Project-Based Learning Not Just for STEM Anymore

Science.gov (United States)

Duke, Nell K.; Halvorsen, Anne-Lise; Strachan, Stephanie L.

2016-01-01

The popularity of project-based learning has been driven in part by a growing number of STEM schools and programs. But STEM subjects are not the only fertile ground for project-based learning (PBL). Social studies and literacy content, too, can be adapted into PBL units to benefit teaching and learning, the authors argue. They review key studies…

Habitat Demonstration Unit Project: Leadership and Management Strategies for a Rapid Prototyping Project

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Kriss J.; Toup, Larry; Gill, Tracy; Tri, Terry; Howe, Scott; Smitherman, David

2011-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) led multi-center Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) project leadership and management strategies being used by the NASA HDU team for a rapid prototyping project. The HDU project team constructed and tested an analog prototype lunar surface habitat/laboratory called the Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) during 2010. The prototype unit subsystems were integrated in a short amount of time, utilizing a tiger team rapid prototyping approach that brought together over 20 habitation-related technologies and innovations from a variety of NASA centers. This paper describes the leadership and management strategies as well as lessons learned pertaining to leading and managing a multi-center diverse team in a rapid prototype environment. The PEM configuration went from a paper design to an operational surface habitat demonstration unit in less than 12 months. The HDU project is part of the strategic plan from the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Directorate Integration Office (DIO) and the Exploration Mission Systems Office (EMSO) to test destination elements in analog environments. The 2011 HDU-Deep Space Habitat (DSH) configuration will build upon the PEM work, and emphasize validity of crew operations (remote working and living), EVA operations, mission operations, logistics operations, and science operations that might be required in a deep space context for Near Earth Object (NEO) exploration mission architectures. The 2011 HDU-DSH will be field-tested during the 2011 Desert Research and Technologies Studies (DRaTS) field tests. The HDU project is a "technology-pull" project that integrates technologies and innovations from multiple NASA centers. This project will repurpose the HDU 2010 demo unit that was field tested in the 2010 DRaTS, adding habitation functionality to the prototype unit. This paper will describe the strategy of establishing a multi-center project

Habitat Demonstration Unit Project Leadership and Management Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Kriss J.

2011-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) led multi-center Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) project leadership and management strategies. The HDU project team constructed and tested an analog prototype lunar surface habitat/laboratory called the Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) during 2010. The prototype unit subsystems were integrated in a short amount of time, utilizing a tiger team approach that brought together over 20 habitation-related technologies and innovations from a variety of NASA centers. This paper describes the leadership and management strategies as well as lessons learned pertaining to leading and managing a multi-center diverse team in a rapid prototype environment. The PEM configuration went from a paper design to an operational surface habitat demonstration unit in less than 12 months. The HDU project is part of the strategic plan from the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Directorate Integration Office (DIO) and the Exploration Mission Systems Office (EMSO) to test destination elements in analog environments. The 2011 HDU-Deep Space Habitat (DSH) configuration will build upon the PEM work, and emphasize validity of crew operations (remote working and living), EVA operations, mission operations, logistics operations, and science operations that might be required in a deep space context for Near Earth Object (NEO) exploration mission architectures. The 2011 HDU-DSH will be field-tested during the 2011 Desert Research and Technologies Studies (DRaTS) field tests. The HDU project is a "technology-pull" project that integrates technologies and innovations from multiple NASA centers. This project will repurpose the HDU 2010 demo unit that was field tested in the 2010 DRaTS, adding habitation functionality to the prototype unit. This paper will describe the strategy of establishing a multi-center project management team that put in place the key multi-center leadership skills and

7 CFR 275.18 - Project area/management unit corrective action plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Project area/management unit corrective action plan... SYSTEM Corrective Action § 275.18 Project area/management unit corrective action plan. (a) The State agency shall ensure that corrective action plans are prepared at the project area/management unit level...

The Evolution of Culture-Climate Interplay in Temporary Multi-Organisations: The Case of Construction Alliancing Projects

OpenAIRE

Kusuma, I. C.

2016-01-01

Organisational culture has been a long-standing debate in management research. However, in the field of construction project management, it is relatively under-explored. This is mainly due to the different organisational context of Temporary Multi-Organisations (TMOs). This research re-explores the notion of organisational culture in construction projects. Based on Darwin’s theory of evolution this research goes back to the very beginning; illustrating the exact meaning and dynamics of organi...

Minneapolis Multi-Ethnic Curriculum Project--Migration Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Minneapolis Public Schools, Minn. Dept. of Intergroup Education.

The student booklet presents short chapters illustrating the migration unit of the Minneapolis Multi-Ethnic Curriculum Project for secondary schools. Sixteen brief chapters describe migration, immigration, and emigration in the United States. The first six chapters offer first person accounts of immigrants from Norway, Korea, Egypt, Hitler's…

Concepts, Operations, and Feasibility of a Projection-Based Variation Control System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stanciulescu, Stefan; Berger, Thorsten; Walkingshaw, Eric

2016-01-01

on a subset of all variants could ease the engineering of highly configurable software. We investigate the potential of one kind of such tools: projection-based variation control systems. For such systems we aim to understand: (i) what end-user operations they need to support, and (ii) whether they can...... realize the actual evolution of real-world, highly configurable software. We conduct an experiment that investigates variability-related evolution patterns and that evaluates the feasibility of a projection-based variation control system by replaying parts of the history of a highly configurable real......Highly configurable software often uses preproces- sor annotations to handle variability. However, understanding, maintaining, and evolving code with such annotations is difficult, mainly because a developer has to work with all variants at a time. Dedicated methods and tools that allow working...

The three-dimensional matrix -- An evolution in project management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glidewell, D.

1996-09-01

In the Functional Department Dimension, functional departments such as project management, design, and construction would be maintained to maximize consistency among project teams, evenly allocate training opportunities, and facilitate the crossfeeding of lessons learned and innovative ideas. Functional departments were also determined to be the surest way of complying uniformly with all project control systems required by the Department of Energy (Sandia`s primary external customer). The Technical Discipline dimension was maintained to enhance communication within the technical disciplines, such as electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, etc., and to evenly allocate technical training opportunities, reduce technical obsolescence, and enhance design standards. The third dimension, the Project Dimension, represents the next step in the project management evolution at Sandia, and together with Functional Department and Technical Discipline Dimensions constitutes the three-dimensional matrix. It is this Project Dimension that will be explored thoroughly in this paper, including a discussion of the specific roles and responsibilities of both management and the project team.

Knowledge capture and preservation at Cernavoda Unit 2 Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condu, M.; Chirica, T.; Popescu, D.; Marculescu, N.

2007-01-01

Full text: As it is known, Cernavoda Unit 2 - Romania, is a delayed nuclear power plant (NPP), started in early '80s, works were frozen in 1990 and resumed in 2003 under a management contract concluded by Nuclearelectrica, the Romanian nuclear utility, with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL)-Canada and Ansaldo - Italy. This project has many specificities, including long time stored equipment, some works done 15 to 20 years ago; technology developments during these years; only couple of staff available from those initially involved; and a forthcoming project (Cernavoda Units 3 and 4) in its latest development phase. On top of that, like in other Eastern European countries, Nuclearelectrica is losing people due to salary issue and 'brain drain'. In the actual international situation where the nuclear energy contribution to energy mix is under reconsideration and where the demand for qualified personnel significantly exceeds the offer, it is estimated that maybe the biggest challenge of the forthcoming Cernavoda Units 3 and 4 would be availability of human resources. As Cernavoda Unit 2 Project goes towards a successful completion, all those who put lots of efforts and a difficult to overestimate contribution to overcome all challenges of this special Project will leave one after the other. Special attention is being given by Nuclearelectrica and the main contractors AECL and Ansaldo capturing the knowledge (both explicit and tacit) accumulated in these last almost five years and to leave to those who will continue the forthcoming Unit 3 and 4 Projects and to the nuclear industry in general. The objective on knowledge capture and preservation is to gather all experience and lessons learned during contracting, financing, constructing and commissioning of NPP Cernavoda Unit 2, with a focus on tacit knowledge and to asses potential improvements that might be applied in the forthcoming projects, in order to improve nuclear and economic performance. There are couple of

Cernavoda - Unit 2. A strategic project for Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saroudis, J.I.; Chirica, T.; Villabruna, G.

1999-01-01

The paper presents some key aspects of the Romanian nuclear program, focusing on Cernavoda NPP Unit No. 2 and the partnership with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) and ANSALDO Italy for completion of this project. A brief historical presentation of the Romanian nuclear program is included. The success of Cernavoda NPP Unit 1 represents an important element in finalizing Unit 2 in an advanced state of equipment installation and more than 40 % complete. Also, the national infrastructure, including the legal framework and new Electricity Law represents a positive element for Project completion. The Romanian Nuclear Regulatory Body represents the guarantee for the safe operation of CANDU reactors in Romania.(author)

The method of projected characteristics for the evolution of magnetic arches

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Y.; Hu, Y. Q.; Wu, S. T.

1987-01-01

A numerical method of solving fully nonlinear MHD equation is described. In particular, the formulation based on the newly developed method of projected characteristics (Nakagawa, 1981) suitable to study the evolution of magnetic arches due to motions of their foot-points is presented. The final formulation is given in the form of difference equations; therefore, the analysis of numerical stability is also presented. Further, the most important derivation of physically self-consistent, time-dependent boundary conditions (i.e. the evolving boundary equations) is given in detail, and some results obtained with such boundary equations are reported.

Decommissioning project management unit started its activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medeliene, D.

2002-01-01

The Decommissioning Project Management Unit team comprises western experts as well as experts from INPP Decommissioning Service who all work as a single team. The DPMU will develop the Final Decommissioning Plan and a more detailed Decommissioning Project, which will describe how the plant will be removed from service and safely decommissioned

Evolution of Ore Deposits and Technology Transfer Project: Isotope and Chemical Methods in Support of the U.S. Geological Survey Science Strategy, 2003-2008

Science.gov (United States)

Rye, Robert O.; Johnson, Craig A.; Landis, Gary P.; Hofstra, Albert H.; Emsbo, Poul; Stricker, Craig A.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Rusk, Brian G.

2010-01-01

Principal functions of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Resources Program are providing assessments of the location, quantity, and quality of undiscovered mineral deposits, and predicting the environmental impacts of exploration and mine development. The mineral and environmental assessments of domestic deposits are used by planners and decisionmakers to improve the stewardship of public lands and public resources. Assessments of undiscovered mineral deposits on a global scale reveal the potential availability of minerals to the United States and other countries that manufacture goods imported to the United States. These resources are of fundamental relevance to national and international economic and security policy in our globalized world economy. Performing mineral and environmental assessments requires that predictions be made of the likelihood of undiscovered deposits. The predictions are based on geologic and geoenvironmental models that are constructed for the diverse types of mineral deposits from detailed descriptions of actual deposits and detailed understanding of the processes that formed them. Over the past three decades the understanding of ore-forming processes has benefited greatly from the integration of laboratory-based geochemical tools with field observations and other data sources. Under the aegis of the Evolution of Ore Deposits and Technology Transfer Project (referred to hereinafter as the Project), a 5-year effort that terminated in 2008, the Mineral Resources Program provided state-of-the-art analytical capabilities to support applications of several related geochemical tools to ore-deposit-related studies. The analytical capabilities and scientific approaches developed within the Project have wide applicability within Earth-system science. For this reason the Project Laboratories represent a valuable catalyst for interdisciplinary collaborations of the type that should be formed in the coming years for the United States to meet

Mesozoic evolution of the Tisza Mega-unit

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, János; Péró, Csaba

The south-eastern part of the basement of the Pannonian Basin is made up of Variscan crystalline complexes and early Mesozoic formations showing striking affinity with the corresponding formations in the southern margin of the European Plate. This large composite structural unit, which is actually an exotic terrane of European Plate origin, has been named the Tisza Mega-unit. Based upon relevant data of the pre-Tertiary basement of southern Hungary the reconstruction of the position of the Tisza Terrane in the early Alpine evolutionary stages, the process of its separation and break-off from the European Plate, and results of its Eo-Alpine deformations are summarised in the present paper. In the Variscan and early Alpine evolutionary stages the area of the later Tisza Mega-unit was located at the margin of the European Plate. During Variscan orogeny terrane accretion led to intensive deformation and metamorphism in this belt. This was followed by transpressional tectonics and the development of molasse basins in the late and post-Variscan stages, and passive margin evolution after the Neotethys opening in the Middle Triassic. The separation of the Tisza Mega-unit began with incipient continental rifting along the axis of the later Ligurian-Penninic-Vahic oceanic branch in the Late Triassic. The end of terrigenous material deposition in the most external zones, and a coeval change in fossil assemblage, point to the separation of the Tisza Block from the European Plate in the Early Bathonian. Significant rotation of the Tisza Mega-unit and coeval paroxysm of alkaline rift-type basalt volcanism took place in the Early Cretaceous. In the mid-Cretaceous, due to the northward motion of the Adria Block and the related closure of the westernmost Neotethys basin, the extensional regime changed to a compressional one, leading to onset of the nappe stacking and low-grade regional metamorphism within the Tisza microplate. In the foreland of the nappe systems flexural basins

Project for construction of a new nuclear unit in Armenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

WorleyParsons Project Description Scope of work: Management Services for Implementation of the Project on Construction of New Nuclear Unit(s) in the Republic of Armenia. Client: Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MENR), Republic of Armenia •Contract signed on 29 of May 2009 •Project divided into 4 Phases. Addendum 1 covers phase I and II signed on 27 of July. Contract entered into force 7 of August

Project-Based Management Development: "The Volvo Story."

Science.gov (United States)

Branch, John; Smith, Bryan

1992-01-01

A modular group project-based approach to management development was implemented by Volvo Concessionaires (United Kingdom) in partnership with training consultants. Ingredients of its success included top-level commitment, investment in diagnosis and tailoring, and use of company-specific case studies. (SK)

The fundamental units, processes and patterns of evolution, and the Tree of Life conundrum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolf Yuri I

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The elucidation of the dominant role of horizontal gene transfer (HGT in the evolution of prokaryotes led to a severe crisis of the Tree of Life (TOL concept and intense debates on this subject. Concept Prompted by the crisis of the TOL, we attempt to define the primary units and the fundamental patterns and processes of evolution. We posit that replication of the genetic material is the singular fundamental biological process and that replication with an error rate below a certain threshold both enables and necessitates evolution by drift and selection. Starting from this proposition, we outline a general concept of evolution that consists of three major precepts. 1. The primary agency of evolution consists of Fundamental Units of Evolution (FUEs, that is, units of genetic material that possess a substantial degree of evolutionary independence. The FUEs include both bona fide selfish elements such as viruses, viroids, transposons, and plasmids, which encode some of the information required for their own replication, and regular genes that possess quasi-independence owing to their distinct selective value that provides for their transfer between ensembles of FUEs (genomes and preferential replication along with the rest of the recipient genome. 2. The history of replication of a genetic element without recombination is isomorphously represented by a directed tree graph (an arborescence, in the graph theory language. Recombination within a FUE is common between very closely related sequences where homologous recombination is feasible but becomes negligible for longer evolutionary distances. In contrast, shuffling of FUEs occurs at all evolutionary distances. Thus, a tree is a natural representation of the evolution of an individual FUE on the macro scale, but not of an ensemble of FUEs such as a genome. 3. The history of life is properly represented by the "forest" of evolutionary trees for individual FUEs (Forest of Life, or

SIGNUM: A Matlab, TIN-based landscape evolution model

Science.gov (United States)

Refice, A.; Giachetta, E.; Capolongo, D.

2012-08-01

Several numerical landscape evolution models (LEMs) have been developed to date, and many are available as open source codes. Most are written in efficient programming languages such as Fortran or C, but often require additional code efforts to plug in to more user-friendly data analysis and/or visualization tools to ease interpretation and scientific insight. In this paper, we present an effort to port a common core of accepted physical principles governing landscape evolution directly into a high-level language and data analysis environment such as Matlab. SIGNUM (acronym for Simple Integrated Geomorphological Numerical Model) is an independent and self-contained Matlab, TIN-based landscape evolution model, built to simulate topography development at various space and time scales. SIGNUM is presently capable of simulating hillslope processes such as linear and nonlinear diffusion, fluvial incision into bedrock, spatially varying surface uplift which can be used to simulate changes in base level, thrust and faulting, as well as effects of climate changes. Although based on accepted and well-known processes and algorithms in its present version, it is built with a modular structure, which allows to easily modify and upgrade the simulated physical processes to suite virtually any user needs. The code is conceived as an open-source project, and is thus an ideal tool for both research and didactic purposes, thanks to the high-level nature of the Matlab environment and its popularity among the scientific community. In this paper the simulation code is presented together with some simple examples of surface evolution, and guidelines for development of new modules and algorithms are proposed.

Formation of integrated structural units using the systematic and integrated method when implementing high-rise construction projects

Science.gov (United States)

Abramov, Ivan

2018-03-01

Development of design documentation for a future construction project gives rise to a number of issues with the main one being selection of manpower for structural units of the project's overall implementation system. Well planned and competently staffed integrated structural construction units will help achieve a high level of reliability and labor productivity and avoid negative (extraordinary) situations during the construction period eventually ensuring improved project performance. Research priorities include the development of theoretical recommendations for enhancing reliability of a structural unit staffed as an integrated construction crew. The author focuses on identification of destabilizing factors affecting formation of an integrated construction crew; assessment of these destabilizing factors; based on the developed mathematical model, highlighting the impact of these factors on the integration criterion with subsequent identification of an efficiency and reliability criterion for the structural unit in general. The purpose of this article is to develop theoretical recommendations and scientific and methodological provisions of an organizational and technological nature in order to identify a reliability criterion for a structural unit based on manpower integration and productivity criteria. With this purpose in mind, complex scientific tasks have been defined requiring special research, development of corresponding provisions and recommendations based on the system analysis findings presented herein.

Justification of the project a network of freight terminals unitized cargo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilesaliev D.I.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we consider the question of Uzbekistan in promoting the development of international transport in supply chains. The development of transport infrastructure to ensure timely delivery of goods is one of the main tasks in supply chain management. The aim is to study of the project network terminal unitized cargo Uzbekistan in supply chains. Methods the study is based on analysis of existing methods and techniques of Russian scientists in the field of place-ment of objects. The method of searching the most rational location of logistics facility in the supply chain. Also pre-justified the project network terminal unitized cargo in Uzbekistan. Given the state of the problems and prospects of transport logistics of Uzbekistan, the developed method can be used by experts when performing the supporting calcula-tions location of logistic objects.

The evolution of the tape measure protein: units, duplications and losses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poisson Guylaine

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A large family of viruses that infect bacteria, called phages, is characterized by long tails used to inject DNA into their victims' cells. The tape measure protein got its name because the length of the corresponding gene is proportional to the length of the phage's tail: a fact shown by actually copying or splicing out parts of DNA in exemplar species. A natural question is whether there exist units for these tape measures, and if different tape measures have different units and lengths. Such units would allow us to retrace the evolution of tape measure proteins using their duplication/loss history. The vast number of sequenced phages genomes allows us to attack this problem with a comparative genomics approach. Results Here we describe a subset of phages whose tape measure proteins contain variable numbers of an 11 amino acids sequence repeat, aligned with sequence similarity, structural properties, and simple arithmetics. This subset provides a unique opportunity for the combinatorial study of phage evolution, without the added uncertainties of multiple alignments, which are trivial in this case, or of protein functions, that are well established. We give a heuristic that reconstructs the duplication history of these sequences, using divergent strains to discriminate between mutations that occurred before and after speciation, or lineage divergence. The heuristic is based on an efficient algorithm that gives an exhaustive enumeration of all possible parsimonious reconstructions of the duplication/speciation history of a single nucleotide. Finally, we present a method that allows, when possible, to discriminate between duplication and loss events. Conclusions Establishing the evolutionary history of viruses is difficult, in part due to extensive recombinations and gene transfers, and high mutation rates that often erase detectable similarity between homologous genes. In this paper, we introduce new tools to address this

The Kozloduy project management unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carnes, W.S.; Gros-Gean, P.; Demireva, E.

2004-01-01

The Project Management Unit (PMU) has been established in support to the Kozloduy NPP decommissioning department. It is comprised of a Consortium of the British Nuclear Group, EDF and subcontractor ENPRO Consult. It is responsible for the management of seven projects (a facility for dry storage of spent fuel; equipment to treat low activity liquid radioactive waste; provision of physical separation of the plant systems and areas to be decommissioned from the ones in operation; equipment to decontaminate and clean pools and large tanks; a facility to provide high volume reduction of solid radioactive wastes and retrieval and conditioning of ion exchange resins and other sorbents; equipment to provide measurement for the free-release of materials and components; a facility for personnel monitoring, decontamination and clothes changing for work outside of the normal radiological control areas) that will be used in support of the KNPP decommissioning process. The projects will be tendered in compliance with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development requirements

DOE Project 353: TAMS Prototype and production coupling alignment units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field, K.V.

1996-02-01

TAMS is an electronic measurement system used to determine the alignment of turbine-generator shafts at the coupling interface. The displacement transducer is a strain gage based sensor mounted in a portable probe. The measurement system was experiencing zero input drift and temperature induced drift. This project endeavored to determine the source of these problems and to revise a unit to be returned to a customer, Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), within a period of five weeks.

Inpatient Dialysis Unit Project Development: Redesigning Acute Hemodialysis Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Executive leaders of an acute care hospital performed a market and financial analysis, and created a business plan to establish an inpatient hemodialysis unit operated by the hospital to provide safe, high-quality, evidence-based care to the population of individuals experiencing end stage renal disease (ESRD) within the community. The business plan included a SWOT (Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats) analysis to assess advantages of the hospital providing inpatient hemodialysis services versus outsourcing the services with a contracted agency. The results of the project were a newly constructed tandem hemodialysis room and an operational plan with clearly defined key performance indicators, process improvement initiatives, and financial goals. This article provides an overview of essential components of a business plan to guide the establishment of an inpatient hemodialysis unit. Copyright© by the American Nephrology Nurses Association.

Sustainable Mining Land Use for Lignite Based Energy Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Dudek, Michal; Krysa, Zbigniew

2017-12-01

This research aims to discuss complex lignite based energy projects economic viability and its impact on sustainable land use with respect to project risk and uncertainty, economics, optimisation (e.g. Lerchs and Grossmann) and importance of lignite as fuel that may be expressed in situ as deposit of energy. Sensitivity analysis and simulation consist of estimated variable land acquisition costs, geostatistics, 3D deposit block modelling, electricity price considered as project product price, power station efficiency and power station lignite processing unit cost, CO2 allowance costs, mining unit cost and also lignite availability treated as lignite reserves kriging estimation error. Investigated parameters have nonlinear influence on results so that economically viable amount of lignite in optimal pit varies having also nonlinear impact on land area required for mining operation.

The evolution of the project management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catalin Drob

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Project management has appeared and developed based on scientific management theory during the '50s-'60s of the last century. After the 1990s of the last century, we can say that project management has truly become an independent discipline, which has a huge impact on the success or failure of companies which are engaged in major projects.

Project realization of jet vortex condenser at units 3 and 3 of the Kozloduy NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genovski, I.; Grigorov, A; Bonev, B; Sabinov, S.; Petkov, M.

2003-01-01

In the implementation of the contract between the Kozloduy NPP and Department 'Thermal and Nuclear Energy' at the Technical University, Sofia a project has been realized for the demonstration of the modernization of the system for accident localization in the units 3 and 4, based on the jet-vortex condenser (JVC). The final result is multimedia presentation in English and Bulgarian languages. In this paper the last part of the project is presented, including: installing of the JVC, auxiliary systems, executors of the project and expert opinions on the projects

Twentieth Century evolution of machining in the United States – An ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1700's, virtually no ... expected that, by the middle of the 19th Century, as machine tools began to be manufactured .... Twentieth Century evolution of machining in the United States. 873. DESIGN ... Merchant M E 1961 The manufacturing system concept in production ...

Project Management Unit for decommissioning of NPP Bohunice VI (2003-2014)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez Fernandez-conde, A.; Brochet, I.; Ferreira, A.

2015-01-01

From October 2003 until december 2014 the Consortium consisting of Iberdrola Engineering and Construction (leader). Empresarios Agrupados Internacional, and Indra Sistemas has carried out the project Project Management Unit ((PMU) for the decommissioning of Bohunice V1 NPP (units 1 and 2), type VVER-440/V-230 in Slovakia. during the first phase (2003-2007) EdF was also part of the Consortium. The project is funded by the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund (BIDSF) administered by the RBRD. The main objective of the project is to provide the necessary engineering and resources of project management for planning, execution, management, coordination and monitoring of all tasks in support of the decommissioning. (Author)

Radiation control in the core shroud replacement project of Fukushima-Daiichi NPS Unit no.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kokubun, Yasunori; Haraguchi, Kazuyuki; Yoshizawa, Yuji; Yamada, Yasuo

2000-01-01

In Fukushima-Daiichi NPS Unit no.2, the core shroud replacement was made following that of Unit no.3. This project involves replacement of wide-ranging equipment, with the project extending over a long period of time. This was expected to increase the dose equivalent of workers. Accordingly, various measures to lower the dose equivalent were planned and implemented. We outline radiation controls implemented during the project period. The shroud replacement project was a preventive maintenance project which consisted of replacing the core shroud and other internals with those less susceptible to stress corrosion cracking. Problems related to radiation control during the replacement project of Unit no.3 the year before last were summarized. We studied, planned, and implemented measures to be reflected in the project for Unit no.2. This was done to lower the dose equivalent as much as possible while paying due attention to safety and economy. For radiation control during the project for Unit no.2, experiments with Unit no.3 were fully exploited and any effective measures taken at that time were adopted in this project. Problems pointed out after that project with Unit no.3 resulted in new or improved measures being taken with Unit no.2. Measures taken over from the project with Unit no.3; a. Daily analysis of difference between expected and actual dose equivalents b. Dose reduction measures, chemical decontamination, temporary shield, flushing, etc.; New or improved measures; a. Dose reduction measures: Mechanical removal of radiation sources, strengthening of shield, etc.; b. Automatic remote control system; c. Use of new protective devices. With measures implemented as described above, the dose equivalent during shroud replacement of Unit no.2 was reduced by about 30% when compared with that (11.5 persons · Sv) in the case of Unit no.3. Implemented radiation controls will be checked and reviewed in future for reflection in projects with other units. (author)

Micro-droplet based directed evolution outperforms conventional laboratory evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sjostrom, Staffan L.; Huang, Mingtao; Nielsen, Jens

2014-01-01

We present droplet adaptive laboratory evolution (DrALE), a directed evolution method used to improve industrial enzyme producing microorganisms for e.g. feedstock digestion. DrALE is based linking a desired phenotype to growth rate allowing only desired cells to proliferate. Single cells are con...... a whole-genome mutated library of yeast cells for α-amylase activity....

A File Based Visualization of Software Evolution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voinea, S.L.; Telea, A.

2006-01-01

Software Configuration Management systems are important instruments for supporting development of large software projects. They accumulate large amounts of evolution data that can be used for process accounting and auditing. We study how visualization can help developers and managers to get insight

Workforce Projections 2010-2020: Annual Supply and Demand Forecasting Models for Physical Therapists Across the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, Michel D; Hack, Laurita M; Coulson, Elizabeth; Freburger, Janet; Johnson, Michael P; Katz, Richard; Kerwin, Joanne; Smith, Megan H; Wessman, Henry C Bud; Venskus, Diana G; Sinnott, Patricia L; Goldstein, Marc

2016-01-01

Health human resources continue to emerge as a critical health policy issue across the United States. The purpose of this study was to develop a strategy for modeling future workforce projections to serve as a basis for analyzing annual supply of and demand for physical therapists across the United States into 2020. A traditional stock-and-flow methodology or model was developed and populated with publicly available data to produce estimates of supply and demand for physical therapists by 2020. Supply was determined by adding the estimated number of physical therapists and the approximation of new graduates to the number of physical therapists who immigrated, minus US graduates who never passed the licensure examination, and an estimated attrition rate in any given year. Demand was determined by using projected US population with health care insurance multiplied by a demand ratio in any given year. The difference between projected supply and demand represented a shortage or surplus of physical therapists. Three separate projection models were developed based on best available data in the years 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. Based on these projections, demand for physical therapists in the United States outstrips supply under most assumptions. Workforce projection methodology research is based on assumptions using imperfect data; therefore, the results must be interpreted in terms of overall trends rather than as precise actuarial data-generated absolute numbers from specified forecasting. Outcomes of this projection study provide a foundation for discussion and debate regarding the most effective and efficient ways to influence supply-side variables so as to position physical therapists to meet current and future population demand. Attrition rates or permanent exits out of the profession can have important supply-side effects and appear to have an effect on predicting future shortage or surplus of physical therapists. © 2016 American Physical Therapy

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.

Projected climate change impacts on skiing and snowmobiling: A case study of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

A physically-based water and energy balance model is used to simulate natural snow accumulation at 247 winter recreation locations across the continental United States. We combine this model with projections of snowmaking conditions to determine downhill skiing, cross-country ski...

Evolution. Teacher's Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Bershad, Carol

This teacher's guide was developed to assist teachers in the use of multimedia resources for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) program, "Evolution." Each unit uses an inquiry-based approach to meet the National Science Education Standards. Units include: (1) "What is the Nature of Science?"; (2) "Who Was Charles Darwin?"; (3) "What is the…

Evolution of Safeguards over Time: Past, Present, and Projected Facilities, Material, and Budget

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kollar, Lenka; Mathews, Caroline E.

2009-07-01

This study examines the past trends and evolution of safeguards over time and projects growth through 2030. The report documents the amount of nuclear material and facilities under safeguards from 1970 until present, along with the corresponding budget. Estimates for the future amount of facilities and material under safeguards are made according to non-nuclear-weapons states’ (NNWS) plans to build more nuclear capacity and sustain current nuclear infrastructure. Since nuclear energy is seen as a clean and economic option for base load electric power, many countries are seeking to either expand their current nuclear infrastructure, or introduce nuclear power. In order to feed new nuclear power plants and sustain existing ones, more nuclear facilities will need to be built, and thus more nuclear material will be introduced into the safeguards system. The projections in this study conclude that a zero real growth scenario for the IAEA safeguards budget will result in large resource gaps in the near future.

Evolution of Safeguards over Time: Past, Present, and Projected Facilities, Material, and Budget

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kollar, Lenka; Mathews, Caroline E.

2009-01-01

This study examines the past trends and evolution of safeguards over time and projects growth through 2030. The report documents the amount of nuclear material and facilities under safeguards from 1970 until present, along with the corresponding budget. Estimates for the future amount of facilities and material under safeguards are made according to non-nuclear-weapons states (NNWS) plans to build more nuclear capacity and sustain current nuclear infrastructure. Since nuclear energy is seen as a clean and economic option for base load electric power, many countries are seeking to either expand their current nuclear infrastructure, or introduce nuclear power. In order to feed new nuclear power plants and sustain existing ones, more nuclear facilities will need to be built, and thus more nuclear material will be introduced into the safeguards system. The projections in this study conclude that a zero real growth scenario for the IAEA safeguards budget will result in large resource gaps in the near future.

A comparative analysis of business structures suitable for farmer-owned wind power projects in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolinger, Mark; Wiser, Ryan

2006-01-01

For years, farmers in the United States have looked with envy on their European counterparts' ability to profitably farm the wind through ownership of distributed, utility-scale wind projects. Only within the past few years, however, has farmer- or community-owned wind power development become a reality in the United States. The primary hurdle to this type of development in the United States has been devising and implementing suitable business and legal structures that enable such projects to take advantage of tax-based federal incentives for wind power. This article discusses the limitations of such incentives in supporting farmer- or community-owned wind projects, describes four ownership structures that potentially overcome such limitations, and finally conducts comparative financial analysis on those four structures, using as an example a hypothetical 1.5 MW farmer-owned project located in the state of Oregon. We find that material differences in the competitiveness of each structure do exist, but that choosing the best structure for a given project will largely depend on the conditions at hand; e.g., the ability of the farmer(s) to utilize tax credits, preference for individual versus 'cooperative' ownership, and the state and utility service territory in which the project will be located

The Evolution Process on Information Technology Outsourcing Relationship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duan Weihua

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Information technology outsourcing relationship is one of the key issues to IT outsourcing success. To explore how to manage and promote IT outsourcing relationship, it is necessary to understand its evolution process. Firstly, the types of IT outsourcing based on relationship quality and IT outsourcing project level will be analyzed; Secondly, two evolution process models of IT outsourcing relationship are proposed based on relationship quality and IT outsourcing project level, and the IT outsourcing relationship evolution process is indicated; Finally, an IT outsourcing relationship evolution process model is developed, and the development process of IT outsourcing relationship from low to high under the internal and external power is explained.

[The motive force of evolution based on the principle of organismal adjustment evolution.].

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Jia-Shu

2010-08-01

From the analysis of the existing problems of the prevalent theories of evolution, this paper discussed the motive force of evolution based on the knowledge of the principle of organismal adjustment evolution to get a new understanding of the evolution mechanism. In the guide of Schrodinger's theory - "life feeds on negative entropy", the author proposed that "negative entropy flow" actually includes material flow, energy flow and information flow, and the "negative entropy flow" is the motive force for living and development. By modifying my own theory of principle of organismal adjustment evolution (not adaptation evolution), a new theory of "regulation system of organismal adjustment evolution involved in DNA, RNA and protein interacting with environment" is proposed. According to the view that phylogenetic development is the "integral" of individual development, the difference of negative entropy flow between organisms and environment is considered to be a motive force for evolution, which is a new understanding of the mechanism of evolution. Based on such understanding, evolution is regarded as "a changing process that one subsystem passes all or part of its genetic information to the next generation in a larger system, and during the adaptation process produces some new elements, stops some old ones, and thereby lasts in the larger system". Some other controversial questions related to evolution are also discussed.

The Evolution Process on Information Technology Outsourcing Relationship

OpenAIRE

Duan Weihua

2017-01-01

Information technology outsourcing relationship is one of the key issues to IT outsourcing success. To explore how to manage and promote IT outsourcing relationship, it is necessary to understand its evolution process. Firstly, the types of IT outsourcing based on relationship quality and IT outsourcing project level will be analyzed; Secondly, two evolution process models of IT outsourcing relationship are proposed based on relationship quality and IT outsourcing project level, and the IT ou...

Renewable based hydrogen energy projects in remote and island communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles, S.; Gillie, M.

2009-01-01

Task 18 working group of the International Energy Agency's Hydrogen Implementing Agreement has been evaluating and documenting experiences with renewable based hydrogen energy projects in remote and island communities in the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Iceland, Gran Canaria, Spain and New Zealand. The objective was to examine the lessons learned from existing projects and provide recommendations regarding the effective development of hydrogen systems. In order to accomplish this task, some of the drivers behind the niche markets where hydrogen systems have already been developed, or are in the development stages, were studied in order to determine how these could be expanded and modified to reach new markets. Renewable based hydrogen energy projects for remote and island communities are currently a key niche market. This paper compared various aspects of these projects and discussed the benefits, objectives and barriers facing the development of a hydrogen-based economy

Hydrocarbons. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit O1.

Science.gov (United States)

Inner London Education Authority (England).

This unit on hydrocarbons is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit is divided into sections dealing with alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, arenes, and several aspects of the petroleum industry. Two experiments, exercises (with answers), and pre- and post-tests are included.…

Pulse retrieval algorithm for interferometric frequency-resolved optical gating based on differential evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyyti, Janne; Escoto, Esmerando; Steinmeyer, Günter

2017-10-01

A novel algorithm for the ultrashort laser pulse characterization method of interferometric frequency-resolved optical gating (iFROG) is presented. Based on a genetic method, namely, differential evolution, the algorithm can exploit all available information of an iFROG measurement to retrieve the complex electric field of a pulse. The retrieval is subjected to a series of numerical tests to prove the robustness of the algorithm against experimental artifacts and noise. These tests show that the integrated error-correction mechanisms of the iFROG method can be successfully used to remove the effect from timing errors and spectrally varying efficiency in the detection. Moreover, the accuracy and noise resilience of the new algorithm are shown to outperform retrieval based on the generalized projections algorithm, which is widely used as the standard method in FROG retrieval. The differential evolution algorithm is further validated with experimental data, measured with unamplified three-cycle pulses from a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. Additionally introducing group delay dispersion in the beam path, the retrieval results show excellent agreement with independent measurements with a commercial pulse measurement device based on spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field retrieval. Further experimental tests with strongly attenuated pulses indicate resilience of differential-evolution-based retrieval against massive measurement noise.

Teaching with Soap: Examples of Project-Based Units for Students and Future Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, Ivan; Hamed, Kastro M.

2016-01-01

This article describes the use of project-based instruction in activities and labs intended to develop higher-order thinking skills with high school students and pre-service teachers through the use of soap making.

Successful Project Based Learning (PBL) Across Disciplines Geared Towards Middle School: An Example from a Wetlands PBL Unit in Reno, Nevada, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, K. L.; Suchy-Mabrouk, A.; Noble, P. J.; Mensing, S. A.; Ewing-Taylor, J.

2014-12-01

A growing need for broad dissemination of current scientific research and improved scientific literacy requires new models of professional development that allow for direct collaboration between educators and university researchers. One example is a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of a study titled, "Reconstructing 2500 years of environmental change at the periphery of Rome: Integrating paleoecology and socioeconomic history to understand human response to climate." This project involves a team of middle school teachers working with researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) to gain first-hand knowledge in multidisciplinary research connecting science and society, and applies a similar approach in the classroom. In 2013, the team's science teacher traveled to Italy as a member of the science research group. A series of workshops introduced the remaining teachers to the research project. Teachers collaborated to develop a Project Based Learning (PBL) unit that incorporated Next Generation Science Standards and encompassed English, Social Studies, Math, and Science curricula using a pedagogical approach different from the single subject-based PBL's usually taught in their school district. The PBL unit draws on the NSF study and focuses on exploring the balance between economic and environmental issues surrounding local wetlands. In May 2014, 160 middle school students worked in groups to create and test a question about physio-chemical parameters in a nearby wetland and used these data to discuss local economic development. Initially, students claimed polarized views of environmental issues or economic development interests; however, during a multimedia session showcasing results, students communicated more informed perspectives that clearly incorporated knowledge gained from their own research. Some students were able to make recommendations for good practices involving planned economic development near the wetland

Using Evolution as a Context for Teaching the Nature of Science to Diverse Student Populations: A High School Unit of Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Metcalfe, Angela C.

Teaching evolution provides teachers with the opportunity to educate students on how science aims to understand the natural world. Rooted in research, the purpose of this project was to create NGSS-aligned curriculum focused on teaching the nature of science (NOS) within the context of biological evolution. Field testing and review of the unit resulted in revisions aimed at creating more comprehensive teacher resource materials and explicit inclusion of NOS. Emphasizing NOS in curriculum development and teaching scientific qualities through an evolutionary context has taken the focus off belief or disbelief, keeping the attention on the scientific concept at hand. Designing curriculum around compelling subject matter and embracing student-led learning increased and maintained student interest in the classroom. Implementation of this curriculum not only requires the teacher to be knowledgeable in conventional educational pedagogy, but also the subjects of NGSS and NOS. Additional training and support centered around NGSS is recommended for science educators interested in integrating NOS into their curriculum and instruction.

Ecoregions of the conterminous United States: evolution of a hierarchical spatial framework

Science.gov (United States)

Omernik, James M.; Griffith, Glenn E.

2014-01-01

A map of ecological regions of the conterminous United States, first published in 1987, has been greatly refined and expanded into a hierarchical spatial framework in response to user needs, particularly by state resource management agencies. In collaboration with scientists and resource managers from numerous agencies and institutions in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the framework has been expanded to cover North America, and the original ecoregions (now termed Level III) have been refined, subdivided, and aggregated to identify coarser as well as more detailed spatial units. The most generalized units (Level I) define 10 ecoregions in the conterminous U.S., while the finest-scale units (Level IV) identify 967 ecoregions. In this paper, we explain the logic underpinning the approach, discuss the evolution of the regional mapping process, and provide examples of how the ecoregions were distinguished at each hierarchical level. The variety of applications of the ecoregion framework illustrates its utility in resource assessment and management.

Influences on teachers' curricular choices in project-based science classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Laba, Karen Anne

This descriptive research will present two case studies of experienced science teachers using project-based curricula in all or part of their secondary life science/biology courses. The purpose of this study is to reveal the underlying relationships between teachers' conceptions of the nature of science, their understanding of their role as science teachers and their expectations for appropriate and worthwhile student learning, and to describe the influence of these factors on their curricular choices within the project-based framework. Using a modification of Hewson, Kerby and Cook's (1995) Conceptions of Teaching Science protocol as a model, teachers' beliefs and intentions are classified and examined to identify organizing themes. Comparisons between teachers' beliefs and the actions they take in their project-based classroom are used to reveal relationships among the choices that result in students' learning experiences. Finally, the curricula presented by these two exemplary teachers are compared with the teaching standards and content goals defined in the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). Recommendations for the application of the case study perspective of the evolution of learning experiences to reform efforts are offered to practitioners, policy makers, curriculum developers and teacher educators.

Bidding Strategy to Support Decision-Making Based on Comprehensive Information in Construction Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ru Liang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper develops a unified method to support contractor for bidding selection in construction projects. A cross-functional contractor with 28 candidate units distributed in the three departments (construction units, design units, and suppliers is used as an example. This problem is first formulated as a 0-1 quadratic programming problem through optimizing individual performance and collaborative performance of the candidate units based on individual information and collaborative information. Then, a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm is designed to solve this problem and a bidding selection problem for a major bridge project is used to demonstrate our proposed method. The results show that the decision-maker (DM obtains a better contractor if he pays more attention to collaborative performance.

