other ... Related content ...

  19. Extractive metalurgical pilot plant. Project and installation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paula, H.C.B.; Rolim, T.L.; Santana, A.O. de; Santos, F.S.M. dos; Dantas, C.C.

    1986-01-01

    An extractive metalurgical pilot plant with a flow capacity of 200l/h of phosphoric leach, recovering 80% of the uranium content has been designed and installed. Starting from the diagrams of the chemical process in the laboratory scale, the equipment worksheet of the basic project were developed. The procedure for dimensioning and positioning of each component is described. An isometric figure and the pilot plant lay-out are included. The pilot plant occupying 41 m 2 has been tested and operates at its nominal capacity. (author) [pt

  20. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority climate change adaptation pilot project report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-01

    This Climate Change Adaptation Pilot Project Report details the project background of the recently-completed Los Angeles County : Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Transit Climate Change Adaptation Pilot Project as well as the various wor...

  1. New Orleans Capacity Building Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    A series of meetings involving the Port of New Orleans and near-port community organizations were convened for a community capacity building pilot project. Technical assistance is being provided by EPA to support effective engagement.

  2. Execution of pilot tests for an uranium in situ leaching project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koch, H.J.

    1983-01-01

    Urangesellschaft is presently evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of an in situ leaching (ISL) project in Wyoming/USA. This report describes the basic technical principles for ISL-uranium projects and gives the reasons for conducting pilot tests prior to the construction of a commercial plant. It further describes the licensing requirements for an ISL-pilot plant and evaluates the results of the pilot tests. (orig.) [de

  3. Workplace Literacy Pilot Projects: A Discussion Paper = Les Projects-pilotes en alphabetisation en milieu de travail: document de discussion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Wolff, Alice

    From 1995-1998, 12 of the 79 organizations funded by Canada's National Literacy Secretariat (NLS) conducted approximately 40 workplace literacy pilot projects across Canada. Those projects were reviewed to determine their effectiveness in increasing the number and quality of Canadian workplace literacy programs. Information for the review was…

  4. Physicians' accounts of frontline tensions when implementing pilot projects to improve primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, Elizabeth; Bhattacharyya, Onil; Christian, Jennifer; Naglie, Gary; Steriopoulos, Vicky; Webster, Fiona

    2018-03-19

    Purpose Canada's primary care system has been described as "a culture of pilot projects" with little evidence of converting successful initiatives into funded, permanent programs or sharing project outcomes and insights across jurisdictions. Health services pilot projects are advocated as an effective strategy for identifying promising models of care and building integrated care partnerships in local settings. In the qualitative study reported here, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the strengths and challenges of this approach. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 primary care physicians who discussed their experiences as pilot project leads. Following thematic analysis methods, broad system issues were captured as well as individual project information. Findings While participants often portrayed themselves as advocates for vulnerable patients, mobilizing healthcare organizations and providers to support new models of care was discussed as challenging. Competition between local healthcare providers and initiatives could impact pilot project success. Participants also reported tensions between their clinical, project management and research roles with additional time demands and skill requirements interfering with the work of implementing and evaluating service innovations. Originality/value Study findings highlight the complexity of pilot project implementation, which encompasses physician commitment to addressing care for vulnerable populations through to the need for additional skill set requirements and the impact of local project environments. The current pilot project approach could be strengthened by including more multidisciplinary collaboration and providing infrastructure supports to enhance the design, implementation and evaluation of health services improvement initiatives.

  5. Next step in policy transitions: Diffusion of pilot projects

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Vreugdenhil, H

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available communication across actors and domains, to set the agenda and to streamline resources (Pahl-Wostl, 2006, Pawson and Tilley, 1997). Social and policy learning are realized within the pilot projects. Social learning as one outcome of pilot project.... These ask for new approaches that are first to be tested on a small scale to prevent larger policy flaws and second, are designed to allow the system for remaining adaptable (Pahl-Wostl, 2006; Pawson and Tilley, 1997). Despite these promising...

  6. Macroalgae for CO2 Capture and Renewable Energy - A Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wiley, Kristine [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States)

    2011-01-31

    The objective of this project was to demonstrate, at a pilot scale, the beneficial use of carbon dioxide (CO2) through a technology designed to capture CO2 from fossil-fuel fired power plant stack gas, generating macroalgae and converting the macroalgae at high efficiency to renewable methane that can be utilized in the power plant or introduced into a natural gas pipeline. The proposed pilot plant would demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and CO2/ NOx flue-gas removal efficiency of an innovative algal scrubber technology where seaweeds are grown out of water on specially-designed supporting structures contained within greenhouses where the plants are constantly bathed by recycled nutrient sprays enriched by flue gas constituents. The work described in this document addresses Phase 1 of the project only. The scope of work for Phase 1 includes the completion of a preliminary design package; the collection of additional experimental data to support the preliminary and detailed design for a pilot scale utilization of CO2 to cultivate macroalage and to process that algae to produce methane; and a technological and economic analysis to evaluate the potential of the system. Selection criteria for macroalgae that could survive the elevated temperatures and potential periodic desiccation of near desert project sites were identified. Samples of the selected macroalgae species were obtained and then subjected to anaerobic digestion to determine conversions and potential methane yields. A Process Design Package (PDP) was assembled that included process design, process flow diagram, material balance, instrumentation, and equipment list, sizes, and cost for the Phase 2 pilot plant. Preliminary economic assessments were performed under the various assumptions made, which are purposely conservative. Based on the results, additional development work should be conducted to delineate the areas for improving efficiency, reducing

  7. The ATLAS Level-2 Trigger Pilot Project

    CERN Document Server

    Wickens, F J

    2000-01-01

    The Level-2 Trigger Pilot Project of ATLAS, one of the two general purpose LHC experiments, is part of the on-going programme to develop the ATLAS High Level Triggers (HLT). The Level-2 Trigger will receive events at up to 100 kHz, which has to be reduced to a rate suitable for full event-building of the order of 1 kHz. To reduce the data collection bandwidth and processing power required for the challenging Level-2 task it is planned to use Region of Interest guidance (from Level-1) and sequential processing. The Pilot Project included the construction and use of testbeds of up to 48 processing nodes, development of optimised components and computer simulations of a full system. It has shown how the required performance can be achieved, using largely commodity components and operating systems, and validated an architecture for the Level-2 system. This paper describes the principal achievements and conclusions of this project. (28 refs).

  8. The ATLAS Level-2 Trigger Pilot Project

    CERN Document Server

    Blair, R; Haberichter, W N; Schlereth, J L; Bock, R; Bogaerts, A; Boosten, M; Dobinson, Robert W; Dobson, M; Ellis, Nick; Elsing, M; Giacomini, F; Knezo, E; Martin, B; Shears, T G; Tapprogge, Stefan; Werner, P; Hansen, J R; Wäänänen, A; Korcyl, K; Lokier, J; George, S; Green, B; Strong, J; Clarke, P; Cranfield, R; Crone, G J; Sherwood, P; Wheeler, S; Hughes-Jones, R E; Kolya, S; Mercer, D; Hinkelbein, C; Kornmesser, K; Kugel, A; Männer, R; Müller, M; Sessler, M; Simmler, H; Singpiel, H; Abolins, M; Ermoline, Y; González-Pineiro, B; Hauser, R; Pope, B; Sivoklokov, S Yu; Boterenbrood, H; Jansweijer, P; Kieft, G; Scholte, R; Slopsema, R; Vermeulen, J C; Baines, J T M; Belias, A; Botterill, David R; Middleton, R; Wickens, F J; Falciano, S; Bystrický, J; Calvet, D; Gachelin, O; Huet, M; Le Dû, P; Mandjavidze, I D; Levinson, L; González, S; Wiedenmann, W; Zobernig, H

    2002-01-01

    The Level-2 Trigger Pilot Project of ATLAS, one of the two general purpose LHC experiments, is part of the on-going program to develop the ATLAS high-level triggers (HLT). The Level-2 Trigger will receive events at up to 100 kHz, which has to be reduced to a rate suitable for full event-building of the order of 1 kHz. To reduce the data collection bandwidth and processing power required for the challenging Level-2 task it is planned to use Region of Interest guidance (from Level-1) and sequential processing. The Pilot Project included the construction and use of testbeds of up to 48 processing nodes, development of optimized components and computer simulations of a full system. It has shown how the required performance can be achieved, using largely commodity components and operating systems, and validated an architecture for the Level-2 system. This paper describes the principal achievements and conclusions of this project. (28 refs).

  9. Pilot project of atomic energy technology record

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, K. C.; Kim, Y. I.; Kim, Y. G.

    2011-12-01

    Project of the Atomic Energy Technology Record is the project that summarizes and records in each category as a whole summary from the background to the performance at all fields of nuclear science technology which researched and developed at KAERI. This project includes Data and Document Management System(DDMS) that will be the system to collect, organize and preserve various records occurred in each research and development process. To achieve these goals, many problems should be solved to establish technology records process, such as issues about investigation status of technology records in KAERI, understanding and collection records, set-up project system and selection target field, definition standards and range of target records. This is a research report on the arrangement of research contents and results about pilot project which records whole nuclear technology researched and developed at KAERI in each category. Section 2 summarizes the overview of this pilot project and the current status of technology records in domestic and overseas, and from Section 3 to Section 6 summarize contents and results which performed in this project. Section 3 summarizes making TOC(Table of Content) and technology records, Section 4 summarizes sectoral templates, Section 5 summarizes writing detailed plan of technology records, and Section 6 summarizes Standard Document Numbering System(SDNS). Conclusions of this report are described in Section 7

  10. Washington State Need Grant: Less-Than-Halftime Pilot Project (SHB 1345)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2006

    2006-01-01

    The 2005 Washington State Legislature authorized, through Substitute House Bill 1345, a two-year pilot project allowing eligible students, who enroll for four or five credits in a term, to receive the State Need Grant (SNG). Several important policy considerations emerged during the pilot project. Board staff explored these issues with financial…

  11. The HADES demonstration and pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruyn, D.de; Meynendonckx, P.; Neerdael, B.; Noynaert, L.; Voet, M.; Volckaert, G.; Bonne, A.

    1988-01-01

    This report deals with the activities of SCK/CEN and its subcontractors performed during the years 1986-87 in the framework of the HADES demonstration and pilot project, which is carried out in the geological Boom clay formation underlying the nuclear research establishment at Mol. This demonstration and pilot project is sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities under contract number Fl1W-004 B (B) in the framework of Part B of the CEC programme on radioactive waste management and disposal. The actions undertaken and reported here deal essentially with design and engineering activities in preparation for the construction of a test drift and of a mine-by-test directly related to this construction test and of a combined irradiation/heating test to be performed later on in this test drift. A time schedule for the various tests planned to be made in the test drift has also been worked out taking into account time and spatial dependencies

  12. Participatory forest management in Ethiopia: learning from pilot projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameha, Aklilu; Larsen, H O; Lemenih, Mulugeta

    2014-04-01

    Different arrangements of decentralized forest management have been promoted as alternatives to centralized and top down approaches to halt tropical deforestation and forest degradation. Ethiopia is one of the countries piloting one of these approaches. To inform future programs and projects it is essential to learn from existing pilots and experiences. This paper analyses five of the pilot participatory forest management (PFM) programs undertaken in Ethiopia. The study is based on the Forest User Group (FUG) members' analyses of the programs using selected outcome variables: forest income, change in forest conditions, forest ownership feelings and effectiveness of FUGs as forest managing institutions. These variables were assessed at three points in time-before the introduction of PFM, during the project implementation and after the projects ended. Data were collected using group discussions, key informant interviews and transect walks through the PFM forests. The results show that in all of the five cases the state of the forest is perceived to have improved with the introduction of PFM, and in four of the cases the improvement was maintained after projects ended. Regulated access to the forests following introduction of PFM was not perceived to have affected forest income negatively. There are, however, serious concerns about the institutional effectiveness of the FUGs after projects ended, and this may affect the success of the PFM approach in the longer term.

  13. Condition based maintenance pilot projects at Pickering ND

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zemdegs, R.T.

    1995-01-01

    Ontario Hydro has recognized that the approaches to maintenance have undergone significant changes to the past decades. The traditional break down maintenance approach has been replaced by preventative maintenance and more recently, by condition based maintenance. The nuclear plants of Ontario Hydro have evaluated on a number of alternative programs to improve their maintenance effectiveness and to reduce costs, including Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM), call-up review, component-based PM programs, analysis of failure history and so on. Pickering ND (nuclear division) and Ontario Hydro's Nuclear Technologies Services Division, have embarked on a Condition Based Maintenance pilot project to address the above issues as a breakthrough solution for smarter maintenance. The Condition Based Maintenance pilot project will demonstrate an end-to-end process utilizing a Reliability Centred Maintenance structured approach to re-engineer and redefine the existing maintenance programs. The project emphasizes on-condition maintenance where justified, and utilizes an information management tool to provide the required records keeping and analysis infrastructure. This paper briefly describes the planned maintenance model at Pickering ND used to guide the CBM pilot, and an overview of the methodology used to develop on-condition equipment indicators as part of a re-engineered maintenance plan

  14. Swiss electricity grid - Benchmarking pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-01-01

    This article is a short version of the ENET number 210369. This report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) describes a benchmarking pilot project carried out as a second phase in the development of a formula for the regulation of an open electricity market in Switzerland. It follows on from an initial phase involving the definition of a 'blue print' and a basic concept. The aims of the pilot project - to check out the practicability of the concept - are discussed. The collection of anonymised data for the benchmarking model from over 30 electricity utilities operating on all 7 Swiss grid levels and their integration in the three areas 'Technology', 'Grid Costs' and 'Capital Invested' are discussed in detail. In particular, confidentiality and data protection aspects are looked at. The methods used in the analysis of the data are described and the results of an efficiency analysis of various utilities are presented. The report is concluded with a listing of questions concerning data collection and analysis as well as operational and capital costs that are still to be answered

  15. 47 CFR 74.785 - Low power TV digital data service pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Low power TV digital data service pilot project... Power TV, TV Translator, and TV Booster Stations § 74.785 Low power TV digital data service pilot project. Low power TV stations authorized pursuant to the LPTV Digital Data Services Act (Public Law 106...

  16. Advanced engineering environment pilot project.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schwegel, Jill; Pomplun, Alan R.; Abernathy, Rusty (Parametric Technology Corporation, Needham, MA)

    2006-10-01

    The Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE) is a concurrent engineering concept that enables real-time process tooling design and analysis, collaborative process flow development, automated document creation, and full process traceability throughout a product's life cycle. The AEE will enable NNSA's Design and Production Agencies to collaborate through a singular integrated process. Sandia National Laboratories and Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) are working together on a prototype AEE pilot project to evaluate PTC's product collaboration tools relative to the needs of the NWC. The primary deliverable for the project is a set of validated criteria for defining a complete commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution to deploy the AEE across the NWC.

  17. Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Greenbelt Homes, Inc. Pilot Retrofit Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2015-06-01

    In the fall of 2010, a multiyear pilot energy efficiency retrofit project was undertaken by Greenbelt Homes, Inc., (GHI) a 1,566 home cooperative of circa 1930 and 1940 homes in Greenbelt, Maryland. GHI established this pilot project to serve as a basis for decision making for the rollout of a community-wide upgrade program that will incorporate energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope and mechanical equipment. With the community upgrade fully funded by the cooperative through their membership without outside subsidies, this project presents a unique opportunity to evaluate and prioritize the wide range of benefits of high-performance retrofits based on member experience with and acceptance of the retrofit measures implemented during the pilot project. Addressing the complex interactions between benefits, trade-offs, construction methods, project management implications, realistic upfront costs, financing, and other considerations, serves as a case study for energy retrofit projects that include high-performance technologies based on the long-term value to the homeowner. The pilot project focused on identifying the added costs and energy-savings benefits of improvements. Phase 1—baseline evaluation for a representative set of 28 homes sited in seven buildings; Phase 2—installation of the building envelope improvements and continued monitoring of the energy consumption for the heating season; Phase 3—energy simulations supporting recommendations for HVAC and water heating upgrades.

  18. Pilot Projects in Water Management : Practicing Change and Changing Practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vreugdenhil, H.S.I.

    2010-01-01

    Pilot projects are widely applied in water management. They can be used to test risky innovations at confined scale, but can also be used to delay policy decisions or to advocate a particular innovation. In this book the phenomenon ‘pilot project’ is explored both theoretically and empirically. A

  19. 78 FR 35961 - Pilot Project for Tribal Jurisdiction Over Crimes of Domestic Violence

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-14

    ...This notice proposes procedures for an Indian tribe to request designation as a participating tribe under section 204 of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, on an accelerated basis, pursuant to the voluntary pilot project described in section 908(b)(2) of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (``the Pilot Project''), and also proposes procedures for the Attorney General to act on such a request. This notice also invites public comment on the proposed procedures and solicits preliminary expressions of interest from tribes that may wish to participate in the Pilot Project.

  20. 77 FR 12312 - Electronic Submission of Nonclinical Study Data; Notice of Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-29

    ...] Electronic Submission of Nonclinical Study Data; Notice of Pilot Project AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration... and Research (CBER) is announcing an invitation to participate in a pilot evaluation program to test.... Participation in the pilot program is open to all sponsors. The pilot program is intended to provide industry...

  1. US/Brazil joint pilot project objectives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-12-01

    This paper describes a joint US/Brazil pilot project for rural electrification, whose major goals are: to establish technical, institutional, and economic confidence in using renewable energy (PV and wind) to meet the needs of the citizens of rural Brazil; to establish on-going institutional, individual and business relationships necessary to implement sustainable programs and commitments; to lay the groundwork for larger scale rural electrification through the use of distributed renewable technologies. The projects have supported low power home lighting systems, lighting and refrigeration for schools and medical centers, and water pumping systems. This is viewed as a long term project, where much of the equipment will come from the US, but Brazil will be responsible for program management, and sharing data gained from the program. The paper describes in detail the Brazilian program which was instituted to support this phased project.

  2. Simplified pilot module development and testing within the ATLAS PanDA Pilot 2.0 Project

    CERN Document Server

    Drizhuk, Daniil; The ATLAS collaboration; Nilsson, Paul

    2016-01-01

    The Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) system has been developed to meet ATLAS production and analysis requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at the LHC data processing scale. The PanDA pilot is one of the major components in the PanDA system. It runs on a worker node and takes care of setting up the environment, fetching and pushing data to storage, getting jobs from the PanDA server and executing them. The original PanDA Pilot was designed over 10 years ago and has since then grown organically. Large parts of the original pilot code base are now getting old and are difficult to maintain. Incremental changes and refactoring have been pushed to the limit, and the time is now right for a fresh start, informed by a decade of experience, with the PanDA Pilot 2.0 Project. To create a testing environment for module development and automated unit and functional testing for next generation pilot tasks, a simple pilot version was developed. It resembles the basic workf...

  3. 76 FR 63988 - Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions; Pre-Authorization Safety Audits

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-14

    ...-0097] Pilot Project on NAFTA Trucking Provisions; Pre-Authorization Safety Audits AGENCY: Federal Motor... motor carriers that applied to participate in the Agency's long-haul pilot program to test and... intent to proceed with the initiation of a United States- Mexico cross-border long-haul trucking pilot...

  4. Designing pilot projects as boundary objects a Brazilian case study in the promotion of sustainable design

    CERN Document Server

    Zurlo, Francesco

    2016-01-01

    This book describes a collaborative Design Pilot Project held in Brazil (called MODU.Lares) involving micro and small enterprises and other actors in the furniture sector. The experience was based on an action research method and evaluated by using a tool, in order to assess the value of pilot project as a boundary object capable of fostering innovation and sustainability. The impact of the Design Pilot Project in triggering change in a fragmented local system with a poor environmental and social record, as well as management and innovation issues, were assessed with the help of the same tool, taking into account environmental, technological, economic, sociocultural, and organizational indicators. The collaborative network established was chiefly based on four elements: prototypes, meetings, exhibitions and the Pilot Project (as an overall process). The results indeed demonstrate that a Design Pilot Project can be a valid instrument for establishing a collaborative environment that promotes sustainability an...

  5. Electrocoagulation project: Pilot study testwork

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donini, J.C.; Garand, D.K.; Hassan, T.A.; Kar, K.L.; Thind, S.S.

    1991-09-01

    When a suspension or emulsion flows between two sacrificial metal electrodes excited by ac, the dispersed phase is consolidated and then settles. Laboratory-scale investigation of this mechanism, called electrocoagulation, and of its areas of application to water treatment were previously completed and a subsequent project was initiated to design and construct pilot-scale equipment consisting of an electrocoagulation cell, power supply, and computerized control system. The constructed pilot plant was used to test the effectiveness of electrocoagulation to clarify coal processing plant effluent. Results obtained with clay suspensions showed that flow conditions in the cell have a major effect on electric power consumption, and a reduction by a factor of three on this crucial cost parameter appeared possible compared to a previously tested batch-scale electrocoagulation system. Results obtained using the coal plant thickener feed closely duplicated those obtained with the clay mixtures. Aluminum electrode consumption, however, remained unchanged compared to the bench-scale tests. Supernatant clarity far exceeded requirements, while settling rate was too low. The settling could be speeded up by appropriate use of chemicals, but such addition affects the coagulation mechanism and reduces supernatant clarity. A tradeoff between settling rate and clarity was thus established. The total cost of treatment was deemed to be in excess of coal company requirements, but the pilot tests revealed much about the electrocoagulation system under continuous flow conditions. The technology is seen as having application in other areas such as municipal and industrial waste treatment. 22 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

  6. 75 FR 75532 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-03

    ...] Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report AGENCY: Federal Highway... participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This notice announces and solicits comments on the fifth audit report for the...

  7. 76 FR 5237 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-28

    ...] Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report AGENCY: Federal Highway... participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This final report presents the findings from the fifth FHWA audit of the...

  8. 77 FR 26355 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-03

    ...] Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report AGENCY: Federal Highway... participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This final report presents the findings from the sixth FHWA audit of the...

  9. Navigating Bioethical Waters: Two Pilot Projects in Problem-Based Learning for Future Bioscience and Biotechnology Professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Roberta M; Levine, Aaron D; Kirkman, Robert; Blake, Laura Palucki; Drake, Matthew

    2016-12-01

    We believe that the professional responsibility of bioscience and biotechnology professionals includes a social responsibility to contribute to the resolution of ethically fraught policy problems generated by their work. It follows that educators have a professional responsibility to prepare future professionals to discharge this responsibility. This essay discusses two pilot projects in ethics pedagogy focused on particularly challenging policy problems, which we call "fractious problems". The projects aimed to advance future professionals' acquisition of "fractious problem navigational" skills, a set of skills designed to enable broad and deep understanding of fractious problems and the design of good policy resolutions for them. A secondary objective was to enhance future professionals' motivation to apply these skills to help their communities resolve these problems. The projects employed "problem based learning" courses to advance these learning objectives. A new assessment instrument, "Skills for Science/Engineering Ethics Test" (SkillSET), was designed and administered to measure the success of the courses in doing so. This essay first discusses the rationale for the pilot projects, and then describes the design of the pilot courses and presents the results of our assessment using SkillSET in the first pilot project and the revised SkillSET 2.0 in the second pilot project. The essay concludes with discussion of observations and results.

  10. Advanced Instrumentation, Information and Control (II&C) Research and Development Facility Buildout and Project Execution of LWRS II&C Pilot Projects 1 and 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ronald Farris; Johanna Oxstrand; Gregory Weatherby

    2011-09-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is sponsoring research, development, and deployment on light water reactor sustainability (LWRS), in which the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is working closely with nuclear utilities to develop technologies and solutions to help ensure the safe operational life extension of current reactors. As technologies are introduced that change the operation of the plant, the LWRS pilot projects can help identify their best-advanced uses and help demonstrate the safety of these technologies. In early testing of operator performance given these emerging technologies will ensure the safety and usability of systems prior to large-scale deployment and costly verification and validation at the plant. The aim of these collaborations, demonstrations, and approaches are intended to lessen the inertia that sustains the current status quo of today's II&C systems technology, and to motivate transformational change and a shift in strategy to a long-term approach to II&C modernization that is more sustainable. Research being conducted under Pilot Project 1 regards understanding the conditions and behaviors that can be modified, either through process improvements and/or technology deployment, to improve the overall safety and efficiency of outage control at nuclear facilities. The key component of the research in this pilot project is accessing the delivery of information that will allow researchers to simulate the control room, outage control center (OCC) information, and plant status data. The simulation also allows researchers to identify areas of opportunity where plant operating status and outage activities can be analyzed to increase overall plant efficiency. For Pilot Project 3 the desire is to demonstrate the ability of technology deployment and the subsequent impact on maximizing the 'Collective Situational Awareness' of the various stakeholders in a commercial nuclear power plant. Specifically, the desire is to show positive

  11. A pilot project to improve access to telepsychotherapy at rural clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adler, Geri; Pritchett, Lonique R; Kauth, Michael R; Nadorff, Danielle

    2014-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has pioneered telemental health (TMH) with over 500,000 TMH encounters over the past decade. VA community-based outpatient clinics were established to improve accessibility of mental healthcare for rural Veterans. Despite these clinics clinics and increased availability of TMH, many rural Veterans have difficulty receiving mental healthcare, particularly psychotherapy. Twelve therapists participated in a pilot project using TMH technologies to improve mental healthcare service delivery to rural Veterans treated at six community clinics. Therapists completed online training, and study staff communicated with them monthly and clinical leaders every other month. Therapists completed two questionnaires: before training and 10 months later. This article describes barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the project, as well as therapists' knowledge, confidence, and motivation regarding TMH. Two clinicians were offering telepsychotherapy after 10 months. At all six sites, unanticipated organizational constraints and administrative barriers delayed implementation; establishing organizational practices and therapists' motivation helped facilitate the process. Adopters of the project reported more positive views of the modality and did not worry about staffing, a concern of nonadopters. Despite barriers to implementation, lessons learned from this pilot project have led to improvements and changes in TMH processes. Results from the pilot showed that therapists providing telepsychotherapy had increased confidence, knowledge, and motivation. As TMH continues to expand, formalized decision-making with clinical leaders regarding project goals, better matching of therapists with this modality, and assessment of medical center and clinic readiness are recommended.

  12. The seed of change in society. Diffusion of solar cell systems in housing by means of pilot projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Mierlo, B.C.

    2002-01-01

    The central question in this thesis is: in what way can pilot projects contribute to the diffusion of new sustainable technologies, in particular solar cell systems in housing units. The reason for this is, in the first place, that trials, demonstration projects, practical experiments and market introduction projects are often launched by firms and subsidised by the state. The objective of such projects, referred to here as pilot projects, is in general to prepare the market introduction of new technologies. However, these projects are often realised and financed without much information being available on how they operate: about how they could prepare the market launch and how this function could be optimised. The second reason is that since the end of the 1980s the expectations in the Netherlands in respect of solar cell systems (PV systems) connected to the electricity grid have been high. These systems could have great advantages for the environment and after 2010 could be the most important source of sustainable energy. The government sees housing as the most promising market segment for these systems. It is recognised that certain major bottlenecks have to be solved before a large-scale diffusion is possible. According to the niche approach, the basic starting point of this thesis, this means that the existing social-technological regime needs to change: the rules and infrastructure according to which the existing technologies are, as it were, considered self-evident, and which hinder the introduction of new technologies. Subsidised pilot projects form a protected market niche that can stimulate a change in the regime by learning and by the social embedding of the learning experiences. According to this approach, a protected market niche is a necessary component of state-supported innovation policy if market niches do not arise spontaneously. It is, however, a limited instrument since the ultimate impact on existing regimes depends mainly on external factors

  13. Smart City pilot projects : exploring the dimensions and conditions of scaling up

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Winden, W.; van den Buuse, D.J.H.M.

    2017-01-01

    In many cities, pilot projects are set up to test new technologies that help to address urban sustainability issues, improve the effectiveness of urban services, and enhance the quality of life of citizens. These projects, often labelled as “smart city” projects, are typically supported by

  14. Smart city pilot projects, scaling up or fading out? : Experiences from Amsterdam

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Winden, W.

    2016-01-01

    In many cities, pilot projects are set up to test or develop new technologies that improve sustainability, urban quality of life or urban services (often labelled as “smart city” projects). Typically, these projects are supported by the municipality, funded by subsidies, and run in partnerships.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strand, T.; Stranden, E.

    1986-01-01

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

  16. Influencing citizen behavior: experiences from multichannel marketing pilot projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Wijngaert, Lidwien; Pieterson, Willem Jan; Teerling, Marije L.

    2011-01-01

    Information technology allows national and local governments to satisfy the needs of citizens in a cost effective way. Unfortunately, citizens still tend to prefer traditional, more costly channels, such as the front desk, phone and mail. Through pilot projects government agencies attempt to

  17. Light Water Reactor Sustainability Constellation Pilot Project FY11 Summary Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johansen, R.

    2011-01-01

    Summary report for Fiscal Year 2011 activities associated with the Constellation Pilot Project. The project is a joint effor between Constellation Nuclear Energy Group (CENG), EPRI, and the DOE Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program. The project utilizes two CENG reactor stations: R.E. Ginna and Nine Point Unit 1. Included in the report are activities associate with reactor internals and concrete containments.

  18. Disseminating relevant health information to underserved audiences: implications of the Digital Divide Pilot Projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreps, Gary L

    2005-10-01

    This paper examines the influence of the digital divide on disparities in health outcomes for vulnerable populations, identifying implications for medical and public libraries. The paper describes the results of the Digital Divide Pilot Projects demonstration research programs funded by the National Cancer Institute to test new strategies for disseminating relevant health information to underserved and at-risk audiences. The Digital Divide Pilot Projects field-tested innovative systemic strategies for helping underserved populations access and utilize relevant health information to make informed health-related decisions about seeking appropriate health care and support, resisting avoidable and significant health risks, and promoting their own health. The paper builds on the Digital Divide Pilot Projects by identifying implications for developing health communication strategies that libraries can adopt to provide digital health information to vulnerable populations.

  19. Technology Cooperation Agreement Pilot Project (TCAPP)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keegan, P.; Benioff, R.

    1999-10-20

    The Technology Cooperation Agreement Pilot Project (TCAPP) is helping developing countries design and implement actions to attract investment in clean energy technologies that will meet their economic development goals, while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. TCAPP was launched by three US government agencies -- the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the US Department of Energy (USDOE) -- in August 1997 to establish a model for climate change technology cooperation with developing and transition countries. This report describes the TCAPP approach and the significant progress made by the participating countries.

  20. The NCI Digital Divide Pilot Projects: implications for cancer education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreps, Gary L; Gustafson, David; Salovey, Peter; Perocchia, Rosemarie Slevin; Wilbright, Wayne; Bright, Mary Anne; Muha, Cathy

    2007-01-01

    The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported four innovative demonstration research projects, "The Digital Divide Pilot Projects," to test new strategies for disseminating health information via computer to vulnerable consumers. These projects involved active research collaborations between the NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS) and regional cancer control researchers to field test new approaches for enhancing cancer communication in vulnerable communities. The projects were able to use computers to successfully disseminate relevant cancer information to vulnerable populations. These demonstration research projects suggested effective new strategies for using communication technologies to educate underserved populations about cancer prevention, control, and care.

  1. Connecticut warm mix asphalt (WMA) pilot projects 2010 and 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    WMA overlays were placed in several pilot projects in Connecticut during the 2010 and 2011 construction : seasons. These technologies included Sasobit, Evotherm, Advera, Double-Barrel Green foamed : asphalt as well as SonneWarmix. The res...

  2. Oregon department of transportation small business group twice-monthly payments pilot project : summary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-07-01

    Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) recently completed a pilot study on small business payment practices. In the study, three pilot projects were tested where payments to small business contractors were changed from a monthly payment to twice-...

  3. Disseminating relevant health information to underserved audiences: implications of the Digital Divide Pilot Projects*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreps, Gary L.

    2005-01-01

    Objective: This paper examines the influence of the digital divide on disparities in health outcomes for vulnerable populations, identifying implications for medical and public libraries. Method: The paper describes the results of the Digital Divide Pilot Projects demonstration research programs funded by the National Cancer Institute to test new strategies for disseminating relevant health information to underserved and at-risk audiences. Results: The Digital Divide Pilot Projects field-tested innovative systemic strategies for helping underserved populations access and utilize relevant health information to make informed health-related decisions about seeking appropriate health care and support, resisting avoidable and significant health risks, and promoting their own health. Implications: The paper builds on the Digital Divide Pilot Projects by identifying implications for developing health communication strategies that libraries can adopt to provide digital health information to vulnerable populations. PMID:16239960

  4. Evaluation of transversal competencies: pilot project in a maths course for first-year business

    OpenAIRE

    Bosch Príncep, Manuela; Morillo, Isabel

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this communication is to describe the results of a pilot project for the assessment of the transversal competency "the capacity for learning and responsibility". This competency is centred on the capacity for the analysis, synthesis, overview, and practical application of newly acquired knowledge. It is proposed by the University of Barcelona in its undergraduate degree courses, through multidisciplinary teaching teams. The goal of the pilot project is to evaluate this competenc...

  5. Lessons Learned From the Environmental Public Health Tracking Sub-County Data Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Angela K; Strosnider, Heather; Kassinger, Craig; Shin, Mikyong

    2017-12-07

    Small area data are key to better understanding the complex relationships between environmental health, health outcomes, and risk factors at a local level. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (Tracking Program) conducted the Sub-County Data Pilot Project with grantees to consider integration of sub-county data into the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Tracking Network). The Tracking Program and grantees developed sub-county-level data for several data sets during this pilot project, working to standardize processes for submitting data and creating required geographies. Grantees documented challenges they encountered during the pilot project and documented decisions. This article covers the challenges revealed during the project. It includes insights into geocoding, aggregation, population estimates, and data stability and provides recommendations for moving forward. National standards for generating, analyzing, and sharing sub-county data should be established to build a system of sub-county data that allow for comparison of outcomes, geographies, and time. Increasing the availability and accessibility of small area data will not only enhance the Tracking Network's capabilities but also contribute to an improved understanding of environmental health and informed decision making at a local level.

  6. Advanced Instrumentation, Information and Control (II and C) Research and Development Facility Buildout and Project Execution of LWRS II and C Pilot Projects 1 and 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farris, Ronald; Oxstrand, Johanna; Weatherby, Gregory

    2011-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is sponsoring research, development, and deployment on light water reactor sustainability (LWRS), in which the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is working closely with nuclear utilities to develop technologies and solutions to help ensure the safe operational life extension of current reactors. As technologies are introduced that change the operation of the plant, the LWRS pilot projects can help identify their best-advanced uses and help demonstrate the safety of these technologies. In early testing of operator performance given these emerging technologies will ensure the safety and usability of systems prior to large-scale deployment and costly verification and validation at the plant. The aim of these collaborations, demonstrations, and approaches are intended to lessen the inertia that sustains the current status quo of today's II and C systems technology, and to motivate transformational change and a shift in strategy to a long-term approach to II and C modernization that is more sustainable. Research being conducted under Pilot Project 1 regards understanding the conditions and behaviors that can be modified, either through process improvements and/or technology deployment, to improve the overall safety and efficiency of outage control at nuclear facilities. The key component of the research in this pilot project is accessing the delivery of information that will allow researchers to simulate the control room, outage control center (OCC) information, and plant status data. The simulation also allows researchers to identify areas of opportunity where plant operating status and outage activities can be analyzed to increase overall plant efficiency. For Pilot Project 3 the desire is to demonstrate the ability of technology deployment and the subsequent impact on maximizing the 'Collective Situational Awareness' of the various stakeholders in a commercial nuclear power plant. Specifically, the desire is to show positive results

  7. Advanced Engineering Environment FY09/10 pilot project.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lamph, Jane Ann; Kiba, Grant W.; Pomplun, Alan R.; Dutra, Edward G.; Sego, Abraham L.

    2010-06-01

    The Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE) project identifies emerging engineering environment tools and assesses their value to Sandia National Laboratories and our partners in the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) by testing them in our design environment. This project accomplished several pilot activities, including: the preliminary definition of an engineering bill of materials (BOM) based product structure in the Windchill PDMLink 9.0 application; an evaluation of Mentor Graphics Data Management System (DMS) application for electrical computer-aided design (ECAD) library administration; and implementation and documentation of a Windchill 9.1 application upgrade. The project also supported the migration of legacy data from existing corporate product lifecycle management systems into new classified and unclassified Windchill PDMLink 9.0 systems. The project included two infrastructure modernization efforts: the replacement of two aging AEE development servers for reliable platforms for ongoing AEE project work; and the replacement of four critical application and license servers that support design and engineering work at the Sandia National Laboratories/California site.

  8. Reflections on a Coaching Pilot Project in Healthcare Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurbutt, D. J.; Gurbutt, R.

    2016-01-01

    This paper draws on personal reflection of coaching experiences and learning as a coach to consider the relevance of these approaches in a management context with a group of four healthcare staff who participated in a pilot coaching project. It explores their understanding of coaching techniques applied in management settings via their reflections…

  9. Live Storybook Outcomes of Pilot Multidisciplinary Elementary Earth Science Collaborative Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soeffing, C.; Pierson, R.

    2017-12-01

    Live Storybook Outcomes of pilot multidisciplinary elementary earth science collaborative project Anchoring phenomena leading to student led investigations are key to applying the NGSS standards in the classroom. This project employs the GLOBE elementary storybook, Discoveries at Willow Creek, as an inspiration and operational framework for a collaborative pilot project engaging 4th grade students in asking questions, collecting relevant data, and using analytical tools to document and understand natural phenomena. The Institute of Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), a GLOBE Partner, the Outdoor Campus, an informal educational outdoor learning facility managed by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, University of Sioux Falls, and All City Elementary, Sioux Falls are collaborating partners in this project. The Discoveries at Willow Creek storyline introduces young students to the scientific process, and models how they can apply science and engineering practices (SEPs) to discover and understand the Earth system in which they live. One innovation associated with this project is the formal engagement of elementary students in a global citizen science program (for all ages), GLOBE Observer, and engaging them in data collection using GLOBE Observer's Cloud and Mosquito Habitat Mapper apps. As modeled by the fictional students from Willow Creek, the 4th grade students will identify their 3 study sites at the Outdoor Campus, keep a journal, and record observations. The students will repeat their investigations at the Outdoor Campus to document and track change over time. Students will be introduced to "big data" in a manageable way, as they see their observations populate GLOBE's map-based data visualization and . Our research design recognizes the comfort and familiarity factor of literacy activities in the elementary classroom for students and teachers alike, and postulates that connecting a science education project to an engaging storybook text will contribute to a

  10. Development of clinical pharmacy in Belgian hospitals through pilot projects funded by the government.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Somers, A; Spinewine, A; Spriet, I; Steurbaut, S; Tulkens, P; Hecq, J D; Willems, L; Robays, H; Dhoore, M; Yaras, H; Vanden Bremt, I; Haelterman, M

    2018-04-30

    Objectives The goal is to develop clinical pharmacy in the Belgian hospitals to improve drug efficacy and to reduce drug-related problems. Methods From 2007 to 2014, financial support was provided by the Belgian federal government for the development of clinical pharmacy in Belgian hospitals. This project was guided by a national Advisory Working Group. Each funded hospital was obliged to describe yearly its clinical pharmacy activities. Results In 2007, 20 pharmacists were funded in 28 pilot hospitals; this number was doubled in 2009 to 40 pharmacists over 54 institutions, representing more than half of all acute Belgian hospitals. Most projects (72%) considered patient-related activities, whereas some projects (28%) had a hospital-wide approach. The projects targeted patients at admission (30%), during hospital stay (52%) or at discharge (18%). During hospital stay, actions were mainly focused on geriatric patients (20%), surgical patients (15%), and oncology patients (9%). Experiences, methods, and tools were shared during meetings and workshops. Structure, process, and outcome indicators were reported and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were described. The yearly reports revealed that the hospital board was engaged in the project in 87% of the cases, and developed a vision on clinical pharmacy in 75% of the hospitals. In 2014, the pilot phase was replaced by structural financing for clinical pharmacy in all acute Belgian hospitals. Conclusion The pilot projects in clinical pharmacy funded by the federal government provided a unique opportunity to launch clinical pharmacy activities on a broad scale in Belgium. The results of the pilot projects showed clear implementation through case reports, time registrations, and indicators. Tools for clinical pharmacy activities were developed to overcome identified barriers. The engagement of hospital boards and the results of clinical pharmacy activities persuaded the government to start structural

  11. Pilot project - Promoting protection of the right to housing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This study was undertaken for the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion as part of the ‘Promoting protection of the right to housing - Homelessness prevention in the context of evictions’ pilot project. The key objectives of the research were: - to pro......This study was undertaken for the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion as part of the ‘Promoting protection of the right to housing - Homelessness prevention in the context of evictions’ pilot project. The key objectives of the research were......: - to provide an overview and analysis of available data and trends regarding housing evictions between 2010 and 2013 across the 28 EU Member States; - to establish the reasons for and impacts of eviction, in particular the relative importance of eviction as a pathway into homelessness; - to analyse...... the legislative and regulatory framework and the availability, effectiveness and cost-efficiency of measures designed to prevent and tackle evictions and enable early interventions; - to suggest ways to improve data collection and the monitoring of evictions in the Member States, identifying the most important...

  12. Parent Attitudes Toward the Virginia Beach Year-Round School Pilot Project. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlechty, Phillip C.

    Part of the Virginia Beach year-round school program evaluation, this final report contains a detailed analysis of parental attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions. The data leads to the following conclusions: a majority (53.3 percent) of parents are dubious or negative toward the 45-15 pilot project; a slight majority of parents in the pilot schools…

  13. Recycling entire DOE facilities: The National Conversion Pilot Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floyd, D.R.

    1996-01-01

    The Mission of the National Conversion Pilot Project - to demonstrate, at the Rocky Flats Site, the feasibility of economic conversion of DOE Sites - is succeeding. Contaminated facilities worth $92 million are being cleaned and readied for reuse by commercial industry to manufacture products needed in the DOE cleanup and elsewhere. Former Rocky Flats workers have been hired, recultured, are conducting the cleanup and are expected to perform the future manufacturing by recycling DOE RSM and other metals requiring special environmental controls. Stakeholder sway over project activities is welcome and strong

  14. Aquatic Species Project report, FY 1989--1990

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, L.M.; Sprague, S.

    1992-01-01

    This report summarizes the progress and research accomplishments of the Aquatic Species Project. The four articles included are summaries of individual research projects and are entered into the EDB as such. The goal of the Aquatic Species Project is to develop the technology base for large-scale production of oil-rich microalgae. The project is also developing methods to convert the microalgal lipids into liquid fuels needed for industry and transportation. Researchers in the Aquatics Species Project focus on the use of microalgae as a feedstock for producing renewable, high-energy liquid fuels such as diesel. It is important for the United States to develop alternative renewable oil sources because 42% of the current energy market in the United States is for liquid fuels, and 38% of these fuels are imported. In 1979, the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) initiated the Aquatic Species Project as part of the overall effort in biofuels. The project began to focus exclusively on fuels from microalgae in 1982. Estimates show that the technology being developed by the project can provide as much as 7% of the total current energy demand. The program`s basic premise is that microalgae, which have been called the most productive biochemical factories in the world, can produce up to 30 times more oil per unit of growth area than land plants. Selected papers were processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

  15. Developing collaborative person-centred practice: a pilot project on a palliative care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Pippa; Weaver, Lynda; Gravelle, Debbie; Thibault, Hélène

    2007-02-01

    Maximizing interprofessional collaborative patient-centred practice holds promise for improving patient care and creating satisfying work roles. In Canada's evolving health care system, there are demands for increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality improvement. Interprofessional collaboration warrants re-examination because maximizing interprofessional collaboration, especially nurse-physician collaboration, holds promise for improving patient care and creating satisfying work roles. A palliative care team seized the opportunity to pilot a different approach to patient and family care when faced with a reduction in medical staff. Grounded in a collaborative patient-centred practice approach, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association's National Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care (2002), and outcomes from program retreats and workgroups, a collaborative person-centred model of care was developed for a 12-bed pilot project. Preliminary findings show that the pilot project team perceived some specific benefits in continuity of care and interprofessional collaboration, while the presence of the physician was reduced to an average of 3.82 hours on the pilot wing, compared with 8 hours on the non-pilot wings. This pilot study suggests that a person-centred model, when focused on the physician-nurse dyad, may offer improved efficiency, job satisfaction and continuity of care on a palliative care unit. Incorporating all team members and developing strategies to successfully expand the model across the whole unit are the next challenges. Further research into the impact of these changes on the health care professionals, management and patients and families is essential.

  16. Joint Applications Pilot of the National Climate Predictions and Projections Platform and the North Central Climate Science Center: Delivering climate projections on regional scales to support adaptation planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, A. J.; Ojima, D. S.; Morisette, J. T.

    2012-12-01

    The DOI North Central Climate Science Center (NC CSC) and the NOAA/NCAR National Climate Predictions and Projections (NCPP) Platform and have initiated a joint pilot study to collaboratively explore the "best available climate information" to support key land management questions and how to provide this information. NCPP's mission is to support state of the art approaches to develop and deliver comprehensive regional climate information and facilitate its use in decision making and adaptation planning. This presentation will describe the evolving joint pilot as a tangible, real-world demonstration of linkages between climate science, ecosystem science and resource management. Our joint pilot is developing a deliberate, ongoing interaction to prototype how NCPP will work with CSCs to develop and deliver needed climate information products, including translational information to support climate data understanding and use. This pilot also will build capacity in the North Central CSC by working with NCPP to use climate information used as input to ecological modeling. We will discuss lessons to date on developing and delivering needed climate information products based on this strategic partnership. Four projects have been funded to collaborate to incorporate climate information as part of an ecological modeling project, which in turn will address key DOI stakeholder priorities in the region: Riparian Corridors: Projecting climate change effects on cottonwood and willow seed dispersal phenology, flood timing, and seedling recruitment in western riparian forests. Sage Grouse & Habitats: Integrating climate and biological data into land management decision models to assess species and habitat vulnerability Grasslands & Forests: Projecting future effects of land management, natural disturbance, and CO2 on woody encroachment in the Northern Great Plains The value of climate information: Supporting management decisions in the Plains and Prairie Potholes LCC. NCCSC's role in

  17. Computer Hardware, Advanced Mathematics and Model Physics pilot project final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-05-01

    The Computer Hardware, Advanced Mathematics and Model Physics (CHAMMP) Program was launched in January, 1990. A principal objective of the program has been to utilize the emerging capabilities of massively parallel scientific computers in the challenge of regional scale predictions of decade-to-century climate change. CHAMMP has already demonstrated the feasibility of achieving a 10,000 fold increase in computational throughput for climate modeling in this decade. What we have also recognized, however, is the need for new algorithms and computer software to capitalize on the radically new computing architectures. This report describes the pilot CHAMMP projects at the DOE National Laboratories and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The pilot projects were selected to identify the principal challenges to CHAMMP and to entrain new scientific computing expertise. The success of some of these projects has aided in the definition of the CHAMMP scientific plan. Many of the papers in this report have been or will be submitted for publication in the open literature. Readers are urged to consult with the authors directly for questions or comments about their papers

  18. Testing the robustness of Citizen Science projects: Evaluating the results of pilot project COMBER.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Faulwetter, Sarah; Dailianis, Thanos; Smith, Vincent Stuart; Koulouri, Panagiota; Dounas, Costas; Arvanitidis, Christos

    2016-01-01

    Citizen Science (CS) as a term implies a great deal of approaches and scopes involving many different fields of science. The number of the relevant projects globally has been increased significantly in the recent years. Large scale ecological questions can be answered only through extended observation networks and CS projects can support this effort. Although the need of such projects is apparent, an important part of scientific community cast doubt on the reliability of CS data sets. The pilot CS project COMBER has been created in order to provide evidence to answer the aforementioned question in the coastal marine biodiversity monitoring. The results of the current analysis show that a carefully designed CS project with clear hypotheses, wide participation and data sets validation, can be a valuable tool for the large scale and long term changes in marine biodiversity pattern change and therefore for relevant management and conservation issues.

  19. Solar Pilot Plant project review No. 9, May 4--5, 1977. CDRL item 10

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1977-01-01

    Drawings and illustrations for the project review are presented. These are included for the 10 MW(e) solar pilot plant, the collector subsystem, the receiver subsystem, the electrical power generation system and balance of plant, plant controls and transient analysis, availability and safety, pilot and commercial plant designs, and summary and recommendations. (MHR)

  20. The national conversion pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Der Puy, M.; Francis, G.; Konczal, M.

    1994-01-01

    The Department of Energy is now faced with the prospect of terminating traditional defense production missions at several Department of Energy sites. Because of this, there is a critical need to develop a DOE process to convert former defense production facilities to private use so that underutilized workers and facilities may be used to minimize the impact on the United States economy. The purpose of the National Conversation Pilot Project (NCPP) at Rocky Flats near Denver, Colorado is to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of economic conversion of DOE facilities, in a manner consistent with ongoing site waste management and cleanup activities, and non-prejudicial to future land use planning decisions. The NCPP is divided into three stages: The first stage, now under way, is one of detailed planning for cleanup and building maintenance activities. The second stage involves building cleanup necessary to support the proposed industrial activities, maintenance of equipment and building infrastructure necessary to assure protection of human health and the environment, declassification work, and some small scale research and development activities. Stage III would involve DOE metals recycling. Specific approval from the DOE is required prior to each project stage. To ensure stakeholder involvement, a steering committee will advise the DOE on the desirability to proceed with the project from stage to stage. A key question in the conversion process is whether a competitive economic and regulatory environment can be created on a DOE facility, allowing an onsite conversion business to effectively compete with offsite businesses. If successful, the Rocky Flats project could become the model for economic conversion at other DOE facilities

  1. Bio-Manufacturing to market pilot project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dressen, Tiffaney [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2017-09-25

    The Bio-Manufacturing to Market pilot project was a part of the AMJIAC, the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge grant. This internship program set out to further define and enhance the talent pipeline from the University and local Community Colleges to startup culture in East Bay Area, provide undergraduate STEM students with opportunities outside academia, and provide startup companies with much needed talent. Over the 4 year period of performance, the Bio-Manufacturing to Market internship program sponsored 75 undergraduate STEM students who were able to spend anywhere from one to six semesters working with local Bay Area startup companies and DOE sponsored facilities/programs in the biotech, bio-manufacturing, and biomedical device fields.

  2. The Ukrainian pilot project “Stop radon”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavlenko Tatyana

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In 2010 one area of Ukraine (Kirovograd area was selected for a pilot project to reduce radon risks. The project consists of several stages: radon risk training for the public health professionals, measurements of radon concentration in schools and nurseries (more than 1000 buildings were examined, justifications of radon countermeasures and their implementation. The lognormal frequency distribution for equivalent equilibrium concentration was authentically established. The geometric mean of the indoor radon equivalent equilibrium concentration was established to 63 Bq/m3, and standard deviation is equal to 82 Bq/m3. The indoor radon equivalent equilibrium concentration ranged from 22 Bq/m3 to 809 Bq/m3. It was found that the national regulatory limit for this type of buildings was exceeded in more than 50% of the cases. The second phase of the project has a goal to remediate radon levels and reduce radon risks. Calculated exposure doses and radon risk were used to justify the remediation and assess the economic loss for the region caused by radon irradiation of the population.

  3. A European Seal of Approval for 'gay' businesses: findings from an HIV-prevention pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherriff, Nigel; Gugglberger, Lisa

    2014-05-01

    'Gay' businesses can be important settings through which to deliver health promotion interventions to vulnerable populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM) regarding HIV prevention. This article draws on data from the European Everywhere project, which represents the first scheme to develop and pre-test a common framework for HIV/STI prevention in 'gay' businesses across eight European countries. The scientific basis of the Everywhere framework was developed using a comprehensive consensus-building process over 30 months. This process included: formative scoping research; interviews with 54 'gay' businesses; meetings/workshops with representatives from project partners, 'gay' businesses, public health administrations and external experts; 15 interviews and three focus groups with project partners; a five-month pilot action phase in eight countries, together with support from the project's Advisory Group; and all Everywhere project partners including the Scientific Steering Committee. A voluntary European code setting out differentiated HIV/STI-prevention standards for 'gay' businesses (including sex venues, 'gay' and 'gay' friendly social spaces, travel agencies, hotels, dating websites) was developed and piloted in eight European cities. During a five-month pilot action, 83 'gay' businesses were certified with the Everywhere Seal of Approval representing a considerable increase on the expected pilot target of 30. Everywhere offers a major contribution to the public health and/or health promotion field in the form of a practical, policy-relevant, settings-based HIV-prevention framework for 'gay' businesses that is common across eight European countries. Findings suggest that a European-wide model of prevention is acceptable and feasible to businesses.

  4. CMS Proposal for the Engineering Data Management System (EDMS) Pilot Project with Matrix & Report

    CERN Document Server

    Kuipers, Jos

    1997-01-01

    The CMS Working Group for Engineering and Integration ( WOGEI) has been involved in the Engineering Data Management System ( EDMS) Task Force. This Task Force has started in 1995 with definition and selection procedure for an EDMS. The aim is to find out whether an EDMS is useful for CERN and the LHC experiments and which product is most suited. The CMS-WOGEI has proposed and carried out a pilot project with Matrix, the EDMS selected by the EDMS task force. In this technical note the pilot project is described and the experience gained with this is summarised.

  5. QR Codes in the Library: Are They Worth the Effort? Analysis of a QR Code Pilot Project

    OpenAIRE

    Wilson, Andrew M.

    2012-01-01

    The literature is filled with potential uses for Quick Response (QR) codes in the library. Setting, but few library QR code projects have publicized usage statistics. A pilot project carried out in the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library of the Harvard College Library sought to determine whether library patrons actually understand and use QR codes. Results and analysis of the pilot project are provided, attempting to answer the question as to whether QR codes are worth the effort for libraries.

  6. Evaluation of the midwifery pilot projects in Quebec: an overview. L'Equipe d'Evaluation des Projets-Pilotes Sages-Femmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blais, R; Joubert, P

    2000-01-01

    In 1990, the province of Quebec adopted a law authorizing the evaluation of the practice of midwifery through eight pilot projects. The projects, which took the form of birth centres outside hospitals, started operating in 1994. The objectives of the evaluation were 1) to compare midwives' services to current physician services with regard to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, the use of obstetrical intervention, individualization and continuity of care as perceived by clients, and cost; and 2) to identify the professional and organizational factors associated with the integration of midwives into the health care system. A mixed evaluative design was used: a multiple case study with each pilot project representing a case and a cohort study where 1,000 women followed by midwives in the birth centres were matched with 1,000 women followed by physicians in the usual hospital-based services. Various quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments were used. Overall, many results were favourable to midwifery practice, while some were favourable to medical care. Following the evaluation, the Government of Quebec decided to legalize the practice of midwifery.

  7. Admiralty Inlet Pilot Tidal Project Final Technical Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Collar, Craig [Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County, Everett, WA (United States)

    2015-09-14

    This document represents the final report for the Admiralty Inlet Pilot Tidal Project, located in Puget Sound, Washington, United States. The Project purpose was to license, permit, and install a grid-connected deep-water tidal turbine array (two turbines) to be used as a platform to gather operational and environmental data on tidal energy generation. The data could then be used to better inform the viability of commercial tidal energy generation from technical, economic, social, and environmental standpoints. This data would serve as a critical step towards the responsible advancement of commercial scale tidal energy in the United States and around the world. In late 2014, Project activities were discontinued due to escalating costs, and the DOE award was terminated in early 2015. Permitting, licensing, and engineering design activities were completed under this award. Final design, deployment, operation, and monitoring were not completed. This report discusses the results and accomplishments achieved under the subject award.

  8. The ESA Space Weather Applications Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glover, A.; Hilgers, A.; Daly, E.

    Following the completion in 2001 of two parallel studies to consider the feasibility of a European Space Weather Programme ESA embarked upon a space weather pilot study with the goal of prototyping European space weather services and assessing the overall market for such within Europe This pilot project centred on a number of targeted service development activities supported by a common infrastructure and making use of only existing space weather assets Each service activity included clear participation from at least one identified service user who was requested to provide initial requirements and regular feedback during the operational phase of the service These service activities are now reaching the end of their 2-year development and testing phase and are now accessible each with an element of the service in the public domain see http www esa-spaceweathet net swenet An additional crucial element of the study was the inclusion of a comprehensive and independent analysis of the benefits both economic and strategic of embarking on a programme which would include the deployment of an infrastructure with space-based elements The results of this study will be reported together with their implication for future coordinated European activities in this field

  9. Nuclear employee data system (NEDS), a pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Britz, W.L.

    1984-01-01

    This paper describes a pilot project being funded by six east coast nuclear utilities: the Nuclear Employee Data System (NEDS). The NEDS is to be a customized computer-based information management system that will receive, update, and maintain in-processing information among the NEDS participating utilities. A comprehensive set of data requirements has been preliminarily identified and characterized into areas of: personal information, security information, health physics information, respiratory protective equipment information, medical information, and training information. The NEDS is expected to become operational next summer

  10. Statistical projection effects in a hydrodynamic pilot-wave system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sáenz, Pedro J.; Cristea-Platon, Tudor; Bush, John W. M.

    2018-03-01

    Millimetric liquid droplets can walk across the surface of a vibrating fluid bath, self-propelled through a resonant interaction with their own guiding or `pilot' wave fields. These walking droplets, or `walkers', exhibit several features previously thought to be peculiar to the microscopic, quantum realm. In particular, walkers confined to circular corrals manifest a wave-like statistical behaviour reminiscent of that of electrons in quantum corrals. Here we demonstrate that localized topological inhomogeneities in an elliptical corral may lead to resonant projection effects in the walker's statistics similar to those reported in quantum corrals. Specifically, we show that a submerged circular well may drive the walker to excite specific eigenmodes in the bath that result in drastic changes in the particle's statistical behaviour. The well tends to attract the walker, leading to a local peak in the walker's position histogram. By placing the well at one of the foci, a mode with maxima near the foci is preferentially excited, leading to a projection effect in the walker's position histogram towards the empty focus, an effect strongly reminiscent of the quantum mirage. Finally, we demonstrate that the mean pilot-wave field has the same form as the histogram describing the walker's statistics.

  11. Endangered Species & Biodiversity: A Classroom Project & Theme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauro, Brook

    2012-01-01

    Students discover the factors contributing to species losses worldwide by conducting a project about endangered species as a component of a larger classroom theme of biodiversity. Groups conduct research using online endangered- species databases and present results to the class using PowerPoint. Students will improve computer research abilities…

  12. A pilot project: Antioch Delta Cove, Antioch, California

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Minder, M.

    1994-01-01

    The project involves the restoration of the Hickmott cannery site, comprising approximately 15 acres (three five acre parcels) located on the Delta in inter-city Antioch. Hickmott Foods, Inc., operated a fruit and vegetable cannery between 1905 and the early 1970's, during which time tomato skins, peach and apricot pits, and asparagus butts were discharged on the site. The decaying fruit pits have caused cyanide contamination. Additionally, the site contains some petroleum hydrocarbon contamination as well as gypsum board contamination, apparently from nearby manufacturing operations. The Antioch Delta Cove Pilot shows how interested parties can work together to clean up contaminated sites and use the clean up process to stimulate technology transfer. The Antioch project is a blueprint that can be replicated at other sites across California

  13. National Land Imaging Requirements (NLIR) Pilot Project summary report: summary of moderate resolution imaging user requirements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vadnais, Carolyn; Stensaas, Gregory

    2014-01-01

    Under the National Land Imaging Requirements (NLIR) Project, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing a functional capability to obtain, characterize, manage, maintain and prioritize all Earth observing (EO) land remote sensing user requirements. The goal is a better understanding of community needs that can be supported with land remote sensing resources, and a means to match needs with appropriate solutions in an effective and efficient way. The NLIR Project is composed of two components. The first component is focused on the development of the Earth Observation Requirements Evaluation System (EORES) to capture, store and analyze user requirements, whereas, the second component is the mechanism and processes to elicit and document the user requirements that will populate the EORES. To develop the second component, the requirements elicitation methodology was exercised and refined through a pilot project conducted from June to September 2013. The pilot project focused specifically on applications and user requirements for moderate resolution imagery (5–120 meter resolution) as the test case for requirements development. The purpose of this summary report is to provide a high-level overview of the requirements elicitation process that was exercised through the pilot project and an early analysis of the moderate resolution imaging user requirements acquired to date to support ongoing USGS sustainable land imaging study needs. The pilot project engaged a limited set of Federal Government users from the operational and research communities and therefore the information captured represents only a subset of all land imaging user requirements. However, based on a comparison of results, trends, and analysis, the pilot captured a strong baseline of typical applications areas and user needs for moderate resolution imagery. Because these results are preliminary and represent only a sample of users and application areas, the information from this report should only

  14. Smooth Transition for Advancement to Graduate Education (STAGE) for Underrepresented Groups in the Mathematical Sciences Pilot Project: Broadening Participation through Mentoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eubanks-Turner, Christina; Beaulieu, Patricia; Pal, Nabendu

    2018-01-01

    The Smooth Transition for Advancement to Graduate Education (STAGE) project was a three-year pilot project designed to mentor undergraduate students primarily from under-represented groups in the mathematical sciences. The STAGE pilot project focused on mentoring students as they transitioned from undergraduate education to either graduate school…

  15. Pilot Implementations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manikas, Maria Ie

    by conducting a literature review. The concept of pilot implementation, although commonly used in practice, is rather disregarded in research. In the literature, pilot implementations are mainly treated as secondary to the learning outcomes and are presented as merely a means to acquire knowledge about a given...... objective. The prevalent understanding is that pilot implementations are an ISD technique that extends prototyping from the lab and into test during real use. Another perception is that pilot implementations are a project multiple of co-existing enactments of the pilot implementation. From this perspective......This PhD dissertation engages in the study of pilot (system) implementation. In the field of information systems, pilot implementations are commissioned as a way to learn from real use of a pilot system with real data, by real users during an information systems development (ISD) project and before...

  16. Convergent and divergent learning in photovoltaic pilot projects and subsequent niche development

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mierlo, van B.

    2012-01-01

    A proposed strategy to facilitate the use and development of radical new sustainable technologies is the creation of niches. Learning in these niches and the social embedding of learning experiences can stimulate changes in existing sociotechnological regimes. Pilot projects in which new

  17. Developing Collections With Get It Now: A Pilot Project for a Hybrid Collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendler, Gail Y; Gudenas, Jean

    2016-01-01

    As health sciences libraries transition from print to online journal collections that require significant institutional funding, librarians are investigating the use of on demand services in order to meet customer need and contain costs. In 2014 a three-year pilot project to determine if unmediated access to the Copyright Clearance Center's Get It Now service would expand access to needed content and provide usage data to inform collections decision making. The service provides rapid, automated delivery of unsubscribed, high-quality journal articles directly to the customer. The three-year pilot project aims to compare the cost of Get It Now to the traditional subscription model to learn if the service is a cost-effective and sustainable alternative that improves customer satisfaction and that can transform collection development with a hybrid model for journal acquisitions.

  18. Holistic assessment of a landfill mining pilot project in Austria: Methodology and application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermann, Robert; Baumgartner, Rupert J; Vorbach, Stefan; Wolfsberger, Tanja; Ragossnig, Arne; Pomberger, Roland

    2016-07-01

    Basic technical and economic examinations of Austrian mass waste landfills, concerning the recovery of secondary raw materials, have been carried out by the 'LAMIS - Landfill Mining Austria' pilot project for the first time in Austria. A main focus of the research - the subject of this article - was the first devotion of a pilot landfill to an integrated ecological and economic assessment so that its feasibility could be verified before a landfill mining project commenced. A Styrian mass waste landfill had been chosen for this purpose that had been put into operation in 1979 and received mechanically-biologically pre-treated municipal waste till 2012. The whole assessment procedure was divided into preliminary and main assessment phases to evaluate the general suitability of a landfill mining project with little financial and human resource expense. A portfolio chart, based on a questionnaire, was created for the preliminary assessment that, as a result, has provided a recommendation for subsequent investigation - the main assessment phase. In this case, specific economic criteria were assessed by net present value calculation, while ecological or socio-economic criteria were rated by utility analysis, transferring the result into a utility-net present value chart. In the case of the examined pilot landfill, assessing the landfill mining project produced a higher utility but a lower net present value than a landfill leaving-in for aftercare. Since no clearly preferable scenario could be identified this way, a cost-revenue analysis was carried out in addition that determined a dimensionless ratio: the 'utility - net present value quotient' of both scenarios. Comparing this quotient showed unmistakably that in the overall assessment, 'leaving the landfill in aftercare' was preferable to a 'landfill mining project' in that specific case. © The Author(s) 2016.

  19. "No queremos vender oxígeno" : the implementation of a REDD pilot project in the Bolivian Amazon

    OpenAIRE

    Bardalen, Ingunn

    2011-01-01

    Based on a six month fieldwork in an indigenous community in an indigenous territory, TCO, this thesis explore the initial stages of the implementation of a REDD pilot project in the northern Bolivian amazon. Since the establishment of the indigenous territory, there has been increasing pressure from logging companies and illegal logging, which has caused forest degradation in these areas. The REDD pilot project seek to reduce forest degradation in this area, and through monitoring this reduc...

  20. The World Center for Computing's Pilot Videodisc Project for French Language Instruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastmond, J. Nicholls, Jr.; Mosenthal, Richard

    1985-01-01

    Describes a pilot videodisc project for French language instruction. Unique features include (1) learner control of instruction by a mouse or touch-sensitive screen, (2) extensive cultural interaction, and (3) an elaborate lexicon of word meanings portrayed visually for selected key words. (Author/SED)

  1. Projecting future expansion of invasive species: comparing and improving methodologies for species distribution modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mainali, Kumar P; Warren, Dan L; Dhileepan, Kunjithapatham; McConnachie, Andrew; Strathie, Lorraine; Hassan, Gul; Karki, Debendra; Shrestha, Bharat B; Parmesan, Camille

    2015-12-01

    Modeling the distributions of species, especially of invasive species in non-native ranges, involves multiple challenges. Here, we developed some novel approaches to species distribution modeling aimed at reducing the influences of such challenges and improving the realism of projections. We estimated species-environment relationships for Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae) with four modeling methods run with multiple scenarios of (i) sources of occurrences and geographically isolated background ranges for absences, (ii) approaches to drawing background (absence) points, and (iii) alternate sets of predictor variables. We further tested various quantitative metrics of model evaluation against biological insight. Model projections were very sensitive to the choice of training dataset. Model accuracy was much improved using a global dataset for model training, rather than restricting data input to the species' native range. AUC score was a poor metric for model evaluation and, if used alone, was not a useful criterion for assessing model performance. Projections away from the sampled space (i.e., into areas of potential future invasion) were very different depending on the modeling methods used, raising questions about the reliability of ensemble projections. Generalized linear models gave very unrealistic projections far away from the training region. Models that efficiently fit the dominant pattern, but exclude highly local patterns in the dataset and capture interactions as they appear in data (e.g., boosted regression trees), improved generalization of the models. Biological knowledge of the species and its distribution was important in refining choices about the best set of projections. A post hoc test conducted on a new Parthenium dataset from Nepal validated excellent predictive performance of our 'best' model. We showed that vast stretches of currently uninvaded geographic areas on multiple continents harbor highly suitable habitats for parthenium

  2. Eco-design pilot project in China - Monsoon offer 2 upgrade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thai, Roselyne; Liu, Guoguo

    2017-11-01

    During COP21, Schneider Electric has committed that 100% of our new products would be eco-designed to tackle climate change. Launched in 2015, this initiative ecoDesign WayTM was tested on some pilot projects. This project covers the first ecoDesign WayTM pilot in China on an overvoltage or under voltage protective device used in both residential and industrial sectors, called Monsoon. Under the name ecoDesign WayTM, a method and a process have been deployed. The 3 main ecoDesign WayTM phases are: phase 1 - Marketing & Technique handshake, Phase 2 - ecoDesign WayTM follow-up and Phase 3 - Marketing communication. During the project, EIME from Bureau Veritas CODDE and ecoDesign WayTM scorecard from EVEA consulting are two core tools for eco-design implementation. They are respectively used for life cycle assessment and eco-design performance comparison. Thanks to the approach, compared to previous range, pollution emissions and resource depletion along the whole life cycle of product have decreased (reduction of 55% for energy depletion and 85% for water depletion). Global warming potential has dramatically decreased by 98.4% and air pollution by 33%. Meanwhile, the recycling rate has been improved by 18%, and recycled PA is used. The ecoDesign WayTM scorecard is stored as referent document for any customer request. Moreover, customers can access RoHS certificate, REACh declaration, PEP and EoLI in Check a product, an online environmental data repository, available 24/7.

  3. [Exercise-referral to a specialist in adapted physical activity (APA) : a pilot project].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brugnerotto, Adeline; Cardinaux, Regula; Ueltschi, Yan; Bauwens, Marine; Nanchen, David; Cornuz, Jacques; Bize, Raphaël; Auer, Reto

    2016-11-02

    Family physicians have a key role in the promotion of physical activity, in particular in identifying and counseling persons who have a sedentary lifestyle. Some patients could benefit from intensive individual counseling. Physicians are often not aware of all physical activity promotion activities in the community that they could recommend their patients. In a pilot study, we have tested and adapted the referral of patients from family physicians to specialists in adapted physical activity (APAs). APAs are trained to assess and guide persons towards physical activities adapted to their needs and pathologies and thus towards an increase in physical activity. Pilot data suggest that, while few patients were oriented to the APAs in the pilot project, family physicians appreciate the possibility of collaborating with the APAs.

  4. The Recon Pilot Project: A Progress Report, October 1970-May 1971

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henriette D. Avram

    1971-09-01

    Full Text Available Synopsis of three progress reports on the RECON Pilot Project submitted by the Library of Congress to the Council on Library Resources covering the period October 1970-May 1971. Progress is reported in the following areas: RECON production, foreign language editing test, format recognition, microfilming, input devices, and tasks assigned to the RECON Working Task Force.

  5. The LEONARDO-DA-VINCI pilot project "e-learning-assistant" - Situation-based learning in nursing education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfefferle, Petra Ina; Van den Stock, Etienne; Nauerth, Annette

    2010-07-01

    E-learning will play an important role in the training portfolio of students in higher and vocational education. Within the LEONARDO-DA-VINCI action programme transnational pilot projects were funded by the European Union, which aimed to improve the usage and quality of e-learning tools in education and professional training. The overall aim of the LEONARDO-DA-VINCI pilot project "e-learning-assistant" was to create new didactical and technical e-learning tools for Europe-wide use in nursing education. Based on a new situation-oriented learning approach, nursing teachers enrolled in the project were instructed to adapt, develop and implement e- and blended learning units. According to the training contents nursing modules were developed by teachers from partner institutions, implemented in the project centers and evaluated by students. The user-package "e-learning-assistant" as a product of the project includes two teacher training units, the authoring tool "synapse" to create situation-based e-learning units, a student's learning platform containing blended learning modules in nursing and an open sourced web-based communication centre. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. National conversion pilot project: A creative approach to recyling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gandee, K.R.; Taylor, R.A.; Cornils, K.N.

    1995-01-01

    As a result of the Bush-Yeltsin summit in 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has undergone a significant downsizing of its defense mission. In July 1992, the Rocky Flats site in Colorado was the first DOE site to be closed. Its mission was changed from defense to environmental cleanup and economic development. Recognizing the need to assist displaced workers and affected communities and to conduct cost-effective cleanup of DOE sites, Congress initiated two legislative provisions in the 1994 National Defense Authorization Act that required DOE to (a) provide local impact assistance to communities that are affected by the defense downsizing and (b) conduct at least One waste recycling project within the 1994 fiscal year. At the Rocky Flats site, the National Conversion Pilot Project represents an innovative approach in which both Congressional requirements are achieved simultaneously, and the strategy for meeting these requirements was developed through the active participation of all stakeholders of the project

  7. Pilot Test of the Online Public Access Catalog Project's User and Nonuser Questionnaires. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markey, Karen

    This report describes the pilot data collections and post-questionnaire interview activities of the Council on Library Resources (CLR)/Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Online Public Access Project. The background of the project is briefly described, the purpose and adminstration of the post-questionnaire interviews are outlined, and pilot…

  8. The Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project: Experiences and future plans

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, D.E.; Lego, A.J.; Clifford, A.E.

    1995-12-31

    Fully operational in June of 1994, the Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project was started to gain insight into the costs and benefits of providing ISDN service to the homes of Fermilab researchers. Fourteen users were chosen from throughout Fermilab, but the number of Fermilab-employed spouses pushed the total user count to 20. Each home was equipped with a basic rate ISDN (BRI) line, a BRI Ethernet half-bridge, and an NT-1. An inter-departmental team coordinated the project. Usage at each home was tracked and frequent surveys were attempted. Lessons learned include: working with Ameritech can be difficult; careful monitoring is essential; and configuration of home computing equipment is very time consuming. Plans include moving entirely to primary rate ISDN hubs, support for different home ISDN equipment and better usage and performance tracking.

  9. The Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project: Experiences and future plans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, D.E.; Lego, A.J.; Clifford, A.E.

    1995-01-01

    Fully operational in June of 1994, the Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project was started to gain insight into the costs and benefits of providing ISDN service to the homes of Fermilab researchers. Fourteen users were chosen from throughout Fermilab, but the number of Fermilab-employed spouses pushed the total user count to 20. Each home was equipped with a basic rate ISDN (BRI) line, a BRI Ethernet half-bridge, and an NT-1. An inter-departmental team coordinated the project. Usage at each home was tracked and frequent surveys were attempted. Lessons learned include: working with Ameritech can be difficult; careful monitoring is essential; and configuration of home computing equipment is very time consuming. Plans include moving entirely to primary rate ISDN hubs, support for different home ISDN equipment and better usage and performance tracking

  10. The Fermilab ISDN pilot project: experiences and future plans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, D.E.; Lego, A.J.; Clifford, A.E.

    1996-01-01

    Fully operational in June of 1994, the Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project was started to gain insight into the costs and benefits of providing ISDN service to the homes of Fermilab researchers. Fourteen were chosen from throughout Fermilab, but the number of Fermilab-employed spouses pushed the total user count to 20. each home was equipped with a basic rate ISDN (BRI) Ethernet half-bridge, and an NT-1. An inter-departmental team coordinated the project. Usage at each home was tracked and frequent surveys were attempted. Lessons learned include: working with Ameritech can be difficult; careful monitoring is essential; and configuration of home computing equipment is very time consuming. Plans include moving entirely to primary rate ISDN hubs, support for different home ISDN equipment and better usage and performance tracking. (author)

  11. Statistics on Science and Technology in Latin America, Experience with UNESCO Pilot Projects, 1972-1974.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thebaud, Schiller

    This report examines four UNESCO pilot projects undertaken in 1972 in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay to study the methods used for national statistical surveys of science and technology. The projects specifically addressed the problems of comparing statistics gathered by different methods in different countries. Surveys carried out in Latin…

  12. Overview of NASA's Carbon Monitoring System Flux-Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawson, Steven; Gunson, Michael R.; Jucks, Kenneth

    2011-01-01

    NASA's space-based observations of physical, chemical and biological parameters in the Earth System along with state-of-the-art modeling capabilities provide unique capabilities for analyses of the carbon cycle. The Carbon Monitoring System is developing an exploratory framework for detecting carbon in the environment and its changes, with a view towards contributing to national and international monitoring activities. The Flux-Pilot Project aims to provide a unified view of land-atmosphere and ocean-atmosphere carbon exchange, using observation-constrained models. Central to the project is the application of NASA's satellite observations (especially MODIS), the ACOS retrievals of the JAXA-GOSAT observations, and the "MERRA" meteorological reanalysis produced with GEOS-S. With a primary objective of estimating uncertainty in computed fluxes, two land- and two ocean-systems are run for 2009-2010 and compared with existing flux estimates. An transport model is used to evaluate simulated CO2 concentrations with in-situ and space-based observations, in order to assess the realism of the fluxes and how uncertainties in fluxes propagate into atmospheric concentrations that can be more readily evaluated. Finally, the atmospheric partial CO2 columns observed from space are inverted to give new estimates of surface fluxes, which are evaluated using the bottom-up estimates and independent datasets. The focus of this presentation will be on the science goals and current achievements of the pilot project, with emphasis on how policy-relevant questions help focus the scientific direction. Examples include the issue of what spatio-temporal resolution of fluxes can be detected from polar-orbiting satellites and whether it is possible to use space-based observations to separate contributions to atmospheric concentrations of (say) fossil-fuel and biological activity

  13. Insights from stakeholders of five residential smart grid pilot projects in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Obinna, U.; Joore, P.; Wauben, L.; Reinders, Angelina H.M.E.

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents insights and perceptions of stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of residential smart grid pilot projects in the Netherlands, adding to the limited information that is currently available in this area, while expectations about the potential benefits of

  14. PROJECT MANAGEMENT MATURITY: AN ASSESSMENT OF MATURITY FOR DEVELOPING PILOT PLANTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H.K. Mittermaier

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available

    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite the current economic climate, the South African mining and engineering industry is experiencing a very promising future, with a large number of capital projects in the offing. It is inevitable that pilot plant development will form part of this future as a risk mitigation technique. This study found that, even though the terms ‘pilot plant’ and ‘project management maturity’ are familiar within the industry, no link between these two could be found in the literature. A number of maturity models exist; and one developed by PMSolutions was selected to perform an assessment of the current level of project management maturity within the South African mining and engineering industry pertaining to the development of pilot plants. The Delphi technique was used to determine the views of experts in the South African mining, mineral processing, petrochemical, nuclear, and mechanical sectors regarding this maturity. A significant difference was observed between the current level of maturity and the required level of maturity in all but one of the nine knowledge areas defined by the Project Management Institute. The two knowledge areas of project time and risk management showed significant differences between current and required maturity levels, and were identified as key areas for improvement.

    AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten spyte van die huidige ekonomiese klimaat ondervind die Suid-Afrikaanse mynbou- en ingenieursbedryf ’n baie bemoedigende toekoms, met ’n groot aantal kapitaalprojekte in die vooruitsig. Ten einde risiko’s te verlaag, sal die ontwikkeling van loodsaanlegte noodwendig deel van hierdie toekoms uitmaak. Daar is gevind dat, alhoewel die terme ‘loodsaanleg’ en ‘projekbestuur volwassenheid’ in die nywerheid bekend is, geen skakeling van hierdie twee terme in die literatuur opgespoor kon word nie. ’n Aantal volwassenheid modelle bestaan; en een wat deur PMSolutions ontwikkel is, is gekies om

  15. Pilot research projects for underground disposal of radioactive wastes in the United States of America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stein, R.; Collyer, P.L.

    1984-01-01

    Disposal of commercial radioactive waste in the United States of America in a deep underground formation will ensure permanent isolation from the biosphere with minimal post-closure surveillance and maintenance. The siting, design and development, performance assessment, operation, licensing, certification and decommissioning of an underground repository have stimulated the development of several pilot research projects throughout the country. These pilot tests and projects, along with their resulting data base, are viewed as important steps in the overall location and construction of a repository. Beginning in the 1960s, research at pilot facilities has progressed from underground spent fuel tests in an abandoned salt mine to the production of vitrified nuclear waste in complex borosilicate glass logs. Simulated underground repository experiments have been performed in the dense basalts of Washington State, the volcanic tuffaceous rock of Nevada and both domal and bedded salts of Louisiana and Kansas. In addition to underground pilot in situ tests, other facilities have been constructed or modified to monitor the performance of spent fuel in dry storage wells and self-shielded concrete casks. As the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) programme advances to the next stage of underground site characterization for each of three different geological sites, additional pilot facilities are under consideration. These include a Test and Evaluation Facility (TEF) for site verification and equipment performance and testing, as well as a salt testing facility for verification of in situ simulation equipment. Although not associated with the NWTS programme, the construction of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in the bedded salts of New Mexico is well under way for deep testing and experimentation with the defence programme's transuranic nuclear waste. (author)

  16. Early screening for dyslexia--a collaborative pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ball, S; Becker, T; Boys, M; Davies, S; Noton, H

    2001-01-01

    An ongoing collaborative project, currently being piloted in 12 Wiltshire primary schools, is described. The aim is to provide a means of identifying potentially dyslexic children by the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) with a view to early intervention. The causal links identified by research between phonological skills and literacy development are taken as the theoretical basis of an initial screening procedure, and an intervention package is implemented for identified children. Those demonstrating persistent difficulties one year later are further assessed over a school term using an assessment package designed to identify those children showing a dyslexic profile. Further intervention is then planned and implemented.

  17. Clean coal technology - Study on the pilot project experiment of underground coal gasification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Lanhe; Liang Jie; Yu Li

    2003-01-01

    In this paper, the gasification conditions, the gasifier structure, the measuring system and the gasification rationale of a pilot project experiment of underground coal gasification (UCG) in the Liuzhuang Colliery, Tangshan, are illustrated. The technique of two-phase underground coal gasification is proposed. The detection of the moving speed and the length of the gasification working face is made using radon probing technology. An analysis of the experiment results indicates that the output of air gas is 3000 m 3 /h with a heating value of about 4.18 MJ/m 3 , while the output of water gas is 2000 m 3 /h with a heating value of over 11.00 MJ/m 3 , of which H 2 content is above 40% with a maximum of 71.68%. The cyclical time of two-phase underground gasification is 16 h, with 8 h for each phase. This prolongs the time when the high-heating value gas is produced. The moving speed of the gasification working face in two alternative gasifiers is identified, i.e. 0.204 and 0.487 m/d, respectively. The success of the pilot project experiment of the underground gasification reveals the strides that have been made toward the commercialization of the UCG in China. It also further justifies the reasonability and feasibility of the new technology of long channel, big section, two-phase underground gasification. A conclusion is also drawn that the technology of the pilot project experiment can be popularized in old and discarded coal mines

  18. Uncertainty of future projections of species distributions in mountainous regions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Tang

    Full Text Available Multiple factors introduce uncertainty into projections of species distributions under climate change. The uncertainty introduced by the choice of baseline climate information used to calibrate a species distribution model and to downscale global climate model (GCM simulations to a finer spatial resolution is a particular concern for mountainous regions, as the spatial resolution of climate observing networks is often insufficient to detect the steep climatic gradients in these areas. Using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt modeling framework together with occurrence data on 21 understory bamboo species distributed across the mountainous geographic range of the Giant Panda, we examined the differences in projected species distributions obtained from two contrasting sources of baseline climate information, one derived from spatial interpolation of coarse-scale station observations and the other derived from fine-spatial resolution satellite measurements. For each bamboo species, the MaxEnt model was calibrated separately for the two datasets and applied to 17 GCM simulations downscaled using the delta method. Greater differences in the projected spatial distributions of the bamboo species were observed for the models calibrated using the different baseline datasets than between the different downscaled GCM simulations for the same calibration. In terms of the projected future climatically-suitable area by species, quantification using a multi-factor analysis of variance suggested that the sum of the variance explained by the baseline climate dataset used for model calibration and the interaction between the baseline climate data and the GCM simulation via downscaling accounted for, on average, 40% of the total variation among the future projections. Our analyses illustrate that the combined use of gridded datasets developed from station observations and satellite measurements can help estimate the uncertainty introduced by the choice of baseline

  19. Streaking into middle school science: The Dell Streak pilot project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Susan Eudy

    A case study is conducted implementing the Dell Streak seven-inch android device into eighth grade science classes of one teacher in a rural middle school in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The purpose of the study is to determine if the use of the Dell Streaks would increase student achievement on standardized subject testing, if the Streak could be used as an effective instructional tool, and if it could be considered an effective instructional resource for reviewing and preparing for the science assessments. A mixed method research design was used for the study to analyze both quantitative and qualitative results to determine if the Dell Streaks' utilization could achieve the following: 1. instructional strategies would change, 2. it would be an effective instructional tool, and 3. a comparison of the students' test scores and benchmark assessments' scores would provide statistically significant difference. Through the use of an ANOVA it was determined a statistically significant difference had occurred. A Post Hoc analysis was conducted to identify where the difference occurred. Finally a T-test determined was there was no statistically significance difference between the mean End-of-Grade tests and four quarterly benchmark scores of the control and the experimental groups. Qualitative research methods were used to gather results to determine if the Streaks were an effective instructional tool. Classroom observations identified that the teacher's teaching styles and new instructional strategies were implemented throughout the pilot project. Students had an opportunity to complete a questionnaire three times during the pilot project. Results revealed what the students liked about using the devices and the challenges they were facing. The teacher completed a reflective questionnaire throughout the pilot project and offered valuable reflections about the use of the devices in an educational setting. The reflection data supporting the case study was drawn

  20. Design and development of an intelligent nursing bed - a pilot project of "joint assignment".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiehui Jiang; Tingwei Liu; Yuting Zhang; Yu Song; Mi Zhou; Xiaosong Zheng; Zhuangzhi Yan

    2017-07-01

    The "joint assignment" is a creative bachelor education project for Biomedical Engineering (BME) in Shanghai University (SHU), China. The objective of this project is to improve students' capabilities in design thinking and teamwork through practices in the process of the design and development of complex medical product. As the first step, a pilot project "design and development of intelligent nursing bed" was set up in May 2015. This paper describes details of how project organization and management, various teaching methods and scientific evaluation approaches were achieved in this pilot project. For example, a method containing one main line and four branches is taken to manage the project and "prototyping model" was used as the main research approach. As a result a multi-win situation was achieved. The results showed, firstly, 62 bachelor students including 16 BME students were well trained. They improved themselves in use of practical tools, communication skills and scientific writing; Secondly, commercial companies received a nice product design on intelligent nursing bed, and have been working on industrializing it; Thirdly, the university and associated schools obtained an excellent practical education experience to supplement traditional class education; Fourthly and most importantly, requirements from end-users will be met. The results also showed that the "joint assignment" task could become a significant component in BME bachelor education.

  1. Near term climate projections for invasive species distributions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarnevich, C.S.; Stohlgren, T.J.

    2009-01-01

    Climate change and invasive species pose important conservation issues separately, and should be examined together. We used existing long term climate datasets for the US to project potential climate change into the future at a finer spatial and temporal resolution than the climate change scenarios generally available. These fine scale projections, along with new species distribution modeling techniques to forecast the potential extent of invasive species, can provide useful information to aide conservation and invasive species management efforts. We created habitat suitability maps for Pueraria montana (kudzu) under current climatic conditions and potential average conditions up to 30 years in the future. We examined how the potential distribution of this species will be affected by changing climate, and the management implications associated with these changes. Our models indicated that P. montana may increase its distribution particularly in the Northeast with climate change and may decrease in other areas. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

  2. Cultivation of kelp species in the Limfjord, Denmark

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wegeberg, S.

    2010-04-15

    To evaluate the scope of the work and yield of cultivating kelp species in the Danish waters for DONG Energy, Denmark, a pilot?scale cultivation project was initiated in connection with the review of the potential of algal biomass for bio?energy production in Denmark. Two species of large brown algae, sea girdles (Laminaria digitata) and sweet tangle (Saccharina latissima) were cultivated with the expectation to gain maximum biomass yield, partly because of the species' size and partly because of their growth strategy. The result of the pilot study was that sugar seaweed's average maximum length was 7-8 cm, while finger seaweed's length was only 5 cm. The relative small yield is attributable to an overgrowth of sessile animals (hydroids and sea squirts). (ln)

  3. The Biomarker Knowledge System Informatics Pilot Project Supplement To The Biomarker Development Laboratory at Moffitt (Bedlam) — EDRN Public Portal

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Biomarker Knowledge System Informatics Pilot Project goal will develop network interfaces among databases that contain information about existing clinical populations and biospecimens and data relating to those specimens that are important in biomarker assay validation. This protocol comprises one of two that will comprise the Moffitt participation in the Biomarker Knowledge System Informatics Pilot Project. THIS PROTOCOL (58) is the Sput-Epi Database.

  4. Choice of baseline climate data impacts projected species' responses to climate change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, David J; Hartley, Andrew J; Butchart, Stuart H M; Willis, Stephen G

    2016-07-01

    Climate data created from historic climate observations are integral to most assessments of potential climate change impacts, and frequently comprise the baseline period used to infer species-climate relationships. They are often also central to downscaling coarse resolution climate simulations from General Circulation Models (GCMs) to project future climate scenarios at ecologically relevant spatial scales. Uncertainty in these baseline data can be large, particularly where weather observations are sparse and climate dynamics are complex (e.g. over mountainous or coastal regions). Yet, importantly, this uncertainty is almost universally overlooked when assessing potential responses of species to climate change. Here, we assessed the importance of historic baseline climate uncertainty for projections of species' responses to future climate change. We built species distribution models (SDMs) for 895 African bird species of conservation concern, using six different climate baselines. We projected these models to two future periods (2040-2069, 2070-2099), using downscaled climate projections, and calculated species turnover and changes in species-specific climate suitability. We found that the choice of baseline climate data constituted an important source of uncertainty in projections of both species turnover and species-specific climate suitability, often comparable with, or more important than, uncertainty arising from the choice of GCM. Importantly, the relative contribution of these factors to projection uncertainty varied spatially. Moreover, when projecting SDMs to sites of biodiversity importance (Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas), these uncertainties altered site-level impacts, which could affect conservation prioritization. Our results highlight that projections of species' responses to climate change are sensitive to uncertainty in the baseline climatology. We recommend that this should be considered routinely in such analyses. © 2016 John Wiley

  5. Location Independent Professional Project: A Pilot Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hudson, J.A.; Long, J.P.; Miller, M.M.

    1999-02-01

    This pilot study project explored the problem of providing access to the nomadic worker who desires to connect a computer through network access points at a number of different locations within the SNL/NM campus as well as outside the campus. The design and prototype development gathered knowledge that may allow a design to be developed that could be extended to a larger number of SNL/NM network drop boxes. The focus was to provide a capability for a worker to access the SNL IRN from a network drop box (e.g. in a conference room) as easily as when accessing the computer network from the office normally used by the worker. Additional study was done on new methods to authenticate the off campus worker, and protect and control access to data.

  6. The National Map - Missouri Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    2001-01-01

    Governments depend on a common set of geographic base information as a tool for economic and community development, land and natural resource management, and health and safety services. Emergency management and defense operations rely on this information. Private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens use the same geographic data. Geographic information underpins an increasingly large part of the Nation's economy. Available geographic data often have the following problems: * They do not align with each other because layers are frequently created or revised separately, * They do not match across administrative boundaries because each producing organization uses different methods and standards, and * They are not up to date because of the complexity and cost of revision. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing The National Map to be a seamless, continuously maintained, and nationally consistent set of online, public domain, geographic base information to address these issues. The National Map will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using other data easily and consistently. In collaboration with other government agencies, the private sector, academia, and volunteer groups, the USGS will coordinate, integrate, and, where needed, produce and maintain base geographic data. The National Map will include digital orthorectified imagery; elevation data; vector data for hydrography, transportation, boundary, and structure features; geographic names; and land cover information. The data will be the source of revised paper topographic maps. Many technical and institutional issues must be resolved as The National Map is implemented. To begin the refinement of this new paradigm, pilot projects are being designed to identify and investigate these issues. The pilots are the foundation upon which future partnerships for data sharing and maintenance will be built.

  7. The National Map - Delaware Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    2001-01-01

    Governments depend on a common set of geographic base information as a tool for economic and community development, land and natural resource management, and health and safety services. Emergency management and defense operations rely on this information. Private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens use the same geographic data. Geographic information underpins an increasingly large part of the Nation's economy. Available geographic data often have the following problems: * They do not align with each other because layers are frequently created or revised separately, * They do not match across administrative boundaries because each producing organization uses different methods and standards, and * They are not up to date because of the complexity and cost of revision. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing The National Map to be a seamless, continuously maintained, and nationally consistent set of online, public domain, geographic base information to address these issues. The National Map will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using other data easily and consistently. In collaboration with other government agencies, the private sector, academia, and volunteer groups, the USGS will coordinate, integrate, and, where needed, produce and maintain base geographic data. The National Map will include digital orthorectified imagery; elevation data; vector data for hydrography, transportation, boundary, and structure features; geographic names; and land cover information. The data will be the source of revised paper topographic maps. Many technical and institutional issues must be resolved as The National Map is implemented. To begin the refinement of this new paradigm, pilot projects are being designed to identify and investigate these issues. The pilots are the foundation upon which future partnerships for data sharing and maintenance will be built.

  8. The National Map - Pennsylvania Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    2001-01-01

    Governments depend on a common set of geographic base information as a tool for economic and community development, land and natural resource management, and health and safety services. Emergency management and defense operations rely on this information. Private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens use the same geographic data. Geographic information underpins an increasingly large part of the Nation's economy. Available geographic data often have the following problems: * They do not align with each other because layers are frequently created or revised separately, * They do not match across administrative boundaries because each producing organization uses different methods and standards, and * They are not up to date because of the complexity and cost of revision. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing The National Map to be a seamless, continuously maintained, and nationally consistent set of online, public domain, geographic base information to address these issues. The National Map will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using other data easily and consistently. In collaboration with other government agencies, the private sector, academia, and volunteer groups, the USGS will coordinate, integrate, and, where needed, produce and maintain base geographic data. The National Map will include digital orthorectified imagery; elevation data; vector data for hydrography, transportation, boundary, and structure features; geographic names; and land cover information. The data will be the source of revised paper topographic maps. Many technical and institutional issues must be resolved as The National Map is implemented. To begin the refinement of this new paradigm, pilot projects are being designed to identify and investigate these issues. The pilots are the foundation upon which future partnerships for data sharing and maintenance will be built.

  9. The National Map - Texas Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    2001-01-01

    Governments depend on a common set of geographic base information as a tool for economic and community development, land and natural resource management, and health and safety services. Emergency management and defense operations rely on this information. Private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens use the same geographic data. Geographic information underpins an increasingly large part of the Nation's economy. Available geographic data often have the following problems: * They do not align with each other because layers are frequently created or revised separately, * They do not match across administrative boundaries because each producing organization uses different methods and standards, and * They are not up to date because of the complexity and cost of revision. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing The National Map to be a seamless, continuously maintained, and nationally consistent set of online, public domain, geographic base information to address these issues. The National Map will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using other data easily and consistently. In collaboration with other government agencies, the private sector, academia, and volunteer groups, the USGS will coordinate, integrate, and, where needed, produce and maintain base geographic data. The National Map will include digital orthorectified imagery; elevation data; vector data for hydrography, transportation, boundary, and structure features; geographic names; and land cover information. The data will be the source of revised paper topographic maps. Many technical and institutional issues must be resolved as The National Map is implemented. To begin the refinement of this new paradigm, pilot projects are being designed to identify and investigate these issues. The pilots are the foundation upon which future partnerships for data sharing and maintenance will be built.

  10. The National Map - Florida Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    2001-01-01

    Governments depend on a common set of geographic base information as a tool for economic and community development, land and natural resource management, and health and safety services. Emergency management and defense operations rely on this information. Private industry, nongovernmental organizations, and individual citizens use the same geographic data. Geographic information underpins an increasingly large part of the Nation's economy. Available geographic data often have the following problems: * They do not align with each other because layers are frequently created or revised separately, * They do not match across administrative boundaries because each producing organization uses different methods and standards, and * They are not up to date because of the complexity and cost of revision. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing The National Map to be a seamless, continuously maintained, and nationally consistent set of online, public domain, geographic base information to address these issues. The National Map will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using other data easily and consistently. In collaboration with other government agencies, the private sector, academia, and volunteer groups, the USGS will coordinate, integrate, and, where needed, produce and maintain base geographic data. The National Map will include digital orthorectified imagery; elevation data; vector data for hydrography, transportation, boundary, and structure features; geographic names; and land cover information. The data will be the source of revised paper topographic maps. Many technical and institutional issues must be resolved as The National Map is implemented. To begin the refinement of this new paradigm, pilot projects are being designed to identify and investigate these issues. The pilots are the foundation upon which future partnerships for data sharing and maintenance will be built.

  11. DSM energy saving pilot project report. Furniture Plant Teika, Riga, Latvia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ananevski, V.; Kalejs, M.; Hercogs, J.; Blumbergs, U.

    1995-07-01

    The purpose of this pilot project was to carry out energy audit into the furniture plant TEIKA and energy saving measures. Another aim was to transfer the Danish know how and experience obtained through the Danish effort in Latvian industries consumers. Therefore great attention is paid to energy mapping in order to show possibilities of the Danish methodisms. This report is a part of the Joint Latvian - Danish Project Demand Side Management and Energy Saving. It is a results of collaborative efforts between a Latvian team, consisting of the specialists from Latvenergo and on the other hand a Danish team, which was represented by the Danish Power Consult company NESA. (EG)

  12. Handheld computers in nursing education: PDA pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koeniger-Donohue, Rebecca

    2008-02-01

    Interest in the use and application of handheld technology at undergraduate and graduate nursing programs across the country is growing rapidly. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are often referred to as a "peripheral brain" because they can save time, decrease errors, and simplify information retrieval at the point of care. In addition, research results support the notion that PDAs enhance nursing clinical education and are an effective student learning resource. However, most nursing programs lack the full range of technological resources to implement and provide ongoing support for handheld technology use by faculty and students. This article describes a 9-month pilot project for the initial use of PDAs by novice faculty and students at Simmons College.

  13. The photovoltaic pilot projects of the European Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnell, W.

    The Commission of the European Communities has started in 1980 a programme for the design and construction of a series of photovoltaic pilot projects in the range of 30-300 kWp. Virtually all important industries and other development organisations in Europe working on photovoltaic cells and systems are involved in this programme. The different technologies which are being developed concern the modules, the cabling of the array, structure design, storage strategy and power conditioning. The various applications include powering of an island, villages, recreation centres, water desalination and disinfection, powering of radio transmitters, emergency power plants, dairy farm, training school, cooling, water pumping, powering of a solar heated swimming pool and last but not least, hydrogen production.

  14. The Palouse Basin Participatory Model Pilot Project: A Participatory Approach to Bi-state Groundwater Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beall, A.; Fiedler, F.; Boll, J.; Cosens, B.; Harris, C.

    2008-12-01

    In March 2008, The University of Idaho Waters of the West, the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee and its Citizen Advisory Group undertook a pilot project to explore the use of participatory modeling to assist with water resource management decisions. The Palouse basin supplies Moscow, Idaho, Pullman, Washington, and surrounding communities with high quality groundwater. However, water levels in the major aquifer systems have been declining since records have been kept. Solutions are complicated by jurisdictional considerations and limited alternatives for supply. We hope that by using a participatory approach major conflicts will be avoided. Group system dynamics modeling has been used for various environmental concerns such as air quality, biological management, water quality and quantity. These models create a nexus of science, policy, and economic and social concerns, which enhances discussion of issues surrounding the use of natural resources. Models may be developed into educational and or decision support tools which can be used to assist with planning processes. The long-term goal of the Palouse basin project is to develop such a model. The pilot project participants include hydrologists, facility operators, policy makers and local citizens. The model they have developed integrates issues such as scientific uncertainty, groundwater volumes, and potential conservation measures and costs. Preliminary results indicate that participants are satisfied with the approach and are looking to use the model for education and to help direct potential research. We will present the results of the pilot project, including the developed model and insights from the process.

  15. Thermal sludge treatment. Pilot project on the possibilities and marginal conditions; Thermische slibontsluiting. Pilot-onderzoek naar de mogelijkheden en randvoorwaarden

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berkhof, D.; Koornneef, E.; Janus, H. [Royal Haskoning DHV, Amersfoort (Netherlands)

    2012-09-15

    As part of the agreements within the framework of the Dutch Green Deal between Water Boards and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (ELI) a research program has been set up which addresses the implementation of new developments that can improve energy efficiency in the treatment of waste water. Attention is paid to supercritical gasification, supercritical oxidation and conventional gasification. The study on conventional gasification is split into two phases: research into the economic feasibility in combination with TDH (thermal pressure hydrolysis) and drying, and next to that a pilot plant. This report concerns phase 2: pilot projects on thermal sewage treatment [Dutch] Als onderdeel van de afspraken in het kader van de Green Deal tussen Waterschappen en het ministerie van ELI is een onderzoeksprogramma opgesteld gericht op het implementeren van nieuwe ontwikkelingen die de energie efficientie bij de verwerking van afvalwater kunnen verbeteren. Daarbij wordt gekeken naar superkritische vergassing en oxidatie en naar conventionele vergassing. De studie naar conventionele vergassing is gesplitst in 2 fasen: onderzoek naar de economische haalbaarheid in combinatie met TDH (thermische druk hydrolyse), en drogen en daarnaast een onderzoek op pilot plant/praktijkschaal. In de onderhavige rapportage wordt fase 2, het onderzoek op pilot plant/praktijkschaal naar thermische slibontsluiting (TSO) beschreven.

  16. Future energy research in the EU under EIT conditions-pilot projects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puehringer-Oppermann, Franziska; Bele, Petra; Bussar, Rainer; Stimming, Ulrich [TUM, Dept. of Physics, E19, James-Franck Str. 1, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

    2009-07-01

    The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has been established in April 2008. It is an independent organisation with the administrative head in Budapest, a governing board, an executive committee and a chairman. The EIT budget until 2012 is 308 MEUR. EIT will operate through the formation of Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). The first three KICs are foreseen in the areas sustainable energy, ICT and climate mitigation. The European Commission has sponsored four pilot projects (conducted 2008-2009) to help develop a suitable governance structure for cooperations on European scale such as the future KICs. They are Bridge, ComplexEIT, SUCCESS and Gast, dealing with different topics like nanomedicine (Bridge), integration of hardware and software (ComplexEIT), sustainable energy (SUCCESS) and green and safe road transportation (Gast). The strategic objective of these pilot projects is to design, implement and test new models of cooperation in the knowledge triangle. We are involved in SUCCESS and after benchmarking of 66 collaborations in the field sustainable energy, the state of the art of selected representative topics was asessed and shortcomings in governance evaluated by SWOT analysis. In parallel further existing collaborations were used to extract and establish a management structure for such collaborations on the European scale.

  17. Environmental assessment for the National Conversion Pilot Project, Stage 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of the National Conversion Pilot Project (NCPP) is to explore and demonstrate, at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS), the feasibility of economic conversion at Department of Energy facilities. Economic conversion is the conversion of facilities and equipment owned by the Federal government to production of goods by private firms for profit. The NCPP mission is consistent with the RFETS current mission: to conduct site remediation, decontaminate and decommission site buildings and close the site in a manner that is safe, environmentally and socially responsible, physically secure, and cost effective. The NCPP is divided into three stages, with decision points at the ends of Stages 1 and 2 and periodically during Stage 3, to help ensure careful consideration of project effectiveness and to create an opportunity for regulators and stakeholders to provide comments to the DOE. At the end of each stage, the project can be reversed, authorized to proceed, or terminated

  18. Tenure Issues in REDD+ Pilot Project Sites in Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Therese Dokken

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available REDD+ has been proposed as a viable option for addressing climate change in the near term, and at relatively low cost. There is a broad consensus that clearly defined tenure rights are important for the implementation and success of REDD+, both to manage forests effectively and to protect local communities’ livelihoods. We use primary data from 23 villages in six REDD+ pilot sites in Tanzania to identify causes of deforestation and forest degradation, and tenure rights issues, at the village level prior to project implementation. Further, interviews with project proponents and examination of project documents yields insights into how the proponents plan to address tenure issues. Most villages perceive their tenure as secure and have exclusion rights, while collective action challenges are prevalent in villages experiencing deforestation and forest degradation. These findings suggest that the main tenure issues are related to internal institutional arrangements. While we find that tenure is high on the agenda for all the project proponents, they are mainly focusing on formalization and securing tenure rights from state to community level. Though we do find this to be a precondition for reducing deforestation and degradation, some of their focus should be shifted to strengthening village institutions and enhancing internal compliance.

  19. Scaling the quality of clinical audit projects: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millard, A D

    1999-06-01

    To pilot the development of a scale measuring the quality of audit projects through audit project reports. Statements about clinical audit projects were selected from existing instruments, assessing the quality of clinical audit projects, to form a Likert scale. The audit facilitators were based in Scottish health boards and trusts. The participants were audit facilitators known to have over 2 years experience of supporting clinical audit. The response at first test was 11 out of 14 and at the second test it was 27 out of 46. The draft scale was tested by 27 audit facilitators who expressed their strength of agreement or disagreement with each statement for three reports. Validity was assessed by test-re-test, item-total, and total-global indicator correlations. Of the 20 statements, 15 had satisfactory correlations with scale totals. Scale totals had good correlations with global indicators. Test-re-test correlation was modest. The wide range of responses means further research is needed to measure the consistency of audit facilitators' interpretations, perhaps comparing a trained group with an untrained group. There may be a need for a separate scale for reaudits. Educational impact is distinct from project impact generally. It may be more meaningful to treat the selection of projects and aims, methodology and impact separately as subscales and take a project profiling approach rather than attempting to produce a global quality index.

  20. EcoPrinciples Connect: A Pilot Project Matching Ecological Principles with Available Data to Promote Ecosystem-Based Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martone, R. G.; Erickson, A.; Mach, M.; Hale, T.; McGregor, A.; Prahler, E. E.; Foley, M.; Caldwell, M.; Hartge, E. H.

    2016-12-01

    Ocean and coastal practitioners work within existing financial constraints, jurisdictions, and legislative authorities to manage coastal and marine resources while seeking to promote and maintain a healthy and productive coastal economy. Fulfilling this mandate necessitates incorporation of best available science, including ecosystem-based management (EBM) into coastal and ocean management decisions. To do this, many agencies seek ways to apply lessons from ecological theory into their decision processes. However, making direct connections between science and management can be challenging, in part because there is no process for linking ecological principles (e.g., maintaining species diversity, habitat diversity, connectivity and populations of key species) with available data. Here we explore how incorporating emerging data and methods into resource management at a local scale can improve the overall health of our coastal and marine ecosystems. We introduce a new web-based interface, EcoPrinciples Connect, that links marine managers to scientific and geospatial information through the lens of these ecological principles, ultimately helping managers become more efficient, more consistent, and advance the integration of EBM. The EcoPrinciples Connect tool grew directly out of needs identified in response to a Center for Ocean Solutions reference guide, Incorporating Ecological Principles into California Ocean and Coastal Management: Examples from Practice. Here we illustrate how we have worked to translate the information in this guide into a co-developed, user-centric tool for agency staff. Specifically, we present a pilot project where we match publicly available data to the ecological principles for the California San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. We will share early lessons learned from pilot development and highlight opportunities for future transferability to an expanded group of practitioners.

  1. Matching species traits to projected threats and opportunities from climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Raquel A; Araújo, Miguel B; Burgess, Neil D; Foden, Wendy B; Gutsche, Alexander; Rahbek, Carsten; Cabeza, Mar

    2014-01-01

    Aim Climate change can lead to decreased climatic suitability within species' distributions, increased fragmentation of climatically suitable space, and/or emergence of newly suitable areas outside present distributions. Each of these extrinsic threats and opportunities potentially interacts with specific intrinsic traits of species, yet this specificity is seldom considered in risk assessments. We present an analytical framework for examining projections of climate change-induced threats and opportunities with reference to traits that are likely to mediate species' responses, and illustrate the applicability of the framework. Location Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We applied the framework to 195 sub-Saharan African amphibians with both available bioclimatic envelope model projections for the mid-21st century and trait data. Excluded were 500 narrow-ranging species mainly from montane areas. For each of projected losses, increased fragmentation and gains of climate space, we selected potential response-mediating traits and examined the spatial overlap with vulnerability due to these traits. We examined the overlap for all species, and individually for groups of species with different combinations of threats and opportunities. Results In the Congo Basin and arid Southern Africa, projected losses for wide-ranging amphibians were compounded by sensitivity to climatic variation, and expected gains were precluded by poor dispersal ability. The spatial overlap between exposure and vulnerability was more pronounced for species projected to have their climate space contracting in situ or shifting to distant geographical areas. Our results exclude the potential exposure of narrow-ranging species to shrinking climates in the African tropical mountains. Main conclusions We illustrate the application of a framework combining spatial projections of climate change exposure with traits that are likely to mediate species' responses. Although the proposed framework carries several

  2. The role of demography, intra-species variation, and species distribution models in species’ projections under climate change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Swab, Rebecca Marie; Regan, Helen M.; Matthies, Diethart

    2015-01-01

    Organisms are projected to shift their distribution ranges under climate change. The typical way to assess range shifts is by species distribution models (SDMs), which predict species’ responses to climate based solely on projected climatic suitability. However, life history traits can impact...... species’ responses to shifting habitat suitability. Additionally, it remains unclear if differences in vital rates across populations within a species can offset or exacerbate the effects of predicted changes in climatic suitability on population viability. In order to obtain a fuller understanding...... of the response of one species to projected climatic changes, we coupled demographic processes with predicted changes in suitable habitat for the monocarpic thistle Carlina vulgaris across northern Europe. We first developed a life history model with species-specific average fecundity and survival rates...

  3. Evaluation of bridge decks using non-destructive evaluation (NDE) at near highway speeds for effective asset management - pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-29

    This project piloted the findings from an initial research and development project pertaining to the detection, : quantification, and visualization of bridge deck distresses through the use of remote sensing techniques, specifically : combining optic...

  4. Russian energy efficiency projects: lessons learnt from Activities Implemented Jointly pilot phase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korppoo, Anna

    2005-01-01

    Russia needs to improve the efficiency of energy. Failure to do so will retard the economic recovery of the country, but the energy sector is lacking both domestic and foreign investments. JI projects could provide the underfinanced Russian energy sector with additional investments. AIJ pilot project experiences provide an overview of the potential difficulties for future JI projects. Institutional problems were the most important category. Most of these problems remain, and the lack of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by Russia has formed a new very significant barrier. Implementation level problems caused some problems to AIJ projects, but they are likely to have less impact on the better prepared JI projects. The character of funding-related problems has changed: for AIJ projects the main problem was that emission reductions could not be credited, whereas future JI projects will experience more competition in the Kyoto market where the overall investment climate and the availability of local cofunding are more relevant. Therefore, the unfinished economic and energy sector reforms currently discourage JI investments. The project experiences so far have been dismal, and if Russian policy-makers cannot improve this performance, only few JI projects can be expected in the future

  5. An analysis of the impact of the thermonuclear pilot project ITER on industry and research in Austria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hangel, G.

    2007-03-01

    An analysis of the influence of the thermonuclear pilot project ITER on Austrian research and industrial activities is presented in terms of the following subjects: fusion research history, ITER technique, security, nuclear fusion, ITER (reactor, project specifications for quotations), possibilities for Austrian companies and fusion research in Austria. (nevyjel)

  6. Life-Long Cyberlearning System: A Pilot Project for the "Learning Society" in the ROC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Huei-Wen; Wang, Yen-Chao

    1999-01-01

    Provides an overview of the implementation of lifelong learning in Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC) as part of its educational reform policy and describes a pilot project, the Lifelong Cyberlearning System. Highlights include planning architecture, Web-based learning technology, professional education, industrial and corporate assistance, and…

  7. Communication training as a part of medical education: a pilot project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petersen, Corinna

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Within the last years, the importance of communication skills regarding the doctor-patient-relationship received more attention. Medical school curricula for future physicians must include teaching of communication skills as well. A pilot project for training communicative basic skills at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf will be presented. The content of teaching was generated by employees of the Institute and Policlinics of Medical Psychology. Contents of the course will be described and experiences discussed.

  8. 100-N pilot project: Proposed consolidated groundwater monitoring program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borghese, J.V.; Hartman, M.J.; Lutrell, S.P.; Perkins, C.J.; Zoric, J.P.; Tindall, S.C.

    1996-11-01

    This report presents a proposed consolidated groundwater monitoring program for the 100-N Pilot Project. This program is the result of a cooperative effort between the Hanford Site contractors who monitor the groundwater beneath the 100-N Area. The consolidation of the groundwater monitoring programs is being proposed to minimize the cost, time, and effort necessary for groundwater monitoring in the 100-N Area, and to coordinate regulatory compliance activities. The integrity of the subprograms requirements remained intact during the consolidation effort. The purpose of this report is to present the proposed consolidated groundwater monitoring program and to summarize the process by which it was determined

  9. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) integrated project management system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olona, D.; Sala, D.

    1993-01-01

    The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, New Mexico, is a research and development project of the Department of Energy (DOE), tasked with the mission of demonstrating the safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive wastes. This unique project was authorized by Congress in 1979 in response to the national need for long-term, safe methods for disposing of radioactive by-products from our national defense programs. The WIPP was originally established in December of 1979, by Public Law 96-164, DOE National Security and Military Applications of Nuclear Energy Authorization Act of 1980. Since the inception of the WIPP Project, work has continued to prepare the facility to receive TRU wastes. Studies continue to be conducted to demonstrate the safety of the WIPP facility in accordance with federal and state laws, state agreements, environmental regulations, and DOE Orders. The objectives of implementing an integrated project management system are to assure compliance with all regulatory and federal regulations, identify areas of concern, provide justification for funding, provide a management tool for control of program workscope, and establish a project baseline from which accountability and performance will be assessed. Program management and project controls are essential for the success of the WIPP Project. The WIPP has developed an integrated project management system to establish the process for the control of the program which has an expected total dollar value of $2B over the ten-year period from 1990-2000. The implementation of this project management system was motivated by the regulatory requirements of the project, the highly public environment in which the project takes place, limited funding and resources, and the dynamic nature of the project. Specific areas to be addressed in this paper include strategic planning, project organization, planning and scheduling, fiscal planning, and project monitoring and reporting

  10. Patient and Stakeholder Engagement in the PCORI Pilot Projects: Description and Lessons Learned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forsythe, Laura P; Ellis, Lauren E; Edmundson, Lauren; Sabharwal, Raj; Rein, Alison; Konopka, Kristen; Frank, Lori

    2016-01-01

    Patients and healthcare stakeholders are increasingly becoming engaged in the planning and conduct of biomedical research. However, limited research characterizes this process or its impact. We aimed to characterize patient and stakeholder engagement in the 50 Pilot Projects funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and identify early contributions and lessons learned. A self-report instrument was completed by researchers between 6 and 12 months following project initiation. Forty-seven principal investigators or their designees (94 % response rate) participated in the study. MAIN MEASURES Self-report of types of stakeholders engaged, stages and levels of engagement, facilitators and barriers to engagement, lessons learned, and contributions from engagement were measured. Most (83 %) reported engaging more than one stakeholder in their project. Among those, the most commonly reported groups were patients (90 %), clinicians (87 %), health system representatives (44 %), caregivers (41 %), and advocacy organizations (41 %). Stakeholders were commonly involved in topic solicitation, question development, study design, and data collection. Many projects engaged stakeholders in data analysis, results interpretation, and dissemination. Commonly reported contributions included changes to project methods, outcomes or goals; improvement of measurement tools; and interpretation of qualitative data. Investigators often identified communication and shared leadership strategies as "critically important" facilitators (53 and 44 % respectively); lack of stakeholder time was the most commonly reported challenge (46 %). Most challenges were only partially resolved. Early lessons learned included the importance of continuous and genuine partnerships, strategic selection of stakeholders, and accommodation of stakeholders' practical needs. PCORI Pilot Projects investigators report engaging a variety of stakeholders across many stages of research, with specific

  11. Pilot projects and their diffusion: a case study of integrated coastal management in South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Vreugdenhil, H

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available contribution to the diffusion of the innovation and so to a policy transition in South African coastal zone management. Finally, we identify types of pilot project and the accompanying design choices that are most suitable for transition management....

  12. Using an Optionally Piloted Aircraft for Airborne Gravity Observations with the NOAA GRAV-D Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youngman, M.; Johnson, J. A.; van Westrum, D.; Damiani, T.

    2017-12-01

    The U.S. National Geodetic Survey's (NGS) Gravity for the Redefintion of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) project is collecting airborne gravity data to support a 1 cm geoid. Started in 2008, this project will collect airborne gravity data over the entire U.S. and territories by 2022. As of June 30, 2017, the project was almost 62% complete. With recent technological developments, NGS has been exploring using unmanned aircraft for airborne gravity measurements. This presentation will focus on results from two surveys over the U.S. Appalachian and Rocky Mountains using the Aurora Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft and the Micro-g Lacoste Turnkey Airborne Gravimeter System 7 (TAGS7). Collecting high quality data as well as dealing with remote locations has been a challenge for the GRAV-D project and the field of airborne gravity in general. Unmanned aircraft could potentially improve data quality, handle hard to reach locations, and reduce pilot fatigue. The optionally piloted Centaur aircraft is an attractive option because it is not restricted in U.S. airspace and delivers high quality gravity data. Specifically, the Centaur meets U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regulations for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) by using a safety pilot on board to maintain line of sight and the ability to take control in the event of an emergency. Even though this is a sizeable UAS, most traditional gravimeters are too large and heavy for the platform. With a smaller and lighter design, the TAGS7 was used for its ability to conform to the aircraft's size restrictions, with the added benefit of upgraded performance capabilities. Two surveys were performed with this aircraft and gravimeter, one in April and one in August to September of 2017. Initial results indicate that the high-gain, fast response of the Centaur autopilot (optimized for flights without passengers), coupled with the full-force feedback sensor of the TAGS7, provides superior performance in all conditions, and

  13. DSM energy saving pilot project report. Company Augstceltne Ltd., Riga, Latvia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krievins, P.; Cakuls, A.; Kaross, V.; Jansons, D.