Bruce A units 1 and 2 restart project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Routledge, K.

2006-01-01

This presentation provides an overview of the Bruce A Units 1 and 2 Restart project from the vantage point of the Project Management Contractor (PMC). The presentation will highlight the unique structure of the project, which has been designed to maximize project efficiencies while minimizing the impact to the Bruce Power operational reactors. Efficiency improvements covered in the presentation includes: support services provided to the direct work contractors, radiation protection, worker protection, engineering, field execution, maintenance and facilities. The presentation focusses on the roles of the PMC in helping to ensure the successful outcome of this ambitious reactor refurbishment project. In addition, the Construction Island concept that has been implemented on the project will be presented, with some of the innovative thinking that has gone into its creation. The organization of the PMC and an overview of the project schedule is also presented. AMEC NCL is a privately held consultancy in the Canadian nuclear industry which provides experienced and flexible multi-disciplined resources to support full project management, engineering solutions and safety consultancy services throughout the life cycle of nuclear facilities in Canada, and for customers in related markets in North America and overseas. AMEC NCL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMEC plc

Design, Results, Evolution and Status of the ATLAS Simulation at Point1 Project

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)377840; Fressard-Batraneanu, Silvia Maria; Ballestrero, Sergio; Contescu, Alexandru Cristian; Fazio, Daniel; Di Girolamo, Alessandro; Lee, Christopher Jon; Pozo Astigarraga, Mikel Eukeni; Scannicchio, Diana; Sedov, Alexey; Twomey, Matthew Shaun; Wang, Fuquan; Zaytsev, Alexander

2015-01-01

Abstract. During the LHC Long Shutdown 1 period (LS1), that started in 2013, the Simulation at Point1 (Sim@P1) Project takes advantage, in an opportunistic way, of the TDAQ (Trigger and Data Acquisition) HLT (High Level Trigger) farm of the ATLAS experiment. This farm provides more than 1300 compute nodes, which are particularly suited for running event generation and Monte Carlo production jobs that are mostly CPU and not I/O bound. It is capable of running up to 2700 virtual machines (VMs) provided with 8 CPU cores each, for a total of up to 22000 parallel running jobs. This contribution gives a review of the design, the results, and the evolution of the Sim@P1 Project; operating a large scale OpenStack based virtualized platform deployed on top of the ATLAS TDAQ HLT farm computing resources. During LS1, Sim@P1 was one of the most productive ATLAS sites: it delivered more than 50 million CPU-hours and it generated more than 1.7 billion Monte Carlo events to various analysis communities. The design aspects a...

Design, Results, Evolution and Status of the ATLAS simulation in Point1 project.

CERN Document Server

Ballestrero, Sergio; The ATLAS collaboration; Brasolin, Franco; Contescu, Alexandru Cristian; Fazio, Daniel; Di Girolamo, Alessandro; Lee, Christopher Jon; Pozo Astigarraga, Mikel Eukeni; Scannicchio, Diana; Sedov, Alexey; Twomey, Matthew Shaun; Wang, Fuquan; Zaytsev, Alexander

2015-01-01

During the LHC long shutdown period (LS1), that started in 2013, the simulation in Point1 (Sim@P1) project takes advantage in an opportunistic way of the trigger and data acquisition (TDAQ) farm of the ATLAS experiment. The farm provides more than 1500 computer nodes, and they are particularly suitable for running event generation and Monte Carlo production jobs that are mostly CPU and not I/O bound. It is capable of running up to 2500 virtual machines (VM) provided with 8 CPU cores each, for a total of up to 20000 parallel running jobs. This contribution gives a thorough review of the design, the results and the evolution of the Sim@P1 project operating a large scale Openstack based virtualized platform deployed on top of the ATLAS TDAQ farm computing resources. During LS1, Sim@P1 was one of the most productive GRID sites: it delivered more than 50 million CPU-hours and it generated more than 1.7 billion Monte Carlo events to various analysis communities within the ATLAS collaboration. The particular design ...

Staff size evolution at the Spanish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibanez, M.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the main characteristics on the Spanish nuclear electricity sector with an installed capacity of 7580 MW from three different generations, commissioned between 1968 and 1988 and with good plant performance. The analysis of the operation and maintenance cost contributors, made in this paper, shows that the cost of the personnel (own staff plus permanent contractors) amount to around the 80% of the total O and M cost. The paper will describe the evolution of the staff size for all the Spanish NPPs during the last years. In more detail the experience of Garona NPP, a single unit BWR 460 MW(e) commissioned in 1971, and Trillo NPP, a single unit PWR 1066 MW(e) commissioned in 1988, will be presented with the evolution of the following parameters: number of utility employees, number of permanent contractors, O and M costs versus kWh produced. The evolution of the staffing size is correlated with internal organization improvements, managerial policies, regulatory requirements, emergent activities, future projects, etc. The paper will include future reactors considerations that will operate in a competitive environment with other sources of energy and with a high level of safety standards. The strong influence of the personnel in the O and M cost will mean that actions related to reduce or optimize the plant staff will be based on design, organizational and regulatory considerations. (author)

75 FR 60093 - Record of Decision for the United States Marine Corps Basewide Utilities Infrastructure Project...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-29

... Basewide Utilities Infrastructure Project at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA AGENCY: Department of the... Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 4332(2)(c), the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 Code...

Molecular Phylogenetic: Organism Taxonomy Method Based on Evolution History

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.L.P Indi Dharmayanti

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Phylogenetic is described as taxonomy classification of an organism based on its evolution history namely its phylogeny and as a part of systematic science that has objective to determine phylogeny of organism according to its characteristic. Phylogenetic analysis from amino acid and protein usually became important area in sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis can be used to follow the rapid change of a species such as virus. The phylogenetic evolution tree is a two dimensional of a species graphic that shows relationship among organisms or particularly among their gene sequences. The sequence separation are referred as taxa (singular taxon that is defined as phylogenetically distinct units on the tree. The tree consists of outer branches or leaves that represents taxa and nodes and branch represent correlation among taxa. When the nucleotide sequence from two different organism are similar, they were inferred to be descended from common ancestor. There were three methods which were used in phylogenetic, namely (1 Maximum parsimony, (2 Distance, and (3 Maximum likehoood. Those methods generally are applied to construct the evolutionary tree or the best tree for determine sequence variation in group. Every method is usually used for different analysis and data.

Recent developments of the projected shell model based on many-body techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun Yang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Recent developments of the projected shell model (PSM are summarized. Firstly, by using the Pfaffian algorithm, the multi-quasiparticle configuration space is expanded to include 6-quasiparticle states. The yrast band of 166Hf at very high spins is studied as an example, where the observed third back-bending in the moment of inertia is well reproduced and explained. Secondly, an angular-momentum projected generate coordinate method is developed based on PSM. The evolution of the low-lying states, including the second 0+ state, of the soft Gd, Dy, and Er isotopes to the well-deformed ones is calculated, and compared with experimental data.

Volcanoes: Where and Why? Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

78 FR 69363 - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Heavenly Mountain Resort Epic Discovery Project

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-19

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California, Heavenly Mountain Resort Epic Discovery Project AGENCY: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Forest Service, USDA...: The Epic Discovery Project is intended to enhance summer activities in response to the USDA Forest...

24 CFR 290.21 - Computing annual number of units eligible for substitution of tenant-based assistance or...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Computing annual number of units eligible for substitution of tenant-based assistance or alternative uses. 290.21 Section 290.21 Housing and... Multifamily Projects § 290.21 Computing annual number of units eligible for substitution of tenant-based...

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

Adapting Project Management Practices to Research-Based Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Bahr, P.; Baker, T.; Corbin, B.; Keith, L.; Loerch, L.; Mullenax, C.; Myers, R.; Rhodes, B.; Skytland, N.

2007-01-01

From dealing with the inherent uncertainties in outcomes of scientific research to the lack of applicability of current NASA Procedural Requirements guidance documentation, research-based projects present challenges that require unique application of classical project management techniques. If additionally challenged by the creation of a new program transitioning from basic to applied research in a technical environment often unfamiliar with the cost and schedule constraints addressed by project management practices, such projects can find themselves struggling throughout their life cycles. Finally, supplying deliverables to a prime vehicle customer, also in the formative stage, adds further complexity to the development and management of research-based projects. The Biomedical Research and Countermeasures Projects Branch at NASA Johnson Space Center encompasses several diverse applied research-based or research-enabling projects within the newly-formed Human Research Program. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the organizational structure and environment in which these projects operate and how the projects coordinate to address and manage technical requirements. We will identify several of the challenges (cost, technical, schedule, and personnel) encountered by projects across the Branch, present case reports of actions taken and techniques implemented to deal with these challenges, and then close the session with an open forum discussion of remaining challenges and potential mitigations.

The Senegal Project: A Cultural Foods Unit for Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Diane

2011-01-01

The Senegal Project is the culminating project in a unit on cultural foods in an 8th grade family and consumer sciences (FCS) course. Initially, students take a quick world tour by studying and cooking foods from Mexico, Italy, China, and India followed by a "more depth and less breadth" study of Senegal, a country with a culture vastly…

Site productivity and forest carbon stocks in the United States: Analysis and implications for forest offset project planning

Science.gov (United States)

Coeli M. Hoover; James E. Smith

2012-01-01

The documented role of United States forests in sequestering carbon, the relatively low cost of forest-based mitigation, and the many co-benefits of increasing forest carbon stocks all contribute to the ongoing trend in the establishment of forest-based carbon offset projects. We present a broad analysis of forest inventory data using site quality indicators to provide...

The application of projected conjugate gradient solvers on graphical processing units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Youzuo; Renaut, Rosemary

2011-01-01

Graphical processing units introduce the capability for large scale computation at the desktop. Presented numerical results verify that efficiencies and accuracies of basic linear algebra subroutines of all levels when implemented in CUDA and Jacket are comparable. But experimental results demonstrate that the basic linear algebra subroutines of level three offer the greatest potential for improving efficiency of basic numerical algorithms. We consider the solution of the multiple right hand side set of linear equations using Krylov subspace-based solvers. Thus, for the multiple right hand side case, it is more efficient to make use of a block implementation of the conjugate gradient algorithm, rather than to solve each system independently. Jacket is used for the implementation. Furthermore, including projection from one system to another improves efficiency. A relevant example, for which simulated results are provided, is the reconstruction of a three dimensional medical image volume acquired from a positron emission tomography scanner. Efficiency of the reconstruction is improved by using projection across nearby slices.

The application of projected conjugate gradient solvers on graphical processing units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Youzuo [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Renaut, Rosemary [ARIZONA STATE UNIV.

2011-01-26

Graphical processing units introduce the capability for large scale computation at the desktop. Presented numerical results verify that efficiencies and accuracies of basic linear algebra subroutines of all levels when implemented in CUDA and Jacket are comparable. But experimental results demonstrate that the basic linear algebra subroutines of level three offer the greatest potential for improving efficiency of basic numerical algorithms. We consider the solution of the multiple right hand side set of linear equations using Krylov subspace-based solvers. Thus, for the multiple right hand side case, it is more efficient to make use of a block implementation of the conjugate gradient algorithm, rather than to solve each system independently. Jacket is used for the implementation. Furthermore, including projection from one system to another improves efficiency. A relevant example, for which simulated results are provided, is the reconstruction of a three dimensional medical image volume acquired from a positron emission tomography scanner. Efficiency of the reconstruction is improved by using projection across nearby slices.

Automatic Knowledge Base Evolution by Learning Instances

OpenAIRE

Kim, Sundong

2016-01-01

Knowledge base is the way to store structured and unstructured data throughout the web. Since the size of the web is increasing rapidly, there are huge needs to structure the knowledge in a fully automated way. However fully-automated knowledge-base evolution on the Semantic Web is a major challenges, although there are many ontology evolution techniques available. Therefore learning ontology automatically can contribute to the semantic web society significantly. In this paper, we propose ful...

Design, Results, Evolution and Status of the ATLAS Simulation at Point1 Project

Science.gov (United States)

Ballestrero, S.; Batraneanu, S. M.; Brasolin, F.; Contescu, C.; Fazio, D.; Di Girolamo, A.; Lee, C. J.; Pozo Astigarraga, M. E.; Scannicchio, D. A.; Sedov, A.; Twomey, M. S.; Wang, F.; Zaytsev, A.

2015-12-01

During the LHC Long Shutdown 1 (LSI) period, that started in 2013, the Simulation at Point1 (Sim@P1) project takes advantage, in an opportunistic way, of the TDAQ (Trigger and Data Acquisition) HLT (High-Level Trigger) farm of the ATLAS experiment. This farm provides more than 1300 compute nodes, which are particularly suited for running event generation and Monte Carlo production jobs that are mostly CPU and not I/O bound. It is capable of running up to 2700 Virtual Machines (VMs) each with 8 CPU cores, for a total of up to 22000 parallel jobs. This contribution gives a review of the design, the results, and the evolution of the Sim@P1 project, operating a large scale OpenStack based virtualized platform deployed on top of the ATLAS TDAQ HLT farm computing resources. During LS1, Sim@P1 was one of the most productive ATLAS sites: it delivered more than 33 million CPU-hours and it generated more than 1.1 billion Monte Carlo events. The design aspects are presented: the virtualization platform exploited by Sim@P1 avoids interferences with TDAQ operations and it guarantees the security and the usability of the ATLAS private network. The cloud mechanism allows the separation of the needed support on both infrastructural (hardware, virtualization layer) and logical (Grid site support) levels. This paper focuses on the operational aspects of such a large system during the upcoming LHC Run 2 period: simple, reliable, and efficient tools are needed to quickly switch from Sim@P1 to TDAQ mode and back, to exploit the resources when they are not used for the data acquisition, even for short periods. The evolution of the central OpenStack infrastructure is described, as it was upgraded from Folsom to the Icehouse release, including the scalability issues addressed.

Selectivity of Nanocrystalline IrO2-Based Catalysts in Parallel Chlorine and Oxygen Evolution

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kuznetsova, Elizaveta; Petrykin, Valery; Sunde, S.; Krtil, Petr

2015-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 2 (2015), s. 198-210 ISSN 1868-2529 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 214936 Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : iridium dioxide * oxygen evolution * chlorine evolution Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 2.347, year: 2015

Integrating public information activities on a technical project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Little, Sh. K.; Vecchiola, S.F.

1984-01-01

Through gradual evolution and successful performance, the WIPP Communications group has gained respect and recognition as a dual service organization that offers numerous benefits to a technical project. Westinghouse assembled a team that has successfully coordinated and encouraged an exchange of information not only with the public information realm but also as a project service and function. WIPP has combined educational services, external and employee communication and public information into one unit called ''Communications''

Surviving the Lead Reliability Engineer Role in High Unit Value Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Reinaldo J.

2011-01-01

A project with a very high unit value within a company is defined as a project where a) the project constitutes one of a kind (or two-of-a-kind) national asset type of project, b) very large cost, and c) a mission failure would be a very public event that will hurt the company's image. The Lead Reliability engineer in a high visibility project is by default involved in all phases of the project, from conceptual design to manufacture and testing. This paper explores a series of lessons learned, over a period of ten years of practical industrial experience by a Lead Reliability Engineer. We expand on the concepts outlined by these lessons learned via examples. The lessons learned are applicable to all industries.

Projecting climate change in the United States: A technical document supporting the Forest Service RPA 2010 Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Linda A. Joyce; David T. Price; David P. Coulson; Daniel W. McKenney; R. Martin Siltanen; Pia Papadopol; Kevin. Lawrence

2014-01-01

A set of climate change projections for the United States was developed for use in the 2010 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment. These climate projections, along with projections for population dynamics, economic growth, and land use change in the United States, comprise the RPA scenarios and are used in the RPA Assessment to project future renewable resource conditions...

Landform Evolution Modeling of Specific Fluvially Eroded Physiographic Units on Titan

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J. M.; Howard, A. D.; Schenk, P. M.

2015-01-01

Several recent studies have proposed certain terrain types (i.e., physiographic units) on Titan thought to be formed by fluvial processes acting on local uplands of bedrock or in some cases sediment. We have earlier used our landform evolution models to make general comparisons between Titan and other ice world landscapes (principally those of the Galilean satellites) that we have modeled the action of fluvial processes. Here we give examples of specific landscapes that, subsequent to modeled fluvial work acting on the surfaces, produce landscapes which resemble mapped terrain types on Titan.

PERHITUNGAN DANA PENSIUN DENGAN METODE PROJECTED UNIT CREDIT DAN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL PREMIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I GUSTI AYU KOMANG KUSUMA WARDHANI

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The company which provides the pension program needs the actuarial valuation to estimate the fund amount required by the company to pay for pension funding. Actuarial method that used in this research are projected unit credit and invidual level premium method. Through this research be obtained the result of valuation pension benefits with career average salary assumption is lower than the other salary assumptions. On the other hand, the result of normal cost final value valuation using individual level premium method is smaller than projected unit credit method that suits for the participants of the pension funding program.

PERHITUNGAN DANA PENSIUN DENGAN METODE PROJECTED UNIT CREDIT DAN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL PREMIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I GUSTI AYU KOMANG KUSUMA WARDHANI

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The company which provides the pension program needs the actuarial valuation to estimate the fund amount required by the company to pay for pension funding. Actuarial method that used in this research are projected unit credit and invidual level premium method. Through this research be obtained the result of valuation pension benefits with career average salary assumption is lower than the other salary assumptions. On the other hand, the result of normal cost final value valuation using individual level premium method is smaller than projected unit credit method that suits for the participants of the pension funding program.

The Ins & Outs of Developing a Field-Based Science Project: Learning by Lassoing Lizards

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Catherine E.; Huffling, Lacey D.; Benavides, Aerin

2014-01-01

We describe a field-based lizard project we did with high school students as a part of our summer Herpetological Research Experiences. We describe data collection on lizards captured, identified, and marked as a part of our mark-recapture study. We also describe other lizard projects that are ongoing in the United States and provide resources for…

Financing Nuclear Projects. Case Study: Unit 2 Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chirica, Teodor; Constantin, Carmencita; Dobrin, Marian

2003-01-01

The implementation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is a major undertaking for all entities involved, due to the necessity of planning work and coordination of the implementation process of the different fields of interest, starting with the governmental authorities and ending with the public. Having in view the specific investment costs (relatively high) for a NPP, finding an adequate financing structure is possible through an iterative process that involves first an assessment of the technical performances of the project and secondly, the mathematical modelling of the financing structure effects on the projects. In this respect, the paper will be focused on the main steps needed in order to promote an investment project in nuclear field, starting with the decision phase, providing the documentation requested by the local and international authorities to promote the project and ending with the negotiation of the contracts (commercial contract, financing contract, purchase contract, etc). The case study will be focused on the phases achieved in order to promote the Unit 2 NPP Cernavoda completion works project. (authors)

Financing nuclear projects. Case study: Unit 2 Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chirica, T.; Pall, S.; Lebedev, A.; Dobrin, M.

2003-01-01

The implementation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in a country is a major undertaking for all entities involved, due to the necessity of planning work and co-ordination of the implementation process of the different fields of interest, starting with the governmental authorities and ending with the people. Having in view the specific investment cost (relatively high) for a NPP, to find an adequate financing structure is possible through an iterative process that involves first an assessment of the technical performances of the project and second, the mathematical modelling of the financing structure effects on the project. In this respect, the paper proposed will be focused on the main steps needed in order to promote an investment project in nuclear field, starting with the decision phase, providing the documentations requested by the local and international authorities to promote the project and ending with the negotiation of the contracts (commercial contract, financing contract, power purchase contract, etc.) The case study will be focused on the phases achieved in order to promote the Unit 2 Cernavoda NPP completion works project. (author)

Impact of the economic downturn on total joint replacement demand in the United States: updated projections to 2021.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz, Steven M; Ong, Kevin L; Lau, Edmund; Bozic, Kevin J

2014-04-16

Few studies have explored the role of the National Health Expenditure and macroeconomics on the utilization of total joint replacement. The economic downturn has raised questions about the sustainability of growth for total joint replacement in the future. Previous projections of total joint replacement demand in the United States were based on data up to 2003 using a statistical methodology that neglected macroeconomic factors, such as the National Health Expenditure. Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (1993 to 2010) were used with United States Census and National Health Expenditure data to quantify historical trends in total joint replacement rates, including the two economic downturns in the 2000s. Primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty were identified using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. Projections in total joint replacement were estimated using a regression model incorporating the growth in population and rate of arthroplasties from 1993 to 2010 as a function of age, sex, race, and census region using the National Health Expenditure as the independent variable. The regression model was used in conjunction with government projections of National Health Expenditure from 2011 to 2021 to estimate future arthroplasty rates in subpopulations of the United States and to derive national estimates. The growth trend for the incidence of joint arthroplasty, for the overall United States population as well as for the United States workforce, was insensitive to economic downturns. From 2009 to 2010, the total number of procedures increased by 6.0% for primary total hip arthroplasty, 6.1% for primary total knee arthroplasty, 10.8% for revision total hip arthroplasty, and 13.5% for revision total knee arthroplasty. The National Health Expenditure model projections for primary hip replacement in 2020 were higher than a previously projected model, whereas the current model estimates for total

78 FR 1246 - Otay River Estuary Restoration Project; South San Diego Bay Unit and Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-08

...-FF08RSDC00] Otay River Estuary Restoration Project; South San Diego Bay Unit and Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the... scoping with regard to the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Otay River Estuary... one of the following methods. Email: [email protected] . Please include ``Otay Estuary NOI'' in the...

Cross-cultural dataset for the evolution of religion and morality project.

Science.gov (United States)

Purzycki, Benjamin Grant; Apicella, Coren; Atkinson, Quentin D; Cohen, Emma; McNamara, Rita Anne; Willard, Aiyana K; Xygalatas, Dimitris; Norenzayan, Ara; Henrich, Joseph

2016-11-08

A considerable body of research cross-culturally examines the evolution of religious traditions, beliefs and behaviors. The bulk of this research, however, draws from coded qualitative ethnographies rather than from standardized methods specifically designed to measure religious beliefs and behaviors. Psychological data sets that examine religious thought and behavior in controlled conditions tend to be disproportionately sampled from student populations. Some cross-national databases employ standardized methods at the individual level, but are primarily focused on fully market integrated, state-level societies. The Evolution of Religion and Morality Project sought to generate a data set that systematically probed individual level measures sampling across a wider range of human populations. The set includes data from behavioral economic experiments and detailed surveys of demographics, religious beliefs and practices, material security, and intergroup perceptions. This paper describes the methods and variables, briefly introduces the sites and sampling techniques, notes inconsistencies across sites, and provides some basic reporting for the data set.

Coordinated Research Projects of the IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Braams, B. J.; Chung, H.-K.

2011-05-01

The IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit is dedicated to the provision of databases for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (AM/PMI) data that are relevant for nuclear fusion research. IAEA Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) are the principal mechanism by which the Unit encourages data evaluation and the production of new data. Ongoing and planned CRPs on AM/PMI data are briefly described here.

Coordinated Research Projects of the IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braams, B. J.; Chung, H.-K.

2011-01-01

The IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit is dedicated to the provision of databases for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (AM/PMI) data that are relevant for nuclear fusion research. IAEA Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) are the principal mechanism by which the Unit encourages data evaluation and the production of new data. Ongoing and planned CRPs on AM/PMI data are briefly described here.

Patient-centred hand hygiene information in orthopaedics units: an evidence-based implementation project.

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Arielle Yi Jia; Tan, Joanne; Yeo, Hui Ling; Goh, Mien Li

2017-03-01

This project aimed to improve patients' knowledge on the importance of hand hygiene. It involved providing patients with a patient and family education on the importance of hand hygiene using a patient information leaflet that introduces the rationale of hand hygiene, possible consequences of poor hand hygiene, and the seven steps of hand hygiene. This projected used a preimplementation and postimplementation audit strategy using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research Into Practice programs. The implementation occurred in three phases over a period of 6 months from January 2014 to June 2014. The audits took place in two orthopaedic wards in a large acute care setting tertiary hospital in Singapore and involved a sample size of 54 patients. It involved going through the medical records of the cases, assessment of patient knowledge based on the audit criteria, and checking if the patients received the patient information leaflet on hand hygiene. The postimplementation audit found significant improvements in all three audit criteria. The percentage of patients who demonstrated knowledge in the importance of hand hygiene saw an improvement of 48.1%. There was an improvement of 44.5% in nurses' compliance to the documentation of patient education being carried out. The percentage of patients who received a patient information leaflet on hand hygiene saw an increase of 36.1%. This project demonstrated that a preimplementation and postimplementation audit is a viable method to implement change and translate evidence into practice. Through this project, patients gained an understanding on the importance of hand hygiene and could take better ownership of their well being. This may potentially improve hospitalization experience and benefit health outcomes. The positive results of this project are contributed by the enthusiastic involvement of all the stakeholders, from patients and their caregivers to the bedside

Multi-site risk-based project planning, optimization, sequencing, & budgeting process and tool for the integrated facility disposition project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, J.G.; Castillo, C.; Huntsman, J.; Killoy, S.; Lucek, H.; Marks, T.C.

2011-01-01

Faced with the Department of Energy (DOE) Complex Transformation, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) was tasked with developing an integrated plan for the decommissioning of over 400 facilities and 300 environmental remediation units, as well as the many reconfiguration and modernization projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Y-12 Complex. Manual scheduling of remediation activities is time-consuming and inherently introduces bias of the scheduler or organization into the process. Clearly a well-defined process, quantitative risk-based tool was needed to develop an objective, unbiased baseline sequence and schedule with a sound technical foundation for the Integrated Facility Disposition Project (IFDP). Faced with limited available data, innovation was needed to extrapolate intelligent relative data for key risk parameters based on known data elements. The IFDP Supermodel was customized and expanded to provide this capability for conceptual planning of diverse project portfolios and multiple sites. (author)

Population Estimates and Projections: Projections of the Population of the United States, 1975 to 2050. Current Population Reports, Series P-25, No. 601.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Campbell; Wetrogan, Signe

This report presents population projections of the United States by age, sex, and the components of population changes, births, deaths, and net immigration. These projections are shown annually by race--white and black--from 1975 to 2000 and in less detail for the total population from 2000 to 2050. In 1974, the population of the United States,…

Using the FORE-SCE model to project land-cover change in the southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sohl, Terry; Sayler, Kristi L.

2008-01-01

A wide variety of ecological applications require spatially explicit current and projected land-use and land-cover data. The southeastern United States has experienced massive land-use change since European settlement and continues to experience extremely high rates of forest cutting, significant urban development, and changes in agricultural land use. Forest-cover patterns and structure are projected to change dramatically in the southeastern United States in the next 50 years due to population growth and demand for wood products [Wear, D.N., Greis, J.G. (Eds.), 2002. Southern Forest Resource Assessment. General Technical Report SRS-53. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville, NC, 635 pp]. Along with our climate partners, we are examining the potential effects of southeastern U.S. land-cover change on regional climate. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Trends project is analyzing contemporary (1973-2000) land-cover change in the conterminous United States, providing ecoregion-by-ecoregion estimates of the rates of change, descriptive transition matrices, and changes in landscape metrics. The FORecasting SCEnarios of future land-cover (FORE-SCE) model used Land Cover Trends data and theoretical, statistical, and deterministic modeling techniques to project future land-cover change through 2050 for the southeastern United States. Prescriptions for future proportions of land cover for this application were provided by ecoregion-based extrapolations of historical change. Logistic regression was used to develop relationships between suspected drivers of land-cover change and land cover, resulting in the development of probability-of-occurrence surfaces for each unique land-cover type. Forest stand age was initially established with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data and tracked through model iterations. The spatial allocation procedure placed patches of new land cover on the landscape until the scenario

The Gaseous State. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit P1.

Science.gov (United States)

Inner London Education Authority (England).

This unit on the gaseous state is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit consists of two levels. Level one deals with the distinctive characteristics of gases, then considers the gas laws, in particular the ideal gas equation and its applications. Level two concentrates on…

Equilibrium I: Principles. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit P2.

Science.gov (United States)

Inner London Education Authority (England).

This unit on the principles of equilibrium is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit consists of two levels. After a treatment of non-mathematical aspects in level one (the idea of a reversible reaction, characteristics of an equilibrium state, the Le Chatelier's principle),…

PREPS2 - a PC-based computer program for performing economic analysis of capital projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blake, M.W.; Brand, D.O.; Chastain, E.T.; Johnson, E.D.

1990-01-01

In these times of increased spending to finance new capacity and to meet clean air act legislation, many electric utilities are giving a high priority to controlling capital expenditures at existing generating facilities. Determining the level of capital expenditures which are economically justified is very difficult; units which have higher capacity factors are worth more to the utility. Therefore, the utility can more readily justify higher capital expenditures to improve or maintain reliability and heat rate than on units with lower capacity factors. This paper describes a PC-based computer program (PREPS2) which performs an economic analysis of individual capital projects. The program incorporates tables which describe the worth to the system of making improvements in each unit. This computer program is currently being used by the six Southern Company operating companies to evaluate all production capital projects over $50,000. Approximately 500 projects representing about $300 million are being analyzed each year

A Web-Based Monitoring System for Multidisciplinary Design Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, James L.; Salas, Andrea O.; Weston, Robert P.

1998-01-01

In today's competitive environment, both industry and government agencies are under pressure to reduce the time and cost of multidisciplinary design projects. New tools have been introduced to assist in this process by facilitating the integration of and communication among diverse disciplinary codes. One such tool, a framework for multidisciplinary computational environments, is defined as a hardware and software architecture that enables integration, execution, and communication among diverse disciplinary processes. An examination of current frameworks reveals weaknesses in various areas, such as sequencing, displaying, monitoring, and controlling the design process. The objective of this research is to explore how Web technology, integrated with an existing framework, can improve these areas of weakness. This paper describes a Web-based system that optimizes and controls the execution sequence of design processes; and monitors the project status and results. The three-stage evolution of the system with increasingly complex problems demonstrates the feasibility of this approach.

Differential evolution algorithm based automatic generation control for interconnected power systems with

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Banaja Mohanty

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the design and performance analysis of Differential Evolution (DE algorithm based Proportional–Integral (PI and Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID controllers for Automatic Generation Control (AGC of an interconnected power system. Initially, a two area thermal system with governor dead-band nonlinearity is considered for the design and analysis purpose. In the proposed approach, the design problem is formulated as an optimization problem control and DE is employed to search for optimal controller parameters. Three different objective functions are used for the design purpose. The superiority of the proposed approach has been shown by comparing the results with a recently published Craziness based Particle Swarm Optimization (CPSO technique for the same interconnected power system. It is noticed that, the dynamic performance of DE optimized PI controller is better than CPSO optimized PI controllers. Additionally, controller parameters are tuned at different loading conditions so that an adaptive gain scheduling control strategy can be employed. The study is further extended to a more realistic network of two-area six unit system with different power generating units such as thermal, hydro, wind and diesel generating units considering boiler dynamics for thermal plants, Generation Rate Constraint (GRC and Governor Dead Band (GDB non-linearity.

Alligator Rivers Analogue project. Geochemical Data Bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, D.G.; Read, D.

1992-01-01

The Koongarra uranium deposit in the Northern Territory of Australia is being studied to evaluate the processes involved in the geochemical alteration of the ore body and the formation of the uranium dispersion fan. A broad range of research is being undertaken into the geochemistry and hydrology of the site with the aim of understanding the transport of radionuclides through the system. During the project a range of geochemical and hydrogeochemical models have been developed to account for measured data from the site and with which to predict site evolution. The majority of these models are based on the premise of thermodynamic chemical equilibrium and employ fundamental thermodynamic data to characterise the chemistry of the system. From the differences which exist between the thermodynamic data bases (Appendices I and II) it is possible to gain a view of the level of uncertainty associated with thermodynamic data in each set of calculations. This report gives a brief introduction to the geochemical processes underlying the models, and details the equations used to quantify the more common of these processes (e.g. aqueous speciation and mineral solubility). A description is given of the computer codes (EQ3/6, PHREEQE, MINTEQ) most commonly used during the project for geochemical modelling. Their key features are highlighted and comparisons made. It is concluded that the degree of uncertainty in geochemical modelling studies arising as a result of using one code rather than another is relatively insignificant when compared to that related to differences in the underlying data bases. 73 refs., 3 figs

Drifting Continents and Wandering Poles. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

Drifting Continents and Magnetic Fields. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

A Project-based Learning curricular approach in a Production Engineering Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Borges Simão Monteiro

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract The Industrial Engineering undergraduate program offered at the University of Brasília was structured on Project Based Learning (PBL methodology. This innovative educational proposal allows the students to deploy their technical competencies through real problem solving situations. The methodology also stimulates the development of the students’ soft skills, by exposing them to a challenging environment. At the end of each project, the results are presented to an external agent, and are subsequently implemented. The objective of this paper is to present the evolution of the PSP courses, which adopt as guidelines both the PMBOK project management framework, as well as content from specific technical courses related to the project’s subject. One other relevant aspect of the PSP courses is their involvement of both undergraduate and graduate students from different Engineering areas, such as Industrial, Mechanical and Civil Engineering, which serves to foster a more holistic and integrated problem-solving skillset.

SURFACE AND LIGHTNING SOURCES OF NITROGEN OXIDES OVER THE UNITED STATES: MAGNITUDES, CHEMICAL EVOLUTION, AND OUTFLOW

Science.gov (United States)

We use observations from two aircraft during the ICARTT campaign over the eastern United States and North Atlantic during summer 2004, interpreted with a global 3-D model of tropospheric chemistry (GEOS-Chem) to test current understanding of regional sources, chemical evolution...

modelling of directed evolution: Implications for experimental design and stepwise evolution

OpenAIRE

Wedge , David C.; Rowe , William; Kell , Douglas B.; Knowles , Joshua

2009-01-01

In silico modelling of directed evolution: Implications for experimental design and stepwise evolution correspondence: Corresponding author. Tel.: +441613065145. (Wedge, David C.) (Wedge, David C.) Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, University of Manchester - 131 Princess Street--> , Manchester--> , M1 7ND--> - UNITED KINGDOM (Wedge, David C.) UNITED KINGDOM (Wedge, David C.) Man...

Systems Maturity Assessment of the Lithium Ion Battery for Extravehicular Mobility Unit Project

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Samuel P.

2011-01-01

The Long Life (Lithium Ion) Battery (LLB/LIB) is designed to replace the current Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Silver/Zinc (Ag/Zn) Increased Capacity Battery (ICB), which is used to provide power to the Primary Life Support Subsystem (PLSS) during Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). The LLB (a battery based on commercial lithium ion cell technology) is designed to have the same electrical and mechanical interfaces as the current ICB. The EMU LIB Charger is designed to charge, discharge, and condition the LLB either in a charger-strapped configuration or in an EMU-mounted configuration. This paper will retroactively apply the principles of Systems Maturity Assessment to the LLB project through use of the Integration Readiness Level and Earned Readiness Management. The viability of this methodology will be considered for application to new and existing technology development projects.

Hamiltonian evolutions of twisted polygons in RPn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beffa, Gloria Marì; Wang, Jing Ping

2013-01-01

In this paper we find a discrete moving frame and their associated invariants along projective polygons in RP n , and we use them to describe invariant evolutions of projective N-gons. We then apply a reduction process to obtain a natural Hamiltonian structure on the space of projective invariants for polygons, establishing a close relationship between the projective N-gon invariant evolutions and the Hamiltonian evolutions on the invariants of the flow. We prove that any Hamiltonian evolution is induced on invariants by an invariant evolution of N-gons—what we call a projective realization—and both evolutions are connected explicitly in a very simple way. Finally, we provide a completely integrable evolution (the Boussinesq lattice related to the lattice W 3 -algebra), its projective realization in RP 2 and its Hamiltonian pencil. We generalize both structures to n-dimensions and we prove that they are Poisson, defining explicitly the n-dimensional generalization of the planar evolution (a discretization of the W n -algebra). We prove that the generalization is completely integrable, and we also give its projective realization, which turns out to be very simple. (paper)

Organizational Diagnosis in Project-Based Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrouz Zarei

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to develop a new method for corporate diagnosis (CD. To this end, a method is developed for the diagnosis process of project-based companies. The article presents a case study in a large company where data have been collected through focus groups. Project delay, high project cost, and low profitability are examples of project deficiency in project-based companies. Such issues have made managers pay special attention to find effective solutions to improve them. Prominent factors are inappropriate strategy, structure, system, human resource management, and PMBOK(Project Management Body of Knowledge processes. Thus, CD and analysis is an important task in improvement of corporate performance. The CD model that is developed in this article could be used for project-based companies. The proposed method can be used for CD in any project-based company. This article provides an emphatic application of CD as a prerequisite for restructuring in project-based companies.

Evolution of the U.S. energy service company industry: Market size and project performance from 1990–2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, Peter H.; Goldman, Charles A.; Satchwell, Andrew

2012-01-01

The U.S. energy service company (ESCO) industry is an example of a private sector business model where energy savings are delivered to customers primarily through the use of performance-based contracts. This study was conceived as a snapshot of the ESCO industry prior to the economic slowdown and the introduction of federal stimulus funding mandated by enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This study utilizes two parallel analytic approaches to characterize ESCO industry and market trends in the U.S.: (1) a “top-down” approach involving a survey of individual ESCOs to estimate aggregate industry activity and (2) a “bottom-up” analysis of a database of ∼3250 projects (representing over $8B in project investment) that reports market trends including installed EE retrofit strategies, project installation costs and savings, project payback times, and benefit-cost ratios over time. Despite the onset of a severe economic recession, the U.S. ESCO industry managed to grow at about 7% per year between 2006 and 2008. ESCO industry revenues were about $4.1 billion in 2008 and ESCOs anticipate accelerated growth through 2011 (25% per year). We found that 2484 ESCO projects in our database generated ∼$4.0 billion ($2009) in net, direct economic benefits to their customers. We estimate that the ESCO project database includes about 20% of all U.S. ESCO market activity from 1990–2008. Assuming the net benefits per project are comparable for ESCO projects that are not included in the LBNL database, this would suggest that the ESCO industry has generated ∼$23 billion in net direct economic benefits for customers at projects installed between 1990 and 2008. There is empirical evidence confirming that the industry is evolving by installing more comprehensive and complex measures—including onsite generation and measures to address deferred maintenance—but this evolution has significant implications for customer project economics

Orthogonality Measurement for Homogenous Projects-Bases

Science.gov (United States)

Ivan, Ion; Sandu, Andrei; Popa, Marius

2009-01-01

The homogenous projects-base concept is defined. Next, the necessary steps to create a homogenous projects-base are presented. A metric system is built, which then will be used for analyzing projects. The indicators which are meaningful for analyzing a homogenous projects-base are selected. The given hypothesis is experimentally verified. The…

Controlling engineering project changes for multi-unit, multi-site standardized nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randall, E.; Boddeker, G.; McGugin, H.; Strother, E.; Waggoner, G.

1978-01-01

Multibillioin dollar multiple nuclear power plant projects have numerous potential sources of engineering changes. The majority of these are internally generated changes, client generated changes, and changes from construction, procurement, other engineering organizations, and regulatory organizations. For multiunit, multisite projects, the use of a standardized design is cost effective. Engineering changes can then be controlled for a single standardized design, and the unit or site unique changes can be treated as deviations. Once an effective change procedure is established for change control of the standardized design, the same procedures can be used for control of unit or site unique changes

Linking project-based mechanisms with domestic greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bygrave, S.; Bosi, M.

2004-01-01

Although there are a number of possible links between emission trading and project-based mechanisms, the focus of this paper is on linking domestic GHG emission trading schemes with: (1) domestic; and, (2) international (JI and CDM) GHG reduction project activities. The objective is to examine some of the challenges in linking DETs and project-based mechanisms, as well as some possible solutions to address these challenges. The link between JI / CDM and intergovernmental international emissions trading (i.e. Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol) is defined by the Kyoto Protocol, and therefore is not covered in this paper. The paper is written in the context of: (a) countries adhering to the Kyoto Protocol and elaborating their strategies to meet their GHG emission commitments, including through the use of the emissions trading and project-based mechanisms. For example, the European Union (EU) will be commencing a GHG Emissions Trading Scheme in January 2005, and recently, the Council of ministers and the European Parliament agreed on a text for an EU Linking Directive allowing the use of JI and CDM emission units in the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS); and (b) all countries (and/or regions within countries) with GHG emission obligations that may choose to use domestic emissions trading and project-based mechanisms to meet their GHG commitments. The paper includes the following elements: (1) an overview of the different flexibility mechanisms (i.e. GHG emissions trading and PBMs), including a brief description and comparisons between the mechanisms (Section 3); (2) an exploration of the issues that emerge when project-based mechanisms link with domestic emissions trading schemes, as well as possible solutions to address some of the challenges raised (Section 4); (3) a case study examining the EU-ETS and the EU Linking Directive on project-based mechanisms, in particular on how the EU is addressing in a practical context relevant linking issues (Section 5); (4) a

Evolution based on domain combinations: the case of glutaredoxins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herrero Enrique

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Protein domains represent the basic units in the evolution of proteins. Domain duplication and shuffling by recombination and fusion, followed by divergence are the most common mechanisms in this process. Such domain fusion and recombination events are predicted to occur only once for a given multidomain architecture. However, other scenarios may be relevant in the evolution of specific proteins, such as convergent evolution of multidomain architectures. With this in mind, we study glutaredoxin (GRX domains, because these domains of approximately one hundred amino acids are widespread in archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes and participate in fusion proteins. GRXs are responsible for the reduction of protein disulfides or glutathione-protein mixed disulfides and are involved in cellular redox regulation, although their specific roles and targets are often unclear. Results In this work we analyze the distribution and evolution of GRX proteins in archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes. We study over one thousand GRX proteins, each containing at least one GRX domain, from hundreds of different organisms and trace the origin and evolution of the GRX domain within the tree of life. Conclusion Our results suggest that single domain GRX proteins of the CGFS and CPYC classes have, each, evolved through duplication and divergence from one initial gene that was present in the last common ancestor of all organisms. Remarkably, we identify a case of convergent evolution in domain architecture that involves the GRX domain. Two independent recombination events of a TRX domain to a GRX domain are likely to have occurred, which is an exception to the dominant mechanism of domain architecture evolution.