    1995-05-01

    This report is a part of the Joint Latvian - Danish Project DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT AND ENERGY SAVING. The Project is a part of the Danish aid and technology transfer to Latvia. It is the result of collaborative efforts between a Latvian team, consisting of the specialists from Latvenergo and a Danish team, which was represented by Danish Power Consult. The purpose of this pilot project was not only to carry out energy audit in the company Augstceltne Ltd and propose demand side management and energy saving measures. Another task of the project was the application of DPC energy audit methodic, measuring equipment and software in Latvian conditions and the promotion of energy saving programs in Latvia in this way. The Company Augstceltne Ltd was created to rent the rest of premises for many other independent companys and to earn money for surviving. Now the Company has 9 buildings with a total area of 26,920 square meters. The tower block has 23 floors and it is the main business centre. 66 companies are located in the building. (EG)

  14. Global Climate Change Pilot Course Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuenemann, K. C.; Wagner, R.

    2011-12-01

    In fall 2011 a pilot course on "Global Climate Change" is being offered, which has been proposed to educate urban, diverse, undergraduate students about climate change at the introductory level. The course has been approved to fulfill two general college requirements, a natural sciences requirement that focuses on the scientific method, as well as a global diversity requirement. This course presents the science behind global climate change from an Earth systems and atmospheric science perspective. These concepts then provide the basis to explore the effect of global warming on regions throughout the world. Climate change has been taught as a sub-topic in other courses in the past solely using scientific concepts, with little success in altering the climate change misconceptions of the students. This pilot course will see if new, innovative projects described below can make more of an impact on the students' views of climate change. Results of the successes or failures of these projects will be reported, as well as results of a pre- and post-course questionnaire on climate change given to students taking the course. Students in the class will pair off and choose a global region or country that they will research, write papers on, and then represent in four class discussions spaced throughout the semester. The first report will include details on the current climate of their region and how the climate shapes that region's society and culture. The second report will discuss how that region is contributing to climate change and/or sequestering greenhouse gases. Thirdly, students will discuss observed and predicted changes in that region's climate and what impact it has had, and could have, on their society. Lastly, students will report on what role their region has played in mitigating climate change, any policies their region may have implemented, and how their region can or cannot adapt to future climate changes. They will also try to get a feel for the region

  15. 78 FR 71645 - Pilot Project for Tribal Jurisdiction over Crimes of Domestic Violence

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-29

    ...This final notice establishes procedures for Indian tribes to request designation as participating tribes under section 204 of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, on an accelerated basis, under the voluntary pilot project described in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act; establishes procedures for the Attorney General to act on such requests; and solicits such requests from Indian tribes.

  16. A methodology for assessment of road structures for the PBS pilot project in South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Nordengen, Paul A

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the methodology that is being used for the performance assessment of PBS vehicles in terms of road structures as part of the PBS pilot project in South Africa. The assessment approach has evolved from the standard “bridge...

  17. Optimization of the cumulative risk assessment of pesticides and biocides using computational techniques: Pilot project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jonsdottir, Svava Osk; Reffstrup, Trine Klein; Petersen, Annette

    This pilot project is intended as the first step in developing a computational strategy to assist in refining methods for higher tier cumulative and aggregate risk assessment of exposure to mixture of pesticides and biocides. For this purpose, physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) models were...

  18. The Citizenship Safety Project: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frederick, K; Barlow, J

    2006-02-01

    The Government White Paper Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation (1999) provides a clear indication that accidents are a serious public health problem and have been targeted by the Department of Health as a key area for prevention over the next 10 years. School-based injury prevention programmes have been identified as one of the key settings for the implementation of the White Paper's heath promotion strategies. The Citizen Safety Project (CSP) is a peer-delivered injury prevention programme for Year 10 students (14-15 years) and Year 2 pupils (6-7 years). This paper summarizes the findings of a pilot study that assessed the feasibility of implementing the CSP in schools and of conducting a larger study. Working as part of their Personal Social Health Education lessons, 11 pairs (n = 22) of Year 10 students developed a project to take one accident prevention theme of their choice into a primary school to teach small groups of five or six Year 2 pupils (n = 55). A formative evaluation was conducted, based on interviews with Year 2 and Year 10 teachers (n = 2), and the diaries of Year 10 students. Knowledge of accident prevention and risk awareness was measured in Year 2 pupils using the Draw and Write technique, and impact on Year 10 students was measured using self-esteem and locus of control inventories. Using both statistical and thematic analysis the study concludes that the CSP is well accepted, improves knowledge in Year 2 pupils and boosts confidence in Year 10 students, while concurrently achieving key stage attainment targets. Implications of the study are discussed in terms of future research, as are recommendations with regard to modifications to the project.

  19. Pilot project wind power - Large scale wind power in northern Sweden; Pilotprojekt vindkraft - Storskalig vindkraft i norra Sverige

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2011-07-01

    The Swedish Energy Agency granted 2009-04-20 Svevind AB financial aid to implement {sup P}ilot project wind power- Large scale wind power in northern Sweden{sup .} The purpose of the aid is to implement pilot sub-projects in wind power, to to increase knowledge for the larger establishments. The Energy Agency said in its decision that the projects Dragaliden and Gabriel Mountain is of 'great importance for future large-scale development of wind power in Sweden'. The special conditions prevailing in the project, forest environment and cold climate, gives the possibility of studies of wind turbines on birds, reindeer herding and hunting and the more technical aspects, such as de-icing and obstacle lighting. The objectives of the project, in addition to the construction and operation of 32 wind turbines, has been to include evaluating the permit process, studying the social effects around the wind power, to study the impact on small game hunting, perform tests of the de-icing system, investigate impacts on reindeer herding and explain the outcome of the project-generated rural funds. Some of the above sub-projects have been completed, which are reported in this report. For the sub-projects still in progress, the report presents the results to date, until the completion.

  20. The evolution of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project's public affairs program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walter, L.H.

    1988-01-01

    As a first-of-a-kind facility, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) presents a unique perspective on the value of designing a public affairs program that grown with and complements a project's evolution from construction to operations. Like the project itself, the public affairs programs progressed through several stages to its present scope. During the construction phase, foundations were laid in the community. Then, in this past year as the project entered a preoperational status, emphasis shifted to broaden the positive image that had been created locally. In this stage, public affairs presented the project's positive elements to the various state agencies, government officials, and federal organizations involved in our country's radioactive waste management program. Most recently, and continuing until receipt of the first shipment of waste in October 1988, an even broader, more aggressive public affairs program is planned

  1. Monitoring pilot projects on bored tunnelling : The Second Heinenoord Tunnel and the Botlek Rail Tunnel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakker, K.J.; De Boer, F.; Admiraal, J.B.M.; Van Jaarsveld, E.P.

    1999-01-01

    Two pilot projects for bored tunnelling in soft soil have been undertaken in the Netherlands. The monitoring was commissioned under the authority of the Centre for Underground Construction (COB). A description of the research related to the Second Heinenoord Tunnel and the Botlek Rail Tunnel will be

  2. Pilot project for implantation of the National Commission on Radiation Protection and Dosimetry of CONTER, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Padilha Filho, L.G.; Santos, J.R.A.; Dmitruk, P.P.; Souza, J.H.C.; Hamann, J.H.; Soboll, D.S.

    2017-01-01

    This work presents the pilot project of the National Council of Technicians and Technologists in Radiology (CONTER), which created the National Commission on Radioprotection and Dosimetry (CNRD), in order to develop a radioprotection culture for professionals in radiographic techniques

  3. Assessment and Evaluation Report on a Pilot Project on Preventive School Maintenance in Eritrea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vagnby, Bo Hellisen

    In 2002, efforts started on formulating a maintenance policy for schools and other social service facilities in Eritrea. Since then, an appropriate policy and related implementation strategies have been further developed. In 2003, a specific pilot project was designed covering a number of schools...... of a school based approach to school maintenance are presented in the report....

  4. An Audit Learning Experience: A Pilot Project through Cooperation with a Third Sector Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonge, Richard; Willett, Caroline

    2012-01-01

    This paper is a critical evaluation of a pilot cooperative education project conducted with a charitable organization in the UK. An action research approach was adopted. Final level students who are studying auditing have had the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they are developing through their studies to a real-life situation in the…

  5. Matching species traits to projected threats and opportunities from climate change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garcia, Raquel A.; Bastos, Miguel; Burgess, Neil David

    2014-01-01

    Aim Climate change can lead to decreased climatic suitability within species' distributions, increased fragmentation of climatically suitable space, and/or emergence of newly suitable areas outside present distributions. Each of these extrinsic threats and opportunities potentially interacts...... with specific intrinsic traits of species, yet this specificity is seldom considered in risk assessments. We present an analytical framework for examining projections of climate change-induced threats and opportunities with reference to traits that are likely to mediate species' responses, and illustrate...... of a framework combining spatial projections of climate change exposure with traits that are likely to mediate species' responses. Although the proposed framework carries several assumptions that require further scrutiny, its application adds a degree of realism to familiar assessments that consider all species...

  6. Projets Pilotes Quebecois Portant sur L'Integration Scolaire aux Niveaux Pre-Scolaire et Primaire (Quebec Pilot Projects on Mainstreaming of Preschool and Primary-Level Schoolchildren).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saint-Laurent, Lise; And Others

    1992-01-01

    This article synthesizes 55 Quebec (Canada) pilot projects on mainstreaming of pupils with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, physical or sensorial handicaps, or mental handicaps, at preschool and elementary levels. It focuses on extent of integration, interventions, training and support for teachers, and evaluation methodology used.…

  7. [Evaluation of 12 pilot projects to improve outpatient palliative care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt-Wolf, G; Elsner, F; Lindena, G; Hilgers, R-D; Heussen, N; Rolke, R; Ostgathe, C; Radbruch, L

    2013-12-01

    With a priority programme the German Cancer Aid supported the development of quality-assured outpatient palliative care to cover the whole country. The 12 regional pilot projects funded with the aim to improve outpatient palliative care in different models and different frameworks were concurrently monitored and evaluated. The supported projects, starting and ending individually, documented all patients who were cared for using HOPE (Hospice and palliative care evaluation) and MIDOS (Minimal documentation system for palliative patients). Total data were analyzed for 3239 patients decriptively. In addition to the quantitative data the experiences of the projects were recorded in a number of workshops (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012). In particular, the experiences reported in the final meeting in July 2012 were considered for this article as well as the final reports for the German Cancer Aid. In the quantitative evaluation 85.6% of 3239 palliative care patients had a cancer diagnosis. In all model projects the goal of a network with close cooperation of primary providers, social support, and outpatient and inpatient specialist services has been achieved. For all projects, the initial financing of the German Cancer Aid was extremely important, because contracts with health insurance funds were negotiated slowly, and could then be built on the experiences with the projects. The participants of the project-completion meeting emphasized the need to carry out a market analysis before starting palliative care organizations considering the different regional structures and target groups of patients. Education, training and continuing education programs contribute significantly to the network. A reliably funded coordination center/case management across all institutions is extremely important. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  8. Managing multiple projects: a literature review of setting priorities and a pilot survey of healthcare researchers in an academic setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, Robert Borden; Campbell, Kaitryn; O'Reilly, Daria; Tarride, Jean-Eric; Bowen, Jim; Blackhouse, Gord; Goerre, Ron

    2007-05-16

    To summarize and then assess with a pilot study the use of published best practice recommendations for priority setting during management of multiple healthcare research projects, in a resource-constrained environment. Medical, economic, business, and operations literature was reviewed to summarize and develop a survey to assess best practices for managing multiple projects. Fifteen senior healthcare research project managers, directors, and faculty at an urban academic institution were surveyed to determine most commonly used priority rules, ranking of rules, characteristics of their projects, and availability of resources. Survey results were compared to literature recommendations to determine use of best practices. Seven priority-setting rules were identified for managing multiple projects. Recommendations on assigning priorities by project characteristics are presented. In the pilot study, a large majority of survey respondents follow best practice recommendations identified in the research literature. However, priority rules such as Most Total Successors (MTS) and Resource Scheduling Method (RSM) were used "very often" by half of the respondents when better performing priority rules were available. Through experience, project managers learn to manage multiple projects under resource constraints. Best practice literature can assist project managers in priority setting by recommending the most appropriate priority given resource constraints and project characteristics. There is room for improvement in managing multiple projects.

  9. Kvanefjeld refinery pilot plant operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krebs, Damien; Furfaro, Domenic

    2016-01-01

    Greenland Minerals and Energy is a junior project development company which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (asx:GGG). It is developing the Kvanefjeld rare earth and uranium project located in the southern tip of Greenland. The project has completed a Feasibility Study and is currently in the permitting phase. Last year was a busy time for the company as it completed a Feasibility Study, a mining licence application (draft submitted in December 2015) and pilot plant operations. Beneficiation pilot plant operations were completed at GTK in Finland in April 2015. This pilot plant treated approximately 30 tonnes of ore to producing almost 2 tonnes of rare earth mineral concentrate. Later in the year a hydrometallurgical pilot plant was performed which mimicked the Refinery process. This pilot plant was performed at Outotec’s Pori Research laboratories in Finland from September till October 2015. The pilot plant treated approximately 200 kilograms of concentrate over 4 split operating campaigns. Each campaign was performed to focus on the performance of a specific part of the refinery flowsheet. This allowed for full operating focus on a single unit operation to ensure that it was operating correctly. The pilot plant operations were quite successful with no major issues with the flowsheet identified through continuous operation. Some fine tuning of conditions was required to ensure adequate removal of impurities was performed with recycle streams incorporated. Overall the leach extractions observed in the pilot plant exceeded the design assumptions in the Feasibility Study. These programs were partially funded by the EURARE program. The EURARE program aims to encourage the sustainable development of European based rare earth projects. This has the goal of allowing Europe to become less reliant on importation of these key raw materials. The professionalism and performance of both GTK and Outotec contributed significantly to the success of the pilot plant

  10. Results of pilot project on introducing quality control of mammographic equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasileva, Zh.; Lichev, A.; Dimov, A.; Kostova, E.; Dimov, G.

    2003-01-01

    Objective:The results from a pilot project, realized in the framework of the PHARE Project 'Radiation Protection and Safety in Medical Use of the Ionizing Radiation'. The main goal of the project is the elaboration a quality control program for mammographic equipment and its implementation in 4 radiological units in the country. Another task is to examine the possibility for conducting a mammographic screening using this equipment. Material and methods: The developed quality control program has the following components: test parameters; criteria for intervention; minimal frequency of measurement. Methodologies for measurement of the parameters and assessment of the results in accordance with the European Protocol for physical and technical aspects of the mammographic screening. Standard protocols have been elaborated. Results: The quality program has been tested for three month at different hospitals. Conclusions: Optimization and strict control of the process of film development are needed. The exposure equipment. The quality control program should be implemented on all mammographic equipment in the country. For the performance of mammographic screening a strict selection of the equipment is necessary

  11. Transitioning the GED[R] Mathematics Test to Computer with and without Accommodations: A Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Margaret Becker; Higgins, Jennifer; Bozman, Martha; Katz, Michael

    2011-01-01

    We conducted a pilot study to see how the GED Mathematics Test could be administered on computer with embedded accessibility tools. We examined test scores and test-taker experience. Nineteen GED test centers across five states and 216 randomly assigned GED Tests candidates participated in the project. GED candidates completed two GED mathematics…

  12. Energy Efficiency Performance in Refurbishment Projects with Design Team Attributes As A Mediator: A Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekak, Siti Nor Azniza Ahmad; Rahmat Dr, Ismail, Prof.; Yunus, Julitta; Saád, Sri Rahayu Mohd; Hanafi Azman Ong, Mohd

    2017-12-01

    The Energy Efficiency (EE) plays an important role over the building life cycle and the implementation of EE in refurbishment projects has a significant potential towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the involvement of the design team at the early stage of the refurbishment projects will determine the success of EE implementations. Thus, a pilot study was conducted at the initial stage of the data collection process of this research to validate and verify the questionnaires.

  13. Technology Cooperation Agreement Pilot Project: Development-Friendly Greenhouse Gas Reduction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keegan, P.

    1998-10-30

    This paper provides an overview of TCAPP, including the methodology, the results to date, and proposed future activities. It includes a detailed description of the technology cooperation frameworks completed by each country, the process that produced them and the plans for how TCAPP will help to implement the directions articulated by the country teams. The US Government initiated the Technology Cooperation Agreement Pilot Project (TCAPP) in August 1997 in recognition of the need to establish a mechanism for implementing Article 4.5 of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. ''The developed country partners shall take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, the transfer of, or access to, environmentally sound technologies and know-how to other Parties, particularly developing country Parties, to enable them to implement the provisions of the Convention.'' TCAPP builds support for implementing clean energy technologies by facilitating collaboration among the participating countries, the US and other OECD countries, international donors, and the private sector. The governments of Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, Mexico and the Philippines are currently participating and helping to shape this initiative. International donors and the private sector have also been actively engaged in the design and implementation of this pilot program.

  14. Euro-Quebec Hydro-Hydrogen Pilot Project (EQHHPP). Supplementary task programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-06-01

    In the course of Phase II of the Euro-Quebec Hydro-Hydrogen Pilot Project (EQHHPP), it was found that a number of topical aspects required more detail investigations, specific tests etc. than could be cared for within Phase II, under the constraint of available time and funds. Consequently, supplementary tasks have been defined and contracted. This report is the Final Report on the results achieved during the performance of these tasks. The tasks cover a wide field for example LH 2 Airbus studies some can be associated with more than one aspect. The table following hereunder may give an overview over the tasks covered. For all 23 papers a separate subject analysis has been carried out. (orig.)

  15. Community-Based Vocational Rehabilitation (CBVR) for People with Disabilities: Experiences from a Pilot Project in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alade, Eunice B.

    2004-01-01

    This article discusses the community-based vocational rehabilitation (CBVR) of persons with disabilities. In 1991, a pilot project was instituted by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Development Programme in conjunction with Oyo State Government in Nigeria. The aim was to facilitate the reintegration of persons with…

  16. Human Development across the Lifespan. A Pilot Intergenerational Project in Three Pennsylvania School Districts. Final Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Christopher R.; Balavage, Valerie

    An evaluation determined the impact on participants of pilot intergenerational programs in the Central Greene, Quaker Valley, and Titusville school districts in western Pennsylvania. It examined how participation in project activities changed students' attitudes about older adults and aging. A four-part questionnaire consisted of the following:…

  17. Public library consumer health information pilot project: results of a National Library of Medicine evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, F B; Lyon, B; Schell, M B; Kitendaugh, P; Cid, V H; Siegel, E R

    2000-10-01

    In October 1998, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) launched a pilot project to learn about the role of public libraries in providing health information to the public and to generate information that would assist NLM and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) in learning how best to work with public libraries in the future. Three regional medical libraries (RMLs), eight resource libraries, and forty-one public libraries or library systems from nine states and the District of Columbia were selected for participation. The pilot project included an evaluation component that was carried out in parallel with project implementation. The evaluation ran through September 1999. The results of the evaluation indicated that participating public librarians were enthusiastic about the training and information materials provided as part of the project and that many public libraries used the materials and conducted their own outreach to local communities and groups. Most libraries applied the modest funds to purchase additional Internet-accessible computers and/or upgrade their health-reference materials. However, few of the participating public libraries had health information centers (although health information was perceived as a top-ten or top-five topic of interest to patrons). Also, the project generated only minimal usage of NLM's consumer health database, known as MEDLINEplus, from the premises of the monitored libraries (patron usage from home or office locations was not tracked). The evaluation results suggested a balanced follow-up by NLM and the NN/LM, with a few carefully selected national activities, complemented by a package of targeted activities that, as of January 2000, are being planned, developed, or implemented. The results also highlighted the importance of building an evaluation component into projects like this one from the outset, to assure that objectives were met and that evaluative information was available on a timely basis, as was

  18. INTEGRATED DESIGN AND ENGINEERING USING BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING: A PILOT PROJECT OF SMALL-SCALE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE NETHERLANDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rizal Sebastian

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available During the design phase, decisions are made that affect, on average, 70% of the life-cycle cost of a building. Therefore, collaborative design relying on multidisciplinary knowledge of the building life cycle is essential. Building information modelling (BIM makes it possible to integrate knowledge from various project participants that traditionally work in different phases of the building process. BIM has been applied in a number of large-scale projects in the industrial real estate and infrastructure sectors in different countries, including The Netherlands. The projects in the housing sector, however, are predominantly small scale and carried out by small and medium enterprises (SMEs. These SMEs are looking for practical and affordable BIM solutions for housing projects. This article reports a pilot project of small-scale housing development using BIM in the province of Zeeland, The Netherlands. The conceptual knowledge derived from European and national research projects is disseminated to the SMEs through a series of experimental working sessions. Action learning protocols within a pilot project are developed to ensure direct impacts in terms of cost reduction and quality improvement. The project shows that BIM can be applied without radical changes to the SMEs' information and communication technology systems or to their business organizations. DOI: 10.3763/aedm.2010.0116 Source: Architectural Engineering and Design Management, Volume 6, Number 2, 2010 , pp. 103-110(8

  19. High-level-waste records management system: the NRC pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bender, A.; Altomare, P.

    1987-01-01

    The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the US Dept. of Energy (DOE) have agreed to develop a licensing support system (LSS) to address the records management requirements created by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA). The NRC is planning to conduct a negotiated rule making the modify 10CFR2, including rules governing discovery, so that parties to the licensing process will use a single information management system as a source for all licensing-related documents. The successful demonstration of the pilot project has resulted in an operational on-line record management system for NRC-related HLW documents. Both incoming and outgoing documents are being scanned and stored on a mainframe system and on an optical disk. At this writing the optical disk portion of the system is being tested to evaluate its potential use as a future archival and distribution medium for licensing records. Experience gained from this project is being shared with other government agencies that are in the process of using similar technologies to come to grips with the complex records management problem endemic to our information-based society

  20. PROBABILISTIC INTEREST RATE SETTING WITH A SHADOW BOARD: A DESCRIPTION OF THE PILOT PROJECT

    OpenAIRE

    TIMO HENCKEL; SHAUN VAHEY; LIZ WAKERLY

    2011-01-01

    This study aims to assess the scope for monetary policymakers to aggregate probabilistic interest rate advice. The members of a Shadow Board give probabilistic assessments of the appropriate (target) interest rate for Australia in real time. The pilot project will be running each month from August to December (inclusive) 2011, with the Shadow Board giving advice shortly before each decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board.

  1. Alberta Learning: Early Development Instrument Pilot Project Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meaney, Wanda; Harris-Lorenze, Elayne

    The Early Development Instrument (EDI) was designed by McMaster University to measure the outcomes of childrens early years as they influence their readiness to learn at school. The EDI was piloted in several Canadian cities in recent years through two national initiatives. Building on these initiatives, Alberta Learning piloted the EDI as a…

  2. Manitoba Motor Dealers Association pilot project : final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-08-01

    This report described a 3-month pilot project conducted by EnerGuide for Vehicles in collaboration with the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (MMDA) to increase dealership and consumer awareness of vehicle impacts on climate change. The project also aimed to engage MMDA's members in helping to promote and distribute information on fuel efficient vehicles and fuel efficient driving habits. Program tools in both the dealership showroom as well as service areas were used. Objectives of the project also included gaining public opinion research (POR) information regarding the impact of program tools; gaining feedback from new car dealers regarding the success of the project; gauging customer perceptions of the importance of fuel efficiency when selecting a new vehicle; determining whether or not drivers verify tire pressure on their vehicles; determining whether or not drivers incorporate energy efficient driving habits; and gauging customer perceptions regarding the importance of incorporating behaviours to improve fuel efficiency. The study used a mixed methodology of online and telephone surveys. A total of 41 dealerships participated in the project. The final sample of surveys consisted of 1926 customer records. The total overall number of completed interviews was 463. Results indicated that most dealers believed the campaign was a success, and that staff and customers learned about energy efficiency as a result of the campaign. Seventy-five per cent of dealers agreed that they would participate in future energy efficiency programs. Campaign materials and customer incentives were widely viewed as successful in raising awareness. Seven in 10 dealership customers recalled at least 1 of the promotional endeavours, and a large majority of customers indicated the information they saw at the dealership encouraged them to consider fuel efficiency when buying or maintaining a vehicle in the future. The majority of new customers considered fuel consumption to be the second

  3. Doing A Pilot Study: Why Is It Essential?

    OpenAIRE

    Hassan, Zailinawati Abu; Schattner, Peter; Mazza, Danielle

    2006-01-01

    A pilot study is one of the essential stages in a research project. This paper aims to describe the importance of and steps involved in executing a pilot study by using an example of a descriptive study in primary care. The process of testing the feasibility of the project proposal, recruitment of subjects, research tool and data analysis was reported. We conclude that a pilot study is necessary and useful in providing the groundwork in a research project.

  4. Feasibility and pilot study of the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Lena S; Li, Guohua; DiMaggio, Charles J; Byrne, Mary W; Ing, Caleb; Miller, Tonya L K; Bellinger, David C; Han, Sena; McGowan, Francis X

    2012-10-01

    Animal studies have documented that exposure of the developing brain to commonly used anesthetic agents induces neurotoxicity and late abnormal neurobehavioral functions as adults. Results from clinical studies have all been analyzed using existing data sets, and these studies produced inconsistent results. To provide more definitive evidence to address the clinical relevance of anesthetic neurotoxicity in children, an interdisciplinary team of investigators designed and developed the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) project. We present pilot study results in 28 sibling pairs recruited and tested at the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Children's Hospital of Boston (CHB) for the PANDA project. The PANDA project uses an ambidirectional cohort design. We performed prospective neuropsychological assessment in 28 exposed-unexposed sibling pairs from 6 to 11 years of age. The exposed siblings were ASA 1 or 2 and had received a single episode of anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair before the age of 36 months and the unexposed siblings had no anesthesia before the age of 36 months. All the sibling pairs were English speaking and were 36 weeks of gestational age or older. Each sibling pair underwent a direct testing using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and the NEuroPSYchological Assessment, second edition (NEPSY II), and the parents completed questionnaires related to behavior using CBCL and Conners rating. Data are presented as means±SD. We conducted descriptive analyses of the demographic data. We compared both the exposed and the unexposed sibling groups on WASI and NEPSY II, and total and T scores from CBCL and Conners rating were analyzed as continuous data using the paired t test between the two groups. A PPANDA study protocol was implemented to perform a pilot feasibility study. Our success rate was 96.7% in obtaining detailed medical and anesthesia records in our historical cohort. The scores for verbal

  5. Articulated vehicles of 25 meter and 60 ton in The Netherlands: the start of a pilot project

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoogvelt, R.B.J.; Huijbers, J.J.W.

    1998-01-01

    At this moment the total allowable length of an articulated vehicle in The Netherlands is 18.35 meter and its total weight is 50 ton. Several Dutch transportation organisations requested a pilot project with longer and heavier vehicles for heavy goods transpotation. Because of the environmental

  6. Tourism Chains and Pro-Poor Tourism Development: An Actor-Network Analysis of a Pilot Project in Costa Rica

    OpenAIRE

    Duim, van der, V.R.; Caalders, J.D.A.D.

    2008-01-01

    This paper analyses a pilot project in Costa Rica aimed to examine and improve the market linkages of 24 small-scale tourism initiatives to tour operators in Costa Rica and the Netherlands. It links pro-poor tourism and the concept of tourism chain to actor-network theory. The analysis shows that the tangible results in terms of pro-poor tourism of the project itself were meagre, as, initially, only three and later only one out of 24 projects was included in the tourism chain. However, the an...

  7. Incorporating the Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition Into a Medicaid Managed Care Plan: Lessons Learned From a Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McManus, Margaret; White, Patience; Pirtle, Robin; Hancock, Catina; Ablan, Michael; Corona-Parra, Raquel

    2015-01-01

    This pediatric-to-adult health care transition pilot project describes the process and results of incorporating the "Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition (2.0)" into a Medicaid managed care plan with a group of 35 18-23 year olds who have chronic mental health, developmental, and complex medical conditions. The pilot project demonstrated an effective approach for customizing and delivering recommended transition services. At the start of the 18-month project, the Medicaid plan was at the basic level (1) of transition implementation of the Six Core Elements with no transition policy, member transition readiness assessment results, health care transition plans of care, updated medical summaries, transfer package for the adult-focused provider, and assurance of transfer completion and consumer feedback. At the conclusion of the pilot project, the plan scored at level 3 on each core element. The primary reason for not scoring at the highest level (4) was because the transition elements have not been incorporated into services for all enrollees within the plan. Future efforts in managed care will benefit from starting the transition process much earlier (ages 12-14), expanding the role of nurse care managers and participating pediatric and adult-focused clinicians in transition, and offering payment incentives to clinicians to implement the Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Postgraduate training for specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Problem-based learning - evaluation of a pilot project].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rufer, M; Schnyder, U; Schirlo, C; Wengle, H; Gerke, W

    2011-05-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) emphasizes the student's individual needs, their ability to solve complex clinical problems, and a professional attitude that facilitates communication among colleagues. Thus, PBL appears to provide a perfectly suitable didactic format for postgraduate training of medical specialties. To date, it is only rarely used in this area though. In a pilot project, we implemented PBL into the curriculum of postgraduate training in psychiatry and psychotherapy, and evaluated the program over a period of 12 months, using structured questionnaires. A total of 41 PBL courses were held, with 447 residents participating. Participants as well as tutors assessed 19 of 21 aspects as good or very good (5-point Likert scale, mean value >4). Overall, PBL was rated as highly suitable for advanced training (participants: 4.5±0.8; tutors: 5.0±0.2). The results of this pilot project suggest that PBL might be a useful element of multifaceted advanced training programs, strengthening their practical component and the applicability of knowledge in the daily clinical routine.

  9. Future-oriented computerized information system for power plant process control in a pilot project at Philippsburg nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woehrle, G.; Kraft, M.

    1988-01-01

    The motivation for the pilot project at Philippsburg nuclear power plant resulted from the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. The primary task embraces an efficient computer-aided reduction of information when a fault occurs based on a process engineering analysis of the information accrued. Accompanying this are a consolidation and evaluation of the information available in the control room. In this pilot project the new tasks of status monitoring, information reduction and operationalcontrol have been realized for the first time using a computer-aided process information system. In addition to the existing control computer, an information computer with approximately 1200 analogue and about 10000 binary signals has been installed. The installation of the system was completed in 1984 and in the meantime initial operational experience has become available. (orig.) [de

  10. DOING A PILOT STUDY: WHY IS IT ESSENTIAL?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zailinawati Abu Hassan

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available A pilot study is one of the essential stages in a research project. This paper aims to describe the importance of and steps involved in executing a pilot study by using an example of a descriptive study in primary care. The process of testing the feasibility of the project proposal, recruitment of subjects, research tool and data analysis was reported. We conclude that a pilot study is necessary and useful in providing the groundwork in a research project.

  11. The Dance Within: A Pilot Project in Dance for the Handicapped and Teaching Dance for the Handicapped: A Curriculum Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michigan Dance Association, Lansing.

    The Michigan Dance Association's Dance Project for the Handicapped is the subject of the two pamphlets that make up this document. The first pamphlet, "The Dance Within," describes the history, nature and goals of the Jackson Pilot Project, the first handicapped dance program in Michigan; it also offers suggestions on how to set up similar…

  12. Identification and analysis of functional elements in 1% of the human genome by the ENCODE pilot project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birney, Ewan; Stamatoyannopoulos, John A; Dutta, Anindya

    2007-01-01

    We report the generation and analysis of functional data from multiple, diverse experiments performed on a targeted 1% of the human genome as part of the pilot phase of the ENCODE Project. These data have been further integrated and augmented by a number of evolutionary and computational analyses...

  13. Experiences from a pilot study on how to conduct a qualitative multi-country research project regarding use of antibiotics in Southeast Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaae, Susanne; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark; Traulsen, Janine Morgall

    2016-01-01

    regarding how to conduct these types of research projects by evaluating a pilot study of the project. METHODS: Local data collectors conducted the study according to a developed protocol and evaluated the study with the responsible researcher-team from University of Copenhagen. The pilot study focused......BACKGROUND: In 2014, a qualitative multi-country research project was launched to study the reasons behind the high use of antibiotics in regions of Southeast Europe by using previously untrained national interviewers (who were engaged in other antibiotic microbial resistance-related investigations......) to conduct qualitative interviews with local patients, physicians and pharmacists. Little knowledge exists about how to implement qualitative multi-country research collaborations involving previously untrained local data collectors. The aim of this paper was therefore to contribute to the knowledge...

  14. The Pilot Staffing Conundrum: A Delphi Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-06-01

    Project, AFIT/ GMO /LAL/98J-2. School of Logistics and Acquisition Management, Air Force Institute of Technology (AU), Wright Patterson AFB, OH, June...Kafer, John H. Relationship of Airline Pilot Demand and Air Force Pilot Retention. Graduate Research Project, AFIT/ GMO /LAL/98J-11. School of Logistics

  15. Freshwater Aquatic Nuisance Species Impacts and Management Costs and Benefits at Federal Water Resources Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-09-01

    ERDC/TN ANSRP-06-3 September 2006 Freshwater Aquatic Nuisance Species Impacts and Management Costs and Benefits at Federal Water Resources...Cole, R. A. (2006). “ Freshwater aquatic nuisance species impacts and management costs and benefits at Federal Water resources projects,” ANSRP...Projects1 by Richard A. Cole THE ISSUE: A small fraction of the species that inhabit the nation’s fresh waters become aquatic nuisance species (ANS

  16. A Pilot Astronomy Outreach Project in Bangladesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, Dipen; Mridha, Shahjahan; Afroz, Maqsuda

    2015-08-01

    In its strategic planning for the "Astronomy for Development Project," the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has ecognized, among other important missions, the role of astronomy in understanding the far-reaching possibilities for promoting global tolerance and citizenship. Furthermore, astronomy is deemed inspirational for careers in science and technology. The "Pilot Astronomy Outreach Project in Bangladesh"--the first of its kind in the country--aspires to fulfill these missions. As Bangladesh lacks resources to promote astronomy education in universities and schools, the role of disseminating astronomy education to the greater community falls on citizen science organizations. One such group, Anushandhitshu Chokro (AChokro) Science Organization, has been carrying out a successful public outreach program since 1975. Among its documented public events, AChokro organized a total solar eclipse campaign in Bangladesh in 2009, at which 15,000 people were assembled in a single open venue for the eclipse observation. The organization has actively pursued astronomy outreach to dispel public misconceptions about astronomical phenomena and to promote science. AChokro is currently working to build an observatory and Science Outreach Center around a recently-acquired 14-inch Scmidt-Cassegrain telescope and a soon-to-be-acquired new 16-inch reflector, all funded by private donations. The telescopes will be fitted with photometers, spectrometers, and digital and CCD cameras to pursue observations that would include sun spot and solar magnetic fields, planetary surfaces, asteroid search, variable stars and supernovae. The Center will be integrated with schools, colleges, and community groups for regular observation and small-scale research. Special educational and observing sessions for adults will also be organized. Updates on the development of the Center, which is expected to be functioning by the end of 2015, will be shared and feedback invited on the fostering of

  17. The development of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project's public affairs program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walter, L.H.

    1988-01-01

    The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) offers a perspective on the value of designing flexibility into a public affairs program to enable it to grow with and complement a project's evolution from construction through to operations. This paper discusses how the WIPP public affairs program progressed through several stages to its present scope. During the WIPP construction phase, the public affairs program laid a foundation for Project acceptance in the community. A speaker's bureau, a visitors program, and various community outreach and support programs emphasized the educational and socioeconomic benefits of having this controversial project in Carlsbad. Then, in this past year as the project entered a preoperational status, the public affairs program emphasis shifted to broaden the positive image that had been created locally. In this stage, the program promoted the project's positive elements with the various state agencies, government officials, and federal organizations involved in our country's radioactive waste management and transportation program. Currently, an even broader, more aggressive public affairs program is planned. During this stage public affairs will be engaged in a comprehensive institutional and outreach program, explaining and supporting WIPP's mission in each of the communities and agencies affected by the operation of the country's first geologic repository

  18. Characteristics of Difficult-to-Place Youth in State Custody: A Profile of the Exceptional Care Pilot Project Population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armour, Marilyn P.; Schwab, James

    2007-01-01

    This study examines the characteristics of Texas youth designated as "most difficult to place" recipients of service under the "Exceptional Care Pilot Project" (N = 46). Findings include, among others, high levels of comorbid psychiatric disturbance (greater than 3 diagnostic groupings), physical (78.3%) and sexual (88%)…

  19. Pilot Project Technology Business Case: Mobile Work Packages

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas, Ken [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lawrie, Sean [ScottMadden, Inc., Raleigh, NC (United States); Niedermuller, Josef [ScottMadden, Inc., Raleigh, NC (United States)

    2015-05-01

    Performance advantages of the new pilot project technologies are widely acknowledged, but it has proven difficult for utilities to derive business cases for justifying investment in these new capabilities. Lack of a business case is often cited by utilities as a barrier to pursuing wide-scale application of digital technologies to nuclear plant work activities. The decision to move forward with funding usually hinges on demonstrating actual cost reductions that can be credited to budgets and thereby truly reduce O&M or capital costs. Technology enhancements, while enhancing work methods and making work more efficient, often fail to eliminate workload such that it changes overall staffing and material cost requirements. It is critical to demonstrate cost reductions or impacts on non-cost performance objectives in order for the business case to justify investment by nuclear operators. The Business Case Methodology (BCM) was developed in September of 2015 to frame the benefit side of II&C technologies to address the “benefit” side of the analysis—as opposed to the cost side—and how the organization evaluates discretionary projects (net present value (NPV), accounting effects of taxes, discount rates, etc.). The cost and analysis side is not particularly difficult for the organization and can usually be determined with a fair amount of precision (not withstanding implementation project cost overruns). It is in determining the “benefits” side of the analysis that utilities have more difficulty in technology projects and that is the focus of this methodology. The methodology is presented in the context of the entire process, but the tool provided is limited to determining the organizational benefits only. This report describes a the use of the BCM in building a business case for mobile work packages, which includes computer-based procedures and other automated elements of a work package. Key to those impacts will be identifying where the savings are

  20. Combining projected changes in species richness and composition reveals climate change impacts on coastal Mediterranean fish assemblages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albouy, Camille; Guilhaumon, François; Bastos Araujo, Miguel

    2012-01-01

    future climatic niches of 288 coastal Mediterranean fish species based on a global warming scenario. We then aggregated geographically the species-level projections to analyse the projected changes in species richness and composition. Our results show that projected changes in assemblage composition....... nestedness), separately. We also present a mapping strategy to simultaneously visualize changes in species richness and assemblage composition. To illustrate our approach, we used the Mediterranean coastal fish fauna as a case study. Using Bioclimatic Envelope Models (BEMs) we first projected the potential......, the joint exploration of changes in species richness and composition coupled with the distinction between species replacement and nestedness bears important information for understanding the nature of climate change impacts on biodiversity. These methodological advances should help decision...

  1. B2.5-Eunomia simulations of Pilot-PSI plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wieggers, R.C.; Coster, D.P.; Groen, P.W.C.; Blank, H.J. de; Goedheer, W.J.

    2013-01-01

    The B2.5-Eunomia code is used to simulate the plasma and neutral species in and around a Pilot-PSI plasma beam. B2.5, part of the SOLPS5.0 code package, is a multi-fluid plasma code for the scrape-off layer. Eunomia is a newly developed non-linear Monte Carlo transport code that solves the neutral equilibrium, given a background plasma. Eunomia is developed to simulate the relevant neutral species in Pilot-PSI and Magnum-PSI, linear devices that study plasma surface interactions in conditions expected in the ITER divertor. Results show the influence of the neutral species on the Pilot-PSI plasma beam. We show that a fluid description for the neutrals is not sufficient and Eunomia is needed to describe Pilot-PSI. The treatment of individual vibrational states of molecular hydrogen as separate species is crucial to match the experiment

  2. Large Pilot-Scale Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Capture Project Using Aminosilicone Solvent.Final Scientific/Technical Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hancu, Dan [General Electric Company, Niskayuna, NY (United States)

    2017-12-21

    GE Global Research has developed, over the last 8 years, a platform of cost effective CO2 capture technologies based on a non-aqueous aminosilicone solvent (GAP-1m). As demonstrated in previous funded DOE projects (DE-FE0007502 and DEFE0013755), the GAP-1m solvent has increased CO2 working capacity, lower volatility and corrosivity than the benchmark aqueous amine technology. Performance of the GAP-1m solvent was recently demonstrated in a 0.5 MWe pilot at National Carbon Capture Center, AL with real flue gas for over 500 hours of operation using a Steam Stripper Column (SSC). The pilot-scale PSTU engineering data were used to (i) update the techno-economic analysis, and EH&S assessment, (ii) perform technology gap analysis, and (iii) conduct the solvent manufacturability and scale-up study.

  3. Model-Based Systems Engineering Pilot Program at NASA Langley

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vipavetz, Kevin G.; Murphy, Douglas G.; Infeld, Samatha I.

    2012-01-01

    NASA Langley Research Center conducted a pilot program to evaluate the benefits of using a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach during the early phase of the Materials International Space Station Experiment-X (MISSE-X) project. The goal of the pilot was to leverage MBSE tools and methods, including the Systems Modeling Language (SysML), to understand the net gain of utilizing this approach on a moderate size flight project. The System Requirements Review (SRR) success criteria were used to guide the work products desired from the pilot. This paper discusses the pilot project implementation, provides SysML model examples, identifies lessons learned, and describes plans for further use on MBSE on MISSE-X.

  4. Tourism Chains and Pro-Poor Tourism Development: An Actor-Network Analysis of a Pilot Project in Costa Rica

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duim, van der V.R.; Caalders, J.D.A.D.

    2008-01-01

    This paper analyses a pilot project in Costa Rica aimed to examine and improve the market linkages of 24 small-scale tourism initiatives to tour operators in Costa Rica and the Netherlands. It links pro-poor tourism and the concept of tourism chain to actor-network theory. The analysis shows that

  5. Job Sharing Pilot Project in the Department of Education: Final Evaluation. A Report to the Legislature of the State of Hawaii. No. 81-10.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanimura, Clinton T.

    Evaluation of a three-year pilot project in the Hawaii Department of Education focused on the extent to which it demonstrated the feasibility of job sharing as an employment alternative for classroom teachers. It also assessed project effectiveness, examined costs incurred by the project, and analyzed job sharing as a permanent employment option…

  6. A Pilot for Improving Depression Care on College Campuses: Results of the College Breakthrough Series-Depression (CBS-D) Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Henry; Klein, Michael C.; Silverman, Daniel; Corson-Rikert, Janet; Davidson, Eleanor; Ellis, Patricia; Kasnakian, Caroline

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To implement a pilot quality improvement project for depression identification and treatment in college health. Participants: Eight college health center teams composed primarily of primary care and counseling service directors and clinicians. Methods: Chronic (Collaborative) Care Model (CCM) used with standardized screening to…

  7. Pilot and pilot-commercial plants for reprocessing spent fuels of FBR type reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaldaev, V.S.; Sokolova, I.D.

    1988-01-01

    A review of modern state of investigations on the FBR mixed oxide uranium-plutonium fuel reprocessing abroad is given. Great Britain and France occupy the leading place in this field, operating pilot plants of 5 tons a year capacity. Technology of spent fuel reprocessing and specific features of certain stages of the technological process are considered. Projects of pilot and pilot-commercial plants of Great Britain, France, Japan, USA are described. Economic problems of the FBR fuel reprocessing are touched upon

  8. The Pilot Lunar Geologic Mapping Project: Summary Results and Recommendations from the Copernicus Quadrangle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, J. A., Jr.; Gaddis, L. R.; Hagerty, J. J.

    2010-01-01

    The first systematic lunar geologic maps were completed at 1:1M scale for the lunar near side during the 1960s using telescopic and Lunar Orbiter (LO) photographs [1-3]. The program under which these maps were completed established precedents for map base, scale, projection, and boundaries in order to avoid widely discrepant products. A variety of geologic maps were subsequently produced for various purposes, including 1:5M scale global maps [4-9] and large scale maps of high scientific interest (including the Apollo landing sites) [10]. Since that time, lunar science has benefitted from an abundance of surface information, including high resolution images and diverse compositional data sets, which have yielded a host of topical planetary investigations. The existing suite of lunar geologic maps and topical studies provide exceptional context in which to unravel the geologic history of the Moon. However, there has been no systematic approach to lunar geologic mapping since the flight of post-Apollo scientific orbiters. Geologic maps provide a spatial and temporal framework wherein observations can be reliably benchmarked and compared. As such, a lack of a systematic mapping program means that modern (post- Apollo) data sets, their scientific ramifications, and the lunar scientists who investigate these data, are all marginalized in regard to geologic mapping. Marginalization weakens the overall understanding of the geologic evolution of the Moon and unnecessarily partitions lunar research. To bridge these deficiencies, we began a pilot geologic mapping project in 2005 as a means to assess the interest, relevance, and technical methods required for a renewed lunar geologic mapping program [11]. Herein, we provide a summary of the pilot geologic mapping project, which focused on the geologic materials and stratigraphic relationships within the Copernicus quadrangle (0-30degN, 0-45degW).

  9. TOLD LIKE IT IS! AN EVALUATION OF AN INTEGRATED ORAL DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROJECT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Barr

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Much established pedagogical and CALL (computer-assisted language learning research advocates an integrated constructivist approach to the use of technology in language learning. This paper reports on a pilot project delivered to first year undergraduate French students. The project aim was to deliver a blend of collaborative and individual learning through a combination of CALL programs and online activities alongside traditional face-to-face conversation classes. Using quantitative analysis of a pre- and posttest and a variety of questionnaires, this project assessed student progress in developing oral skills across two groups, one (the treatment group using technology and the other (the comparison group being a traditional conversation class. Each group covered the same content and underwent the same assessment procedures. In addition, through qualitative analysis measures, the project evaluated the role played by additional variables in the learning process, as well as student and staff reactions to the two approaches. The study concludes by showing that while progress was made by both groups, the progress made by those not using technology was significantly greater than that made by students using technology over a short-term study. It also highlights the need for developing pedagogy to ensure that CALL-based teaching goes beyond rehearsal activity to achieve message-orientated communication.

  10. EPA’s Summary Report of the Collaborative Green Infrastructure Pilot Project for the Middle Blue River in Kansas City, MO

    Science.gov (United States)

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency evaluated the performance of a hybrid green-gray infrastructure pilot project installed into the Marlborough Neighborhood by the Kansas City Water Services Department. Kansas City installed 135 vegetated SCMs, 24,290 square feet o...

  11. SMS picture messaging as an adjunct in emergency medicine training – pilot project on feasibility in an African healthcare system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Lynch*

    2013-12-01

    Conclusion: This pilot project proved very popular with participants and trainers. Technical issues proved frustrating at times and together with cost are likely to pose difficulties for its widespread use in EM training in Africa. It is worthwhile exploring this further.

  12. National Conversion Pilot Project Waste Management Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engelmann, G.G.; Simmons, M.S.

    1995-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy facilities are in the process of downsizing. Most plans for downsizing focus on the decontamination and decommissioning of excess production facilities. A different approach for downsizing is taken at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS), which has four production buildings. These buildings were used for the production of weapons components from uranium and beryllium and contain unique and valuable equipment, such as rolling mills, furnaces, and high-capacity presses, which could be utilized for stage-III metal recycling. The mission of this National Conversion Pilot Project (NCPP) open-quotes is to explore and demonstrate, at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS), the feasibility of economic conversion at Department of Energy facilities.close quotes The NCPP has been divided into three stages: 1. Stage I-planning and feasibility determination 2. Stage II-facility cleanup for reuse and operational assessment 3. Stage III-metals recycling. The NCPP has recently been approved to begin stage II. The objective of the NCPP stage II is to prepare the four NCPP buildings for stage III, to remove unwanted equipment, and to decontaminate buildings and essential equipment to levels consistent with those that commercial industrial operations must meet pursuant to applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and state workplace regulations

  13. Improving extinction projections across scales and habitats using the countryside species-area relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins, Inês Santos; Pereira, Henrique Miguel

    2017-10-10

    The species-area relationship (SAR) has been often used to project species extinctions as a consequence of habitat loss. However, recent studies have suggested that the SAR may overestimate species extinctions, at least in the short-term. We argue that the main reason for this overestimation is that the classic SAR ignores the persistence of species in human-modified habitats. We use data collected worldwide to analyse what is the fraction of bird and plant species that remain in different human-modified habitats at the local scale after full habitat conversion. We observe that both taxa have consistent responses to the different land-use types, with strongest reductions in species richness in cropland across the globe, and in pasture in the tropics. We show that the results from these studies cannot be linearly scaled from plots to large regions, as this again overestimates the impacts of land-use change on biodiversity. The countryside SAR provides a unifying framework to incorporate both the effect of species persistence in the landscape matrix and the non-linear response of the proportion of species extinctions to sampling area, generating more realistic projections of biodiversity loss.

  14. Grouts and concretes for the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wakeley, L.D.

    1990-01-01

    The Structures Laboratory of the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station has conducted research on cement-based composites for the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) since 1977, in cooperation with Sandia National Laboratories. Field testing requirements guided initial development of grouts. Concurrent and later laboratory studies explored the chemical stability and probable durability of these mixtures. Beginning in 1985, a series of small-scale seal performance tests at the WIPP prompted development of an expansive salt-saturated concrete. Important lessons learned from this ongoing work include: (1) carefully tailored mixtures can tolerate phase changes involving Ca, Al, and SO 4 , without loss of structural integrity; (2) handling and placement properties are probably more crucial to the mixtures than is exact phase composition; and (3) for the environment of a geologic repository, demonstrated chemical durability will be the best indicator of long-term performance

  15. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian pilots flying aircraft not used by SAS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tveten, U.

    1997-05-01

    The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The project has been partially financed by the Norwegian Research Council. Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started or are in the planning stage in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots flying a great diversity of different aircrafts. Aircrafts that appear in the time-tables of the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) have been treated in an earlier report. The results presented in this report (radiation doserates for the different types of aircrafts in the different years) will, in a later stage of the project be utilized to estimate the individual radiation exposure histories. The major sources of information used as basis for the work in this report is information provided by several active pilots, members of the Pilots Associations, along with calculations performed using US Federal Aviation Administration's computer code CARI-3N. 2 refs

  16. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian pilots flying aircraft not used by SAS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tveten, U.

    1997-05-01

    The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The project has been partially financed by the Norwegian Research Council. Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started or are in the planning stage in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots flying a great diversity of different aircrafts. Aircrafts that appear in the time-tables of the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) have been treated in an earlier report. The results presented in this report (radiation doserates for the different types of aircrafts in the different years) will, in a later stage of the project be utilized to estimate the individual radiation exposure histories. The major sources of information used as basis for the work in this report is information provided by several active pilots, members of the Pilots Associations, along with calculations performed using US Federal Aviation Administration`s computer code CARI-3N. 2 refs.

  17. Air pollution prevention through urban heat island mitigation: An update on the urban heat island pilot project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gorsevski, V.; Taha, H.; Quattrochi, D.; Luvall, J.

    1998-07-01

    Urban heat islands increase the demand for cooling energy and accelerate the formation of smog. They are created when natural vegetation is replaced by heat-absorbing surfaces such as building roofs and walls, parking lots, and streets. Through the implementation of measures designed to mitigate the urban heat island, communities can decrease their demand for energy and effectively cool the metropolitan landscape. In addition to the economic benefits, using less energy leads to reductions in emission of CO{sub 2}--a greenhouse gas--as well as ozone (smog) precursors such as NOx and VOCs. Because ozone is created when NOx and VOCs photochemically combine with heat and solar radiation, actions taken to lower ambient air temperature can significantly reduce ozone concentrations in certain areas. Measures to reverse the urban heat island include afforestation and the widespread use of highly reflective surfaces. To demonstrate the potential benefits of implementing these measures, EPA has teamed up with NASA and LBNL to initiate a pilot project with three US cities. As part of the pilot, NASA will use remotely-sensed data to quantify surface temperature, albedo, the thermal response number and NDVI vegetation of each city. This information will be used by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) along with other data as inputs to model various scenarios that will help quantify the potential benefits of urban heat island mitigation measures in terms of reduced energy use and pollution. This paper will briefly describe this pilot project and provide an update on the progress to date.

  18. JS3P: junior staff programme pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pretrel, H.; Tregoures, N.; Bessiron, V.; Dehoyos, A.; Delvallee, I.; Brisson, N.; Debayle, C.; Dubreuil, M.; Nicaise, G.; Perignon, J.P.; Richard, J.; Reinke, N.; Kaulard, J.; Burgener, M.; Keesmann, S.; Schramm, B.; Seubert, A.; Sternkopf, J.; Thuma, G.; Weber, S.; Smidts, O.; Maillet, E.; Bucalossi, A.; Van haesendonck, M.; Uyttenhove, W.; Mertens, J.

    2006-01-01

    Concept: The objective of the project is to allow junior staff members from the European Technical Safety Organisations (TSOs), IRSN, GRS and AVN, to work together with the final goal of creating a junior staff network, based on technical, cultural and personal interests. These projects are to show junior staff members at a very early stage during their career the need for European collaborations. They are also a tool to explore new subjects of co-operation. It is an initiative that should strengthen the links between the organisations and contribute to establishing the future of nuclear safety in Europe. A JS3P (Junior Staff Programme Pilot Project) is a project done jointly by 'junior' staff members from the three TSOs, where experience of 'seniors' is also integrated when needed. Compared to other collaborative activities, it has certain specific features. The JS3P favours staff exchanges, and technical meetings of several days should be planned during a project in order to encourage people to work together. Technical objectives are shared and the work is done jointly (reports, articles). The team involved in the JS3P should be as small as possible to favour its efficiency. The JS3P is short and easy to realize. Its duration is fixed to a maximum of about 12 months with the option to be prolonged. Typical topics are bibliographic work, comparison issues, scientific surveys, benchmark exercises and prospective investigations on innovative ideas. They can be linked to existing joint projects and then form a smaller module integrated into the large project. Topics may concern prospective issues, tentatively investigating new topics that can be seen as exploratory co-operation projects. Subjects may also concern research issues that are not a priority but that deserve to be investigated as new attractive topics. The JS3P is defined and managed by junior staff members. It is approved by a management board committee and supervised by a technical steering committee

  19. Central projections of the nervus terminalis in four species of amphibians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofmann, M H; Meyer, D L

    1989-01-01

    The central projections of the nervus terminalis were investigated in two anuran and two urodele species by means of horseradish peroxidase injections into one nasal cavity. In anurans, the nervus terminalis projects to the medial septum, to the preoptic nucleus, to the nucleus of the anterior commissure and to the hypothalamus. In addition to these structures, the dorsal thalamus, the infundibulum and the mesencephalic tegmentum are innervated in urodeles. The structure containing the highest density of terminals in the amphibians investigated is the hypothalamus. In one anuran and one urodele species, the contralateral hypothalamus is primarily innervated, whereas in the other two species the majority of fibers remain ipsilateral. A comparison with other vertebrates shows that the terminalis system in urodeles has the greatest diversity of connections. Anurans, in contrast, lack some connections that are present in urodeles and fishes. These findings have implications for a possible relation of the nervus terminalis to an aquatic habitat.

  20. The pore of the leaf cavity of Azolla species: teat cell differentiation and cell wall projections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veys, P; Lejeune, A; Van Hove, C

    2002-02-01

    The differentiation of the specialized secretory teat cells of the leaf cavity pore of Azolla species was investigated at the ultrastructural level with emphasis on their peculiar cell wall projections. The results indicated that the projections are formed as soon as the teat cells complete their differentiation and that their production is principally associated with changes in endoplasmic reticulum profiles. The number of projections increases with the teat cell age and is stimulated under salt and P deficiency stresses. Salt stress also promotes their emergence on Azolla species that under normal conditions do not produce projections. Cytochemical tests on different Azolla species showed that the projection composition is almost identical: proteins, acidic polysaccharides, and pectin are always detected. This study revealed that Azolla teat cell projections differ fundamentally from other types of hitherto described cell wall projections that are considered as remnant structures from cell separation. In contrast, in Azolla teat cells projections are actively produced and compounds are excreted by an exocytotic mechanism. The possible role of the projections in the symbiosis of Azolla spp. with Anabaena azollae is discussed.

  1. The waste isolation pilot plant project: a changing paradigm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheppard, L.E.; McFadden, M.H.

    1996-01-01

    The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy (DOE) repository that has been developed to demonstrate the safe and permanent isolation of transuranic radioactive wastes in a deep geologic site. It is located in 650 m below the surface in a bedded salt formation, and is designed to hold approximately 175,500 cubic meters of waste. Compliance with the regulations has become the principal focus for the Project. The scientific baseline is an important and integral part of the CCA, as it provides the foundation for conducting total system performance assessment calculations for comparison with applicable standards. The activities required to support the scientific baseline are being pursued in parallel to minimize the time required to collect, analyze, interpret and fully incorporate the results into the CCA. The DOE has shifted its approach to demonstrating compliance with the applicable regulations from a paradigm of a series of broad investigations to a new paradigm of highly focused activities conducted in parallel. The success of this approach will be assessed by the EPA when the application is critically reviewed

  2. Soil-biological, soil-chemical and soil-physical parameters along a pollutant gradient on grassland sites in the vicinity o Brixlegg (Tyrol) - a pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pohla, H.; Palzenberger, M.; Krassnigg, F.; Kandeler, E.; Schwarz, S.; Kasperowski, E.

    1992-01-01

    It was the main aim of this pilot project to check the indicator value of soil organisms by means of distinct pollutant gradients - heavy metals, organic compounds (PCB, dioxins) -. On the basis of available results (1/2/3/), 4 grassland sites at increasing distances from a local emission source (copper production from scrap metal) were selected. Physical and chemical analyses as well as the quantification of habitat structures were used for the characterization of the sites. The following analyses were carried out accompanyingly: The performances of soil microorganisms under pollutant load, the accumulation of pollutants, and the structures of plants and animal communities (macro, meso and microfauna). The investigation area and the examined parameters are introduced, as well as first result on soil chemistry and enzymatics as well as for the accumulation of heavy metals in an earthworm species are introduced. (orig.) [de

  3. A computer graphics pilot project - Spacecraft mission support with an interactive graphics workstation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagedorn, John; Ehrner, Marie-Jacqueline; Reese, Jodi; Chang, Kan; Tseng, Irene

    1986-01-01

    The NASA Computer Graphics Pilot Project was undertaken to enhance the quality control, productivity and efficiency of mission support operations at the Goddard Operations Support Computing Facility. The Project evolved into a set of demonstration programs for graphics intensive simulated control room operations, particularly in connection with the complex space missions that began in the 1980s. Complex mission mean more data. Graphic displays are a means to reduce the probabilities of operator errors. Workstations were selected with 1024 x 768 pixel color displays controlled by a custom VLSI chip coupled to an MC68010 chip running UNIX within a shell that permits operations through the medium of mouse-accessed pulldown window menus. The distributed workstations run off a host NAS 8040 computer. Applications of the system for tracking spacecraft orbits and monitoring Shuttle payload handling illustrate the system capabilities, noting the built-in capabilities of shifting the point of view and rotating and zooming in on three-dimensional views of spacecraft.

  4. Technical support for universal health coverage pilots in Karnataka ...

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

    Technical support for universal health coverage pilots in Karnataka and Kerala. This project will provide evidence-based support to implement universal health coverage (UHC) pilot activities in two Indian states: Kerala and Karnataka. The project team will provide technical assistance to these early adopter states to assist ...

  5. Evaluation report. Pilot - Trondheim and Elverum : Energy labeling of houses; Evalueringsrapport. Pilot - Trondheim og Elverum : Energimerking av boliger

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2009-05-15

    This report is an evaluation of the pilot project related to energy labeling of buildings. The document provides reviews of communication initiatives that have been implemented in the pilot. In addition, comments on the usability of the Online Energy Label system. Last in the document the recommendations for national roll-out of energy labeling of buildings, based on experiences from the pilot. (AG)

  6. Research cooperation project on environmentally friendly technology for highly efficient mineral resources extraction and treatment. Detail design for pilot plant (Mechanical fabrication)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-03-01

    The paper prepared plans of the mechanical equipment in the detailed design of a pilot plant in the joint research project on the environmental protection technology for highly efficient mineral resource extraction and treatment. (NEDO)

  7. Testing the HTA core model: experiences from two pilot projects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pasternack, Iris; Anttila, Heidi; Mäkelä, Marjukka

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze and describe process and outcomes of two pilot assessments based on the HTA Core Model, discuss the applicability of the model, and explore areas of development. METHODS: Data were gathered from HTA Core Model and pilot Core HTA documents, their va...

  8. Stakeholder Engagement/Capacity Building Pilot Opportunity FAQ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the pilot opportunity for stakeholder engagement/capacity building. EPA is offering an opportunity for community stakeholders and ports to participate in a pilot project to test and refine capacity building tools.

  9. An Evaluation of the British Red Cross’ Educational Pilot Project for Young People Serving Reparation Orders

    OpenAIRE

    Dresser, Paul; Irving, Adele; Soppitt, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Using Newcastle Youth Offending Team (YOT) as a case-study, this report presents the findings of the evaluation of the British Red Cross (BRC) Educational Pilot Project (EPP) for service users serving reparation as part of Community Orders. The EPP was implemented between November 2011 and June 2012. However prior to this development, the BRC and Newcastle YOT had been working in partnership since 2005, to offer young people alternative forms of youth justice, focused around more physical tas...

  10. Identification and analysis of functional elements in 1% of the human genome by the ENCODE pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birney, Ewan; Stamatoyannopoulos, John A; Dutta, Anindya; Guigó, Roderic; Gingeras, Thomas R; Margulies, Elliott H; Weng, Zhiping; Snyder, Michael; Dermitzakis, Emmanouil T; Thurman, Robert E; Kuehn, Michael S; Taylor, Christopher M; Neph, Shane; Koch, Christoph M; Asthana, Saurabh; Malhotra, Ankit; Adzhubei, Ivan; Greenbaum, Jason A; Andrews, Robert M; Flicek, Paul; Boyle, Patrick J; Cao, Hua; Carter, Nigel P; Clelland, Gayle K; Davis, Sean; Day, Nathan; Dhami, Pawandeep; Dillon, Shane C; Dorschner, Michael O; Fiegler, Heike; Giresi, Paul G; Goldy, Jeff; Hawrylycz, Michael; Haydock, Andrew; Humbert, Richard; James, Keith D; Johnson, Brett E; Johnson, Ericka M; Frum, Tristan T; Rosenzweig, Elizabeth R; Karnani, Neerja; Lee, Kirsten; Lefebvre, Gregory C; Navas, Patrick A; Neri, Fidencio; Parker, Stephen C J; Sabo, Peter J; Sandstrom, Richard; Shafer, Anthony; Vetrie, David; Weaver, Molly; Wilcox, Sarah; Yu, Man; Collins, Francis S; Dekker, Job; Lieb, Jason D; Tullius, Thomas D; Crawford, Gregory E; Sunyaev, Shamil; Noble, William S; Dunham, Ian; Denoeud, France; Reymond, Alexandre; Kapranov, Philipp; Rozowsky, Joel; Zheng, Deyou; Castelo, Robert; Frankish, Adam; Harrow, Jennifer; Ghosh, Srinka; Sandelin, Albin; Hofacker, Ivo L; Baertsch, Robert; Keefe, Damian; Dike, Sujit; Cheng, Jill; Hirsch, Heather A; Sekinger, Edward A; Lagarde, Julien; Abril, Josep F; Shahab, Atif; Flamm, Christoph; Fried, Claudia; Hackermüller, Jörg; Hertel, Jana; Lindemeyer, Manja; Missal, Kristin; Tanzer, Andrea; Washietl, Stefan; Korbel, Jan; Emanuelsson, Olof; Pedersen, Jakob S; Holroyd, Nancy; Taylor, Ruth; Swarbreck, David; Matthews, Nicholas; Dickson, Mark C; Thomas, Daryl J; Weirauch, Matthew T; Gilbert, James; Drenkow, Jorg; Bell, Ian; Zhao, XiaoDong; Srinivasan, K G; Sung, Wing-Kin; Ooi, Hong Sain; Chiu, Kuo Ping; Foissac, Sylvain; Alioto, Tyler; Brent, Michael; Pachter, Lior; Tress, Michael L; Valencia, Alfonso; Choo, Siew Woh; Choo, Chiou Yu; Ucla, Catherine; Manzano, Caroline; Wyss, Carine; Cheung, Evelyn; Clark, Taane G; Brown, James B; Ganesh, Madhavan; Patel, Sandeep; Tammana, Hari; Chrast, Jacqueline; Henrichsen, Charlotte N; Kai, Chikatoshi; Kawai, Jun; Nagalakshmi, Ugrappa; Wu, Jiaqian; Lian, Zheng; Lian, Jin; Newburger, Peter; Zhang, Xueqing; Bickel, Peter; Mattick, John S; Carninci, Piero; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide; Weissman, Sherman; Hubbard, Tim; Myers, Richard M; Rogers, Jane; Stadler, Peter F; Lowe, Todd M; Wei, Chia-Lin; Ruan, Yijun; Struhl, Kevin; Gerstein, Mark; Antonarakis, Stylianos E; Fu, Yutao; Green, Eric D; Karaöz, Ulaş; Siepel, Adam; Taylor, James; Liefer, Laura A; Wetterstrand, Kris A; Good, Peter J; Feingold, Elise A; Guyer, Mark S; Cooper, Gregory M; Asimenos, George; Dewey, Colin N; Hou, Minmei; Nikolaev, Sergey; Montoya-Burgos, Juan I; Löytynoja, Ari; Whelan, Simon; Pardi, Fabio; Massingham, Tim; Huang, Haiyan; Zhang, Nancy R; Holmes, Ian; Mullikin, James C; Ureta-Vidal, Abel; Paten, Benedict; Seringhaus, Michael; Church, Deanna; Rosenbloom, Kate; Kent, W James; Stone, Eric A; Batzoglou, Serafim; Goldman, Nick; Hardison, Ross C; Haussler, David; Miller, Webb; Sidow, Arend; Trinklein, Nathan D; Zhang, Zhengdong D; Barrera, Leah; Stuart, Rhona; King, David C; Ameur, Adam; Enroth, Stefan; Bieda, Mark C; Kim, Jonghwan; Bhinge, Akshay A; Jiang, Nan; Liu, Jun; Yao, Fei; Vega, Vinsensius B; Lee, Charlie W H; Ng, Patrick; Shahab, Atif; Yang, Annie; Moqtaderi, Zarmik; Zhu, Zhou; Xu, Xiaoqin; Squazzo, Sharon; Oberley, Matthew J; Inman, David; Singer, Michael A; Richmond, Todd A; Munn, Kyle J; Rada-Iglesias, Alvaro; Wallerman, Ola; Komorowski, Jan; Fowler, Joanna C; Couttet, Phillippe; Bruce, Alexander W; Dovey, Oliver M; Ellis, Peter D; Langford, Cordelia F; Nix, David A; Euskirchen, Ghia; Hartman, Stephen; Urban, Alexander E; Kraus, Peter; Van Calcar, Sara; Heintzman, Nate; Kim, Tae Hoon; Wang, Kun; Qu, Chunxu; Hon, Gary; Luna, Rosa; Glass, Christopher K; Rosenfeld, M Geoff; Aldred, Shelley Force; Cooper, Sara J; Halees, Anason; Lin, Jane M; Shulha, Hennady P; Zhang, Xiaoling; Xu, Mousheng; Haidar, Jaafar N S; Yu, Yong; Ruan, Yijun; Iyer, Vishwanath R; Green, Roland D; Wadelius, Claes; Farnham, Peggy J; Ren, Bing; Harte, Rachel A; Hinrichs, Angie S; Trumbower, Heather; Clawson, Hiram; Hillman-Jackson, Jennifer; Zweig, Ann S; Smith, Kayla; Thakkapallayil, Archana; Barber, Galt; Kuhn, Robert M; Karolchik, Donna; Armengol, Lluis; Bird, Christine P; de Bakker, Paul I W; Kern, Andrew D; Lopez-Bigas, Nuria; Martin, Joel D; Stranger, Barbara E; Woodroffe, Abigail; Davydov, Eugene; Dimas, Antigone; Eyras, Eduardo; Hallgrímsdóttir, Ingileif B; Huppert, Julian; Zody, Michael C; Abecasis, Gonçalo R; Estivill, Xavier; Bouffard, Gerard G; Guan, Xiaobin; Hansen, Nancy F; Idol, Jacquelyn R; Maduro, Valerie V B; Maskeri, Baishali; McDowell, Jennifer C; Park, Morgan; Thomas, Pamela J; Young, Alice C; Blakesley, Robert W; Muzny, Donna M; Sodergren, Erica; Wheeler, David A; Worley, Kim C; Jiang, Huaiyang; Weinstock, George M; Gibbs, Richard A; Graves, Tina; Fulton, Robert; Mardis, Elaine R; Wilson, Richard K; Clamp, Michele; Cuff, James; Gnerre, Sante; Jaffe, David B; Chang, Jean L; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Lander, Eric S; Koriabine, Maxim; Nefedov, Mikhail; Osoegawa, Kazutoyo; Yoshinaga, Yuko; Zhu, Baoli; de Jong, Pieter J

    2007-06-14

    We report the generation and analysis of functional data from multiple, diverse experiments performed on a targeted 1% of the human genome as part of the pilot phase of the ENCODE Project. These data have been further integrated and augmented by a number of evolutionary and computational analyses. Together, our results advance the collective knowledge about human genome function in several major areas. First, our studies provide convincing evidence that the genome is pervasively transcribed, such that the majority of its bases can be found in primary transcripts, including non-protein-coding transcripts, and those that extensively overlap one another. Second, systematic examination of transcriptional regulation has yielded new understanding about transcription start sites, including their relationship to specific regulatory sequences and features of chromatin accessibility and histone modification. Third, a more sophisticated view of chromatin structure has emerged, including its inter-relationship with DNA replication and transcriptional regulation. Finally, integration of these new sources of information, in particular with respect to mammalian evolution based on inter- and intra-species sequence comparisons, has yielded new mechanistic and evolutionary insights concerning the functional landscape of the human genome. Together, these studies are defining a path for pursuit of a more comprehensive characterization of human genome function.

  11. Delivering a MOOC for literature searching in health libraries: evaluation of a pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Gil; McLaren, Lisa; Maden, Michelle

    2017-12-01

    In an era when library budgets are being reduced, Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC's) can offer practical and viable alternatives to the delivery of costly face-to-face training courses. In this study, guest writers Gil Young from Health Care Libraries Unit - North, Lisa McLaren from Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Liverpool University PhD student Michelle Maden describe the outcomes of a funded project they led to develop a MOOC to deliver literature search training for health librarians. Funded by Health Education England, the MOOC was developed by the Library and Information Health Network North West as a pilot project that ran for six weeks. In particular, the MOOC target audience is discussed, how content was developed for the MOOC, promotion and participation, cost-effectiveness, evaluation, the impact of the MOOC and recommendations for future development. H. S. © 2017 Health Libraries Group.

  12. Performance evaluation of restaurant food waste and biowaste to biogas pilot projects in China and implications for national policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Clercq, Djavan; Wen, Zongguo; Fan, Fei

    2017-03-15

    The objective of this research was to conduct a performance evaluation of three food waste/biowaste-to-biogas pilot projects across 7 scenarios in China based on multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodology. The projects ranked included a food waste-biogas project in Beijing, a food waste-biogas project in Suzhou and a co-digestion project producing biomethane in Hainan. The projects were ranked from best to worst based on technical, economic and environmental criteria under the MCDA framework. The results demonstrated that some projects are encountering operational problems. Based on these findings, six national policy recommendations were provided: (1) shift away from capital investment subsidies to performance-based subsidies; (2) re-design feed in tariffs; (3) promote bio-methane and project clustering; (4) improve collection efficiency by incentivizing FW producers to direct waste to biogas projects; (5) incentivize biogas projects to produce multiple outputs; (6) incentivize food waste-based projects to co-digest food waste with other substrates for higher gas output. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Averaged 30 year climate change projections mask opportunities for species establishment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serra-Diaz, Josep M.; Franklin, Janet; Sweet, Lynn C.; McCullough, Ian M.; Syphard, Alexandra D.; Regan, Helen M.; Flint, Lorraine E.; Flint, Alan L.; Dingman, John; Moritz, Max A.; Redmond, Kelly T.; Hannah, Lee; Davis, Frank W.

    2016-01-01

    Survival of early life stages is key for population expansion into new locations and for persistence of current populations (Grubb 1977, Harper 1977). Relative to adults, these early life stages are very sensitive to climate fl uctuations (Ropert-Coudert et al. 2015), which often drive episodic or ‘event-limited’ regeneration (e.g. pulses) in long-lived plant species (Jackson et al. 2009). Th us, it is diffi cult to mechanistically associate 30-yr climate norms to dynamic processes involved in species range shifts (e.g. seedling survival). What are the consequences of temporal aggregation for estimating areas of potential establishment? We modeled seedling survival for three widespread tree species in California, USA ( Quercus douglasii, Q. kelloggii , Pinus sabiniana ) by coupling a large-scale, multi-year common garden experiment to high-resolution downscaled grids of climatic water defi cit and air temperature (Flint and Flint 2012, Supplementary material Appendix 1). We projected seedling survival for nine climate change projections in two mountain landscapes spanning wide elevation and moisture gradients. We compared areas with windows of opportunity for seedling survival – defi ned as three consecutive years of seedling survival in our species, a period selected based on studies of tree niche ontogeny (Supplementary material Appendix 1) – to areas of 30-yr averaged estimates of seedling survival. We found that temporal aggregation greatly underestimated the potential for species establishment (e.g. seedling survival) under climate change scenarios.

  14. Wind-To-Hydrogen Energy Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ron Rebenitsch; Randall Bush; Allen Boushee; Brad G. Stevens; Kirk D. Williams; Jeremy Woeste; Ronda Peters; Keith Bennett

    2009-04-24

    WIND-TO-HYDROGEN ENERGY PILOT PROJECT: BASIN ELECTRIC POWER COOPERATIVE In an effort to address the hurdles of wind-generated electricity (specifically wind's intermittency and transmission capacity limitations) and support development of electrolysis technology, Basin Electric Power Cooperative (BEPC) conducted a research project involving a wind-to-hydrogen system. Through this effort, BEPC, with the support of the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota, evaluated the feasibility of dynamically scheduling wind energy to power an electrolysis-based hydrogen production system. The goal of this project was to research the application of hydrogen production from wind energy, allowing for continued wind energy development in remote wind-rich areas and mitigating the necessity for electrical transmission expansion. Prior to expending significant funding on equipment and site development, a feasibility study was performed. The primary objective of the feasibility study was to provide BEPC and The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with sufficient information to make a determination whether or not to proceed with Phase II of the project, which was equipment procurement, installation, and operation. Four modes of operation were considered in the feasibility report to evaluate technical and economic merits. Mode 1 - scaled wind, Mode 2 - scaled wind with off-peak, Mode 3 - full wind, and Mode 4 - full wind with off-peak In summary, the feasibility report, completed on August 11, 2005, found that the proposed hydrogen production system would produce between 8000 and 20,000 kg of hydrogen annually depending on the mode of operation. This estimate was based on actual wind energy production from one of the North Dakota (ND) wind farms of which BEPC is the electrical off-taker. The cost of the hydrogen produced ranged from $20 to $10 per kg (depending on the mode of operation). The economic sensitivity analysis performed as part of the

  15. Preventing diarrhoea with household ceramic water filters: assessment of a pilot project in Bolivia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clasen, Thomas F; Brown, Joseph; Collin, Simon M

    2006-06-01

    In an attempt to prevent diarrhoea in a rural community in central Bolivia, an international non-governmental organization implemented a pilot project to improve drinking water quality using gravity-fed, household-based, ceramic water filters. We assessed the performance of the filters by conducting a five-month randomized controlled trial among all 60 households in the pilot community. Water filters eliminated thermotolerant (faecal) coliforms from almost all intervention households and significantly reduced turbidity, thereby improving water aesthetics. Most importantly, the filters were associated with a 45.3% reduction in prevalence of diarrhoea among the study population (p = 0.02). After adjustment for household clustering and repeated episodes in individuals and controlling for age and baseline diarrhoea, prevalence of diarrhoea among the intervention group was 51% lower than controls, though the protective effect was only borderline significant (OR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24, 1.01; p = 0.05). A follow-up survey conducted approximately 9 months after deployment of the filters found 67% being used regularly, 13% being used intermittently, and 21% not in use. Water samples from all regularly used filters were free of thermotolerant coliforms.

  16. Pre-Study Walkthrough with a Commercial Pilot for a Preliminary Single Pilot Operations Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor-Dreher, Ryan; Roberts, Z.; Ziccardi, J.; Vu, K-P. L.; Strybel, T.; Koteskey, Robert William; Lachter, Joel B.; Vi Dao, Quang; Johnson, Walter W.; Battiste, V.

    2013-01-01

    The number of crew members in commercial flights has decreased to two members, down from the five-member crew required 50 years ago. One question of interest is whether the crew should be reduced to one pilot. In order to determine the critical factors involved in safely transitioning to a single pilot, research must examine whether any performance deficits arise with the loss of a crew member. With a concrete understanding of the cognitive and behavioral role of a co-pilot, aeronautical technologies and procedures can be developed that make up for the removal of the second aircrew member. The current project describes a pre-study walkthrough process that can be used to help in the development of scenarios for testing future concepts and technologies for single pilot operations. Qualitative information regarding the tasks performed by the pilots can be extracted with this technique and adapted for future investigations of single pilot operations.

  17. Industrial heat pumps for high temperatures - a pilot project; Industrielle varmepumper for hoeje temperaturer - et forprojekt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johansson, M. [Dansk Energi Analyse A/S, Frederiksberg (Denmark); Weel, M.; Mikkelsen, J. [Weel and Sandvig, Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)

    2012-03-15

    This project investigates the possibility of using mass produced and inexpensive turbo compressor technology for heat pumping in the industry. The compressors are designed for the compression of air and used by the automotive industry in connection with turbo-chargers. The heat pumps are primarily intended to use water as the working medium, which in addition to having no environmental loads, is suitable for the heat pumping at temperatures above about 60 deg. C and up to about 200 deg. C, a temperature level which is considerably higher than what has previously been observed covered with heat pumping. In this project, a Danish-produced high-speed gear (Rotrex) is used, which has just been developed to said compressor technology. In cooperation with Rotrex, the modifications relevant to a standard unit were analyzed and assessed. The project identified some areas of industry where heat pumping using this technology is considered to be attractive. A pilot plant operating with steam in a total of 12 hours is demonstrated. In more than 3 hours, the pilot plant was coupled so that it delivered useful heat supply to the evaporator. The plant has during the tests worked satisfactorily, and there is no evidence of problems with leaks in the compressor shaft sealings, neither in relation to the leakage of oil or steam, which was one of the central issues to clarify with the demonstration. In the limited testing period no problems were detected that could not be immediately resolved, i.e. the transmission in the form of a belt drive with high speed from the engine to the friction gear. In the determination of the performance of the compressor during the trial operation with steam as a working medium, it is shown that the conversion efficiency are within the expected range when taking into account the uncertainties in the measurements and the calculation method. In the experiment, no measurement of steam flow through the compressor was made, because of a greatly reduced

  18. Department of Energy Operation Quality Assurance Program for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project (Carlsbad, New Mexico)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-12-01

    The purpose of this plan is to describe the Quality Assurance (QA)reverse arrow Program to be established and implemented by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project Office (WPO) and by the Project Participants: the Scientific Advisor (Sandia National Laboratory) and the Management and Operating Contractor (Westinghouse Electric Corporation). This plan addresses the Pre-Operational and Operational phases of the WIPP Project not addressed under the construction phase. This plan also requires the QA Programs for DOE and Project Participants to be structured so as to comply with this plan and ANSI-ASME NQA-1. The prime responsibility for Operational Quality Assurance rests with the DOE WIPP Project Office and is implemented through the combined efforts of the Scientific Advisor and the Management and Operating Contractor. Overviews of selected operational and testing activities will be are conducted in accordance with prescribed requirements and that adequate documentation of these activities is maintained. 4 figs

  19. PERSPECTIVE: REDD pilot project scenarios: are costs and benefits altered by spatial scale?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Kimberly M.; Curran, Lisa M.

    2009-09-01

    Kimberly M Carlson Payments for reducing carbon emissions due to deforestation and degradation (REDD) have garnered considerable global interest and investments. These financial incentives aim to alter the drivers of land use change by reducing opportunity costs of retaining forest cover, and are often promoted as multipartite solutions that not only generate profits and reduce carbon emissions but provide benefits for human development and biodiversity. Currently, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is debating a post-Kyoto protocol with national or sub-national emission reduction targets. Anticipating the inclusion of REDD in this agreement, >80% of pilot REDD projects are being established in tropical regions (table 1). While the capacity of REDD projects to meet their stated objectives must be assessed post- implementation, land use change models are powerful tools for generating potential outcomes from these pilot initiatives. Table 1. Extent and emissions reductions for all REDD projects as reported by Ecosystem Marketplace, which maintains a comprehensive and up-to-date inventory of REDD projects that are selling credits and/or are verified by a third-party verifier. Adapted from Forest Carbon Portal (2009). Geographical zoneContinentProjects (#) Area (km2) Emissions reductions (Mt C) Tropical and Subtropical Africa2775019.50 Asia28100109.60 South America 9183 880278.24 TemperateAustralia1140.18 North America115N/A Totals15199 759407.52 In this issue of ERL, Gaveau et al (2009) use a spatially-explicit model to explore the potential of a REDD pilot project in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, to reduce deforestation and conserve orangutan biodiversity. This project is conceived by the Provincial Government of Aceh, financed by Merrill Lynch, and co-managed by carbon trading firm Carbon Conservation and NGO Flora and Fauna International. Project managers estimate CO2 emissions reductions at 3.4 Mt y-1 over 30 years across a 7500 km2

  20. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian SAS-pilots 1960 to 1994

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tveten, U.

    1997-02-01

    The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The project has been partially financed by the Norwegian Research Council. Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started or are in the planning stage in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots employed by the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS). The results presented in this report (radiation doserates for the different types of aircraft in the different years) will, in a later stage of the project, be utilized to estimate the individual radiation exposure histories. The major sources of information used as basis for this work is the collection of old SAS time tables found in the SAS Museum at Fornebu Airport in Oslo, and information provided by members of the Pilots Associations

  1. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian SAS-pilots 1960 to 1994

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tveten, U.

    1997-02-01

    The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The project has been partially financed by the Norwegian Research Council. Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started or are in the planning stage in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots employed by the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS). The results presented in this report (radiation doserates for the different types of aircraft in the different years) will, in a later stage of the project, be utilized to estimate the individual radiation exposure histories. The major sources of information used as basis for this work is the collection of old SAS time tables found in the SAS Museum at Fornebu Airport in Oslo, and information provided by members of the Pilots Associations.

  2. Recent developments in the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility Waste Tracking System-automated data collection pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez, B.; Montoya, A.; Klein, W.

    1999-01-01

    The waste management and environmental compliance group (NMT-7) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has initiated a pilot project for demonstrating the feasibility and utility of automated data collection as a solution for tracking waste containers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility. This project, the Los Alamos Waste Tracking System (LAWTS), tracks waste containers during their lifecycle at the facility. LAWTS is a two-tiered system consisting of a server/workstation database and reporting engine and a hand-held data terminal-based client program for collecting data directly from tracked containers. New containers may be added to the system from either the client unit or from the server database. Once containers are in the system, they can be tracked through one of three primary transactions: Move, Inventory, and Shipment. Because LAWTS is a pilot project, it also serves as a learning experience for all parties involved. This paper will discuss many of the lessons learned in implementing a data collection system in the restricted environment. Specifically, the authors will discuss issues related to working with the PPT 4640 terminal system as the data collection unit. They will discuss problems with form factor (size, usability, etc.) as well as technical problems with wireless radio frequency functions. They will also discuss complications that arose from outdoor use of the terminal (barcode scanning failures, screen readability problems). The paper will conclude with a series of recommendations for proceeding with LAWTS based on experience to date

  3. Can we talk? Communications management for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a complex nuclear waste management project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldstein, S.A.; Pullen, G.M.; Brewer, D.R.

    1995-01-01

    Sandia Nuclear Waste Management Program is pursuing for DOE an option for permanently disposing radioactive waste in deep geologic repositories. Included in the Program are the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project for US defense program mixed waste the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) for spent power reactor fuel and vitrified high-level waste, projects for other waste types, and development efforts in environmental decision support technologies. WIPP and YMP are in the public arena, of a controversial nature, and provide significant management challenges. Both projects have large project teams, multiple organization participants, large budgets, long durations, are very complex, have a high degree of programmatic risk, and operate in an extremely regulated environment requiring legal defensibility. For environmental projects like these to succeed, SNL's Program is utilizing nearly all areas in PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) to manage along multiple project dimensions such as the physical sciences (e.g., geophysics and geochemistry; performance assessment; decision analysis) management sciences (controlling the triple constraint of performance, cost and schedule), and social sciences (belief systems; public participation; institutional politics). This discussion focuses primarily on communication challenges active on WIPP. How is the WIPP team meeting the challenges of managing communications?'' and ''How are you approaching similar challenges?'' will be questions for a dialog with the audience

  4. Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2): ATD-2 CLT Pilot Community Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capps, Al; Hooey, Becky

    2017-01-01

    The Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) project conducted a pilot community workshop at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, North Carolina. The goal was to familiarize pilots with the ATD-2 project, with an emphasis on procedures that may affect pilots during the Phase 1 Field Demonstration (beginning September 30, 2017). At this workshop, the high-level goals and objectives of ATD-2, expected benefits for pilots, changes to procedures, training requirements, and data sharing elements were presented.

  5. A framework for considering climate change in transportation and land use scenario planning : lessons learned from an interagency pilot project on Cape Cod.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-01

    The Interagency Transportation, Land Use, and Climate Change Pilot Project utilized a scenario planning process to develop a multi-agency transportation- and land use-focused development strategy for Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with the intention of ach...

  6. Live Piloting and Prototyping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Rizzo

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents current trends in service design research concerning large scale projects aimed at generating changes at a local scale. The strategy adopted to achieve this, is to co-design solutions including future users in the development process, prototyping and testing system of products and services before their actual implementation. On the basis of experience achieved in the European Project Life 2.0, this paper discusses which methods and competencies are applied in the development of these projects, eliciting the lessons learnt especially from the piloting phase in which the participatory design (PD approach plays a major role. In the first part, the topic is introduced jointly with the theoretical background where the user center design and participatory design methods are presented; then the Life 2.0 project development is described; finally the experience is discussed from a service design perspective, eliciting guidelines for piloting and prototyping services in a real context of use. The paper concludes reflecting on the designers’ role and competencies needed in this process.

  7. Pilot project concerning the establishment of a collective biomass conversion plant on the island of Mors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-06-01

    This pilot project comprises a feasibility study in connection with plans to establish a biomass conversion plant, on the Danish island of Mors, which would provide methane to be used as fuel, in combination with natural gas, for a cogeneration plant serving six villages. The subjects of location, organization, the transportation of biomass, the design of the biomass conversion plant, economical aspects and conditions of the use of the methane are discussed as a basis for decisions in this respect. Environmental considerations are also dealt with. (AB)

  8. Teaching weather and climate science in primary schools - a pilot project from the UK Met Office

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orrell, Richard; Liggins, Felicity; Challenger, Lesley; Lethem, Dom; Campbell, Katy

    2017-04-01

    Wow Schools is a pilot project from the Met Office with an aim to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists and, uniquely, use the data collected by schools to improve weather forecasts and warnings across the UK. Wow Schools was launched in late 2015 with a competition open to primary schools across the UK. 74 schools entered the draw, all hoping to be picked as one of the ten lucky schools taking part in the pilot scheme. Each winning school received a fully automatic weather station (AWS), enabling them to transmit real-time local weather observations to the Met Office's Weather Observation Website (WOW - wow.metoffice.gov.uk), an award winning web portal for uploading and sharing a range of environmental observations. They were also given a package of materials designed to get students out of the classroom to observe the weather, get hands-on with the science underpinning weather forecasting, and analyse the data they are collecting. The curriculum-relevant materials were designed with the age group 7 to 11 in mind, but could be extended to support other age groups. Each school was offered a visit by a Wow Schools Ambassador (a Met Office employee) to bring the students' learning to life, and access to a dedicated forecast for its location generated by our new supercomputer. These forecasts are improved by the school's onsite AWS reinforcing the link between observations and forecast production. The Wow Schools pilot ran throughout 2016. Here, we present the initial findings of the project, examining the potential benefits and challenges of working with schools across the UK to: enrich students' understanding of the science of weather forecasting; to source an ongoing supply of weather observations and discover how these might be used in the forecasting process; and explore what materials and business model(s) would be most useful and affordable if a wider roll-out of the initiative was undertaken.

  9. Value pricing pilot program : lessons learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-08-01

    This "Lessons Learned Report" provides a summary of projects sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Congestion and Value Pricing Pilot Programs from 1991 through 2006 and draws lessons from a sample of projects with the richest an...

  10. APMP Pilot Study on Transmittance Haze

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wen-Chun; Hwang, Jisoo; Koo, Annette; Wu, Houping; Leecharoen, Rojana; Yu, Hsueh-Ling

    2018-02-01

    Five NMIs within APMP, including CMS/ITRI, MSL, NIM, NIMT and KRISS from TCPR applied to the APMP technical committee initiative project for funding to carry out a pilot comparison of transmittance haze in 2012. The project started in 2014 and the final report was completed at the end of 2016. In this pilot comparison, three different haze standards were adopted, and transmittance haze for each standard was measured according to ASTM D1003 or ISO 14782. This paper presents the first results of an APMP pilot study of transmittance haze and the analysis of the variation among different haze measurement systems which are commonly used. The study shows that the variables such as sphere multiplier, transmittance distribution, fluorescence of samples and optical path of the incident beam cause discrepancies among NMIs and highlight deficiencies in current documentary standards.

  11. Research cooperation project on environmentally friendly technology for highly efficient mineral resources extraction and treatment. Detail design for pilot plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-03-01

    Photographs and drawings were edited into a book in relation with a joint project for environment preservation technologies in high-efficiency extraction and treatment of mineral resources, and detail design for a pilot plant. The book classified the related devices into fabricated devices, purchased devices and electrical devices, and contains detailed drawings and photographs thereof. (NEDO)

  12. A coordinated school health approach to obesity prevention among Appalachian youth: the Winning with Wellness Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schetzina, Karen E; Dalton, William T; Lowe, Elizabeth F; Azzazy, Nora; VonWerssowetz, Katrina M; Givens, Connie; Pfortmiller, Deborah T; Stern, H Patrick

    2009-01-01

    Childhood obesity has been an increasing problem in the United States, especially in rural areas. Effective prevention approaches are needed. This article describes the development, implementation, effectiveness, feasibility, and sustainability of a school-based obesity prevention pilot project, Winning with Wellness. The program was based on the coordinated school health model and included a community-based participatory research approach aimed at promoting healthy eating and physical activity in a rural Appalachian elementary school. Findings from this preliminary project revealed improvements in nutrition offerings and increased physical activity during the school day. In addition, the program was found to be acceptable to teachers, successfully implemented utilizing both existing and newly developed resources, and sustainable as evidenced in continued practice and expansion to other area schools.

  13. Kinship--king's social harmonisation project. Pilot phase of a social network for use in higher education (HE).

    Science.gov (United States)

    John, B A

    2013-05-08

    Students entering Higher Education are increasingly information and communications technology literate. Many students (graduates and undergraduates) arrive as "digital residents", who are adept with social media and technologically fluent. The informal use of social media for learning is becoming increasingly evident, along with the potentially detrimental effects of a poor digital profile on employment prospects. This paper describes the creation of Kinship (King's Social Harmonisation Project), a university hosted, members only social network, which is currently being piloted in the Medical School at King's College London. Along with a number of other teaching and learning resources, it is intended to use Kinship to establish an informal code of conduct by modelling and moderating appropriate professional online behaviour. Kinship was developed using an open source Elgg platform, thanks to funding of £20,000 from the College Teaching Fund under the mentorship of Brighton University (1). This educational research project, led by Medicine, was proposed to select, customise and evaluate a social networking platform in order to provide functionality that would enhance new and existing e-learning resources, support group interaction, participation and sharing and meet the diverse needs of three academic schools: Medicine, the Dental Institute and two separate Departments, the Modern Languages Centre and the Department of English from Arts & Humanities, as a pilot for wider College deployment. Student involvement is central to the project, from conducting the evaluation to moulding and customising the functionality and look of Kinship, in order to ensure that the site is authentic and evolves in response to their wishes and requirements. Formal evaluation of Kinship commences summer 2012.

  14. The HADES demonstration and pilot project on radioactive waste disposal in a clay formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonne, A.; Beckers, H.; Beaufays, R.; Buyens, M.; Coursier, J.; Bruyn, D. de; Fonteyne, A.; Genicot, J.; Lamy, D.; Meynendonckx, P.; Monsecour, M.; Neerdael, B.; Noynaert, L.; Voet, M.; Volekaert, G.

    1992-01-01

    The overall objective of the HADES programme is the evaluation of the technical feasibility and safety of the disposal of radwaste in a deep clay formation. The pilot phase is aimed at demonstrating the system behaviour for those components of the system and those operations and issues which can be demonstrated directly. The time period considered covers a first phase of the development programme of the pilot project which includes: -The construction of a concrete lined tests drift of about 30 m length with a useful inner diameter of 3.5 m. In the lining, a number of openings or ports are foreseen for emplacing the various tests and sensors for the general auscultation in the host rock; - Mine-by test for the investigation of the response of the surrounding clay on the excavating; - CERBERUS test, a combined heating-irradiation test aiming at evaluating by simulation (electrical heaters and Co-60 radiation source) the impact of a HLW canister on its immediate near field; - Design of a gallery heating test for the demonstration by simulation of the behaviour of a concrete lined gallery structure and of the surrounding clay mass in a temperature field (TEMPPRES code for temperature and pressure evolution simulation). 21 refs

  15. STEM Pilot Project Grant Program: Report to the Legislature, June 2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noahr, Lorrell; Black, Scott; Rogers, Justin

    2016-01-01

    The Washington State Legislature established the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Pilot Program in the 2015-2017 capital budget (Chapter 3, Laws of 2015, 3rd Sp. Session, Section 5026) and provided $12,500,000 for this pilot grant program. Grants awarded under this program constitute the districts' local funding for purposes of…

  16. Assistive Solutions in Practice: Experiences from AAL Pilot Regions in Austria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ates, Nesrin; Aumayr, Georg; Drobics, Mario; Förster, Kristina Maria; Frauenberger, Christopher; Garschall, Markus; Kofler, Manfred; Krainer, Daniela; Kropf, Johannes; Majcen, Kurt; Oberzaucher, Johannes; Piazolo, Felix; Rzepka, Angelika; Sauskojus, Julia; Schneider, Cornelia; Stainer-Hochgatterer, Andreas; Sturm, Nadine; Waibel, Uli; Willner, Viktoria

    2017-01-01

    Since 2012 six AAL pilot regions were launched in Austria. The main goal of these pilot regions is to evaluate the impact of AAL technologies in daily use considering the entire value chain. Additionally, go-to market strategies for assistive technologies based on an involvement of all relevant stakeholders are developed. Within this paper an overview of the specific objectives, approaches and the status of all Austrian AAL pilot regions is given. Taking into account the different experiences of the different pilot regions, specific challenges in establishing, implementing and sustaining pilot region projects are discussed and lessons-learned are presented. Results show that a careful planning of all project phases taking into account available resources is crucial for the successful implementation of an AAL pilot region. In particular, this applies to all activities related to the active involvement of end-users.

  17. An Objective Approach to Select Climate Scenarios when Projecting Species Distribution under Climate Change.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Casajus

    Full Text Available An impressive number of new climate change scenarios have recently become available to assess the ecological impacts of climate change. Among these impacts, shifts in species range analyzed with species distribution models are the most widely studied. Whereas it is widely recognized that the uncertainty in future climatic conditions must be taken into account in impact studies, many assessments of species range shifts still rely on just a few climate change scenarios, often selected arbitrarily. We describe a method to select objectively a subset of climate change scenarios among a large ensemble of available ones. Our k-means clustering approach reduces the number of climate change scenarios needed to project species distributions, while retaining the coverage of uncertainty in future climate conditions. We first show, for three biologically-relevant climatic variables, that a reduced number of six climate change scenarios generates average climatic conditions very close to those obtained from a set of 27 scenarios available before reduction. A case study on potential gains and losses of habitat by three northeastern American tree species shows that potential future species distributions projected from the selected six climate change scenarios are very similar to those obtained from the full set of 27, although with some spatial discrepancies at the edges of species distributions. In contrast, projections based on just a few climate models vary strongly according to the initial choice of climate models. We give clear guidance on how to reduce the number of climate change scenarios while retaining the central tendencies and coverage of uncertainty in future climatic conditions. This should be particularly useful during future climate change impact studies as more than twice as many climate models were reported in the fifth assessment report of IPCC compared to the previous one.

  18. An Objective Approach to Select Climate Scenarios when Projecting Species Distribution under Climate Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casajus, Nicolas; Périé, Catherine; Logan, Travis; Lambert, Marie-Claude; de Blois, Sylvie; Berteaux, Dominique

    2016-01-01

    An impressive number of new climate change scenarios have recently become available to assess the ecological impacts of climate change. Among these impacts, shifts in species range analyzed with species distribution models are the most widely studied. Whereas it is widely recognized that the uncertainty in future climatic conditions must be taken into account in impact studies, many assessments of species range shifts still rely on just a few climate change scenarios, often selected arbitrarily. We describe a method to select objectively a subset of climate change scenarios among a large ensemble of available ones. Our k-means clustering approach reduces the number of climate change scenarios needed to project species distributions, while retaining the coverage of uncertainty in future climate conditions. We first show, for three biologically-relevant climatic variables, that a reduced number of six climate change scenarios generates average climatic conditions very close to those obtained from a set of 27 scenarios available before reduction. A case study on potential gains and losses of habitat by three northeastern American tree species shows that potential future species distributions projected from the selected six climate change scenarios are very similar to those obtained from the full set of 27, although with some spatial discrepancies at the edges of species distributions. In contrast, projections based on just a few climate models vary strongly according to the initial choice of climate models. We give clear guidance on how to reduce the number of climate change scenarios while retaining the central tendencies and coverage of uncertainty in future climatic conditions. This should be particularly useful during future climate change impact studies as more than twice as many climate models were reported in the fifth assessment report of IPCC compared to the previous one.

  19. Remediation of contaminated areas in the aftermath of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Overview, analysis and lessons learned. Part 1. A report on the ''decontamination pilot project''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakayama, Shinichi; Kawase, Keiichi; Iijima, Kazuki; Miyahara, Kaname; Hardie, Susan; McKinley, Ian; Klein, Liza; Yashio, Shoko

    2015-03-01

    In the wake of the Great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which resulted in significant damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, considerable radioactive discharge and deposition occurred. Populations were evacuated from the zones that received the most deposition and overarching 'Special Measures' laws established the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) as the department responsible for decontamination to remediate the environment. Major challenges to implementing full-scale environmental decontamination were the absence of real-world examples and also lack of experience in planning and implementing decontamination technology appropriate to the physical and social boundary conditions in both Japan and Fukushima. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was thus charged with conducting a range of 'Decontamination Pilot Project' to examine the applicability of decontamination technologies, with a special focus on reducing dose rates and thus allowing evacuees to return to re-establish their normal lifestyles as quickly as possible, whilst simultaneously maintaining worker safety. The Decontamination Pilot Project was implemented at 16 sites in 11 municipalities within the evacuated zone, including locations that received the highest deposition. Despite tight boundary conditions in terms of timescale and resources, the Decontamination Pilot Project provides a good basis for developing recommendations on how to assure decontamination efficiency and worker safety whilst additionally constraining costs, subsequent waste management and environmental impacts. The Decontamination Pilot Project has thus played a key role in the drafting of guidelines and manuals that are currently being used as a source of reference by the national government, local municipalities and the contractors performing regional decontamination. Part 1 of this report summarises the Decontamination Pilot Project, providing the background required to put this work in context for an

  20. Strategizing Carbon-Neutral Mines: A Case for Pilot Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ian M. Power

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Ultramafic and mafic mine tailings are a valuable feedstock for carbon mineralization that should be used to offset carbon emissions generated by the mining industry. Although passive carbonation is occurring at the abandoned Clinton Creek asbestos mine, and the active Diavik diamond and Mount Keith nickel mines, there remains untapped potential for sequestering CO2 within these mine wastes. There is the potential to accelerate carbonation to create economically viable, large-scale CO2 fixation technologies that can operate at near-surface temperature and atmospheric pressure. We review several relevant acceleration strategies including: bioleaching of magnesium silicates; increasing the supply of CO2 via heterotrophic oxidation of waste organics; and biologically induced carbonate precipitation, as well as enhancing passive carbonation through tailings management practices and use of CO2 point sources. Scenarios for pilot scale projects are proposed with the aim of moving towards carbon-neutral mines. A financial incentive is necessary to encourage the development of these strategies. We recommend the use of a dynamic real options pricing approach, instead of traditional discounted cash-flow approaches, because it reflects the inherent value in managerial flexibility to adapt and capitalize on favorable future opportunities in the highly volatile carbon market.

  1. Can we talk? Communications management for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a complex nuclear waste management project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldstein, S.A.; Pullen, G.M.; Brewer, D.R.

    1995-07-01

    Sandia Nuclear Waste Management Program is pursuing for DOE an option for permanently disposing radioactive waste in deep geologic repositories. Included in the Program are the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project for US defense program mixed waste the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) for spent power reactor fuel and vitrified high-level waste, projects for other waste types, and development efforts in environmental decision support technologies. WIPP and YMP are in the public arena, of a controversial nature, and provide significant management challenges. Both projects have large project teams, multiple organization participants, large budgets, long durations, are very complex, have a high degree of programmatic risk, and operate in an extremely regulated environment requiring legal defensibility. For environmental projects like these to succeed, SNL`s Program is utilizing nearly all areas in PMI`s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) to manage along multiple project dimensions such as the physical sciences (e.g., geophysics and geochemistry; performance assessment; decision analysis) management sciences (controlling the triple constraint of performance, cost and schedule), and social sciences (belief systems; public participation; institutional politics). This discussion focuses primarily on communication challenges active on WIPP. How is the WIPP team meeting the challenges of managing communications?`` and ``How are you approaching similar challenges?`` will be questions for a dialog with the audience.

  2. Ulysses - an application for the projection of molecular interactions across species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemmer, Danielle; Huang, Yong; Shah, Sohrab P; Lim, Jonathan; Brumm, Jochen; Yuen, Macaire M S; Ling, John; Xu, Tao; Wasserman, Wyeth W; Ouellette, B F Francis

    2005-01-01

    We developed Ulysses as a user-oriented system that uses a process called Interolog Analysis for the parallel analysis and display of protein interactions detected in various species. Ulysses was designed to perform such Interolog Analysis by the projection of model organism interaction data onto homologous human proteins, and thus serves as an accelerator for the analysis of uncharacterized human proteins. The relevance of projections was assessed and validated against published reference collections. All source code is freely available, and the Ulysses system can be accessed via a web interface http://www.cisreg.ca/ulysses.

  3. Workplace-based assessment of communication skills: A pilot project addressing feasibility, acceptance and reliability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weyers, Simone; Jemi, Iman; Karger, André; Raski, Bianca; Rotthoff, Thomas; Pentzek, Michael; Mortsiefer, Achim

    2016-01-01

    Background: Imparting communication skills has been given great importance in medical curricula. In addition to standardized assessments, students should communicate with real patients in actual clinical situations during workplace-based assessments and receive structured feedback on their performance. The aim of this project was to pilot a formative testing method for workplace-based assessment. Our investigation centered in particular on whether or not physicians view the method as feasible and how high acceptance is among students. In addition, we assessed the reliability of the method. Method: As part of the project, 16 students held two consultations each with chronically ill patients at the medical practice where they were completing GP training. These consultations were video-recorded. The trained mentoring physician rated the student’s performance and provided feedback immediately following the consultations using the Berlin Global Rating scale (BGR). Two impartial, trained raters also evaluated the videos using BGR. For qualitative and quantitative analysis, information on how physicians and students viewed feasibility and their levels of acceptance was collected in written form in a partially standardized manner. To test for reliability, the test-retest reliability was calculated for both of the overall evaluations given by each rater. The inter-rater reliability was determined for the three evaluations of each individual consultation. Results: The formative assessment method was rated positively by both physicians and students. It is relatively easy to integrate into daily routines. Its significant value lies in the personal, structured and recurring feedback. The two overall scores for each patient consultation given by the two impartial raters correlate moderately. The degree of uniformity among the three raters in respect to the individual consultations is low. Discussion: Within the scope of this pilot project, only a small sample of physicians and

  4. Workplace-based assessment of communication skills: A pilot project addressing feasibility, acceptance and reliability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weyers, Simone

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Imparting communication skills has been given great importance in medical curricula. In addition to standardized assessments, students should communicate with real patients in actual clinical situations during workplace-based assessments and receive structured feedback on their performance. The aim of this project was to pilot a formative testing method for workplace-based assessment. Our investigation centered in particular on whether or not physicians view the method as feasible and how high acceptance is among students. In addition, we assessed the reliability of the method.Method: As part of the project, 16 students held two consultations each with chronically ill patients at the medical practice where they were completing GP training. These consultations were video-recorded. The trained mentoring physician rated the student’s performance and provided feedback immediately following the consultations using the Berlin Global Rating scale (BGR. Two impartial, trained raters also evaluated the videos using BGR. For qualitative and quantitative analysis, information on how physicians and students viewed feasibility and their levels of acceptance was collected in written form in a partially standardized manner. To test for reliability, the test-retest reliability was calculated for both of the overall evaluations given by each rater. The inter-rater reliability was determined for the three evaluations of each individual consultation.Results: The formative assessment method was rated positively by both physicians and students. It is relatively easy to integrate into daily routines. Its significant value lies in the personal, structured and recurring feedback. The two overall scores for each patient consultation given by the two impartial raters correlate moderately. The degree of uniformity among the three raters in respect to the individual consultations is low.Discussion: Within the scope of this pilot project, only a small sample

  5. Workplace-based assessment of communication skills: A pilot project addressing feasibility, acceptance and reliability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weyers, Simone; Jemi, Iman; Karger, André; Raski, Bianca; Rotthoff, Thomas; Pentzek, Michael; Mortsiefer, Achim

    2016-01-01

    Background: Imparting communication skills has been given great importance in medical curricula. In addition to standardized assessments, students should communicate with real patients in actual clinical situations during workplace-based assessments and receive structured feedback on their performance. The aim of this project was to pilot a formative testing method for workplace-based assessment. Our investigation centered in particular on whether or not physicians view the method as feasible and how high acceptance is among students. In addition, we assessed the reliability of the method. Method: As part of the project, 16 students held two consultations each with chronically ill patients at the medical practice where they were completing GP training. These consultations were video-recorded. The trained mentoring physician rated the student's performance and provided feedback immediately following the consultations using the Berlin Global Rating scale (BGR). Two impartial, trained raters also evaluated the videos using BGR. For qualitative and quantitative analysis, information on how physicians and students viewed feasibility and their levels of acceptance was collected in written form in a partially standardized manner. To test for reliability, the test-retest reliability was calculated for both of the overall evaluations given by each rater. The inter-rater reliability was determined for the three evaluations of each individual consultation. Results: The formative assessment method was rated positively by both physicians and students. It is relatively easy to integrate into daily routines. Its significant value lies in the personal, structured and recurring feedback. The two overall scores for each patient consultation given by the two impartial raters correlate moderately. The degree of uniformity among the three raters in respect to the individual consultations is low. Discussion: Within the scope of this pilot project, only a small sample of physicians and

  6. FY2017 Pilot Project Plan for the Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center Initiative

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, Weiju [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2016-10-30

    To prepare for technical development of computational code validation under the Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center (NEKVAC) initiative, several meetings were held by a group of experts of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to develop requirements of, and formulate a structure for, a transient fuel database through leveraging existing resources. It was concluded in discussions of these meetings that a pilot project is needed to address the most fundamental issues that can generate immediate stimulus to near-future validation developments as well as long-lasting benefits to NEKVAC operation. The present project is proposed based on the consensus of these discussions. Analysis of common scenarios in code validation indicates that the incapability of acquiring satisfactory validation data is often a showstopper that must first be tackled before any confident validation developments can be carried out. Validation data are usually found scattered in different places most likely with interrelationships among the data not well documented, incomplete with information for some parameters missing, nonexistent, or unrealistic to experimentally generate. Furthermore, with very different technical backgrounds, the modeler, the experimentalist, and the knowledgebase developer that must be involved in validation data development often cannot communicate effectively without a data package template that is representative of the data structure for the information domain of interest to the desired code validation. This pilot project is proposed to use the legendary TREAT Experiments Database to provide core elements for creating an ideal validation data package. Data gaps and missing data interrelationships will be identified from these core elements. All the identified missing elements will then be filled in with experimental data if available from other existing sources or with dummy data if nonexistent. The resulting hybrid

  7. NEREDA Pilot Studies 2003 - 2010; NEREDA Pilotonderzoeken 2003 - 2010

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berkhof, D.; De Bruin, B.; Kerstholt, M.; Kraan, R.; Miska, V.; Peeters, T.; Van der Roest, H.; Verschoor, J. [DHV, Amersfoort (Netherlands); De Kreuk, M.; Van Loosdrecht, M. [Technische Universiteit Delft TUD, Delft (Netherlands)

    2010-10-15

    Since the nineties of last century research has been conducted on the development of the aerobic granular sludge technology for wastewater treatment. A first STOWA pilot research project was executed at Ede, Netherlands. In 2005 a technological breakthrough was accomplished and was the starting sign for a broader national development program (NNOP). Next to STOWA, Delft University of Delft and DHV, six Waterboards are involved within this development program. Main goal of the NNOP is to develop a new competitive biological wastewater treatment technology (Nereda). After the Ede project additional pilot research projects were conducted at four locations in the Netherlands. Within these pilot research projects the following aspects were investigated: granulation on different wastewater types; stability of granular sludge; optimization of nitrogen and phosphate removal, especially during winter time; control of effluent suspended solids concentration; and obtain technological design parameters for full scale WWTPs (waste water treatment plants) [Dutch] In dit rapport staan de resultaten beschreven van de tussen 2003 en 2010 uitgevoerde pilots met de aeroob-korrelslibtechnologie Nereda. Dit is een nieuwe zuiveringstechnologie waarbij het reinigende actief slib geen vlokken maar korrels vormt. Hierdoor bezinkt het slib sneller en makkelijker. De technologie wordt gekenmerkt door hoge zuiveringsrendementen, weinig ruimtebeslag (voor bezinking) en relatief lage energiekosten. De resultaten van de pilots zijn dermate goed, dat drie van de vijf deelnemende waterschappen hebben besloten om 1 van hun rwzi's (rioolwaterzuiveringsinstallaties) aan te passen op basis van de Nereda-technologie.

  8. The Teen Photovoice Project: A Pilot Study to Promote Health Through Advocacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Necheles, Jonathan W.; Chung, Emily Q.; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Ryan, Gery W.; Williams, La’Shield B.; Holmes, Heidi N.; Wells, Kenneth B.; Vaiana, Mary E.; Schuster, Mark A.

    2009-01-01

    Background Clinicians, public health practitioners, and policymakers would like to understand how youth perceive health issues and how they can become advocates for health promotion in their communities. 1,2 Traditional research methods can be used to capture these perceptions, but are limited in their ability to activate (excite and engage) youth to participate in health promotion activities. Objectives To pilot the use of an adapted version of photovoice as a starting point to engage youth in identifying influences on their health behaviors in a process that encourages the development of health advocacy projects. Methods Application of qualitative and quantitative methods to a participatory research project that teaches youth the photovoice method to identify and address health promotion issues relevant to their lives. Participants included 13 students serving on a Youth Advisory Board (YAB) of the UCLA/RAND Center for Adolescent Health Promotion working in four small groups of two to five participants. Students were from the Los Angeles, California, metropolitan area. Results Results were derived from photograph sorting activities, analysis of photograph narratives, and development of advocacy projects. Youth frequently discussed a variety of topics reflected in their pictures that included unhealthy food choices, inducers of stress, friends, emotions, environment, health, and positive aspects of family. The advocacy projects used social marketing strategies, focusing on unhealthy dietary practices and inducers of stress. The youths’ focus on obesity-related issues have contributed to the center’s success in partnering with the Los Angeles Unified School District on a new community-based participatory research (CBPR) project. Conclusion Youth can engage in a process of identifying community-level health influences, leading to health promotion through advocacy. Participants focused their advocacy work on selected issues addressing the types of unhealthy food

  9. Enhanced neurorehabilitation techniques in the DVBIC Assisted Living Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Stuart W; Shesko, Kristina; Harrison, Catherine R

    2010-01-01

    Traumatic Brain Injury has been labeled the "silent epidemic" in our current wars. Both CBO and the RAND reports predict that the costs of these injuries will be both extensive and enduring. The projected costs are based not only upon the loss contribution of these warriors to our economy, but also the long-term medical and assistive care that will be needed to support these veterans for decades to come. Thus, the primary goal of the Assisted Living Pilot Project (ALPP) at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center - Johnstown (DVBIC-J) is to promote the ability of the injured warrior to move from assisted living to living independently and to be self-supporting by providing a continuum of care. To accomplish this goal the DVBIC-J ALPP is providing full set of traditional services (physical, occupational, speech, psychological/cognitive, social/familial, vocational, and spiritual), along with "cutting-edge" rehabilitative treatment technologies. These cutting-edge therapies include transdisciplinary clinical consultations, interactive patient and family counseling, and telemedicine-teleconferencing for clinical evaluations and family/significant other care participation. These services will be available to those who require assisted living through their progression to community re-entry. The ALPP also serves as a vehicle for clinical trials to investigate the effects of an enriched environment (e.g., recreational therapies, massage, multisensory stimulation, etc.) on neurorehabilitation therapy, rural telemedicine for servicemembers with traumatic brain injury, and long-term outcome measures of those who have received neurorehabilitation services at the DVBIC-J site. DVBIC-J is also developing collaborative projects with universities and private industry to create an incubator for new rehabilitation technologies. The technologies that DVBIC-J will be focusing on will include assistive technologies (to assist cognitive, physical, and communicative impairments

  10. PV/T slates - Pilot project in Steinhausen; PV/T-Schiefer. Pilotprojekt Steinhausen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kropf, S.

    2003-07-01

    This comprehensive, illustrated report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is one a series of five reports dealing with increasing the overall efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) installations by also using the heat collected by the dark-coloured PV panels. The work reported on addresses open questions on the use of the heat and its optimal use. This report deals with a ventilated PV-tile system (PV/T-Slates) mounted on a garden shed in Steinhausen, Switzerland. The installation provides power and heat to the main house. The report describes the construction and operation of this pilot project and the results of measurements made on its electrical and thermal performance. The results of measurements made are presented in detail in graphical form and compared with the results of simulation. Suggestions are made for the optimisation of the system. Figures are presented on energy production and energy flows in graphical form.

  11. Global Change Data Base Pilot (Diskette) Project for Africa. Dase base documentation version 1.1

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-06-01

    The data base for Africa contains vegetation data, climate data, and other thematic data for a recent three and a half year period. The documentation contains separate chapters of material edited about separate data sets of the overall Global Change Data Base, Pilot (diskette) Project for Africa. Descriptions of data formats, authors, and contributors are accompanied by documentation of the development/use of the data. These materials have been suggested and contributed directly by the authors of the individual data sets. To avoid confusion, some information contained in the documentation that is not directly relevant to the data base has been either omitted, crossed out, or blanked out.