Titan Polar Landscape Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Jeffrey M.

2016-01-01

With the ongoing Cassini-era observations and studies of Titan it is clear that the intensity and distribution of surface processes (particularly fluvial erosion by methane and Aeolian transport) has changed through time. Currently however, alternate hypotheses substantially differ among specific scenarios with respect to the effects of atmospheric evolution, seasonal changes, and endogenic processes. We have studied the evolution of Titan's polar region through a combination of analysis of imaging, elevation data, and geomorphic mapping, spatially explicit simulations of landform evolution, and quantitative comparison of the simulated landscapes with corresponding Titan morphology. We have quantitatively evaluated alternate scenarios for the landform evolution of Titan's polar terrain. The investigations have been guided by recent geomorphic mapping and topographic characterization of the polar regions that are used to frame hypotheses of process interactions, which have been evaluated using simulation modeling. Topographic information about Titan's polar region is be based on SAR-Topography and altimetry archived on PDS, SAR-based stereo radar-grammetry, radar-sounding lake depth measurements, and superposition relationships between geomorphologic map units, which we will use to create a generalized topographic map.

Managing projects a team-based approach

CERN Document Server

Brown, Karen A

2010-01-01

Students today are likely to be assigned to project teams or to be project managers almost immediately in their first job. Managing Projects: A Team-Based Approach was written for a wide range of stakeholders, including project managers, project team members, support personnel, functional mangers who provide resources for projects, project customers (and customer representatives), project sponsors, project subcontractors, and anyone who plays a role in the project delivery process. The need for project management is on the rise as product life cycles compress, demand for IT systems increases, and business takes on an increasingly global character. This book adds to the project management knowledge base in a way that fills an unmet need—it shows how teams can apply many of the standard project management tools, as well as several tools that are relatively new to the field. Managing Projects: A Team-Based Approach offers the academic rigor found in most textbooks along with the practical attributes often foun...

An Improved Differential Evolution Based Dynamic Economic Dispatch with Nonsmooth Fuel Cost Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Balamurugan

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Dynamic economic dispatch (DED is one of the major operational decisions in electric power systems. DED problem is an optimization problem with an objective to determine the optimal combination of power outputs for all generating units over a certain period of time in order to minimize the total fuel cost while satisfying dynamic operational constraints and load demand in each interval. This paper presents an improved differential evolution (IDE method to solve the DED problem of generating units considering valve-point effects. Heuristic crossover technique and gene swap operator are introduced in the proposed approach to improve the convergence characteristic of the differential evolution (DE algorithm. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, two test systems consisting of five and ten generating units have been considered. The results obtained through the proposed method are compared with those reported in the literature.

Oncology nurses and the experience of participation in an evidence-based practice project.

Science.gov (United States)

Fridman, Mary; Frederickson, Keville

2014-07-01

To illuminate the experiences of oncology nurses who participated in an evidence-based practice (EBP) project in an institution with an EBP organizational structure. A descriptive phenomenologic approach and in-depth interviews with each participant. An oncology-focused academic medical center with an established organizational infrastructure for EBP. 12 RNs working in an oncology setting who participated in an EBP project. Descriptive, qualitative phenomenologic approach through use of interviews and analysis of interview text. Four essential themes (i.e., support, challenges, evolution, and empowerment) and 11 subthemes emerged that reflected nurses' professional and personal growth, as well as the creation of a culture of EBP in the workplace. The participants described the EBP project as a positive, empowering personal and professional evolutionary experience with supports and challenges that resulted in improvements in patient care. To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first qualitative study to demonstrate improved nursing outcomes (e.g., professional growth, improved nursing performance) and nurses' perception of improved patient outcomes (e.g., ongoing healthcare collaboration, evidence-based changes in practice).

Cooperative Office Education: Its Evolution in the Secondary Schools of the United States from 1900-1969.

Science.gov (United States)

Donley, Audrey Bell

Using the historical, documentary analysis, and questionnaire methods of research, this study traces the development and evolution of cooperative office education in the secondary schools of the United States from 1900 through 1969. The study was organized under the following topical divisions: (1) Original of Vocational Education, (2) Development…

North Anna Power Station - Unit 1: Overview of steam generator replacement project activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gettler, M.W.; Bayer, R.K.; Lippard, D.W.

1993-01-01

The original steam generators at Virginia Electric and Power Company's (Virginia Power) North Anna Power Station (NAPS) Unit 1 have experienced corrosion-related degradation that require periodic inspection and plugging of steam generator tubes to ensure their continued safe and reliable operation. Despite improvements in secondary water chemistry, continued tube degradation in the steam generators necessitated the removal from service of approximately 20.3 percent of the tubes by plugging, (18.6, 17.3, and 25.1 for steam generators A, B, and C, respectively). Additionally, the unit power was limited to 95 % during, its last cycle of operation. Projections of industry and Virginia Power experience indicated the possibility of mid-cycle inspections and reductions in unit power. Therefore, economic considerations led to the decision to repair the steam generators (i.e., replace the steam generator lower assemblies). Three new Model 51F Steam Generator lower assembly units were ordered from Westinghouse. Virginia Power contracted Bechtel Power Corporation to provide the engineering and construction support to repair the Unit 1 steam generators. On January 4, 1993, after an extended coastdown period, North Anna Unit 1 was brought off-line and the 110 day (breaker-to-breaker) Steam Generator Replacement Project (SGRP) outage began. As of this paper, the outage is still in progress

Divergent projections of future land use in the United States arising from different models and scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Sohl, Terry L.; Wimberly, Michael; Radeloff, Volker C.; Theobald, David M.; Sleeter, Benjamin M.

2016-01-01

A variety of land-use and land-cover (LULC) models operating at scales from local to global have been developed in recent years, including a number of models that provide spatially explicit, multi-class LULC projections for the conterminous United States. This diversity of modeling approaches raises the question: how consistent are their projections of future land use? We compared projections from six LULC modeling applications for the United States and assessed quantitative, spatial, and conceptual inconsistencies. Each set of projections provided multiple scenarios covering a period from roughly 2000 to 2050. Given the unique spatial, thematic, and temporal characteristics of each set of projections, individual projections were aggregated to a common set of basic, generalized LULC classes (i.e., cropland, pasture, forest, range, and urban) and summarized at the county level across the conterminous United States. We found very little agreement in projected future LULC trends and patterns among the different models. Variability among scenarios for a given model was generally lower than variability among different models, in terms of both trends in the amounts of basic LULC classes and their projected spatial patterns. Even when different models assessed the same purported scenario, model projections varied substantially. Projections of agricultural trends were often far above the maximum historical amounts, raising concerns about the realism of the projections. Comparisons among models were hindered by major discrepancies in categorical definitions, and suggest a need for standardization of historical LULC data sources. To capture a broader range of uncertainties, ensemble modeling approaches are also recommended. However, the vast inconsistencies among LULC models raise questions about the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of current modeling approaches. Given the substantial effects that land-use change can have on ecological and societal processes, there

Adaptive CGFs Based on Grammatical Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Yao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Computer generated forces (CGFs play blue or red units in military simulations for personnel training and weapon systems evaluation. Traditionally, CGFs are controlled through rule-based scripts, despite the doctrine-driven behavior of CGFs being rigid and predictable. Furthermore, CGFs are often tricked by trainees or fail to adapt to new situations (e.g., changes in battle field or update in weapon systems, and, in most cases, the subject matter experts (SMEs review and redesign a large amount of CGF scripts for new scenarios or training tasks, which is both challenging and time-consuming. In an effort to overcome these limitations and move toward more true-to-life scenarios, a study using grammatical evolution (GE to generate adaptive CGFs for air combat simulations has been conducted. Expert knowledge is encoded with modular behavior trees (BTs for compatibility with the operators in genetic algorithm (GA. GE maps CGFs, represented with BTs to binary strings, and uses GA to evolve CGFs with performance feedback from the simulation. Beyond-visual-range air combat experiments between adaptive CGFs and nonadaptive baseline CGFs have been conducted to observe and study this evolutionary process. The experimental results show that the GE is an efficient framework to generate CGFs in BTs formalism and evolve CGFs via GA.

Hot Spots in the Earth's Crust. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

PV Project Finance in the United States, 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feldman, David; Lowder, Travis; Schwabe, Paul

2016-09-01

This brief is a compilation of data points and market insights that reflect the state of the project finance market for solar photovoltaic (PV) assets in the United States as of the third quarter of 2016. This information can generally be used as a simplified benchmark of the costs associated with securing financing for solar PV as well as the cost of the financing itself (i.e., the cost of capital). Three sources of capital are considered -- tax equity, sponsor equity, and debt -- across three segments of the PV marketplace.

Global Warning: Project-Based Science Inspired by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Science.gov (United States)

Colaianne, Blake

2015-01-01

Misconceptions about climate change are common, which suggests a need to effectively address the subject in the classroom. This article describes a project-based science activity in which students report on the physical basis, adaptations, and mitigation of this global problem, adapting the framework of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel…

Metamorphic evolution of the eastern part

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faryad Shah Wali

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The Inner to Central parts of the Western Carpathians consist of several tectonic units that provide unique opportunity to investigate Alpine and Pre-Alpine tectonothermal evolution in the Western Carpathians. Lithological and geochemical composition of sedimentary and igneous rocks indicate the presence of Alpine-Meliata and Pre-Alpine Rakovec suture zones. The Meliata blueschists are the only evidence of subducted Triassic Meliata-Hallstatt oceanic basin and adjacent continental wedge which occurred during the Jurassic time. These processes were followed by the Cretaceous collision that suffered not only the Gemer but also the Vepor Belts. Since Alpine and Variscan metamorphism occurred in most tectonic units under similar pressure and/or temperature conditions, for reconstruction of Alpine development is necessary to understand Pre-Alpine history of each tectonic unit. The Field Meeting is aimed to comprehend Alpine and Pre-Alpine tectonothermal evolution in the eastern parts of the Western Carpathians with a special respect to subduction and exhumation history of the Jurassic Meliata blueschists, as well as of Cretaceous collision in the Western Carpathians. In order to clear metamorphic characteristic and geological position of each unit a brief outline on structure and metamorphism of the Central Western Carpathians is given in the excursion guide. The manuscript of this work was improved by helpful suggestions of S. Jacko, D. Plašienka and M. Janák. This work was supported by Slovak Academic Agency, project WEGA-1/5003/98

Inlet Geomorphology Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

2015-04-01

APR 2015 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2015 to 00-00-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Inlet Geomorphology Evolution 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...Std Z39-18 Coastal Inlets Research Program Inlet Geomorphology Evolution The Inlet Geomorphology Evolution work unit of the CIRP evaluates

Brief introduction to project management of full scope simulator for Qinshan 300 MW Nuclear Power Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jie

1996-01-01

The key points in development and engineering project management of full scope simulator for Qinshan 300 MW Nuclear Power Unit are briefly introduced. The Gantt chart, some project management methods and experience are presented. The key points analysis along with the project procedure will be useful to the similar project

Process-based project proposal risk management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alok Kumar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We all are aware of the organizational omnipresence. Projects within the organizations are ubiquitous too. Projects achieve their goals successfully if they are planned, scheduled, controlled and implemented well. The project lifecycle of initiating, planning, scheduling, controlling and implementing are very well-planned by project managers and the organizations. Successful projects have well-developed risk management plans to deal with situations impacting projects. Like any other organisation, a university does try to access funds for different purposes too. For such organisations, running a project is not the issue, rather getting a project proposal approved to fund a project is the key. Project proposal processing is done by the nodal office in every organisation. Usually, these nodal offices help in administration and submission of a project proposal for accessing funds. Seldom are these nodal project offices within the organizations facilitate a project proposal approval by proactively reaching out to the project managers. And as project managers prepare project proposals, little or no attention is made to prepare a project proposal risk plan so as to maximise project acquisition. Risk plans are submitted while preparing proposals but these risk plans cater to a requirement to address actual projects upon approval. Hence, a risk management plan for project proposal is either missing or very little effort is made to treat the risks inherent in project acquisition. This paper is an integral attempt to highlight the importance of risk treatment for project proposal stage as an extremely important step to preparing the risk management plan made for projects corresponding to their lifecycle phases. Several tools and techniques have been proposed in the paper to help and guide either the project owner (proposer or the main organisational unit responsible for project management. Development of tools and techniques to further enhance project

Projections in donor organs available for liver transplantation in the United States: 2014-2025.

Science.gov (United States)

Parikh, Neehar D; Hutton, David; Marrero, Wesley; Sanghani, Kunal; Xu, Yongcai; Lavieri, Mariel

2015-06-01

With the aging US population, demographic shifts, and obesity epidemic, there is potential for further exacerbation of the current liver donor shortage. We aimed to project the availability of liver grafts in the United States. We performed a secondary analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database of all adult donors from 2000 to 2012 and calculated the total number of donors available and transplanted donor livers stratified by age, race, and body mass index (BMI) group per year. We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention historical data to stratify the general population by age, sex, race, and BMI. We then used US population age and race projections provided by the US Census Bureau and the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service and made national and regional projections of available donors and donor liver utilization from 2014 to 2025. We performed sensitivity analyses and varied the rate of the rise in obesity, proportion of Hispanics, population growth, liver utilization rate, and donation after cardiac death (DCD) utilization. The projected adult population growth in the United States from 2014 to 2025 will be 7.1%. However, we project that there will be a 6.1% increase in the number of used liver grafts. There is marked regional heterogeneity in liver donor growth. Projections were significantly affected by changes in BMI, DCD utilization, and liver utilization rates but not by changes in the Hispanic proportion of the US population or changes in the overall population growth. Overall population growth will outpace the growth of available donor organs and thus potentially exacerbate the existing liver graft shortage. The projected growth in organs is highly heterogeneous across different United Network for Organ Sharing regions. Focused strategies to increase the liver donor pool are warranted. © 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Projecting housing starts and softwood lumber consumption in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey P. Prestemon; David N. Wear; Karen L. Abt; Robert C. Abt

2018-01-01

New residential construction is a primary user of wood products in the United States; therefore, wood products projections require understanding the determinants of housing starts. We model quarterly US total, single-family, and multifamily housing starts with several model specifications, using data from 1979 to 2008, and evaluate their...

Evolution of a Computer-Based Testing Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Moskal, Patrick; Caldwell, Richard; Ellis, Taylor

2009-01-01

In 2003, faced with increasing growth in technology-based and large-enrollment courses, the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida opened a computer-based testing lab to facilitate administration of course examinations. Patrick Moskal, Richard Caldwell, and Taylor Ellis describe the development and evolution of the…

EPR project construction cost control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duflo, D.; Pouget-Abadie, X.; Dufour, A.; Kauffmann, G.

2001-01-01

The EPR project is now managed by EDF in cooperation with the German Utilities. The main engineering activities for this period are related to the preparation of construction project management, deepening of some safety issues, definition of the project technical reference. The EPR project concerns the so-called reference unit, that is an isolated first-off unit, with unit electrical power of about 1500 MW. The construction costs evaluated are those of the nuclear island, the conventional island, site facilities, installation work and the administrative buildings. The EPR project construction cost evaluation method applies to all the equipment installed and commissioned. It requires the availability of a preliminary project detailed enough to identify the bill of quantities. To these quantities are then assigned updated unit prices that are based either on cost bases for similar and recent facilities or taken from request for quotation for similar equipment or result from gains due to contractual conditions benefiting from simplifications in the functional and technical specifications. The input and output data are managed in a model that respects the breakdown on which the evaluation method is based. The structural organization of this method reflects a functional breakdown on the one hand (nuclear island, conventional island, common site elements) and on the other hand a breakdown according to equipment or activity (civil engineering, mechanics, electricity, instrumentation and control). This paper discusses the principle and the method of construction cost evaluation carried out, the cost data base and input and output parameters as well as results and oncoming cost analysis tasks. (author)

Portable air quality sensor unit for participatory monitoring: an end-to-end VESNA-AQ based prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Vucnik, Matevz; Robinson, Johanna; Smolnikar, Miha; Kocman, David; Horvat, Milena; Mohorcic, Mihael

2015-04-01

Key words: portable air quality sensor, CITI-SENSE, participatory monitoring, VESNA-AQ The emergence of low-cost easy to use portable air quality sensors units is opening new possibilities for individuals to assess their exposure to air pollutants at specific place and time, and share this information through the Internet connection. Such portable sensors units are being used in an ongoing citizen science project called CITI-SENSE, which enables citizens to measure and share the data. The project aims through creating citizens observatories' to empower citizens to contribute to and participate in environmental governance, enabling them to support and influence community and societal priorities as well as associated decision making. An air quality measurement system based on VESNA sensor platform was primarily designed within the project for the use as portable sensor unit in selected pilot cities (Belgrade, Ljubljana and Vienna) for monitoring outdoor exposure to pollutants. However, functionally the same unit with different set of sensors could be used for example as an indoor platform. The version designed for the pilot studies was equipped with the following sensors: NO2, O3, CO, temperature, relative humidity, pressure and accelerometer. The personal sensor unit is battery powered and housed in a plastic box. The VESNA-based air quality (AQ) monitoring system comprises the VESNA-AQ portable sensor unit, a smartphone app and the remote server. Personal sensor unit supports wireless connection to an Android smartphone via built-in Wi-Fi. The smartphone in turn serves also as the communication gateway towards the remote server using any of available data connections. Besides the gateway functionality the role of smartphone is to enrich data coming from the personal sensor unit with the GPS location, timestamps and user defined context. This, together with an accelerometer, enables the user to better estimate ones exposure in relation to physical activities, time

Weierstrass Elliptic Function Solutions to Nonlinear Evolution Equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Jianping; Sun Yongli

2008-01-01

This paper is based on the relations between projection Riccati equations and Weierstrass elliptic equation, combined with the Groebner bases in the symbolic computation. Then the novel method for constructing the Weierstrass elliptic solutions to the nonlinear evolution equations is given by using the above relations

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory project -- Continuous evolution in leadership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knutson, D.E.; McClusky, J.K.

1994-10-01

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) construction project at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in Richland, Washington, is a $230M Major Systems Acquisition for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The completed laboratory will be a national user facility that provides unparalleled capabilities for scientists involved in environmental molecular science research. This project, approved for construction by the Secretary of Energy in October 1993, is underway. The United States is embarking on an environmental cleanup effort that dwarfs previous scientific enterprise. Using current best available technology, the projected costs of cleaning up the tens of thousands of toxic waste sites, including DOE sites, is estimated to exceed one trillion dollars. The present state of scientific knowledge regarding the effects of exogenous chemicals on human biology is very limited. Long term environmental research at the molecular level is needed to resolve the concerns, and form the building blocks for a structure of cost effective process improvement and regulatory reform

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory project -- Continuous evolution in leadership

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knutson, D.E.; McClusky, J.K.

1994-10-01

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) construction project at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in Richland, Washington, is a $230M Major Systems Acquisition for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The completed laboratory will be a national user facility that provides unparalleled capabilities for scientists involved in environmental molecular science research. This project, approved for construction by the Secretary of Energy in October 1993, is underway. The United States is embarking on an environmental cleanup effort that dwarfs previous scientific enterprise. Using current best available technology, the projected costs of cleaning up the tens of thousands of toxic waste sites, including DOE sites, is estimated to exceed one trillion dollars. The present state of scientific knowledge regarding the effects of exogenous chemicals on human biology is very limited. Long term environmental research at the molecular level is needed to resolve the concerns, and form the building blocks for a structure of cost effective process improvement and regulatory reform.

Project-based knowledge in organizing open innovation

CERN Document Server

Comacchio, Anna; Pizzi, Claudio

2014-01-01

Enriching understanding of the current theoretical debate on project-based open innovation, ‘Project-based Knowledge in Organizing Open Innovation’ draws on innovation management literature and knowledge-based perspectives to investigate the relationship between knowledge development at project level and the strategic organization of open innovation. Addressing the still open issue of how the firm level should be complemented by studies at the project level of analysis, this book provides theoretical and empirical arguments on the advantages of a more fine-grained level of analysis to understand how firms organize their innovation processes across boundaries. The book also addresses the emerging interest in the management literature on project-based organizations, and on the relevance of project forms of organizing in a knowledge-based economy. Through field research in different industrial settings , this book provides empirical evidence on how firms design open innovation project-by-project and it will ...

Enhanced oil recovery projects data base

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pautz, J.F.; Sellers, C.A.; Nautiyal, C.; Allison, E.

1992-04-01

A comprehensive enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project data base is maintained and updated at the Bartlesville Project Office of the Department of Energy. This data base provides an information resource that is used to analyze the advancement and application of EOR technology. The data base has extensive information on 1,388 EOR projects in 569 different oil fields from 1949 until the present, and over 90% of that information is contained in tables and graphs of this report. The projects are presented by EOR process, and an index by location is provided.

Coalescence measurements for evolving foams monitored by real-time projection imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myagotin, A; Helfen, L; Baumbach, T

2009-01-01

Real-time radiographic projection imaging together with novel spatio-temporal image analysis is presented to be a powerful technique for the quantitative analysis of coalescence processes accompanying the generation and temporal evolution of foams and emulsions. Coalescence events can be identified as discontinuities in a spatio-temporal image representing a sequence of projection images. Detection, identification of intensity and localization of the discontinuities exploit a violation criterion of the Fourier shift theorem and are based on recursive spatio-temporal image partitioning. The proposed method is suited for automated measurements of discontinuity rates (i.e., discontinuity intensity per unit time), so that large series of radiographs can be analyzed without user intervention. The application potential is demonstrated by the quantification of coalescence during the formation and decay of metal foams monitored by real-time x-ray radiography

RCRA closure of eight land-based units at the Y-12 plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stone, J.E.; Welch, S.H.

1988-01-01

Eight land-based hazardous waste management units at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant are being closed under an integrated multi-year program. Closure plans for the units have been submitted and are in various stages of revision and regulatory review. These units will be closed by various combinations of methods, including liquid removal and treatment, sludge stabilization, contaminated sludge and/or soil removal, and capping. The closure of these sites will be funded by a new Department of Energy budget category, the Environmental Restoration Budget Category (ERBC), which is intended to provide greater flexibility in the response to closure and remedial activities. A major project, Closure and Post-Closure Activities (CAPCA), has been identified for ERBC funding to close and remediate the land units in accordance with RCRA requirements. Establishing the scope of this program has required the development of risk assessments and the preparation of an integrated schedule

Dynamic Evolution Model Based on Social Network Services

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Xi; Gou, Zhi-Jian; Zhang, Shi-Bin; Zhao, Wen

2013-11-01

Based on the analysis of evolutionary characteristics of public opinion in social networking services (SNS), in the paper we propose a dynamic evolution model, in which opinions are coupled with topology. This model shows the clustering phenomenon of opinions in dynamic network evolution. The simulation results show that the model can fit the data from a social network site. The dynamic evolution of networks accelerates the opinion, separation and aggregation. The scale and the number of clusters are influenced by confidence limit and rewiring probability. Dynamic changes of the topology reduce the number of isolated nodes, while the increased confidence limit allows nodes to communicate more sufficiently. The two effects make the distribution of opinion more neutral. The dynamic evolution of networks generates central clusters with high connectivity and high betweenness, which make it difficult to control public opinions in SNS.

United States-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevalence Survey: lessons learned from implementation of the project.

Science.gov (United States)

de Cosío, Federico G; Díaz-Apodaca, Beatriz A; Ruiz-Holguín, Rosalba; Lara, Agustín; Castillo-Salgado, Carlos

2010-09-01

This paper reviews and discusses the main procedures and policies that need to be followed when designing and implementing a binational survey such as the United States of America (U.S.)-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevalence Study that took place between 2001 and 2002. The main objective of the survey was to determine the prevalence of diabetes in the population 18 years of age or older along U.S.-Mexico border counties and municipalities. Several political, administrative, financial, legal, and cultural issues were identified as critical factors that need to be considered when developing and implementing similar binational projects. The lack of understanding of public health practices, implementation of existing policies, legislation, and management procedures in Mexico and the United States may delay or cancel binational research, affecting the working relation of both countries. Many challenges were identified: multiagency/multifunding, ethical/budget clearances, project management, administrative procedures, laboratory procedures, cultural issues, and project communications. Binational projects are complex; they require coordination between agencies and institutions at federal, state, and local levels and between countries and need a political, administrative, bureaucratic, cultural, and language balance. Binational agencies and staff should coordinate these projects for successful implementation.

General purpose graphics-processing-unit implementation of cosmological domain wall network evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Correia, J R C C C; Martins, C J A P

2017-10-01

Topological defects unavoidably form at symmetry breaking phase transitions in the early universe. To probe the parameter space of theoretical models and set tighter experimental constraints (exploiting the recent advances in astrophysical observations), one requires more and more demanding simulations, and therefore more hardware resources and computation time. Improving the speed and efficiency of existing codes is essential. Here we present a general purpose graphics-processing-unit implementation of the canonical Press-Ryden-Spergel algorithm for the evolution of cosmological domain wall networks. This is ported to the Open Computing Language standard, and as a consequence significant speedups are achieved both in two-dimensional (2D) and 3D simulations.

General purpose graphics-processing-unit implementation of cosmological domain wall network evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Correia, J. R. C. C. C.; Martins, C. J. A. P.

2017-10-01

Topological defects unavoidably form at symmetry breaking phase transitions in the early universe. To probe the parameter space of theoretical models and set tighter experimental constraints (exploiting the recent advances in astrophysical observations), one requires more and more demanding simulations, and therefore more hardware resources and computation time. Improving the speed and efficiency of existing codes is essential. Here we present a general purpose graphics-processing-unit implementation of the canonical Press-Ryden-Spergel algorithm for the evolution of cosmological domain wall networks. This is ported to the Open Computing Language standard, and as a consequence significant speedups are achieved both in two-dimensional (2D) and 3D simulations.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD PRACTICES IN HOSPITAL-BASED HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT UNITS.

Science.gov (United States)

Sampietro-Colom, Laura; Lach, Krzysztof; Pasternack, Iris; Wasserfallen, Jean-Blaise; Cicchetti, Americo; Marchetti, Marco; Kidholm, Kristian; Arentz-Hansen, Helene; Rosenmöller, Magdalene; Wild, Claudia; Kahveci, Rabia; Ulst, Margus

2015-01-01

Health technology assessment (HTA) carried out for policy decision making has well-established principles unlike hospital-based HTA (HB-HTA), which differs from the former in the context characteristics and ways of operation. This study proposes principles for good practices in HB-HTA units. A framework for good practice criteria was built inspired by the EFQM excellence business model and information from six literature reviews, 107 face-to-face interviews, forty case studies, large-scale survey, focus group, Delphi survey, as well as local and international validation. In total, 385 people from twenty countries have participated in defining the principles for good practices in HB-HTA units. Fifteen guiding principles for good practices in HB-HTA units are grouped in four dimensions. Dimension 1 deals with principles of the assessment process aimed at providing contextualized information for hospital decision makers. Dimension 2 describes leadership, strategy and partnerships of HB-HTA units which govern and facilitate the assessment process. Dimension 3 focuses on adequate resources that ensure the operation of HB-HTA units. Dimension 4 deals with measuring the short- and long-term impact of the overall performance of HB-HTA units. Finally, nine core guiding principles were selected as essential requirements for HB-HTA units based on the expertise of the HB-HTA units participating in the project. Guiding principles for good practices set up a benchmark for HB-HTA because they represent the ideal performance of HB-HTA units; nevertheless, when performing HTA at hospital level, context also matters; therefore, they should be adapted to ensure their applicability in the local context.

GPU-based Branchless Distance-Driven Projection and Backprojection.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rui; Fu, Lin; De Man, Bruno; Yu, Hengyong

2017-12-01

Projection and backprojection operations are essential in a variety of image reconstruction and physical correction algorithms in CT. The distance-driven (DD) projection and backprojection are widely used for their highly sequential memory access pattern and low arithmetic cost. However, a typical DD implementation has an inner loop that adjusts the calculation depending on the relative position between voxel and detector cell boundaries. The irregularity of the branch behavior makes it inefficient to be implemented on massively parallel computing devices such as graphics processing units (GPUs). Such irregular branch behaviors can be eliminated by factorizing the DD operation as three branchless steps: integration, linear interpolation, and differentiation, all of which are highly amenable to massive vectorization. In this paper, we implement and evaluate a highly parallel branchless DD algorithm for 3D cone beam CT. The algorithm utilizes the texture memory and hardware interpolation on GPUs to achieve fast computational speed. The developed branchless DD algorithm achieved 137-fold speedup for forward projection and 188-fold speedup for backprojection relative to a single-thread CPU implementation. Compared with a state-of-the-art 32-thread CPU implementation, the proposed branchless DD achieved 8-fold acceleration for forward projection and 10-fold acceleration for backprojection. GPU based branchless DD method was evaluated by iterative reconstruction algorithms with both simulation and real datasets. It obtained visually identical images as the CPU reference algorithm.

The Barselina Project Phase 4 Summary report. Ignalina Unit 2 Probabilistic Safety Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johansson, Gunnar [ES-Konsult AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Hellstroem, P. [RELCON AB, Solna (Sweden); Zheltobriuch, G.; Bagdonas, A. [Ignalina Power Plant, Visaginas (Lithuania)

1996-12-01

The Barselina Project was initiated in the summer of 1991. The project is a multilateral co-operation between Lithuania, Russia and Sweden. The long range objective is to establish common perspectives and unified bases for assessment of severe accident risks and needs for remedial measures for the RBMK reactors. The Swedish BWR Barsebaeck is used as reference plant and the Lithuanian RBMK Ignalina as application plant. During phase 3, from March, 1993 to June, 1994, a full scope Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) model of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant unit 2 (INPP-2) was developed to identify possible safety improvement of risk importance. The probabilistic methodology was applied on a plant specific basis for a channel type reactor of RBMK design. To increase the realism of the risk model a set of deterministic analyses were performed and plant/RBMK-specific data bases were developed and used. A general concept for analysing this type of reactor was developed. During phase 4, July 1994 to September 1996, the PSA was further developed, taking into account plant changes, improved modeling methods and extended plant information concerning dependencies (area events, dynamic effects, electrical and signal dependencies). The updated model is quantified and new results and conclusions are evaluated.

Falls prevention in hospitals and mental health units: an extended evaluation of the FallSafe quality improvement project.

Science.gov (United States)

Healey, Frances; Lowe, Derek; Darowski, Adam; Windsor, Julie; Treml, Jonathan; Byrne, Lisa; Husk, Janet; Phipps, Jill

2014-07-01

inpatient falls are a major patient safety issue causing distress, injury and death. Systematic review suggests multifactorial assessment and intervention can reduce falls by 20-30%, but large-scale studies of implementation are few. This paper describes an extended evaluation of the FallSafe quality improvement project, which presented key components of multifactorial assessment and intervention as a care bundle. : data on delivery of falls prevention processes were collected at baseline and for 18 months from nine FallSafe units and nine control units. Data on falls were collected from local risk management systems for 24 months, and data on under-reporting through staff surveys. : in FallSafe units, delivery of seven care bundle components significantly improved; most improvements were sustained after active project support was withdrawn. Twelve-month moving average of reported fall rates showed a consistent downward trend in FallSafe units but not controls. Significant reductions in reported fall rate were found in FallSafe units (adjusted rate ratio (ARR) 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68-0.84 P control units (ARR 0.91, 95% CI 0.81-1.03 P = 0.13). No significant changes in injurious fall rate were found in FallSafe units (ARR 0.86, 95% CI 0.71-1.03 P = 0.11), or controls (ARR 0.88, 95% CI 0.72-1.08 P = 0.13). In FallSafe units, staff certain falls had been reported increased from 60 to 77%. : introducing evidence-based care bundles of multifactorial assessment and intervention using a quality improvement approach resulted in improved delivery of multifactorial assessment and intervention and significant reductions in fall rates, but not in injurious fall rates. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Visualizing Practices in Project-based Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Whyte, Jennifer; Tryggestad, Kjell; Comi, Alice

2016-01-01

Project-based design involves a variety of visual representations, which are evolved to make decisions and accomplish project objectives. Yet, such mediated and distributed ways of working are difficult to capture through ethnographies that examine situated design. A novel approach is developed t...... representations enabled participants in project-based design to develop and share understanding. The complexity of projects and their distributed and mediated nature makes this approach timely and important in addressing new research questions and practical challenges.......Project-based design involves a variety of visual representations, which are evolved to make decisions and accomplish project objectives. Yet, such mediated and distributed ways of working are difficult to capture through ethnographies that examine situated design. A novel approach is developed...... of situated design. This allows the researcher to be nimble, tracing connections across complex engineering projects; reconstructing practices through their visual representations; and observing their effects. Second, it articulates how, in these empirical cases, interaction with a cascade of visual...

Evolution of investment costs related to wood energy collective installations (2000-2006). Final report - Synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-04-01

Based on a survey on 90 French projects, and on a comparison with 76 German projects and 36 Austrian projects, this document proposes a synthesis of a study which aimed at identifying and analysing the evolution of investment costs for wood collective heating systems between 2000 and 2006. Data are analysed and commented while stressing their limitations which are related to their quality, to project heterogeneity, to economic value scattering. The evolution of investment costs of French projects is analysed in terms of global cost, and of items (heat production, public works, studies and construction, item ratios)

Use of mock-up training to reduce personnel exposure at the North Anna Unit 1 Steam Generator Replacement Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henry, H.G. [Virginia Power, Mineral, VA (United States); Reilly, B.P. [Bechtel Power Corp., Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

1995-03-01

The North Anna Power Station is located on the southern shore of Lake Anna in Louisa County, approximately forty miles northwest of Richmond, Virginia. The two 910 Mw nuclear units located on this site are owned by Virginia Electric and Power Company (Virginia Power) and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and operated by Virginia Power. Fuel was loaded into Unit 1 in December 1977, and it began commercial operation in June 1978. Fuel was loaded into Unit 2 in April 1980 and began commercial operation in December 1980. Each nuclear unit includes a three-coolant-loop pressurized light water reactor nuclear steam supply system that was furnished by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Included within each system were three Westinghouse Model 51 steam generators with alloy 600, mill-annealed tubing material. Over the years of operation of Unit 1, various corrosion-related phenomena had occurred that affected the steam generators tubing and degraded their ability to fulfill their heat transfer function. Advanced inspection and repair techniques helped extend the useful life of the steam generators, but projections based on the results of the inspections indicated that the existing steam generators tubing and degraded their ability to fullfill their heat transfer function. Advanced inspection and repair techniques helped extend the useful life of the steam generators, but projections based on the results of the inspections indicated that the existing steam generators would not last their design life and must be repaired. To this end Virginia Power determined that a steam generator replacement (SGR) program was necessary to remove the old steam generator tube bundles and lower shell sections, including the channel heads (collectively called the lower assemblies), and replace them with new lower assemblies incorporating design features that will prevent the degradation problems that the old steam generators had experienced.

Science standards: The foundation of evolution education in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Watts

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Science standards and textbooks have a huge impact on the manner in which evolution is taught in American classrooms. Standards dictate how much time and what points have to be dedicated to the subject in order to prepare students for state-wide assessments, while the textbooks will largely determine how the subject is presented in the classroom. In the United States both standards and textbooks are determined at the state-level through a political process. Currently there is a tremendous amount of pressure arising from anti-evolutionists in the United States to weaken or omit the teaching of evolution despite recommendations from central institutions such as the National Academy of Science. Results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA showed that not only are American students performing below average, but also that their performance is declining as they scored worse in 2012 than they did in 2010. Interestingly PISA also found that the internal variation within a country is often greater than between countries with a variation of up to 300 points, which is equivalent to seven years of education pointing to the extreme heterogeneous quality of education within a country (OECD, 2012. An implementation of strong standards would not only help to increase the average performance of American students but could also alleviate the vast discrepancy between the highest and lowest scoring groups of American students. Although the Next Generation Science Standards have been in existence since 2013 and A Framework for K-12 Science Education has been available to the public since 2011 many American states still continue to create their own standards that, according to the Fordham study, are well below par (Lerner et al., 2012. Due to the political nature of the adoption procedure of standards and textbooks, there are many opportunities for interested individuals to get involved in the process of improving these fundamental elements of

Something of value Governance of Projects in the Project-Based Organisation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riis, Eva

2013-01-01

The paper presents a conceptual framework for studying Governance of Projects and issues of value in the project-based organisation. Attempts at exploring and conceptualising the issues in the current literature are reviewed. Issues pertinent to gaining value by Governance of Projects have mainly...... for a better understanding of Governance of Projects and value contribution. The findings presented here form the conceptual foundation for subsequent empirical studies of value by Governance of Projects....... been explored from the perspective of economic theory. Models found in the literature are not typically concerned with value for the implementing organisation as a whole; their scope is limited to the time just after project completion. No valid, empirically-based models of value creation by Governance...

The SILCC (SImulating the LifeCycle of molecular Clouds) project - I. Chemical evolution of the supernova-driven ISM

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Walch, S.; Girichidis, P.; Naab, T.; Gatto, A.; Glover, S.C.O.; Wünsch, Richard; Klessen, R.S.; Clark, P.C.; Peters, T.; Derigs, D.; Baczynski, C.

2015-01-01

Roč. 454, č. 1 (2015), s. 238-268 ISSN 0035-8711 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP209/12/1795 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : magnetodydrodynamics * ISM clouds * ISM evolution Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy , Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 4.952, year: 2015

Web-based Project Reporting System

Data.gov (United States)

US Agency for International Development — Web-PRS is a web-based system that captures financial information and project status information that is sortable by geographical location, pillar, project type and...

"P.S.-I'm White Too": The Legacy of Evolution, Creationism, and Racism in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Randy; Chung, Carl

2005-01-01

Despite decades of science education reform, creationism remains very popular in the United States. Although neither creationism nor evolution is inherently racist, creationists and evolutionists have used science to justify white supremacy. Powerful racist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and popular racist advocates such as Frank Norris…

Evolution of and projections for automated composite material placement equipment in the aerospace industry

Science.gov (United States)

McCarville, Douglas A.

2009-12-01

As the commercial aircraft industry attempts to improve airplane fuel efficiency by shifting from aluminum to composites (reinforced plastics), there is a concern that composite processing equipment is not mature enough to meet increasing demand and that delivery delays and loss of high tech jobs could result. The research questions focused on the evolution of composite placement machines, improvement of machine functionality by equipment vendors, and the probability of new inventions helping to avoid production shortfalls. An extensive review of the literature found no studies that addressed these issues. Since the early twentieth century, exploratory case study of pivotal technological advances has been an accepted means of performing historic analysis and furthering understanding of rapidly changing marketplaces and industries. This qualitative case study investigated evolution of automated placement equipment by (a) codifying and mapping patent data (e.g., claims and functionality descriptions), (b) triangulating archival data (i.e., trade literature, vender Web sites, and scholarly texts), and (c) interviewing expert witnesses. An industry-level sensitivity model developed by the author showed that expanding the vendor base and increasing the number of performance enhancing inventions will most likely allow the industry to make the transition from aluminum to composites without schedule delays. This study will promote social change by (a) advancing individual and community knowledge (e.g., teaching modules for students, practitioners, and professional society members) and (b) providing an empirical model that will help in the understanding and projection of next generation composite processing equipment demand and productivity output.

The Physics of Open Ended Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Alyssa M.

What makes living systems different than non-living ones? Unfortunately this question is impossible to answer, at least currently. Instead, we must face computationally tangible questions based on our current understanding of physics, computation, information, and biology. Yet we have few insights into how living systems might quantifiably differ from their non-living counterparts, as in a mathematical foundation to explain away our observations of biological evolution, emergence, innovation, and organization. The development of a theory of living systems, if at all possible, demands a mathematical understanding of how data generated by complex biological systems changes over time. In addition, this theory ought to be broad enough as to not be constrained to an Earth-based biochemistry. In this dissertation, the philosophy of studying living systems from the perspective of traditional physics is first explored as a motivating discussion for subsequent research. Traditionally, we have often thought of the physical world from a bottom-up approach: things happening on a smaller scale aggregate into things happening on a larger scale. In addition, the laws of physics are generally considered static over time. Research suggests that biological evolution may follow dynamic laws that (at least in part) change as a function of the state of the system. Of the three featured research projects, cellular automata (CA) are used as a model to study certain aspects of living systems in two of them. These aspects include self-reference, open-ended evolution, local physical universality, subjectivity, and information processing. Open-ended evolution and local physical universality are attributed to the vast amount of innovation observed throughout biological evolution. Biological systems may distinguish themselves in terms of information processing and storage, not outside the theory of computation. The final research project concretely explores real-world phenomenon by means of

Education as an Agent of Social Evolution: The Educational Projects of Patrick Geddes in Late-Victorian Scotland

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Douglas

2009-01-01

This paper examines the educational projects of Patrick Geddes in late-Victorian Scotland. Initially a natural scientist, Geddes drew on an eclectic mix of social theory to develop his own ideas on social evolution. For him education was a vital agent of social change which, he believed, had the potential to develop active citizens whose…

Revealing the secrets of African annonaceae : systematics, evolution and biogeography of the syncarpous genera Isolona and Monodora

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Couvreur, T.L.P.