  12. The NYC native air sampling pilot project: using HVAC filter data for urban biological incident characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ackelsberg, Joel; Leykam, Frederic M; Hazi, Yair; Madsen, Larry C; West, Todd H; Faltesek, Anthony; Henderson, Gavin D; Henderson, Christopher L; Leighton, Terrance

    2011-09-01

    Native air sampling (NAS) is distinguished from dedicated air sampling (DAS) devices (eg, BioWatch) that are deployed to detect aerosol disseminations of biological threat agents. NAS uses filter samples from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial properties for environmental sampling after DAS detection of biological threat agent incidents. It represents an untapped, scientifically sound, efficient, widely distributed, and comparably inexpensive resource for postevent environmental sampling. Calculations predict that postevent NAS would be more efficient than environmental surface sampling by orders of magnitude. HVAC filter samples could be collected from pre-identified surrounding NAS facilities to corroborate the DAS alarm and delineate the path taken by the bioaerosol plume. The New York City (NYC) Native Air Sampling Pilot Project explored whether native air sampling would be acceptable to private sector stakeholders and could be implemented successfully in NYC. Building trade associations facilitated outreach to and discussions with property owners and managers, who expedited contact with building managers of candidate NAS properties that they managed or owned. Nominal NAS building requirements were determined; procedures to identify and evaluate candidate NAS facilities were developed; data collection tools and other resources were designed and used to expedite candidate NAS building selection and evaluation in Manhattan; and exemplar environmental sampling playbooks for emergency responders were completed. In this sample, modern buildings with single or few corporate tenants were the best NAS candidate facilities. The Pilot Project successfully demonstrated that in one urban setting a native air sampling strategy could be implemented with effective public-private collaboration.

  13. Two related narratives: learning from an evaluation of a short coaching workshop and a pilot coaching project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith Jones

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background and context: A key role of the district’s Nursing Midwifery Practice and Workforce Unit is to build capability in the nursing and midwifery workforce. In this paper I reflect on the experience of my team following attendance at a two-day Coaching for Performance workshop and the impact this had on developing coaching skills for nurse managers and nurse unit managers in South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Aims: To highlight how engaging in critical reflection enabled the unit team to identify gaps in the transfer of coaching skills learned from the two-day workshop to everyday management practices. The pilot project to embed coaching into management practices is the result of the team’s reflection. The method, findings and implications for coaching practices for nurse managers and nurse unit managers are described in detail. Findings: Using Gibbs’ model of reflection, the unit team reflected on its collective experiences following attendance at the workshop. This led to the development of a pilot coaching project called Embedding Coaching into Practice for nurse managers and nurse unit managers, which enabled the transfer of coaching skills learned to everyday management practices. The pilot project used a ‘coaching the coach’ approach, with structured follow-up at the managers’ places of work. This had a positive impact on the development of coaching skills and managers were able to use these skills with confidence to enable their staff to develop problem-solving skills. Conclusions: This paper highlights how using a validated tool for reflection can lead to positive change. ‘Coaching the coach’ can support transfer of coaching skills learned into everyday practices, which has a positive impact on work performance for nurse managers, nurse unit managers and their staff. It supports the practice development principle that lifelong learning can influence effective workplace cultures and have a positive impact on

  14. Photovoltaic Programme, Edition 2006. Summary report. Project list. Annual project reports 2005 (abstracts)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nowak, S.

    2006-07-01

    This comprehensive, illustrated report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents an overview of the work done as part of the 2005 research programme, along with the abstracts of the annual reports of the project leaders on research projects. It presents the programme's main points of focus, discusses the work done and the results obtained. Areas covered include cell technology (13 reports), solar modules and building integration (3 reports) , system technology (4 reports) as well as various further projects (5) that are connected with photovoltaics. Four further reports concern international co-operation. Further, several pilot and demonstration (P+D) projects are discussed. Lists of all research and development projects and pilot and demonstration projects are supplied. Work done at several institutions in Switzerland and at leading commercial companies is described.

  15. Characterization of Sensitive Species and Habitats Affected by the Operation of USACE Water Resource Development Projects

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kasul, Richard

    2000-01-01

    ...) work unit titled "Reservoir Operations - Impacts on Target Species." Current knowledge regarding the occurrence of sensitive species that have been identified as a management concern in the operation of Corps projects is reviewed...

  16. Effect of different plant species in pilot constructed wetlands for wastewater reuse in agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salvatore Barbagallo

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In this paper the first results of an experiment carried out in Southern Italy (Sicily on the evapotranspiration (ET and removal in constructed wetlands with five plant species are presented. The pilot plant used for this study is made of twelve horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands (each with a surface area of 4.5 m2 functioning in parallel, and it is used for tertiary treatment of part of the effluents from a conventional municipal wastewater treatment plant (trickling filter. Two beds are unplanted (control while ten beds are planted with five different macrophyte species: Cyperus papyrus, Vetiveria zizanoides, Miscanthus x giganteus, Arundo donax and Phragmites australis (i.e., every specie is planted in two beds to have a replication. The influent flow rate is measured in continuous by an electronic flow meter. The effluent is evaluated by an automatic system that measure the discharged volume for each bed. Physical, chemical and microbiological analyses were carried out on wastewater samples collected at the inlet of CW plant and at the outlet of the twelve beds. An automatic weather station is installed close to the experimental plant, measuring air temperature, wind speed and direction, rainfall, global radiation, relative humidity. This allows to calculate the reference Evapotranspiration (ET0 with the Penman-Monteith formula, while the ET of different plant species is measured through the water balance of the beds. The first results show no great differences in the mean removal performances of the different plant species for TSS, COD and E.coli, ranged from, respectively, 82% to 88%, 60% to 64% and 2.7 to 3.1 Ulog. The average removal efficiency of nutrient (64% for TN; 61 for NH4-N, 31% for PO4-P in the P.australis beds was higher than that other beds. From April to November 2012 ET measured for plant species were completely different from ET0 and ETcontrol, underlining the strong effect of vegetation. The cumulative

  17. Projected impacts of climate change on regional capacities for global plant species richness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommer, Jan Henning; Kreft, Holger; Kier, Gerold; Jetz, Walter; Mutke, Jens; Barthlott, Wilhelm

    2010-08-07

    Climate change represents a major challenge to the maintenance of global biodiversity. To date, the direction and magnitude of net changes in the global distribution of plant diversity remain elusive. We use the empirical multi-variate relationships between contemporary water-energy dynamics and other non-climatic predictor variables to model the regional capacity for plant species richness (CSR) and its projected future changes. We find that across all analysed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emission scenarios, relative changes in CSR increase with increased projected temperature rise. Between now and 2100, global average CSR is projected to remain similar to today (+0.3%) under the optimistic B1/+1.8 degrees C scenario, but to decrease significantly (-9.4%) under the 'business as usual' A1FI/+4.0 degrees C scenario. Across all modelled scenarios, the magnitude and direction of CSR change are geographically highly non-uniform. While in most temperate and arctic regions, a CSR increase is expected, the projections indicate a strong decline in most tropical and subtropical regions. Countries least responsible for past and present greenhouse gas emissions are likely to incur disproportionately large future losses in CSR, whereas industrialized countries have projected moderate increases. Independent of direction, we infer that all changes in regional CSR will probably induce on-site species turnover and thereby be a threat to native floras.

  18. Projecting species' vulnerability to climate change: Which uncertainty sources matter most and extrapolate best?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steen, Valerie; Sofaer, Helen R; Skagen, Susan K; Ray, Andrea J; Noon, Barry R

    2017-11-01

    Species distribution models (SDMs) are commonly used to assess potential climate change impacts on biodiversity, but several critical methodological decisions are often made arbitrarily. We compare variability arising from these decisions to the uncertainty in future climate change itself. We also test whether certain choices offer improved skill for extrapolating to a changed climate and whether internal cross-validation skill indicates extrapolative skill. We compared projected vulnerability for 29 wetland-dependent bird species breeding in the climatically dynamic Prairie Pothole Region, USA. For each species we built 1,080 SDMs to represent a unique combination of: future climate, class of climate covariates, collinearity level, and thresholding procedure. We examined the variation in projected vulnerability attributed to each uncertainty source. To assess extrapolation skill under a changed climate, we compared model predictions with observations from historic drought years. Uncertainty in projected vulnerability was substantial, and the largest source was that of future climate change. Large uncertainty was also attributed to climate covariate class with hydrological covariates projecting half the range loss of bioclimatic covariates or other summaries of temperature and precipitation. We found that choices based on performance in cross-validation improved skill in extrapolation. Qualitative rankings were also highly uncertain. Given uncertainty in projected vulnerability and resulting uncertainty in rankings used for conservation prioritization, a number of considerations appear critical for using bioclimatic SDMs to inform climate change mitigation strategies. Our results emphasize explicitly selecting climate summaries that most closely represent processes likely to underlie ecological response to climate change. For example, hydrological covariates projected substantially reduced vulnerability, highlighting the importance of considering whether water

  19. Skate Genome Project: Cyber-Enabled Bioinformatics Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, J.

    2011-01-01

    The Skate Genome Project, a pilot project of the North East Cyber infrastructure Consortium, aims to produce a draft genome sequence of Leucoraja erinacea, the Little Skate. The pilot project was designed to also develop expertise in large scale collaborations across the NECC region. An overview of the bioinformatics and infrastructure challenges faced during the first year of the project will be presented. Results to date and lessons learned from the perspective of a bioinformatics core will be highlighted.

  20. ExoGeoLab Pilot Project for Landers, Rovers and Instruments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foing, Bernard

    2010-05-01

    We have developed a pilot facility with a Robotic Test Bench (ExoGeoLab) and a Mobile Lab Habitat (ExoHab). They can be used to validate concepts and external instruments from partner institutes. The ExoGeoLab research incubator project, has started in the frame of a collaboration between ILEWG (International Lunar Exploration working Group http://sci.esa.int/ilewg), ESTEC, NASA and academic partners, supported by a design and control desk in the European Space Incubator (ESI), as well as infrastructure. ExoGeoLab includes a sequence of technology and research pilot project activities: - Data analysis and interpretation of remote sensing and in-situ data, and merging of multi-scale data sets - Procurement and integration of geophysical, geo-chemical and astrobiological breadboard instruments on a surface station and rovers - Integration of cameras, environment and solar sensors, Visible and near IR spectrometer, Raman spectrometer, sample handling, cooperative rovers - Delivery of a generic small planetary lander demonstrator (ExoGeoLab lander, Sept 2009) as a platform for multi-instruments tests - Research operations and exploitation of ExoGeoLab test bench for various conceptual configurations, and support for definition and design of science surface packages (Moon, Mars, NEOs, outer moons) - Field tests of lander, rovers and instruments in analogue sites (Utah MDRS 2009 & 2010, Eifel volcanic park in Sept 2009, and future campaigns). Co-authors, ILEWG ExoGeoLab & ExoHab Team: B.H. Foing(1,11)*#, C. Stoker(2,11)*, P. Ehrenfreund(10,11), L. Boche-Sauvan(1,11)*, L. Wendt(8)*, C. Gross(8, 11)*, C. Thiel(9)*, S. Peters(1,6)*, A. Borst(1,6)*, J. Zavaleta(2)*, P. Sarrazin(2)*, D. Blake(2), J. Page(1,4,11), V. Pletser(5,11)*, E. Monaghan(1)*, P. Mahapatra(1)#, A. Noroozi(3), P. Giannopoulos(1,11) , A. Calzada(1,6,11), R. Walker(7), T. Zegers(1, 15) #, G. Groemer(12)# , W. Stumptner(12)#, B. Foing(2,5), J. K. Blom(3)#, A. Perrin(14)#, M. Mikolajczak(14)#, S. Chevrier(14

  1. Developing a Pilot Maritime Spatial Plan for the Pomeranian Bight and Arkona Basin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Käppeler, Bettina; Toben, Susan; Chmura, Grazyna

    2012-01-01

    This report presents the result of a pilot project carried out as part of the EU-­‐funded BaltSeaPlan project (2009-­‐2011). A team of experts with diverse professional backgrounds worked over a period of two years to draft a pilot transboundary maritime spatial plan for a sea area in the Pomeran......This report presents the result of a pilot project carried out as part of the EU-­‐funded BaltSeaPlan project (2009-­‐2011). A team of experts with diverse professional backgrounds worked over a period of two years to draft a pilot transboundary maritime spatial plan for a sea area...... in the Pomeranian Bight/Arkona Basin. The draft spatial plan is the result of a planning exercise which took place outside the formal planning processes as legally binding agreements already exist for the German EEZ and the territorial waters of Mecklenburg-­‐Vorpommern. Working with diverse stakeholders in Poland...... tangible output, the pilot project was also a test case of working with the MSP planning cycle across national borders, bringing together four different planning systems and traditions in the attempt to come to joint solutions in a sea area faced with multiple pressures. In line with the MSP planning cycle...

  2. Evaluation of the 'Alternative Commissioning of Experts Pilot'\\ud \\ud Pilot’

    OpenAIRE

    Tucker, Jason; Moorhead, Richard Lewis; Doughty, Julie

    2011-01-01

    This project evaluated a pilot engaging six multi-disciplinary teams commissioned by the Legal Services Commission to provide expert witness services in proceedings under section 31 Children Act 1989.\\ud Pilot teams did not attract large numbers of cases, with two teams undertaking no cases under the pilot. Lack of awareness of the pilot, the duration of the pilot and concerns (particularly amongst lawyers) about the implications of team-based expert witness services all inhibited take-up. Ju...

  3. Development of a Pilot Data Management Infrastructure for Biomedical Researchers at University of Manchester – Approach, Findings, Challenges and Outlook of the MaDAM Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meik Poschen

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Management and curation of digital data has been becoming ever more important in a higher education and research environment characterised by large and complex data, demand for more interdisciplinary and collaborative work, extended funder requirements and use of e-infrastructures to facilitate new research methods and paradigms. This paper presents the approach, technical infrastructure, findings, challenges and outlook (including future development within the successor project, MiSS of the ‘MaDAM: Pilot data management infrastructure for biomedical researchers at University of Manchester’ project funded under the infrastructure strand of the JISC Managing Research Data (JISCMRD programme. MaDAM developed a pilot research data management solution at the University of Manchester based on biomedical researchers’ requirements, which includes technical and governance components with the flexibility to meet future needs across multiple research groups and disciplines.

  4. Knowledge Exchange Trials: Pilot Programme Bridging the Academic-Policy Divide

    OpenAIRE

    Fieldhouse, E; Widdop, P; Bunglawala, Z

    2015-01-01

    The ESRC supported Manchester and Cambridge Universities to undertake pilot knowledge exchange projects in 2013-2014 to extend understanding of the issues facing social scientists seeking to interact with non academic communities and to increase knowledge of effective knowledge exchange (that helps non academics apply social science to their work for positive social and economic benefit). This is a brief summary of University of Manchester’s pilot knowledge exchange project.

  5. Rockfish Pilot Permit Program (RPP)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Rockfish Pilot Program was a five-year project that allowed harvesters to form voluntary cooperatives and receive an exclusive harvest privilege for groundfish...

  6. Communication Lillgrund. Lillgrund Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karlsson, Annah (Vattenfall Vindkraft AB, Stockholm (Sweden))

    2008-09-15

    The project of building a large wind farm like Lillgrund, the third largest offshore wind farm in the world, takes a considerable effort when it comes to communication and information. When the main questions 'What should be communicated?', 'To whom should this information be communicated?' and 'How should the information be communicated?' are answered, it is time to take action and actually communicate and inform. A fundamental part of the communication process is psychology. For the entrepreneur to understand that people are worried about the possible change in their living situation and deal with that is essential for how people are going to react to the plans of a potential wind farm. When Vattenfall bought the Lillgrund project a humble tone and availability were two key components in the way in which the project group approached the local residents, authorities and the general public. The goal was to achieve acceptance from the local residents and authorities and make them feel comfortable with the project and Vattenfall. Communication has been a cornerstone of the project during the whole process. A few of the activities that were carried out are media activities, open meetings for the public, exhibitions, advertisements, meetings with authorities, internal and external study visits to the site, cooperation with Malmoe city, participation in conferences and a grand opening ceremony. The basis for the activities has been the active inviting of organisations, neighbours and others. Thanks to the efforts of the whole project group and all others that were involved, the communication process was very successful. The 'Lillgrund model' will be the foundation for coming communication processes and has provided Vattenfall with a lot of experience regarding communication and information issues

  7. Introduction of a prehospital critical incident monitoring system--pilot project results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stella, Julian; Davis, Anna; Jennings, Paul; Bartley, Bruce

    2008-01-01

    Hospital medical incident monitoring improves preventable morbidity and mortality rates. Error management systems have been adopted widely in this setting. Data relating to incident monitoring in the prehospital setting is limited. Implementation of an incident monitoring process in a prehospital setting. This is a prospective, descriptive study of the pilot phase of the implementation of an incident monitoring process in a regional prehospital setting, with a focus on trauma care. Paramedics and emergency department staff submitted anonymous incident reports, and a chart review was performed on patients who met major trauma criteria. Selected trauma cases were analyzed by a structured interview/debriefing process to elucidate undocumented incidents. A project committee coded and logged all incidents and developed recommendations. Of 4,429 ambulance responses, 41 cases were analyzed. Twenty-four (58.5%; 95% CI = 49.7-67.4%) were reported anonymously, and the rest were major trauma patients. A total of 77 incidents were identified (mean per case = 1.8; CI = 1.03-2.57). Anonymous cases revealed 26 incidents (mean = 1.1; CI = 0.98-1.22); eight trauma debriefings revealed 38 incidents (mean = 4.8; CI = 0.91-8.69) and nine trauma chart reviews revealed 13 incidents (mean = 1.6; CI = 1.04-2.16). A total of 56 of 77 (72.7%; CI = 65.5-80.0%) incidents related to system inadequacies, and 15 (57.7%; CI = 46.7-68.6%) anonymously reported incidents related to resource problems. A total of 35 of 77 (45.5%; CI = 40.4-50.5%) incidents had minimal or no impact on the patients' outcomes. Thirty-four of 77 (44.2%; CI = 39.3-49.1%) incidents were considered mitigated by circumstance. Incident monitoring led to generalized feedback in most cases (65 of 77; 84.4%; CI = 77.6-91.3%); in three cases (3.9%; CI = 3.7-4.1%), specific education occurred; two cases were reported to an external body (2.6%; CI = 2.5-2.7%); three cases resulted in remedial action (3.9%; CI = 3.7-4.1%); four for

  8. An Introduction to the Tibet cGPS pilot project: TigiCAS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Z.; Liu, J.; Galetzka, J.; Avouac, J.; Tapponnier, P.; Zeng, L.; Gan, W.; Shen, Z.; Wang, M.

    2007-12-01

    The convergence between India and Eurasia is the¡¡prototype of continental collision in action. Compared¡¡to geological history and fault kinematics studies, the present-day, regional pattern of strain-partitioning¡¡is still inadequately known. Among limited geodetic¡¡efforts in the past decade or two, most have been focused¡¡on refining measurements of the current crustal¡¡shortening rate across the Himalaya. The vast region¡¡immediately to the north is sparsely instrumented, with only one continuous GPS station (Lhasa) within¡¡the plateau proper. Campaign stations are few and¡¡ill-positioned, mostly along major roads, providing¡¡poor constraints on present-day slip-rates on individual¡¡active faults. The extant GPS network configuration is thus still insufficient to discriminate between block vs continuum deformation. In November 2006, the¡¡Chinese Academy of Sciences led a pilot program and¡¡installed 6 continuous GPS stations in southern Tibet, crossing the NS-trending normal fault systems and¡¡complementing the Nepal cGPS profiles. We present¡¡here the new sites, preliminary data processing results, and the spatial relationship with ongoing or planned¡¡continuous GPS sites from a couple of other projects. Together with such projects, TigiCAS will provide¡¡a substantial increase in geodetic data in the¡¡Himalayan-Tibet convergent belt in the next few¡¡years, and lead to a better understanding of¡¡contemporary deformation of the region.

  9. The first results of pilot project on combined preventive suplementation of iodine- and iron deficiency conditions in Tyumen region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G V Sharuho

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available In 2008–2010 pilot project were realized in Tyumen region on combined preventive maintenance iodine deficiency and iron deficiency conditions, within the framework of which children from pilot of the territory got feeding, enriched premixes of the iodine and ferric while checking group has formed the children, getting monoprevention iodized salt. In study were examined 467 children. Frequency of the goiter on ultrasonography in pilot territory fell from 19.8 to 6.4%, in checking from 12.5 to 10.1%. In group teenager on background combined micronutrient preventive maintenance frequency tests ferritin less 15 mcg/l fell for 76 weeks in four times (p = 0.000, herewith average factors in 2010 above, than in 2008 (p = 0.114. In group teenager checking territory on background monoprevention frequency of the lowered tests ferritin more, than in group on background of the combined preventive maintenance in 2 times (p = 0.004, improvements for period of the study is not revealed.Dynamics indices of iodine deficiency conditions on background of the combined preventive maintenance and monoprevention confirms greater efficiency of the simultaneous using the products fortifications iodine and iron. Shown efficiency micronutrient preventive maintenances of the latent deficit ferric fortifications bread.

  10. Pilot's Automated Weather Support System (PAWSS) concepts demonstration project. Phase 1: Pilot's weather information requirements and implications for weather data systems design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crabill, Norman L.; Dash, Ernie R.

    1991-01-01

    The weather information requirements for pilots and the deficiencies of the current aviation weather support system in meeting these requirements are defined. As the amount of data available to pilots increases significantly in the near future, expert system technology will be needed to assist pilots in assimilating that information. Some other desirable characteristics of an automation-assisted system for weather data acquisition, dissemination, and assimilation are also described.

  11. Computer aided process planning at the Oak Ridge Y-12 plant: a pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hewgley, R.E. Jr.; Prewett, H.P. Jr.

    1979-01-01

    In 1976, a formal needs analysis was conducted in one of the Fabrication Division Shops of all activities from the receipt of an order through final machining. The results indicated deficiencies in process planning activities involving special production work. A pilot program was organized to investigate the benefits of emerging CAM technology and application of GT concepts for machining operations at the Y-12 Plant. The objective of the CAPP Project was to provide computer-assisted process planning for special production machining in th shop. The CAPP team was charged with the specific goal of demonstrating computer-aided process planning within a four-year term. The CAPP charter included a plan with intermediate measurable milestones for achieving its mission. In three years, the CAPP project demonstrated benefits to process planning. A capability to retrieve historical records for similar parts, to review accurately the status of all staff assignments, and to generate detailed machining procedures definitely can impact the way in which a machine shop prepared for new orders. The real payoff is in the hardcopy output (N/C programs, studies, sequence plans, and procedures). 4 figures,

  12. Condensed listing of surface boreholes at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Project through 31 December 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, L.R.; Aguilar, R.; Mercer, J.W.; Newman, G.

    1997-01-01

    This report contains a condensed listing of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) project surface boreholes drilled for the purpose of site selection and characterization through 31 December 1995. The US Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored the drilling activities, which were conducted primarily by Sandia National Laboratories. The listing provides physical attributes such as location (township, range, section, and state-plane coordinates), elevation, and total borehole depth, as well as the purpose for the borehole, drilling dates, and information about extracted cores. The report also presents the hole status (plugged, testing, monitoring, etc.) and includes salient findings and references. Maps with borehole locations and times-of-drilling charts are included

  13. Greenbelt Homes Pilot Program: Summary of Building Envelope Retrofits, Planned HVAC Equipment Upgrades, and Energy Savings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wiehagen, J. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Del Bianco, M. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Mallay, D. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

    2015-05-01

    In the fall of 2010, a multiyear pilot energy efficiency retrofit project was undertaken by Greenbelt Homes, Inc, (GHI) a 1,566 home cooperative of circa 1930 and 1940 homes in Greenbelt, Maryland. GHI established this pilot project to serve as a basis for decision making for the rollout of a decade-long community-wide upgrade program that will incorporate energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope and mechanical equipment. It presents a unique opportunity to evaluate and prioritize the wide-range of benefits of high-performance retrofits based on member experience with and acceptance of the retrofit measures implemented during the pilot project. Addressing the complex interactions between benefits, trade-offs, construction methods, project management implications, realistic upfront costs, financing, and other considerations, serves as a case study for energy retrofit projects to include high-performance technologies based on the long-term value to the homeowner. The pilot project focused on identifying the added costs and energy savings benefits of improvements.

  14. Magnetohydrodynamics: Parallel computation of the dynamics of thermonuclear and astrophysical plasmas. 1. Annual report of massively parallel computing pilot project 93MPR05

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-08-01

    This is the first annual report of the MPP pilot project 93MPR05. In this pilot project four research groups with different, complementary backgrounds collaborate with the aim to develop new algorithms and codes to simulate the magnetohydrodynamics of thermonuclear and astrophysical plasmas on massively parallel machines. The expected speed-up is required to simulate the dynamics of the hot plasmas of interest which are characterized by very large magnetic Reynolds numbers and, hence, require high spatial and temporal resolutions (for details see section 1). The four research groups that collaborated to produce the results reported here are: The MHD group of Prof. Dr. J.P. Goedbloed at the FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics 'Rijnhuizen' in Nieuwegein, the group of Prof. Dr. H. van der Vorst at the Mathematics Institute of Utrecht University, the group of Prof. Dr. A.G. Hearn at the Astronomical Institute of Utrecht University, and the group of Dr. Ir. H.J.J. te Riele at the CWI in Amsterdam. The full project team met frequently during this first project year to discuss progress reports, current problems, etc. (see section 2). The main results of the first project year are: - Proof of the scalability of typical linear and nonlinear MHD codes - development and testing of a parallel version of the Arnoldi algorithm - development and testing of alternative methods for solving large non-Hermitian eigenvalue problems - porting of the 3D nonlinear semi-implicit time evolution code HERA to an MPP system. The steps that were scheduled to reach these intended results are given in section 3. (orig./WL)

  15. Magnetohydrodynamics: Parallel computation of the dynamics of thermonuclear and astrophysical plasmas. 1. Annual report of massively parallel computing pilot project 93MPR05

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1994-08-01

    This is the first annual report of the MPP pilot project 93MPR05. In this pilot project four research groups with different, complementary backgrounds collaborate with the aim to develop new algorithms and codes to simulate the magnetohydrodynamics of thermonuclear and astrophysical plasmas on massively parallel machines. The expected speed-up is required to simulate the dynamics of the hot plasmas of interest which are characterized by very large magnetic Reynolds numbers and, hence, require high spatial and temporal resolutions (for details see section 1). The four research groups that collaborated to produce the results reported here are: The MHD group of Prof. Dr. J.P. Goedbloed at the FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics `Rijnhuizen` in Nieuwegein, the group of Prof. Dr. H. van der Vorst at the Mathematics Institute of Utrecht University, the group of Prof. Dr. A.G. Hearn at the Astronomical Institute of Utrecht University, and the group of Dr. Ir. H.J.J. te Riele at the CWI in Amsterdam. The full project team met frequently during this first project year to discuss progress reports, current problems, etc. (see section 2). The main results of the first project year are: - Proof of the scalability of typical linear and nonlinear MHD codes - development and testing of a parallel version of the Arnoldi algorithm - development and testing of alternative methods for solving large non-Hermitian eigenvalue problems - porting of the 3D nonlinear semi-implicit time evolution code HERA to an MPP system. The steps that were scheduled to reach these intended results are given in section 3. (orig./WL).

  16. Integrating Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Counseling in a Family Planning Clinic: Evaluation of a Pilot Project in Conakry, Guinea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samandari, Ghazaleh; Delamou, Alexandre; Traore, Pernamou; Diallo, Fatoumata Guilinty; Millimono, Sita; Camara, Bienvenu Salim; Laffe, Kira; Verani, Fabio; Tolliver, Maimouna

    2016-06-01

    Few programs exist to address Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Guinea. In 2014, Engender Health, in partnership with the local health authorities in Conakry, Guinea, piloted an integrated approach to IPV screening and counseling, within an existing family planning clinic. This article describes both the process of formulating and implementing this approach, as well as the results of an evaluation of the program. From January to June of 2014, Engender Health staff trained midwives at the Conakry International Planned Parenthood Federation family planning clinic staff in screening and counseling client for IPV. Program evaluators used project records, interview with program staff (n=3), midwives (n=3) and client exit interviews (n=53) to measure the outcomes of this pilot project. Regardless of their IPV status, clients appreciated having a venue in which to discuss IPV. Program staff also felt empowered by the additional training and support for IPV screening. The evaluation yielded valuable suggestions for improvement, including more time for staff training and mock client interview practice, additional skills in counseling, and stronger referral links for women who screen positive for IPV. Integrating IPV screening into family planning services is an important and feasible method for reaching vulnerable women with IPV services.

  17. Impact of a Student Pharmacist Driven Medication Reconciliation and Antidepressant Treatment History Project at a Depression Clinic: A Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Stella S.; Jaward, Leanna; Ward, Kristen; Parikh, Sagar V.; Bostwick, Jolene R.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives To improve treatment of patients with depression, a new pilot service project involving student pharmacists who would conduct medication reconciliation and review of antidepressant treatment history was created and evaluated. Experimental design A prospective study conducted at the University of Michigan Depression Center. Principal observations From an initial sample of 78 referrals, 41 subjects were reached by phone, with 34 completing medication reconciliation and antidepressant treatment history. Of the 34 patients, 25 (73.5%) had at least one discrepancy identified in their medication list, resulting in 164 medication changes in the electronic medical record (EMR). A total of 105 past antidepressant trials were documented in the 34 individuals, with 34 (32.4%) trials found to be inadequate. Thirteen (38.2%) patients reported failure to respond to two different antidepressants from different classes. All 34 patients participated well in the phone calls and were willing to consult a pharmacist at their upcoming clinic visit. Conclusions A student pharmacist pilot was feasible, identified many discrepancies in the medication record, and identified important medication treatment history in patients with depression in advance of the clinic visit. The project provides support for a specialized role for student pharmacists and demonstrates that interprofessional care can contribute to improved treatment of depression. PMID:28626270

  18. Evaluation of the School Breakfast Program Pilot Project: Final Report. Special Nutrition Programs. Report Number CN-04-SBP. Nutrition Assistance Program Report Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernstein, Lawrence S.; McLaughlin, Joan E.; Crepinsek, Mary Kay; Daft, Lynn M.

    2004-01-01

    In 1998, Congress authorized the School Breakfast Program Pilot Project (SBPP) to study the implementation and effects of providing universal free school breakfast in six school districts across the United States. For three years, from School Year (SY) 2000-2001 through SY 2002-2003, these six school districts received federal funds to offer…

  19. The Crossed Projection to the Striatum in Two Species of Monkey and in Humans: Behavioral and Evolutionary Significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Innocenti, Giorgio M; Dyrby, Tim B; Andersen, Kasper Winther; Rouiller, Eric M; Caminiti, Roberto

    2017-06-01

    The corpus callosum establishes the anatomical continuity between the 2 hemispheres and coordinates their activity. Using histological tracing, single axon reconstructions, and diffusion tractography, we describe a callosal projection to n caudatus and putamen in monkeys and humans. In both species, the origin of this projection is more restricted than that of the ipsilateral projection. In monkeys, it consists of thin axons (0.4-0.6 µm), appropriate for spatial and temporal dispersion of subliminal inputs. For prefrontal cortex, contralateral minus ipsilateral delays to striatum calculated from axon diameters and conduction distance are <2 ms in the monkey and, by extrapolation, <4 ms in humans. This delay corresponds to the performance in Poffenberger's paradigm, a classical attempt to estimate central conduction delays, with a neuropsychological task. In both species, callosal cortico-striatal projections originate from prefrontal, premotor, and motor areas. In humans, we discovered a new projection originating from superior parietal lobule, supramarginal, and superior temporal gyrus, regions engaged in language processing. This projection crosses in the isthmus the lesion of which was reported to dissociate syntax and prosody. The projection might originate from an overproduction of callosal projections in development, differentially pruned depending on species. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Wave Pressures and Loads on a Small Scale Model of the Svåheia SSG Pilot Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buccino, Mariano; Vicinanza, Diego; Ciardulli, Francesco

    2011-01-01

    The paper reports on 2D small scale experiments conducted to investigate wave loadings acting on a pilot project of device for the conversion of wave energy into electricity. The conversion concept is based on the overtopping principle and the structure is worldwide known with the acronym SSG....... The hydraulic model tests have been carried out at the LInC laboratory of the University of Naples Federico II using random waves. Results indicate wave overtopping is able to cause a sudden inversion of vertical force under wave crest, so that it is alternatively upward and downward directed over a short time...

  1. WIPP: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-01-01

    The following aspects of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant are discussed briefly: history and site selection; salt as a disposal medium; transporting waste materials; early key events; impacts on New Mexico; project organization; and site certification profile

  2. Piloting a community-based micro-hydro power generation project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buenafe, Menandro B.; Eponio, Melchor P.

    1998-01-01

    A community based microhydro power generation project was successfully piloted in Dulao, Malibcong, Abra. The project started with the identification and evaluation of five potential creeks flowing near villages in the Cordillera hinterlands. All the sites showed comparative hydrologic features except for one factor that decided the project's implementation: the willingness of the people to invest by providing their labor- counterpart. On this account, only the residents of Dulao put their full trust in the implementing institutions, the main reason for the project's success. The micro-hydro power project consisted of an earthen diversion canal that conveyed part of the streamflow unto a forebay located above the powerhouse. The forebay was built of riprap and concrete, equipped with a desilting chamber, trashrack, a spillway, and an overflow canal that directed water to the ricefields downstream. A polyethylenevinyl penstock was laid underground along the slope,from the forebay to the powerhouse. The penstock assumed a Y-configuration inside the powerhouse where the two crossflow turbines were separately mounted on each arms. Two butterfly valves were positioned just before each turbine so that flow can be alternately controlled for the two machines. A tailrace drained the discharge from the turbines back to the same creek. Originally, the setup could only operate the 3kw turbine that ran the ricemill by means of a flat belt drive. Upon further hydrologic study, an 8kw crossflow turbine was installed to a drive a 7.5kva, two-pole, single phase alternator. The 8kw turbine can operate under three design flows, namely: 20,40, and 60 liters per second. The turbine-alternator setup was achieved by a pulley and belt drive arrangement. Typically, the AC generator was provided with monitoring instruments like a volt meter, frequency meter, and ampere meter. An electronic load controller (ELC) was observed to effectively protect the alternator from runaway speeds, over

  3. NSTAR Smart Grid Pilot

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rabari, Anil [NSTAR Electric, Manchester, NH (United States); Fadipe, Oloruntomi [NSTAR Electric, Manchester, NH (United States)

    2014-03-31

    NSTAR Electric & Gas Corporation (“the Company”, or “NSTAR”) developed and implemented a Smart Grid pilot program beginning in 2010 to demonstrate the viability of leveraging existing automated meter reading (“AMR”) deployments to provide much of the Smart Grid functionality of advanced metering infrastructure (“AMI”), but without the large capital investment that AMI rollouts typically entail. In particular, a central objective of the Smart Energy Pilot was to enable residential dynamic pricing (time-of-use “TOU” and critical peak rates and rebates) and two-way direct load control (“DLC”) by continually capturing AMR meter data transmissions and communicating through customer-sited broadband connections in conjunction with a standardsbased home area network (“HAN”). The pilot was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) through the Smart Grid Demonstration program. NSTAR was very pleased to not only receive the funding support from DOE, but the guidance and support of the DOE throughout the pilot. NSTAR is also pleased to report to the DOE that it was able to execute and deliver a successful pilot on time and on budget. NSTAR looks for future opportunities to work with the DOE and others in future smart grid projects.

  4. Microseismic monitoring during Hydraulic stimulation in Pohang (Korea) for EGS pilot project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, M.; Yoon, B.; Lee, C.; Park, K. G.; Yoon, W. S.; Song, Y.; Lee, T. J.

    2017-12-01

    Since the geothermal anomaly in the Pohang area has been reported in 1960s, various geological and geophysical surveys have been conducted by Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) including gravity, seismic, airborne magnetic and magneto-telluric surveys. Based on these explorations, the Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) pilot project has been carried out in Pohang since the end of 2010. One vertical well (PX-2, MD 4,348 m) and one deviated well (PX-1, MD 4,362 m) have been drilled in granite rock for the EGS. Microseismic (MS) monitoring is the best way to understand how the fracture grows during the hydraulic stimulation. KIGAM has set up 9 shallow borehole stations (100-130 m), 4 surface stations and two borehole geophones (1,350 and 1,550 m deep) within 5 km radius from injection well for the MS monitoring during hydraulic stimulation. The first hydraulic stimulation started on January 29th to February 20th, 2016 at PX-2 and the second stimulation was conducted in PX-1 from December 15th, 2016 to January 11th, 2017. Several hundreds of MS events occurred during stimulation and the biggest event was ML 2.3 during the shut in period of the second stimulation. Based on the results of the MS monitoring, a soft stimulation is scheduled at PX-1 in cooperation with one of the European Horizon2020 project, DESTRESS (Demonstration of soft stimulation treatments of geothermal reservoirs). We will present the MS monitoring system in Pohang and the data of the stimulation with the MS monitoring results. We believe that the data from Pohang will improve the understanding of seismic behavior due to hydraulic stimulation in crystalline rocks and also will contribute to success of the Pohang EGS project.

  5. One Health in Practice: A Pilot Project for Integrated Care of Zoonotic Infections in Immunocompromised Children and Their Pets in Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña, A; Abarca, K; Weitzel, T; Gallegos, J; Cerda, J; García, P; López, J

    2016-08-01

    Although pets provide physiological and psychological benefits to their owners, they are a potential source of zoonotic infections, especially for vulnerable individuals such as immunocompromised patients. During 1 year, we therefore performed a pilot project, which included 32 immunocompromised Chilean children and their family pets (35 dogs and 9 cats) with the aim of detecting, treating and preventing zoonotic infections. Children were examined by Infectious Diseases paediatricians and demographical and clinical information related to zoonotic infections were recorded. Pets were examined and sampled by veterinarians, who also administered missing routine vaccines and anti-parasitics. During family visits, all members were informed and educated about zoonoses and a satisfaction survey was performed. Visits also included vector control and indoor residual spraying with pyrethroids. Children were re-examined and re-tested according to the findings of their pets, and all detected zoonotic infections were treated both in children and pets. Physical examination revealed abnormalities in 18 dogs (51.4%) and three cats (33.3%). Twenty-eight (63.6%) of the pets were diagnosed with a zoonotic pathogen, and seven (15.9%) with a facultative pathogen. Most zoonotic agents were isolated from the pet's external ear and intestine. Bacteria with the highest pathogenic potential were Campylobacter jejuni and Brucella canis. In two children and their respective pets, the same zoonotic diseases were diagnosed (toxocariasis and giardiasis). Arthropods serving as potential vectors of zoonotic infections were found in 49% of dogs and 44% of cats. The pilot project was positively evaluated by the participating families. Our pilot project confirmed that pets are reservoir for various zoonotic agents in Chile and that the implementation of an integrated multidisciplinary programme was a valuable tool to prevent, diagnose and treat such zoonotic infections in vulnerable patients such as

  6. Engaging the broader community in biodiversity research: the concept of the COMBER pilot project for divers in ViBRANT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christos Arvanitidis

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the design and implementation of a citizen science pilot project, COMBER (Citizens’ Network for the Observation of Marine BiodivERsity, http://www.comber.hcmr.gr, which has been initiated under the ViBRANT EU e-infrastructure. It is designed and implemented for divers and snorkelers who are interested in participating in marine biodiversity citizen science projects. It shows the necessity of engaging the broader community in the marine biodiversity monitoring and research projects, networks and initiatives. It analyses the stakeholders, the industry and the relevant markets involved in diving activities and their potential to sustain these activities. The principles, including data policy and rewards for the participating divers through their own data, upon which this project is based are thoroughly discussed. The results of the users analysis and lessons learned so far are presented. Future plans include promotion, links with citizen science web developments, data publishing tools, and development of new scientific hypotheses to be tested by the data collected so far.

  7. Experiences from a pilot study on how to conduct a qualitative multi-country research project regarding use of antibiotics in Southeast Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaae, Susanne; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark; Traulsen, Janine Morgall; Wallach Kildemoes, Helle; Nørgaard, Lotte Stig; Jakupi, Arianit; Raka, Denis; Gürpinar, Emre Umut; Alkan, Ali; Hoxha, Iris; Malaj, Admir; Cantarero, Lourdes Arevalo

    2016-01-01

    In 2014, a qualitative multi-country research project was launched to study the reasons behind the high use of antibiotics in regions of Southeast Europe by using previously untrained national interviewers (who were engaged in other antibiotic microbial resistance-related investigations) to conduct qualitative interviews with local patients, physicians and pharmacists. Little knowledge exists about how to implement qualitative multi-country research collaborations involving previously untrained local data collectors. The aim of this paper was therefore to contribute to the knowledge regarding how to conduct these types of research projects by evaluating a pilot study of the project. Local data collectors conducted the study according to a developed protocol and evaluated the study with the responsible researcher-team from University of Copenhagen. The pilot study focused on 'local ownership', 'research quality' and 'feasibility' with regard to successful implementation and evaluation. The evaluation was achieved by interpreting 'Skype' and 'face to face' meetings and email correspondence by applying 'critical common sense'. Local data collectors achieved a sense of joint ownership. Overall, the protocol worked well. Several minor challenges pertaining to research quality and feasibility were identified, in particular obtaining narratives when conducting interviews and recruiting patients for the study. Furthermore, local data collectors found it difficult to allocate sufficient time to the project. Solutions were discussed and added to the protocol. Despite the challenges, it was possible to achieve an acceptable scientific level of research when conducting qualitative multi-country research collaboration under the given circumstances. Specific recommendations to achieve this are provided by the authors.

  8. ELECTRONIC COMPLIANCE AND APPROVAL PROJECT (ECAP)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hope Morgan; Richard A. Varela; Deborah LaHood; Susan Cisco; Mary Ann Benavides; Donna Burks

    2002-11-01

    The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC), working in partnership with the United States Department of Energy and the oil and gas industry it regulates, is implementing a strategy for improving efficiency in regulations and significantly reducing administrative operating costs through the Electronic Compliance and Approval Process (ECAP). The project will streamline regulatory compliance and reporting by providing the ability to electronically submit, process, and query oil and gas applications and reports through the Internet-based ECAP system. Implementation of an ECAP drilling permit pilot project began September 1999 after funding resources were secured--a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and an appropriation of $1.4 million from the Texas Legislature. The pilot project involves creating the ability to file, review, and approve a well's drilling permit application through a completely electronic process. The pilot project solution will ultimately provide the infrastructure, technology, and electronic modules to enable the filing of all compliance permits and performance reports through the internet from a desktop computer. The pilot project was conducted in three phases. The first phase, implemented May 2000, provided the infrastructure that allows the electronic filing and approval of simple drilling permit applications, associated fees, and attachments. The official ''roll-out'' of ECAP and the first electronically filed drilling permit application occurred on May 11, 2000 in Dallas in conjunction with an Internet Workshop sponsored by the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council. After the completion of Phase I, the ECAP team conducted an extensive review of progress to date and analyzed requirements and opportunities for future steps. The technical team identified core infrastructure modifications that would facilitate and better support future development and expansion of the ECAP system and work began on database structure

  9. Mapping the above and belowground biomass in three landscapes in Cameroon, Rwanda and DRC: pilot cases in REDD+ pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sufo Kankeu, R.

    2017-12-01

    A number of biomass/carbon maps have been recently produced using different approaches and despite their comparison there is still a gap. To fill this gap there is a need to provide accurate maps based on the field data on all types of land use and land cover. Based on the field data from plots established in three pilot projects around Virunga National park in Rwanda, Tri-national Sangha landscape in Cameroon and lac Télé-Lac Tumba landscape in DRC, this paper intend to analyse the relationship between land use change and biomass and present the variability through biomass/carbon maps. The above and belowground biomass was calculated from 95 nested plots of 20 meters radius. The value of biomass/carbon per plot were thus used to elaborate carbon maps of each study site. In the same the way the correlation between the land use and underground and above ground carbon stock were analysed using geographically weighted regression. These data have been joint with classified Spot 5 image and aggregated to come out will acceptable result. Results show that there is a strong relationship between land use in various project sites and the carbon stock related, the change of a forest cover directly impact on carbon stock/biomass.in the same way carbon map realized base on field data and IDW, Kriging or spline module show an idea on the carbon distribution but the maps are not accurate giving the distance between plots,

  10. Restoring of offshore wind farm sites. Lillgrund Pilot Project; Aaterstaellande av havsbaserad vindkraft. Lillgrund Pilot Projekt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stumle Wikander, Jhenny (Vattenfall Vindkraft AB, Stockholm (Sweden))

    2009-02-15

    This report focuses on the legal aspects of decommissioning and restoring of offshore wind farm sites, as part of an extensive report on the Lillgrund Offshore Wind Farm Pilot Project. For this analysis, all permit conditions of the granted permits for the offshore wind parks in Sweden have been collected and studied. According to the Swedish Environmental code 'the validity of a permit, approval or exemption may be made subject to the requirement that the person who intends to pursue the activity must furnish a security for the costs of after-treatment and any other restoration measures that may be necessary as a result. The state, municipalities, county councils and associations of municipalities shall not be required to furnish a security. If there is cause to assume that the security furnished is no longer sufficient, the authority which is considering the application for a permit, approval or exemption may require an additional security to be furnished'. The permits show that different types of securities are being used, with bank warranties and securities being the most common. Securities are either fixed and furnished prior to start of construction or start of operations, or they are obtained gradually over the life of the project. Among the twelve permits studied, a gradual tendency to use a combination of the two alternatives can bee seen. The conditions governing when an offshore wind farm is to be discontinued and which parts need to be partly or fully removed from the site are obviously of future importance. The issue has been addressed to different degrees in the permits, some to a clear legal extent, while others are more general. The Lillgrund Offshore Wind Farm was secured for 60 million SEK. The extent to which the park is to be decommissioned and the site to be restored is decided by the county administrative board once production is terminated

  11. Solid sample atomic absorption spectroscopy in a chemical contaminant monitoring pilot project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klein, J.; Schmidt, H.; Dirscherl, C.; Muntau, H.

    1987-09-01

    The Institute for Technology and Hygiene of Food of Animal Origin is developing a practible system of monitoring the distribution of toxic substances in the environment, using the dairy cows as bioindicators. A pilot project has been established to solve basic problems as sampling strategy, sample preparation, analysis and data handling. In the preliminary stage of this study the new technique of SS-AAS turned out to be a useful tool. In order to test overall analytical reliability of the data obtained all analytical procedures applied for the different matrices are controlled by the use of reference material of similar matrix compositions. Results of studies on the distribution of admium and lead are reported; the representativity of small sample amounts of cortical tissue (50-60 mg and 1-2 mg dry mass) has additionally been investigated. Direct analysis of wet tissue aliquots (5-10 mg) was not feasible. A possible method of sample preparation of wet tissue is presented which yields reliable results within 10 min of operation time.

  12. Physical and cognitive stimulation in Alzheimer Disease. the GAIA Project: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maci, Tiziana; Pira, Francesco Le; Quattrocchi, Graziella; Nuovo, Santo Di; Perciavalle, Vincenzo; Zappia, Mario

    2012-03-01

    Several data suggest that physical activity and cognitive stimulation have a positive effect on the quality of life (QoL) of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), slowing the decline due to the disease. A pilot project was undertaken to assess the effect of cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and socialization on patients with AD and their informal caregiver's QoL and mood. Fourteen patients with AD were randomly divided into active treatment group and control group. At the end of treatment, a significant improvement in apathy, anxiety, depression, and QoL in the active treatment group was found. Considering caregivers, those of the active treatment group exhibited a significant improvement in their mood and in their perception of patients' QoL. This study provides evidence that a combined approach based on cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and socialization is a feasible tool to improve mood and QoL in patients with AD and their caregivers.

  13. Medium Voltage Microgrid Test Setup and Procedures Implemented on a Real Pilot Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Alberto Pacheco

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents various concepts related to the application of a microgrid pilot project in a residential condominium at Fortaleza / CE – Brazil, such as battery energy system, renewable and distributed generation, islanding recloser and all different units using interface based on power electronics. This papers main objective is to create information about microgrid operation and the interaction between its main equipment, such as power converters, utility energy distribution system and control units responsible for algorithms and changes in microgrids operation mode. This information is important for understanding the need for a test setup construction. To perform the test procedures, a temporary setup in a controlled environment within the microgrid is proposed. During the test periods, intentional power outages are required to evaluate the operating mode switching on each unit. The test setup described in this paper aims to mitigate the tests effects on other residential units inside the condominium.

  14. Evaluation of the Safety Analysis Report for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Little, M.S.

    1985-05-01

    The Safety Analysis Report (SAR) for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Project was first published by the US Department of Energy (DOE), WIPP Project Office (WPO) in 1980. Since that time a total of eight amendments to this Report have been published. As part of its independent evaluation of the WIPP Project for the State of New Mexico, the Environmental Evaluation Group (EEG) maintains a continuing technical assessment of the information in this Report and its amendments. Beginning with the initial publication, and following the amendments, the EEG prepares detailed written comments and recommendations which are submitted to the WPO for consideration in future amendments. The WPO has made many substantial changes to the SAR in response to the EEG's comments. On frequent occasions, meetings between the two groups have been held in an effort to reach an accord on some of the more controversial issues. These meetings generally have been very constructive, but several important areas of conflict remain. In many instances, these areas represent changes which are to be considered by the WPO at some future date, rather than irreconcilable issues. The most important issues remaining to be resolved are included in the discussions of this report, and could be summarized as follows: (1) An amendment of the topical content to be more in accord with the DOE Order 5481.1A and AL 5481.1A. (2) Substantial revisions of the classification of components, structures and systems, and related quality assurance. (3) Revisions to the site geological and hydrologic data based on studies agreed to between DOE and the State

  15. Evaluatie pilot Endogene Factoren

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Viet AL; Fiolet D; Voortman JK; Rover C de; Hanning C; Uitenbroek D; Loon AJM van; PZO; GGD Achterhoek; GGD Midden Holland; GG&GD Amsterdam

    2004-01-01

    As a part of the project on the Local and National Monitor for Public Health several pilot studies were carried out in three Municipal Health Centres (GGDs). The first aim was to investigate the feasibility of a physical examination at the health centre in combination with a health interview (or

  16. L’Aquila Smart Clean Air City: The Italian Pilot Project for Healthy Urban Air

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Avveduto

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Exposure to atmospheric pollution is a major concern for urban populations. Currently, no effective strategy has been adopted to tackle the problem. The paper presents the Smart Clean Air City project, a pilot experiment concerning the improvement in urban air quality. Small wet scrubber systems will be operating in a network configuration in suitable urban areas of L’Aquila city (Italy. The purpose of this work is to describe the project and show the preliminary results obtained in the characterization of two urban sites before the remediation test; the main operating principles of the wet scrubber system will be discussed, as well as the design of the mobile treatment plant for the processing of wastewater resulting from scrubber operation. Measurements of particle size distributions in the range of 0.30–25 µm took place in the two sites of interest, an urban background and a traffic area in the city of L’Aquila. The mean number concentration detected was 2.4 × 107 and 4.5 × 107 particles/m3, respectively. Finally, theoretical assessments, performed by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD codes, will show the effects of the wet scrubber operation on air pollutants under different environmental conditions and in several urban usage patterns.

  17. Microalgae Oil Production: A Downstream Approach to Energy Requirements for the Minamisoma Pilot Plant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhani S. Wibawa

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the potential of microalgae oil production as an alternative renewable energy source, in a pilot project located at Minamisoma City in the Fukushima Prefecture of Japan. The algal communities used in this research were the locally mixed species, which were mainly composed of Desmodesmus collected from the Minamisoma pilot project. The microalgae oil-production processes in Minamisoma consisted of three stages: cultivation, dewatering, and extraction. The estimated theoretical input-energy requirement for extracting oil was 137.25 MJ to process 50 m3 of microalgae, which was divided into cultivation 15.40 MJ, centrifuge 13.39 MJ, drum filter 14.17 MJ, and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL 94.29 MJ. The energy profit ratio (EPR was 1.41. The total energy requirement was highest in the HTL process (68% followed by cultivation (11% and the drum filter (10%. The EPR value increased along with the yield in the cultivation process. Using HTL, the microalgae biomass could be converted to bio-crude oil to increase the oil yield in the extraction process. Therefore, in the long run, the HTL process could help lower production costs, due to the lack of chemical additions, for extracting oil in the downstream estimation of the energy requirements for microalgae oil production.

  18. Project CAPTURE: a U.S. national prioritization assessment of tree species for conservation, management, and restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kevin M. Potter; Barbara S. Crane; Valerie D. Hipkins

    2017-01-01

    that forest tree species will undergo population-level extirpation or species-level extinction during the next century. Project CAPTURE (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization of Forest Trees Under Risk of Extirpation) is a cooperative effort across the three U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS) deputy areas to establish a framework for...

  19. Fort Cobb Reservoir Watershed, Oklahoma and Thika River Watershed, Kenya Twinning Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moriasi, D.; Steiner, J.; Arnold, J.; Allen, P.; Dunbar, J.; Shisanya, C.; Gathenya, J.; Nyaoro, J.; Sang, J.

    2007-12-01

    Nairobi. A dam was constructed in 1994 with a water reservoir of 70 million m3. Thika River also supplies water to Masinga Reservoir to supply the seven forks dams, which together supply 75% of the nation's electricity. The quantity of water in rivers and reservoirs is decreased due to sedimentation while water quality is degraded by sediments, and sediment-borne nutrients and pesticides. The focus of this pilot twinning project is watershed erosion and reservoir sedimentation assessment. This will be accomplished by (1) a rapid watershed/catchment erosion assessment using ground based measurements and remote sensing/GIS techniques, 2) use of Acoustic Profiling Systems (APS) for reservoir sedimentation measurement studies, and 3) advanced water quality modeling using the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model. Data acquired will be used for sediment transport modeling to1) determine sediment "hot spots" and management practices that will minimize sediments into reservoirs in order to 2) maintain the reservoirs on which many farmers depend for their livelihood and a cleaner environment. This project will provide an opportunity for 1) sharing knowledge and experience among the stakeholders, 2) building capacity through formal and informal education opportunities through reciprocal hosting of decision makers and water experts, and 3) technology transfer of pilot results with recommended management practices to reduce reservoir sedimentation rates.

  20. National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neuhauser, K.

    2012-03-01

    Through discussion of five case studies (test homes), this project evaluates strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high-performance new construction homes. The test homes featured in this research activity participated in Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) Pilot Program sponsored by the electric and gas utility National Grid in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Building enclosure retrofit strategies are evaluated for impact on durability and indoor air quality in addition to energy performance. Evaluation of strategies is structured around the critical control functions of water, airflow, vapor flow, and thermal control. The aim of the research project is to develop guidance that could serve as a foundation for wider adoption of high performance, 'deep' retrofit work. The project will identify risk factors endemic to advanced retrofit in the context of the general building type, configuration and vintage encountered in the National Grid DER Pilot. Results for the test homes are based on observation and performance testing of recently completed projects. Additional observation would be needed to fully gauge long-term energy performance, durability, and occupant comfort.

  1. Projected shifts in fish species dominance in Wisconsin lakes under climate change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Gretchen J A; Read, Jordan S; Hansen, Jonathan F; Winslow, Luke A

    2017-04-01

    Temperate lakes may contain both coolwater fish species such as walleye (Sander vitreus) and warmwater fish species such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Recent declining walleye and increasing largemouth bass populations have raised questions regarding the future trajectories and management actions for these species. We developed a thermodynamic model of water temperatures driven by downscaled climate data and lake-specific characteristics to estimate daily water temperature profiles for 2148 lakes in Wisconsin, US, under contemporary (1989-2014) and future (2040-2064 and 2065-2089) conditions. We correlated contemporary walleye recruitment and largemouth bass relative abundance to modeled water temperature, lake morphometry, and lake productivity, and projected lake-specific changes in each species under future climate conditions. Walleye recruitment success was negatively related and largemouth bass abundance was positively related to water temperature degree days. Both species exhibited a threshold response at the same degree day value, albeit in opposite directions. Degree days were predicted to increase in the future, although the magnitude of increase varied among lakes, time periods, and global circulation models (GCMs). Under future conditions, we predicted a loss of walleye recruitment in 33-75% of lakes where recruitment is currently supported and a 27-60% increase in the number of lakes suitable for high largemouth bass abundance. The percentage of lakes capable of supporting abundant largemouth bass but failed walleye recruitment was predicted to increase from 58% in contemporary conditions to 86% by mid-century and to 91% of lakes by late century, based on median projections across GCMs. Conversely, the percentage of lakes with successful walleye recruitment and low largemouth bass abundance was predicted to decline from 9% of lakes in contemporary conditions to only 1% of lakes in both future periods. Importantly, we identify up to 85

  2. Project baselines and boundaries for project-based GHG emission reduction trading : a report to the Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Pilot Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lazarus, M.; Kartha, S.; Bernow, S. [Tellus Inst., Boston, MA (United States)

    2001-04-01

    One of the great challenges for policy makers in the twenty first century is turning out to be global climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Recent setbacks in international negotiations do not preclude the imposition of national emission targets. One option being studied to increase the economic efficiency of meeting these targets is the creation of emissions trading markets. The exploration of credit trading in the field of greenhouse gas emissions is carried out under the banner of the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Trading (GERT) Pilot Project. One of its objectives is the development of the institutional framework required for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI), and other international credit trading programs. To ensure credits are awarded to projects in a fair and transparent manner, technical, methodological, and administrative processes must be put in place. The determination of project baselines and project boundaries represent two of the main challenges confronting policy makers in awarding the credits. A review of baseline and boundary methods was initiated by GERT, and this report also contains a description of the main advantages and drawbacks of the various methods being considered. Lessons learned and opportunities are especially important for GERT to provide proper guidance to developers. The context and rationale for baselines and boundary setting are first explored in this report, as well as the issues of importance, and common criteria for the evaluation of alternative methods. The principal options for baseline determination, advantages and disadvantages, and applicability in various contexts were reviewed in section 2. The topic of avoided electricity use, and how to set consistent baselines for it are discussed in section 3. Project boundary is the topic of section 4, including leakage, upstream and downstream emissions, rebound and positive spillover effects, and means by which these issues can de

  3. The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP): Protocols and Pilot Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenzweig, C.; Jones, J. W.; Hatfield, J. L.; Ruane, A. C.; Boote, K. J.; Thorburn, P.; Antle, J. M.; Nelson, G. C.; Porter, C.; Janssen, S.; hide

    2012-01-01

    The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) is a major international effort linking the climate, crop, and economic modeling communities with cutting-edge information technology to produce improved crop and economic models and the next generation of climate impact projections for the agricultural sector. The goals of AgMIP are to improve substantially the characterization of world food security due to climate change and to enhance adaptation capacity in both developing and developed countries. Analyses of the agricultural impacts of climate variability and change require a transdisciplinary effort to consistently link state-of-the-art climate scenarios to crop and economic models. Crop model outputs are aggregated as inputs to regional and global economic models to determine regional vulnerabilities, changes in comparative advantage, price effects, and potential adaptation strategies in the agricultural sector. Climate, Crop Modeling, Economics, and Information Technology Team Protocols are presented to guide coordinated climate, crop modeling, economics, and information technology research activities around the world, along with AgMIP Cross-Cutting Themes that address uncertainty, aggregation and scaling, and the development of Representative Agricultural Pathways (RAPs) to enable testing of climate change adaptations in the context of other regional and global trends. The organization of research activities by geographic region and specific crops is described, along with project milestones. Pilot results demonstrate AgMIP's role in assessing climate impacts with explicit representation of uncertainties in climate scenarios and simulations using crop and economic models. An intercomparison of wheat model simulations near Obregón, Mexico reveals inter-model differences in yield sensitivity to [CO2] with model uncertainty holding approximately steady as concentrations rise, while uncertainty related to choice of crop model increases with

  4. [Social media: forum webcare as a proactive information strategy in health promotion: Results of a pilot project by the BZgA].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quast, T; Nöcker, Guido

    2015-09-01

    Over several weeks in 2013, the BZgA pilot project "SoMe" (August 2012 to February 2014) tested and investigated various social media interventions in the fields of family planning and sex education. The interventions included the tool "forum webcare," which was used in four forums for pregnant women and three for young people. The term webcare originally described a customer-oriented communication strategy of the web economy. The term includes elements of reputation management, customer care, and online marketing. In the present pilot project, forum webcare has been understood and applied in the sense of "virtual street work," which means that issues on health topics in non-self-operated forums were identified and answered. The design was based on the Precede-Proceed Model. In the phases of analysis, implementation, and evaluation the project used chronologically and methodologically interlaced and mutually controlling methods such as online test groups, intensive interviews, and the evaluation of data on web use. The analysis indicated that the target groups of the project used the forums quite often; that they had a positive attitude toward the idea of webcare providing contributions from experts working for public institutions; and that the risk of reactance was low. Forum webcare allows important supplementary and well-founded information to be brought into the discussions. At the same time the results of the project show that users, when keeping to certain rules, mostly see webcare as a welcome addition to incomplete information and the improvement of faulty information, and appreciate it as quality enhancement for the forum. From the view of the information provider, forum webcare is more a chance to address numerous passive recipients rather than communicating with single users. At the same time the instrument provides the chance to learn from users of the forums, and to become familiar with and be able to respond to their needs and the way in which they

  5. SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: SOIL STABILIZATION PILOT STUDY, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM, UNITED CHROME NPL SITE PILOT STUDY

    Science.gov (United States)

    This document is a project plan for a pilot study at the United Chrome NPL site, Corvallis, Oregon and includes the health and safety and quality assurance/quality control plans. The plan reports results of a bench-scale study of the treatment process as iieasured by the ...

  6. A Pilot Project Demonstrating that Combat Medics Can Safely Administer Parenteral Medications in the Emergency Department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schauer, Steven G; Cunningham, Cord W; Fisher, Andrew D; DeLorenzo, Robert A

    2017-12-01

    Introduction Select units in the military have improved combat medic training by integrating their functions into routine clinical care activities with measurable improvements in battlefield care. This level of integration is currently limited to special operations units. It is unknown if regular Army units and combat medics can emulate these successes. The goal of this project was to determine whether US Army combat medics can be integrated into routine emergency department (ED) clinical care, specifically medication administration. Project Design This was a quality assurance project that monitored training of combat medics to administer parenteral medications and to ensure patient safety. Combat medics were provided training that included direct supervision during medication administration. Once proficiency was demonstrated, combat medics would prepare the medications under direct supervision, followed by indirect supervision during administration. As part of the quality assurance and safety processes, combat medics were required to document all medication administrations, supervising provider, and unexpected adverse events. Additional quality assurance follow-up occurred via complete chart review by the project lead. Data During the project period, the combat medics administered the following medications: ketamine (n=13), morphine (n=8), ketorolac (n=7), fentanyl (n=5), ondansetron (n=4), and other (n=6). No adverse events or patient safety events were reported by the combat medics or discovered during the quality assurance process. In this limited case series, combat medics safely administered parenteral medications under indirect provider supervision. Future research is needed to further develop this training model for both the military and civilian setting. Schauer SG , Cunningham C W, Fisher AD , DeLorenzo RA . A pilot project demonstrating that combat medics can safely administer parenteral medications in the emergency department. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):679-681.

  7. Active pulmonary tuberculosis case detection and treatment among floating population in China: an effective pilot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xinxu; Zhang, Hui; Jiang, Shiwen; Wang, Jia; Liu, Xiaoqiu; Li, Weibin; Yao, Hongyan; Wang, Lixia

    2010-12-01

    China has more and more floating population because of reform and opening-up. As one of the high burden countries in tuberculosis (TB) control in the world, China has to face more challenges about the TB case detection and treatment among floating population in China. Aim to evaluate the effect of case detection and treatment of the Floating Population TB Control Pilot Project from Global Fund Round Five (GFR5) TB Control Program in China. During October 2006 to September 2008, the pilot project was implemented gradually in 60 counties in Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong and Guangdong. All quarterly reports of the pilot project were collected, and these materials were summarized and analyzed. In seven coastal provinces, 19,584 active pulmonary TB (PTB) cases were registered among floating population in 2 years. Among the active PTB cases, 87.2% were 15-45 years old, and 62.8% were male. In second year, 15,629 active PTB cases were registered, and the overall registration rate was 68 per 100,000 people. DOT treatments were provided for 18,125 active PTB cases in 2 years, and overall DOT treatment rate was 92.6%. There were 3,955 active PTB cases registered in first year, and the overall cure rate was 86.0%. Through the implementation of the pilot project, the TB case detection and treatment among floating population have been enhanced in pilot areas of China. The useful experience and results from the pilot project have been being gradually generalized nationally.

  8. Identifying the principal driving factors of water ecosystem dependence and the corresponding indicator species in a pilot City, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, C. S.; Shao, N. F.; Yang, S. T.; Xiang, H.; Lou, H. Z.; Sun, Y.; Yang, Z. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Yu, X. Y.; Zhang, C. B.; Yu, Q.

    2018-01-01

    The world's aquatic ecosystems yield numerous vital services, which are essential to human existence but have deteriorated seriously in recent years. By studying the mechanisms of interaction between ecosystems and habitat processes, the constraining factors can be identified, and this knowledge can be used to improve the success rate of ecological restoration initiatives. At present, there is insufficient data on the link between hydrological, water quality factors and the changes in the structure of aquatic communities to allow any meaningful study of driving factors of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the typical monitoring stations were selected by fuzzy clustering analysis based on the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of water ecology in Jinan City, the first pilot city for the construction of civilized aquatic ecosystems in China. The dominant species identification model was used to identify the dominant species of the aquatic community. The driving effect of hydrological and water quality factors on dominant species was analyzed by Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Then, the principal factors of aquatic ecosystem dependence were selected. The results showed that there were 10 typical monitoring stations out of 59 monitoring sites, which were representative of aquatic ecosystems, 9 dominant fish species, and 20 dominant invertebrate species. The selection of factors for aquatic ecosystem dependence in Jinan were highly influenced by its regional conditions. Chemical environmental parameters influence the temporal and spatial variation of invertebrate much more than that of fish in Jinan City. However, the methodologies coupling typical monitoring stations selection, dominant species determination and driving factors identification were certified to be a cost-effective way, which can provide in-deep theoretical and technical directions for the restoration of aquatic ecosystems elsewhere.

  9. Ballroom dancing as physical activity for patients with cancer: a systematic review and report of a pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudolph, Ivonne; Schmidt, Thorsten; Wozniak, Tobias; Kubin, Thomas; Ruetters, Dana; Huebner, Jutta

    2018-04-01

    Physical activity has positive effects on cancer patients. Dancing addresses diverse bio-psycho-social aspects. Our aim was to assess the evidence on ballroom dancing and to develop the setting for a pilot project. We performed a systematic review, extracted the data and designed a pilot training based on standard curricula. We included cancer patients during or after therapy. Training duration was 90 min with one regular pause and individual pauses as needed. We retrieved two systematic reviews and six controlled studies. Types of dancing varied. Only one study used ballroom dancing. Dance training might improve well-being, physical fitness, fatigue and coping during and after therapy. Yet, evidence is scarce and data to derive the effect size are lacking; 27 patients and their partners took part in the pilot training. Patients and partners needed more time to learn the steps than is planned in regular ballroom classes. Participants were very satisfied with the adaptation of the training to their physical strength and estimated the training in a sheltered group. No side effects occurred. In spite of a high rate of participants reporting fatigue, 90 min of physical activity with only a few minutes of rest were manageable for all participants. Ballroom dancing may offer benefits for patients with respect to quality of life. Cancer patients prefer sheltered training setting and curricula of regular ballroom classes must be adapted for cancer patients. Strict curricula might reduce motivation and adherence and exclude patients with lower or variable fitness.

  10. Distinguishing between cancer driver and passenger gene alteration candidates via cross-species comparison: a pilot study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji, Xinglai; Tang, Jie; Halberg, Richard; Busam, Dana; Ferriera, Steve; Peña, Maria Marjorette O; Venkataramu, Chinnambally; Yeatman, Timothy J; Zhao, Shaying

    2010-01-01

    We are developing a cross-species comparison strategy to distinguish between cancer driver- and passenger gene alteration candidates, by utilizing the difference in genomic location of orthologous genes between the human and other mammals. As an initial test of this strategy, we conducted a pilot study with human colorectal cancer (CRC) and its mouse model C57BL/6J Apc Min/+ , focusing on human 5q22.2 and 18q21.1-q21.2. We first performed bioinformatics analysis on the evolution of 5q22.2 and 18q21.1-q21.2 regions. Then, we performed exon-targeted sequencing, real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and real time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses on a number of genes of both regions with both human and mouse colon tumors. These two regions (5q22.2 and 18q21.1-q21.2) are frequently deleted in human CRCs and encode genuine colorectal tumor suppressors APC and SMAD4. They also encode genes such as MCC (mutated in colorectal cancer) with their role in CRC etiology unknown. We have discovered that both regions are evolutionarily unstable, resulting in genes that are clustered in each human region being found scattered at several distinct loci in the genome of many other species. For instance, APC and MCC are within 200 kb apart in human 5q22.2 but are 10 Mb apart in the mouse genome. Importantly, our analyses revealed that, while known CRC driver genes APC and SMAD4 were disrupted in both human colorectal tumors and tumors from Apc Min/+ mice, the questionable MCC gene was disrupted in human tumors but appeared to be intact in mouse tumors. These results indicate that MCC may not actually play any causative role in early colorectal tumorigenesis. We also hypothesize that its disruption in human CRCs is likely a mere result of its close proximity to APC in the human genome. Expanding this pilot study to the entire genome may identify more questionable genes like MCC, facilitating the discovery of new CRC driver gene candidates

  11. Distinguishing between cancer driver and passenger gene alteration candidates via cross-species comparison: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Xinglai; Tang, Jie; Halberg, Richard; Busam, Dana; Ferriera, Steve; Peña, Maria Marjorette O; Venkataramu, Chinnambally; Yeatman, Timothy J; Zhao, Shaying

    2010-08-13

    We are developing a cross-species comparison strategy to distinguish between cancer driver- and passenger gene alteration candidates, by utilizing the difference in genomic location of orthologous genes between the human and other mammals. As an initial test of this strategy, we conducted a pilot study with human colorectal cancer (CRC) and its mouse model C57BL/6J ApcMin/+, focusing on human 5q22.2 and 18q21.1-q21.2. We first performed bioinformatics analysis on the evolution of 5q22.2 and 18q21.1-q21.2 regions. Then, we performed exon-targeted sequencing, real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and real time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses on a number of genes of both regions with both human and mouse colon tumors. These two regions (5q22.2 and 18q21.1-q21.2) are frequently deleted in human CRCs and encode genuine colorectal tumor suppressors APC and SMAD4. They also encode genes such as MCC (mutated in colorectal cancer) with their role in CRC etiology unknown. We have discovered that both regions are evolutionarily unstable, resulting in genes that are clustered in each human region being found scattered at several distinct loci in the genome of many other species. For instance, APC and MCC are within 200 kb apart in human 5q22.2 but are 10 Mb apart in the mouse genome. Importantly, our analyses revealed that, while known CRC driver genes APC and SMAD4 were disrupted in both human colorectal tumors and tumors from ApcMin/+ mice, the questionable MCC gene was disrupted in human tumors but appeared to be intact in mouse tumors. These results indicate that MCC may not actually play any causative role in early colorectal tumorigenesis. We also hypothesize that its disruption in human CRCs is likely a mere result of its close proximity to APC in the human genome. Expanding this pilot study to the entire genome may identify more questionable genes like MCC, facilitating the discovery of new CRC driver gene candidates.

  12. Spatial regression methods capture prediction uncertainty in species distribution model projections through time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alan K. Swanson; Solomon Z. Dobrowski; Andrew O. Finley; James H. Thorne; Michael K. Schwartz

    2013-01-01

    The uncertainty associated with species distribution model (SDM) projections is poorly characterized, despite its potential value to decision makers. Error estimates from most modelling techniques have been shown to be biased due to their failure to account for spatial autocorrelation (SAC) of residual error. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) have the ability to...

  13. Waste handling and storage in the decontamination pilot projects of JAEA for environments of Fukushima

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakayama, S.; Kawase, K.; Iijima, K.; Kato, M. [Fukushima Environmental Safety Center, Headquarters of Fukushima Partnership Operations, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Fukushima (Japan)

    2013-07-01

    After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was chosen by the national government to conduct decontamination pilot projects at selected sites in Fukushima prefecture. Despite tight boundary conditions in terms of timescale and resources, the projects served their primary purpose to develop a knowledge base to support more effective planning and implementation of stepwise regional remediation of the evacuated zone. A range of established, modified and newly developed techniques were tested under realistic field conditions and their performance characteristics were determined. The results of the project can be summarized in terms of site characterization, cleanup and waste management. A range of options were investigated to reduce the volumes of waste produced and to ensure that decontamination water could be cleaned to the extent that it could be discharged to normal drainage. Resultant solid wastes were packaged in standard flexible containers, labelled and stored at the remediation site (temporary storage until central interim storage becomes available). The designs of such temporary storage facilities were tailored to available sites, but all designs included measures to ensure mechanical stability (e.g., filling void spaces between containers with sand, graded cover with soil) and prevent releases to groundwater (impermeable base and cap, gravity flow drainage including radiation monitors and catch tanks). Storage site monitoring was also needed to check that storage structures would not be perturbed by external events that could include typhoons, heavy snowfalls, freeze/thaw cycles and earthquakes. (authors)

  14. Priming a Pilot Implementation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Magnus; Ie Pedersen, Maria

    Abstract. We report on the initial findings of an action research study about effects specifications. It is a part of larger IS pilot implementation project conducted in the Danish healthcare sector. Through interviews and a workshop we have identified and specified the main effects that comprise...... the basis for the evaluation of the project. The study indicates that cross-organisational effects specifications cause a significant number of effects. To further prioritize these we argue that both interview and workshop must be facilitated as mutual learning processes between interviewer and interviewee....

  15. Nucleus: A pilot project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Finnell, Joshua Eugene [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Klein, Martin [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Cain, Brian J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-05-09

    The proposal is to provide institutional infrastructure that facilitates management of research projects, research collaboration, and management, preservation, and discovery of data. Deploying such infrastructure will amplify the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of research, as well as assist researchers in regards to compliance with both data management mandates and LANL security policy. This will facilitate discoverability of LANL research both within the lab and external to LANL.

  16. Guidebook on design, construction and operation of pilot plants for uranium ore processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    The design, construction and operation of a pilot plant are often important stages in the development of a project for the production of uranium concentrates. Since building and operating a pilot plant is very costly and may not always be required, it is important that such a plant be built only after several prerequisites have been met. The main purpose of this guidebook is to discuss the objectives of a pilot plant and its proper role in the overall project. Given the wide range of conditions under which a pilot plant may be designed and operated, it is not possible to provide specific details. Instead, this book discusses the rationale for a pilot plant and provides guidelines with suggested solutions for a variety of problems that may be encountered. This guidebook is part of a series of Technical Reports on uranium ore processing being prepared by the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management. 42 refs, 7 figs, 3 tabs

  17. Effect of dietary sugars on dual-species biofilms of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus – a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosa Virginia Dutra de OLIVEIRA

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Frequent consumption of sugars and the presence of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are correlated with higher caries experience. Objective The aim of this pilot study was to elucidate the effect of different fermentable carbohydrates on biomass formation and acidogenicity of S. mutans and S. sobrinus biofilms. Material and method Single and dual-species biofilms of S. mutans ATCC 25175 and S. sobrinus ATCC 27607 were grown at the bottom of microtiter plates at equal concentrations for 24 h at 37 °C under micro-aerobic atmosphere. Carbohydrates were added at 2% concentration: maltose, sucrose, glucose and lactose. BHI Broth (0.2% glucose was used as negative control. Acidogenicity was assessed by measuring the pH of spent culture medium after 24 h, immediately after refreshing the culture medium and for the next 1 h and 2 h. Crystal violet staining was used as an indicator of the total attached biofilm biomass after 24 h incubation. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc test. Significance level was set at 5%. Result All carbohydrates resulted in higher biomass formation in single- and dual-species biofilms when compared to the control group. Sucrose, lactose and maltose showed higher acidogenicity than the control group in both single- and dual-species biofilms after 24 h. Conclusion These findings indicate that the type of biofilm (single- or dual-species and the carbohydrate used may influence the amount of biomass formed and rate of pH reduction.

  18. Risk assessment of chemicals in foundries: The International Chemical Toolkit pilot-project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ribeiro, Marcela G.; Filho, Walter R.P.

    2006-01-01

    In Brazil, problems regarding protection from hazardous substances in small-sized enterprises are similar to those observed in many other countries. Looking for a simple tool to assess and control such exposures, FUNDACENTRO has started in 2005 a pilot-project to implement the International Chemical Control Toolkit. During the series of visits to foundries, it was observed that although many changes have occurred in foundry technology, occupational exposures to silica dust and metal fumes continue to occur, due to a lack of perception of occupational exposure in the work environment. After introducing the Chemical Toolkit concept to the foundry work group, it was possible to show that the activities undertaken to improve the management of chemicals, according to its concept, will support companies in fulfilling government legislations related to chemical management, occupational health and safety, and environmental impact. In the following meetings, the foundry work group and FUNDACENTRO research team will identify 'inadequate work situations'. Based on the Chemical Toolkit, improvement measures will be proposed. Afterwards, a survey will verify the efficency of those measures in the control of hazards and consequently on the management of chemicals. This step is now in course

  19. Project CAPTURE: using forest inventory and analysis data to prioritize tree species for conservation, management, and restoration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kevin M. Potter; Barbara S. Crane; William W. Hargrove

    2015-01-01

    A variety of threats, most importantly climate change and insect and disease infestation, will increase the likelihood that forest tree species could experience population-level extirpation or species-level extinction during the next century. Project CAPTURE (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization of Forest Trees Under Risk of Extirpation) is a cooperative effort...

  20. Sibanye Methods for Prevention Packages Program Project Protocol: Pilot Study of HIV Prevention Interventions for Men Who Have Sex With Men in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNaghten, Ad; Kearns, Rachel; Siegler, Aaron J; Phaswana-Mafuya, Nancy; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Stephenson, Rob; Baral, Stefan D; Brookmeyer, Ron; Yah, Clarence S; Lambert, Andrew J; Brown, Benjamin; Rosenberg, Eli; Blalock Tharp, Mondie; de Voux, Alex; Beyrer, Chris; Sullivan, Patrick S

    2014-10-16

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention intervention programs and related research for men who have sex with men (MSM) in the southern African region remain limited, despite the emergence of a severe epidemic among this group. With a lack of understanding of their social and sexual lives and HIV risks, and with MSM being a hidden and stigmatized group in the region, optimized HIV prevention packages for southern African MSM are an urgent public health and research priority. The objective of the Sibanye Health Project is to develop and evaluate a combination package of biomedical, behavioral, and community-level HIV prevention interventions and services for MSM in South Africa. The project consists of three phases: (1) a comprehensive literature review and summary of current HIV prevention interventions (Phase I), (2) agent-based mathematical modeling of HIV transmission in southern African MSM (Phase II), and (3) formative and stigma-related qualitative research, community engagement, training on providing health care to MSM, and the pilot study (Phase III). The pilot study is a prospective one-year study of 200 men in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The study will assess a package of HIV prevention services, including condom and condom-compatible lubricant choices, risk-reduction counseling, couples HIV testing and counseling, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for eligible men, and non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis for men with a high risk exposure. The pilot study will begin in October 2014. Preliminary results from all components but the pilot study are available. We developed a literature review database with meta-data extracted from 3800 documents from 67 countries. Modeling results indicate that regular HIV testing and promotion of condom use can significantly impact new HIV infections among South African MSM, even in the context of high coverage of early treatment of HIV-positive men and high coverage of PrEP for at-risk HIV

  1. Biodiesel from aquatic species. Project report: FY 1993

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, L.M.; Sprague, S.; Jarvis, E.E.; Dunahay, T.G.; Roessler, P.G.; Zeiler, K.G.

    1994-01-01

    Researchers in the Biodiesel/Aquatic Species Project focus on the use of microalgae as a feedstock for producing renewable, high-energy liquid fuels. The program`s basic premise is that microalgae, which have been called the most productive biochemical factories in the world, can produce up to 30 times more oil per unit of growth area than land plants. It is estimated that 150 to 400 barrels of oil per acre per year (0.06 to 0.16 million liters/hectar) could be produced with microalgal oil technology. Initial commercialization of this technology is envisioned for the desert Southwest because this area provides high solar radiation and offers flat land that has few competing uses (hence low land costs). Similarly, there are large saline aquifers with few competing uses in the region. This water source could provide a suitable, low-cost medium for the growth of many microalgae. The primary area of research during FY 1993 was the effort to genetically improve microalgae in order to control the timing and magnitude of lipid accumulation. Increased lipid content will have a direct effect on fuel price, and the control of lipid content is a major project goal. The paper describes progress on the following: culture collection; molecular biology of lipid biosynthesis; microalgal transformation; and environmental, safety, and health and quality assurance.

  2. Development and pilot testing of 24/7 in-ambulance telemedicine for acute stroke : prehospital stroke study at the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel-project

    OpenAIRE

    Espinoza, Alexis Valenzuela; Van Hooff, Robbert-Jan; De Smedt, Ann; Moens, Maarten; Yperzeele, Laetitia; Nieboer, Koenraad; Hubloue, Ives; de Keyser, Jacques; Convents, Andre; Tellez, Helio Fernandez; Dupont, Alain; Putman, Koen; Brouns, Raf

    2016-01-01

    Abstract: Background: In-ambulance telemedicine is a recently developed and a promising approach to improve emergency care. We implemented the first ever 24/7 in-ambulance telemedicine service for acute stroke. We report on our experiences with the development and pilot testing of the Prehospital Stroke Study at the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (PreSSUB) to facilitate a wider spread of the knowledge regarding this technique. Methods: Successful execution of the project involved the develop...

  3. Development and Pilot Testing of 24/7 In-Ambulance Telemedicine for Acute Stroke: Prehospital Stroke Study at the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel-Project

    OpenAIRE

    Espinoza, Alexis Valenzuela; Van Hooff, Robbert-Jan; De Smedt, Ann; Moens, Maarten; Yperzeele, Laetitia; Nieboer, Koenraad; Hubloue, Ives; de Keyser, Jacques; Convents, Andre; Tellez, Helio Fernandez; Dupont, Alain; Putman, Koen; Brouns, Raf

    2016-01-01

    Background: In-ambulance telemedicine is a recently developed and a promising approach to improve emergency care. We implemented the first ever 24/7 in-ambulance telemedicine service for acute stroke. We report on our experiences with the development and pilot testing of the Prehospital Stroke Study at the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (PreSSUB) to facilitate a wider spread of the knowledge regarding this technique. Methods: Successful execution of the project involved the development and v...

  4. Final Report on SSD2 pilot results in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Jens Hinge; Jørgensen, Kevin; Jensen, Louise Grønhøj Hørbye

    This document is the “Report on SSD2 pilot results” of the project OC/EFSA/DCM/2013/05: “Pilot project on the implementation of SSD2 in the frame of the electronic transmission of harmonised data collection of analytical results to EFSA”. The report includes a description of the software and tools...... used, a description of the challenges encountered in migrating data structure from SSD1/XML to SSD2 in the national data repositories, a summary of the experience gained in testing SSD2 and recommendations for EFSA on effectiveness and suitability of the SSD2 in the different domains. The following...

  5. Namibian Flood Early Warning SensorWeb Pilot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandl, Daniel; Policelli, Fritz; Frye, Stuart; Cappelare, Pat; Langenhove, Guido Van; Szarzynski, Joerg; Sohlberg, Rob

    2010-01-01

    The major goal of the Namibia SensorWeb Pilot Project is a scientifically sound, operational trans-boundary flood management decision support system for Southern African region to provide useful flood and waterborne disease forecasting tools for local decision makers. The Pilot Project established under the auspices of: Namibian Ministry of Agriculture Water and Forestry (MAWF), Department of Water Affairs; Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS), Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS); and moderated by the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER). The effort consists of identifying and prototyping technology which enables the rapid gathering and dissemination of both space-based and ground sensor data and data products for the purpose of flood disaster management and water-borne disease management.

  6. Integrating Informatics into the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Report on a Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingram, D; Murphy, J

    1996-01-01

    Previous case reports in this series on Education and Training have looked at specialist courses for postgraduate students seeking an in-depth knowledge of informatics and a career in the field. By contrast, this review describes a project designed to pilot a series of learning opportunities for undergraduate medical students. Although some UK medical colleges have opted to introduce informatics into the curriculum as a discipline in its own right, the Informatics Department at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College chose a different approach. When a new curriculum was introduced at St Bartholomew's and at The London Hospital Medical College, the Head of the Informatics Department saw this as an ideal opportunity to explore ways of integrating informatics into the curriculum. The initiatives described in this paper were made possible as a result of an award from the UK government Department of Employment. Money from an Enterprise in Higher Education grant funded a range of programmes, one of which was designed to introduce students to selected aspects of informatics and to demonstrate what is feasible in the undergraduate curriculum. The work carried out over a period of three and a half years was intended to provide the basis for the next phase of curriculum development. However, in the wake of the restructuring which has taken place in London medical colleges, the Informatics Department at what was St Bartholomew's has relocated to University College London Medical School, and is now called The Centre for Health Informatics and Multiprofessional Education (CHIME). University College is designing a new medical curriculum and CHIME is drawing on the experience gained through the Enterprise Project to find the best way to integrate informatics into this curriculum.

  7. Greenhouse gas emissions of pilot buildings in 2009-2011; Pilottikiinteistoejen kasvihuonekaasupaeaestoet vuosina 2009-2011

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Riihimaki, M.

    2012-07-01

    The Julia 2030 use of premises project sought to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of selected pilot buildings by 10 per cent over the period from 2009 to 2011 by changing patterns of use. The project also provided an opportunity for further refinement of a climate calculator developed and maintained by WWF for reckoning greenhouse gas emissions of this kind. The use of premises project covered a total of 32 pilot buildings in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen, Kirkkonummi and Kerava. These buildings included nurseries and schools, swimming baths, offices, multi-purpose activity buildings, depots, a sports hall and a health centre. The combined greenhouse gas emissions of the pilot buildings in 2011 amounted to 10,416 tCO{sub 2}e, which was 8 per cent lower than the total of 11,293 tCO{sub 2}e recorded in 2009. This means that the project fell slightly short of its targeted 10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The total greenhouse gas emissions of the pilot buildings adjusted for heating requirement amounted to 10,733 tCO{sub 2}e in 2011, which was about 7 per cent lower than in 2009. Reckoned on a per capita basis for employees or visitors, the total greenhouse gas emissions adjusted for heating requirement fell in 25 buildings, but increased in seven buildings over the period from 2009 to 2011. Particularly significant emission reductions were achieved in Vantaa, where all buildings were able to cut their emissions by between 9 and 45 per cent. The principal cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the pilot buildings was heating consumption, which also accounts for the increase in their unadjusted greenhouse gas emissions over the cold winters of 2009 and 2010. The second most important emission source in the pilot buildings was electricity consumption. Air travel contributed significantly to the overall greenhouse gas emissions of the pilot buildings used by employees taking work-related flights, whereas the contribution of paper consumption and

  8. Electronic medical file exchange between on-duty care providers and the attending paediatrician: a Belgian paediatric pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deneyer, M; Hachimi-Idrissi, S; Michel, L; Nyssen, M; De Moor, G; Vandenplas, Y

    2012-01-01

    The authors propose the introduction of a pilot project: "paediatric core file exchange in emergencies" (PCF-EXEM) which enables the exchange of medical data between the attending paediatrician (AP), holder of the medical record, and on-duty medical units (i.e. general practitioners, paediatricians, surgeons, emergency physicians,...). This project is based on two pillars: a protected server (PCF-server) containing paediatric core files (PCF), with important clinical data that should be available for the physician in order to quickly get a clear insight into the relevant clinical medical history of the child, and secondly, the possibility to provide feedback to the attending physician about the findings recorded during the on-call duty. The permanent availability of health data on the PCF-server and the possibility to provide feedback represent together the PCF-EXEM-project. This project meets the demand of the care providers to have relevant medical information permanently available in order to guarantee high quality care in emergency situations. The frail balance between the right to informative privacy and professional confidentiality on the one hand and the right to quality health care on the other hand has been taken into account. The technical and practical feasibility of this project is described. The objectives and vision of the PCF-EXEM project are conform to Belgian legislation concerning the processing of medical data and are in line with the still under consideration European projects which are focusing on interoperability and the development of a common access control to databanks containing health data for care providers. PCF-EXEM could therefore be a model for other EU countries as well.

  9. Use of a virtual world computer environment for international distance education: lessons from a pilot project using Second Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoonheim, Marloes; Heyden, Robin; Wiecha, John M

    2014-02-21

    Virtual worlds (VWs), in which participants navigate as avatars through three-dimensional, computer-generated, realistic-looking environments, are emerging as important new technologies for distance health education. However, there is relatively little documented experience using VWs for international healthcare training. The Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research (GFMER) conducted a VW training for healthcare professionals enrolled in a GFMER training course. This paper describes the development, delivery, and results of a pilot project undertaken to explore the potential of VWs as an environment for distance healthcare education for an international audience that has generally limited access to conventionally delivered education.

  10. RandAgiamo™, a Pilot Project Increasing Adoptability of Shelter Dogs in the Umbria Region (Italy).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menchetti, Laura; Mancini, Stefania; Catalani, Maria Chiara; Boccini, Beatrice; Diverio, Silvana

    2015-08-14

    Current Italian legislation does not permit euthanasia of dogs, unless they are ill or dangerous. Despite good intentions and ethical benefits, this 'no-kill policy' has caused a progressive overpopulation of dogs in shelters, due to abandonment rates being higher than adoption rates. Shelter overcrowding has negative implications for dog welfare and increases public costs. The aim of this paper is to describe the pilot project "RandAgiamo" implemented in a rescue shelter in the Umbria Region and to evaluate its effectiveness on the rate of dog adoption using official data. RandAgiamo aimed to increase adult shelter dogs' adoptability by a standard training and socialization programme. It also promoted dogs' visibility by publicizing them through social media and participation in events. We analysed the official data of the Umbria regional health authorities regarding dog shelters of the Perugia province of the year 2014. In the RandAgiamo shelter, the dog adoption rate was 27.5% higher than that of dogs housed in other shelters located in the same geographical area (P < 0.001). The RandAgiamo project could be beneficial for the dogs' welfare, owner satisfaction, shelter management, and public perception of shelter dogs. However, staff were required to provide dog training and related activities.

  11. RandAgiamo™, a Pilot Project Increasing Adoptability of Shelter Dogs in the Umbria Region (Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Menchetti

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Current Italian legislation does not permit euthanasia of dogs, unless they are ill or dangerous. Despite good intentions and ethical benefits, this ‘no-kill policy’ has caused a progressive overpopulation of dogs in shelters, due to abandonment rates being higher than adoption rates. Shelter overcrowding has negative implications for dog welfare and increases public costs. The aim of this paper is to describe the pilot project “RandAgiamo” implemented in a rescue shelter in the Umbria Region and to evaluate its effectiveness on the rate of dog adoption using official data. RandAgiamo aimed to increase adult shelter dogs’ adoptability by a standard training and socialization programme. It also promoted dogs’ visibility by publicizing them through social media and participation in events. We analysed the official data of the Umbria regional health authorities regarding dog shelters of the Perugia province of the year 2014. In the RandAgiamo shelter, the dog adoption rate was 27.5% higher than that of dogs housed in other shelters located in the same geographical area (P < 0.001. The RandAgiamo project could be beneficial for the dogs’ welfare, owner satisfaction, shelter management, and public perception of shelter dogs. However, staff were required to provide dog training and related activities.

  12. Waste minimization and pollution prevention technology transfer : the Airlie House Projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gatrone, R.; McHenry, J.; Myron, H.; Thout, J. R.

    1998-01-01

    The Airlie House Pollution Prevention Technology Transfer Projects were a series of pilot projects developed for the US Department of Energy with the intention of transferring pollution prevention technology to the private sector. The concept was to develop small technology transfer initiatives in partnership with the private sector. Argonne National Laboratory developed three projects: the microscale chemistry in education project, the microscale cost benefit study project, and the Bethel New Life recycling trainee project. The two microscale chemistry projects focused on introducing microscale chemistry technologies to secondary and college education. These programs were inexpensive to develop and received excellent evaluations from participants and regulators. The Bethel New Life recycling trainee project provided training for two participants who helped identify recycling and source reduction opportunities in Argonne National Laboratory's solid waste stream. The pilot projects demonstrated that technology transfer initiatives can be developed and implemented with a small budget and within a short period of time. The essential components of the pilot projects were identifying target technologies that were already available, identifying target audiences, and focusing on achieving a limited but defined objective

  13. NHS Blood Tracking Pilot: City University Evaluation Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goddard, Kate; Shabestari, Omid; Adriano, Juan; Kay, Jonathan; Roudsari, Abdul

    Automation of healthcare processes is an emergent theme in the drive to increase patient safety. The Mayday Hospital has been chosen as the pilot site for the implementation of the Electronic Clinical Transfusion Management System to track blood from the point of ordering to the final transfusion. The Centre for Health Informatics at City University is carrying out an independent evaluation of the system implementation using a variety of methodologies to both formatively inform the implementation process and summatively provide an account of the lessons learned for future implementations.

  14. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots: Exposure pattern as a function of aircraft type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tveten, U.; Haldorsen, T.; Reitan, J.

    2000-01-01

    The project presented here has been carried out as part of an epidemiological project on Norwegian aircraft personnel, entitled 'Exposure to low level ionising radiation and incidence of cancer in airline pilots and crew'. The purpose of the main project is to determine if there may be a relationship between exposure to cosmic radiation at aircraft cruising altitudes and the incidence of cancer. The methodology used as basis for estimating the radiation exposures is presented. The information used as basis for the dose estimations comes from a variety of sources: the files at the Personnel Licensing Section and the Aviation Medical Section of Norwegian Aviation Administration, the route tables of Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), large amounts of expert information contributed by members of the Pilot's Associations in Norway and a couple of non-Norwegian pilots and from other members of the staff of SAS and other airlines. The estimation for each pilot was based on individual information of annual block hours and an estimated dose rate for each type of aircraft. The latter was estimated as a weighted average of CARI-estimated doses on a selection of routes flown by the airplanes in the different time periods. The project includes all pilots that have been licensed in Norway since 1946. These pilots have been flying a large variety of different types of aircraft and routes. The cosmic radiation intensity is a function of altitude in the atmosphere and, less markedly, of geographical latitude and of the intensity of the radiation from the sun (quantified as the heliocentric potential). Different types of aircraft fly at different altitudes and are used for different purposes (passenger traffic, cargo, air photography, preparation of maps etc) and used on different routes. The end results of the project described in this article are radiation exposures per block hour for each type of aircraft, and for each individual year (the differences between years reflect the

  15. Wastewater planning in Djenné, Mali. A pilot project for the local infiltration of domestic wastewater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alderlieste, M C; Langeveld, J G

    2005-01-01

    The city of Djenné (Mali) is famous for its mosque which is the world's largest adobe building. Djenné is considered to be one of the most interesting cities in Western Africa from an architectural point of view. Since 1988, Djenné is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 1990s, a drinking water supply network was provided by foreign development organisations. However, no facilities were provided for the disposal of wastewater, resulting in an increase of waterborne diseases. This paper describes the urban drainage problem in Djenné and discusses the systematic evaluation of possible solutions and the subsequent pilot project for the local infiltration of sullage. The infiltration of sullage proved to be an appropriate technology for solving the urban drainage problem in Djenné.

  16. Research Note Pilot survey to assess sample size for herbaceous ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A pilot survey to determine sub-sample size (number of point observations per plot) for herbaceous species composition assessments, using a wheel-point apparatus applying the nearest-plant method, was conducted. Three plots differing in species composition on the Zululand coastal plain were selected, and on each plot ...

  17. Samba for solar modules. Brazil decides reimbursement strategy and starts pilot projects; Samba fuer Solarmodule. Brasilien macht den Weg fuer die Einspeisung von Solarstrom frei und startet Pilotprojekte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosell, Alejandro Diego

    2012-06-15

    Better late than never: After long years of discussion, Brazil recently decided on a reimbursement strategy. Further, pilot projects with a total of 24 MW are in te planning stage. While some expect a major invitation for tender, local experts warn of rough times ahead.

  18. Capacity Development and Strengthening for Energy Policy formulation and implementation of Sustainable Energy Projects in Indonesia CASINDO. Deliverable No. 16. Development and execution of pilot research projects at the CASINDO partner universities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wijnker, M. [Eindhoven University of Technology TUE, Eindhoven (Netherlands)

    2011-09-15

    The overall objective of the CASINDO programme is to establish a self-sustaining and self-developing structure at both the national and regional level to build and strengthen human capacity to enable the provinces of North Sumatra, Yogyakarta, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara and Papua to formulate sound policies for renewable energy and energy efficiency and to develop and implement sustainable energy projects. Each of the five Indonesian universities managed to develop pilot research projects and wrote research proposals to outline and strengthen their ideas. All of the universities also purchased equipment for the purpose of executing this research. UNCEN (Cenderawasih University, Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia) and UNDIP (Diponegoro University in Semarang, Java, Indonesia) managed to finalize their research within the project period and wrote reports on their results. The other universities could not yet present results due to delay in one or several of the steps within the procedure.

  19. The Montbeliard Radiation Protection Pilot Project: a global approach of radiation protection addressing occupational, public and patient exposures at the level of a large urban community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schieber, Caroline; Lochard, Jacques; Badajoz, Coralie; Bataille, Celine; Croueail, Pascal; Klein, Didier; Klopfenstein, Jean-Francois; Makovicka, Libor

    2008-01-01

    The Montbeliard Radiation Protection Pilot Project started in March 2004, at the initiative of the Inter- City Council of the Montbeliard Country in cooperation with CEPN. It aims at improving the radiation protection of the inhabitants of the Montbeliard Country in the various exposure situations which can be potentially encountered on the territory (hospital, dwellings, environment,...) as well as at promoting the creation of a pole of competence in the field of radiation protection in the Montbeliard Country. The project relies on the involvement of all relevant stakeholders at the local, national and international level. This paper provides with a quick insight of the project organisation, followed by a synthetic description of the main achievements of the various project areas. (author)

  20. Australian seafood compositional profiles: A pilot study. Vitamin D and mercury content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padula, David; Greenfield, Heather; Cunningham, Judy; Kiermeier, Andreas; McLeod, Catherine

    2016-02-15

    Given the scarcity of comprehensive nutritional data for Australia's >400 commercially produced seafood species a pilot study was undertaken to collect and analyse 22 species of wild and aquaculture seafood in order to develop a model for future comprehensive surveys. The species analysed were: Atlantic salmon, Australian sardine, prawn (six species), barramundi, abalone (three species), blue sprat, burrowing blackfish, gummy shark, oyster (four species), ocean trout and yellowtail kingfish. The analyses undertaken in this pilot study were: moisture, protein, total fat, cholesterol, fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamins A and D, and 21 mineral elements (including total mercury and methyl mercury). The data reported here are for vitamin D and mercury only. Comprehensive data have already been published elsewhere. Issues identified that should be addressed prior to undertaking a more extensive and representative study of the remaining major edible commercial Australian seafood species include: choice of samples and nutrients for analysis, facilities for sample handling and storage, data management and scrutiny, and laboratory quality control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Projected shifts in fish species dominance in Wisconsin lakes under climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Gretchen JA; Read, Jordan S.; Hansen, Jonathan F.; Winslow, Luke

    2016-01-01

    Temperate lakes may contain both coolwater fish species such as walleye (Sander vitreus) and warmwater fish species such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Recent declining walleye and increasing largemouth bass populations have raised questions regarding the future trajectories and management actions for these species. We developed a thermodynamic model of water temperatures driven by downscaled climate data and lake-specific characteristics to estimate daily water temperature profiles for 2148 lakes in Wisconsin, US, under contemporary (1989–2014) and future (2040–2064 and 2065–2089) conditions. We correlated contemporary walleye recruitment and largemouth bass relative abundance to modeled water temperature, lake morphometry, and lake productivity, and projected lake-specific changes in each species under future climate conditions. Walleye recruitment success was negatively related and largemouth bass abundance was positively related to water temperature degree days. Both species exhibited a threshold response at the same degree day value, albeit in opposite directions. Degree days were predicted to increase in the future, although the magnitude of increase varied among lakes, time periods, and global circulation models (GCMs). Under future conditions, we predicted a loss of walleye recruitment in 33–75% of lakes where recruitment is currently supported and a 27–60% increase in the number of lakes suitable for high largemouth bass abundance. The percentage of lakes capable of supporting abundant largemouth bass but failed walleye recruitment was predicted to increase from 58% in contemporary conditions to 86% by mid-century and to 91% of lakes by late century, based on median projections across GCMs. Conversely, the percentage of lakes with successful walleye recruitment and low largemouth bass abundance was predicted to decline from 9% of lakes in contemporary conditions to only 1% of lakes in both future periods. Importantly, we identify up

  2. Grid workflow job execution service 'Pilot'

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamardin, Lev; Kryukov, Alexander; Demichev, Andrey; Ilyin, Vyacheslav

    2011-12-01

    'Pilot' is a grid job execution service for workflow jobs. The main goal for the service is to automate computations with multiple stages since they can be expressed as simple workflows. Each job is a directed acyclic graph of tasks and each task is an execution of something on a grid resource (or 'computing element'). Tasks may be submitted to any WS-GRAM (Globus Toolkit 4) service. The target resources for the tasks execution are selected by the Pilot service from the set of available resources which match the specific requirements from the task and/or job definition. Some simple conditional execution logic is also provided. The 'Pilot' service is built on the REST concepts and provides a simple API through authenticated HTTPS. This service is deployed and used in production in a Russian national grid project GridNNN.

  3. Grid workflow job execution service 'Pilot'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shamardin, Lev; Kryukov, Alexander; Demichev, Andrey; Ilyin, Vyacheslav

    2011-01-01

    'Pilot' is a grid job execution service for workflow jobs. The main goal for the service is to automate computations with multiple stages since they can be expressed as simple workflows. Each job is a directed acyclic graph of tasks and each task is an execution of something on a grid resource (or 'computing element'). Tasks may be submitted to any WS-GRAM (Globus Toolkit 4) service. The target resources for the tasks execution are selected by the Pilot service from the set of available resources which match the specific requirements from the task and/or job definition. Some simple conditional execution logic is also provided. The 'Pilot' service is built on the REST concepts and provides a simple API through authenticated HTTPS. This service is deployed and used in production in a Russian national grid project GridNNN.

  4. Interpreting sensor measurements in dikes - experiences from UrbanFlood pilot sites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Simm, J.; Jordan, D.; Topple, A.; Mokhov, I.; Pyayt, A.; Abdoun, T.; Bennett, V.; Broekhuijsen, J.; Meijer, R.; Klijn, F.; Schweckendiek, T.

    2012-01-01

    The UrbanFlood project is creating an Early Warning System framework that can be used to link sensors via the Internet to predictive models and emergency warning systems. The project includes four pilot sites to apply and validate at full scale the technology being developed in the project:

  5. Environmental Effects of Sediment Transport Alteration and Impacts on Protected Species: Edgartown Tidal Energy Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrett, Stephen B; Schlezinger, David, Ph.D; Cowles, Geoff, Ph.D; Hughes, Patricia; Samimy,; Roland, I; and Terray, E, Ph.D.

    2012-12-29

    anchors. This is the same technology proposed by Ocean Renewable Power Company in the Western Passage and Cobscook Bay near Eastport Maine. The blades rotate in two directions capturing the tides energy both during flood and ebb tides. The turbines will be anchored to the bottom and suspended in the water column. Initial depth of the turbines is expected to be about 25 feet below the surface to avoid impacting navigation while also capturing the strongest currents. The Town of Edgartown was initially granted a Preliminary Permit by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on March 1, 2008, and has recently received a second permit valid through August 2014. The Preliminary Permit gives Edgartown the exclusive right to apply for a power generation license for power generated from the hydrokinetic energy in the water flowing in this area. Edgartown filed a Draft Pilot License Application with FERC on February 1, 2010 and an Expanded Environmental Notification Form with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office at the same time. It expects to file a Final License Application in late 2013. Harris Miller Miller & Hanson (HMMH) of Burlington Massachusetts is acting as the Project Manager for the Town of Edgartown and collaborating with other partners of the project including the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth's Marine Renewable Energy Center and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. HMMH was awarded a grant under the Department of Energy's Advanced Water Program to conduct marine science and hydrokinetic site-specific environmental studies for projects actively seeking a FERC License. HMMH, on behalf of the Town, is managing this comprehensive study of the marine environment in Muskeget Channel and potential impacts of the tidal project on indicator species and habitats. The University of Massachusetts School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) conducted oceanographic studies of tidal currents, tide level, benthic habitat, and

  6. Micronutrient Supplementation, Dietary Intervention and Resulting Body Weight Gain of Severe Acute Malnourished Children – A Pilot Project Study of OJUS Medical Institute with Existing ICDS Project in Nasik District, Maharashtra

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subhasree Ray

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: OJUS Medical Institute in collaboration with Women & Child development department of Nashik District, Maharashtra conducted a target oriented pilot project study to see the improvement in body weight gain of SAM children, supplemented with nutritionally enriched diet and micronutrients. The Egg-DOT project is a target vertical intervention study that involved both Anganwadi workers and Community health workers to bring a fruitful result by working hand-in-hand. Rationale: ICDS is one of the best supplementary nutrition programs to address and eliminate malnutrition from the country. To make it more comprehensive and result oriented the pilot project study is formulated and executed to see if the addition in existing system could eradicate malnutrition in an effective manner and strengthen the Govt. health machinery. Objective: The study aimed at working along with the Govt. to reduce severity of malnutrition. It shouted for a healthy public-private relationship to bring optimum result from the existing Govt. project in reducing burden of malnutrition, spreading health education and behavioural modification in the community members by adopting a systematic micronutrient-diet-health education  intervention strategy. Materials & methods: Along with existing nutritional intervention, a small modification in diet is introduced to fulfill the deficit of 300 Kcal approximately. Good quality fat and protein are added to the Anganwadi meal with daily micronutrient supplementation. The supplementation is continued for 30 days in 25 SAM children of 3 to 5 years. The baseline and end line body weight measurements are taken and compared to see the improvement. Result: After 30 days of intervention the supplemented SAM children showed statistically significant increased body weight (P<0.01 with an overall healthy nutritional status. Conclusion: The study showed that public-private collaborative systematic strategy with proper

  7. Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-24

    AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2017-0026 Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing Austin M. Fischer, BS1; William W...COVERED (From – To) April – October 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pilot Study: Foam Wedge Chin Support Static Tolerance Testing 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) USAF School of Aerospace

  8. Phase I Water Rental Pilot Project : Snake River Resident Fish and Wildlife Resources and Management Recommendations.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Riggin, Stacey H.; Hansen, H. Jerome

    1992-10-01

    The Idaho Water Rental Pilot Project was implemented as a part of the Non-Treaty Storage Fish and Wildlife Agreement (NTSA) between Bonneville Power Administration and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority. The goal of the project is to improve juvenile and adult salmon and steelhead passage in the lower Snake River with the use of rented water for flow augmentation. The primary purpose of this project is to summarize existing resource information and provide recommendations to protect or enhance resident fish and wildlife resources in Idaho with actions achieving flow augmentation for anadromous fish. Potential impacts of an annual flow augmentation program on Idaho reservoirs and streams are modeled. Potential sources of water for flow augmentation and operational or institutional constraints to the use of that water are identified. This report does not advocate flow augmentation as the preferred long-term recovery action for salmon. The state of Idaho strongly believes that annual drawdown of the four lower Snake reservoirs is critical to the long-term enhancement and recovery of salmon (Andrus 1990). Existing water level management includes balancing the needs of hydropower production, irrigated agriculture, municipalities and industries with fish, wildlife and recreation. Reservoir minimum pool maintenance, water quality and instream flows are issues of public concern that will be directly affected by the timing and quantity of water rental releases for salmon flow augmentation, The potential of renting water from Idaho rental pools for salmon flow augmentation is complicated by institutional impediments, competition from other water users, and dry year shortages. Water rental will contribute to a reduction in carryover storage in a series of dry years when salmon flow augmentation is most critical. Such a reduction in carryover can have negative impacts on reservoir fisheries by eliminating shoreline spawning beds, reducing available fish habitat

  9. Spiral model pilot project information model

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    The objective was an evaluation of the Spiral Model (SM) development approach to allow NASA Marshall to develop an experience base of that software management methodology. A discussion is presented of the Information Model (IM) that was used as part of the SM methodology. A key concept of the SM is the establishment of an IM to be used by management to track the progress of a project. The IM is the set of metrics that is to be measured and reported throughout the life of the project. These metrics measure both the product and the process to ensure the quality of the final delivery item and to ensure the project met programmatic guidelines. The beauty of the SM, along with the IM, is the ability to measure not only the correctness of the specification and implementation of the requirements but to also obtain a measure of customer satisfaction.

  10. Pilot project of biogas production from pig manure and urine mixture at ambient temperature in Ventanilla (Lima, Peru)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferrer, I.; Gamiz, M.; Almeida, M.; Ruiz, A.

    2009-01-01

    Parque Porcino de Ventanilla has an extension of 840 ha with 2200 farmers dedicated to pig production. There is a lack of services in the area (i.e., water supply, electricity, or waste collection). Anaerobic treatment of pig manure would replace current dumping and incineration, reducing environmental pollution and hazards to public health, as well as providing an organic fertilizer and biogas. The objective of the present work was to study the viability of ambient temperature anaerobic digestion of pig manure diluted in urine, by means of on-site pilot scale reactors. The final goal was to establish design parameters for anaerobic digesters to be implemented; since it was part of a project to improve life conditions for the farmers through the incorporation of better management techniques. Experiments were carried out in a low-cost pilot plant, which consists of three anaerobic digesters (225 L total volume), without heating or agitation, placed in a greenhouse. The start-up of the digestion process was performed with a mixture of temperature adapted pig manure-sludge and fresh rumen, and showed a good performance regardless of the dilution of pig manure with water or urine, which is a key parameter due to the scarcity of water in the area under study

  11. Pilot project of biogas production from pig manure and urine mixture at ambient temperature in Ventanilla (Lima, Peru).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrer, I; Gamiz, M; Almeida, M; Ruiz, A

    2009-01-01

    Parque Porcino de Ventanilla has an extension of 840ha with 2200 farmers dedicated to pig production. There is a lack of services in the area (i.e., water supply, electricity, or waste collection). Anaerobic treatment of pig manure would replace current dumping and incineration, reducing environmental pollution and hazards to public health, as well as providing an organic fertilizer and biogas. The objective of the present work was to study the viability of ambient temperature anaerobic digestion of pig manure diluted in urine, by means of on-site pilot scale reactors. The final goal was to establish design parameters for anaerobic digesters to be implemented; since it was part of a project to improve life conditions for the farmers through the incorporation of better management techniques. Experiments were carried out in a low-cost pilot plant, which consists of three anaerobic digesters (225L total volume), without heating or agitation, placed in a greenhouse. The start-up of the digestion process was performed with a mixture of temperature adapted pig manure-sludge and fresh rumen, and showed a good performance regardless of the dilution of pig manure with water or urine, which is a key parameter due to the scarcity of water in the area under study.

  12. Pilot training of non-nuclear professionals within CORONA project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilieva, K.; Manolova, M.; Belousov, S.

    2013-01-01

    The pilot training results shown that the used approach is appropriate and could be disseminate among the interested parties. • The interest from the side of the different professionals is an important indicator about the necessity to care such courses for non-nuclear professionals.The effectiveness of the training program for non-nuclear specialists will be assessed using the replies of the Course evaluation form as well as the feedback from employers, trainers and observers

  13. YF-12A #935 with test pilot Donald L. Mallick

    Science.gov (United States)

    1972-01-01

    NASA test pilot Don Mallick, in full pressure suit, stands in front of the YF-12A (60-6935). Don is ready for a flight across the Western United States. Donald L. Mallick joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics' Langley Aeronautical Laboratory at Hampton, Virginia, as a research pilot, in June 1957. He transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, in February 1963. Mallick attended Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, for the period 1948-1949, studying Mechanical Engineering before entering the U.S. Navy for pilot training. Don served during the Korean War period, 1950-1954, flying F2H-2 Banshee jets from the carriers, USS F.D. Roosevelt and the USS Wasp. Later in 1954 he returned to school at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, graduating with Honors in June 1957 and earning his degree in aeronautical engineering. Don joined the Naval Reserves and served in almost all categories of Reserve operations before retiring in 1970 as a Lieutenant Commander. As a research pilot at NACA-NASA Langley Don flew quantitative stability-&-control and handling-qualities tests on modified helicopters. On the Vertol VZ-2 Vertical Short Take-off and Landing research aircraft, he performed qualitative evaluation flights. Other aircraft flown for flight tests were: F2H-1 Banshee, F-86D, F9F-2 and F8U-3, F11F-1 Tigercat, and F-100C. Don also flew support and photo flights. In his capacity as research pilot at the NASA Flight Research Center Don was assigned to NASA's Lockheed Jetstar General Purpose Airborne Simulator (GPAS). He flew all of the tests, with the majority being as project pilot. Mallick made a flight in the lightweight M2-F1 lifting body on January 30, 1964. In 1964, Don was assigned to and completed the USAF Test pilot school, Class 64A. Later in 1964, he flew as the co-project pilot on the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) making over seventy

  14. Pilot projects for the remediation of Sillamaee uranium tailings in Estonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaasik, T.; Siinmaa, A.

    2001-01-01

    First Estonian uranium, produced in a pilot plant at Narva, was presented to Soviet military administration in 1945 and just a year later - 1946 - installation of an uranium production plant was started at Sillamaee, Estonia. Estonian local ore - alum shale - containing only 0,026% of uranium was used for uranium production for nearly five years, after the plant was launched in 1948. The uranium mine, having been activated from 1947 to 1952, was left in status of 'active conservation' for 17 years, until finally closed in 1969. Potential threats of this hidden legacy have never been revealed. After close-down of local uranium mine, more than 4 million tons of ore, imported mostly from Central and East European countries: Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Eastern Germany were processed at Sillamaee. These activities have left a large tailings impoundment with the total volume of ca. 8 million cubic meters in the immediate vicinity of the Baltic Sea. Today the plant is privatized, converted to civil purposes and provides together its power generating facilities ca. 1200 jobs in the socially sensitive area of North-East Estonia, while environmental hazards of the history, however, remain: - Continuous seepage of tailing waters into the sea contributes and would contribute over long term to the pollution of the Baltic Sea; - stability of the tailings dam seaside under present conditions can not be guaranteed thus risking a sudden release of partly liquid tailings due to potential dam failure; - uncovered surface of the tailings presents a health hazard due to dusting and radon release and hinders the revitalization of the area. The conceptual design of the Estonia's largest environmental remediation project, done by Wismut, is now complete and first implementation steps are underway. The project for mine area restoration is in initiation phase; it shall reveal the current and potential environmental hazards of the facility and create the concept for necessary rehabilitation

  15. The impact of transition training on adapting to Technically Advanced Aircraft at regional airlines: Perceptions of pilots and instructor pilots

    Science.gov (United States)

    di Renzo, John Carl, Jr.

    that TAA made them safer pilots, but were not convinced it made them better pilots. The results of this investigation raise many new questions and provide a number of ideas for future research projects.

  16. Reflections on a Pilot Project: Removing the "Dis" from Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yee, Michelle J.