2008-01-01

The goal of this PhD project was to study the evolution, systematics and biogeography of two African genera from the pan-tropical Annonaceae family: Isolona and Monodora. Both genera are unique within the family in that the female reproductive parts (or carpels) are fused into a single unit. All

Thermodynamic data base needs for modeling studies of the Yucca Mountain project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, C.E.A.; Silva, R.J.; Bucher, J.J.

1996-01-01

This document is the first in a series of documents outlining the thermodynamic data needs for performing geochemical modeling calculations in support of various waste package performance assessment activities for the Yucca Mountain Project. The documents are intended to identify and justify the critical thermodynamic data needs for the data base to be used with the models. The Thermodynamic Data Determinations task supplies data needed to resolve performance or design issues and the development of the data base will remain an iterative process as needs change or data improve. For example, data are needed to predict: (1) major ion groundwater chemistry and its evolution, (2) mineral stabilities and evolution, (3) engineered barrier near-field transport and retardation properties, (4) changes in geochemical conditions and processes, (5) solubilities, speciation and transport of waste radionuclides and (6) the dissolution of corrosion of construction and canister materials and the effect on groundwater chemistry and radionuclide solubilities and transport. The system is complex and interactive, and data need to be supplied in order to model the changes and their effect on other components of the system, e.g., temperature, pH and redox conditions (Eh). Through sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, the critical data and system parameters will be identified and the acceptable variations in them documented

Environmental Assessment for the National Museum of the United States Air Force Addition, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-01

AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) United States Air Force 88th...Air Base Wing Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES...visitors nationwide and from foreign countries. Softball and soccer fields are located adjacent to the Museum grounds and are operated by the 88 Air

Projected demographic composition of the United States population of people living with diagnosed HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Julia E; Golden, Matthew R; Hughes, James P; Goodreau, Steven M; Siddiqi, Azfar-E-Alam; Buskin, Susan E; Hawes, Stephen E

2017-12-01

The transformation of HIV from a fatal disease to lifelong disease has resulted in an HIV-infected population that is growing and aging, placing new and increasing demands on public programs and health services. We used National HIV Surveillance System and US census data to project the demographic composition of the population of people living with diagnosed HIV (PLWDH) in the United States through 2045. The input parameters for the projections include: (1) census projections, (2) number of people with an existing HIV diagnosis in 2013, (3) number of new HIV diagnoses in 2013, and (4) death rate within the PLWDH population in 2013. Sex-, risk group-, and race-specific projections were estimated through an adapted Leslie Matrix Model for age-structured populations. Projections for 2013-2045 suggest that the number of PLWDH in the U.S. will consistently grow, from 917,294 to 1,232,054, though the annual growth rate will slow from 1.8% to 0.8%. The number of PLWDH aged 55 years and older will increase from 232,113 to 470,221. The number of non-Hispanic (NH) African Americans/Blacks and Hispanics is projected to consistently grow, shifting the racial/ethnic composition of the US PLWDH population from 32 to 23% NH-White, 42 to 38% NH-Black, and 20-32% Hispanic between 2013 and 2045. Given current trends, the composition of the PLWDH population is projected to change considerably. Public health practitioners should anticipate large shifts in the age and racial/ethnic structure of the PLWDH population in the United States.

Evolution of the Orbital Elements for Geosynchronous Orbit of Communications Satellite, II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyu-Hong Choi

1987-06-01

Full Text Available For a geostationary satellite north-south station keeping maneuver must control the inclination elements. The effects on the orbit plane of maneuvers and natural perturbations may be represented by a plane plot of Wc versus Ws, since these inclination elements represent the projection of the unit orbit normal onto the equatorial plane. The evolution of the semi-major axis and the inclination elements are obtained.

ORGANIZATION OF FUTURE ENGINEERS' PROJECT-BASED LEARNING WHEN STUDYING THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halyna V. Lutsenko

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The peculiarities of modern world experience of implementation of project-based learning in engineering education have been considered. The potential role and place of projects in learning activity have been analyzed. The methodology of organization of project-based activity of engineering students when studying the project management methodology and computer systems of project management has been proposed. The requirements to documentation and actual results of students' projects have been described in detail. The requirements to computer-aided systems of project management developed by using Microsoft Project in the scope of diary scheduling and resources planning have been formulated.

The Effect of a Graph-Oriented Computer-Assisted Project-Based Learning Environment on Argumentation Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, P. -S.; Van Dyke, M.; Chen, Y.; Smith, T. J.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to explore how seventh graders in a suburban school in the United States developed argumentation skills and science knowledge in a project-based learning environment that incorporated a graph-oriented, computer-assisted application. A total of 54 students (three classes) comprised this treatment…

Project management for complex ground-based instruments: MEGARA plan

Science.gov (United States)

García-Vargas, María. Luisa; Pérez-Calpena, Ana; Gil de Paz, Armando; Gallego, Jesús; Carrasco, Esperanza; Cedazo, Raquel; Iglesias, Jorge

2014-08-01

The project management of complex instruments for ground-based large telescopes is a challenge itself. A good management is a clue for project success in terms of performance, schedule and budget. Being on time has become a strict requirement for two reasons: to assure the arrival at the telescope due to the pressure on demanding new instrumentation for this first world-class telescopes and to not fall in over-costs. The budget and cash-flow is not always the expected one and has to be properly handled from different administrative departments at the funding centers worldwide distributed. The complexity of the organizations, the technological and scientific return to the Consortium partners and the participation in the project of all kind of professional centers working in astronomical instrumentation: universities, research centers, small and large private companies, workshops and providers, etc. make the project management strategy, and the tools and procedures tuned to the project needs, crucial for success. MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is a facility instrument of the 10.4m GTC (La Palma, Spain) working at optical wavelengths that provides both Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) capabilities at resolutions in the range R=6,000-20,000. The project is an initiative led by Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain) in collaboration with INAOE (Mexico), IAA-CSIC (Spain) and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain). MEGARA is being developed under contract with GRANTECAN.

Management evolution in the LSST project

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Donald; Claver, Charles; Jacoby, Suzanne; Kantor, Jeffrey; Krabbendam, Victor; Kurita, Nadine

2010-07-01

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) project has evolved from just a few staff members in 2003 to about 100 in 2010; the affiliation of four founding institutions has grown to 32 universities, government laboratories, and industry. The public private collaboration aims to complete the estimated $450 M observatory in the 2017 timeframe. During the design phase of the project from 2003 to the present the management structure has been remarkably stable. At the same time, the funding levels, staffing levels and scientific community participation have grown dramatically. The LSSTC has introduced project controls and tools required to manage the LSST's complex funding model, technical structure and distributed work force. Project controls have been configured to comply with the requirements of federal funding agencies. Some of these tools for risk management, configuration control and resource-loaded schedule have been effective and others have not. Technical tasks associated with building the LSST are distributed into three subsystems: Telescope & Site, Camera, and Data Management. Each sub-system has its own experienced Project Manager and System Scientist. Delegation of authority is enabling and effective; it encourages a strong sense of ownership within the project. At the project level, subsystem management follows the principle that there is one Board of Directors, Director, and Project Manager who have overall authority.

The implementation of unit-based perinatal mortality audit in perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Diem Mariet Th

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Perinatal (mortality audit can be considered to be a way to improve the careprocess for all pregnant women and their newborns by creating an opportunity to learn from unwanted events in the care process. In unit-based perinatal audit, the caregivers involved in cases that result in mortality are usually part of the audit group. This makes such an audit a delicate matter. Methods The purpose of this study was to implement unit-based perinatal mortality audit in all 15 perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands between September 2007 and March 2010. These units consist of hospital-based and independent community-based perinatal caregivers. The implementation strategy encompassed an information plan, an organization plan, and a training plan. The main outcomes are the number of participating perinatal cooperation units at the end of the project, the identified substandard factors (SSF, the actions to improve care, and the opinions of the participants. Results The perinatal mortality audit was implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. 677 different caregivers analyzed 112 cases of perinatal mortality and identified 163 substandard factors. In 31% of cases the guidelines were not followed and in 23% care was not according to normal practice. In 28% of cases, the documentation was not in order, while in 13% of cases the communication between caregivers was insufficient. 442 actions to improve care were reported for ‘external cooperation’ (15%, ‘internal cooperation’ (17%, ‘practice organization’ (26%, ‘training and education’ (10%, and ‘medical performance’ (27%. Valued aspects of the audit meetings were: the multidisciplinary character (13%, the collective and non-judgmental search for substandard factors (21%, the perception of safety (13%, the motivation to reflect on one’s own professional performance (5%, and the inherent postgraduate education (10%. Conclusion

A Lithology Based Map Unit Schema For Onegeology Regional Geologic Map Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Moosdorf, N.; Richard, S. M.

2012-12-01

A system of lithogenetic categories for a global lithological map (GLiM, http://www.ifbm.zmaw.de/index.php?id=6460&L=3) has been compiled based on analysis of lithology/genesis categories for regional geologic maps for the entire globe. The scheme is presented for discussion and comment. Analysis of units on a variety of regional geologic maps indicates that units are defined based on assemblages of rock types, as well as their genetic type. In this compilation of continental geology, outcropping surface materials are dominantly sediment/sedimentary rock; major subdivisions of the sedimentary category include clastic sediment, carbonate sedimentary rocks, clastic sedimentary rocks, mixed carbonate and clastic sedimentary rock, colluvium and residuum. Significant areas of mixed igneous and metamorphic rock are also present. A system of global categories to characterize the lithology of regional geologic units is important for Earth System models of matter fluxes to soils, ecosystems, rivers and oceans, and for regional analysis of Earth surface processes at global scale. Because different applications of the classification scheme will focus on different lithologic constituents in mixed units, an ontology-type representation of the scheme that assigns properties to the units in an analyzable manner will be pursued. The OneGeology project is promoting deployment of geologic map services at million scale for all nations. Although initial efforts are commonly simple scanned map WMS services, the intention is to move towards data-based map services that categorize map units with standard vocabularies to allow use of a common map legend for better visual integration of the maps (e.g. see OneGeology Europe, http://onegeology-europe.brgm.fr/ geoportal/ viewer.jsp). Current categorization of regional units with a single lithology from the CGI SimpleLithology (http://resource.geosciml.org/201202/ Vocab2012html/ SimpleLithology201012.html) vocabulary poorly captures the

Implementing Family Meetings Into a Respiratory Care Unit: A Care and Communication Quality Improvement Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Loeslie, Vicki; Abcejo, Ma Sunnimpha; Anderson, Claudia; Leibenguth, Emily; Mielke, Cathy; Rabatin, Jeffrey

Substantial evidence in critical care literature identifies a lack of quality and quantity of communication between patients, families, and clinicians while in the intensive care unit. Barriers include time, multiple caregivers, communication skills, culture, language, stress, and optimal meeting space. For patients who are chronically critically ill, the need for a structured method of communication is paramount for discussion of goals of care. The objective of this quality improvement project was to identify barriers to communication, then develop, implement, and evaluate a process for semistructured family meetings in a 9-bed respiratory care unit. Using set dates and times, family meetings were offered to patients and families admitted to the respiratory care unit. Multiple avenues of communication were utilized to facilitate attendance. Utilizing evidence-based family meeting literature, a guide for family meetings was developed. Templates were developed for documentation of the family meeting in the electronic medical record. Multiple communication barriers were identified. Frequency of family meeting occurrence rose from 31% to 88%. Staff satisfaction with meeting frequency, meeting length, and discussion of congruent goals of care between patient/family and health care providers improved. Patient/family satisfaction with consistency of message between team members; understanding of medications, tests, and dismissal plan; and efficacy to address their concerns with the medical team improved. This quality improvement project was implemented to address the communication gap in the care of complex patients who require prolonged hospitalizations. By identifying this need, engaging stakeholders, and developing a family meeting plan to meet to address these needs, communication between all members of the patient's care team has improved.

Process-based software project management

CERN Document Server

Goodman, F Alan

2006-01-01

Not connecting software project management (SPM) to actual, real-world development processes can lead to a complete divorcing of SPM to software engineering that can undermine any successful software project. By explaining how a layered process architectural model improves operational efficiency, Process-Based Software Project Management outlines a new method that is more effective than the traditional method when dealing with SPM. With a clear and easy-to-read approach, the book discusses the benefits of an integrated project management-process management connection. The described tight coup

Glaciation and geosphere evolution - Greenland Analogue Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirschorn, S.; Vorauer, A.; Belfadhel, M.B.; Jensen, M.

2011-01-01

permafrost occurrence, amongst other attributes; Evolution of deep groundwater systems and impacts of Coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical effects imposed by glacial cycles; Impacts of climate change on redox stability using both numerical simulations and paleohydrogeological investigations; and Potential for seismicity and faulting induced by glacial rebound. This paper presents an overview of studies underway as part of the Greenland Analogue Project (GAP) to evaluate the impact of an ice sheet on groundwater chemistry at repository depth using the Greenland Ice Sheet as an analogue to future glaciations in North America. The study of the Greenland Ice Sheet will allow us to increase our understanding of hydrological, hydrogeological and geochemical processes during glacial conditions. (author)

Geotectonic evolution of lunar LQ-4 region based on multisource data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianping Chen

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The Sinus Iridum region, the first choice for China's “Lunar Exploration Project” is located at the center of the lunar LQ-4 area and is the site of Chang'e-3 (CE-3's soft landing. To make the scientific exploration of Chang'e-3 more targeted and scientific, and to obtain a better macro-level understanding of the geotectonic environment of the Sinus Iridum region, the tectonic elements in LQ-4 region have been studied and the typical structures were analyzed statistically using data from CE-1, Clementine, LRO and Lunar Prospector missions. Also, the mineral components and periods of mare basalt activities in the study area have been ascertained. The present study divides the tectonic units and establishes the major tectonic events and sequence of evolution in the study area based on morphology, mineral constituents, and tectonic element distribution.

Miniaturized Power Processing Unit Study: A Cubesat Electric Propulsion Technology Enabler Project

Science.gov (United States)

Ghassemieh, Shakib M.

2014-01-01

This study evaluates High Voltage Power Processing Unit (PPU) technology and driving requirements necessary to enable the Microfluidic Electric Propulsion technology research and development by NASA and university partners. This study provides an overview of the state of the art PPU technology with recommendations for technology demonstration projects and missions for NASA to pursue.

Estimation of the future nuclear power research in Romania, based on the present Cernavoda NPP evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumitrache, Ion

2001-01-01

For more than four decades, the electric power needs of Romania were evaluated on the basis of the State Plan for Economic Development. To identify the optimal solution, the 'least price per produced MWh' was practically the only criterion. Now, there is no convincing estimation of the future economic development and at least two additional criteria play a significant role, 'the safety in the supply of the needed electric power', and 'the need of limiting the environmental impact of electricity generation'. The analysis dedicated to evaluation of future electric power solutions must take into account several features of the present situation. There are no available internal funds to finance the construction of new generating units of the order of several hundreds of MW. Even the so-called 'refurbishing' of the existing thermal power plants is based on foreign loan. In the 2000 year, about 80 electricity generation units reached 30 years of operation, i.e., the design life. Other thermal power plants proved very modest performances during 15-20 years of operation. Consequently, the future of almost 100 generating units is either in shutdown + decommissioning or shutdown + modernization situation. The Government analyzed the situation and decided to continue the completion of the Cernavoda NPP. The Unit 2 will be commissioned in a couple of years, and there is a schedule of negotiations relating the future of the Unit 3. After almost five years of successful operation of the Unit 1, the collaboration between RDT Institutes and NPP has clear features. Based on the experience related to this collaboration and taking into account the evolution of the Cernavoda NPP, we estimated that five research domains have significant chances to obtain a stable (and, hopefully, consistent) financial support. 1. Nuclear Safety, in particular Accident Analysis. As the Government re-iterated the firm decision to meet the conditions required for European integration, most of the nuclear

Scientific reference on the long time evolution of spent fuels; Referentiel scientifique sur l'evolution a long terme des combustibles uses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferry, C.; Poinssot, Ch.; Broudic, V.; Jegou, Ch.; Roudil, D.; Poulesquen, A.; Miserque, F. [CEA Saclay, Dept. de Physico-Chimie, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Cappelaere, Ch. [CEA Saclay, Dept. des Materiaux pour le Nucleaire, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Desgranges, L.; Garcia, Ph.; Piron, J.P. [CEA Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Dept. d' Etudes des Combustibles; Lovera, P.; Marimbeau, P. [CEA Cadarache, 13 - Saint Paul lez Durance (France). Dept. d' Etudes des Reacteurs; Corbel, C. [CEA Saclay, Dept. de Recherche sur l' Etat Condense, les Atomes et les Molecules, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France)

2005-03-15

This report is published in the framework of the 1991 French law for the nuclear waste management. The state of the art reported here concerns the long term evolution of spent fuel in the various environmental conditions corresponding to dry storage and geological disposal: closed system, air and water saturated medium. This review is based on the results of the french PRECCI project (Research Program on Long term Evolution of Spent Nuclear Fuel) and on literature data. (authors)

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…

Professor Eric Can't See: A Project-Based Learning Case for Neurobiology Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogilvie, Judith Mosinger; Ribbens, Eric

2016-01-01

"Professor Eric Can't See" is a semi-biographical case study written for an upper level undergraduate Neurobiology of Disease course. The case is integrated into a unit using a project-based learning approach to investigate the retinal degenerative disorder Retinitis pigmentosa and the visual system. Some case study scenes provide specific questions for student discussion and problem-based learning, while others provide background for student inquiry and related active learning exercises. The case was adapted from "'Chemical Eric' Can't See," and could be adapted for courses in general neuroscience or sensory neuroscience.

EVOLUTION OF THE FOREST MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY IN TURKEY: A CASE STUDY OF ARTVIN PLANNING UNIT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hacı Ahmet Yolasığmaz

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Forest management plans were firstly prepared and implemented in Turkey between 1963 and 1973. All forests in Turkey have been managed with timber oriented forest management philosophy; however, there have been some developments about inventory and silviculture techniques for approximately 40 years. Last decade, Turkey participated in Convention of Biological Diversity in Rio (1992 and included in both Pan – European and Near East Region Conventions. Nowadays, Turkish forest management philosophy has changed from timber management to ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning with the principles of “sustainable forest management” criteria and indicators drafted in a few national and international agreements. Thus, Turkish forestry is underway in a restructuring process. This paper presents evolution of the traditional forest management philosophy in Turkey since 1963. This study was carried out in Artvin Planning Unit. Past two decade planning periods (managed under timber management approach was compared with current case study data used for forest multiple use management approach based on ecosystem in terms of distribution of age class, site class and change of volume and increment. In conclusion, former applications and techniques for adaptation of improvement must be analyzed and interpreted properly. Monetary resources and experts as well as legal, technique and scientific framework must be provided.

Project-Based Science

Science.gov (United States)

Krajcik, Joe

2015-01-01

Project-based science is an exciting way to teach science that aligns with the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"). By focusing on core ideas along with practices and crosscutting concepts, classrooms become learning environments where teachers and students engage in science by designing and carrying out…

The ANGSTREM project: present status and development activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepanov, V.S.; Legyuenko, S.K.; Grigoriev, O.G.; Gromov, B.F.; Dedul, A.V.; Leonchyk, M.P.; Pashkin, Yu.G.; Pankratov, D.V.; Chekunov, V.V.; Skorikov, D.E.

1998-01-01

The project ANGSTREM of a modular-transportable nuclear power-and-heating station with assured safety for remote areas is described. The station is based on fast nuclear reactor cooling by a lead-bismuth eutectic. The possible evolution of the project is mentioned in relation to possible new application - sea water desalination or refrigeration plants. (author)

Project-Based Learning in Programmable Logic Controller

Science.gov (United States)

Seke, F. R.; Sumilat, J. M.; Kembuan, D. R. E.; Kewas, J. C.; Muchtar, H.; Ibrahim, N.

2018-02-01

Project-based learning is a learning method that uses project activities as the core of learning and requires student creativity in completing the project. The aims of this study is to investigate the influence of project-based learning methods on students with a high level of creativity in learning the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This study used experimental methods with experimental class and control class consisting of 24 students, with 12 students of high creativity and 12 students of low creativity. The application of project-based learning methods into the PLC courses combined with the level of student creativity enables the students to be directly involved in the work of the PLC project which gives them experience in utilizing PLCs for the benefit of the industry. Therefore, it’s concluded that project-based learning method is one of the superior learning methods to apply on highly creative students to PLC courses. This method can be used as an effort to improve student learning outcomes and student creativity as well as to educate prospective teachers to become reliable educators in theory and practice which will be tasked to create qualified human resources candidates in order to meet future industry needs.

Thermotectonic evolution of the Apuseni mountains (Romania) based on structural and geothermochronological data

Science.gov (United States)

Reiser, M. K.; Fügenschuh, B.; Schuster, R.

2012-04-01

The Apuseni Mountains in Romania take a central position in the Alpine Carpathian Dinaride system between the Pannonian basin in the West and the Transylvanian basin in the East. Following the final Mid-Cretaceous obduction of the East Vardar ophiolite a NW-vergent nappe stack formed, which involves from bottom to top: Tisza- (Bihor and Codru) and Dacia-derived (Biharia) units, overlain by the South Apuseni or Transylvanian ophiolite belt (see Schmid et al, 2008). This study tries to provide new and additional information on the complex structural and metamorphic evolution of these units, from the onset of obduction during Jurassic times, to the (final?) exhumation processes observed during the Eocene (according to Merten, 2011). Based on observed stretching lineations, kinematic indicators such as porphyroclasts, shearbands etc. were analyzed to establish a relative chronological order of deformation and tectonic transport. Microstructural studies provided additional data on the relative succession of events and the relevant synkinematic temperatures. A thermochronological study, based on the integration of newly aquired Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, Ar-Ar and fission track ages with existing data allowed the construction of a time-temperature deformation path. Our data indicate three major events, a Late Jurassic-Earliest Cretaceous exhumation event, which cannot be directly constrained by structural data so far. Yet the position of the Transsylvanian ophiolites tectonically overlying the Biharia unit as well as distinct thermochronological data are self-explaining. The second event ("Austrian Phase" in local nomenclature), documented by structural and thermochronological data, is related to the top to the NE thrusting (i.e. in present-day coordinates) of Tisza over Dacia during the Mid-Cretaceous. This penetrative event in the Biharia unit is overprinted at the contact between nappes by a third, top to the NW event during the Turonian, which relates to the NW directed

Utility-Scale Solar 2014. An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bolinger, Mark [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Seel, Joachim [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-09-01

Other than the nine Solar Energy Generation Systems (“SEGS”) parabolic trough projects built in the 1980s, virtually no large-scale or “utility-scale” solar projects – defined here to include any groundmounted photovoltaic (“PV”), concentrating photovoltaic (“CPV”), or concentrating solar thermal power (“CSP”) project larger than 5 MW_AC – existed in the United States prior to 2007. By 2012 – just five years later – utility-scale had become the largest sector of the overall PV market in the United States, a distinction that was repeated in both 2013 and 2014 and that is expected to continue for at least the next few years. Over this same short period, CSP also experienced a bit of a renaissance in the United States, with a number of large new parabolic trough and power tower systems – some including thermal storage – achieving commercial operation. With this critical mass of new utility-scale projects now online and in some cases having operated for a number of years (generating not only electricity, but also empirical data that can be mined), the rapidly growing utility-scale sector is ripe for analysis. This report, the third edition in an ongoing annual series, meets this need through in-depth, annually updated, data-driven analysis of not just installed project costs or prices – i.e., the traditional realm of solar economics analyses – but also operating costs, capacity factors, and power purchase agreement (“PPA”) prices from a large sample of utility-scale solar projects in the United States. Given its current dominance in the market, utility-scale PV also dominates much of this report, though data from CPV and CSP projects are presented where appropriate.

Base-age invariance and inventory projections

Science.gov (United States)

C. J. Cieszewski; R. L. Bailey; B. E. Borders; G. H. Brister; B. D. Shiver

2000-01-01

One of the most important functions of forest inventory is to facilitate management decisions towards forest sustainability based on inventory projections into the future. Therefore, most forest inventories are used for predicting future states of the forests, in modern forestry the most common methods used in inventory projections are based on implicit functions...

Project-Based Learning in Scottish Prisons

Science.gov (United States)

Sams, Kirsten

2014-01-01

The article describes the development of a project-based approach to learning in seven Scottish prisons. It argues that the project-based approach is ideally suited to prison education due to its flexibility and ability to enrich the relatively narrow prison curriculum and create meaningful links with wider society, reducing the isolation of…

Summary and abstracts: Applied Research Units and Projects 1996 UCETF Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-05-21

The Urban Consortium (UC), created by PTI, is a network of jurisdictions with populations of over 250,000. The UC provides a platform for research and enterprise through its Energy, Environmental, Transportation, and Telecommunications and Information Task Forces. The UC provides a unique creative forum where elected and appointed officials and technical managers identify, test, and validate practical ways to improve the provision of public services and, where possible, generate new revenue opportunities. Public Technology, Inc., is the non-profit technology organization of the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, and the International City/County Management Association. PTI creates and advances technology-based products, services, and enterprises in cities and counties nationwide. Staffed by PTI, the UC addresses the critical needs of local governments through its Task Forces. The Urban Consortium Energy Task Force (UCETF) program has, since its inception, acted as a laboratory to develop, test solutions and share the resulting products or management approaches with the wider audience of local governments. It has addressed the overlap between energy and environment and economic development policy issues, and, is the nation's most extensive cooperative local government program to improve energy management and decision-making through applied research and technology cooperation. Proposals to meet the specific objectives of the UCETF annual R and D program are solicited from major urban jurisdictions. Projects based on these proposals are then selected by the UCETF for direct conduct and management by staff of city and county governments. Projects selected for each year's program are organized in thematic units to assure effective management and ongoing peer-to-peer experience exchange, with results documented at the end of each program year.

Production-history projections of fuels and some crucial metals in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arndt, R A; Roper, L D

1977-09-01

The production-history projection method of the authors is refined to determine the earliest date at which reasonably well-determined depletion parameters can be ascertained. The method is applied to the United States production data for silver, crude oil, natural gas, coal, iron ore, and uranium ore. 13 references.

Optic issues in ongoing ERL projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, S.L.; Muratori, B.D.; Owen, H.L.; Hoffstaetter, G.H.; Litvinenko, V.N.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Bai, M.; Beebe-Wang, J.; Blaskiewicz, M.; Calaga, R.; Fischer, W.; Chang, X.Y.; Kayran, D.; Kewisch, J.; MacKay, W.W.; Montag, C.; Parker, B.; Ptitsyn, V.; Roser, T.; Ruggiero, A.; Satogata, T.; Surrow, B.; Tepikian, S.; Trbojevic, D.; Yakimenko, V.; Zhang, S.Y.; Piot, Ph.

2006-01-01

A wide range of optics issues for energy recovery linac (ERL)-based projects are illustrated through the presentation of ongoing projects covering both light sources, at Cornell and Daresbury and high energy and nuclear physics accelerators at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. This presented range of projects demonstrates how the different designs teams see the challenges of studying and solving optics issues for their particular project's ERLs, with studies appropriate to the stage of maturity of the project. Finally, as an illustration of the complexity and detail behind a single aspect of ERL optics design we present an overview of the highly important generic topic of longitudinal phase space evolution in ERLs

Computer simulations for the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission through NASA's "Project Spectra!"

Science.gov (United States)

Christofferson, R.; Wood, E. L.; Euler, G.

2012-12-01

"Project Spectra!" is a standards-based light science and engineering program on solar system exploration that includes both hands-on paper and pencil activities as well as Flash-based computer games that help students solidify understanding of high-level planetary and solar physics. Using computer interactive games where students experience and manipulate the information makes abstract concepts accessible. Visualizing lessons with multi-media tools solidifies understanding and retention of knowledge. Since students can choose what to watch and explore, the interactives accommodate a broad range of learning styles. Students can go back and forth through the interactives if they've missed a concept or wish to view something again. In the end, students are asked critical thinking questions and conduct web-based research. As a part of the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission education programming, we've developed two new "Project Spectra!" interactives that go hand-in-hand with a paper and pencil activity. The MAVEN mission will study volatiles in the upper atmosphere to help piece together Mars' climate history. In the first interactive, students explore black body radiation, albedo, and a simplified greenhouse effect to establish what factors contribute to overall planetary temperature and how they contribute. Students are asked to create a scenario in which a planet they build and design is able to maintain liquid water on the surface. In the second interactive, students are asked to consider Mars and the conditions needed for Mars to support water on the surface, keeping some variables fixed. Ideally, students will walk away with the very basic and critical elements required for climate studies, which has far-reaching implications beyond the study of Mars. These interactives are currently being pilot tested at Arvada High School in Colorado.

Computer simulations for the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission through NASA's 'Project Spectra!'

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, E. L.

2013-12-01

'Project Spectra!' is a standards-based light science and engineering program on solar system exploration that includes both hands-on paper and pencil activities as well as Flash-based computer games that help students solidify understanding of high-level planetary and solar physics. Using computer interactive games where students experience and manipulate the information makes abstract concepts accessible. Visualizing lessons with multi-media tools solidifies understanding and retention of knowledge. Since students can choose what to watch and explore, the interactives accommodate a broad range of learning styles. Students can go back and forth through the interactives if they've missed a concept or wish to view something again. In the end, students are asked critical thinking questions and conduct web-based research. As a part of the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission education programming, we've developed two new 'Project Spectra!' interactives that go hand-in-hand with a paper and pencil activity. The MAVEN mission will study volatiles in the upper atmosphere to help piece together Mars' climate history. In the first interactive, students explore black body radiation, albedo, and a simplified greenhouse effect to establish what factors contribute to overall planetary temperature and how they contribute. Students are asked to create a scenario in which a planet they build and design is able to maintain liquid water on the surface. In the second interactive, students are asked to consider Mars and the conditions needed for Mars to support water on the surface, keeping some variables fixed. Ideally, students will walk away with the very basic and critical elements required for climate studies, which has far-reaching implications beyond the study of Mars. These interactives were pilot tested at Arvada High School in Colorado.

Generalized frameworks for first-order evolution inclusions based on Yosida approximations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram U. Verma

2011-04-01

Full Text Available First, general frameworks for the first-order evolution inclusions are developed based on the A-maximal relaxed monotonicity, and then using the Yosida approximation the solvability of a general class of first-order nonlinear evolution inclusions is investigated. The role the A-maximal relaxed monotonicity is significant in the sense that it not only empowers the first-order nonlinear evolution inclusions but also generalizes the existing Yosida approximations and its characterizations in the current literature.

Evolution of the U.S. Energy Service Company Industry: Market Size and Project Performance from 1990-2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, Peter [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Goldman, Charles A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Satchwell, Andrew [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2012-05-08

The U.S. energy service company (ESCO) industry is an example of a private sector business model where energy savings are delivered to customers primarily through the use of performance-based contracts. This study was conceived as a snapshot of the ESCO industry prior to the economic slowdown and the introduction of federal stimulus funding mandated by enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This study utilizes two parallel analytic approaches to characterize ESCO industry and market trends in the U.S.: (1) a “top-down” approach involving a survey of individual ESCOs to estimate aggregate industry activity and (2) a “bottom-up” analysis of a database of -3,265 projects (representing over $8B in project investment) that reports market trends including installed EE retrofit strategies, project installation costs and savings, project payback times, and benefit-cost ratios over time. Despite the onset of an economic recession, the U.S. ESCO industry managed to grow at about 7% per year between 2006 and 2008. ESCO industry revenues are relatively small compared to total U.S. energy expenditures (about $4.1 billion in 2008), but ESCOs anticipated accelerated growth through 2011 (25% per year). We found that 2,484 ESCO projects in our database generated -$4.0 billion ($2009) in net, direct economic benefits to their customers. We estimate that the ESCO project database includes about 20% of all U.S. ESCO market activity from 1990-2008. Assuming the net benefits per project are comparable for ESCO projects that are not included in the LBNL database, this would suggest that the ESCO industry has generated -$23 billion in net direct economic benefits for customers at projects installed between 1990 and 2008. We found that nearly 85% of all public and institutional projects met or exceeded the guaranteed level of savings. We estimated that a typical ESCO project generated $1.5 dollars of direct benefits for every dollar of customer

NEA international co-operative projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This text is consecrated at the international co-operative projects of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in the field of reactor safety (Halden reactor project, Loft project, studies on the damaged Three Mile Island unit-2 reactor, inspection of reactor steel components, incident reporting system) and in the field of radioactive waste management (Stripa project, geochemical data bases, Alligator river project, seabed disposal of high-level radioactive waste, decommissioning of nuclear facilities)

Neuron-Based Heredity and Human Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Don Marshall Gash

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract:Abstract: It is widely recognized that human evolution has been driven by two systems of heredity: one DNA-based and the other based on the transmission of behaviorally acquired information via nervous system functions. The genetic system is ancient, going back to the appearance of life on Earth. It is responsible for the evolutionary processes described by Darwin. By comparison, the nervous system is relatively newly minted and in its highest form, responsible for ideation and mind-to-mind transmission of information. Here the informational capabilities and functions of the two systems are compared. While employing quite different mechanisms for encoding, storing and transmission of information, both systems perform these generic hereditary functions. Three additional features of neuron-based heredity in humans are identified: the ability to transfer hereditary information to other members of their population, not just progeny; a selection process for the information being transferred; and a profoundly shorter time span for creation and dissemination of survival-enhancing information in a population. The mechanisms underlying neuron-based heredity involve hippocampal neurogenesis and memory and learning processes modifying and creating new neural assemblages changing brain structure and functions. A fundamental process in rewiring brain circuitry is through increased neural activity (use strengthening and increasing the number of synaptic connections. Decreased activity in circuitry (disuse leads to loss of synapses. Use and disuse modifying an organ to bring about new modes of living, habits and functions are processes are in line with Neolamarckian concepts of evolution (Packard, 1901. Evidence is presented of bipartite evolutionary processes – Darwinian and Neolamarckian – driving human descent from a common ancestor shared with the great apes.

Expanding the Understanding of Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Musante, Susan

2011-01-01

Originally designed for K-12 teachers, the Understanding Evolution (UE) Web site ("www.understandingevolution.org") is a one-stop shop for all of a teacher's evolution education needs, with lesson plans, teaching tips, lists of common evolution misconceptions, and much more. However, during the past five years, the UE project team learned that…

Project Leadership Lived Experiences with Web-Based Social Networking: A Phenomenological Study

Science.gov (United States)

Scroggins, Charles W.

2010-01-01

This study explores the lived experiences of project leaders adopting and using Web-2.0 social networking collaboration applications for their project leadership activities. The experiences of 20 project leaders in a Fortune 500 aerospace and defense enterprise in the northeastern United States of America were explored using a qualitative…

System design projects for undergraduate design education

Science.gov (United States)

Batill, S. M.; Pinkelman, J.

1993-01-01

Design education has received considerable in the recent past. This paper is intended to address one aspect of undergraduate design education and that is the selection and development of the design project for a capstone design course. Specific goals for a capstone design course are presented and their influence on the project selection are discussed. The evolution of a series of projects based upon the design of remotely piloted aircraft is presented along with students' perspective on the capstone experience.

Summary of papers on predicting aggregated-scale coastal evolution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulscher, Suzanne J.M.H.

2003-01-01

Coastal evolution puts many questions, both to coastal engineers as well as to scientists. The project PACE (Predicting Aggregated-Scale Coastal Evolution) is a successful project in which they both meet. This paper puts the overview papers of the project into perspective and highlights the results.

Creating a Project-Based Learning Environment to Improve Project Management Skills of Graduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Arantes do Amaral, Joao Alberto; Gonçalves, Paulo; Hess, Aurélio

2015-01-01

This article describes the project-based learning environment created to support project management graduate courses. The paper will focus on the learning context and procedures followed for 13 years, in 47 project-based learning MBA courses, involving approximately 1,400 students and 34 community partners.

The projectable hull of an archimedean $ell$-group with weak unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony W. Hager

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The much-studied projectable hull of an $ell$-group $Gleq pG$ is an essential extension, so that, in the case that $G$ is  archimedean with weak unit, ``$Gin {bf W}$", we have for the Yosida representation spaces a ``covering map" $YG leftarrow YpG$. We have earlier cite{hkm2} shown that (1 this cover has a characteristic minimality property, and that (2 knowing $YpG$, one can write down $pG$. We now show directly that for $mathscr{A}$, the boolean algebra in the power set of the minimal prime spectrum $Min(G$, generated by the sets $U(g={Pin Min(G:gnotin P}$ ($gin G$, the Stone space $mathcal{A}mathscr{A}$ is a cover of $YG$ with the minimal property of (1; this extends the result from cite{bmmp} for the strong unit case. Then, applying (2 gives the pre-existing description of $pG$, which includes the strong unit description of cite{bmmp}. The present methods are largely topological, involving details of covering maps and Stone duality.

Does Competency-Based Education Have a Role in Academic Pharmacy in the United States?

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Melissa S.

2017-01-01

Competency-based Education (CBE) is an educational model that allows students to learn and demonstrate their abilities at their own pace. CBE is growing in popularity in undergraduate educational programs and its role in pharmacy education in the United States (US) is under review. In comparison, medical education is utilizing competency-based approaches (such as competencies and Entrustable Professional Activities) to ensure that students possess the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes prior to graduation or program completion. The concept of competency-based approaches is growing in use in pharmacy education in the US, but the future related to aspects of this concept (e.g., mandatory Entrustable Professional Activities) is not certain. A review of pharmacy education’s evolution in the US and a comparison of competency-related terms offers insight into the future use of competency-based approaches and CBE in pharmacy education in the US through the lens of benefits and challenges. PMID:28970425

Does Competency-Based Education Have a Role in Academic Pharmacy in the United States?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa S. Medina

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Competency-based Education (CBE is an educational model that allows students to learn and demonstrate their abilities at their own pace. CBE is growing in popularity in undergraduate educational programs and its role in pharmacy education in the United States (US is under review. In comparison, medical education is utilizing competency-based approaches (such as competencies and Entrustable Professional Activities to ensure that students possess the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes prior to graduation or program completion. The concept of competency-based approaches is growing in use in pharmacy education in the US, but the future related to aspects of this concept (e.g., mandatory Entrustable Professional Activities is not certain. A review of pharmacy education’s evolution in the US and a comparison of competency-related terms offers insight into the future use of competency-based approaches and CBE in pharmacy education in the US through the lens of benefits and challenges.

Antigenic and genetic evolution of contemporary swine H1 influenza viruses in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajao, Daniela S; Anderson, Tavis K; Kitikoon, Pravina; Stratton, Jered; Lewis, Nicola S; Vincent, Amy L

2018-05-01

Several lineages of influenza A viruses (IAV) currently circulate in North American pigs. Genetic diversity is further increased by transmission of IAV between swine and humans and subsequent evolution. Here, we characterized the genetic and antigenic evolution of contemporary swine H1N1 and H1N2 viruses representing clusters H1-α (1A.1), H1-β (1A.2), H1pdm (1A.3.3.2), H1-γ (1A.3.3.3), H1-δ1 (1B.2.2), and H1-δ2 (1B.2.1) currently circulating in pigs in the United States. The δ1-viruses diversified into two new genetic clades, H1-δ1a (1B.2.2.1) and H1-δ1b (1B.2.2.2), which were also antigenically distinct from the earlier H1-δ1-viruses. Further characterization revealed that a few key amino acid changes were associated with antigenic divergence in these groups. The continued genetic and antigenic evolution of contemporary H1 viruses might lead to loss of vaccine cross-protection that could lead to significant economic impact to the swine industry, and represents a challenge to public health initiatives that attempt to minimize swine-to-human IAV transmission. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evolution of PHWR fuel transfer system based on operating experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parvatikar, R.S.; Singh, Jaipal; Chaturvedi, P.C.; Bhambra, H.S.

2006-01-01

Fuel Transfer System facilitates loading of new fuel into Fuelling Machine, receipt of spent fuel from Fuelling Machine and its further transportation to Storage Bay. To overcome the limitations of transferring a pair of bundles in the single tube Airlock and Transfer Arm in RAPS-1 and 2/MAPS, a new concept of six tube Transfer Magazine was introduced in NAPS. This resulted in simultaneous loading of new fuel from Transfer Magazine into the Fuelling Machine and unloading of spent fuel from the Fuelling Machine through the exchange mode. It further facilitated the parallel/simultaneous operation of refuelling by Fuelling Machines on the reactor and transferring of spent fuel bundles from the Transfer Magazine to the bay. This new design of Fuel Transfer System was adopted for all standardised 220 MWe PHWRs. Based on the experience gained in 220 MWe PHWRs in the area of operation and maintenance, a number of improvements have been carried out over the years. These aspects have been further strengthened and refined in the Fuel Transfer System of 540 MWe units. The operating experience of the system indicates that the presence of heavy water in the Transfer Magazine poses limitations in its maintenance in the Fuel Transfer room. Further, Surveillance and maintenance of large number of under water equipment and associated valves, rams and underwater sensors is putting extra burden on the O and M efforts. A new concept of mobile light water filled Transfer Machine has been evolved for proposed 700 MWe PHWR units to simplify Fuel Transfer System. This has been made possible by adopting snout level control in the Fuelling Machine, elimination of Shuttle Transport System and locating the Storage Bay adjacent to the Reactor Building. This paper describes the evolution of Fuel Transfer System concepts and various improvements based on the experience gained in the operation and maintenance of the system. (author)

Agent Based Simulation of Group Emotions Evolution and Strategy Intervention in Extreme Events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Agent based simulation method has become a prominent approach in computational modeling and analysis of public emergency management in social science research. The group emotions evolution, information diffusion, and collective behavior selection make extreme incidents studies a complex system problem, which requires new methods for incidents management and strategy evaluation. This paper studies the group emotion evolution and intervention strategy effectiveness using agent based simulation method. By employing a computational experimentation methodology, we construct the group emotion evolution as a complex system and test the effects of three strategies. In addition, the events-chain model is proposed to model the accumulation influence of the temporal successive events. Each strategy is examined through three simulation experiments, including two make-up scenarios and a real case study. We show how various strategies could impact the group emotion evolution in terms of the complex emergence and emotion accumulation influence in extreme events. This paper also provides an effective method of how to use agent-based simulation for the study of complex collective behavior evolution problem in extreme incidents, emergency, and security study domains.