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores preliminary results of a pilot study whose purpose was to document, through an oral history narrative, the personal and work experiences of a female artist and social entrepreneur who is legally blind. These experiences included the challenges that the research participant has experienced in the U.S. as a woman with an…

  17. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots: Exposure pattern as a function of aircraft type

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tveten, U.; Haldorsen, T.; Reitan, J

    2000-07-01

    The project presented here has been carried out as part of an epidemiological project on Norwegian aircraft personnel, entitled 'Exposure to low level ionising radiation and incidence of cancer in airline pilots and crew'. The purpose of the main project is to determine if there may be a relationship between exposure to cosmic radiation at aircraft cruising altitudes and the incidence of cancer. The methodology used as basis for estimating the radiation exposures is presented. The information used as basis for the dose estimations comes from a variety of sources: the files at the Personnel Licensing Section and the Aviation Medical Section of Norwegian Aviation Administration, the route tables of Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), large amounts of expert information contributed by members of the Pilot's Associations in Norway and a couple of non-Norwegian pilots and from other members of the staff of SAS and other airlines. The estimation for each pilot was based on individual information of annual block hours and an estimated doserate for each type of aircraft. The latter was estimated as a weighted average of CARI-estimated doses on a selection of routes flown by the airplanes in the different time periods. The project includes all pilots that have been licensed in Norway since 1946. These pilots have been flying a large variety of different types of aircraft and routes. The cosmic radiation intensity is a function of altitude in the atmosphere and, less markedly, of geographical latitude and of the intensity of the radiation from the sun (quantified as the heliocentric potential). Different types of aircraft fly at different altitudes and are used for different purposes (passenger traffic, cargo, air photography, preparation of maps etc) and used on different routes. The end results of the project described in this article are radiation exposures per block hour for each type of aircraft, and for each individual year (the differences between years

  18. Manpower Projections, Recruitment Needs and Training Requirements for Commercial Airline Pilots in the United States 1968-1979.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simons, Robert Marchand

    This study evaluated the reported airline pilot shortage in relation to certified air carriers; recruitment needs for qualified applicants; training requirements as recommended by air carriers, airline captains, and flight officers; and airline pilot supply and demand during 1968-79. A literature review on foreign and domestic pilot shortages was…

  19. Study on designing a complete pilot plant for processing sandstone ores in Palua-Parong area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Quang Thai; Tran Van Son; Tran The Dinh; Trinh Nguyen Quynh; Vu Khac Tuan

    2015-01-01

    Design work is the first step of the construction and operation of pilot plant. Thus, the project Study on designing a complete pilot plant for processing sandstone ores in Palua - Parong area was conducted to design a pilot plant for testing entire technological process to obtain yellowcake. Based on a literature review of uranium ore processing technology in the world, information of ore and previous research results of uranium ore in PaLua - PaRong area at the Institute for Technology of Radioactive and Rare Elements, a suitable technological flowsheet for processing this ore has been selected. The size, location of the pilot plant and planed experiments has been selected during the implementation of this project, in which basic parameters, designed system of equipment, buildings, ect. were also calculated. (author)

  20. Research Data Curation Pilots: Lessons Learned

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Minor

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In the spring of 2011, the UC San Diego Research Cyberinfrastructure (RCI Implementation Team invited researchers and research teams to participate in a research curation and data management pilot program. This invitation took the form of a campus-wide solicitation. More than two dozen applications were received and, after due deliberation, the RCI Oversight Committee selected five curation-intensive projects. These projects were chosen based on a number of criteria, including how they represented campus research, varieties of topics, researcher engagement, and the various services required. The pilot process began in September 2011, and will be completed in early 2014. Extensive lessons learned from the pilots are being compiled and are being used in the on-going design and implementation of the permanent Research Data Curation Program in the UC San Diego Library. In this paper, we present specific implementation details of these various services, as well as lessons learned. The program focused on many aspects of contemporary scholarship, including data creation and storage, description and metadata creation, citation and publication, and long term preservation and access. Based on the lessons learned in our processes, the Research Data Curation Program will provide a suite of services from which campus users can pick and choose, as necessary. The program will provide support for the data management requirements from national funding agencies.

  1. CernVM Co-Pilot: an Extensible Framework for Building Scalable Cloud Computing Infrastructures

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2012-01-01

    CernVM Co-Pilot is a framework for instantiating an ad-hoc computing infrastructure on top of distributed computing resources. Such resources include commercial computing clouds (e.g. Amazon EC2), scientific computing clouds (e.g. CERN lxcloud), as well as the machines of users participating in volunteer computing projects (e.g. BOINC). The framework consists of components that communicate using the Extensible Messaging and Presence protocol (XMPP), allowing for new components to be developed in virtually any programming language and interfaced to existing Grid and batch computing infrastructures exploited by the High Energy Physics community. Co-Pilot has been used to execute jobs for both the ALICE and ATLAS experiments at CERN. CernVM Co-Pilot is also one of the enabling technologies behind the LHC@home 2.0 volunteer computing project, which is the first such project that exploits virtual machine technology. The use of virtual machines eliminates the necessity of modifying existing applications and adapt...

  2. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian SAS-pilots 1960 to 1994. Revised Version

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tveten, U.

    1999-02-01

    The present report is a revised version of an earlier report (IFE/KR/E-96/008). The revision has been carried out since a completely new version of the computational tool has recently been released. All calculations have been redone. The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots employed by the the Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). The result presented in this report (radiation dose rates for the different types of aircraft in the different years) were calculated with the most recent computer program for this purpose, the CARI-5E from the United States Civil Aviation Authority. The other major sources of information used as basis for this work is the collection of old SAS time tables found the the SAS Museum at Fornebu Airport in Oslo, and information provided by members of the Pilots Association in Norway

  3. Cosmic radiation and airline pilots. Exposure patterns of Norwegian SAS-pilots 1960 to 1994. Revised Version

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tveten, U

    1999-02-01

    The present report is a revised version of an earlier report (IFE/KR/E-96/008). The revision has been carried out since a completely new version of the computational tool has recently been released. All calculations have been redone. The work which is presented in this report is part of a Norwegian epidemiological project, carried out in cooperation between Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), the Norwegian Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). Originating from the Norwegian project, a number of similar projects have been started in a number of European countries. The present report lays the ground for estimation of individual exposure histories to cosmic radiation of pilots employed by the the Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). The result presented in this report (radiation dose rates for the different types of aircraft in the different years) were calculated with the most recent computer program for this purpose, the CARI-5E from the United States Civil Aviation Authority. The other major sources of information used as basis for this work is the collection of old SAS time tables found the the SAS Museum at Fornebu Airport in Oslo, and information provided by members of the Pilots Association in Norway.

  4. Extensiveness--Accuracy of Parent Information about Virginia Beach 45-15 Pilot Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlechty Associates, Chapel Hill, NC.

    A preliminary analysis of parent responses to questions related to factual information about the Virginia Beach 45-15 pilot elementary school program, where students attend classes 45 days and break 15 days year round, is provided. Specifically, the information component of the Virginia Beach 45-15 Pilot Project Questionnaire, which consists of…

  5. Project Half Double: Current Results of Phase 1 and Phase 2, December 2017

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svejvig, Per; Thorp Adland, Karoline; Zippora Klein, Judith Birte

    ’s competitiveness and play an important role in the battle for jobs and future welfare. The overall goal is to deliver “Projects in half the time with double the impact” where projects in half the time should be understood as half the time to impact (benefit realization, effect is achieved) and not as half the time...... of Project Half Double was initiated in June 2015. It is a two-phase project: phase 1 took place from June 2015 to June 2016 with seven pilot projects, and phase 2 is in progress from July 2016 to July 2018 with 10 pilot projects. The Half Double consortium: Implement Consulting Group is the project leader....... 2016, Svejvig et al. 2017). This report’s target group inludes practitioners in Danish industry and society in general. The editorial team from Aarhus University prepared the report from October 2017 to December 2017, which means that data about pilot projects from December 2017 is not included....

  6. Pilot project 'Karst water Dachstein'. Vol. 2: karst hydrology and contamination risk in springs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scheidleder, A.; Mandl, G.W.; Boroviczeny, F.; Hofmann, T.; Schubert, G.; Trimborn, P.; Stichler, W.; Graf, W.

    2001-01-01

    The pilot project 'Karstwasser Dachstein' aimed to ascertain the karst groundwater quality of one of the largest karst massifs in Austria, to examine and quantity the factors influencing karst groundwater quality and to gain experience in the monitoring of karst groundwater quality (Austrian Water Quality Monitoring System). The first phase of the pilot project examined comprehensively the factors influencing and the potential threats endangering karst water quality and was finished in 1994 with Vol. 1 entitled 'Karstwasserqualitaet' (HERLICSKA and LORBEER). The present study is based on the findings of the first phase of the project and aims to combine, analyze and assess the extensive quantity of data material with, special emphasis on karst hydrology and the contamination risk in springs. The interdisciplinary data analysis and the hydrogeological interpretation were carried out by the Austrian Federal Environment Agency (UBA), the Geological Survey of Austria (GBA) and the National Research Centre for Environment and Health (GSF). Their work was based on the detailed description of the geological conditions in the Dachstein area, on the thorough examination of chemical and physical spring water parameters, an isotope analyses of precipitation and spring waters as well as on the results of several tracer experiments and an investigations of the potential impacts of human activities. Investigations of the bacteriological contamination of the spring waters showed that there were only 6 out of 42 springs where there was no evidence of coliform bacteria or faecal germs. These 6 springs are all situated in the southern part of the Dachstein massif. For the analyses carried out to determine the content of chlorinated hydrocarbons, detection limits had been set very low. In all springs, evidence of chlorinated hydrocarbons was found at least once. These concentrations were all below the maximum allowable concentrations set out in the Groundwater Threshold Value

  7. Final Results from A Pilot Project to Investigate Wake Vortex Patterns and Weather Patterns at the Atlantic City Airport by the Richard Stockton College of NJ and the FAA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trout, Joseph; Manson, J. Russell; King, David; Decicco, Nicolas; Prince, Alyssa; di Mercurio, Alexis; Rios, Manual

    2017-01-01

    Wake Vortex Turbulence is the turbulence generated by an aircraft in flight. This turbulence is created by vortices at the tips of the wing that may decay slowly and persist for several minutes after creation. These vortices and turbulence are hazardous to other aircraft in the vicinity. The strength, formation and lifetime of the turbulence and vortices are effected by many things including the weather. Here we present the final results of the pilot project to investigation of low level wind fields generated by the Weather Research and Forecasting Model and an analysis of historical data. The findings from the historical data and the data simulations were used as inputs for the computational fluid dynamics model (OpenFoam) to show that the vortices could be simulated using OpenFoam. Presented here are the updated results from a research grant, ``A Pilot Project to Investigate Wake Vortex Patterns and Weather Patterns at the Atlantic City Airport by the Stockton University and the FAA''.

  8. Community Driven Universal Access Solutions in Cambodia : Pilots ...

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

    Two e-community pilot projects will be tested in the Kep fishing community ... Ministry of Commerce ... Eleven world-class research teams set to improve livestock vaccine development and production to benefit farmers across the Global South.

  9. Phase II Water Rental Pilot Project: Snake River Resident Fish and Wildlife Resources and Management Recommendations.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stovall, Stacey H.

    1994-08-01

    The Idaho Water Rental Pilot Project was implemented in 1991 as part of the Non-Treaty Storage Fish and Wildlife Agreement between Bonneville Power Administration and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority. The goal of the project is to quantify resident fish and wildlife impacts resulting from salmon flow augmentation releases made from the upper Snake River Basin. Phase I summarized existing resource information and provided management recommendations to protect and enhance resident fish and wildlife habitat resulting from storage releases for the I improvement of an adromous fish migration. Phase II includes the following: (1) a summary of recent biological, legal, and political developments within the basin as they relate to water management issues, (2) a biological appraisal of the Snake River between American Falls Reservoir and the city of Blackfoot to examine the effects of flow fluctuation on fish and wildlife habitat, and (3) a preliminary accounting of 1993--1994 flow augmentation releases out of the upper Snake, Boise, and Payette river systems. Phase III will include the development of a model in which annual flow requests and resident fish and wildlife suitability information are interfaced with habitat time series analysis to provide an estimate of resident fish and wildlife resources.

  10. Pilot project on low-energy ventilation in relation to agriculture. Explanation; Forprojekt om lavenergiventilation i landbruget. Udredning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guul-Simonsen, F.; Kierkegaard, P.; Pedersen, J.K.; Stroem, J.; Widell, K.E.

    1995-07-01

    The pilot project documents the current status of ventilation in animal shelters such as barns, cowsheds etc. with emphasis on the various ventilation systems and a definition of the problems and possible aims regarding energy savings. The decision as to whether to continue the project will be based on this information. This type of ventilation differs from that used in residential and industrial buildings in that larger volumes of air are moved and greater amounts of heat, humidity and gases are produced by the animals. The most significant improvements have so far been achieved by changing aerodynamic conditions and by control of the number of rotations within ventilation systems. Motors used today are mainly single-phased, with 100-400 W capacity and an efficiency of 50-55%. Suggestions for improving energy efficiency by 15% are given. An improved aerodynamic design in connection with air extraction could achieve a 35% optimization. In addition the climate within the buildings would be considerably improved. It may take some time, it is suggested, for Danish manufacturers of ventilation systems to further develop their products, unless they work together towards this aim. (AB) 46 refs.

  11. Maintenance planning for transmission routes with medium voltage overlines - experience within the framework of two pilot projects; Trassenpflegeplanung fuer Mittel- und Hochspannungsfreileitungen - Erfahrungen von zwei Pilotprojekten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geiges, H. [Ingenieurbuero Geiges, Freiraum- und Landschaftsplanung, Laumersheim (Germany)

    1997-11-03

    On the basis of the `VDEW Orientation Aid for Maintenance Measures in Transmission Routes` two pilot projects were selected in a 110 kV and a 20 kV overhead transmission route. (orig.) [Deutsch] Auf der Grundlage der `VDEW-Orientierungshilfe zu Pflegemassnahmen in Leitungstrassen` wurden Pilotprojekte in einer 110-kV- und in einer 20-kV-Freileitungstrasse im suedlichen Pfaelzerwald ausgewaehlt. (orig.)

  12. Quality improvement training for core medical and general practice trainees: a pilot study of project participation, completion and journal publication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNab, Duncan; McKay, John; Bowie, Paul

    2015-11-01

    Small-scale quality improvement projects are expected to make a significant contribution towards improving the quality of healthcare. Enabling doctors-in-training to design and lead quality improvement projects is important preparation for independent practice. Participation is mandatory in speciality training curricula. However, provision of training and ongoing support in quality improvement methods and practice is variable. We aimed to design and deliver a quality improvement training package to core medical and general practice specialty trainees and evaluate impact in terms of project participation, completion and publication in a healthcare journal. A quality improvement training package was developed and delivered to core medical trainees and general practice specialty trainees in the west of Scotland encompassing a 1-day workshop and mentoring during completion of a quality improvement project over 3 months. A mixed methods evaluation was undertaken and data collected via questionnaire surveys, knowledge assessment, and formative assessment of project proposals, completed quality improvement projects and publication success. Twenty-three participants attended the training day with 20 submitting a project proposal (87%). Ten completed quality improvement projects (43%), eight were judged as satisfactory (35%), and four were submitted and accepted for journal publication (17%). Knowledge and confidence in aspects of quality improvement improved during the pilot, while early feedback on project proposals was valued (85.7%). This small study reports modest success in training core medical trainees and general practice specialty trainees in quality improvement. Many gained knowledge of, confidence in and experience of quality improvement, while journal publication was shown to be possible. The development of educational resources to aid quality improvement project completion and mentoring support is necessary if expectations for quality improvement are to be

  13. Projections of climate-driven changes in tuna vertical habitat based on species-specific differences in blood oxygen affinity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mislan, K A S; Deutsch, Curtis A; Brill, Richard W; Dunne, John P; Sarmiento, Jorge L

    2017-10-01

    Oxygen concentrations are hypothesized to decrease in many areas of the ocean as a result of anthropogenically driven climate change, resulting in habitat compression for pelagic animals. The oxygen partial pressure, pO 2 , at which blood is 50% saturated (P 50 ) is a measure of blood oxygen affinity and a gauge of the tolerance of animals for low ambient oxygen. Tuna species display a wide range of blood oxygen affinities (i.e., P 50 values) and therefore may be differentially impacted by habitat compression as they make extensive vertical movements to forage on subdaily time scales. To project the effects of end-of-the-century climate change on tuna habitat, we calculate tuna P 50 depths (i.e., the vertical position in the water column at which ambient pO 2 is equal to species-specific blood P 50 values) from 21st century Earth System Model (ESM) projections included in the fifth phase of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Overall, we project P 50 depths to shoal, indicating likely habitat compression for tuna species due to climate change. Tunas that will be most impacted by shoaling are Pacific and southern bluefin tunas-habitat compression is projected for the entire geographic range of Pacific bluefin tuna and for the spawning region of southern bluefin tuna. Vertical shifts in P 50 depths will potentially influence resource partitioning among Pacific bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas in the northern subtropical and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. By establishing linkages between tuna physiology and environmental conditions, we provide a mechanistic basis to project the effects of anthropogenic climate change on tuna habitats. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  14. UAS in the NAS: Survey Responses by ATC, Manned Aircraft Pilots, and UAS Pilots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comstock, James R., Jr.; McAdaragh, Raymon; Ghatas, Rania W.; Burdette, Daniel W.; Trujillo, Anna C.

    2014-01-01

    NASA currently is working with industry and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish future requirements for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) flying in the National Airspace System (NAS). To work these issues NASA has established a multi-center "UAS Integration in the NAS" project. In order to establish Ground Control Station requirements for UAS, the perspective of each of the major players in NAS operations was desired. Three on-line surveys were administered that focused on Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), pilots of manned aircraft, and pilots of UAS. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with some survey respondents. The survey questions addressed UAS control, navigation, and communications from the perspective of small and large unmanned aircraft. Questions also addressed issues of UAS equipage, especially with regard to sense and avoid capabilities. From the civilian ATC and military ATC perspectives, of particular interest are how mixed operations (manned / UAS) have worked in the past and the role of aircraft equipage. Knowledge gained from this information is expected to assist the NASA UAS Integration in the NAS project in directing research foci thus assisting the FAA in the development of rules, regulations, and policies related to UAS in the NAS.

  15. Higher education for refugees: Lessons from a 4-year pilot project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crea, Thomas M.; McFarland, Mary

    2015-04-01

    Refugees experience limited access to adequate education at all levels, but opportunities for higher education are especially lacking. Yet, evidence suggests that education plays an important protective role in helping refugee individuals and communities cope with their daily existence during protracted waiting periods, and the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) recently recognised tertiary education as a basic human right. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from the evaluation of a pilot programme, Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins (JC:HEM), which initially provided higher education to refugees in Kakuma Camp, Kenya and Dzaleka Camp, Malawi; and to urban refugees in Amman, Jordan. The authors of this note review the progress made towards the pilot objectives, as well as student feedback on the benefits and challenges of higher education for refugees and others living at the margins. The refugees interviewed in this study expressed feelings of empowerment, related to their expanded worldview as well as to a specific set of skills obtained through their participation in the programme. Interviewees also noted a number of limitations specific to the context of their living conditions. Particularly in refugee camps, students expressed concerns about what would happen after their having completed their course. The general outcome of the pilot phase, which ended in 2014, was that the programme addresses a critical need and that it should be continued, albeit with key modifications in its design and delivery. Key areas for future growth of the programme include curriculum transformation, integrated service delivery and university engagement.

  16. Improving niche projections of plant species under climate change: Silene acaulis on the British Isles as a case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrarini, Alessandro; Alsafran, Mohammed H. S. A.; Dai, Junhu; Alatalo, Juha M.

    2018-04-01

    Empirical works to assist in choosing climatically relevant variables in the attempt to predict climate change impacts on plant species are limited. Further uncertainties arise in choice of an appropriate niche model. In this study we devised and tested a sharp methodological framework, based on stringent variable ranking and filtering and flexible model selection, to minimize uncertainty in both niche modelling and successive projection of plant species distributions. We used our approach to develop an accurate, parsimonious model of Silene acaulis (L.) presence/absence on the British Isles and to project its presence/absence under climate change. The approach suggests the importance of (a) defining a reduced set of climate variables, actually relevant to species presence/absence, from an extensive list of climate predictors, and (b) considering climate extremes instead of, or together with, climate averages in projections of plant species presence/absence under future climate scenarios. Our methodological approach reduced the number of relevant climate predictors by 95.23% (from 84 to only 4), while simultaneously achieving high cross-validated accuracy (97.84%) confirming enhanced model performance. Projections produced under different climate scenarios suggest that S. acaulis will likely face climate-driven fast decline in suitable areas on the British Isles, and that upward and northward shifts to occupy new climatically suitable areas are improbable in the future. Our results also imply that conservation measures for S. acaulis based upon assisted colonization are unlikely to succeed on the British Isles due to the absence of climatically suitable habitat, so different conservation actions (seed banks and/or botanical gardens) are needed.

  17. A vulnerability and risk assessment of SEPTA's regional rail : a transit climate change adaptation assessment pilot.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-01

    This final report for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Transit Climate Change Adaptation Assessment Pilot describes the actions : taken, information gathered, analyses performed, and lessons learned throughout the pilot project. This report d...

  18. Selecting pilots with crew resource management skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedge, J W; Bruskiewicz, K T; Borman, W C; Hanson, M A; Logan, K K; Siem, F M

    2000-10-01

    For years, pilot selection has focused primarily on the identification of individuals with superior flying skills and abilities. More recently, the aviation community has become increasingly aware that successful completion of a flight or mission requires not only flying skills but the ability to work well in a crew situation. This project involved development and validation of a crew resource management (CRM) skills test for Air Force transport pilots. A significant relation was found between the CRM skills test and behavior-based ratings of aircraft commander CRM performance, and the implications of these findings for CRM-based selection and training are discussed.

  19. TeSLA pilot 2 pedagogical & quality aspects

    OpenAIRE

    Janssen, José

    2018-01-01

    Presentation given at the TeSLA project meeting at the Open University of the Netherlands, addressing pedagogical aspects of pilot 2 and clarification of the scope and limitations of the TeSLA instruments with respect to pedagogy, assessment activity and type of academic dishonesty.

  20. The Namibia Early Flood Warning System, A CEOS Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandl, Daniel; Frye, Stuart; Cappelaere, Pat; Sohlberg, Robert; Handy, Matthew; Grossman, Robert

    2012-01-01

    Over the past year few years, an international collaboration has developed a pilot project under the auspices of Committee on Earth Observation Satellite (CEOS) Disasters team. The overall team consists of civilian satellite agencies. For this pilot effort, the development team consists of NASA, Canadian Space Agency, Univ. of Maryland, Univ. of Colorado, Univ. of Oklahoma, Ukraine Space Research Institute and Joint Research Center(JRC) for European Commission. This development team collaborates with regional , national and international agencies to deliver end-to-end disaster coverage. In particular, the team in collaborating on this effort with the Namibia Department of Hydrology to begin in Namibia . However, the ultimate goal is to expand the functionality to provide early warning over the South Africa region. The initial collaboration was initiated by United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs and CEOS Working Group for Information Systems and Services (WGISS). The initial driver was to demonstrate international interoperability using various space agency sensors and models along with regional in-situ ground sensors. In 2010, the team created a preliminary semi-manual system to demonstrate moving and combining key data streams and delivering the data to the Namibia Department of Hydrology during their flood season which typically is January through April. In this pilot, a variety of moderate resolution and high resolution satellite flood imagery was rapidly delivered and used in conjunction with flood predictive models in Namibia. This was collected in conjunction with ground measurements and was used to examine how to create a customized flood early warning system. During the first year, the team made use of SensorWeb technology to gather various sensor data which was used to monitor flood waves traveling down basins originating in Angola, but eventually flooding villages in Namibia. The team made use of standardized interfaces such as those articulated

  1. The New Mexico Technology Deployment Pilot Project: A technology reinvestment project. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-11-01

    The New Mexico Technology Deployment Project (NMTDP) has been in operation for slightly more than two years. As one of the original TRP projects, NMTDP had the charter to develop and validate a new model for technology extraction which emphasized focused technology collaboration, early industry involvement, and a strong dual use commercialization and productization emphasis. Taken in total, the first two years of the NMTDP have been exceptionally successful, surpassing the goals of the project. This report describes the accomplishments and evolution of the NMTDP to date and discusses the future potential of the project. Despite the end of federal funding, and a subsequent reduction in level of effort, the project partners are committed to continuation of the project.

  2. Technical Description Lillgrund Wind Power Plant. Lillgrund Pilot Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeppsson, Joakim; Larsen, Poul Erik; Larsson, Aake [Vattenfall Vindkraft AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

    2008-09-15

    Lillgrund offshore wind power plant comprises 48 wind turbines, each rated at 2.3 MW, bringing the total wind farm capacity to 110 MW. The Lillgrund offshore wind power plant is located in a shallow area of Oeresund, 7 km off the coast of Sweden and 7 km south from the Oeresund Bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark. An average wind speed of around 8,5 m/s at hub height, combined with a relatively low water depth of 4 to 8 meters makes it economically feasible to build here. Vattenfall Vindkraft AB is the owner and operator of Lillgrund offshore wind power plant. Lillgrund is a Swedish pilot project supported by the Swedish Energy Agency. The bidding process was completed during 2005 and the offshore power plant was constructed in the period 2006 to 2007. The wind farm was constructed on time and has now been successfully operational since December 2007. There is, however, always potential for improvement and the aim of this report has been to determine and highlight these areas. It is worth noting out that only the electrical system and the foundations are tailor made at offshore wind power plants. The wind turbines are more or less standard products with none or very limited possibilities for project specific design changes. Geotechnical investigations are expensive and it can be difficult to balance the risks as well as the benefits of this expense in the early phases of a large infrastructure project. As a whole, the geotechnical surveys at Lillgrund proved to be useful. They identified potential issues, such as the fact that extra excavation was required for two of the foundations. It also revealed the location of a small number of boulders that would have to be removed. Vattenfall requested a complete study of the electrical system for Lillgrund to be delivered with the bids. That request was not met. Instead Siemens Wind Power began a complete electrical system study after being awarded the Contract. The electrical system study was completed during the

  3. SAGES's advanced GI/MIS fellowship curriculum pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weis, Joshua J; Goldblatt, Matthew; Pryor, Aurora; Dunkin, Brian J; Brunt, L Michael; Jones, Daniel B; Scott, Daniel J

    2018-06-01

    The American health care system faces deficits in quality and quantity of surgeons. SAGES is a major stakeholder in surgical fellowship training and is responsible for defining the curriculum for the Advanced GI/MIS fellowship. SAGES leadership is actively adapting this curriculum. The process of reform began in 2014 through a series of iterative meetings and discussions. A working group within the Resident and Fellow Training Committee reviewed case log data from 2012 to 2015. These data were used to propose new criteria designed to provide adequate exposure to core content. The working group also proposed using video assessment of an MIS case to provide objective assessment of competency. Case log data were available for 326 fellows with a total of 85,154 cases logged (median 227 per fellow). The working group proposed new criteria starting with minimum case volumes for five defined categories including foregut (20), bariatrics (25), inguinal hernia (10), ventral hernia (10), and solid organ/colon/thoracic (10). Fellows are expected to perform an additional 75 complex MIS cases of any category for a total of 150 required cases overall. The proposal also included a minimum volume of flexible endoscopy (50) and submission of an MIS foregut case for video assessment. The new criteria more clearly defined which surgeon roles count for major credit within individual categories. Fourteen fellowships volunteered to pilot these new criteria for the 2017-2018 academic year. The new SAGES Advanced GI/MIS fellowship has been crafted to better define the core content that should be contained in these fellowships, while still allowing sufficient heterogeneity so that individual learners can tailor their training to specific areas of interest. The criteria also introduce innovative, evidence-based methods for assessing competency. Pending the results of the pilot program, SAGES will consider broad implementation of the new fellowship criteria.

  4. Estimation of Wave Conditions at Svåheia SSG Pilot Site

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kofoed, Jens Peter; Margheritini, Lucia; Stratigaki, V.

    The purpose of the project described in the present report is to estimate the local wave conditions at the proposed location for a SSG pilot at the Svåheia site in the south western part of Norway. Focus is put on estimating the everyday conditions to enable an evaluation of the power production...... potential for the SSG pilot at the proposed location. The work in the project has been performed in three parts: 1. Establishing the offshore wave conditions and bathymetry of the area. 2. Transformation of offshore waves to near shore, through numerical wave modeling. 3. Evaluation of the transformed...... (local) wave conditions and its implications....

  5. SkyMine Beneficial CO2 Use Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walters, Jerel [Skyonic Corporation, Austin, TX (United States)

    2016-02-15

    This Final Report addresses accomplishments achieved during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the SkyMine® Carbon Mineralization Commercial Scale Pilot Project. The primary objectives of this project were to design, construct, and operate a system to capture CO₂ from a slipstream of flue gas from a commercial coal-fired cement kiln, convert that CO₂ into products having commercial value as an example of Carbon Capture and Beneficial Re-Use, show the economic viability of the CO₂ capture and conversion process, and thereby advance the technology to a level of commercial scale completion with the ability for further proliferation. The project also substantiates market opportunities for the technology by sales of chemicals into existing markets, and has identified opportunities to improve technology performance and reduce costs during the normal course of operations. The primary objectives of Phase 1 of the project were to elaborate proven SkyMine® process chemistry to commercial pilot-scale operation and complete the preliminary design for the pilot plant to be built and operated in Phase 2. During Phase 2, Pilot System Engineering Design, Construction and Testing, supporting research and development was conducted at a field test unit to collect data that aided in detailed designs of the commercial scale pilot unit; final detailed designs were completed; the commercial scale pilot plant is in its final stages of construction; and a test program has been designed and will be implemented to collect data from the facility to evaluate the technical viability of the process for resulting in an overall net reduction in CO2 emitted into the atmosphere through a process that is run and conducted in a carbon negative manner. The objective of Phase 2b was to build the commercial scale pilot plant to be operated and tested in Phase 2c. By June 30, 2015, the plant was +99% constructed and completed.

  6. Quality improvement process pilot project at Gallagher station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vondielingen, D.E.

    1992-01-01

    A Quality Improvement Process was piloted at Gallagher station in 1990 to address issues of two Electric System Strategy Group (ESSG) goals. Darrell McElravy headed a group to address quality, productivity and prove and Judy Rushing headed a group to address innovation and recognition. These groups combined when a process was identified that could address both issues. The process was designed for PSI Energy by Business Incentives and is an incentive-based quality improvement process that seeks employee involvement to identify inhibitors t performance and to establish a method to eliminate the problem. Performance goals were also established that help focus efforts to improve performance and reward employees for their efforts

  7. HANFORD MEDIUM-LOW CURIE WASTE PRETREATMENT ALTERNATIVES PROJECT FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION PILOT SCALE TESTING FINAL REPORT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HERTING DL

    2008-09-16

    The Fractional Crystallization Pilot Plant was designed and constructed to demonstrate that fractional crystallization is a viable way to separate the high-level and low-activity radioactive waste streams from retrieved Hanford single-shell tank saltcake. The focus of this report is to review the design, construction, and testing details of the fractional crystallization pilot plant not previously disseminated.

  8. HANFORD MEDIUM-LOW CURIE WASTE PRETREATMENT ALTERNATIVES PROJECT-FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION PILOT SCALE TESTING FINAL REPORT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    HERTING DL

    2008-01-01

    The Fractional Crystallization Pilot Plant was designed and constructed to demonstrate that fractional crystallization is a viable way to separate the high-level and low-activity radioactive waste streams from retrieved Hanford single-shell tank saltcake. The focus of this report is to review the design, construction, and testing details of the fractional crystallization pilot plant not previously disseminated

  9. Site characterization and monitoring data from Area 5 Pilot Wells, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-02-01

    The Special Projects Section (SPS) of Reynolds Electrical ampersand Engineering Co., Inc. (REECO) is responsible for characterizing the subsurface geology and hydrology of the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) for the US Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV), Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Division, Waste Operations Branch. The three Pilot Wells that comprise the Pilot Well Project are an important part of the Area 5 Site Characterization Program designed to determine the suitability of the Area 5 RWMS for disposal of low-level waste (LLW), mixed waste (MW), and transuranic waste (TRU). The primary purpose of the Pilot Well Project is two-fold: first, to characterize important water quality and hydrologic properties of the uppermost aquifer; and second, to characterize the lithologic, stratigraphic, and hydrologic conditions which influence infiltration, redistribution, and percolation, and chemical transport through the thick vadose zone in the vicinity of the Area 5 RWMS. This report describes Pilot Well drilling and coring, geophysical logging, instrumentation and stemming, laboratory testing, and in situ testing and monitoring activities

  10. Experimental Design of a Polymeric Solution to Improve the Mobility Ratio in a Reservoir previous implementation of a pilot project of EOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Cuenca

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes experimental formulations of polymeric solutions through lab evaluations with the objective of finding optimum solution concentration to fluid mobility in reservoirs as previous step before implementing a pilot project of enhanced oil recovery. The polymers, firstly, were selected based on the properties from fluids from reservoir. Two types of polymers were used TCC-330 and EOR909 and the experimental tests were: thermal stability, compatibility, adsorption, salinity, and displacement. The design with the best results was with polymer TCC-330 at 1,500 ppm concentration.

  11. [The final situation in the Turkey "Stent for Life" project].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ertaş, Gökhan; Kozan, Omer; Değertekin, Muzaffer; Kervan, Umit; Aksoy, Mehmet; Koç, Orhan; Göktekin, Omer

    2012-09-01

    The Stent for Life (SFL) project's main mission is to increase the use of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in more than 70% of all acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Previous to the SFL project, thrombolysis was the dominant reperfusion strategy since a low percentage of acute STEMI patients had access to primary PCI in our country. In this study, we present the main barriers of access to primary PCI in the centers that were involved with the SFL project. Patients with acute STEMI admitted to the centers that were involved in the SFL project between 2009 and 2011 were included in the analysis. Since the inception of the SFL project, the primary PCI rate has reached over 90% in SFL pilot cities. In the last 5 years, the number of ambulances and emergency stations has increased. Since the collaboration with 112 Emergency Service, a great majority of cases were reached via the emergency medical system. The mean door-to-balloon time for the pilot cities was 54.72±43.66 minutes. After three years of the SFL project, primary PCI has emerged as the preferred reperfusion strategy for patients with STEMI in pilot cities.

  12. Enhancement of medical student performance through narrative reflective practice: a pilot project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan Thomson

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Narrative Reflective Practice (NRP is a process that helps medical students become better listeners and physicians. We hypothesized that NRP would enhance students’ performance on multiple choice question exams (MCQs, on objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs, and on subjective clinical evaluations (SCEs. Methods: The MCQs, OSCEs and SCEs test scores from 139 third year University of Alberta medical students from the same class doing their Internal Medicine rotation were collected over a 12 month period. All preceptors followed the same one-hour clinical teaching format, except for the single preceptor who incorporated 2 weeks of NRP in the usual clinical teaching of 16 students. The testing was done at the end of each 8-week rotation, and all students within each cohort received the same MCQs, OSCE and SCEs Results: Independent t-tests were used to assess group differences in the mean MCQ, OSCE and SCE scores. The group receiving NRP training scored 4.7 % higher on the MCQ component than those who did not. The mean differences for OSCE and SCE scores were non-significant. Conclusions: Two weeks NRP exposure produced an absolute increase in students’ MCQ score. Longer periods of NRP exposure may also increase the OSCE and SCE scores. This promising pilot project needs to be confirmed using several trained preceptors and trainees at different levels of their clinical experience.

  13. Les annees de transition: une epoque de changement. Reveu et analyse des projets pilotes sur les questions relatives aux annees de Transition. Volume 1: Resume (Year of Transition: Times for Change. A Review and Analysis of Pilot Projects Investigating Issues in the Transition Years. Volume 1: Summary).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hargreaves, Andy; And Others

    In 1990, the Ontario (Canada) Ministry of Education implemented the Transition Years project, an initiative for restructuring middle-grades education. This French-language document presents findings of a study that identified effective policies and practices used by the pilot schools. Data were derived from: (1) surveys completed by staffs in…

  14. Photovoltaic Programme, Edition 2006. Summary report. Project list. Annual project reports 2005; Programm Photovoltaik, Ausgabe 2006. Ueberblicksbericht. Liste der Projekte. Jahresberichte der Beauftragten 2005

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nowak, S.

    2006-07-01

    This comprehensive, illustrated report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents an overview of the work done as part of the 2005 research programme, along with the annual reports of the project leaders on research projects. It presents the programme's main points of focus, discusses the work done and the results obtained. Areas covered include cell technology (13 reports), solar modules and building integration (3 reports) , system technology (4 reports) as well as various further projects (5) that are connected with photovoltaics. Four further reports concern international co-operation. Further, several pilot and demonstration (P+D) projects are discussed. Lists of all research and development projects and pilot and demonstration projects are supplied. Work done at several institutions in Switzerland and at leading commercial companies is described.

  15. Photovoltaic Programme, Edition 2006. Summary report. Project list. Annual project reports 2005; Programm Photovoltaik, Ausgabe 2006. Ueberblicksbericht. Liste der Projekte. Jahresberichte der Beauftragten 2005

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nowak, S

    2006-07-01

    This comprehensive, illustrated report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents an overview of the work done as part of the 2005 research programme, along with the annual reports of the project leaders on research projects. It presents the programme's main points of focus, discusses the work done and the results obtained. Areas covered include cell technology (13 reports), solar modules and building integration (3 reports) , system technology (4 reports) as well as various further projects (5) that are connected with photovoltaics. Four further reports concern international co-operation. Further, several pilot and demonstration (P+D) projects are discussed. Lists of all research and development projects and pilot and demonstration projects are supplied. Work done at several institutions in Switzerland and at leading commercial companies is described.

  16. RandAgiamo™, a Pilot Project Increasing Adoptability of Shelter Dogs in the Umbria Region (Italy)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menchetti, Laura; Mancini, Stefania; Catalani, Maria Chiara; Boccini, Beatrice; Diverio, Silvana

    2015-01-01

    Simple Summary In Italy, dog shelters are overcrowded because the rate of dog adoption is lower than that of abandonment. A project called “RandAgiamo” was implemented in a rescue shelter in central Italy. RandAgiamo provides training, socialization and advertising of adult shelter dogs. Official data of the Umbria regional health authorities from the year 2014 showed a higher rate of adoption in shelters involved in the project. RandAgiamo dogs had triple odds of being adopted compared to others housed in shelters of the same province. The increase in adoption rate can be beneficial for both dog welfare and shelter management. Abstract Current Italian legislation does not permit euthanasia of dogs, unless they are ill or dangerous. Despite good intentions and ethical benefits, this “no-kill policy” has caused a progressive overpopulation of dogs in shelters, due to abandonment rates being higher than adoption rates. Shelter overcrowding has negative implications for dog welfare and increases public costs. The aim of this paper is to describe the pilot project “RandAgiamo” implemented in a rescue shelter in the Umbria Region and to evaluate its effectiveness on the rate of dog adoption using official data. RandAgiamo aimed to increase adult shelter dogs’ adoptability by a standard training and socialization programme. It also promoted dogs’ visibility by publicizing them through social media and participation in events. We analysed the official data of the Umbria regional health authorities regarding dog shelters of the Perugia province of the year 2014. In the RandAgiamo shelter, the dog adoption rate was 27.5% higher than that of dogs housed in other shelters located in the same geographical area (p dogs’ welfare, owner satisfaction, shelter management, and public perception of shelter dogs. However, staff were required to provide dog training and related activities. PMID:26479385

  17. Incidence and Management Costs of Freshwater Aquatic Nuisance Species at Projects Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    the occurrence of ANS impacts (Yes or No) from freshwater algae, large aquatic plants, fish, zebra mussels, Asiatic clams, water fleas, crayfish...2005. Freshwater aquatic nuisance species impacts and management costs and benefits at federal water resources projects. ERDC/TN ANSRP-06-3...ER D C/ EL T R- 10 -1 3 Aquatic Nuisance Species Research Program Incidence and Management Costs of Freshwater Aquatic Nuisance Species

  18. Linking the Pilot Structural Model and Pilot Workload

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachelder, Edward; Hess, Ronald; Aponso, Bimal; Godfroy-Cooper, Martine

    2018-01-01

    Behavioral models are developed that closely reproduced pulsive control response of two pilots using markedly different control techniques while conducting a tracking task. An intriguing find was that the pilots appeared to: 1) produce a continuous, internally-generated stick signal that they integrated in time; 2) integrate the actual stick position; and 3) compare the two integrations to either issue or cease a pulse command. This suggests that the pilots utilized kinesthetic feedback in order to sense and integrate stick position, supporting the hypothesis that pilots can access and employ the proprioceptive inner feedback loop proposed by Hess's pilot Structural Model. A Pilot Cost Index was developed, whose elements include estimated workload, performance, and the degree to which the pilot employs kinesthetic feedback. Preliminary results suggest that a pilot's operating point (parameter values) may be based on control style and index minimization.

  19. Core designs of modern VVER projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasilchenko, I.; Kushmanov, S.; Vjalitsyn, V.; Vasilchenko, R.

    2015-01-01

    The presented operational experience of TVS - 2M (pilot-commercial operation started in 2006 at Balakovo NPP -1) enables to use it as reference for new projects because of similarity in designs and operational conditions. In the paper main parameters of fuel cycles, stability to impact of damaging factors, pilot operation of MG, new alloys, ADF and NTMC, upgrade of FA - 2M for the further power uprating, profiling of Gd-fuel rods for 18-month Fuel Cycle (FC) and perfection of absorber element design are the discussed issues. At the end author concluded that: 1) Core designs of new projects AES-2006 and VVER-TOI are based on extensive successful operational experience of the close prototype of TVS - 2M. 2) All improvements both of technical and economic parameters of fuel are subjected to representative examination by pilot operation at the power units with VVER-1000 being close prototypes of new designs

  20. Environmental management for the control of Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811, (Hemiptera: Reduviidae in Costa Rica: a pilot project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Zeledón

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available An ecological control method, using environmental management operations, based on biological and behavioral characteristics of Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811, was implemented as a pilot project in an area of Costa Rica where the bug is prevalent. The sample was represented by 20 houses with peridomestic colonies (two also had indoor infestation, divided in two equivalent groups of 10 each. In one group we intervened the houses, i.e. all objects or materials that were serving as artificial ecotopes for the bugs were removed, and the second group was used as control houses. After a year of periodic follow up, it became evident that in those houses with a modified environment the number of insects had decreased notoriously even after the first visits and this was more evident after a period of 12.5 to 13.5 months in which no insects were detected in eight of the houses. It also became clear that in this group of houses, recolonization by wild bugs from the surrounding areas, became more difficult, probably due to the absence of protection from bug predators. In the control houses, with the exception of three in which the inhabitants decided to intervene on their own, and another house with a peculiar situation, the insect populations remained the same or even showed a tendency to increase, as confirmed at the end of the experiment. We believe that the method is feasible, low costing and non contaminating. It could be used successfully in other places where T. dimidiata is common and also in countries where other species colonize peridomestic areas of homes. Environmental management of this kind should seek the participation of the members of the communities, in order to make it a more permanent control measure.

  1. Horse Palace photovoltaic pilot project findings report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2009-06-15

    This paper provided details of a solar photovoltaic (PV) feasibility study conducted as part of the Toronto Exhibition Place's 2010 energy self-sufficiency plan. The 100 kw plant was installed on the roof of the Horse Palace, and when first installed represented the largest urban PV array in Canada. The study was conducted to compare the performance of technology alternatives under otherwise common environmental and operating conditions, to build capacity to operate large roof-mounted PV systems in Toronto, and to gain experience with Ontario's renewable energy standard offer program (RESOP). The initial year of monitoring identified complications with inverters and monitoring equipment, shading issues, and problems with data collection and management. Interconnecting the project with the electricity grid to sell the produced power was a complicated and lengthy procedure. A problem with the baseline performance modeling that was used to assess the project was also identified. In 2008, the project produced 96,724 kWh. Simple payback for the project was estimated at 16.7 years. The plant is now participating in the RESOP and receiving monthly payments. 14 figs., 2 appendices.

  2. All projects related to | Page 6 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

    This pilot project is one of four pilots exploring the feasibility of a Think Heath Initiative, a prospective program that would support evidence-based policy engagement on the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Region: South Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan.

  3. An Aboriginal Adult Literacy Campaign Pilot Study in Australia using Yes I Can

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bob Boughton

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available In 2012, the remote Aboriginal community of Wilcannia in western NSW hosted the first Australian pilot of a Cuban mass adult literacy campaign model known as Yes I Can. The aim was to investigate the appropriateness of this model in Aboriginal Australia. Building on an intensive community development process of ‘socialisation and mobilisation’, sixteen community members with very low literacy graduated from the basic literacy course, with the majority continuing on into post-literacy activities, further training and/or employment. The pilot was initiated by the National Aboriginal Adult Literacy Campaign Steering Committee (NAALCSC consisting of Aboriginal leaders from the education and health sectors, and managed by the University of New England (UNE, working in partnership with the Wilcannia Local Aboriginal Land Council as the local lead agency. The pilot was supported by a Cuban academic who came to Australia for this purpose, and included a Participatory Action Research (PAR evaluation led by the UNE Project Manager. In this paper, members of the project team and the NAALCSC describe the pilot and reflect on its outcomes.

  4. PILOT TESTING OF MERCURY OXIDATION CATALYSTS FOR UPSTREAM OF WET FGD SYSTEMS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gary M. Blythe

    2002-01-01

    The objective of this project is to demonstrate at pilot scale the use of solid honeycomb catalysts to promote the oxidation of elemental mercury in the flue gas from coal combustion. The project is being funded by the U.S. DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-01NT41185. EPRI, Great River Energy (GRE), and City Public Service (CPS) of San Antonio are project co-funders. URS Group is the prime contractor. The mercury catalytic oxidation process under development uses catalyst materials applied to honeycomb substrates to promote the oxidation of elemental mercury in the flue gas from coal-fired power plants that have wet lime or limestone flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. Oxidized mercury is removed in the wet FGD absorbers and co-precipitates in a stable form with the byproducts from the FGD system. The co-precipitated mercury does not appear to adversely affect the disposal or reuse properties of the FGD byproduct. The current project will test previously identified, effective catalyst materials at a larger, pilot scale and in a commercial form, so as to provide engineering data for future full-scale designs. The pilot-scale tests will continue for up to 14 months at each of two sites to provide longer-term catalyst life data. This is the first full reporting period for the subject Cooperative Agreement. During this period, most of the project efforts were related to project initiation and planning. There is no significant technical progress to report for the current period

  5. Effects of Aluminium in Forest. Results of a pilot experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mulder, J; Wit, H de; Nygaard, P H

    1996-01-01

    This conference paper deals with an Norwegian pilot project which started in 1995 and finishing early 1999, investigates the solubility and phyto-toxicity of aluminium (Al) in mature forest ecosystems. The project consists of three major parts, including field manipulation study of Norwegian spruce stands, laboratory experiments and modelling Al chemistry in the root zone. 15 refs.

  6. The Citizen Science Project 'Mueckenatlas' Helps Monitor the Distribution and Spread of Invasive Mosquito Species in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walther, Doreen; Kampen, Helge

    2017-11-07

    The citizen science project 'Mueckenatlas' (mosquito atlas) was implemented in early 2012 to improve mosquito surveillance in Germany. Citizens are asked to support the spatiotemporal mapping of culicids by submitting mosquito specimens collected in their private surroundings. The Mueckenatlas has developed into an efficient tool for data collection with close to 30,000 mosquitoes submitted by the end of 2015. While the vast majority of submissions included native mosquito species, a small percentage represented invasive species. The discovery of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald) (Diptera: Culicidae) and Aedes koreicus (Edwards) (Diptera: Culicidae) specimens via the Mueckenatlas project prompted targeted monitoring activities in the field which produced additional information on the distribution of these species in Germany. Among others, Mueckenatlas submissions led to the detection of three populations of Ae. j. japonicus in West, North and Southeast Germany in 2012, 2013, and 2015, respectively. As demonstrated by on-site monitoring, the origins of Ae. j. japonicus specimens submitted to the Mueckenatlas mirror the distribution areas of the four presently known German populations as found by active field sampling (the fourth population already reported prior to the launch of the Mueckenatlas). The data suggest that a citizen science project such as the Mueckenatlas may aid in detecting changes in the mosquito fauna and can therefore be used to guide the design of more targeted field surveillance activities. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

  7. Summary of computational support and general documentation for computer code (GENTREE) used in Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation Pilot Salt Site Selection Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beatty, J.A.; Younker, J.L.; Rousseau, W.F.; Elayat, H.A.

    1983-01-01

    A Decision Tree Computer Model was adapted for the purposes of a Pilot Salt Site Selection Project conducted by the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI). A deterministic computer model was developed to structure the site selection problem with submodels reflecting the five major outcome categories (Cost, Safety, Delay, Environment, Community Impact) to be evaluated in the decision process. Time-saving modifications were made in the tree code as part of the effort. In addition, format changes allowed retention of information items which are valuable in directing future research and in isolation of key variabilities in the Site Selection Decision Model. The deterministic code was linked to the modified tree code and the entire program was transferred to the ONWI-VAX computer for future use by the ONWI project

  8. Bioretention for stormwater quality improvement in Texas : pilot experiments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    This report summarizes the results of pilot-scale bioretention experiments. Five steel boxes of 6 ft (L) 6 ft : (W) 4 ft (D) were constructed, each of which has a different type of vegetation: (1) shrubs, (2) grass : species in Texas Department...

  9. The 3D cadastre prototype and pilot in the Russian Federation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vandysheva, N.; Sapelnikov, S.; Van Oosterom, P.J.M.; De Vries, M.E.; Spiering, B.; Wouters, R.; Hoogeveen, A.; Penkov, V.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the developed prototype and the planned pilot of the on-going project on 3D cadastre modelling in the Russian Federation. The aim of this project is to provide guidance in the development of 3D Cadastral registration and to create favourable legal and institutional conditions for

  10. Mel-36 – preliminary description of a new morel species

    Science.gov (United States)

    A pilot survey of true morels (Morchella) of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), employing phylogenetic analyses of multilocus DNA sequence data, resulted in the discovery of a novel species that is currently only known from NL and New Brunswick. This unnamed species was informally designated Morchella ...

  11. AD-1 with research pilot Richard E. Gray

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-01-01

    Standing in front of the AD-1 Oblique Wing research aircraft is research pilot Richard E. Gray. Richard E. Gray joined National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, in November 1978, as an aerospace research pilot. In November 1981, Dick joined the NASA's Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California, as a research pilot. Dick was a former Co-op at the NASA Flight Research Center (a previous name of the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility), serving as an Operations Engineer. At Ames-Dryden, Dick was a pilot for the F-14 Aileron Rudder Interconnect Program, AD-1 Oblique Wing Research Aircraft, F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire and Pilot Induced Oscillations investigations. He also flew the F-104, T-37, and the F-15. On November 8, 1982, Gray was fatally injured in a T-37 jet aircraft while making a pilot proficiency flight. Dick graduated with a Bachelors degree in Aeronautical Engineering from San Jose State University in 1969. He joined the U.S. Navy in July 1969, becoming a Naval Aviator in January 1971, when he was assigned to F-4 Phantoms at Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, California. In 1972, he flew 48 combat missions in Vietnam in F-4s with VF-111 aboard the USS Coral Sea. After making a second cruise in 1973, Dick was assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Four (VX-4) at NAS Point Mugu, California, as a project pilot on various operational test and evaluation programs. In November 1978, Dick retired from the Navy and joined NASA's Johnson Space Center. At JSC Gray served as chief project pilot on the WB-57F high-altitude research projects and as the prime television chase pilot in a T-38 for the landing portion of the Space Shuttle orbital flight tests. Dick had over 3,000 hours in more than 30 types of aircraft, an airline transport rating, and 252 carrier arrested landings. He was a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots serving on the Board of Directors as Southwest Section Technical Adviser in

  12. Evaluation of the pilot procurement project in Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ostertag, Katrin

    2003-01-01

    Energy+ represents a European cooperative procurement initiative which aims at increasing the market share of highly energy-efficient cold appliances. Three years after its start, the project was recently evaluated in Germany. This paper discusses the main evaluation results and their implications for the project's further development. It covers the impacts of Energy+ on technology development and the commercial importance of the targeted appliances. Due to the project's relatively recent start, however, the main focus of the evaluation lies on the procurement process and practical implementation elements. Of particular interest are the specificities of the considered market segment which, in Germany and also in other participating countries, is characterised by highly dispersed consumers and the lack of large institutional buyers as candidates for a buyer group. The project therefore developed a new approach emphasising the role of retail organisations and of marketing activities by the project coordinators. The evaluation discusses several challenges related to this approach. This includes issues concerning the interfaces between international producers, their national branch offices and retailers as well as conflicts between the marketing approaches of producers and retailers, in particular with respect to the use of brand names and trade marks. Further, in Energy+ the communication between users and producers, an essential innovative element of cooperative procurement, cannot take its usual role, since consumers are not directly involved in the process. The paper shows how the project has dealt with these challenges and provides recommendations for the future project design

  13. 75 FR 56857 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-17

    ...-2006-26661; Amendment No., 141-14] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School..., certification, and operating requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools...: Background On August 21, 2009, the FAA published the ``Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School...

  14. Donor-funded project's sustainability assessment: a qualitative case study of a results-based financing pilot in Koulikoro region, Mali.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seppey, Mathieu; Ridde, Valéry; Touré, Laurence; Coulibaly, Abdourahmane

    2017-12-08

    Results-based financing (RBF) is emerging as a new alternative to finance health systems in many African countries. In Mali, a pilot project was conducted to improve demand and supply of health services through financing performance in targeted services. No study has explored the sustainability process of such a project in Africa. This study's objectives were to understand the project's sustainability process and to assess its level of sustainability. Sustainability was examined through its different determinants, phases, levels and contexts. These were explored using qualitative interviews to discern, via critical events, stakeholders' ideas regarding the project's sustainability. Data collection sites were chosen with the participation of different stakeholders, based on a variety of criteria (rural/urban settings, level of participation, RBF participants still present, etc.). Forty-nine stakeholders were then interviewed in six community health centres and two referral health centres (from 11/12/15 to 08/03/16), including health practitioners, administrators, and those involved in implementing and conceptualizing the program (government and NGOs). A theme analysis was done with the software © QDA Miner according to the study's conceptual framework. The results of this project show a weak level of sustainability due to many factors. While some gains could be sustained (ex.: investments in long-term resources, high compatibility of values and codes, adapted design to the implementations contexts, etc.) other intended benefits could not (ex.: end of investments, lack of shared cultural artefacts around RBF, loss of different tasks and procedures, need of more ownership of the project by the local stakeholders). A lack of sustainability planning was observed, and few critical events were associated to phases of sustainability. While this RBF project aimed at increasing health agents' motivation through different mechanisms (supervision, investments, incentives, etc

  15. Neuroradiology computer-assisted instruction using interactive videodisk: Pilot project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrews, C.L.; Goldsmith, D.G.; Osborn, A.G.; Stensaas, S.S.; Davidson, H.C.; Quigley, A.C.

    1987-01-01

    The availability of microcomputers, high-resolution monitors, high-level authoring languages, and videodisk technology make sophisticated neuroradiology instruction a cost-effective possibility. The authors developed a laser videodisk and interactive software to teach normal and pathologic gross and radiologic anatomy of the sellar/juxtasellar region. A spectrum of lesions is presented with information for differential diagnosis included. The exhibit permits conference participants to review the pilot module and experience the self-paced learning and self-evaluation possible with computer-assisted instruction. They also may choose to peruse a ''visual database'' by instant random access to the videodisk by hand control

  16. Texas Urban Triangle : pilot study to implement a spatial decision support system (SDSS) for sustainable mobility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-01

    This project addressed sustainable transportation in the Texas Urban Triangle (TUT) by conducting a pilot : project at the county scale. The project tested and developed the multi-attribute Spatial Decision Support : System (SDSS) developed in 2009 u...

  17. Movements and dive patterns of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) released from a mass stranding in the Florida Keys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, Randall S.; Fougeres, Erin M.; Cooper, Arthur G.; Stevens, Robert O.; Brodsky, Micah; Lingenfelser, Robert; Dold, Chris; Douglas, David C.

    2013-01-01

    Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are among the most common cetaceans to engage in mass strandings in the southeastern United States. Because these are primarily pelagic, continental shelf-edge animals, much of what is known about this species has derived from mass stranding events. Post-release monitoring via satellite-linked telemetry was conducted with two adult males determined on-site to be healthy, and released directly from a mass stranding of 23 pilot whales in May 2011, near Cudjoe Key, Florida. Tracking provided an opportunity to evaluate the decision for immediate release vs rehabilitation, and to learn more about the lives of members of this difficult-to-study species in the wild. The two pilot whales remained together for at least 16 d before transmissions from one pilot whale (Y-404) ceased. Dive patterns and travel rates suggested that Y-404’s condition deteriorated prior to signal loss. Pilot Whale Y-400 was tracked for another 51 d, moving from the Blake Plateau to the Greater Antilles, remaining in the Windward Passage east of Cuba for the last 17 d of tracking. Once he reached the Antilles, Y-400 remained in high-relief habitat appropriate for the species and made dives within or exceeding the reported range for depth and duration for this species, following expected diel patterns, presumably reflecting continued good health. Telemetry data indicate that he made at least one dive to 1,000 to 1,500 m, and several dives lasted more than 40 min. Although the fates of the two released pilot whales may have been different, the concept of evaluating health and releasing individuals determined to be healthy at the time of stranding appears to have merit as an alternative to bringing all members of mass-stranded pilot whale groups into rehabilitation.

  18. Interest in smart metering project surprises utility, IBM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horne, D.