Knowledge collaborative incentive based on inter-organizational cooperative innovation of project-based supply chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guangdong Wu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Within project-based supply chain inter-organizational cooperative innovation, the achievement of project value-adding reflects by factors such as project-based organizational effect level, the relationship between project cooperative innovation objectives etc. The purpose is to provide a reliable reference for the contractor reasonably allocate the effect level and resources between the knowledge input and innovation stage and realize the knowledge collaboration for project-based supply chain. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the assumption of equal cooperation between project-based organizations, from the view of maximizing project value-adding and the relationship of effect cost between knowledge input and innovation stage in consideration, the knowledge collaborative incentive model for project-based supply chain inter-organizational cooperative innovation was established, and solved through the first-order and second-order approach, then the digital simulation and example analysis were presented. Findings: The results show that, the project management enterprise resorted to adjust project knowledge collaboration incentive intensity and implemented knowledge input-innovation coordinative incentive strategy, not only could achieve project value-adding maximization, but also could realize net earnings Pareto improvement between project management enterprise and contractor. Research limitations/implications: To simplify the knowledge flow among project-based organizations, the knowledge flow in the model hypothesis is presented as knowledge input and knowledge innovation stage, thus it may affect the final analysis results. Originality/value: In construction project practice, knowledge is become more and more important to achieve project value-adding. The research can provide a theoretical guideline for the project-based organizations, such as the contractor, the owner, especially how to utilize their core knowledge.

United States Support Programme (USSP): Lessons Learned from the Management of Complex, Multi-Stakeholder Projects for International Safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz, R.; Tackentien, J.

2015-01-01

This paper will review USSP experiences, lessons learned, and proposed future strategies on the management of complex projects including the Universal Non-Destructive Assay Data Acquisition Platform (UNAP) instrument development task. The focus will be on identifying lessons learned to formulate strategies to minimize risk and maximize the potential of commercial success for future complex projects. Topics planned for inclusion are: 1. Initial agreement amongst all stakeholders on the justification of the need of the development including market studies of existing/near term future COTS technology capabilities; 2. Initial confirmation that there is a market for the product other than the IAEA to reduce investment risk; 3. Agreement on an accelerated initial project schedule from request acceptance to commercial unit production including per unit cost and quantities; 4. During product development, obtaining periodic customer reaffirmation of the need and quantities for the product per the existing schedule and per unit price. (author)

Dehydration-driven evolution of topological complexity in ethylamonium uranyl selenates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurzhiy, Vladislav V., E-mail: vladgeo17@mail.ru [Department of Crystallography, St. Petersburg State University, University Emb. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Krivovichev, Sergey V. [Department of Crystallography, St. Petersburg State University, University Emb. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Tananaev, Ivan G. [Far Eastern Federal University, Suhanova st. 8, 690950 Vladivostok (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

Single crystals of four novel uranyl selenate and selenite-selenate oxysalts with protonated ethylamine molecules, (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N){sub 2}[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O)](H{sub 2}O) (I), (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N){sub 3}[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4}){sub 2}(HSeO{sub 4})] (II), (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N)[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4})(HSeO{sub 3})] (III), and (C{sub 2}H{sub 8}N)(H{sub 3}O)[(UO{sub 2})(SeO{sub 4}){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O)] (IV) have been prepared by isothermal evaporation from aqueous solutions. Uranyl-containing 1D and 2D units have been investigated using topological approach and information-based complexity measurements that demonstrate the evolution of structural units and the increase of topological complexity with the decrease of H{sub 2}O content. - Graphical abstract: Single crystals of four novel uranyl selenate and selenite-selenate oxysalts with protonated ethylamine molecules have been prepared by isothermal evaporation from aqueous solutions. Structural analysis and information-based topological complexity calculations points to the possible sequence of crystalline phases formation, showing both topological and structural branches of evolution. - Highlights: • Single crystals of four novel uranyl oxysalts were prepared by evaporation method. • The graph theory was used for investigation of topologies of structural units. • Dehydration processes drives the evolution of topological complexity of 1D and 2D structural units.

Small power reactor projects in the United States of America and Canada. Information gathered as a result of invitations from Member States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1962-01-01

As part of its activities in connection with the development of nuclear power, and in response to the resolutions adopted by the General Conference, the Agency has been undertaking a continuing study of the technology and economics of small and medium sized power reactors, particularly with reference to the needs of the less-developed countries. This report summarizes the information gathered on the small power reactor projects in the United States of America and Canada, as a result of the opportunity afforded by these Member States to the Agency. It may be recalled that, at the third regular session of the General Conference, the United States Government offered to provide the Agency with relevant technical and economic data on several small power reactor projects of its Atomic Energy Commission. The Agency accepted the offer and since June 1960 it has sent one or two staff members at approximately six-monthly intervals to follow the development of nine power reactor projects in the United States which represent six different reactor systems. Last year, the Agency issued a report summarizing the information obtained through their visits and study of available published literature. The present document, which should be read in conjunction with that document, brings the information up to date and provides additional information on certain phases of the projects already discussed in the last report. Three more power reactor projects are also dealt with, namely the experimental gas-cooled reactor (EGCR), the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) and the Hallam nuclear power facility (HNPF). Early in 1962, the Canadian Government expressed its willingness to make available to the Agency relevant information on the NPD and CANDU projects. The coverage of the NPD reactor is based upon the published information supplied by AECL of Canada and the visit by one of the staff members to the NPD site. The Agency wishes to acknowledge with thanks the co-operation extended

Utility-Scale Solar 2013: An empirical analysis of project cost, performance, and pricing trends in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bolinger, Mark [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Weaver, Samantha [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2014-09-17

Other than the SEGS I-IX parabolic trough projects built in the 1980s, virtually no large-scale or "utility-scale" solar projects-defined here to include any ground-mounted photovoltaic ("PV"), concentrating photovoltaic ("CPV"), or concentrating solar power ("CSP" or solar thermal) project larger than 5 MW_AC-existed in the United States prior to 2007.

A generative representation for the evolution of jazz solos

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bäckman, Kjell; Dahlstedt, Palle

2008-01-01

This paper describes a system developed to create computer based jazz improvisation solos. The generation of the improvisation material uses interactive evolution, based on a dual genetic representation: a basic melody line representation, with energy constraints ("rubber band") and a hierarchic...... developed for this specific type of music. This is the first published part of an ongoing research project in generative jazz, based on probabilistic and evolutionary strategies....

Using Web-Based Peer Benchmarking to Manage the Client-Based Project

Science.gov (United States)

Raska, David; Keller, Eileen Weisenbach; Shaw, Doris

2013-01-01

The complexities of integrating client-based projects into marketing courses provide challenges for the instructor but produce richness of context and active learning for the student. This paper explains the integration of Web-based peer benchmarking as a means of improving student performance on client-based projects within a single semester in…

Problem based Learning versus Design Thinking in Team based Project work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Denise J. Stokholm, Marianne

2014-01-01

project based learning issues, which has caused a need to describe and compare the two models; in specific the understandings, approaches and organization of learning in project work. The PBL model viewing the process as 3 separate project stages including; problem analysis, problem solving and project......All educations at Aalborg University has since 1974 been rooted in Problem Based Learning (PBL). In 1999 a new education in Industrial design was set up, introducing Design Based Learning (DBL). Even though the two approaches have a lot in common they also hold different understandings of core...... report, with focus on problem solving through analysis. Design Based Learning viewing the process as series of integrated design spaces including; alignment, research, mission, vision, concept, product and process report, with focus on innovative ideation though integration. There is a need of renewing...

Evolution of cooperation driven by social-welfare-based migration

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Ye, Hang; Zhang, Hong

2016-03-01

Individuals' migration behavior may play a significant role in the evolution of cooperation. In reality, individuals' migration behavior may depend on their perceptions of social welfare. To study the relationship between social-welfare-based migration and the evolution of cooperation, we consider an evolutionary prisoner's dilemma game (PDG) in which an individual's migration depends on social welfare but not on the individual's own payoff. By introducing three important social welfare functions (SWFs) that are commonly studied in social science, we find that social-welfare-based migration can promote cooperation under a wide range of parameter values. In addition, these three SWFs have different effects on cooperation, especially through the different spatial patterns formed by migration. Because the relative efficiency of the three SWFs will change if the parameter values are changed, we cannot determine which SWF is optimal for supporting cooperation. We also show that memory capacity, which is needed to evaluate individual welfare, may affect cooperation levels in opposite directions under different SWFs. Our work should be helpful for understanding the evolution of human cooperation and bridging the chasm between studies of social preferences and studies of social cooperation.

Multi-Role Project (MRP): A New Project-Based Learning Method for STEM

Science.gov (United States)

Warin, Bruno; Talbi, Omar; Kolski, Christophe; Hoogstoel, Frédéric

2016-01-01

This paper presents the "Multi-Role Project" method (MRP), a broadly applicable project-based learning method, and describes its implementation and evaluation in the context of a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) course. The MRP method is designed around a meta-principle that considers the project learning activity…

Problem-based and project-oriented learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blaabjerg, Frede; Teodorescu, Remus; Chen, Zhe

2005-01-01

. Generally, the content of the curriculum should be more expanded without extra study time. This paper presents a teaching approach, which makes it possible very fast for the students to obtain in-depth skills into new research areas, and this method is the problem-oriented and project-based learning....... In this paper the necessary skills for power electronic engineers are outlined that is followed up by a description on how the problem-oriented and project-based learning are implemented. A complete curriculum in power electronics and drives at Aalborg University is presented where different power electronics...... related projects at different study levels also are presented....

Solving SAT Problem Based on Hybrid Differential Evolution Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kunqi; Zhang, Jingmin; Liu, Gang; Kang, Lishan

Satisfiability (SAT) problem is an NP-complete problem. Based on the analysis about it, SAT problem is translated equally into an optimization problem on the minimum of objective function. A hybrid differential evolution algorithm is proposed to solve the Satisfiability problem. It makes full use of strong local search capacity of hill-climbing algorithm and strong global search capability of differential evolution algorithm, which makes up their disadvantages, improves the efficiency of algorithm and avoids the stagnation phenomenon. The experiment results show that the hybrid algorithm is efficient in solving SAT problem.

Computer Interactives for the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Mission through NASA's "Project Spectra!"

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, E. L.

2014-12-01

"Project Spectra!" is a standards-based E-M spectrum and engineering program that includes paper and pencil activities as well as Flash-based computer games that help students solidify understanding of high-level planetary and solar physics. Using computer interactive games, students experience and manipulate information making abstract concepts accessible, solidifying understanding and enhancing retention of knowledge. Since students can choose what to watch and explore, the interactives accommodate a broad range of learning styles. Students can go back and forth through the interactives if they've missed a concept or wish to view something again. In the end, students are asked critical thinking questions and conduct web-based research. As part of the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission education programming, we've developed two new interactives. The MAVEN mission will study volatiles in the upper atmosphere to help piece together Mars' climate history. In the first interactive, students explore black body radiation, albedo, and a simplified greenhouse effect to establish what factors contribute to overall planetary temperature. Students design a planet that is able to maintain liquid water on the surface. In the second interactive, students are asked to consider conditions needed for Mars to support water on the surface, keeping some variables fixed. Ideally, students will walk away with the very basic and critical elements required for climate studies, which has far-reaching implications beyond the study of Mars. These interactives were pilot tested at Arvada High School in Colorado.

Clastic compaction unit classification based on clay content and integrated compaction recovery using well and seismic data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong Hong

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Compaction correction is a key part of paleo-geomorphic recovery methods. Yet, the influence of lithology on the porosity evolution is not usually taken into account. Present methods merely classify the lithologies as sandstone and mudstone to undertake separate porosity-depth compaction modeling. However, using just two lithologies is an oversimplification that cannot represent the compaction history. In such schemes, the precision of the compaction recovery is inadequate. To improve the precision of compaction recovery, a depth compaction model has been proposed that involves both porosity and clay content. A clastic lithological compaction unit classification method, based on clay content, has been designed to identify lithological boundaries and establish sets of compaction units. Also, on the basis of the clastic compaction unit classification, two methods of compaction recovery that integrate well and seismic data are employed to extrapolate well-based compaction information outward along seismic lines and recover the paleo-topography of the clastic strata in the region. The examples presented here show that a better understanding of paleo-geomorphology can be gained by applying the proposed compaction recovery technology.

Ambidextrous Leadership and Sustainability-Based Project Performance: The Role of Project Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junwei Zheng

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Most studies in the project management field emphasized the effects of leaders or managers, but these effects have rarely been examined at the project level. To cover this research gap, this study applies organizational ambidexterity theory to examine the effects among ambidextrous leadership, ambidextrous culture and sustainability-based project performance. Using a valid sample of 217 project leaders and members from Chinese construction projects, the method of multiple linear regression was adopted to assess the direct relationship among ambidextrous leadership, ambidextrous culture and project performance. Moreover, the bootstrapping technique through structural equation modeling, has been used to analyze the mediating effect of ambidextrous culture. Additionally, the sample data was divided into different groups according to the median value of the variables to conduct the ANOVA and to assess the within-group differences. The results indicated a positive and direct relationship that ambidextrous leadership has on project performance and ambidextrous culture. In addition, there was also a mediating impact of ambidextrous leadership on project performance via ambidextrous culture. Thus, ambidextrous leadership combined with transformational leadership as well as transactional leadership likely has a stronger positive impact on project performance through fostering the adaptive culture and consistent culture. Our findings contribute to an in-depth understanding of the role of the leader and culture for project outcomes. The project-based organization in construction projects could train project leaders’ ambidextrous leadership behavior to facilitate the formation of an ambidextrous culture and to increase project performance. Moreover, this study enriches the existing literature on leadership and project management by highlighting the important path of ambidextrous leadership and ambidextrous culture on the performance at the project level

Case history of a successful CO{sub 2} miscible gas WAG injection project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harpole, Ken

1998-07-01

A successful fieldwide CO{sub 2} miscible gas injection project has been underway at the East Vacuum Grayburg San Andres Unit (EVGSAU) in eastern New Mexico, USA since 1985. This presentation follows the evolution of CO{sub 2} miscible gas WAG injection operations at EVGSAU and discusses some of the significant changes in reservoir strategy management which have been implemented over the past 13 years. These changes parallel the evolution in the industry's understanding of and experience with CO{sub 2} miscible gs injection processes. The operating problems and reservoir management challenges encountered at East Vacuum - injection performance, sweep efficiency, effective management of WAG operations, rapidly changing requirements for handling produced gas, and maintaining efficient utilization of injected CO{sub 2} - reflect the kinds of challenges typically encountered in managing a large CO{sub 2} injection project. 1 fig., 1 tab.

24 CFR 990.275 - Project-based management (PBM).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Project-based management (PBM). 990... URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Asset Management § 990.275 Project-based... of rental housing at the project level. Under PBM, these property management services are arranged...

The Evolution of Reputation-Based Cooperation in Regular Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatsuya Sasaki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Despite recent advances in reputation technologies, it is not clear how reputation systems can affect human cooperation in social networks. Although it is known that two of the major mechanisms in the evolution of cooperation are spatial selection and reputation-based reciprocity, theoretical study of the interplay between both mechanisms remains almost uncharted. Here, we present a new individual-based model for the evolution of reciprocal cooperation between reputation and networks. We comparatively analyze four of the leading moral assessment rules—shunning, image scoring, stern judging, and simple standing—and base the model on the giving game in regular networks for Cooperators, Defectors, and Discriminators. Discriminators rely on a proper moral assessment rule. By using individual-based models, we show that the four assessment rules are differently characterized in terms of how cooperation evolves, depending on the benefit-to-cost ratio, the network-node degree, and the observation and error conditions. Our findings show that the most tolerant rule—simple standing—is the most robust among the four assessment rules in promoting cooperation in regular networks.

The Global Trachoma Mapping Project: Methodology of a 34-Country Population-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Anthony W.; Pavluck, Alexandre L.; Courtright, Paul; Aboe, Agatha; Adamu, Liknaw; Alemayehu, Wondu; Alemu, Menbere; Alexander, Neal D. E.; Kello, Amir Bedri; Bero, Berhanu; Brooker, Simon J.; Chu, Brian K.; Dejene, Michael; Emerson, Paul M.; Flueckiger, Rebecca M.; Gadisa, Solomon; Gass, Katherine; Gebre, Teshome; Habtamu, Zelalem; Harvey, Erik; Haslam, Dominic; King, Jonathan D.; Mesurier, Richard Le; Lewallen, Susan; Lietman, Thomas M.; MacArthur, Chad; Mariotti, Silvio P.; Massey, Anna; Mathieu, Els; Mekasha, Addis; Millar, Tom; Mpyet, Caleb; Muñoz, Beatriz E.; Ngondi, Jeremiah; Ogden, Stephanie; Pearce, Joseph; Sarah, Virginia; Sisay, Alemayehu; Smith, Jennifer L.; Taylor, Hugh R.; Thomson, Jo; West, Sheila K.; Willis, Rebecca; Bush, Simon; Haddad, Danny; Foster, Allen

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To complete the baseline trachoma map worldwide by conducting population-based surveys in an estimated 1238 suspected endemic districts of 34 countries. Methods: A series of national and sub-national projects owned, managed and staffed by ministries of health, conduct house-to-house cluster random sample surveys in evaluation units, which generally correspond to “health district” size: populations of 100,000–250,000 people. In each evaluation unit, we invite all residents aged 1 year and older from h households in each of c clusters to be examined for clinical signs of trachoma, where h is the number of households that can be seen by 1 team in 1 day, and the product h × c is calculated to facilitate recruitment of 1019 children aged 1–9 years. In addition to individual-level demographic and clinical data, household-level water, sanitation and hygiene data are entered into the purpose-built LINKS application on Android smartphones, transmitted to the Cloud, and cleaned, analyzed and ministry-of-health-approved via a secure web-based portal. The main outcome measures are the evaluation unit-level prevalence of follicular trachoma in children aged 1–9 years, prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis in adults aged 15 + years, percentage of households using safe methods for disposal of human feces, and percentage of households with proximate access to water for personal hygiene purposes. Results: In the first year of fieldwork, 347 field teams commenced work in 21 projects in 7 countries. Conclusion: With an approach that is innovative in design and scale, we aim to complete baseline mapping of trachoma throughout the world in 2015. PMID:26158580

Conceptual Evolution and Importance of Andragogy towards the Scope Optimization of University Academic Rural Development Programs and Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Bernal Azofeifa-Bolaños

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out with the objective of describing the evolution and importance of andragogical processes in the search of rural profiles committed to the university work in the development and implementation of programs and projects. Among its main contributions, the importance of knowing and teaching processes applied strictly for adults by university coordinators of programs and projects stands out. The relevance of applying this kind of knowledge will allow efficient use of institutional financial resources, particularly for the real commitment of the rural adult community towards the implementation of field activities and accomplishing, in a shorter term, the expected academic achievement. A successful project experience is described in which some andragogical strategies were applied through extension, and which produced a better participation and engagement from rural people with the projects developed by the University. Consequently, applicability of these concepts in the programs and projects of rural development promoted through universities must lay the foundation for regional rural development strategies with the ultimate goal of finding ways to improve the quality of life of people in particular scenarios.

Futures project anticipates changes and challenges facing forests of the northern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen R. Shifley; W. Keith Moser; Michael E. Goerndt; Nianfu Song; Mark D. Nelson; David J. Nowak; Patrick D. Miles; Brett J. Butler; Ryan D. DeSantis; Francisco X. Aguilar; Brian G. Tavernia

2014-01-01

The Northern Forest Futures Project aims to reveal how today's trends and choices are likely to change the future forest landscape in the northeastern and midwestern United States. The research is focused on the 20-state quadrant bounded by Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Minnesota. This area, which encompasses most of the Central Hardwood Forest region, is the...

Scaffolding Project-Based Learning with the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK[R])

Science.gov (United States)

van Rooij, Shahron Williams

2009-01-01

This paper reports the results of a study of the extent to which processes and procedures from the discipline of project management can scaffold online project-based learning in a graduate-level instructional technology course, by facilitating intra-team interaction, enhancing project outcomes and promoting a positive project team experience. With…

Projecting changes in regional temperature and precipitation extremes in the United States

OpenAIRE

Justin T. Schoof; Scott M. Robeson

2016-01-01

Regional and local climate extremes, and their impacts, result from the multifaceted interplay between large-scale climate forcing, local environmental factors (physiography), and societal vulnerability. In this paper, we review historical and projected changes in temperature and precipitation extremes in the United States, with a focus on strengths and weaknesses of (1) commonly used definitions for extremes such as thresholds and percentiles, (2) statistical approaches to quantifying change...

The Influence of Stratigraphic History on Landscape Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Forte, A. M.; Yanites, B.; Whipple, K. X.

2016-12-01

Variation in rock erodibility can play a significant role in landscape evolution. Using a version of the CHILD landscape evolution model that allows for variations in rock erodibility, we found surprisingly complex landscape evolution in simulations with simple, two unit stratigraphies with contrasting erodibility. This work indicated that the stratigraphic order of units in terms of erodibility, the orientation of the contact with respect to the main drainage direction, and the contact dip angle all have pronounced effects on landscape evolution. Here we expand that work to explore the implications of more complicated stratigraphies on landscape evolution. Introducing multiple units adds additional controls on landscape evolution, namely the thicknesses and relative erodibility of rock layers. In models with a sequence of five alternating hard and soft units embedded within arbitrarily thick over- and underlying units, the number of individual layers that noticeably influence landscape morphology decreases as the thickness of individual layers reduces. Contacts with soft rocks over hard produce the most noticeable effect in model output such as erosion rate and channel steepness. For large contrasts in erodibility of 25 m thick layers, only one soft over hard contact is clearly manifest in the landscape. Between 50 and 75 m, two such contacts are manifest, and by 100 m thickness, all three of these contacts are manifest. However, for a given thickness of layers, more units are manifest in the landscape as the erodibility contrast between units decreases. This is true even though the magnitude of landscape effects away from steady-state erosion rates or channel steepness also decrease with decreasing erodibility contrast. Finally, we explore suites of models with alternating layers reflecting either `hardening-' or `softening-upwards' stratigraphies and find that the two scenarios result in decidedly different landscape forms. Hardening-upwards sections produce a

Research on collaborative innovation mechanism of green construction supply chain based on united agency

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Min; He, Weiyi

2018-06-01

Under the guidance of principal-agent theory and modular theory, the collaborative innovation of green technology-based companies, design contractors and project builders based on united agency will provide direction for the development of green construction supply chain in the future. After analyzing the existing independent agencies, this paper proposes the industry-university-research bilateral collaborative innovation network architecture and modularization with the innovative function of engineering design in the context of non-standard transformation interfaces, analyzes the innovation responsibility center, and gives some countermeasures and suggestions to promote the performance of bilateral cooperative innovation network.

Kernel based subspace projection of hyperspectral images

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Rasmus; Nielsen, Allan Aasbjerg; Arngren, Morten

In hyperspectral image analysis an exploratory approach to analyse the image data is to conduct subspace projections. As linear projections often fail to capture the underlying structure of the data, we present kernel based subspace projections of PCA and Maximum Autocorrelation Factors (MAF...

Lessons learned from setting up the NOWESP research data base: Experiences in an interdisciplinary research project

Science.gov (United States)

Radach, Günther; Gekeler, Jens

1996-09-01

Research carried out within the framework of the MAST project NOWESP (North-West European Shelf Programme) was based on a multi-parameter data set of existing marine data, relevant for estimating trends, variability and fluxes on the Northwest European Shelf. The data sets were provided by the partners of the project. Additional data sets were obtained from several other institutions. During the project, the data were organized in the NOWESP Research Data Base (NRDB), for which a special data base scheme was defined that was capable of storing different types of marine data. Data products, like time series and interpolated fields, were provided to the partners for analysis (Radach et al. [1997]). After three years of project time, the feasibility of such an approach is discussed. Ways of optimizing data access and evaluation are proposed. A project-oriented Research Data Base is a useful tool because of its flexibility and proximity to the research being carried out. However, several requirements must be met to derive optimum benefits from this type of service unit. Since this task usually is carried out by a limited number of staff, an early start of project data management is recommended. To enable future projects to succeed in an analogous compilation of relevant data for their use, as performed in NOWESP, the task of organizing the data sets for any short-term project should be shared between a research data base group and a national or international data centre whose experience and software could be used. It must be ensured that only quality controlled data sets from the individual data-produ cing projects are delivered to the national data centres. It is recommended that data quality control should be performed by the originators and/or data centres before delivering any data sets to the research data base. Delivery of the (full) data sets should be checked and their quality should be approved by authorized data centres.

Audit of United States portion of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Worldwide efforts in fusion energy research are designed to develop fusion power as a safe, environmentally sound, and economically competitive source of energy. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project is a worldwide effort to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power. The European Community, Japan, the Russian Federation, and the United States are collaborating on ITER, with each of the four parties expected to equally share costs and benefits. Shared costs for the current engineering design phase of the project are estimated at $1 billion in 1989 dollars, excluding certain management and support costs to be absorbed by each partner, with an early estimate of $6 billion, also in 1989 dollars, for construction of the reactor. Engineering design formally began in July 1992, and this phase is in its formative stages. The US had already spent about $100 million since 1987 on ITER conceptual design activities and other preparatory activities in advance of the engineering design phase. Because of its cost significance, the importance of ITER to the US fusion energy program, and the project's unique aspects which may provide a framework for future international endeavors, we initiated an audit of the ITER project. The purpose of the audit was to evaluate management controls over the US portion of the ITER project. Our objectives was to determine whether key front-end controls were in place to ensure that the project could be managed in an efficient and effective manner

NASA's Advanced Multimission Operations System: A Case Study in Formalizing Software Architecture Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Jeffrey M.

2011-01-01

All software systems of significant size and longevity eventually undergo changes to their basic architectural structure. Such changes may be prompted by evolving requirements, changing technology, or other reasons. Whatever the cause, software architecture evolution is commonplace in real world software projects. Recently, software architecture researchers have begun to study this phenomenon in depth. However, this work has suffered from problems of validation; research in this area has tended to make heavy use of toy examples and hypothetical scenarios and has not been well supported by real world examples. To help address this problem, I describe an ongoing effort at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to re-architect the Advanced Multimission Operations System (AMMOS), which is used to operate NASA's deep-space and astrophysics missions. Based on examination of project documents and interviews with project personnel, I describe the goals and approach of this evolution effort and then present models that capture some of the key architectural changes. Finally, I demonstrate how approaches and formal methods from my previous research in architecture evolution may be applied to this evolution, while using languages and tools already in place at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Evolution of Computer Based Learning Software Design: Computer Assisted Teaching Unit Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Blandford, A. E.; Smith, P. R.

1986-01-01

Describes the style of design of computer simulations developed by Computer Assisted Teaching Unit at Queen Mary College with reference to user interface, input and initialization, input data vetting, effective display screen use, graphical results presentation, and need for hard copy. Procedures and problems relating to academic involvement are…

Data base on dose reduction research projects for nuclear power plants: Volume 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, T.A.; Baum, J.W.

1989-05-01

This is the third volume in a series of reports that provide information on dose-reduction research and health physics technology for nuclear power plants. The information is taken from data base maintained by Brookhaven National Laboratory's ALARA Center for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This report presents information on 80 new projects, covering a wide area of activities. Projects on steam generator degradation, decontamination, robotics, improvement in reactor materials, and inspection techniques, among others, are described in the research section. The section on health physics technology includes some simple and very cost-effective projects to reduce radiation exposures. Collective dose data from the United States and other countries are also presented. In the conclusion, we suggest that although new advanced reactor design technology will eventually reduce radiation exposures at nuclear power plants to levels below serious concern, in the interim an aggressive approach to dose reduction remains necessary. 20 refs.

Economic viability of Cernavoda project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condu, M.; Popescu, D.; Chirica, T.; Glodeanu, F.

1998-01-01

Cernavoda project started in 1978, when the CANDU technology procurement contract and other contracts for engineering, technical assistance and procurement were signed with AECL. The works on site started in 1980. In February 1981, a contract was signed with GE - USA and Ansaldo - Italy for balance of plant. After 1989 the concept for project implementation was essentially changed. The completion of Cernavoda NPP Unit-1, established as the first priority by Romanian authorities was implemented by AECL-Ansaldo Consortium (AAC). The objective of the contract signed with AAC consisted in overtaking the management of Cernavoda Unit-1 project, in order to complete, commission and operate the plant for 18 months. The plant was successfully completed, commissioned and commercially operated since December 2, 1996. As concerns Unit-2, only preservation and some remedial works were performed since 1991. In order to support the decision to complete Unit-2, a complete process was initiated: - identification of the activities and associated costs required for plan completion; - plant integration in the utility's least cost development study; - Unit-2 cash flow analysis. A joint RENEL-AECL-ANSALDO team performed a detailed analysis using Cernavoda Unit-1 as reference project and taking advantage of the experience gained during construction, commissioning and operation of the first unit. The least cost power generation development study finalized by SEP and EDF, based on a PHARE funding, ranked Cernavoda Unit-2 on the second place, after two small hydroelectric plants of 53 and 8 Mw e. A cash flow model developed by a RENEL-ANSALDO joint team shows that Cernavoda Unit-2 is an economically feasible project. The financing scenario provides that all resources will be from loans. Other arguments for completion of Cernavoda Unit-2 are: - good performances in operation of Unit-1; - the need to provide jobs for the specialists in the nuclear field; - opportunity for electricity export

Differential evolution based method for total transfer capability ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The application of Differential Evolution (DE) to compute the Total Transfer Capability (TTC) in deregulated market is proposed in this paper. The objective is to maximize a specific point-to-point power transaction without violating system constraints using DE. This algorithm is based on full ac optimal power flow solution to ...

Projecting the Effect of Changes in Smoking and Obesity on Future Life Expectancy in the United States

OpenAIRE

Preston, Samuel H.; Stokes, Andrew; Mehta, Neil K.; Cao, Bochen

2013-01-01

We estimate the effects of declining smoking and increasing obesity on mortality in the United States over the period 2010?2040. Data on cohort behavioral histories are integrated into these estimates. Future distributions of body mass indices are projected using transition matrices applied to the initial distribution in 2010. In addition to projections of current obesity, we project distributions of obesity when cohorts are age 25. To these distributions, we apply death rates by current and ...

The Evolution of ICT Markets: An Agent-Based Model on Complex Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Liangjie; Wu, Bangtao; Chen, Zhong; Li, Li

Information and communication technology (ICT) products exhibit positive network effects.The dynamic process of ICT markets evolution has two intrinsic characteristics: (1) customers are influenced by each others’ purchasing decision; (2) customers are intelligent agents with bounded rationality.Guided by complex systems theory, we construct an agent-based model and simulate on complex networks to examine how the evolution can arise from the interaction of customers, which occur when they make expectations about the future installed base of a product by the fraction of neighbors who are using the same product in his personal network.We demonstrate that network effects play an important role in the evolution of markets share, which make even an inferior product can dominate the whole market.We also find that the intensity of customers’ communication can influence whether the best initial strategy for firms is to improve product quality or expand their installed base.

Harmony Search Based Parameter Ensemble Adaptation for Differential Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rammohan Mallipeddi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In differential evolution (DE algorithm, depending on the characteristics of the problem at hand and the available computational resources, different strategies combined with a different set of parameters may be effective. In addition, a single, well-tuned combination of strategies and parameters may not guarantee optimal performance because different strategies combined with different parameter settings can be appropriate during different stages of the evolution. Therefore, various adaptive/self-adaptive techniques have been proposed to adapt the DE strategies and parameters during the course of evolution. In this paper, we propose a new parameter adaptation technique for DE based on ensemble approach and harmony search algorithm (HS. In the proposed method, an ensemble of parameters is randomly sampled which form the initial harmony memory. The parameter ensemble evolves during the course of the optimization process by HS algorithm. Each parameter combination in the harmony memory is evaluated by testing them on the DE population. The performance of the proposed adaptation method is evaluated using two recently proposed strategies (DE/current-to-pbest/bin and DE/current-to-gr_best/bin as basic DE frameworks. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed adaptation technique compared to the state-of-the-art DE based algorithms on a set of challenging test problems (CEC 2005.

The influence of international and domestic events in the evolution of forest inventory and reporting consistency in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

W. Brad Smith

2009-01-01

This article takes a brief chronological look at resource inventory and reporting and links to international influences. It explores events as drivers of more consistent data within the United States and highlights key dates and events in the evolution of inventory policy and practice. From King George to L?Ecole nationale forestiere to the Food and Agriculture...

Agent-Based Simulations for Project Management

Science.gov (United States)

White, J. Chris; Sholtes, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Currently, the most common approach used in project planning tools is the Critical Path Method (CPM). While this method was a great improvement over the basic Gantt chart technique being used at the time, it now suffers from three primary flaws: (1) task duration is an input, (2) productivity impacts are not considered , and (3) management corrective actions are not included. Today, computers have exceptional computational power to handle complex simulations of task e)(eculion and project management activities (e.g ., dynamically changing the number of resources assigned to a task when it is behind schedule). Through research under a Department of Defense contract, the author and the ViaSim team have developed a project simulation tool that enables more realistic cost and schedule estimates by using a resource-based model that literally turns the current duration-based CPM approach "on its head." The approach represents a fundamental paradigm shift in estimating projects, managing schedules, and reducing risk through innovative predictive techniques.

Projecting climate effects on birds and reptiles of the Southwestern United States

Science.gov (United States)

van Riper, Charles; Hatten, James R.; Giermakowski, J. Tomasz; Mattson, David; Holmes, Jennifer A.; Johnson, Matthew J.; Nowak, Erika M.; Ironside, Kirsten; Peters, Michael; Heinrich, Paul; Cole, K.L.; Truettner, C.; Schwalbe, Cecil R.

2014-01-01

We modeled the current and future breeding ranges of seven bird and five reptile species in the Southwestern United States with sets of landscape, biotic (plant), and climatic global circulation model (GCM) variables. For modeling purposes, we used PRISM data to characterize the climate of the Western United States between 1980 and 2009 (baseline for birds) and between 1940 and 2009 (baseline for reptiles). In contrast, we used a pre-selected set of GCMs that are known to be good predictors of southwestern climate (five individual and one ensemble GCM), for the A1B emission scenario, to characterize future climatic conditions in three time periods (2010–39; 2040–69; and, 2070–99). Our modeling approach relied on conceptual models for each target species to inform selection of candidate explanatory variables and to interpret the ecological meaning of developed probabilistic distribution models. We employed logistic regression and maximum entropy modeling techniques to create a set of probabilistic models for each target species. We considered climatic, landscape, and plant variables when developing and testing our probabilistic models. Climatic variables included the maximum and minimum mean monthly and seasonal temperature and precipitation for three time periods. Landscape features included terrain ruggedness and insolation. We also considered plant species distributions as candidate explanatory variables where prior ecological knowledge implicated a strong association between a plant and animal species. Projected changes in range varied widely among species, from major losses to major gains. Breeding bird ranges exhibited greater expansions and contractions than did reptile species. We project range losses for Williamson’s sapsucker and pygmy nuthatch of a magnitude that could move these two species close to extinction within the next century. Although both species currently have a relatively limited distribution, they can be locally common, and neither

Integrating Forage, Wildlife, Water, and Fish Projections with Timber Projections at the Regional Level: A Case Study in Southern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Linda A. Joyce; Curtis H. Flather; Patricia A. Flebbe; Thomas W. Hoekstra; Stan J. Ursic

1990-01-01

The impact of timber management and land-use change on forage production, turkey and deer abundance, red-cockaded woodpecker colonies, water yield, and trout abundance was projected as part of a policy study focusing on the southern United States. The multiresource modeling framework used in this study linked extant timber management and land-area policy models with...

Teaching physics using project-based engineering curriculum with a theme of alternative energy

Science.gov (United States)

Tasior, Bryan

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) provide a new set of science standards that, if adopted, shift the focus from content knowledge-based to skill-based education. Students will be expected to use science to investigate the natural world and solve problems using the engineering design process. The world also is facing an impending crisis related to climate, energy supply and use, and alternative energy development. Education has an opportunity to help provide the much needed paradigm shift from our current methods of providing the energy needs of society. The purpose of this research was to measure the effectiveness of a unit that accomplishes the following objectives: uses project-based learning to teach the engineering process and standards of the NGSS, addresses required content expectations of energy and electricity from the HSCE's, and provides students with scientific evidence behind issues (both environmental and social/economic) relating to the energy crisis and current dependence of fossil fuels as our primary energy source. The results of the research indicate that a physics unit can be designed to accomplish these objectives. The unit that was designed, implemented and reported here also shows that it was highly effective at improving students' science content knowledge, implementing the engineering design standards of the NGSS, while raising awareness, knowledge and motivations relating to climate and the energy crisis.

Doing the Project and Learning the Content: Designing Project-Based Science Curricula for Meaningful Understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Kanter, David E.

2010-01-01

Project-based science curricula can improve students' usable or meaningful understanding of the science content underlying a project. However, such curricula designed around "performances" wherein students design or make something do not always do this. We researched ways to design performance project-based science curricula (pPBSc) to better…

The shifting dynamics of social roles and project ownership over the lifecycle of a community-based participatory research project.

Science.gov (United States)

Salsberg, Jon; Macridis, Soultana; Garcia Bengoechea, Enrique; Macaulay, Ann C; Moore, Spencer

2017-06-01

. Community based participatory research (CBPR) is often initiated by academic researchers, yet relies on meaningful community engagement and ownership to have lasting impact. Little is understood about how ownership shifts from academic to community partners. . We examined a CBPR project over its life course and asked: what does the evolution of ownership look like from project initiation by an academic (non-community) champion (T1); to maturation-when the intervention is ready to be deployed (T2); to independence-the time when the original champion steps aside (T3); and finally, to its maintenance-when the community has had an opportunity to function independently of the original academic champion (T4)? . Using sociometric (whole network) social network analysis, knowledge leadership was measured using 'in-degree centrality'. Stakeholder network structure was measured using 'centralisation' and 'core-periphery analysis'. Friedman rank sum test was used to measure change in actor roles over time from T1 to T4. . Project stakeholder roles were observed to shift significantly (P project maintenance (T4). Community stakeholders emerged into positions of knowledge leadership, while the roles of academic partners diminished in importance. The overall stakeholder network demonstrated a structural shift towards a core of densely interacting community stakeholders. . This was the first study to use Social network analysis to document a shift in ownership from academic to community partners, indicating community self-determination over the research process. Further analysis of qualitative data will determine which participatory actions or strategies were responsible for this observed change. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lights! Camera! Action Projects! Engaging Psychopharmacology Students in Service-based Action Projects Focusing on Student Alcohol Abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Susan

2016-01-01

Alcohol abuse continues to be an issue of major concern for the health and well-being of college students. Estimates are that over 80% of college students are involved in the campus "alcohol culture." Annually, close to 2000 students die in the United States due to alcohol-related accidents, with another 600,000 sustaining injury due to alcohol-related incidents (NIAAA, 2013). Students enrolled in a Psychopharmacology course engaged in action projects (community outreach) focused on alcohol abuse on our campus. Research has indicated that these types of projects can increase student engagement in course material and foster important skills, including working with peers and developing involvement in one's community. This paper describes the structure and requirements of five student outreach projects and the final projects designed by the students, summarizes the grading and assessment of the projects, and discusses the rewards and challenges of incorporating such projects into a course.

Improving Nursing Communication Skills in an Intensive Care Unit Using Simulation and Nursing Crew Resource Management Strategies: An Implementation Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Turkelson, Carman; Aebersold, Michelle; Redman, Richard; Tschannen, Dana

Effective interprofessional communication is critical to patient safety. This pre-/postimplementation project used a multifaceted educational strategy with high-fidelity simulation to introduce evidence-based communication tools, adapted from Nursing Crew Resource Management, to intensive care unit nurses. Results indicated that participants were satisfied with the education, and their perceptions of interprofessional communication and knowledge improved. Teams (n = 16) that used the communication tools during simulation were more likely to identify the problem, initiate key interventions, and have positive outcomes.

Discriminative Projection Selection Based Face Image Hashing

Science.gov (United States)

Karabat, Cagatay; Erdogan, Hakan

Face image hashing is an emerging method used in biometric verification systems. In this paper, we propose a novel face image hashing method based on a new technique called discriminative projection selection. We apply the Fisher criterion for selecting the rows of a random projection matrix in a user-dependent fashion. Moreover, another contribution of this paper is to employ a bimodal Gaussian mixture model at the quantization step. Our simulation results on three different databases demonstrate that the proposed method has superior performance in comparison to previously proposed random projection based methods.

Detector Unit

CERN Multimedia

1960-01-01

Original detector unit of the Instituut voor Kernfysisch Onderzoek (IKO) BOL project. This detector unit shows that silicon detectors for nuclear physics particle detection were already developed and in use in the 1960's in Amsterdam. Also the idea of putting 'strips' onto the silicon for high spatial resolution of a particle's impact on the detector were implemented in the BOL project which used 64 of these detector units. The IKO BOL project with its silicon particle detectors was designed, built and operated from 1965 to roughly 1977. Detector Unit of the BOL project: These detectors, notably the ‘checkerboard detector’, were developed during the years 1964-1968 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by the Natuurkundig Laboratorium of the N.V. Philips Gloeilampen Fabrieken. This was done in close collaboration with the Instituut voor Kernfysisch Onderzoek (IKO) where the read-out electronics for their use in the BOL Project was developed and produced.

Evolution of GPU nuclear's training program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, R.L.; Coe, R.P.

1987-01-01

GPU Nuclear Corporation (GPUN) manages the operators of Three Mile Island Unit 1 and Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Stations and the recovery activities at the Three Mile Island Unit 2 plant. From the time it was formed in January 1980 GPUN emphasized the use of behavioral learning objectives as the basis for all its training programs. This paper describes the evolution to a formalized performance based Training System Development (TSD) Process. The Training and Education Department staff increased from 10 in 1979 to the current 120 dedicated professionals, with a corresponding increase in facilities and acquisition of sophisticated Basic Principles Training Simulators and a Three Mile Island Unit 1 control Room Replica Simulator. The impact of these developments and achievement of full INPO accreditation are discussed and related to plant performance improvements

Spiral and Project-Based Learning with Peer Assessment in a Computer Science Project Management Course

Science.gov (United States)

Jaime, Arturo; Blanco, José Miguel; Domínguez, César; Sánchez, Ana; Heras, Jónathan; Usandizaga, Imanol

2016-01-01

Different learning methods such as project-based learning, spiral learning and peer assessment have been implemented in science disciplines with different outcomes. This paper presents a proposal for a project management course in the context of a computer science degree. Our proposal combines three well-known methods: project-based learning,…

Clinical, epidemiological and evolution of severe nosocomial pneumonia in intensive care unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abel Arroyo- Sanchez

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics, evolution and to identify mortality factors associated in patients with SNP. Material and Methods: Descriptive study of a serie of cases of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU of a General Hospital. Medical records of patients which received medical attention and who meet the selection criteria were reviewed Results: Forty-one clinical records were evaluated. The average age was 69 old, predominantly male (68,3%. SNP was the reason of admission in 60.9% and 95.1% required mechanical ventilation. Hospital stay prior to diagnosis was 10 days, 65% of patients had some risk factor for multi resistence organisms, CPIS of entry was 9.3, cultures were positive in 39% of the cases and of these, 48.8% received proper antibiotic according to culture results. The days of stay in ICU were 20.6 days and 20 of the 41 medical records were for death patients. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics were similar between death and alive patients. An analysis of factors that could be associated with mortality SNP was made and it was found that for an age ≥ 70 years, the presence of any risk factor for multidrug resistence organism and control CPIS ≥ 6 were associated with higher mortality; while acquisition of the ICU was associated to lower mortality. Conclusions: The clinical, epidemiological characteristics and evolution of patients with SNP in our ICU were similar to those describe in the literature. Three factors associated with mortality in the ICU were identified.

Antenna unit and radio base station therewith

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwahara, Mikio; Doi, Nobukazu; Suzuki, Toshiro; Ishida, Yuji; Inoue, Takashi; Niida, Sumaru

2007-04-10

Phase and amplitude deviations, which are generated, for example, by cables connecting an array antenna of a CDMA base station and the base station, are calibrated in the baseband. The base station comprises: an antenna apparatus 1; couplers 2; an RF unit 3 that converts a receive signal to a baseband signal, converts a transmit signal to a radio frequency, and performs power control; an A/D converter 4 for converting a receive signal to a digital signal; a receive beam form unit 6 that multiplies the receive signal by semi-fixed weight; a despreader 7 for this signal input; a time-space demodulator 8 for demodulating user data; a despreader 9 for probe signal; a space modulator 14 for user data; a spreader 13 for user signal; a channel combiner 12; a Tx calibrater 11 for controlling calibration of a signal; a D/A converter 10; a unit 16 for calculation of correlation matrix for generating a probe signal used for controlling an Rx calibration system and a TX calibration system; a spreader 17 for probe signal; a power control unit 18; a D/A converter 19; an RF unit 20 for probe signal; an A/D converter 21 for signal from the couplers 2; and a despreader 22.

Multi-site risk-based project planning, optimization, sequencing and budgeting process and tool for the integrated facility disposition project - 59394

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, Jerel; Castillo, Carlos; Huntsman, Julie; Lucek, Heather; Marks, Tim

2012-01-01

Document available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: Faced with the DOE Complex Transformation, NNSA was tasked with developing an integrated plan for the decommissioning of over 400 facilities and 300 environmental remediation units, as well as the many reconfiguration and modernization projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Y-12 Complex. Manual scheduling of remediation activities is time-consuming, labor intensive, and inherently introduces bias and unaccounted for aspects of the scheduler or organization in the process. Clearly a tool was needed to develop an objective, unbiased baseline optimized project sequence and schedule with a sound technical foundation for the Integrated Facility Disposition Project (IFDP). In generating an integrated disposition schedule, each project (including facilities, environmental sites, and remedial action units) was identified, characterized, then ranked relative to other projects. Risk matrices allowed for core project data to be extrapolated into probable contamination levels, relative risks to the public, and other technical and risk parameters to be used in the development of an overall ranking. These matrices ultimately generated a complete data set that were used in the Ranking and Sequencing Model (RSM), commonly referred to as the SUPER model, for its numerous abilities to support D and D planning, prioritization, and sequencing

Syncope management unit: evolution of the concept and practice implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Win K; Traub, Stephen J; Decker, Wyatt W

2013-01-01

Syncope, a clinical syndrome, has many potential causes. The prognosis of a patient experiencing syncope varies from benign outcome to increased risk of mortality or sudden death, determined by the etiology of syncope and the presence of underlying disease. Because a definitive diagnosis often cannot be established immediately, hospital admission is frequently recommended as the "default" approach to ensure patient's safety and an expedited evaluation. Hospital care is costly while no studies have shown that clinical outcomes are improved by the in-patient practice approach. The syncope unit is an evolving practice model based on the hypothesis that a multidisciplinary team of physicians and allied staff with expertise in syncope management, working together and equipped with standard clinical tools could improve clinical outcomes. Preliminary data have demonstrated that a specialized syncope unit can improve diagnosis in a timely manner, reduce hospital admission and decrease the use of unnecessary diagnostic tests. In this review, models of syncope units in the emergency department, hospital and outpatient clinics from different practices in different countries are discussed. Similarities and differences of these syncope units are compared. Outcomes and endpoints from these studies are summarized. Developing a syncope unit with a standardized protocol applicable to most practice settings would be an ultimate goal for clinicians and investigators who have interest, expertise, and commitment to improve care for this large patient population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of the Systems Analysis Framework for the EU Bioeconomy. Deliverable 1.4 of the EU FP 7 SAT-BBE project Systems Analysis Tools Framework for the EU Bio-Based Economy Strategy (SAT BBE)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuwen, van M.G.A.; Meijl, van H.; Smeets, E.M.W.; Tabeau-Kowalska, E.W.

2014-01-01

In November 2012 the Systems Analysis Tools Framework for the EU Bio-Based Economy Strategy project (SAT-BBE) was launched with the purpose to design an analysis tool useful to monitoring the evolution and impacts of the bioeconomy. In the SAT-BBE project the development of the analysis tool for the

Statistical Emulation of Climate Model Projections Based on Precomputed GCM Runs*

KAUST Repository

Castruccio, Stefano

2014-03-01

The authors describe a new approach for emulating the output of a fully coupled climate model under arbitrary forcing scenarios that is based on a small set of precomputed runs from the model. Temperature and precipitation are expressed as simple functions of the past trajectory of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and a statistical model is fit using a limited set of training runs. The approach is demonstrated to be a useful and computationally efficient alternative to pattern scaling and captures the nonlinear evolution of spatial patterns of climate anomalies inherent in transient climates. The approach does as well as pattern scaling in all circumstances and substantially better in many; it is not computationally demanding; and, once the statistical model is fit, it produces emulated climate output effectively instantaneously. It may therefore find wide application in climate impacts assessments and other policy analyses requiring rapid climate projections.

Introducing the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program for mechanically ventilated patients in Saudi Arabian Intensive Care Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond M Khan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, there have been major improvements to the care of mechanically ventilated patients (MVPs. Earlier initiatives used the concept of ventilator care bundles (sets of interventions, with a primary focus on reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, recent evidence has led to a more comprehensive approach: The ABCDE bundle (Awakening and Breathing trial Coordination, Delirium management and Early mobilization. The approach of the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP was developed by patient safety researchers at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and is supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to improve local safety cultures and to learn from defects by utilizing a validated structured framework. In August 2015, 17 Intensive Care Units (ICUs (a total of 271 beds in eight hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the CUSP for MVPs (CUSP 4 MVP that was conducted in 235 ICUs in 169 US hospitals and led by the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. The CUSP 4 MVP project will set the stage for cooperation between multiple hospitals and thus strives to create a countrywide plan for the management of all MVPs in Saudi Arabia.

The evolution of cranial base and face in Cercopithecoidea and Hominoidea: Modularity and morphological integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Profico, Antonio; Piras, Paolo; Buzi, Costantino; Di Vincenzo, Fabio; Lattarini, Flavio; Melchionna, Marina; Veneziano, Alessio; Raia, Pasquale; Manzi, Giorgio

2017-12-01

The evolutionary relationship between the base and face of the cranium is a major topic of interest in primatology. Such areas of the skull possibly respond to different selective pressures. Yet, they are often said to be tightly integrated. In this paper, we analyzed shape variability in the cranial base and the facial complex in Cercopithecoidea and Hominoidea. We used a landmark-based approach to single out the effects of size (evolutionary allometry), morphological integration, modularity, and phylogeny (under Brownian motion) on skull shape variability. Our results demonstrate that the cranial base and the facial complex exhibit different responses to different factors, which produces a little degree of morphological integration between them. Facial shape variation appears primarily influenced by body size and sexual dimorphism, whereas the cranial base is mostly influenced by functional factors. The different adaptations affecting the two modules suggest they are best studied as separate and independent units, and that-at least when dealing with Catarrhines-caution must be posed with the notion of strong cranial integration that is commonly invoked for the evolution of their skull shape. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Second unit scheduling concerns on a dual-unit nuclear project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Block, H.R.; Mazzini, R.A.

1978-01-01

This paper explores the planning and scheduling problems of Unit 2 of the Susquehanna steam electric station. The causes of these problems and methods to avoid or mitigate their consequences are discussed. The Susquehanna steam electric station has two boiling water reactors rated at 1,100 MW each. Topics considered include cost factors, structures, equipment, engineering and home office, construction services, completion data phasing, work sequencing, structural dependences, and segregation. Substatial cost and schedule benefits can result if two nuclear units are designed and constructed as one integral station, and if maximum sharing of facilities and services between the units occurs. It is concluded that the cost benefits of highly integrated dual unit construction outweigh the schedule and logistical problems caused by that approach

Spatial-temporal Evolution of Karst Rocky Desertification and Future Trends Based on CA-Markov Methods in Typical Karst Valley

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHEN Fei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Karst rocky desertification(KRDhas become the most serious ecological disaster in Southwest China. It is very important and much-needed to explore the rule of spatial-temporal evolution of KRD for ecological restoration and sustainable development of the region. In this paper, the improved accurate remote sensing image interpreting method and CA-Markov prediction method were used to explore the spatial-temporal evolution rule of KRD in the study area from 1990 to 2021 based on the long time line remote sensing image of the year of 1990, 2004 and 2016. The results were as follows:the spatial -temporal evolution rule of KRD presented "first deterioration and then improvement" in the study area at nearly 30 years. The deterioration of KRD was affected by high intensity overload human activities and natural disasters in 1990-2004, which made the ecological environment deterioration. However, the KRD had gradually improved with the implementation of a series of governance projects, and a large number of rural labor forces were liberated from the land in 2004-2016, which made the natural environment restoration, and ecological system was getting better and better. At the same time, the trend of KRD evolution was showing improvement from the predicted years of 2016-2021 and the ecological environment in the region continued to become better.

Patterns of technological innovation and evolution in the energy sector: A patent-based approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyungpyo; Lee, Sungjoo

2013-01-01

Given the ever-increasing pace and complexity of technological innovation in the energy sector, monitoring technological changes has become of strategic importance. One of the most common techniques for technology monitoring is patent analysis, which enables the identification of technological trends over time. However, few previous studies have carried out patent analysis in the energy sector. This study aims to explore patterns of innovation and of evolution in energy technologies, particularly focusing on similarities and differences across technologies. For this purpose, we first defined the relevant energy technologies and extracted the associated patent data from the United States Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO) and then adopted six patent indices and developed six patent maps to analyze their innovation characteristics. We then clustered energy technologies with similar characteristics, so defining innovation categories, and analyzed the changes in these characteristics over time to define their evolution categories. As one of the few attempts to investigate the overall trends in the energy sector's innovation and evolution, this study is expected to help develop an in-depth understanding of the energy industry, which will be useful in establishing technology strategies and policy in this rapidly changing sector. - Highlights: • We examined the patterns of innovation and evolution of energy technologies. • Six types of innovation patterns such as “competitive” or “mature” were identified. • Six types of evolution patterns such as “towards closed innovation” were identified. • The patterns of evolution were related to the patterns of innovation

Well Completion Report for Corrective Action Unit 447, Project Shoal Area, Churchill County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rick Findlay

2006-01-01

This Well Completion Report is being provided as part of the implementation of the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD)/Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 447 (NNSA/NSO, 2006a). The CADD/CAP is part of an ongoing U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) funded project for the investigation of CAU 447 at the Project Shoal Area (PSA). All work performed on this project was conducted in accordance with the ''Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order'' (FFACO) (1996), and all applicable Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) policies and regulations. Investigation activities included the drilling, construction, and development of three monitoring/validation (MV) wells at the PSA. This report summarizes the field activities and data collected during the investigation

FEDERAL SUPPORT OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY IN THE UNITED STATES: CURRENT EVOLUTION UNDER THE POLITICAL STRUGGLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Istomin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available 2000’s and 2010’s witnessed diminishing margin of the United States in science and technology. Meanwhile, the U.S. remains a clear leader in this fi eld. Major driving force of the country’s success in the second half of the ХХ century remained assertive federal science policy. The article seeks to identify major trends in evolution of the U.S. science policy and the reasons behind relative decline of the level of budget support of the scientifi c research. The author studies evolution of the policies of George Bush and Barack Obama, as well as the views of Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The article also examines the input into the federal policy of the governmental bodies, which are directly responsible for its implementation, as well as non-governmental organizations, which seek to advocate interests of scientists; it studies rising competition between the executive authorities and legislators for the recognition as a major champion of the academic community as well as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Southern Forest Futures Project: technical report

Science.gov (United States)

David N. Wear; John G. Greis

2013-01-01

Please visit the Southern Forest Futures Project website for more information.The Southern Forest Futures Project provides a science-based “futuring” analysis of the forests of the 13 States of the Southeastern United States. With findings...

RF heating systems evolution for the WEST project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magne, R.; Achard, J.; Armitano, A.; Argouarch, A.; Berger-By, G.; Bernard, J. M.; Bouquey, F.; Charabot, N.; Colas, L.; Corbel, E.; Delpech, L.; Ekedahl, A.; Goniche, M.; Guilhem, D.; Hillairet, J.; Jacquot, J.; Joffrin, E.; Litaudon, X.; Lombard, G.; Mollard, P. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); and others

2014-02-12

Tore Supra is dedicated to long pulse operation at high power, with a record in injected energy of 1 GJ (2.8 MW × 380 s) and an achieved capability of 12 MW injected power delivered by 3 RF systems: Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD), Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) and Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH). The new WEST project (W [tungsten] Environment in Steady-state Tokamak) aims at fitting Tore Supra with an actively cooled tungsten coated wall and a bulk tungsten divertor. This new device will offer to ITER a test bed for validating the relevant technologies for actively cooled metallic components, with D-shaped H-mode plasmas. For WEST operation, different scenarii able to reproduce ITER relevant conditions in terms of steady state heat loads have been identified, ranging from a high RF power scenario (15 MW, 30 s) to a high fluence scenario (10 MW, 1000 s). This paper will focus on the evolution of the RF systems required for WEST. For the ICRH system, the main issues are its ELM resilience and its CW compatibility, three new actively cooled antennas are being designed, with the aim of reducing their sensitivity to the load variations induced by ELMs. The LH system has been recently upgraded with new klystrons and the PAM antenna, the possible reshaping of the antenna mouths is presently studied for matching with the magnetic field line in the WEST configuration. For the ECRH system, the device for the poloidal movement of the mirrors of the antenna is being changed for higher accuracy and speed.

Development and evaluation of intelligent machine tools based on knowledge evolution in M2M environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dong Hoon; Song, Jun Yeob; Lee, Jong Hyun; Cha, Suk Keun

2009-01-01

In the near future, the foreseen improvement in machine tools will be in the form of a knowledge evolution-based intelligent device. The goal of this study is to develop intelligent machine tools having knowledge-evolution capability in Machine to Machine (M2M) wired and wireless environment. The knowledge evolution-based intelligent machine tools are expected to be capable of gathering knowledge autonomously, producing knowledge, understanding knowledge, applying reasoning to knowledge, making new decisions, dialoguing with other machines, etc. The concept of the knowledge-evolution intelligent machine originated from the process of machine control operation by the sense, dialogue and decision of a human expert. The structure of knowledge evolution in M2M and the scheme for a dialogue agent among agent-based modules such as a sensory agent, a dialogue agent and an expert system (decision support agent) are presented in this paper, and work-offset compensation from thermal change and recommendation of cutting condition are performed on-line for knowledge-evolution verification

Dispatches from the evolution wars: shifting tactics and expanding battlefields.

Science.gov (United States)

Branch, Glenn; Scott, Eugenie C; Rosenau, Joshua

2010-01-01

Creationism continues to present a challenge to the teaching of evolution in the United States. With attempts to ban evolution education and to "balance" the teaching of evolution with creationism unavailing, creationists are increasingly favoring the approach of misrepresenting evolution as scientifically controversial. To understand the ongoing challenges facing evolution education in the United States, it is necessary to appreciate creationist actions at the different levels of educational governance--state legislatures, state boards of education, local boards of education, and finally the individual classroom--that serve as the battlegrounds for the evolution education wars. Scientists are in a unique position to defend the teaching of evolution, both by resisting creationist incursions as they occur and by helping to improve the teaching of evolution at both the precollege and college levels.

Microstructural evolution in copper processed by severe plastic deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, A.; Richard, V.; Gregori, F.; Asaro, R.J.; Meyers, M.A.

2005-01-01

The mechanisms of microstructural evolution in copper subjected to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) have been investigated after successive passes. The first few passes are the most efficient in grain refinement while the microstructure becomes gradually more equiaxed as the number of passes increases. The texture evolution is discussed based on electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) results. These experimental results are interpreted in terms of a preliminary model with four successive stages: homogeneous dislocation distribution; elongated sub-cell formation; elongated subgrain formation; break-up of subgrains into equiaxed units; sharpening of grain boundaries and final equiaxed ultrafine structure

Units Based on Constants: The Redefinition of the International System of Units

Science.gov (United States)

Stenger, J.; Ullrich, J. H.

2016-03-01

Recent decisions of the General Conference on Weights and Measures of the Metre Convention have opened the door to a fundamental change of the International System of Units, the SI, in 2018. The revised SI will be based on fixing the numerical values of seven defining constants corresponding to the seven traditional base units. This will bring about basic modifications in the definition of the kilogram, the ampere, the kelvin, and the mole and will have consequences for units derived from them. In contrast, the second, the meter, and the candela will not be affected. This paper describes the motivation and rationale behind this endeavor, introduces the new definitions, and reviews the requirements for the redefinitions as well as the status of the experiments that are currently being carried out to fulfill them. Benefits and a wide-reaching impact for the realization and dissemination of the units are anticipated because innovative technologies with ever-increasing accuracy will emerge, enabling the direct realization over widespread measurement ranges without the definitions themselves having to be changed.

The Evolution of Successful Satellite Science to Air Quality Application Projects: From Inception to Realization

Science.gov (United States)

Soja, A. J.

2012-12-01

biomass burning portion of our nation's NEI at the crossroads of the applications 'largest cost-effective unknowns and uncertainties' and the 'best-available science and data'. Here, we will present a diagram tree of the completed evolution of a successful project, which includes the basic science on which this development is based and the succession of the use of satellite data within the applications and user communities.

MERMOS: an EDF project to update the PHRA methodology (Probabilistic Human Reliability Assessment)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Bot, Pierre; Desmares, E.; Bieder, C.; Cara, F.; Bonnet, J.L.

1998-01-01

To account for successive evolution of nuclear power plants emergency operation, EDF had several times to review PHRA methodologies. It was particularly the case when event-based procedures were left behind to the benefit of state-based procedures. A more recent updating was necessary to get pieces of information on the new unit type N4 safety. The extent of changes in operation for this unit type (especially the computerization of both the control room and the procedures) required to deeply rethink existing PHRA methods. It also seemed necessary to - more explicitly than in the past - base the design of methods on concepts evolved in human sciences. These are the main ambitions of the project named MERMOS that started in 1996. The design effort for a new PHRA method is carried out by a multidisciplinary team involving reliability engineers, psychologists and ergonomists. An independent expert is in charge of project review. The method, considered as the analysis tool dedicated to PHRA analysts, is one of the two outcomes of the project. The other one is the formalization of the design approach for the method, aimed at a good appropriation of the method by the analysts. EDF's specificity in the field of PHRA and more generally PSA is that the method is not used by the designers but by analysts. Keeping track of the approach is also meant to guarantee its transposition to other EDF unit types such as 900 or 1300 MW PWR. The PHRA method is based upon a model of emergency operation called 'SAD model'. The formalization effort of the design approach lead to clarify and justify it. The model describes and explains both functioning and dys-functioning of emergency operation in PSA scenarios. It combines a systemic approach and what is called distributed cognition in cognitive sciences. Collective aspects are considered as an important feature in explaining phenomena under study in operation dys-functioning. The PHRA method is to be operational early next year (1998

Alternative Evaluation Designs for Data-Centered Technology-Based Geoscience Education Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Zalles, D. R.

2012-12-01

This paper will present different strategies for how to evaluate contrasting K-12 geoscience classroom-based interventions with different goals, leveraging the first author's experiences as principal investigator of four NSF and NASA-funded geoscience education projects. Results will also be reported. Each project had its own distinctive features but all had in common the broad goal of bringing to high school classrooms uses of real place-based geospatial data to study the relationships of Earth system phenomena to climate change and sustainability. The first project's goal was to produce templates and exemplars for curriculum and assessment designs around studying contrasting geoscience topics with different data sets and forms of data representation. The project produced a near transfer performance assessment task in which students who studied climate trends in Phoenix turned their attention to climate in Chicago. The evaluation looked at the technical quality of the assessment instrument as measured by inter-rater reliability. It then analyzed the assessment results against student responses to the instructional tasks about Phoenix. The evaluation proved useful in pinpointing areas of student strength and weakness on different inquiry tasks, from simple map interpretation to analysis of contrasting claims about what the data indicate. The goal of the second project was to produce an exemplar curriculum unit that bridges Western science and traditional American Indian ecological knowledge for student learning and skill building about local environmental sustainability issues. The evaluation looked at the extent to which Western and traditional perspectives were incorporated into the design of the curriculum. The curriculum was not constructed with a separate assessment, yet evidence centered design was utilized to extrapolate from the exemplar unit templates for future instructional and assessment tasks around other places, other sustainability problems, and

Progressive evolution and a measure for its noise-dependent complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Fussy, Siegfried; Grössing, Gerhard; Schwabl, Herbert

1999-03-01

A recently introduced model of macroevolution is studied on two different levels of systems analysis. Firstly, the systems dynamics and properties, above all the growth of complexity of the evolutionary units during the long-term evolution, are discussed, and, secondly, the complexity of the model itself, i.e. the richness of its various features, is studied with regard to a control parameter representing a background noise within the systems dynamics. The same is done with a randomized version of the model. The model is based on a normalized one-dimensional coupled map lattice with locally interacting sites representing different species. The evolution of the sites' values representing the fitness of the species is governed by a usual diffusion rule and an additional memory- or random-based feedback loop. The introduction of a realistic background noise limiting the range of the feedback operation yields a pattern signature in fitness space with a distribution of temporal boost/mutation distances similar to a punctuated equilibrium behavior. Furthermore, the behavior of the mean lifetimes of "high" fitness values is correlated with the resolution-like parameter ɛ via a power law, a phenomenon called "fractal evolution." Based on simple functional properties of the power law, an additional feedback loop is introduced to use the intrinsic fluctuations of the whole fitness landscape as a driving force to change adaptively the systems resolution. On long-term scales, the dynamical system properties exhibit a clear tendency towards progressive evolution potentials for each species. For both model versions, the memory-based and the random-based one, we achieve some basic mechanisms of evolutionary dynamics like coevolution, punctuated equilibrium with regard to internal or external changes during evolution, coordinated stasis for groups of species, and self-organized growth of complexity for all evolutionary units of the array leading to a kind of "Red

Stability-based sorting: The forgotten process behind (not only) biological evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Toman, Jan; Flegr, Jaroslav

2017-12-21

Natural selection is considered to be the main process that drives biological evolution. It requires selected entities to originate dependent upon one another by the means of reproduction or copying, and for the progeny to inherit the qualities of their ancestors. However, natural selection is a manifestation of a more general persistence principle, whose temporal consequences we propose to name "stability-based sorting" (SBS). Sorting based on static stability, i.e., SBS in its strict sense and usual conception, favours characters that increase the persistence of their holders and act on all material and immaterial entities. Sorted entities could originate independently from each other, are not required to propagate and need not exhibit heredity. Natural selection is a specific form of SBS-sorting based on dynamic stability. It requires some form of heredity and is based on competition for the largest difference between the speed of generating its own copies and their expiration. SBS in its strict sense and selection thus have markedly different evolutionary consequences that are stressed in this paper. In contrast to selection, which is opportunistic, SBS is able to accumulate even momentarily detrimental characters that are advantageous for the long-term persistence of sorted entities. However, it lacks the amplification effect based on the preferential propagation of holders of advantageous characters. Thus, it works slower than selection and normally is unable to create complex adaptations. From a long-term perspective, SBS is a decisive force in evolution-especially macroevolution. SBS offers a new explanation for numerous evolutionary phenomena, including broad distribution and persistence of sexuality, altruistic behaviour, horizontal gene transfer, patterns of evolutionary stasis, planetary homeostasis, increasing ecosystem resistance to disturbances, and the universal decline of disparity in the evolution of metazoan lineages. SBS acts on all levels in

Market-based transmission expansion planning by improved differential evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgilakis, Pavlos S.

2010-01-01

The restructuring and deregulation has exposed the transmission planner to new objectives and uncertainties. As a result, new criteria and approaches are needed for transmission expansion planning (TEP) in deregulated electricity markets. This paper proposes a new market-based approach for TEP. An improved differential evolution (IDE) model is proposed for the solution of this new market-based TEP problem. The modifications of IDE in comparison to the simple differential evolution method are: (1) the scaling factor F is varied randomly within some range, (2) an auxiliary set is employed to enhance the diversity of the population, (3) the newly generated trial vector is compared with the nearest parent, and (4) the simple feasibility rule is used to treat the constraints. Results from the application of the proposed method on the IEEE 30-bus test system demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of the proposed IDE for the solution of TEP problem. (author)

Project Management Information System: the Role and the Issues of Implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumitru OPREA

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We are coping more and more with the project and project management in day by day life. Even if some activities are the similarly with common organization actions, the life cycle project activities request more information and more actions. So it is necessary to have some tools, methods and rules to manage a large amount of information which must be disseminated to numerous stakeholders. This need could be solved by project management information systems (PMIS. PMIS is a complex one, with various components which are depending on type of project, type of organization etc. The latest evolution of information and communication technology was favorable to our research field. Therefore, there are different tools to support the structure, automation and efficiency of PMIS. Moreover from several years it is spread the following notions: web-based project management, project management office, enterprise project management. So, we can see the fast evolution of this field. But, our paper will bring general ideas relating to project management information systems, like definition of PMIS, the project life cycle and the information needed of each stage, various tools to support the PMIS procedures. The characteristics, tools, trends will be our future research.

Kinetic-Monte-Carlo-Based Parallel Evolution Simulation Algorithm of Dust Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaomei Hu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The evolution simulation of dust particles provides an important way to analyze the impact of dust on the environment. KMC-based parallel algorithm is proposed to simulate the evolution of dust particles. In the parallel evolution simulation algorithm of dust particles, data distribution way and communication optimizing strategy are raised to balance the load of every process and reduce the communication expense among processes. The experimental results show that the simulation of diffusion, sediment, and resuspension of dust particles in virtual campus is realized and the simulation time is shortened by parallel algorithm, which makes up for the shortage of serial computing and makes the simulation of large-scale virtual environment possible.

Utility-Scale Solar 2016: An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bolinger, Mark; Seel, Joachim; LaCommare, Kristina Hamachi

2017-09-19

numbers include only those costs incurred to directly operate and maintain the generating plant. Capacity Factors: The cumulative net AC capacity factors of individual PV projects range widely, from 15.4% to 35.5%, with a sample median of 26.3%. This project-level variation is based on a number of factors, including the strength of the solar resource at the project site, whether the array is mounted at a fixed-tilt or on a tracking mechanism, the inverter loading ratio, degradation, and curtailment. Changes in at least the first three of these factors drove mean capacity factors higher from 2010- to 2013-vintage projects, where they’ve remained fairly steady among both 2014- and 2015-vintage projects as an ongoing increase in the prevalence of tracking has been offset by a build-out of lower resource sites. Meanwhile, several of the newer CSP projects in the United States are struggling to match long-term performance expectations. PPA Prices: Driven by lower installed project prices and improving capacity factors, levelized PPA prices for utility-scale PV have fallen dramatically over time. Most recent PPAs in our sample are priced at or below $50/MWh levelized, with a few priced as aggressively as ~$30/MWh. Though impressive in pace and scale, these falling PPA prices have been offset to some degree by declining wholesale market value within high penetration markets like California, where in 2016 a MWh of solar generation was worth just 83% of a MWh of flat, round-the-clock generation. At the end of 2016, there were at least 121.4 GW of utility-scale solar power capacity within the interconnection queues across the nation. The growth within these queues is widely distributed across all regions of the country: California and the Southeast each account for 23% of the 83.3 GW of solar that first entered the queues in 2016, followed by the Northeast (17%), the Southwest (16%), the Central region (12%), Texas (6%) and the Northwest (3%). The widening geographic distribution

History and measurement of the base and derived units

CERN Document Server

Treese, Steven A

2018-01-01

This book discusses how and why historical measurement units developed, and reviews useful methods for making conversions as well as situations in which dimensional analysis can be used. It starts from the history of length measurement, which is one of the oldest measures used by humans. It highlights the importance of area measurement, briefly discussing the methods for determining areas mathematically and by measurement. The book continues on to detail the development of measures for volume, mass, weight, time, temperature, angle, electrical units, amounts of substances, and light intensity. The seven SI/metric base units are highlighted, as well as a number of other units that have historically been used as base units. Providing a comprehensive reference for interconversion among the commonly measured quantities in the different measurement systems with engineering accuracy, it also examines the relationships among base units in fields such as mechanical/thermal, electromagnetic and physical flow rates and...

Belo Monte hydropower project: actual studies; AHE Belo Monte: os estudos atuais

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Figueira Netto, Carlos Alberto de Moya [CNEC Engenharia S.A., Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Rezende, Paulo Fernando Vieira Souto [Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. (ELETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2008-07-01

This article presents the evolution of the studies of Belo Monte Hydro Power Project (HPP) since the initial inventory studies of the Xingu River in 1979 until the current studies for conclusion of the Technical, Economic and Environmental Feasibility Studies the Belo Monte Hydro Power Project, as authorized by Brazilian National Congress. The current studies characterize the Belo Monte HPP with an installed capacity of 11,181.3 MW (20 units of 550 MW in the main power house and 7 units of 25.9 MW in the additional power house), connected to the Brazilian Interconnected Power Grid, allowing to generate 4,796 mean MW of firm energy, without depending on any flow rate regularization of the upstream Xingu river flooding only 441 k m2, of which approximately 200 k m2, correspond to the normal annual wet season flooding of the Xingu River. (author)

Orthogonally Based Digital Content Management Applicable to Projects-bases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel MILODIN

2009-01-01

Full Text Available There is defined the concept of digital content. The requirements of an efficient management of the digital content are established. There are listed the quality characteristics of digital content. Orthogonality indicators of digital content are built up. They are meant to measure the image, the sound as well as the text orthogonality as well. Projects-base concept is introduced. There is presented the model of structuring the content in order to maximize orthogonality via a convergent iterative process. The model is instantiated for the digital content of a projects-base. It is introduced the application used to test the model. The paper ends with conclusions.

Project-Based Learning and Design-Focused Projects to Motivate Secondary Mathematics Students

Science.gov (United States)

Remijan, Kelly W.

2017-01-01

This article illustrates how mathematics teachers can develop design-focused projects, related to project-based learning, to motivate secondary mathematics students. With first-hand experience as a secondary mathematics teacher, I provide a series of steps related to the engineering design process, which are helpful to teachers in developing…

Dixie Valley Bottoming Binary Unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDonald, Dale [Terra-Gen Sierra Holdings, LLC, Reno, NV (United States)

2014-12-21

This binary plant is the first air cooled, high-output refrigeration based waste heat recovery cycle in the industry. Its working fluid is environmentally friendly and as such, the permits that would be required with a hydrocarbon based cycle are not necessary. The unit is largely modularized, meaning that the unit’s individual skids were assembled in another location and were shipped via truck to the plant site. The Air Cooled Condensers (ACC), equipment piping, and Balance of Plant (BOP) piping were constructed at site. This project further demonstrates the technical feasibility of using low temperature brine for geothermal power utilization. The development of the unit led to the realization of low temperature, high output, and environmentally friendly heat recovery systems through domestic research and engineering. The project generates additional renewable energy, resulting in cleaner air and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Royalty and tax payments to governmental agencies will increase, resulting in reduced financial pressure on local entities. The major components of the unit were sourced from American companies, resulting in increased economic activity throughout the country.

Effects of recent energy system changes on CO2 projections for the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenox, Carol S; Loughlin, Daniel H

2017-09-21

Recent projections of future United States carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions are considerably lower than projections made just a decade ago. A myriad of factors have contributed to lower forecasts, including reductions in end-use energy service demands, improvements in energy efficiency, and technological innovations. Policies that have encouraged these changes include renewable portfolio standards, corporate vehicle efficiency standards, smart growth initiatives, revisions to building codes, and air and climate regulations. Understanding the effects of these and other factors can be advantageous as society evaluates opportunities for achieving additional CO 2 reductions. Energy system models provide a means to develop such insights. In this analysis, the MARKet ALlocation (MARKAL) model was applied to estimate the relative effects of various energy system changes that have happened since the year 2005 on CO 2 projections for the year 2025. The results indicate that transformations in the transportation and buildings sectors have played major roles in lowering projections. Particularly influential changes include improved vehicle efficiencies, reductions in projected travel demand, reductions in miscellaneous commercial electricity loads, and higher efficiency lighting. Electric sector changes have also contributed significantly to the lowered forecasts, driven by demand reductions, renewable portfolio standards, and air quality regulations.

Glacial evolution in King George and Livingston Islands (Antarctica) since the Last Glacial Maximum based on cosmogenic nuclide dating and glacier surface reconstruction - CRONOANTAR project

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz Fernández, Jesús; Oliva, Marc; Fernández Menéndez, Susana del Carmen; García Hernández, Cristina; Menéndez Duarte, Rosa Ana; Pellitero Ondicol, Ramón; Pérez Alberti, Augusto; Schimmelpfennig, Irene

2017-04-01

CRONOANTAR brings together researchers from Spain, Portugal, France and United Kingdom with the objective of spatially and temporally reconstruct the deglaciation process at the two largest islands in the South Shetlands Archipelago (Maritime Antarctica), since the Global Last Glacial Maximum. Glacier retreat in polar areas has major implications at a local, regional and even planetary scale. Global average sea level rise is the most obvious and socio-economically relevant, but there are others such as the arrival of new fauna to deglaciated areas, plant colonisation or permafrost formation and degradation. This project will study the ice-free areas in Byers and Hurd peninsulas (Livingston Island) and Fildes and Potter peninsulas (King George Island). Ice-cap glacier retreat chronology will be revealed by the use of cosmogenic isotopes (mainly 36Cl) on glacially originated sedimentary and erosive records. Cosmogenic dating will be complemented by other dating methods (C14 and OSL), which will permit the validation of these methods in regions with cold-based glaciers. Given the geomorphological evidences and the obtained ages, a deglaciation calendar will be proposed and we will use a GIS methodology to reconstruct the glacier extent and the ice thickness. The results emerging from this project will allow to assess whether the high glacier retreat rates observed during the last decades were registered in the past, or if they are conversely the consequence (and evidence) of the Global Change in Antarctica. Acknowledgements This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Reference: CTM2016-77878-P).

DEVELOPMENT MODEL OF PATISSERIE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

OpenAIRE

Ana Ana; Lutfhiyah Nurlaela

2013-01-01

The study aims to find a model of patisserie project-based learning with production approach that can improve effectiveness of patisserie learning. Delphi Technique, Cohen's Kappa and percentages of agreements were used to assess model of patisserie project based learning. Data collection techniques employed in the study were questionnaire, check list worksheet, observation, and interview sheets. Subjects were 13 lectures of expertise food and nutrition and 91 students of Food and Nutrition ...

The Cellular Differential Evolution Based on Chaotic Local Search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingfeng Ding

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To avoid immature convergence and tune the selection pressure in the differential evolution (DE algorithm, a new differential evolution algorithm based on cellular automata and chaotic local search (CLS or ccDE is proposed. To balance the exploration and exploitation tradeoff of differential evolution, the interaction among individuals is limited in cellular neighbors instead of controlling parameters in the canonical DE. To improve the optimizing performance of DE, the CLS helps by exploring a large region to avoid immature convergence in the early evolutionary stage and exploiting a small region to refine the final solutions in the later evolutionary stage. What is more, to improve the convergence characteristics and maintain the population diversity, the binomial crossover operator in the canonical DE may be instead by the orthogonal crossover operator without crossover rate. The performance of ccDE is widely evaluated on a set of 14 bound constrained numerical optimization problems compared with the canonical DE and several DE variants. The simulation results show that ccDE has better performances in terms of convergence rate and solution accuracy than other optimizers.

Application of the Theory of Constraints in Project Based Structures

OpenAIRE

Martynas Sarapinas; Vytautas Pranas Sūdžius

2011-01-01

The article deals with the application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) in project management. This article involves a short introduction to TOC as a project management method and deep analysis of project management specialties using the TOC: TOC based project planning, timetable management, tasks synchronization, project control and “relay runner work ethic”. Moreover, the article describes traditional and TOC based project management theories in their comparison, and emphasize the main be...

Fast image matching algorithm based on projection characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lijuan; Yue, Xiaobo; Zhou, Lijun

2011-06-01

Based on analyzing the traditional template matching algorithm, this paper identified the key factors restricting the speed of matching and put forward a brand new fast matching algorithm based on projection. Projecting the grayscale image, this algorithm converts the two-dimensional information of the image into one-dimensional one, and then matches and identifies through one-dimensional correlation, meanwhile, because of normalization has been done, when the image brightness or signal amplitude increasing in proportion, it could also perform correct matching. Experimental results show that the projection characteristics based image registration method proposed in this article could greatly improve the matching speed, which ensuring the matching accuracy as well.

From Adopt-a-Project to Permanent Services: The Evolution of Water For People’s Approach to Rural Water Supply in Bolivia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Fogelberg

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The dominant paradigm in rural water provision in Bolivia has focused on the provision of infrastructure, whether by government agencies or international cooperation groups. However, the investment in infrastructure has led neither to universal access for all Bolivians nor to consistently high levels of services for those who do have access to a water system. This paper will describe the transition of one international non-profit organisation, Water For People, from supporting dispersed water projects throughout the country towards targeted support of water services at the municipal level, aiming to support permanent universal services. The institutional evolution – including changes in governance, implementation strategy, donor base, and indicators of success – that allowed field programmes to shift from projects to services provides the context for the change of approach in Bolivia. A discussion of the various aspects that have changed in the organisation’s operations in seven municipalities in Bolivia, from the scale of intervention, to municipal-wide planning information and tools, to support to service providers and service authorities, and an increased focus on post-construction monitoring, demonstrates how the Everyone, Forever approach is resulting in a more service- delivery-oriented approach in Bolivia.

Tracing Cultural Evolution Through Memetics

OpenAIRE

Tiktik Dewi Sartika

2004-01-01

Viewing human being, as a part of evolution process is still a controversial issue for some people, in fact the evolution runs. As a sociocultural entity, human being has distinctive characters in its evolution process. A Theory inherited from Darwin may have only been able to answer how a simple unit such genes evolve to such complex animal like human. Yet, how among those complex animals interact, communicate, and replicate idea in so forth formed a such self-organized sociocultural complex...