    2006-01-01

    This article provided an outline of Hydro Ottawa and IBM's smart metering pilot project, which has resulted in high approval ratings from the public. The project features 375 participants broken down into 3 separate groups to look for potential consumption differences between customers charged according to standard time-of-use pricing; time-of-use with critical peak pricing; and time-of-use with critical peak rebates. The Ontario Smart Price Pilot project will be run for 5 months, and is expected to provide detailed energy information about usage. Past projects have indicated that customers respond quickly to smart metering, as they are able to monitor their energy usage and more effectively manage their energy consumption. Ontario plans to have all homes and small businesses using smart meters by 2010, as high seasonal demand has indicated that conservation and balanced resource use are now top priorities for many utility companies. At least 10 states in the United States have conducted smart metering pilot projects. The California Public Utilities Commissions has recently approved a $1.7 billion statewide plan to replace old meters with smart meters. In Ontario, customers have ordered 10,000 electricity monitors that Hydro One is giving away. It was concluded that research results from an earlier Hydro One demonstration project with 500 Ontario homeowners showed that real time electricity monitors can help homeowners reduce their consumption of electricity by up to 15 per cent. 4 figs

  19. Final Report on Pilot Studies / Final Report on Classroom Research with STEM and TESL Assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Biel, Carmen; Wake, Jo Dugstad; Hesse, Friedrich

    This Deliverable is the final report on pilot studies within the NEXT-TELL project (D6.7) and furthermore comprises the Deliverable on Classroom Research with STEM and TESL Assessment (D2.9) in order to avoid redundancies between those two Deliverables.......This Deliverable is the final report on pilot studies within the NEXT-TELL project (D6.7) and furthermore comprises the Deliverable on Classroom Research with STEM and TESL Assessment (D2.9) in order to avoid redundancies between those two Deliverables....

  20. Increasing the occupational therapy mental health workforce through innovative practice education: a pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodger, Sylvia; Thomas, Yvonne; Holley, Sue; Springfield, Elizabeth; Edwards, Ann; Broadbridge, Jacqui; Greber, Craig; McBryde, Cathy; Banks, Rebecca; Hawkins, Rachel

    2009-12-01

    This paper describes the evaluation of a pilot trial of two innovative placement models in the area of mental health, namely role emerging and collaborative supervision. The Queensland Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Collaborative conducted this trial in response to workforce shortages in mental health. Six occupational therapy students and eight practice educators were surveyed pre- and post-placements regarding implementation of these innovative models. Students participating in these placements reported that they were highly likely to work in mental health upon graduation, and practice educators were positive about undertaking innovative placements in future. An overview of the placement sites, trials, outcomes and limitations of this pilot trial is provided. Though limited by its small sample size, this pilot trial has demonstrated the potential of innovative placement models to provide valuable student learning experiences in mental health. The profession needs to develop expertise in the use of innovative placement models if students are to be adequately prepared to work with the mental health issues of the Australian community now and in the future.

  1. THRMS: A pilot risk management system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xue, D.; Xu, Y.

    2000-01-01

    Daya Bay NPP is the first commercial nuclear power plant in China. This plant is interested in and pro-active towards the development and application of PSA and PSA tools. This, together with the support from the IAEA promoted the project 'THRMS: the pilot study of risk management system for NPP'. The objectives in development and implementation of THRMS includes: survey and discuss on the development of the approaches used in constructing plant risk models; design and study on the realization of a real-time risk management system. An overview of the project is presented in this paper. (author)

  2. Possibilities of the management of Helianthus tuberosus species in Poodri PLA (Czech Republic)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svehlakova, H.; Janikova, A.; Kupka, J.; Sotkova, N.; Rajdus, T.

    2017-10-01

    This article deals with the possibilities of population management of invasive and in Czech Republic no - native species Helianthus tuberosus. We have chosen study areas in Poodri PLA, it is located near the industrial city Ostrava (Moravian-Silesian region). Invasive Helianthus tuberosus forms monodominant vegetation, excludes the original and often rare plant species and reduces biodiversity. It is a risk for the further development of the landscape of Poodri PLA. There is no known effective way to dispose of invasive Helianthus tuberosus so far. We have applied the proposed management works on 15 monitoring areas and then evaluated their effectiveness. We have used chemical (herbicides) and mechanical (mowing, digging up) methods and their combinations. The most effective was the combination of 3 interventions: manual mowing - spraying - mowing by mechanization, just mowing itself rather promotes the spread of the population. We can say this is a pilot study from a long-term project dealing with the effectiveness of different ways of invasive plants management.

  3. 76 FR 54095 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-31

    ... [Docket No.: FAA-2008-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules AGENCY... regulations concerning pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification. This rule will require pilot...

  4. ISO 50001 for Commercial Buildings: Lessons Learned From U.S. DOE Pilot Project: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deru, M.; Field, K.; Punjabi, S.

    2014-08-01

    In the U.S., the ISO 50001 Standard, which establishes energy management systems (EnMSs) and processes, has shown uptake primarily in the industrial sector. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) undertook a pilot program to explore ISO 50001 implementation in commercial buildings. Eight organizations participated as pilots, with technical assistance provided by DOE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). This paper shares important lessons learned from the pilot. Staff time was the most critical resource required to establish effective EnMSs in commercial buildings. The pilot also revealed that technical support and template/example materials were essential inputs. Crucial activities included evaluating performance, identifying goals, making connections, communicating operational controls, and tracking/reviewing progress. Benefits realized included enhanced intra-organizational connections, greater energy awareness, increased process efficiencies, and improved ability to make business cases. Incremental benefits for ISO 50001 certification were greater accountability, assurance of best practices, public relations opportunities, and potential to unlock verified savings credits or incentive money. Incremental certification costs included more staff/consultant time, money for certification, and a tendency to limit EnMS scope in order to ensure favorable audit results. Five best practices were identified - utilizing expert technical assistance, training, and other resources; focusing on implementation over documentation; keeping top management involved; considering organizational structure when selecting EnMS scope; and matching the implementation level to an EnMS's scope and scale. The last two practices are particularly relevant to the commercial buildings sector.

  5. Interspecific introgression in cetaceans: DNA markers reveal post-F1 status of a pilot whale.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Miralles

    Full Text Available Visual species identification of cetacean strandings is difficult, especially when dead specimens are degraded and/or species are morphologically similar. The two recognised pilot whale species (Globicephala melas and Globicephala macrorhynchus are sympatric in the North Atlantic Ocean. These species are very similar in external appearance and their morphometric characteristics partially overlap; thus visual identification is not always reliable. Genetic species identification ensures correct identification of specimens. Here we have employed one mitochondrial (D-Loop region and eight nuclear loci (microsatellites as genetic markers to identify six stranded pilot whales found in Galicia (Northwest Spain, one of them of ambiguous phenotype. DNA analyses yielded positive amplification of all loci and enabled species identification. Nuclear microsatellite DNA genotypes revealed mixed ancestry for one individual, identified as a post-F1 interspecific hybrid employing two different Bayesian methods. From the mitochondrial sequence the maternal species was Globicephala melas. This is the first hybrid documented between Globicephala melas and G. macrorhynchus, and the first post-F1 hybrid genetically identified between cetaceans, revealing interspecific genetic introgression in marine mammals. We propose to add nuclear loci to genetic databases for cetacean species identification in order to detect hybrid individuals.

  6. The Impact of Student-Directed Projects in Introductory Statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spence, Dianna J.; Bailey, Brad; Sharp, Julia L.

    2017-01-01

    A multi-year study investigated the impact of incorporating student-directed discovery projects into introductory statistics courses. Pilot instructors at institutions across the United States taught statistics implementing student-directed projects with the help of a common set of instructional materials designed to facilitate such projects.…

  7. The Crossed Projection to the Striatum in Two Species of Monkey and in Humans: Behavioral and Evolutionary Significance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Innocenti, Giorgio M.; Dyrby, Tim Bjørn; Andersen, Kasper Winther

    2017-01-01

    The corpus callosum establishes the anatomical continuity between the 2 hemispheres and coordinates their activity. Using histological tracing, single axon reconstructions, and diffusion tractography, we describe a callosal projection to n caudatus and putamen in monkeys and humans. In both species......, the origin of this projection is more restricted than that of the ipsilateral projection. In monkeys, it consists of thin axons (0.4–0.6 µm), appropriate for spatial and temporal dispersion of subliminal inputs. For prefrontal cortex, contralateral minus ipsilateral delays to striatum calculated from axon...... diameters and conduction distance are monkey and, by extrapolation,

  8. Value propositions of mHealth projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorski, Irena; Bram, Joshua T; Sutermaster, Staci; Eckman, Molly; Mehta, Khanjan

    While mHealth holds great potential for addressing global health disparities, a majority of the initiatives never proceed beyond the pilot stage. One fundamental concern is that mHealth projects are seldom designed from the customer's perspective to address their specific problems and/or create appreciable value. A customer-centric view, where direct tangible benefits of interventions are identified and communicated effectively, can drive customer engagement and advance projects toward self-sustaining business models. This article reviews the business models of 234 mHealth projects to identify nine distinct value propositions that solve specific problems for customers. Each of these value propositions is discussed with real-world examples, analyses of their design approaches and business strategies, and common enablers as well as hurdles to surviving past the pilot stage. Furthermore, a deeper analysis of 42 mHealth ventures that have achieved self-sustainability through project revenue provides a host of practical and poignant insights into the design of systems that can fulfil mHealth's promise to address healthcare challenges in the long term.

  9. Poverty Reduction in India through Palliative Care: A Pilot Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratcliff, Cathy; Thyle, Ann; Duomai, Savita; Manak, Manju

    2017-01-01

    EMMS International and Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) implemented a pilot project, poverty reduction in India through palliative care (PRIPCare). A total of 129 interviews with patients and family enrolled in palliative care at three EHA hospitals (in Fatehpur, Lalitpur and Utraula) and staff discussions established that 66% of palliative care patients had lost livelihoods due to illness, 26% of patients' families had members who had lost livelihoods due to the illness, 98% of enrolled households had debts, 59% had loans for which they had sold assets, 69% of households took out debt after their family member fell ill, many patients do not know about government benefits and lack necessary documents, many village headmen require bribes to give people access to benefits, and many bereaved women and children lose everything. Palliative care enabled 85% of patients and families to spend less on medicines, 31% of patients received free medicines, all patients reduced use of out-patient departments (OPDs), 20% reduced use of inpatient departments (IPDs), and therefore spent less on travel, 8% of patients had started earning again due to improved health, members of 10% of families started earning again, and one hospital educated 171 village headmen and increased by 5% the number of patients and their families receiving government benefits. If only 0.7% of needy adults are receiving palliative care, these benefits could be delivered to 143 times more families, targeted effectively at poverty reduction. Palliative care has great scope to reduce that most desperate poverty in India caused by chronic illness. This article concerns a study by the UK NGO EMMS International and Indian NGO EHA, to assess whether palliative care reduces household poverty. EHA staff had noticed that many patients spend a lot on ineffective treatment before joining palliative care, many families do not know their entitlement to government healthcare subsidies or government pensions, and many

  10. 75 FR 9638 - Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program; Caltrans Audit Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-03

    ... practice on a case- by-case basis. The FHWA recommends that Caltrans develop a departmentwide, holistic corrective action management approach and system that will develop and implement an internal process review... the Pilot Program. During the on-site audit, Caltrans staff and management continued to express...

  11. Environmental assessment: Raft River geothermal project pilot plant, Cassia County, Idaho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-09-01

    The action assessed here is the construction and operation of a 5- to 6-MW(e) (gross) geothermal pilot plant in the Raft River Valley of southern Idaho. This project was originally planned as a thermal test loop using a turbine simulator valve. The test loop facility (without the simulator valve) is now under construction. The current environmental assessment addresses the complete system including the addition of a turbine-generator and its associated switching gear in place of the simulator valve. The addition of the turbine-generator will result in a net production of 2.5 to 3.5 MW(e) with a commensurate reduction in waste heat to the cooling tower and will require the upgrading of existing transmission lines for offsite delivery of generated power. Construction of the facility will require disturbance of approximately 20 ha (50 acres) for the facility itself and approximately 22.5 ha (57 acres) for construction of drilling pads and ponds, pipelines, and roads. Existing transmission lines will be upgraded for the utility system interface. Interference with alternate land uses will be minimal. Loss of wildlife habitat will be acceptable, and US Fish and Wildlife Service recommendations for protection of raptor nesting sites, riparian vegetation, and other important habitats will be observed. During construction, noise levels may reach 100 dBA at 15 m (50 ft) from well sites, but wildlife and local residents should not be significantly affected if extended construction is not carried out within 0.5 km (0.3 miles) of residences or sensitive wildlife habitat. Water use during construction will not be large and impacts on competing uses are unlikely.

  12. The WHISK (Women's Health: Increasing the Awareness of Science and Knowledge) Pilot Project: Recognizing Sex and Gender Differences in Women's Health and Wellness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Lorece V; Dennis, Sabriya; Weaks, Francesca

    2013-09-01

    Women's health encompasses a continuum of biological, psychological, and social challenges that differ considerably from those of men. Despite the remarkable advances in science, women's health and sex differences research is slowly gaining recognition and acceptance. It is important that women's health gain attention as women are usually the gatekeepers of care for the family. Women's health and health outcomes are strongly influenced by sex and gender differences as well as geography. Around the world, the interplay of biology and culture brings about differences in men's and women's health, which have been largely overlooked. The Women's Health: Increasing the Awareness of Science and Knowledge (WHISK) Pilot Project was a multidisciplinary project aimed to increase the awareness of sex and gender differences in women's health and research among healthcare professionals. Theater expression and creative art were used to translate knowledge, enhance understanding, and increase the awareness of sex differences. Findings from this project clearly showed an apparent increase in knowledge and cultivation of new insights.

  13. Climate change and fire effects on a prairie-woodland ecotone: projecting species range shifts with a dynamic global vegetation model

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, David A.; Bachelet, Dominique M.; Symstad, Amy J.

    2013-01-01

    Large shifts in species ranges have been predicted under future climate scenarios based primarily on niche-based species distribution models. However, the mechanisms that would cause such shifts are uncertain. Natural and anthropogenic fires have shaped the distributions of many plant species, but their effects have seldom been included in future projections of species ranges. Here, we examine how the combination of climate and fire influence historical and future distributions of the ponderosa pine–prairie ecotone at the edge of the Black Hills in South Dakota, USA, as simulated by MC1, a dynamic global vegetation model that includes the effects of fire, climate, and atmospheric CO2 concentration on vegetation dynamics. For this purpose, we parameterized MC1 for ponderosa pine in the Black Hills, designating the revised model as MC1-WCNP. Results show that fire frequency, as affected by humidity and temperature, is central to the simulation of historical prairies in the warmer lowlands versus woodlands in the cooler, moister highlands. Based on three downscaled general circulation model climate projections for the 21st century, we simulate greater frequencies of natural fire throughout the area due to substantial warming and, for two of the climate projections, lower relative humidity. However, established ponderosa pine forests are relatively fire resistant, and areas that were initially wooded remained so over the 21st century for most of our future climate x fire management scenarios. This result contrasts with projections for ponderosa pine based on climatic niches, which suggest that its suitable habitat in the Black Hills will be greatly diminished by the middle of the 21st century. We hypothesize that the differences between the future predictions from these two approaches are due in part to the inclusion of fire effects in MC1, and we highlight the importance of accounting for fire as managed by humans in assessing both historical species distributions

  14. Climate change and fire effects on a prairie–woodland ecotone: projecting species range shifts with a dynamic global vegetation model

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, David A; Bachelet, Dominique M; Symstad, Amy J

    2013-01-01

    Large shifts in species ranges have been predicted under future climate scenarios based primarily on niche-based species distribution models. However, the mechanisms that would cause such shifts are uncertain. Natural and anthropogenic fires have shaped the distributions of many plant species, but their effects have seldom been included in future projections of species ranges. Here, we examine how the combination of climate and fire influence historical and future distributions of the ponderosa pine–prairie ecotone at the edge of the Black Hills in South Dakota, USA, as simulated by MC1, a dynamic global vegetation model that includes the effects of fire, climate, and atmospheric CO2 concentration on vegetation dynamics. For this purpose, we parameterized MC1 for ponderosa pine in the Black Hills, designating the revised model as MC1-WCNP. Results show that fire frequency, as affected by humidity and temperature, is central to the simulation of historical prairies in the warmer lowlands versus woodlands in the cooler, moister highlands. Based on three downscaled general circulation model climate projections for the 21st century, we simulate greater frequencies of natural fire throughout the area due to substantial warming and, for two of the climate projections, lower relative humidity. However, established ponderosa pine forests are relatively fire resistant, and areas that were initially wooded remained so over the 21st century for most of our future climate x fire management scenarios. This result contrasts with projections for ponderosa pine based on climatic niches, which suggest that its suitable habitat in the Black Hills will be greatly diminished by the middle of the 21st century. We hypothesize that the differences between the future predictions from these two approaches are due in part to the inclusion of fire effects in MC1, and we highlight the importance of accounting for fire as managed by humans in assessing both historical species distributions

  15. Climate change and fire effects on a prairie-woodland ecotone: projecting species range shifts with a dynamic global vegetation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, David A; Bachelet, Dominique M; Symstad, Amy J

    2013-12-01

    Large shifts in species ranges have been predicted under future climate scenarios based primarily on niche-based species distribution models. However, the mechanisms that would cause such shifts are uncertain. Natural and anthropogenic fires have shaped the distributions of many plant species, but their effects have seldom been included in future projections of species ranges. Here, we examine how the combination of climate and fire influence historical and future distributions of the ponderosa pine-prairie ecotone at the edge of the Black Hills in South Dakota, USA, as simulated by MC1, a dynamic global vegetation model that includes the effects of fire, climate, and atmospheric CO2 concentration on vegetation dynamics. For this purpose, we parameterized MC1 for ponderosa pine in the Black Hills, designating the revised model as MC1-WCNP. Results show that fire frequency, as affected by humidity and temperature, is central to the simulation of historical prairies in the warmer lowlands versus woodlands in the cooler, moister highlands. Based on three downscaled general circulation model climate projections for the 21st century, we simulate greater frequencies of natural fire throughout the area due to substantial warming and, for two of the climate projections, lower relative humidity. However, established ponderosa pine forests are relatively fire resistant, and areas that were initially wooded remained so over the 21st century for most of our future climate x fire management scenarios. This result contrasts with projections for ponderosa pine based on climatic niches, which suggest that its suitable habitat in the Black Hills will be greatly diminished by the middle of the 21st century. We hypothesize that the differences between the future predictions from these two approaches are due in part to the inclusion of fire effects in MC1, and we highlight the importance of accounting for fire as managed by humans in assessing both historical species distributions and

  16. Project Half Double

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svejvig, Per; Ehlers, Michael; Adland, Karoline Thorp

    activities carried out within the framework of the projects. The formal part of Project Half Double was initiated in June 2015. We started out by developing, refining and testing the Half Double methodology on seven pilot projects in the first phase of the project, which will end June 2016. The current......Project Half Double has a clear mission to succeed in finding a project methodology that can increase the success rate of our projects while increasing the speed at which we generate new ideas and develop new products and services. Chaos and complexity should be seen as a basic condition...... and as an opportunity rather than a threat and a risk. We are convinced that by doing so, we can strengthen Denmark’s competitiveness and play an important role in the battle for jobs and future welfare. The overall goal is to deliver “projects in half the time with double the impact”, where projects in half the time...

  17. Electricity demand response in China: Status, feasible market schemes and pilots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Weilin; Xu, Peng; Lu, Xing; Wang, Huilong; Pang, Zhihong

    2016-01-01

    Demand Response (DR) has been extensively developed and implemented in the US and Europe. However, DR hardly exists in many developing countries for similar problems such as rigid power market and state monopoly. With the increasing imbalance between supply and demand in China's power industry, the government has issued new policies on DR and approved the first batch of pilot cities. China is setting a good example of how to encourage DR under monopolistic electric market and open up the market to aggregators and DR suppliers. This paper summarizes the current DR status, feasible DR market schemes and DR pilot projects in China. First, electric power system reform, renewable energy policies and power industry development are reviewed, highlighting the problems associated with the current dispatch mechanisms of DR policies and markets. New DR programs and DR-related policies are also introduced. On this basis, the driving forces and challenges associated with DR in China are analyzed. The major challenge is the lack of a suitable market mechanism for the current Chinese power industry. Hence, this paper presents six feasible strategies that fully utilize the existing policies. Additionally, the latest DR applications in different pilot cities are summarized and analyzed. - Highlights: • Summarize the status, feasible market schemes and pilot projects of DR in China. • Highlight the problems of the current dispatch mechanisms of DR policies and market. • Analyze the driving forces and challenges associated with DR in China. • Present six feasible strategies that fully utilize the existing policies. • Summarize and analyze the latest DR applications in different pilot cities.

  18. Collaborative learning and cyber-cooperation in multidisciplinary projects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reijenga, J.C.; Siepe, A.H.M.; Yu, L.E.; Wang, C.H.

    2003-01-01

    In order to stimulate international cooperation in collaborative learning, a pilot project was initiated in which students from different disciplines (3 TU/e departments), at different Universities (TU/e and the National University of Singapore) worked together on a project, using information

  19. 'Motor challenge' pilot programme; Motor Challenge Pilotprogramm. Schweizer Teilnahme im SAVE-Programm: pilot actions for motor systems industrial energy use challenge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nipkow, J.

    2003-07-01

    This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents the results of a pilot project associated with the Motor Challenge Programme (MCP) initiated by the European Commission (Transport and Energy Committee). The programme is briefly described, which aims to improve the efficiency of electrical motors used in industrial compressed-air, pump and ventilator systems as well as in comprehensive motor driven systems. Switzerland's participation in this pilot project is examined, which was concluded after a period of two years when the Motor Challenge Programme itself was launched in February 2003. The mechanisms of the programme are described, whereby companies may become involved in the programme either as partners (users of drive systems) or as endorsers (suppliers, planners, etc., of such systems). Experience gained with two companies in Switzerland - a food processing group and a major chemical pulp producer - who participated in the programme is presented. Efficiency potentials of around 3 GWh/a were identified; these represent a high proportion of the estimated total of 18 GWh/a in the overall programme. A follow-up project is proposed that is to provide detailed information and initiate further efficiency projects in order to encourage other companies to participate in the MCP programme.

  20. Innovative model of delivering quality improvement education for trainees – a pilot project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kannan Ramar

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: After incorporating quality improvement (QI education as a required curriculum for our trainees in 2010, a need arose to readdress our didactic sessions as they were too long, difficult to schedule, and resulting in a drop in attendance. A ‘flipped classroom’ (FC model to deliver QI education was touted to be an effective delivery method as it allows the trainees to view didactic materials on videos, on their own time, and uses the classroom to clarify concepts and employ learned tools on case-based scenarios including workshops. Methods: The Mayo Quality Academy prepared 29 videos that incorporated the previously delivered 17 weekly didactic sessions, for a total duration of 135 min. The half-day session clarified questions related to the videos, followed by case examples and a hands-on workshop on how to perform and utilize a few commonly used QI tools and methods. Results: Seven trainees participated. There was a significant improvement in knowledge as measured by pre- and post-FC model test results [improvement by 40.34% (SD 16.34, p<0.001]. The survey results were overall positive about the FC model with all trainees strongly agreeing that we should continue with this model to deliver QI education. Conclusions: The pilot project of using the FC model to deliver QI education was successful in a small sample of trainees.

  1. The Hel Peninsula – Smart Grid Pilot Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sławomir Noske

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the scope and results of engineering, and the scope of Smart Grid deployment in the Hel Peninsula. The following functionalities will be described: Fault Detection, Isolation & Recovery – FDIR function, Integrated Volt/Var Control (IVVC function, advanced supervision of LV grid, including distributed energy resources. The paper contains implementation results and research findings, as well as preliminary cost-benefit analysis of the project. Moreover, since Smart Metering and Smart Grid projects are being deployed in the same region – the Hel Peninisula – the benefit achieved by merging the two projects will be explained.

  2. Project CAREER/CAN. Final Evaluation Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Educational Evaluation Services, Inc., Chestnut Hill, MA.

    A description and evaluation of (1) the development of the 4-column process which completes the behavioral objective data base, (2) the development of the computer retrieval capability, and (3) the pilot testing of the product in high school classrooms are included in this summative evaluation of Project CAREER/CAN. (Goals of Project CAREER/CAN,…

  3. Development and piloting of the Fiji Injury Surveillance in Hospitals System (TRIP Project-1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wainiqolo, I; Kafoa, B; McCaig, E; Kool, B; McIntyre, R; Ameratunga, S

    2013-01-01

    Whilst more than 90% of injury related deaths are estimated to occur in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), the epidemiology of fatal and hospitalised injuries in Pacific Island Countries has received scant attention. This study describes the development and piloting of a population-based trauma registry in Fiji to address this gap in knowledge. The Fiji Injury Surveillance in Hospitals (FISH) system was an active surveillance system designed to identify injuries resulting in death or a hospital admission in Viti Levu, Fiji. During the pilot conducted over five months in 2005, Accident and Emergency registers, admission folders and morgue registers from 8 of Viti Levu's 12 hospitals, and an additional 3 hospitals in other parts of the country were reviewed by hospital staff and medical students to identify cases and extract a minimum data set that included demographic factors; the mechanism, nature and context of injury; substance use; and discharge outcomes. The system was audited to identify and redress difficulties with data quality in a manner that also supported local capacity development and training in injury surveillance and data management. This pilot study demonstrated the potential to collect high quality data on injuries that can pose a significant threat to life in Fiji using a mechanism that also increased the capability of health professionals to recognise the significance of injury as a public health issue. The injury surveillance system piloted provides the opportunity to inform national injury control strategies in Fiji and increase the capacity for injury prevention and more focused research addressing risk factors in the local context. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Interspecific Hybridization in Pilot Whales and Asymmetric Genetic Introgression in Northern Globicephala melas under the Scenario of Global Warming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miralles, Laura; Oremus, Marc; Silva, Mónica A; Planes, Serge; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva

    2016-01-01

    Pilot whales are two cetacean species (Globicephala melas and G. macrorhynchus) whose distributions are correlated with water temperature and partially overlap in some areas like the North Atlantic Ocean. In the context of global warming, distribution range shifts are expected to occur in species affected by temperature. Consequently, a northward displacement of the tropical pilot whale G. macrorynchus is expected, eventually leading to increased secondary contact areas and opportunities for interspecific hybridization. Here, we describe genetic evidences of recurrent hybridization between pilot whales in northeast Atlantic Ocean. Based on mitochondrial DNA sequences and microsatellite loci, asymmetric introgression of G. macrorhynchus genes into G. melas was observed. For the latter species, a significant correlation was found between historical population growth rate estimates and paleotemperature oscillations. Introgressive hybridization, current temperature increases and lower genetic variation in G. melas suggest that this species could be at risk in its northern range. Under increasing environmental and human-mediated stressors in the North Atlantic Ocean, it seems recommendable to develop a conservation program for G. melas.

  5. Exploring the role of ethnic media and the community readiness to combat stigma attached to mental illness among Vietnamese immigrants: the pilot project Tam An (Inner Peace in Vietnamese).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Meekyung; Cao, Lien; Anton, Karen

    2015-01-01

    Vietnamese Americans are at high risk for developing mental health disorders due to multiple risk factors such as trauma and acculturative stress. However, the utilization of mental health services has been low. The pilot project Tam An was implemented to raise mental health awareness by engaging community resources in the Vietnamese population. Informed by the Community Readiness Model and through local ethnic media sources, messages to destigmatize mental health and promote the willingness to initiate mental health treatment were presented. Using an exploratory perspective, findings from focus group data suggest that the project improved the community's stage of readiness.

  6. The CarbFix Pilot Project in Iceland - CO2 capture and mineral storage in basaltic rocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdardottir, H.; Sigfusson, B.; Aradottir, E. S.; Gunnlaugsson, E.; Gislason, S. R.; Alfredsson, H. A.; Broecker, W. S.; Matter, J. M.; Stute, M.; Oelkers, E.

    2010-12-01

    The overall objective of the CarbFix project is to develop and optimize a practical and cost-effective technology for capturing CO2 and storing it via in situ mineral carbonation in basaltic rocks, as well as to train young scientist to carry the corresponding knowledge into the future. The project consists of a field injection of CO2 charged water at the Hellisheidi geothermal power plant in SW Iceland, laboratory experiments, numerical reactive transport modeling, tracer tests, natural analogue and cost analysis. The CO2 injection site is situated about 3 km south of the Hellisheidi geothermal power plant. Reykjavik Energy operates the power plant, which currently produces 60,000 tons/year CO2 of magmatic origin. The produced geothermal gas mainly consists of CO2 and H2S. The two gases will be separated in a pilot gas treatment plant, and CO2 will be transported in a pipeline to the injection site. There, CO2 will be fully dissolved in 20 - 25°C water during injection at 25 - 30 bar pressure, resulting in a single fluid phase entering the storage formation, which consists of relatively fresh basaltic lavas. The CO2 charged water is reactive and will dissolve divalent cations from the rock, which will combine with the dissolved carbon to form solid thermodynamically stable carbonate minerals. The injection test is designed to inject 2200 tons of CO2 per year. In the past three years the CarbFix project has been addressing background fluid chemistries at the injection site and characterizing the target reservoir for the planned CO2 injection. Numerous groundwater samples have been collected and analysed. A monitoring and accounting plan has been developed, which integrates surface, subsurface and atmospheric monitoring. A weather station is operating at the injection site for continuous monitoring of atmospheric CO2 and to track all key parameters for the injection. Environmental authorities have granted licenses for the CO2 injection and the use of tracers, based

  7. The GODAE High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donlon, C.; Ghrsst-Pp Science Team

    2003-04-01

    This paper summarises Development and Implementation Plan of the GODAE High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP). The aim of the GHRSST-PP is to coordinate a new generation of global, multi-sensor, high-resolution (better than 10 km and 12 hours) SST products for the benefit of the operational and scientific community and for those with a potential interest in the products of GODAE. The GHRSST-PP project will deliver a demonstration system that integrates data from existing international satellite and in situ data sources using state-of-the-art communications and analysis tools. Primary GHRSST-PP products will be generated by fusing infrared and microwave satellite data obtained from sensors in near polar, geostationary and low earth orbits, constrained by in situ observations. Surface skin SST, sub-surface SST and SST at depth will be produced as both merged and analysed data products. Merged data products have a common grid but all input data retaining their error statistics whereas analysed data products use all data to derive a best estimate data source having one set of error statistics. Merged SST fields will not be interpolated thereby preserving the integrity of the source data as much as possible. Products will be first produced and validated using in situ observations for regional areas by regional data assembly centres (RDAC) and sent to a global data analysis centre (GDAC) for integration with other data to provide global coverage. GDAC and RDAC will be connected together with other data using a virtual dynamic distributed database (DDD). The GDAC will merge and analyse RDAC data together with other data (from the GTS and space agencies) to provide global coverage every 12 hours in real time. In all cases data products will be accurate to better than 0.5 K validated using data collected at globally distributed diagnostic data set (DDS) sites. A user information service (UIS) will work together with user applications and services

  8. Baseline survey for rare plant species and native plant communities within the Kamehameha Schools 'Lupea Safe Harbor Planning Project Area, North Kona District, Island of Hawai'i

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobi, James; Warshauer, F. R.; Price, Jonathan

    2010-01-01

    Kamehameha Schools, in conjunction with several federal, state, and private organizations, has proposed to conduct conservation management on approximately 5,340 ha (~13,200 acres) of land they own in the vicinity of Kīpukalupea in the North Kona District on the island of Hawai'i. The goal of this program is to restore and enhance the habitat to benefit native plant and animal populations that are currently, or were formerly, found in this site. The initial phase of this project has been focused on various activities including conducting baseline surveys for bird and plant species so Kamehameha Schools could develop a Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) for the proposed project lands relative to the habitat management and species reintroduction efforts they would like to conduct in the Lupea Project area. This report summarizes methods that were used to collect field data on plant species and communities within the project area, and the results of that initial survey. The information was used to calculate baseline values for all listed threatened or endangered plant species found, or expected to be found, within the project area, and to design a monitoring program to assess changes in plant communities and rare plant species relative to management activities over the duration of the SHA.

  9. Priming a Pilot Implementation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Magnus Rotvit Perlt; Pedersen, Maria Ie

    2011-01-01

    Abstract. We report on the initial findings of an exploratory action research study about effects specifications using the systems development method Effects-driven IT development. It is part of a larger IS pilot implementation project conducted in the Danish healthcare sector. Through interviews...... and a workshop we have identified and specified effects that comprise the basis for an evaluation of the project between several organisational agents with diverse professional backgrounds. Gathering organisational participants at a workshop with a common goal of discussing and prioritizing a finished list...... of effects has proved to be a valuable approach to create mutual learning process amongst the participants and the facilitators of the workshop. The challenges we experienced during the effects specification process were to balance a dichotomous focus between on one hand the visions of the participants...

  10. 76 FR 63183 - Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-12

    ...-0938; Amendment Nos. 61-128, 91-324, 141-15, and 142-7] RIN 2120-AJ18 Pilot in Command Proficiency Check and Other Changes to the Pilot and Pilot School Certification Rules; Correction AGENCY: Federal... regulations to revise the pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification requirements. In particular...

  11. 14 CFR 61.73 - Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Military pilots or former military pilots... Ratings and Pilot Authorizations § 61.73 Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules. (a... a disciplinary action involving aircraft operations, a U.S. military pilot or former military pilot...

  12. Healthier snacks in school vending machines: a pilot project in four Ontario high schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callaghan, Christine; Mandich, Gillian; He, Meizi

    2010-01-01

    The Healthy Vending Machine Pilot Project (HVMPP) was a public health initiative intended to create a healthier school nutrition environment by making healthier snacks available in vending machines, while maintaining a profit margin. The HVMPP was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative measures. Vending machines were stocked with healthier choices and conventional vending products at a 50:50 ratio. The HVMPP was implemented from February to May 2007 in four Ontario secondary schools in Middlesex-London, Elgin, and Oxford counties. Product sales were tracked, and focus groups were conducted to obtain students' opinions about healthy eating and vending choices. "Healthier choice" sales ranged from 14% to 17%. In all schools, vending revenues declined from 0.7% to 66%. A majority of participants had substantial knowledge of healthy eating and were in favour of healthier choices in vending machines; however, price, value, and taste were barriers that led them to purchase these products rarely. Students preferred to have "real" healthy snacks, such as yogurt, fruit, and vegetables, available in schools. Replacing 50% of vending stock with healthier snacks resulted in a decline in vending revenues. Future health programs in schools need to provide "real" healthy snacks, such as low-fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables.

  13. To Green or Not to Green? Evaluation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Kansas City Middle Blue River Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    The City of Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department is implementing a pilot project to measure and evaluate the performance of green infrastructure. Information obtained through this pilot project will be used to guide the design of green solutions throughout Kansas City und...

  14. Poverty and Gender Perspective in Productive Projects for Rural Women in Mexico: Impact Evaluation of a Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urquieta-Salomon, Jose E.; Tepichin-Valle, Ana Maria; Tellez-Rojo, Martha Maria

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of a pilot study that promoted productive and capacity-building activities among deprived rural women of Mexico. The evaluation design is observational; 1,278 women are interviewed, and the comparison group is estimated by propensity score matching. The results show a positive impact on the…

  15. All projects related to | Page 506 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

    2008-03-09

    Project. Cameroon, like most other sub-Saharan African countries, has adopted laws devolving various responsibilities to local administrations. Start Date: March 9, 2008. End Date: November 3, 2010. Topic: PILOT PROJECTS, DECENTRALIZATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, HEALTH SERVICES, ...

  16. Pilot demonstrations of arsenic removal technologies.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siegal Malcolm D.

    2004-09-01

    The Arsenic Water Technology Partnership (AWTP) program is a multi-year program funded by a congressional appropriation through the Department of Energy to develop and test innovative technologies that have the potential to reduce the costs of arsenic removal from drinking water. The AWTP members include Sandia National Laboratories, the American Water Works Association (Awwa) Research Foundation and WERC (A Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development). The program is designed to move technologies from bench-scale tests to field demonstrations. The Awwa Research Foundation is managing bench-scale research programs; Sandia National Laboratories is conducting the pilot demonstration program and WERC will evaluate the economic feasibility of the technologies investigated and conduct technology transfer activities. The objective of the Sandia Arsenic Treatment Technology Demonstration project (SATTD) is the field demonstration testing of both commercial and innovative technologies. The scope for this work includes: (1) Identification of sites for pilot demonstrations; (2) Accelerated identification of candidate technologies through Vendor Forums, proof-of-principle laboratory and local pilot-scale studies, collaboration with the Awwa Research Foundation bench-scale research program and consultation with relevant advisory panels; and (3) Pilot testing multiple technologies at several sites throughout the country, gathering information on: (a) Performance, as measured by arsenic removal; (b) Costs, including capital and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs; (c) O&M requirements, including personnel requirements, and level of operator training; and (d) Waste residuals generation. The New Mexico Environment Department has identified over 90 public water systems that currently exceed the 10 {micro}g/L MCL for arsenic. The Sandia Arsenic Treatment Technology Demonstration project is currently operating pilots at three sites in New Mexico. The cities of

  17. PILOT DECONTAMINATION THROUGH PILOT SEQUENCE HOPPING IN MASSIVE MIMO SYSTEMS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2015-01-01

    path between one of the users and one of the base stations define one of the channels. The system comprises a pilot generation unit configured to assign pilot sequences randomly among the users and a pilot processing unit configured to filter the pilot sequences received from a user of interest so...... that the channel coefficient of the channel of the user of interest is determined. The pilot sequences received from the user of interest are contaminated by other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from other users of the cell of interest or other cells. The filter is configured so that the contamination...... caused by the other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from the other users is reduced....

  18. LAFLA public transportation public participation pilot program : final technical report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-01

    This report documents and presents the results of a pilot project conducted by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA). LAFLA identified that there is a perception among those living in and providing services to low-income communities that tr...

  19. 76 FR 19267 - Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical Amendment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-07

    .... No. 61-127] RIN 2120-AI86 Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Technical... for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. This document reinstates two... entitled, ``Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Pilot School Certification; Final Rule'' (74 FR 42500). That...

  20. Comparison of midwifery care to medical care in hospitals in the Quebec pilot projects study: clinical indicators. L'Equipe dEvaluation des Projets-Pilotes Sages-Femmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraser, W; Hatem-Asmar, M; Krauss, I; Maillard, F; Bréart, G; Blais, R

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare indicators of process and outcome of midwifery services provided in the Quebec pilot projects to those associated with standard hospital-based medical services. Women receiving each type of care (961 per group) were matched on the basis of socio-demographic characteristics and level of obstetrical risk. We found midwifery care to be associated with less obstetrical intervention and a reduction in selected indicators of maternal morbidity (caesarean section and severe perineal injury). For neonatal outcome indicators, midwifery care was associated with a mixture of benefits and risks: fewer babies with preterm birth and low birthweight, but a trend toward a higher stillbirth ratio and more frequent requirement for neonatal resuscitation. The study design does not permit to conclude that the associations were causal in nature. However, the high stillbirth rate observed in the group of women who were selected for midwife care raises concerns both regarding the appropriateness of the screening procedures for admission to such care and regarding the quality of care itself.

  1. Swiss Photovoltaics Programme 2008 edition - Summary report, annual project abstracts for 2007

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2008-04-15

    This comprehensive, illustrated report issued by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents an overview of activities in 2007 within the framework of the Swiss Photovoltaics Research Programme. Work completed in 2007 and the results achieved in the areas of cell technology, solar modules and building integration, electrical systems technology, supplementary projects and studies are summarised. National and international co-operation is examined. New, current and completed Pilot and Demonstration projects are reported on as are the prospects for the year 2008. The report is completed with lists of research and development as well as pilot and demonstration projects.

  2. Project Termination Report. Title IV-C Classroom Management Project. ESEA Title IV-C, August 29, 1981 - September 30, 1982.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halasa, Ofelia; Theus, Frank

    This report provides a summary description of the Title IV-C Classroom Management Project conducted in the Cleveland (Ohio) Public Schools. The purpose of this project was to develop and pilot test a resource handbook designed to improve elementary and secondary school teachers' ability to organize and manage their classrooms. The development of…

  3. Pilots 2.0: DIRAC pilots for all the skies

    CERN Document Server

    Stagni, F; McNab, A; Luzzi, C

    2015-01-01

    In the last few years, new types of computing infrastructures, such as IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service) and IAAC (Infrastructure as a Client), gained popularity. New resources may come as part of pledged resources, while others are opportunistic. Most of these new infrastructures are based on virtualization techniques. Meanwhile, some concepts, such as distributed queues, lost appeal, while still supporting a vast amount of resources. Virtual Organizations are therefore facing heterogeneity of the available resources and the use of an Interware software like DIRAC to hide the diversity of underlying resources has become essential. The DIRAC WMS is based on the concept of pilot jobs that was introduced back in 2004. A pilot is what creates the possibility to run jobs on a worker node. Within DIRAC, we developed a new generation of pilot jobs, that we dubbed Pilots 2.0. Pilots 2.0 are not tied to a specific infrastructure; rather they are generic, fully configurable and extendible pilots. A Pilot 2.0 can be s...

  4. 1-MWp electrical photovoltaic plant (EPHOP - project)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vitanov, P.; Toneva, A.; Petkanchin, L.; Ivancheva, J.; Neshev, S.

    2000-01-01

    The presented project concerns the realization of a grid connected 1-MW p pilot photovoltaic plant on the territory of Bulgaria.The purpose of the project is to demonstrate and prove solar energy advantages. A special attention will be paid to the possibility the generated electricity to join the national electric network. The site selection according to the meteorological conditions as well as general aspects of the project are discussed

  5. Improving education and supervision of Queensland X-ray Operators through video conference technology: A teleradiography pilot project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rawle, Marnie; Oliver, Tanya; Pighills, Alison; Lindsay, Daniel

    2017-12-01

    X-ray Operator (XO) supervision in Queensland is performed by radiographers in a site removed from the XO site. This has historically been performed by telephone when the XO requires immediate help, as well as post-examination through radiographer review and the provision of written feedback on images produced. This project aimed to improve image quality through the provision of real-time support of XOs by the introduction of video conference (VC) supervision. A 6-month pilot project compared image quality with and without VC supervision. VC equipment was installed in the X-ray room at two rural sites, as well as at the radiographer site, to enable visual and oral supervision. The VC unit enabled visualisation of the X-ray examination technique as it was being undertaken, as well as the images produced prior to transmission to the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). Statistically significant improvement in image quality criteria measures were seen for patient positioning (P = 0.008), image quality (P < 0.001) and diagnostic value (P < 0.001) of images taken during this project. No statistically significant differences were seen during case level assessment in the inclusion of only appropriate imaging (P = 0.06), and the inclusion of unacceptable imaging (P = 0.06), however improvements were seen in both of these criteria. The survey revealed 24.6% of examinations performed would normally have involved the XO contacting the radiographer for assistance, although, assistance was actually provided in 88.3% of examinations. This project has demonstrated that significant improvement in image quality is achievable with VC supervision. A larger study with a control arm that did not receive direct supervision should be used to validate the findings of this study. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy and New Zealand

  6. TEP Power Partners Project [Tucson Electric Power

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None, None

    2014-02-06

    The Arizona Governor’s Office of Energy Policy, in partnership with Tucson Electric Power (TEP), Tendril, and Next Phase Energy (NPE), formed the TEP Power Partners pilot project to demonstrate how residential customers could access their energy usage data and third party applications using data obtained from an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) network. The project applied for and was awarded a Smart Grid Data Access grant through the U.S. Department of Energy. The project participants’ goal for Phase I is to actively engage 1,700 residential customers to demonstrate sustained participation, reduction in energy usage (kWh) and cost ($), and measure related aspects of customer satisfaction. This Demonstration report presents a summary of the findings, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction with the 15-month TEP Power Partners pilot project. The objective of the program is to provide residential customers with energy consumption data from AMR metering and empower these participants to better manage their electricity use. The pilot recruitment goals included migrating 700 existing customers from the completed Power Partners Demand Response Load Control Project (DRLC), and enrolling 1,000 new participants. Upon conclusion of the project on November 19, 2013; 1,390 Home Area Networks (HANs) were registered; 797 new participants installed a HAN; Survey respondents’ are satisfied with the program and found value with a variety of specific program components; Survey respondents report feeling greater control over their energy usage and report taking energy savings actions in their homes after participating in the program; On average, 43 % of the participants returned to the web portal monthly and 15% returned weekly; and An impact evaluation was completed by Opinion Dynamics and found average participant savings for the treatment period1 to be 2.3% of their household use during this period.2 In total, the program saved 163 MWh in the treatment period of 2013.

  7. Former Dryden pilot and NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    Famed astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon during the historic Apollo 11 space mission in July 1969, served for seven years as a research pilot at the NACA-NASA High-Speed Flight Station, now the Dryden Flight Research Center, at Edwards, California, before he entered the space program. Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory (later NASA's Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, and today the Glenn Research Center) in 1955. Later that year, he transferred to the High-Speed Flight Station at Edwards as an aeronautical research scientist and then as a pilot, a position he held until becoming an astronaut in 1962. He was one of nine NASA astronauts in the second class to be chosen. As a research pilot Armstrong served as project pilot on the F-100A and F-100C aircraft, F-101, and the F-104A. He also flew the X-1B, X-5, F-105, F-106, B-47, KC-135, and Paresev. He left Dryden with a total of over 2450 flying hours. He was a member of the USAF-NASA Dyna-Soar Pilot Consultant Group before the Dyna-Soar project was cancelled, and studied X-20 Dyna-Soar approaches and abort maneuvers through use of the F-102A and F5D jet aircraft. Armstrong was actively engaged in both piloting and engineering aspects of the X-15 program from its inception. He completed the first flight in the aircraft equipped with a new flow-direction sensor (ball nose) and the initial flight in an X-15 equipped with a self-adaptive flight control system. He worked closely with designers and engineers in development of the adaptive system, and made seven flights in the rocket plane from December 1960 until July 1962. During those fights he reached a peak altitude of 207,500 feet in the X-15-3, and a speed of 3,989 mph (Mach 5.74) in the X-15-1. Armstrong has a total of 8 days and 14 hours in space, including 2 hours and 48 minutes walking on the Moon. In March 1966 he was commander of the Gemini 8

  8. Interprofessional Collaborative Practice to Improve Patient Outcomes: A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Styron

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This project focused on a pilot project implemented during the 2013-2014 academic year. The overall purpose was to facilitate interprofessional collaborative practice innovations through the development of leadership, core competencies, and the use of technology, especially among nurses. Nursing, medicine, and physician assistant students were educated on the IOM competencies for interprofessional teams and the core competencies identified by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative Expert Panel [1] to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to practice in the collaborative practice environments. The project addressed four goals: Develop faculty expertise and leadership in interprofessional collaborative practice to provide a current, high quality education to nursing, physician assistant, and medical students; Implement a culturally responsive and respectful collaborative interprofessional practice curriculum to prepare nurses, physician assistants, and medical students to deliver high quality, efficient, team-based care in a dynamically evolving environment; Focus interprofessional collaborative practice education on models and practices that lead to improvement in patient outcomes; and Evaluate the program and disseminate best practices. Findings from this pilot include strategies to engage different health professions' students and faculty, partnering with community agencies, building an effective interprofessional team to guide the project, and seeking funding for extension and expansion of the offerings.

  9. A bottom-up approach to estimating cost elements of REDD+ pilot projects in Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Merger Eduard

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several previous global REDD+ cost studies have been conducted, demonstrating that payments for maintaining forest carbon stocks have significant potential to be a cost-effective mechanism for climate change mitigation. These studies have mostly followed highly aggregated top-down approaches without estimating the full range of REDD+ costs elements, thus underestimating the actual costs of REDD+. Based on three REDD+ pilot projects in Tanzania, representing an area of 327,825 ha, this study explicitly adopts a bottom-up approach to data assessment. By estimating opportunity, implementation, transaction and institutional costs of REDD+ we develop a practical and replicable methodological framework to consistently assess REDD+ cost elements. Results Based on historical land use change patterns, current region-specific economic conditions and carbon stocks, project-specific opportunity costs ranged between US$ -7.8 and 28.8 tCOxxxx for deforestation and forest degradation drivers such as agriculture, fuel wood production, unsustainable timber extraction and pasture expansion. The mean opportunity costs for the three projects ranged between US$ 10.1 – 12.5 tCO2. Implementation costs comprised between 89% and 95% of total project costs (excluding opportunity costs ranging between US$ 4.5 - 12.2 tCO2 for a period of 30 years. Transaction costs for measurement, reporting, verification (MRV, and other carbon market related compliance costs comprised a minor share, between US$ 0.21 - 1.46 tCO2. Similarly, the institutional costs comprised around 1% of total REDD+ costs in a range of US$ 0.06 – 0.11 tCO2. Conclusions The use of bottom-up approaches to estimate REDD+ economics by considering regional variations in economic conditions and carbon stocks has been shown to be an appropriate approach to provide policy and decision-makers robust economic information on REDD+. The assessment of opportunity costs is a crucial first step to

  10. A bottom-up approach to estimating cost elements of REDD+ pilot projects in Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Several previous global REDD+ cost studies have been conducted, demonstrating that payments for maintaining forest carbon stocks have significant potential to be a cost-effective mechanism for climate change mitigation. These studies have mostly followed highly aggregated top-down approaches without estimating the full range of REDD+ costs elements, thus underestimating the actual costs of REDD+. Based on three REDD+ pilot projects in Tanzania, representing an area of 327,825 ha, this study explicitly adopts a bottom-up approach to data assessment. By estimating opportunity, implementation, transaction and institutional costs of REDD+ we develop a practical and replicable methodological framework to consistently assess REDD+ cost elements. Results Based on historical land use change patterns, current region-specific economic conditions and carbon stocks, project-specific opportunity costs ranged between US$ -7.8 and 28.8 tCOxxxx for deforestation and forest degradation drivers such as agriculture, fuel wood production, unsustainable timber extraction and pasture expansion. The mean opportunity costs for the three projects ranged between US$ 10.1 – 12.5 tCO2. Implementation costs comprised between 89% and 95% of total project costs (excluding opportunity costs) ranging between US$ 4.5 - 12.2 tCO2 for a period of 30 years. Transaction costs for measurement, reporting, verification (MRV), and other carbon market related compliance costs comprised a minor share, between US$ 0.21 - 1.46 tCO2. Similarly, the institutional costs comprised around 1% of total REDD+ costs in a range of US$ 0.06 – 0.11 tCO2. Conclusions The use of bottom-up approaches to estimate REDD+ economics by considering regional variations in economic conditions and carbon stocks has been shown to be an appropriate approach to provide policy and decision-makers robust economic information on REDD+. The assessment of opportunity costs is a crucial first step to provide information on the

  11. Agate and Amethyst Project. Detailed Exploration of amethyst deposits. Gemological District Los Catalanes - Artigas, Uruguay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Techera, J.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this project is to achieve the knowledge of the amethyst geodes deposits filled with hard rock. For this purpose have studied two sites located in pilot mine Santino and pilot mine La Cordillera in the Gemoligical district Los Catalnes in Artigas town. The importance of this mineral riches is the base of mining projects that generate jobs and services.

  12. Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gates, C. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Neuhauser, K. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2014-03-01

    Between December, 2009 and December, 2012 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a DER pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 37 of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while 5 were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. The 42 DER projects represent 60 units of housing. The comprehensive projects all implemented a consistent 'package' of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Projects exhibited some variations in the approach to implementing the retrofit package. Pre- and post-retrofit air leakage measurements were performed for each of the projects. Each project also reported information about project costs including identification of energy-related costs. Post-retrofit energy-use data was obtained for 29 of the DER projects. Post-retrofit energy use was analyzed based on the net energy used by the DER project regardless of whether the energy was generated on site or delivered to the site. Homeowner surveys were returned by 12 of the pilot participants. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110 MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average. Larger to medium sized homes that successful implement these retrofits can be expected to achieve source EUI that is comparable to Passive House targets for new construction. The community of DER projects show post-retrofit airtightness below 1.5 ACH50 to be eminently achievable.

  13. Resources to Support Faculty Writing Data Management Plans: Lessons Learned from an Engineering Pilot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natsuko H. Nicholls

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Recent years have seen a growing emphasis on the need for improved management of research data. Academic libraries have begun to articulate the conceptual foundations, roles, and responsibilities involved in data management planning and implementation. This paper provides an overview of the Engineering data support pilot at the University of Michigan Library as part of developing new data services and infrastructure. Through this pilot project, a team of librarians had an opportunity to identify areas where the library can play a role in assisting researchers with data management, and has put forth proposals for immediate steps that the library can take in this regard. The paper summarizes key findings from a faculty survey and discusses lessons learned from an analysis of data management plans from accepted NSF proposals. A key feature of this Engineering pilot project was to ensure that these study results will provide a foundation for librarians to educate and assist researchers with managing their data throughout the research lifecycle.

  14. Pilot study approach and qualification dossier components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ammirato, F.; Ashwin, P.

    2000-01-01

    The aim of the Pilot Project is to evaluate the IAEA Guidelines and methodology for the benefit of IAEA Member States trough a simulation of qualification activities. The Project is based on a real component and available data - NPP Kozloduy unit 5, weld 3. The initial phase is limited to the Qualification dossier. The Project relies on the input from the team members and Member States. Team organization and responsibilities are presented. The components of the Qualification Dossier (technical specification, inspection procedure and preliminary review, qualification procedure) and their current status are also presented. A comparison is done with their qualification programs. The characteristics of performance demonstrations are discussed. The results show that the teamwork has been successful and the IAEA methodology covers all situations. It is expected that the End Project will become 'Benchmark's' for future qualification activities

  15. Historical review and future perspectives for Pilot Transonic Wind Tunnel of IAE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Batista P. Falcão Filho

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The Pilot Transonic Wind Tunnel of Institute of Aeronautics and Space (PTT Pilot Transonic Wind Tunnel is an important result of a tremendous effort to install a high speed wind tunnel complex (TTS acronyms for Transonic and Supersonic Tunnels, in Portuguese at the IAE, to support Brazilian aerospace research. Its history is described below, starting from the moment the TTS project was first conceived, highlighting each successive phase, mentioning the main difficulties encountered, and the solutions chosen, up until the final installation of the Pilot facility. A brief description of the tunnel's shakedown and calibration phases is also given, together with the present campaigns and proposed activities for the near future.

  16. The SISTA pilot project: understanding the training and technical assistance needs of community-based organizations implementing HIV prevention interventions for African American women--implications for a capacity building strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuller, Taleria R; Brown, Mari; King, Winifred; Prather, Cynthia; Cazaubon, Janine; Mack, Justin; Russell, Brandi

    2007-01-01

    The disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS among African American women in the U.S. signify the ongoing need for targeted HIV prevention interventions. Additionally, building the capacity of service providers to sustain prevention efforts is a major concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a pilot project to disseminate the Sisters Informing Sisters about Topics on AIDS (SISTA), an HIV prevention intervention designed for African American women. The project was to inform the diffusion process and examine the training and technical assistance needs of participating community-based organizations. Results demonstrated a need for extensive pre-planning and skills-building prior to implementation.

  17. WTP Pilot-Scale Evaporation Tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    QURESHI, ZAFAR

    2004-01-01

    This report documents the design, assembly, and operation of a Pilot-Scale Evaporator built and operated by SRTC in support of Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) Project at the DOE's Hanford Site. The WTP employs three identical evaporators, two for the Waste Feed and one for the Treated LAW. The Pilot-Scale Evaporator was designed to test simulants for both of these waste streams. The Pilot-Scale Evaporator is 1/76th scale in terms of evaporation rates. The basic configuration of forced circulation vacuum evaporator was employed. A detailed scaling analysis was performed to preserve key operating parameters such as basic loop configuration, system vacuum, boiling temperature, recirculation rates, vertical distances between important hardware pieces, reboiler heat transfer characteristics, vapor flux, configuration of demisters and water spray rings. Three evaporation test campaigns were completed. The first evaporation run used water in order to shake down the system. The water runs were important in identifying a design flaw that inhibited mixing in the evaporator vessel, thus resulting in unstable boiling operation. As a result the loop configuration was modified and the remaining runs were completed successfully. Two simulant runs followed the water runs. Test 1: Simulated Ultrafiltration Recycles with HLW SBS, and Test 2: Treated AN102 with Envelop C LAW. Several liquid and offgas samples were drawn from the evaporator facility for regulatory and non-regulatory analyses. During Test 2, the feed and the concentrate were spiked with organics to determine organic partitioning. The decontamination factor (DF) for Test 1 was measured to be 110,000 (more than the expected value of 100,000). Dow Corning Q2-3183A antifoam agent was tested during both Tests 1 and 2. It was determined that 500 ppm of this antifoam agent was sufficient to control the foaminess to less than 5 per cent of the liquid height. The long-term testing (around 100 hours of operation) did not show any

  18. Water-gas shift (WGS) Operation of Pre-combustion CO2 Capture Pilot Plant at the Buggenum IGCC

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Dijk, H.A.J.; Damen, K.; Makkee, M.; Trapp, C.

    2014-01-01

    In the Nuon/Vattenfall CO2 Catch-up project, a pre-combustion CO2 capture pilot plant was built and operated at the Buggenum IGCC power plant, the Netherlands. The pilot consist of sweet water-gas shift, physical CO2 absorption and CO2 compression. The technology performance was verified and

  19. Integration of midwives into the Quebec health care system. L'Equipe d'Evaluation des Projets-Pilotes Sages-Femmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collin, J; Blais, R; White, D; Demers, A; Desbiens, F

    2000-01-01

    This paper reports on one aspect of the evaluation of the midwifery pilot projects in Quebec: the identification of the professional and organizational factors, as well as the mode of integrating midwives into the maternity care system, that would promote the best outcomes and the autonomy of midwives. The research strategy involved a multiple-case study, in which each midwifery pilot project represented a case. Based on a qualitative approach, the study employed various sources of data: individual interviews and focus groups with key informants, site observations and analyses of written documents. Results show that midwives were poorly integrated into the health care system during the evaluation. Four main reasons were identified: lack of knowledge about the practice of midwifery on the part of other health care providers; deficiencies in the legal and organizational structure of the pilot projects; competition over professional territories; and gaps between the midwives' and other providers' professional cultures. Recommendations are provided to facilitate the integration of midwives into the health care system.

  20. Pilot project for implantation of the National Commission on Radiation Protection and Dosimetry of CONTER, Brazil; Projeto piloto de implantação da Comissão Nacional de Radioproteção e Dosimetria do CONTER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Padilha Filho, L.G., E-mail: lucaspadilhaemec@gmail.com [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil); Santos, J.R.A.; Dmitruk, P.P.; Souza, J.H.C.; Hamann, J.H. [Conselho Nacional dos Técnicos e Tecnólogos em Radiologia (CONTER), Brasília, DF (Brazil); Soboll, D.S. [Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil)

    2017-07-01

    This work presents the pilot project of the National Council of Technicians and Technologists in Radiology (CONTER), which created the National Commission on Radioprotection and Dosimetry (CNRD), in order to develop a radioprotection culture for professionals in radiographic techniques.