Projective synchronization based on suitable separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Guohui; Xiong Chuan; Sun Xiaonan

2007-01-01

A new approach for constructing a projective-synchronized chaotic slave system is proposed in this paper. This method is based on suitable separation by decomposing the system as the linear part and the nonlinear one. From matrix measure theory, some simple but efficient criteria are derived for projective synchronization of chaotic system. Numerical simulations for the Lorenz system show that this control method works very well

Financial and organizational models of NPP construction projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, Timur

2010-01-01

The recent evolution of financial and organizational models of NPP projects can be truly reputed to open a new page of the world market of NPP construction. The definition of the concrete model is based mostly on specific cooperation backgrounds and current terms and conditions under which the particular NPP project is being evolved. In this article the most commonly known strategies and schemes of financing structuring for export NPP construction projects are scrutinized. Special attention is paid to the analysis of BOO/BOT models which are based on the public-private partnership. Most BOO/BOT projects in the power sector has Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) as an integral part of them. The PPA key principles are studied here as well. The flexibility and adaptability of the public-private partnership models for financing and organization of the NPP projects contributes substantially to the competitiveness of the NPP projects especially under current economic conditions. (orig.)

Research on social communication network evolution based on topology potential distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Dongjie; Jiang, Jian; Li, Deyi; Zhang, Haisu; Chen, Guisheng

2011-12-01

Aiming at the problem of social communication network evolution, first, topology potential is introduced to measure the local influence among nodes in networks. Second, from the perspective of topology potential distribution the method of network evolution description based on topology potential distribution is presented, which takes the artificial intelligence with uncertainty as basic theory and local influence among nodes as essentiality. Then, a social communication network is constructed by enron email dataset, the method presented is used to analyze the characteristic of the social communication network evolution and some useful conclusions are got, implying that the method is effective, which shows that topology potential distribution can effectively describe the characteristic of sociology and detect the local changes in social communication network.

A Survey of Technologies Supporting Virtual Project Based Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dirckinck-Holmfeld, Lone

2002-01-01

This paper describes a survey of technologies and to what extent they support virtual project based learning. The paper argues that a survey of learning technologies should be related to concrete learning tasks and processes. Problem oriented project pedagogy (POPP) is discussed, and a framework...... for evaluation is proposed where negotiation of meaning, coordination and resource management are identified as the key concepts in virtual project based learning. Three e-learning systems are selected for the survey, Virtual-U, Lotus Learningspace and Lotus Quickplace, as each system offers different strategies...... for e-learning. The paper concludes that virtual project based learning may benefit from facilities of all these systems....

Collaborative Project-Based Learning: An Integrative Science and Technological Education Project

Science.gov (United States)

Baser, Derya; Ozden, M. Yasar; Karaarslan, Hasan

2017-01-01

Background: Blending collaborative learning and project-based learning (PBL) based on Wolff (2003) design categories, students interacted in a learning environment where they developed their technology integration practices as well as their technological and collaborative skills. Purpose: The study aims to understand how seventh grade students…

An approach of community evolution based on gravitational relationship refactoring in dynamic networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Guisheng; Chi, Kuo; Dong, Yuxin; Dong, Hongbin

2017-01-01

In this paper, an approach of community evolution based on gravitational relationship refactoring between the nodes in a dynamic network is proposed, and it can be used to simulate the process of community evolution. A static community detection algorithm and a dynamic community evolution algorithm are included in the approach. At first, communities are initialized by constructing the core nodes chains, the nodes can be iteratively searched and divided into corresponding communities via the static community detection algorithm. For a dynamic network, an evolutionary process is divided into three phases, and behaviors of community evolution can be judged according to the changing situation of the core nodes chain in each community. Experiments show that the proposed approach can achieve accuracy and availability in the synthetic and real world networks. - Highlights: • The proposed approach considers both the static community detection and dynamic community evolution. • The approach of community evolution can identify the whole 6 common evolution events. • The proposed approach can judge the evolutionary events according to the variations of the core nodes chains.

Santee Cooper cross units 3 & 4: an EPCM success

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hickson, K.; Neher, S.; Koontz, N. [WorleyParons (United States)

2009-05-15

In late 2001, Santee Cooper began a project to add a third 600 MW unit to its coal-fired Cross Generating Station in Cross, S.C. Plans also included a fourth unit to be added later. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPCM) of Units 3 and 4 would eventually span almost seven years. The Cross Project demonstrates how Santee Cooper empowered its EPCM contractor to manage for change and how a well conceived plan and thoroughly developed schedule provide the necessary structure and flexibility to successful do so. The Cross Project experience reinforces the idea that for large projects an EPCM arrangement provides the agility necessary to manage change and the means to manage risk. The design, furnish and erect contracts were performance based contracts executed early to firm up the plant design and layout. 2 photos.

Community-based management of multiple drug resistant tuberculosis in a tertiary hospital in Tanzania: a best practice implementation project.

Science.gov (United States)

Jelly, Isaya; Peters, Micah D J

2017-12-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) has prioritized collaboration with communities in its 2016 "End TB" implementation strategy. Acknowledging the difficulties that some communities face in gaining access to health facilities due to barriers such as stigma, discrimination, healthcare expenditure, transport and income loss, partnering with communities in the roll-out of community-based TB management activities is vital. The aim of this project was to make a contribution to promoting evidence-based practice with regards to the community-based management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at Kibong'oto National Infectious Disease Hospital, Tanzania, and thereby supporting improvements in patient outcomes and resource utilization. The project utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (JBI PACES) program to facilitate the collection of pre- and post-audit data. The Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) module was also used to analyze the potential barriers and for designing the final action plan. This project was conducted in three phases over a three-month period at the MDR-TB unit in a referral hospital in Northern Tanzania. The project showed that there were significant improvements in compliance rates in staff education and documentation of patients' suitability and preferences in receiving community-based care for MDR-TB. The compliance rate of criterion 2, which was already 100% at baseline, was slightly lower at follow-up. The project achieved significant improvements in the delivery of evidence-based practice with regards to community-based management of MDR-TB.

Evolution of the Power Processing Units Architecture for Electric Propulsion at CRISA

Science.gov (United States)

Palencia, J.; de la Cruz, F.; Wallace, N.

2008-09-01

Since 2002, the team formed by EADS Astrium CRISA, Astrium GmbH Friedrichshafen, and QinetiQ has participated in several flight programs where the Electric Propulsion based on Kaufman type Ion Thrusters is the baseline conceptOn 2002, CRISA won the contract for the development of the Ion Propulsion Control Unit (IPCU) for GOCE. This unit together with the T5 thruster by QinetiQ provides near perfect atmospheric drag compensation offering thrust levels in the range of 1 to 20mN.By the end of 2003, CRISA started the adaptation of the IPCU concept to the QinetiQ T6 Ion Thruster for the Alphabus program.This paper shows how the Power Processing Unit design evolved in time including the current developments.

Evolution of extreme temperature events in short term climate projection for Iberian Peninsula.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Alfredo; Tarquis, Ana M.; Sanchez, Enrique; Dosio, Alessandro; Ruiz-Ramos, Margarita

2014-05-01

Extreme events of maximum and minimum temperatures are a main hazard for agricultural production in Iberian Peninsula. For this purpose, in this study we analyze projections of their evolution that could be valid for the next decade, represented in this study by the 30-year period 2004-2034 (target period). For this purpose two kinds of data were used in this study: 1) observations from the station network of AEMET (Spanish National Meteorological Agency) for five Spanish locations, and 2) simulated data at a resolution of 50 ×50 km horizontal grid derived from the outputs of twelve Regional Climate Models (RCMs) taken from project ENSEMBLES (van der Linden and Mitchell, 2009), with a bias correction (Dosio and Paruolo, 2011; Dosio et al., 2012) regarding the observational dataset Spain02 (Herrera et al., 2012). To validate the simulated climate, the available period of observations was compared to a baseline period (1964-1994) of simulated climate for all locations. Then, to analyze the changes for the present/very next future, probability of extreme temperature events for 2004-2034 were compared to that of the baseline period. Although only minor changes are expected, small variations in variability may have a significant impact in crop performance. The objective of the work is to evaluate the utility of these short term projections for potential users, as for instance insurance companies. References Dosio A. and Paruolo P., 2011. Bias correction of the ENSEMBLES high-resolution climate change projections for use by impact models: Evaluation on the present climate. Journal of Geophysical Research, VOL. 116,D16106, doi:10.1029/2011JD015934 Dosio A., Paruolo P. and Rojas R., 2012. Bias correction of the ENSEMBLES high resolution climate change projections for use by impact models: Analysis of the climate change signal. Journal of Geophysical Research,Volume 117, D17, doi: 0.1029/2012JD017968 Herrera et. al. (2012) Development and Analysis of a 50 year high

PROJECT - RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OF INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION: ANTHROPOLOGICAL PROJECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galina Aleksandrovna Ignat’eva

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the research was to denote a way to solve the problem of education mana-gement ΄s insufficient efficiency considered from the point of view of education opportunities to influence on the formation of mechanisms for sustainable development of society as a whole and its educational component. The concept «project-resource management of innovation in education» regarded on the basis of the anthropological project-transforming paradigm. Conceptually-categorical context presented by conceptual cluster composed of coordinated concepts «project», «resource», «educational reality», «organizational-resource potential», «project commonality». In the theoretical part of the study on the basis of analysis of the normative and exploratory approaches to educational innovations organization and management it was established the search approach ΄s leading role in the methodological substantiation of project-resource management. The study have indicated that in the presence of variable models of innovation management in education, corresponding to various predictive models of continuing education post-industrial society, project-resource management is an universal mechanism for the transition from separate innovation΄s precedents to the an authentic reality of innovative education. In the technological part of the study the main concern was to submit the project-resource management by the management goal’s system, each of which includes the specific management actions, projected results and the organizational forms. The project-resource management ΄s professional – activity context of the study showed evolution of managerial positions: an effective performer – an effective leader – strategist, implemented during the transition from directly directive management to the project management and further to the project-resource management. Based on the findings identified the key factors of initiatively-problem projects

Evaluation of project based learning sufficiency of teacher candidates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasfi Tugun

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of that research, it is the project based learning process suffuciency of teacher candidates who developedmultimedia by working in online and blended groups. Importance of research Being able to guide to studies that is going tobe done about assessment of multimedia projection for project based educational application to teachers and teachercandidates and It has been thought as an advisor source about being arranged new educational environment for the futureto teacher and teacher candidates for project based educational application and multimedia projection. Research is anexperimental study and has been shaped according to pre-test and last-test research model with the two groups. This groupsare online group and blended group. Discussion of research In the result of the study, in the process of project basedlearning, it is determined that the success level in multimedia development of teacher candidates who work in blendedlearning model is higher than the success level of teacher candidates who work in online learning model.

Multi-project, multi-national, geographically dispersed: Challenges for the Nuclear Renaissance in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathews, T.A.

2007-01-01

The nuclear renaissance in the United States is moving at a rapid pace due to the incentives in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, recognition of the environmental benefits of nuclear energy, and the need for stable, reliable, and diverse sources of energy. The U.S. is looking externally to capitalize on French, German, Japanese, and other worldwide experience. A number of challenges to the resurgence of nuclear power are common worldwide, including project management, workforce and supplier availability and large-project construction management experience. For example, AREVA's new plant project teams are comprised of resources drawn from various U.S. centers of technical expertise and backed up by AREVA's worldwide capabilities. However, the challenge lies in having the information infrastructure in place to integrate that expertise and share information across working groups. In another example, the U.S. regulatory process has changed significantly for the better, but the new streamlined combined license process has not been tested. Reactor vendors and utilities have injected new thinking into the process by pursuing Design Certification, Early Site Permit, and Combined License approval in parallel rather than in series. This paper will discuss these and other challenges to licensing and building new nuclear plants, and the approaches being used by AREVA to lead the Nuclear Renaissance in the United States. (author)

Parameter identification of PEMFC model based on hybrid adaptive differential evolution algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Zhe; Wang, Ning; Bi, Yunrui; Srinivasan, Dipti

2015-01-01

In this paper, a HADE (hybrid adaptive differential evolution) algorithm is proposed for the identification problem of PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell). Inspired by biological genetic strategy, a novel adaptive scaling factor and a dynamic crossover probability are presented to improve the adaptive and dynamic performance of differential evolution algorithm. Moreover, two kinds of neighborhood search operations based on the bee colony foraging mechanism are introduced for enhancing local search efficiency. Through testing the benchmark functions, the proposed algorithm exhibits better performance in convergent accuracy and speed. Finally, the HADE algorithm is applied to identify the nonlinear parameters of PEMFC stack model. Through experimental comparison with other identified methods, the PEMFC model based on the HADE algorithm shows better performance. - Highlights: • We propose a hybrid adaptive differential evolution algorithm (HADE). • The search efficiency is enhanced in low and high dimension search space. • The effectiveness is confirmed by testing benchmark functions. • The identification of the PEMFC model is conducted by adopting HADE.

European cooperation under the modernization program of the Kozloduy NPP units 5 and 6 and its evolution during the Belene NPP construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoch, G.

2005-01-01

The major part of the modernization program for the Kozloduy NPP units 5 and 6 is being performed by the European Consortium Kozloduy (ECK), consisting of AREVA - FRAMATOME ANP (Germany and France) and Atomenergoexport (Russia). The ECK main project, consisting of 76 separate measures, shall be finished in the first half of 2006. One of the major tasks was to form the different teams on contractors and employers side such that the works can be executed effectively in a timely manner and as per the technical and quality requirements. Different actions were undertaken on both sides in order to assure the main target, namely to implement the complete scope of work within the contractual time schedule. So far it can be reported that the teams have successfully worked and as a matter of fact at present more than 100 outage days have been saved compared to the initial contractual time schedule. This important result is based on different success factors in the field of planning, engineering and design, outage organization, implementation including testing and commissioning, quality assurance. After the decision of Bulgaria to continue the erection of Belene NPP, a bidding consortium has been founded by the ECK Consortium members, in order to provide a joint offer for this project. The good reputation, expertise and the experience gained from the Kozloduy NPP units 5 and 6 modernization project together with a reliable network with Bulgarian industrial partners may contribute the utmost to a successful finalization of the Belene NPP. (author)

Projected impacts of federal tax policy proposals on mortality burden in the United States: A microsimulation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Daniel

2018-06-01

The public health consequences of federal income tax policies that influence income inequality are not well understood. I aimed to project the impacts on mortality of modifying federal income tax structures based on proposals by two recent United States (U.S.) Presidential candidates: Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders. I performed a microsimulation analysis using the latest U.S. Internal Revenue Service public-use tax file with state identifiers (2008 tax year), containing nationally-representative data from 139,651 tax returns. I considered five tax plan scenarios: 1) actual 2008 tax structures; proposals in 2016 by then-candidates 2) Trump and 3) Sanders; 4) a modified Sanders plan with higher top tax rates (75%); and 5) a modified Sanders plan with higher top rates plus revenue redistribution to lower-income households (Trump and Sanders plans, respectively. Under the modified Sanders plan including higher top rates, 68,919 (95% CI: 25,221-113,561) fewer deaths/year are projected. Under the modified Sanders plan with redistribution, 333,504 (95% CI: 192,897-473,787) fewer deaths/year are expected. Policies that both raise federal income tax rates and redistribute tax revenue could confer large reductions in the total number of annual deaths among Americans. In this era of high income inequality and growing public support to address the rich-poor gap, policymakers should consider joint federal tax and redistributive policies as levers to reduce the burden of mortality in the United States. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brightness temperature simulation of snow cover based on snow grain size evolution using in situ data

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Lili; Li, Xiaofeng; Zhao, Kai; Zheng, Xingming; Jiang, Tao

2016-07-01

Snow depth parameter inversion from passive microwave remote sensing is of great significance to hydrological process and climate systems. The Helsinki University of Technology (HUT) model is a commonly used snow emission model. Snow grain size (SGS) is one of the important input parameters, but SGS is difficult to obtain in broad areas. The time series of SGS are first evolved by an SGS evolution model (Jordan 91) using in situ data. A good linear relationship between the effective SGS in HUT and the evolution SGS was found. Then brightness temperature simulations are performed based on the effective SGS and evolution SGS. The results showed that the biases of the simulated brightness temperatures based on the effective SGS and evolution SGS were -6.5 and -3.6 K, respectively, for 18.7 GHz and -4.2 and -4.0 K for 36.5 GHz. Furthermore, the model is performed in six pixels with different land use/cover type in other areas. The results showed that the simulated brightness temperatures based on the evolution SGS were consistent with those from the satellite. Consequently, evolution SGS appears to be a simple method to obtain an appropriate SGS for the HUT model.

Statistical analysis of the vibration loading of the reactor internals and fuel assemblies of reactor units type WWER-440 from deferent projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ovcharov, O.; Pavelko, V.; Usanov, A.; Arkadov, G.; Dolgov, A.; Molchanov, V.; Anikeev, J.; Pljush, A.

2006-01-01

In this paper the following items have been presented: 1) Vibration noise instrument channels; 2) Vibration loading characteristics of control assemblies, internals and design peculiarities of internals of WWER-440 deferent projects; 3) Coolant flow rate through the reactor, reactor core, fuel assemblies and control assemblies for different projects WWER-440 and 4) Noise measurements of coolant speed per channel. The change of auto power spectrum density of absolute displacement detector signal for the last 12 years of SUS monitoring of the Kola NPP unit 2; the coherence functions groups between two SPND of the same level for the Kola NPP unit 1; the measured coolant flow rate at Paks NPP and the auto power spectrum density group of SPND signals from 11 neutron measuring channels of the Kola NPP unit 1 are given. The main factors of vibration loading of internals and fuel assemblies for Kola NPP units 1-4, Bohunice NPP units 1 and 2 and Novovoronezh NPP units 3 and 4 are also discussed

Software-based annunciator replacement: a tale of two projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmons, G.T.

2015-01-01

Annunciator upgrade projects are often included as parts of operating plant life extension projects as the systems are old and replacement parts are difficult to source. This paper contains case studies of the software-based annunciator replacement projects at the Westinghouse SNUPPS training simulator in Pennsylvania and the Axpo Beznau nuclear power plant in Switzerland. Software-based annunciator systems can offer a number of feature enhancements including improved readability and operator awareness, easy configuration, alarm suppression features, and alarm management at operator workstations. This paper provides an overview of each project and discusses advantages, challenges, and lessons learned from both annunciator-replacement projects. (author)

Software-based annunciator replacement: a tale of two projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmons, G.T., E-mail: simmongt@westinghouse.com [Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Cranberry Township, PA (United States)

2015-07-01

Annunciator upgrade projects are often included as parts of operating plant life extension projects as the systems are old and replacement parts are difficult to source. This paper contains case studies of the software-based annunciator replacement projects at the Westinghouse SNUPPS training simulator in Pennsylvania and the Axpo Beznau nuclear power plant in Switzerland. Software-based annunciator systems can offer a number of feature enhancements including improved readability and operator awareness, easy configuration, alarm suppression features, and alarm management at operator workstations. This paper provides an overview of each project and discusses advantages, challenges, and lessons learned from both annunciator-replacement projects. (author)

Case studies in teaching evolution: The intersection of dilemmas in practice

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Rachel

Despite recent science education reform documents citing evolution as a core concept to be taught in grades K-12, research shows problems with how it is currently taught. Evolution is often avoided, teachers minimize its importance within biology, infuse misconceptions, and/or interject non-scientific ideologies into lessons. My research focused on how teachers in two geographically and culturally distinct school districts in the southwestern U.S. negotiate dilemmas during an evolution unit. One school district was rural and had a large population of Mormon students, while the other district was urban, with a large majority Mexican/Mexican-American students. Using a case study approach, I observed three biology teachers during their evolution lessons, interviewed them throughout the unit, co-planned lessons with them, and collected artifacts from this unit, including anonymous student work. I also included data from four genetics lessons for each teacher to determine if the issues that arose during the evolution unit were a result of the general practice of the teacher, or if they were unique to evolution. Findings showed teachers' backgrounds and comfort levels with evolution, in addition to their perceptions of community context, affected how they negotiated pedagogical, conceptual, political, and cultural dilemmas. This study's findings will inform in-service teachers' future practice and professional development tools to aid with their teaching---this may include methods to negotiate some of the political (e.g. state standards) or cultural (e.g. religious resistance) issues inherent to teaching evolution.

A Bayesian Network Based Adaptability Design of Product Structures for Function Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaobo Li

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Structure adaptability design is critical for function evolution in product families, in which many structural and functional design factors are intertwined together with manufacturing cost, customer satisfaction, and final market sales. How to achieve a delicate balance among all of these factors to maximize the market performance of the product is too complicated to address based on traditional domain experts’ knowledge or some ad hoc heuristics. Here, we propose a quantitative product evolution design model that is based on Bayesian networks to model the dynamic relationship between customer needs and product structure design. In our model, all of the structural or functional features along with customer satisfaction, manufacturing cost, sale price, market sales, and indirect factors are modeled as random variables denoted as nodes in the Bayesian networks. The structure of the Bayesian model is then determined based on the historical data, which captures the dynamic sophisticated relationship of customer demands of a product, structural design, and market performance. Application of our approach to an electric toothbrush product family evolution design problem shows that our model allows for designers to interrogate with the model and obtain theoretical and decision support for dynamic product feature design process.

Integrating Industry in Project Organized Problem Based Learning for Engineering Educations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kirsten M.

2006-01-01

This abstract deals with the challenge of establishing engineering student projects in collaboration with industry. Based on empirical results a set of advices for industrial collaboration in project oriented problem based learning are formulated......This abstract deals with the challenge of establishing engineering student projects in collaboration with industry. Based on empirical results a set of advices for industrial collaboration in project oriented problem based learning are formulated...

Monitoring Based Commissioning: Benchmarking Analysis of 24 UC/CSU/IOU Projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mills, Evan; Mathew, Paul

2009-04-01

Buildings rarely perform as intended, resulting in energy use that is higher than anticipated. Building commissioning has emerged as a strategy for remedying this problem in non-residential buildings. Complementing traditional hardware-based energy savings strategies, commissioning is a 'soft' process of verifying performance and design intent and correcting deficiencies. Through an evaluation of a series of field projects, this report explores the efficacy of an emerging refinement of this practice, known as monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx). MBCx can also be thought of as monitoring-enhanced building operation that incorporates three components: (1) Permanent energy information systems (EIS) and diagnostic tools at the whole-building and sub-system level; (2) Retro-commissioning based on the information from these tools and savings accounting emphasizing measurement as opposed to estimation or assumptions; and (3) On-going commissioning to ensure efficient building operations and measurement-based savings accounting. MBCx is thus a measurement-based paradigm which affords improved risk-management by identifying problems and opportunities that are missed with periodic commissioning. The analysis presented in this report is based on in-depth benchmarking of a portfolio of MBCx energy savings for 24 buildings located throughout the University of California and California State University systems. In the course of the analysis, we developed a quality-control/quality-assurance process for gathering and evaluating raw data from project sites and then selected a number of metrics to use for project benchmarking and evaluation, including appropriate normalizations for weather and climate, accounting for variations in central plant performance, and consideration of differences in building types. We performed a cost-benefit analysis of the resulting dataset, and provided comparisons to projects from a larger commissioning 'Meta-analysis' database. A

Dealing with project complexity by matrix-based propagation modelling for project risk analysis

OpenAIRE

Fang , Chao; Marle , Franck

2012-01-01

International audience; Engineering projects are facing a growing complexity and are thus exposed to numerous and interdependent risks. In this paper, we present a quantitative method for modelling propagation behaviour in the project risk network. The construction of the network requires the involvement of the project manager and related experts using the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) method. A matrix-based risk propagation model is introduced to calculate risk propagation and thus to re-eva...

Stochastic Coastal/Regional Uncertainty Modelling: a Copernicus marine research project in the framework of Service Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Vervatis, Vassilios; De Mey, Pierre; Ayoub, Nadia; Kailas, Marios; Sofianos, Sarantis

2017-04-01

The project entitled Stochastic Coastal/Regional Uncertainty Modelling (SCRUM) aims at strengthening CMEMS in the areas of ocean uncertainty quantification, ensemble consistency verification and ensemble data assimilation. The project has been initiated by the University of Athens and LEGOS/CNRS research teams, in the framework of CMEMS Service Evolution. The work is based on stochastic modelling of ocean physics and biogeochemistry in the Bay of Biscay, on an identical sub-grid configuration of the IBI-MFC system in its latest CMEMS operational version V2. In a first step, we use a perturbed tendencies scheme to generate ensembles describing uncertainties in open ocean and on the shelf, focusing on upper ocean processes. In a second step, we introduce two methodologies (i.e. rank histograms and array modes) aimed at checking the consistency of the above ensembles with respect to TAC data and arrays. Preliminary results highlight that wind uncertainties dominate all other atmosphere-ocean sources of model errors. The ensemble spread in medium-range ensembles is approximately 0.01 m for SSH and 0.15 °C for SST, though these values vary depending on season and cross shelf regions. Ecosystem model uncertainties emerging from perturbations in physics appear to be moderately larger than those perturbing the concentration of the biogeochemical compartments, resulting in total chlorophyll spread at about 0.01 mg.m-3. First consistency results show that the model ensemble and the pseudo-ensemble of OSTIA (L4) observation SSTs appear to exhibit nonzero joint probabilities with each other since error vicinities overlap. Rank histograms show that the model ensemble is initially under-dispersive, though results improve in the context of seasonal-range ensembles.

Application of the Theory of Constraints in Project Based Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martynas Sarapinas

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC in project management. This article involves a short introduction to TOC as a project management method and deep analysis of project management specialties using the TOC: TOC based project planning, timetable management, tasks synchronization, project control and “relay runner work ethic”. Moreover, the article describes traditional and TOC based project management theories in their comparison, and emphasize the main benefits we received as the results of the study. Article in Lithuanian

Engaging Clinical Nurses in Quality Improvement Projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Susan; Stichler, Jaynelle F

2015-10-01

Clinical nurses have the knowledge and expertise required to provide efficient and proficient patient care. Time and knowledge deficits can prevent nurses from developing and implementing quality improvement or evidence-based practice projects. This article reviews a process for professional development of clinical nurses that helped them to define, implement, and analyze quality improvement or evidence-based practice projects. The purpose of this project was to educate advanced clinical nurses to manage a change project from inception to completion, using the Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) Change Acceleration Process as a framework. One-to-one mentoring and didactic in-services advanced the knowledge, appreciation, and practice of advanced practice clinicians who completed multiple change projects. The projects facilitated clinical practice changes, with improved patient outcomes; a unit cultural shift, with appreciation of quality improvement and evidence-based projects; and engagement with colleagues. Project outcomes were displayed in poster presentations at a hospital exposition for knowledge dissemination. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Implementation of inter-unit analysis for C and C++ languages in a source-based static code analyzer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Sidorin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The proliferation of automated testing capabilities arises a need for thorough testing of large software systems, including system inter-component interfaces. The objective of this research is to build a method for inter-procedural inter-unit analysis, which allows us to analyse large and complex software systems including multi-architecture projects (like Android OS as well as to support complex assembly systems of projects. Since the selected Clang Static Analyzer uses source code directly as input data, we need to develop a special technique to enable inter-unit analysis for such analyzer. This problem is of special nature because of C and C++ language features that assume and encourage the separate compilation of project files. We describe the build and analysis system that was implemented around Clang Static Analyzer to enable inter-unit analysis and consider problems related to support of complex projects. We also consider the task of merging abstract source trees of translation units and its related problems such as handling conflicting definitions, complex build systems and complex projects support, including support for multi-architecture projects, with examples. We consider both issues related to language design and human-related mistakes (that may be intentional. We describe some heuristics that were used for this work to make the merging process faster. The developed system was tested using Android OS as the input to show it is applicable even for such complicated projects. This system does not depend on the inter-procedural analysis method and allows the arbitrary change of its algorithm.

Project Notes

Science.gov (United States)

School Science Review, 1978

1978-01-01

Presents sixteen project notes developed by pupils of Chipping Norton School and Bristol Grammar School, in the United Kingdom. These Projects include eight biology A-level projects and eight Chemistry A-level projects. (HM)

Knowledge Utilization in Projects – a Practice-based

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thuesen, Christian

Drawing upon Practice-based theorizing in general and Actor Network Theory and theories of Communities of Practices in particular the paper develops an analytical strategy for understanding “life” in projects. The analytical strategy is applied on empirical material from an 18-month ethnographic...... study of a construction project. The project is interpreted as constellation of networked practices, which always is in the making. Participation in this project is a learning process where existing practices are reproduced and developed. This understanding of “life” in the project, frames a concluding...... analysis and discussion of the utilization of knowledge in the project....

The Effectiveness of Project Based Learning in Trigonometry

Science.gov (United States)

Gerhana, M. T. C.; Mardiyana, M.; Pramudya, I.

2017-09-01

This research aimed to explore the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) with scientific approach viewed from interpersonal intelligence toward students’ achievement learning in mathematics. This research employed quasi experimental research. The subjects of this research were grade X MIPA students in Sleman Yogyakarta. The result of the research showed that project-based learning model is more effective to generate students’ mathematics learning achievement that classical model with scientific approach. This is because in PjBL model students are more able to think actively and creatively. Students are faced with a pleasant atmosphere to solve a problem in everyday life. The use of project-based learning model is expected to be the choice of teachers to improve mathematics education.

PROJECTIZING AN OPERATING NUCLEAR FACILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, N

2007-01-01

This paper will discuss the evolution of an operations-based organization to a project-based organization to facilitate successful deactivation of a major nuclear facility. It will describe the plan used for scope definition, staff reorganization, method estimation, baseline schedule development, project management training, and results of this transformation. It is a story of leadership and teamwork, pride and success. Workers at the Savannah River Site's (SRS) F Canyon Complex (FCC) started with a challenge--take all the hazardous byproducts from nearly 50 years of operations in a major, first-of-its-kind nuclear complex and safely get rid of them, leaving the facility cold, dark, dry and ready for whatever end state is ultimately determined by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). And do it in four years, with a constantly changing workforce and steadily declining funding. The goal was to reduce the overall operating staff by 93% and budget by 94%. The facilities, F Canyon and its adjoined sister, FB Line, are located at SRS, a 310-square-mile nuclear reservation near Aiken, S.C., owned by DOE and managed by Washington Group International subsidiary Washington Savannah River Company (WSRC). These facilities were supported by more than 50 surrounding buildings, whose purpose was to provide support services during operations. The radiological, chemical and industrial hazards inventory in the old buildings was significant. The historical mission at F Canyon was to extract plutonium-239 and uranium-238 from irradiated spent nuclear fuel through chemical processing. FB Line's mission included conversion of plutonium solutions into metal, characterization, stabilization and packaging, and storage of both metal and oxide forms. The plutonium metal was sent to another DOE site for use in weapons. Deactivation in F Canyon began when chemical separations activities were completed in 2002, and a cross-functional project team concept was implemented to successfully

Synthesis on the spent fuel long term evolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferry, C.; Poinssot, Ch.; Lovera, P.; Poulesquen, A. [CEA Saclay, Dept. de Physico-Chimie (DEN/DPC), 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Broudic, V. [CEA Cadarache, Direction des Reacteurs Nucleaires (DRN), 13 - Saint Paul lez Durance (France); Cappelaere, Ch. [CEA Saclay, Dept. des Materiaux pour le Nucleaire(DMN), 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Desgranges, L. [CEA Cadarache, Direction des Reacteurs Nucleaires (DRN), 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Garcia, Ph. [CEA Cadarache, Dept. d' Etudes des Combustibles (DEC), 13 - Saint Paul lez Durance (France); Jegou, Ch.; Roudil, D. [CEA Valrho, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire (DEN), 30 - Marcoule (France); Lovera, P.; Poulesquen, A. [CEA Saclay, Dept. de Physico-Chimie (DPC), 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Marimbeau, P. [CEA Cadarache, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire (DEN), 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Gras, J.M.; Bouffioux, P. [Electricite de France (EDF), 75 - Paris (France)

2005-07-01

The French research on spent fuel long term evolution has been performed by CEA (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique) since 1999 in the PRECCI project with the support of EDF (Electricite de France). These studies focused on the spent fuel behaviour under various conditions encountered in dry storage or in deep geological disposal. Three main types of conditions were discerned: - The evolution in a closed system which corresponds to the normal scenario in storage and to the first confinement phase in disposal; - The evolution in air which corresponds to an incidental loss of confinement during storage or to a rupture of the canister before the site re-saturation in geological disposal; - The evolution in water which corresponds to the normal scenario after the breaching of the canister in repository conditions. This document produced in the frame of the PRECCI project is an overview of the state of knowledge in 2004 concerning the long-term behavior of spent fuel under these various conditions. The state of the art was derived from the results obtained under the PRECCI project as well as from a review of the literature and of data acquired under the European project on Spent Fuel Stability under Repository Conditions. The main results issued from the French research are underlined. (authors)

Synthesis on the spent fuel long term evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferry, C.; Poinssot, Ch.; Lovera, P.; Poulesquen, A.; Broudic, V.; Cappelaere, Ch.; Desgranges, L.; Garcia, Ph.; Jegou, Ch.; Roudil, D.; Lovera, P.; Poulesquen, A.; Marimbeau, P.; Gras, J.M.; Bouffioux, P.

2005-01-01

The French research on spent fuel long term evolution has been performed by CEA (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique) since 1999 in the PRECCI project with the support of EDF (Electricite de France). These studies focused on the spent fuel behaviour under various conditions encountered in dry storage or in deep geological disposal. Three main types of conditions were discerned: - The evolution in a closed system which corresponds to the normal scenario in storage and to the first confinement phase in disposal; - The evolution in air which corresponds to an incidental loss of confinement during storage or to a rupture of the canister before the site re-saturation in geological disposal; - The evolution in water which corresponds to the normal scenario after the breaching of the canister in repository conditions. This document produced in the frame of the PRECCI project is an overview of the state of knowledge in 2004 concerning the long-term behavior of spent fuel under these various conditions. The state of the art was derived from the results obtained under the PRECCI project as well as from a review of the literature and of data acquired under the European project on Spent Fuel Stability under Repository Conditions. The main results issued from the French research are underlined. (authors)

Project-based production and project management: Findings and trends in research on temporary systems in multiple contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tinus Pretorius

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Globalisation is challenging almost every aspect of the political, economic, social and technological environment. Organisations, whether public or private, have to adapt their strategies and operations to stay competitive and efficient. Historically, organisations adopted project-based operations as a mode to stay competitive, although the applications tended to be the oneoff type of operations such as construction and system development projects (Edum-Fotwe & McCaffer, 2000. As the world changed from an industrially driven to a more knowledge driven economy and the pace of continuous change became more intense, organisations adopted a project-based mode of operations on a broader scale. The knowledge economy lead to the creation of many service orientated industries. Organisations started facing portfolios of projects where the nature of these projects differed in technological complexity, urgency, customer value and social impact (Gutjahr & Froeschl, 2013. Based on their experience with more technically orientated projects, organisations focused their attention more intensely on new project management methods, tools and processes and not necessarily on the human and organisational interfaces. This paradigm changed however, especially since the 1980s and more and more organisations adopted temporary organisational forms (Bakker, 2010 in order to improve their competitiveness. The contributions in this special edition of the South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences have a common focus on the importance of the human and organisational interface of project-based operations on project success. The purpose of this concluding article is to analyse the findings and recommendations in these papers and to detect trends and future research opportunities in the field of project-based operations.

Effects of energy system changes on CO2 projections for the United States_data tables with data dictionary

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Dataset that corresponds to paper titled Effects of recent energy system changes on CO2 projections for the United States. This dataset is associated with the...

A Nurse Leadership Project to Improve Health Literacy on a Maternal-Infant Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Stikes, Reetta; Arterberry, Katheryn; Logsdon, M Cynthia

2015-01-01

To describe how participation in the Sigma Theta Tau International Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy positioned the authors to lead an interdisciplinary team through implementation and evaluation of a change project related to patient education based upon national health literacy standards. The project goal was to improve patient satisfaction with nurse communication and preparation for hospital discharge. Quality improvement. Mother/-baby unit of an academic medical center serving a high percentage of patients of a minority population and underserved clients. The five- step intervention included (a) review of current health literacy standards, (b) formation of an infrastructure for development and evaluation of existing patient education materials, (c) assessment of patient education materials currently in use, (d) assessment of literacy level and learning styles of new mothers, and (e) provision of continuing education to increase knowledge of nurses as patient teachers and of health literacy. Mean scores of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) in the domains of patient satisfaction with nurse communication and discharge information were used to measure patient satisfaction with health communication. Patient satisfaction with nurse communication increased from 75.9% to 84.6%. Satisfaction with discharge information increased from 84.6% to 98.6%. The leadership academy successfully positioned the authors to guide an interdisciplinary team through development of a process to meet the education and communication needs of patients and improve their health literacy. As a result, a positive effect was noted on patient satisfaction with health communication. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Project-Based Emissions Trading. The Impact of Institutional Arrangements on Cost-Effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woerdman, E.; Van der Gaast, W.

2001-01-01

In this paper we demonstrate that the institutional arrangement (or: design) of Joint Implementation (JI) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has a decisive impact on their cost-effectiveness. We illustrate our arguments by statistically analyzing the costs from 94 Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) pilot phase projects as well as by adjusting these data on the basis of simple mathematical formulas. These calculations explicitly take into account the institutional differences between JI (sinks, no banking) and the CDM (banking, no sinks) under the Kyoto Protocol and also show the possible effects on credit costs of alternative design options. However, our numerical illustrations should be viewed with caution, because AIJ is only to a limited extent representative of potential future JI and CDM projects and because credit costs are not credit prices. Some of the main figures found in this study are: an average cost figure per unit of emission reduction for AIJ projects of 46 dollar per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent ($/Mg CO 2 -eq), an average potential JI credit cost figure which is lowered to 37 $/Mg CO 2 -eq by introducing banking and an average of 6 $/Mg CO 2 -eq per credit for potential low-cost CDM projects which includes sinks. However, at CoP6 in November 2000 in The Hague (The Netherlands), the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) did not (yet) reach consensus on the institutional details of the project-based mechanisms, such as the possible arrangement of early JI action or the inclusion of sinks under the CDM. 55 refs

Basic Research about Calculation of the Decommissioning Unit Cost based on The KRR-2 Decommissioning Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Chan-Ho; Park, Hee-Seong; Ha, Jea-Hyun; Jin, Hyung-Gon; Park, Seung-Kook [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The KAERI be used to calculate the decommissioning cost and manage the data of decommissioning activity experience through systems such as the decommissioning information management system (DECOMMIS), Decommissioning Facility Characterization DB System (DEFACS), decommissioning work-unit productivity calculation system (DEWOCS). Some country such as Japan and The United States have the information for decommissioning experience of the NPP and publish reports on decommissioning cost analysis. These reports as valuable data be used to compare with the decommissioning unit cost. In particular, need a method to estimate the decommissioning cost of the NPP because there is no decommissioning experience of NPP in case of Korea. makes possible to predict the more precise prediction about the decommissioning unit cost. But still, there are many differences on calculation for the decommissioning unit cost in domestic and foreign country. Typically, it is difficult to compare with data because published not detailed reports. Therefore, field of estimation for decommissioning cost have to use a unified framework in order to the decommissioning cost be provided to exact of the decommissioning cost.

Basic Research about Calculation of the Decommissioning Unit Cost based on The KRR-2 Decommissioning Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Chan-Ho; Park, Hee-Seong; Ha, Jea-Hyun; Jin, Hyung-Gon; Park, Seung-Kook

2015-01-01

The KAERI be used to calculate the decommissioning cost and manage the data of decommissioning activity experience through systems such as the decommissioning information management system (DECOMMIS), Decommissioning Facility Characterization DB System (DEFACS), decommissioning work-unit productivity calculation system (DEWOCS). Some country such as Japan and The United States have the information for decommissioning experience of the NPP and publish reports on decommissioning cost analysis. These reports as valuable data be used to compare with the decommissioning unit cost. In particular, need a method to estimate the decommissioning cost of the NPP because there is no decommissioning experience of NPP in case of Korea. makes possible to predict the more precise prediction about the decommissioning unit cost. But still, there are many differences on calculation for the decommissioning unit cost in domestic and foreign country. Typically, it is difficult to compare with data because published not detailed reports. Therefore, field of estimation for decommissioning cost have to use a unified framework in order to the decommissioning cost be provided to exact of the decommissioning cost

Turn-based evolution in a simplified model of artistic creative process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahlstedt, Palle

2015-01-01

Evolutionary computation has often been presented as a possible model for creativity in computers. In this paper, evolution is discussed in the light of a theoretical model of human artistic process, recently presented by the author. Some crucial differences between human artistic creativity......, and the results of initial experiments are presented and discussed. Artistic creativity is here modeled as an iterated turn-based process, alternating between a conceptual representation and a material representation of the work-to-be. Evolutionary computation is proposed as a heuristic solution to the principal...... and natural evolution are observed and discussed, also in the light of other creative processes occurring in nature. As a tractable way to overcome these limitations, a new kind of evolutionary implementation of creativity is proposed, based on a simplified version of the previously presented model...

Integrated Data Base: Status and waste projections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, J.A.

1990-01-01

The Integrated Data Base (IDB) is the official US Department of Energy (DOE) data base for spent fuel and radioactive waste inventories and projections. DOE low-level waste (LLW) is just one of the many waste types that are documented with the IDB. Summary-level tables and figures are presented illustrating historical and projected volume changes of DOE LLW. This information is readily available through the annual IDB publication. Other presentation formats are also available to the DOE community through a request to the IDB Program. 4 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs

Organizational Enablers for Project Governance and Governmentality in Project-based Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pemsel, Sofia; Müller, Ralf; Shao, Jingting

for governmentality belong mainly to the cultural-cognitive pillar. Collectively these OEs provide for an ambidexterity of flexibility and stability, which allows organizations to align their internal characteristics with their organizational context. Managerial and theoretical implications of the results......This study identifies organizational enablers (OEs) for governance and governmentality in the realm of projects in project-based organizations (PBOs). We use a multiple case study design with six firms in Sweden and China to identify OEs. Institutional theory serves as theoretical perspective...

Organizational Enablers for Project Governance and Governmentality in Project-based Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Müller, Ralf; Pemsel, Sofia; Shao, Jingting

2015-01-01

for governmentality belong mainly to the cultural–cognitive pillar. Collectively these OEs provide for an ambidexterity of flexibility and stability, which allows organizations to align their internal characteristics with their organizational context. Managerial and theoretical implications of the results......This study identifies organizational enablers (OEs) for governance and governmentality in the realm of projects in project-based organizations (PBOs). We use a multiple case study design with six firms in Sweden and China to identify OEs. Institutional theory serves as theoretical perspective...

Scoping study into community-based renewable energy projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

This scoping study has been carried out by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), a charity which promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy. CSE have used their involvement in the development of the Energy Club (the first energy service company for householders in the UK) and the Bristol Environment and Energy Trust (a cross-sector organisation initiating environmental projects) as the basis of the study. This study is the first phase of a long term project to set up two small-scale renewable energy schemes to demonstrate the benefits of a community based approach. Specific objectives of the study were: to identify, quantify and cost, renewable energy resources for interested community organisations; to evaluate two routes for developing community based projects - Environment Trusts and Energy Clubs'; to organise a seminar with the objective of bringing together community interest groups with experts in renewable energy; to identify two communities with viable renewable projects for the next phase - full feasibility studies/pilot projects. (author)

Academic Librarians and Project Management: An International Study

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, Silvia Cobo; Avilés, Rosario Arquero

2016-01-01

Because information and documentation units in libraries have responsibility for an ever-increasing number of projects, this paper aims at analyzing the discipline of project management in library and information science (LIS) from a professional perspective. To that end, the researchers employed quantitative and qualitative methodology based on a…

Evolution of the Power Conversion Unit Design of the GT-MHR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baxi, C.B.; Perez, E.; Shenoy, A.; Kostin, V.I.; Kodochigov, N.G.; Vasyaev, A.V.; Belov, S.E.; Golovko, V.F.

2006-01-01

General Atomics in the USA and Experimental Design Bureau of Machine Building (OKBM) in the Russian Federation are jointly developing a gas turbine modular helium reactor (GT-MHR). The 600 MW(t) reactor is cooled by helium at a pressure of 7 MPa. The power conversion unit (PCU) uses the reactor outlet temperature of 850 deg C in a direct Brayton cycle to achieve an efficiency of about 48%. The PCU consists of a gas turbine, a recuperator, a pre-cooler, a low-pressure compressor, an inter-cooler, and a high-pressure compressor. The turbo machine (TM), including the generator, is mounted on a single vertical shaft. The TM rotates at a speed of 4400 rpm. The asynchronous generator is connected to the turbine by a flexible coupling. The required grid frequency is achieved by a converter. All PCU components are enclosed in a single vessel. TM uses radial and axial electromagnetic bearings (EMB) for support. Catcher bearings (CB) are provided as redundant support for the TM rotor in case of EMBs failure. These design features were determined after a comprehensive study carried out over the last 10 years. This paper describes the evolution of the current PCU design and justification for the choices. (authors)

Trans-Amazon Drilling Project (TADP): origins and evolution of the forests, climate, and hydrology of the South American tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, P. A.; Fritz, S. C.; Silva, C. G.; Rigsby, C. A.; Absy, M. L.; Almeida, R. P.; Caputo, M.; Chiessi, C. M.; Cruz, F. W.; Dick, C. W.; Feakins, S. J.; Figueiredo, J.; Freeman, K. H.; Hoorn, C.; Jaramillo, C.; Kern, A. K.; Latrubesse, E. M.; Ledru, M. P.; Marzoli, A.; Myrbo, A.; Noren, A.; Piller, W. E.; Ramos, M. I. F.; Ribas, C. C.; Trnadade, R.; West, A. J.; Wahnfried, I.; Willard, D. A.

2015-12-01

This article presents the scientific rationale for an ambitious ICDP drilling project to continuously sample Late Cretaceous to modern sediment in four different sedimentary basins that transect the equatorial Amazon of Brazil, from the Andean foreland to the Atlantic Ocean. The goals of this project are to document the evolution of plant biodiversity in the Amazon forests and to relate biotic diversification to changes in the physical environment, including climate, tectonism, and the surface landscape. These goals require long sedimentary records from each of the major sedimentary basins across the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, which can only be obtained by drilling because of the scarcity of Cenozoic outcrops. The proposed drilling will provide the first long, nearly continuous regional records of the Cenozoic history of the forests, their plant diversity, and the associated changes in climate and environment. It also will address fundamental questions about landscape evolution, including the history of Andean uplift and erosion as recorded in Andean foreland basins and the development of west-to-east hydrologic continuity between the Andes, the Amazon lowlands, and the equatorial Atlantic. Because many modern rivers of the Amazon basin flow along the major axes of the old sedimentary basins, we plan to locate drill sites on the margin of large rivers and to access the targeted drill sites by navigation along these rivers.

Trans-Amazon Drilling Project (TADP): origins and evolution of the forests, climate, and hydrology of the South American tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, P.A.; Fritz, S.C.; Silva, C.G.; Rigsby, C.A.; Absy, M.L.; Almeida, R.P.; Caputo, Maria C.; Chiessi, C.M.; Cruz, F.W.; Dick, C.W.; Feakins, S.J.; Figueiredo, J.; Freeman, K.H.; Hoorn, C.; Jaramillo, C.A.; Kern, A.; Latrubesse, E.M.; Ledru, M.P.; Marzoli, A.; Myrbo, A.; Noren, A.; Piller, W.E.; Ramos, M.I.F.; Ribas, C.C.; Trinadade, R.; West, A.J.; Wahnfried, I.; Willard, Debra A.

2015-01-01

This article presents the scientific rationale for an ambitious ICDP drilling project to continuously sample Late Cretaceous to modern sediment in four different sedimentary basins that transect the equatorial Amazon of Brazil, from the Andean foreland to the Atlantic Ocean. The goals of this project are to document the evolution of plant biodiversity in the Amazon forests and to relate biotic diversification to changes in the physical environment, including climate, tectonism, and the surface landscape. These goals require long sedimentary records from each of the major sedimentary basins across the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, which can only be obtained by drilling because of the scarcity of Cenozoic outcrops. The proposed drilling will provide the first long, nearly continuous regional records of the Cenozoic history of the forests, their plant diversity, and the associated changes in climate and environment. It also will address fundamental questions about landscape evolution, including the history of Andean uplift and erosion as recorded in Andean foreland basins and the development of west-to-east hydrologic continuity between the Andes, the Amazon lowlands, and the equatorial Atlantic. Because many modern rivers of the Amazon basin flow along the major axes of the old sedimentary basins, we plan to locate drill sites on the margin of large rivers and to access the targeted drill sites by navigation along these rivers.

A Collaborative Disability Studies-based Undergraduate Art Project at Two Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Derby

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In this manuscript, we discuss research findings from a collaborative visual arts curricular unit on ableism, which we implemented in non-Disability Studies undergraduate courses at two universities during the 2012-2013 academic year. Our project builds on previous research in which we (Derby, 2015, in press; Karr & Weida, 2013 began adding Disability Studies arts pedagogy to our undergraduate coursework. For this project, we developed a shared unit, which we implemented in a general freshman seminar course, an introductory art teaching methods course, and an upper level art education course on applied technology. Utilizing a pedagogy of transformation, we engaged students with shared resources, including lectures, readings, and videos on Disability Studies and ableism; the project culminated with each student producing and exhibiting both an artwork and an artist's statement. After reviewing the literature and describing the project and research methods, we provide a nuanced discussion of the data, especially the artwork. The data indicate that our students, who were previously unexposed to ableism, conceptualized ableism at least on an elementary level, with many students demonstrating advanced conceptualization of ableism in one or more of three categories. Our findings suggest that integrating Disability Studies into non-Disability Studies curricula on a small scale can be useful, but that results are limited by the complexities of disability. The success of the project indicates that incorporating Disability Studies into standard curricula through a pedagogy of transformation can reach typical college students who are unfamiliar with Disability Studies concepts.

Lights, Camera, Project-Based Learning!

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Dannon G.; Meaney, Karen S.

2018-01-01

A physical education instructor incorporates a teaching method known as project-based learning (PBL) in his physical education curriculum. Utilizing video-production equipment to imitate the production of a televisions show, sixth-grade students attending a charter school invited college students to share their stories about physical activity and…

Continued multidisciplinary project-based learning - implementation in health informatics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wessel, C; Spreckelsen, C

2009-01-01

Problem- and project-based learning are approved methods to train students, graduates and post-graduates in scientific and other professional skills. The students are trained on realistic scenarios in a broader context. For students specializing in health informatics we introduced continued multidisciplinary project-based learning (CM-PBL) at a department of medical informatics. The training approach addresses both students of medicine and students of computer science. The students are full members of an ongoing research project and develop a project-related application or module, or explore or evaluate a sub-project. Two teachers guide and review the students' work. The training on scientific work follows a workflow with defined milestones. The team acts as peer group. By participating in the research team's work the students are trained on professional skills. A research project on a web-based information system on hospitals built the scenario for the realistic context. The research team consisted of up to 14 active members at a time, who were scientists and students of computer science and medicine. The well communicated educational approach and team policy fostered the participation of the students. Formative assessment and evaluation showed a considerable improvement of the students' skills and a high participant satisfaction. Alternative education approaches such as project-based learning empower students to acquire scientific knowledge and professional skills, especially the ability of life-long learning, multidisciplinary team work and social responsibility.

Evolution of project planning tools in a matrix organization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furaus, J.P.; Figueroa-McInteer, C.; McKeever, P.S.; Wisler, D.B. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Zavadil, J.T. [Infomatrix (United States)

1996-10-01

Until recently, the Corporate Construction Program at Sandia was experiencing difficulties in managing projects: poor planning and cost estimating caused schedule and budget problems. The first step taken was a Microsoft {reg_sign} Project schedule that provides a standard template for scheduling individual construction projects. It is broken down according to the life cycle of the project and prevents the project team from leaving out an important item. A WBS (work breakdown structure) dictionary was also developed that describes how capital and operating funds are used to develop, design, construct, equip, and manage projects. We also developed a matrix chart that maps the planning guide against the major types of construction projects at Sandia. The guide, dictionary, and matrix chart offer enough flexibility that the project manager can make choices about how to structure work, yet ensure that all work rolls up to the cost categories and key DOE WBS elements. As requirements change, the tools can be updated; they also serve as training tools for new project team members.

Study of the potential of carbon credits to SHP CDM projects based on evolution of installed capacity (2010 - 2019); Estudo do potencial de receitas decorrentes de creditos de carbono provenientes de projetos de MDL para PCHs com base na evolucao da potencia instalada (2010 - 2019)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pieroni, Marcela Fernandes [Centro Nacional de Referencia em Pequenas Centrais Hidreletricas (CERPCH/UNIFEI), Itajuba, MG (Brazil); Barros, Regina Mambeli; Tiago Filho, Geraldo Lucio [Universidade Federal de Itajuba (IRN/UNIFEI), MG (Brazil). Inst. de Recursos Naturais

2011-01-15

This study aims to assess the generation of carbon credits from projects under the clean development mechanism of small hydropower (SHP), based on studies of the evolution of installed capacity for these new developments over the next nine years. For this reason, two hypotheses and two scenarios were considered in order to better represent the reality of revenue generation over the years. The first hypothesis considers the development of small hydro power installed according to the Ten Year Plan for Expansion of Energy 2019. The second hypothesis considers the study of Tiago Filho, Barros e Silva (2009) about growth of installed capacity based on the gross national product (GNP). The simulation of revenues from carbon credits was done using the spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel for Michellis Jr (2010). The results showed that the forecast of growth of SHP performed based on GNP (hypothesis 1) is more conservative, thus leading to a lower potential of carbon credits, about 4.113.957 tCO{sub 2} avoided. Already the results of hypothesis 2 showed a total of 3.247.717 tCO{sub 2} avoided. (author)

Accuracy of Dual-Energy Virtual Monochromatic CT Numbers: Comparison between the Single-Source Projection-Based and Dual-Source Image-Based Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueguchi, Takashi; Ogihara, Ryota; Yamada, Sachiko

2018-03-21

To investigate the accuracy of dual-energy virtual monochromatic computed tomography (CT) numbers obtained by two typical hardware and software implementations: the single-source projection-based method and the dual-source image-based method. A phantom with different tissue equivalent inserts was scanned with both single-source and dual-source scanners. A fast kVp-switching feature was used on the single-source scanner, whereas a tin filter was used on the dual-source scanner. Virtual monochromatic CT images of the phantom at energy levels of 60, 100, and 140 keV were obtained by both projection-based (on the single-source scanner) and image-based (on the dual-source scanner) methods. The accuracy of virtual monochromatic CT numbers for all inserts was assessed by comparing measured values to their corresponding true values. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the dependency of measured CT numbers on tissue attenuation, method, and their interaction. Root mean square values of systematic error over all inserts at 60, 100, and 140 keV were approximately 53, 21, and 29 Hounsfield unit (HU) with the single-source projection-based method, and 46, 7, and 6 HU with the dual-source image-based method, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed that the interaction between the attenuation and the method had a statistically significant effect on the measured CT numbers at 100 and 140 keV. There were attenuation-, method-, and energy level-dependent systematic errors in the measured virtual monochromatic CT numbers. CT number reproducibility was comparable between the two scanners, and CT numbers had better accuracy with the dual-source image-based method at 100 and 140 keV. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The E-MOSAICS project: simulating the formation and co-evolution of galaxies and their star cluster populations

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeffer, Joel; Kruijssen, J. M. Diederik; Crain, Robert A.; Bastian, Nate

2018-04-01

We introduce the MOdelling Star cluster population Assembly In Cosmological Simulations within EAGLE (E-MOSAICS) project. E-MOSAICS incorporates models describing the formation, evolution, and disruption of star clusters into the EAGLE galaxy formation simulations, enabling the examination of the co-evolution of star clusters and their host galaxies in a fully cosmological context. A fraction of the star formation rate of dense gas is assumed to yield a cluster population; this fraction and the population's initial properties are governed by the physical properties of the natal gas. The subsequent evolution and disruption of the entire cluster population are followed accounting for two-body relaxation, stellar evolution, and gravitational shocks induced by the local tidal field. This introductory paper presents a detailed description of the model and initial results from a suite of 10 simulations of ˜L⋆ galaxies with disc-like morphologies at z = 0. The simulations broadly reproduce key observed characteristics of young star clusters and globular clusters (GCs), without invoking separate formation mechanisms for each population. The simulated GCs are the surviving population of massive clusters formed at early epochs (z ≳ 1-2), when the characteristic pressures and surface densities of star-forming gas were significantly higher than observed in local galaxies. We examine the influence of the star formation and assembly histories of galaxies on their cluster populations, finding that (at similar present-day mass) earlier-forming galaxies foster a more massive and disruption-resilient cluster population, while galaxies with late mergers are capable of forming massive clusters even at late cosmic epochs. We find that the phenomenological treatment of interstellar gas in EAGLE precludes the accurate modelling of cluster disruption in low-density environments, but infer that simulations incorporating an explicitly modelled cold interstellar gas phase will overcome

Optimization of dynamic economic dispatch with valve-point effect using chaotic sequence based differential evolution algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Dakuo; Dong Gang; Wang Fuli; Mao Zhizhong

2011-01-01

A chaotic sequence based differential evolution (DE) approach for solving the dynamic economic dispatch problem (DEDP) with valve-point effect is presented in this paper. The proposed method combines the DE algorithm with the local search technique to improve the performance of the algorithm. DE is the main optimizer, while an approximated model for local search is applied to fine tune in the solution of the DE run. To accelerate convergence of DE, a series of constraints handling rules are adopted. An initial population obtained by using chaotic sequence exerts optimal performance of the proposed algorithm. The combined algorithm is validated for two test systems consisting of 10 and 13 thermal units whose incremental fuel cost function takes into account the valve-point loading effects. The proposed combined method outperforms other algorithms reported in literatures for DEDP considering valve-point effects.

Environmental Control Unit Harness Project

Science.gov (United States)

Oliva-Buisson, Yvette J.

2014-01-01

Testing four new Environmental Control Unit Harnesses for improved user comfort during SCAPE operations. Phase I, testing in a lab environment, Phase II will continue testing the best candidates in a field environment.

Project designing of Temelin nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krychtalek, Z.; Linek, V.

1989-01-01

The geological and seismic parameters are listed of the Temelin nuclear power plant. The division of the site in building zones is described. The main zones consist of the power generation unit zone with the related auxiliary buildings of hot plants and of the auxiliary buildings of the nonactive part with industrial buildings. The important buildings are interconnected with communication and technology bridges. Cooling towers and spray pools and the entrance area are part of the urbanistic design. The architectonic design of the buildings uses standard building elements and materials. The design of the buildings is based on the requirements on their function and on structural load and on the demands of maximal utilization of the type of the reinforced concrete prefab structure system. The structure is made of concrete or steel cells. The project design is based on Soviet projects. The layout is shown of the main power generation units and a section is presented of a 1,000 MW unit. (J.B.). 2 figs

Organisational Memories in Project-Based Companies: An Autopoietic View

Science.gov (United States)

Koskinen, Kaj U.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe project-based companies' knowledge production and memory development with the help of autopoietic epistemology. Design/methodology/approach: The discussion first defines the concept of a project-based company. Then the discussion deals with the two epistemological assumptions, namely cognitivist…

Becoming Little Scientists: Technologically-Enhanced Project-Based Language Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Dooly, Melinda; Sadler, Randall

2016-01-01

This article outlines research into innovative language teaching practices that make optimal use of technology and Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) for an integrated approach to Project-Based Learning. It is based on data compiled during a 10- week language project that employed videoconferencing and "machinima" (short video clips…

From cases to projects in problem-based medical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Stentoft

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Problem-based learning (PBL based on patient cases has become a well-established worldwide educational approach in medical education. Recent studies indicate that case-based PBL when used throughout an entire curriculum may develop into a counter-productive routine for students as well as teachers. Consequently, there is a need to develop PBL approaches further allowing students to work with more ill-defined problems and alternative learning structures. In this paper, we argue that this can be realised by introducing project-PBL into the medical curriculum, as in the medical education at Aalborg University, Denmark. We outline organisations of case- and project- PBL in the medical curriculum and present an explorative study of 116 first and second year students’ experiences working in the two settings of PBL. Results reveal that students generally rate their PBL experiences positively however, project-PBL is rated more positively than case-PBL on all parameters studied. These results invite further consideration of the differences in working with cases and projects. Two central differences are discussed; the nature of the problem as the trigger of learning and students' possibilities for directing their own learning processes. The study demonstrates that introducing project-PBL may contribute significantly in problem-based medical education. However, the need for extensive research into advantages and limitations of the combined use of case- and project-PBL is also emphasised.

Promoting Collaboration in a Project-Based E-Learning Context

Science.gov (United States)

Papanikolaou, Kyparisia; Boubouka, Maria

2011-01-01

In this paper we investigate the value of collaboration scripts for promoting metacognitive knowledge in a project-based e-learning context. In an empirical study, 82 students worked individually and in groups on a project using the e-learning environment MyProject, in which the life cycle of a project is inherent. Students followed a particular…

Managing a big ground-based astronomy project: the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Gary H.

2008-07-01

TMT is a big science project and its scale is greater than previous ground-based optical/infrared telescope projects. This paper will describe the ideal "linear" project and how the TMT project departs from that ideal. The paper will describe the needed adaptations to successfully manage real world complexities. The progression from science requirements to a reference design, the development of a product-oriented Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and an organization that parallels the WBS, the implementation of system engineering, requirements definition and the progression through Conceptual Design to Preliminary Design will be summarized. The development of a detailed cost estimate structured by the WBS, and the methodology of risk analysis to estimate contingency fund requirements will be summarized. Designing the project schedule defines the construction plan and, together with the cost model, provides the basis for executing the project guided by an earned value performance measurement system.

Social acceptability of new territorial development projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-05-01

This paper reviews the historical evolution of environmental awareness over the last three decades. The aspects covered include: the growing economic interdependence of nations, the development of new technologies, the internationalization of human rights and the phenomenon of organized trans-nationalism. The paper then develops a framework of territorial development assessment criteria embodying the United Nation's approach towards sustainable growth in which the rights of the human individual to a healthy life in harmony with nature are placed at the forefront of all sustainable growth decision making. Examples of decisional processes during actual hearings to decide on the go-ahead of energy development projects in Italy (a district heating system and a combined cycle gas turbine power plant) are given to evidence optimum ways to have public participation and interaction with government and expert committees take place in line with the United Nation's approach towards development. An important element dealt with is how to optimize the dissemination and use of information

100 million years of multigene family evolution: origin and evolution of the avian MHC class IIB

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Goebel, J.; Promerová, Marta; Bonadonna, F.; McCoy, K. D.; Serbielle, C.; Strandh, M.; Yannic, G.; Burri, R.; Fumagalli, L.

2017-01-01

Roč. 18, č. 460 (2017), s. 1-9 ISSN 1471-2164 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/10/1871 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Birds * Birth -death evolution * Concerted evolution * Gene duplication * Gene conversion * Major histocompatibility complex * Recombination Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 3.729, year: 2016

100 million years of multigene family evolution: origin and evolution of the avian MHC class IIB

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Goebel, J.; Promerová, Marta; Bonadonna, F.; McCoy, K. D.; Serbielle, C.; Strandh, M.; Yannic, G.; Burri, R.; Fumagalli, L.

2017-01-01

Roč. 18, č. 460 (2017), s. 1-9 ISSN 1471-2164 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/10/1871 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Birds * Birth-death evolution * Concerted evolution * Gene duplication * Gene conversion * Major histocompatibility complex * Recombination Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 3.729, year: 2016

Personalizing death in the intensive care unit: the 3 Wishes Project: a mixed-methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Deborah; Swinton, Marilyn; Toledo, Feli; Clarke, France; Rose, Trudy; Hand-Breckenridge, Tracey; Boyle, Anne; Woods, Anne; Zytaruk, Nicole; Heels-Ansdell, Diane; Sheppard, Robert

2015-08-18

Dying in the complex, efficiency-driven environment of the intensive care unit can be dehumanizing for the patient and have profound, long-lasting consequences for all persons attendant to that death. To bring peace to the final days of a patient's life and to ease the grieving process. Mixed-methods study. 21-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit. Dying patients and their families and clinicians. To honor each patient, a set of wishes was generated by patients, family members, or clinicians. The wishes were implemented before or after death by patients, families, clinicians (6 of whom were project team members), or the project team. Quantitative data included demographic characteristics, processes of care, and scores on the Quality of End-of-Life Care-10 instrument. Semistructured interviews of family members and clinicians were transcribed verbatim, and qualitative description was used to analyze them. Participants included 40 decedents, at least 1 family member per patient, and 3 clinicians per patient. The 159 wishes were implemented and classified into 5 categories: humanizing the environment, tributes, family reconnections, observances, and "paying it forward." Scores on the Quality of End-of-Life Care-10 instrument were high. The central theme from 160 interviews of 170 persons was how the 3 Wishes Project personalized the dying process. For patients, eliciting and customizing the wishes honored them by celebrating their lives and dignifying their deaths. For families, it created positive memories and individualized end-of-life care for their loved ones. For clinicians, it promoted interprofessional care and humanism in practice. Impaired consciousness limited understanding of patients' viewpoints. The 3 Wishes Project facilitated personalization of the dying process through explicit integration of palliative and spiritual care into critical care practice. Hamilton Academy of Health Science Research Organization, Canadian Intensive Care Foundation.

Enhanced sealing project (ESP): evolution of a full-sized concrete and bentonite shaft seal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixon, D.A.; Priyanto, D.G.; Martino, J.B.; De Combarieu, M.; Johansson, R.; Korkeakoski, P.; Villagran, J.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. A full-scale shaft seal was designed and installed in the 5-m-diameter access shaft at Atomic Energy of Canada's (AECL's) Underground Research Laboratory (URL) at the point where he shaft intersects an ancient water-bearing, low-angle thrust fault in granitic rock. The seal, part of the permanent closure of the URL, consists of a 6-m-thick bentonite-based component sandwiched between 3-m-thick upper and lower, 3-m-thick concrete components. The bentonite-based component spans the fracture zone and extends approximately 1 m beyond the maximum identified extent of the fracture. This design was adopted in order to limit water from the deeper, saline regions mixing with the fresher, near-surface groundwater regime. The concrete components provide the mechanical confinement and an in situ compacted 40/60 mixture of bentonite clay and quartz sand provides the sealing component. Construction of the shaft seal was done as part of Canada's Nuclear Legacies Liability Program. However, monitoring the seal evolution was not part of the decommissioning program's mandate. In addition to accomplishing the permanent closure of the URL, this seal's construction provides a unique opportunity to instrument and monitor the evolution of a full-scale shaft seal as well as the recovery of the regional groundwater regime as the facility passively floods above the seal. A jointly funded monitoring project was developed by NWMO (Canada), SKB (Sweden), Posiva (Finland) and ANDRA (France) and since mid 2009 the thermal, hydraulic and mechanical evolution of the seal has been constantly monitored. The evolution of the type of seal being monitored in the ESP is of relevance to repository closure planning, gaining confidence in the functionality of shaft seals. Although constructed in a crystalline rock medium, the results of the ESP are expected to be relevant to the performance of seals in a variety of host rock types. The shaft seal has been

Linking project-based production and project management temporary systems in multiple contexts: An introduction to the special edition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leon AG Oerlemans

2014-02-01

Full Text Available As organisations in more and more industries look for flexible ways of production in the wake of rapidly changing market environments, project-based organising is becoming an increasingly important mode of organisation (Eisenhardt & Tabrizi, 1995. Whereas project-based organisation was traditionally mainly the domain of industries such as film making (Sorenson & Waguespack, 2006, theatre (Goodman & Goodman, 1976, and construction (Gann & Salter, 2000, a project-based mode of operation has recently pervaded many other sectors in the economy, including software development, advertising, biotechnology, consulting, emergency response, fashion, television and complex products and systems (Grabher, 2004; Hobday, 2000. This increasing prevalence is reflected in an exponentially growing body of research (Bakker, 2010, which has made marked progress in areas such as project-based learning (Prencipe & Tell, 2001, project-based innovation (Eisenhardt & Tabrizi, 1995 and project-based careers (Jones, 1996. As a consequence, research on project organisation has moved from being a narrow specialty domain toward being a broad research paradigm, attending to a broad audience in organisation science and beyond (Sydow et al., 2004. In a fairly recent review paper, Bakker (2010 shows that in the period 1988–2008 scholarly attention, as indicated by publications in books and ISI-indexed journals, grew exponentially (see Figure 1. Comparing the number of publications in the period 1988-1998 with the period 1998–2008, he observed an increase of almost 340%.

Software Architecture Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Jeffrey M.

2013-01-01

Many software systems eventually undergo changes to their basic architectural structure. Such changes may be prompted by new feature requests, new quality attribute requirements, changing technology, or other reasons. Whatever the causes, architecture evolution is commonplace in real-world software projects. Today's software architects, however,…

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.

Evolution of project management research: a bibliometric study of International Journal of Project Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Cocchi da Silva Eiras

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Over the past decades, the project management field has evolved and consolidated. Facing this growth, this research aims to identify the main trends of research in the area, as well as providing an overview of publications, identifying new issues, changes in approaches and the development of knowledge areas. To do so, a systematic review of the literature was performed with the use of bibliometric study in the papers of the International Journal of Project Management (IJPM, included in SCOPUS, from its first volume to 2015, covering a period of more than 30 years. It was found that developing countries are increasingly concerned in developing research into the field of project management, especially in mega infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships. The risk is a central topic in all periods of analysis, however, the strategic topics such as success in project and portfolio management are among the fastest growing. Issues related to the soft side of project management as skills, culture, and knowledge management have emerged in recent periods. According to the industry, construction projects and projects in information technology are the most studied along the period analysed.

Chirp subbottom profiler data collected in Pamlico Sound on cruise EPamSh-2016 of RV Riggs for the Coastal Hydrodynamics and Natural Geologic Evolution (CHaNGE) project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Edgetech 216 chirp data (SEG-Y format) collected for the Coastal Hydrodynamics and Natural Geologic Evolution (CHaNGE) project, OCE-1130843. Survey area covers...

The Dynamics of Project-Based Learning Extension Courses: The "Laboratory of Social Projects" Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Arantes do Amaral, Joao Alberto

2017-01-01

In this case study we discuss the dynamics that drive a free-of-charge project-based learning extension course. We discuss the lessons learned in the course, "Laboratory of Social Projects." The course aimed to teach project management skills to the participants. It was conducted from August to November of 2015, at Federal University of…

Demands on project management of comprehensive modernization projects in the electrical systems area. Example of modernization of electrical systems of Kozloduy NPP Unit 5 and 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stinshoff, Helmut; Weber, Patrick

2006-01-01

In nuclear power plants, station supply with electric energy must be guaranteed any time. This applies in particular also during the implementation of complex electrical systems modernization projects. Highest demands on the project management, extensive experience and system knowledge are required. In the frame of the Modernization Program for the nuclear power plant Kozloduy unit 5 and 6 in Bulgaria Framatome ANP has approved its ability to implement a large scope of modernization measures during the refueling outages of the years 2003 to 2005. The Contract of the Modernization Program for the European Consortium Kozloduy (Framatome ANP, Atomenergoexport) was signed in July 1999 and became effective in June 2001. The project will be finished by May 2006, with the approval of the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report. The scope of hardware work has been implemented within 6 plant outages during the years 2002 to 2005. The focus of the Modernization Program is mainly oriented to nuclear safety aspects, with the aim of upgrading of the Units to a high safety level in compliance with international practice. A further section of the project is dedicated to upgrading of operational equipment. Framatome ANP personnel have shown that besides the technical challenges which had to be faced, also the intercultural and language barriers were successfully overcome. The good teamwork between the partners of the Consortium ECK, its Bulgarian subcontractors and with Kozloduy plant personnel has been an important success factor. (authors)

Implications of projected climate change for groundwater recharge in the western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David J.; Flint, Alan L.; Neff, Kirstin L.; Niraula, Rewati; Rodell, Matthew; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Singha, Kamini; Walvoord, Michelle A.

2016-03-01

Existing studies on the impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge are either global or basin/location-specific. The global studies lack the specificity to inform decision making, while the local studies do little to clarify potential changes over large regions (major river basins, states, or groups of states), a scale often important in the development of water policy. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge across the western United States (west of 100° longitude) is presented synthesizing existing studies and applying current knowledge of recharge processes and amounts. Eight representative aquifers located across the region were evaluated. For each aquifer published recharge budget components were converted into four standard recharge mechanisms: diffuse, focused, irrigation, and mountain-systems recharge. Future changes in individual recharge mechanisms and total recharge were then estimated for each aquifer. Model-based studies of projected climate-change effects on recharge were available and utilized for half of the aquifers. For the remainder, forecasted changes in temperature and precipitation were logically propagated through each recharge mechanism producing qualitative estimates of direction of changes in recharge only (not magnitude). Several key patterns emerge from the analysis. First, the available estimates indicate average declines of 10-20% in total recharge across the southern aquifers, but with a wide range of uncertainty that includes no change. Second, the northern set of aquifers will likely incur little change to slight increases in total recharge. Third, mountain system recharge is expected to decline across much of the region due to decreased snowpack, with that impact lessening with higher elevation and latitude. Factors contributing the greatest uncertainty in the estimates include: (1) limited studies quantitatively coupling climate projections to recharge estimation methods using detailed

Implications of projected climate change for groundwater recharge in the western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Meixner, Thomas; Manning, Andrew H.; Stonestrom, David A.; Allen, Diana M.; Ajami, Hoori; Blasch, Kyle W.; Brookfield, Andrea E.; Castro, Christopher L.; Clark, Jordan F.; Gochis, David; Flint, Alan L.; Neff, Kirstin L.; Niraula, Rewati; Rodell, Matthew; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Singha, Kamini; Walvoord, Michelle Ann

2016-01-01

Existing studies on the impacts of climate change on groundwater recharge are either global or basin/location-specific. The global studies lack the specificity to inform decision making, while the local studies do little to clarify potential changes over large regions (major river basins, states, or groups of states), a scale often important in the development of water policy. An analysis of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge across the western United States (west of 100° longitude) is presented synthesizing existing studies and applying current knowledge of recharge processes and amounts. Eight representative aquifers located across the region were evaluated. For each aquifer published recharge budget components were converted into four standard recharge mechanisms: diffuse, focused, irrigation, and mountain-systems recharge. Future changes in individual recharge mechanisms and total recharge were then estimated for each aquifer. Model-based studies of projected climate-change effects on recharge were available and utilized for half of the aquifers. For the remainder, forecasted changes in temperature and precipitation were logically propagated through each recharge mechanism producing qualitative estimates of direction of changes in recharge only (not magnitude). Several key patterns emerge from the analysis. First, the available estimates indicate average declines of 10–20% in total recharge across the southern aquifers, but with a wide range of uncertainty that includes no change. Second, the northern set of aquifers will likely incur little change to slight increases in total recharge. Third, mountain system recharge is expected to decline across much of the region due to decreased snowpack, with that impact lessening with higher elevation and latitude. Factors contributing the greatest uncertainty in the estimates include: (1) limited studies quantitatively coupling climate projections to recharge estimation methods using

Teacher and Student Intrinsic Motivation in Project-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Shui-fong; Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Ma, William Y. K.

2009-01-01

In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate…

Systemwide Implementation of Project-Based Learning: The Philadelphia Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Schwalm, Jason; Tylek, Karen Smuck

2012-01-01

Citywide implementation of project-based learning highlights the benefits--and the challenges--of promoting exemplary practices across an entire out-of-school time (OST) network. In summer 2009, the City of Philadelphia and its intermediary, the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), introduced project-based learning to a network of more…

PACS project management utilizing web-based tools

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Sunil; Levin, Brad; Gac, Robert J., Jr.; Harding, Douglas, Jr.; Chacko, Anna K.; Radvany, Martin; Romlein, John R.

2000-05-01

As Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) implementations become more widespread, the management of deploying large, multi-facility PACS will become a more frequent occurrence. The tools and usability of the World Wide Web to disseminate project management information obviates time, distance, participant availability, and data format constraints, allowing for the effective collection and dissemination of PACS planning, implementation information, for a potentially limitless number of concurrent PACS sites. This paper will speak to tools, such as (1) a topic specific discussion board, (2) a 'restricted' Intranet, within a 'project' Intranet. We will also discuss project specific methods currently in use in a leading edge, regional PACS implementation concerning the sharing of project schedules, physical drawings, images of implementations, site-specific data, point of contacts lists, project milestones, and a general project overview. The individual benefits realized for the end user from each tool will also be covered. These details will be presented, balanced with a spotlight on communication as a critical component of any project management undertaking. Using today's technology, the web arguably provides the most cost and resource effective vehicle to facilitate the broad based, interactive sharing of project information.

Complexity estimates based on integral transforms induced by computational units

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kůrková, Věra

2012-01-01

Roč. 33, September (2012), s. 160-167 ISSN 0893-6080 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP202/11/1368 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : neural networks * estimates of model complexity * approximation from a dictionary * integral transforms * norms induced by computational units Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science Impact factor: 1.927, year: 2012

Secure base stations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch, Peter; Brusilovsky, Alec; McLellan, Rae; Mullender, Sape J.; Polakos, Paul

2009-01-01

With the introduction of the third generation (3G) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) base station router (BSR) and fourth generation (4G) base stations, such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved Node B (eNB), it has become important to

Knowledge Governance in Project-Based Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pemsel, Sofia; Wiewiora, Anna; Müller, Ralf

This paper conceptualizes knowledge governance (KG) in project-based organizations (PBOs) and its methodological approaches for empirical investigation. Three key contributions towards a multi-faceted view of KG and an understanding of KG in PBOs are advanced. These contributions include a defini......This paper conceptualizes knowledge governance (KG) in project-based organizations (PBOs) and its methodological approaches for empirical investigation. Three key contributions towards a multi-faceted view of KG and an understanding of KG in PBOs are advanced. These contributions include...... a definition of KG in PBOs, a conceptual framework to investigate KG and a methodological framework for empirical inquiry into KG in PBO settings. Our definition highlights the contingent nature of KG processes in relation to their organizational context. The conceptual framework addresses macro- and micro...

Decree 328/003. Is approve the organizational structure reformulation project of the regulatory unit of Unit 006 Energy and water services of subsection 02 Presidency of the Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This decree approve the organizational structure project of The regulatory energy and water services ( URSEA). This unit is responsible for monitoring the activities related to electricity, gas, drinking water, sanitation and oil, fuel and other hydrocarbon derivatives

The Evolution of the Meningitis Vaccine Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiffay, Kathleen; Jodar, Luis; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Socquet, Muriel; LaForce, F Marc

2015-11-15

In 2001, the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) was tasked to develop, test, license, and introduce a group A meningococcal (MenA) conjugate vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa. African public health officials emphasized that a vaccine price of less than US$0.50 per dose was necessary to ensure introduction and sustained use of this new vaccine. Initially, MVP envisioned partnering with a multinational vaccine manufacturer, but the target price and opportunity costs were problematic and formal negotiations ended in 2002. MVP chose to become a "virtual vaccine company," and over the next decade managed a network of public-private and public-public partnerships for pharmaceutical development, clinical development, and regulatory submission. MVP supported the transfer of key know-how for the production of group A polysaccharide and a new conjugation method to the Serum Institute of India, Ltd, based in Pune, India. A robust staff structure supported by technical consultants and overseen by advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine would meet all international standards. A robust project structure including a team of technical consultants and 3 advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT, MenAfriVac) was licensed by the Drug Controller General of India and prequalified by the World Health Organization in June 2010. The vaccine was introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in December 2010. The development, through a public-private partnership, of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa, PsA-TT, offers a new paradigm for the development of vaccines specifically targeting populations in resource-poor countries. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The Impact of Project Manager on Project Success – The Case of ICT Sector

OpenAIRE

Blaskovics, Bálint

2016-01-01

The project management literature on project success is rich. Numerous papers focus on the evolution of the understanding of project success, identification of success criteria and critical success factors. Critical success factors increase the potential for achieving project success, while project success can be evaluated with the help of success criteria. Although the interrelationships between critical success factors and success criteria are rarely analyzed, yet there is a strong demand f...

Utility-Scale Solar 2015: An Empirical Analysis of Project Cost, Performance, and Pricing Trends in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bolinger, Mark [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Seel, Joachim [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division

2016-08-17

The utility-scale solar sector—defined here to include any ground-mounted photovoltaic (“PV”), concentrating photovoltaic (“CPV”), or concentrating solar power (“CSP”) project that is larger than 5 MWAC in capacity—has led the overall U.S. solar market in terms of installed capacity since 2012. It is expected to maintain its market-leading position for at least another five years, driven in part by December 2015’s three-year extension of the 30% federal investment tax credit (“ITC”) through 2019 (coupled with a favorable switch to a “start construction” rather than a “placed in service” eligibility requirement, and a gradual phase down of the credit to 10% by 2022). In fact, in 2016 alone, the utility-scale sector is projected to install more than twice as much new capacity as it ever has previously in a single year. This unprecedented boom makes it difficult, yet more important than ever, to stay abreast of the latest utility-scale market developments and trends. This report—the fourth edition in an ongoing annual series—is intended to help meet this need, by providing in-depth, annually updated, data-driven analysis of the utility-scale solar project fleet in the United States. Drawing on empirical project-level data from a wide range of sources, this report analyzes not just installed project costs or prices—i.e., the traditional realm of most solar economic analyses—but also operating costs, capacity factors, and power purchase agreement (“PPA”) prices from a large sample of utility-scale solar projects throughout the United States. Given its current dominance in the market, utility-scale PV also dominates much of this report, though data from CPV and CSP projects are also presented where appropriate.

Refugee and Displaced Youth Negotiating Imagined and Lived Identities in a Photography-Based Educational Project in the United States and Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Guerrero, Alba Lucy; Tinkler, Tessa

2010-01-01

Drawing from sociocultural theories of identity, this study uses ethnographic tools to compare how displaced children living in two distinct international contexts, who are linked by their participation in a community-based photography project, negotiate their identities and the discourses constructed around their experiences of displacement. We…

Battery parameterisation based on differential evolution via a boundary evolution strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Guangya

2013-01-01

the advances of evolutionary algorithms (EAs). Differential evolution (DE) is selected and modified to parameterise an equivalent circuit model of lithium-ion batteries. A boundary evolution strategy (BES) is developed and incorporated into the DE to update the parameter boundaries during the parameterisation......, as the equivalent circuit model is an abstract map of the battery electric characteristics, the determination of the possible ranges of parameters can be a challenging task. In this paper, an efficient yet easy to implement method is proposed to parameterise the equivalent circuit model of batteries utilising...

A maturation model for project-based organisations – with uncertainty management as an always remaining multi-project management focus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Jerbrant

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The classical view of multi-project management does not capture its dynamic nature. Present theory falls short in the expositive dimension of how management of project-based companies evolves because of their need to be agile and adaptable to a changing environment. The purpose of this paper is therefore to present a descriptive model that elucidates the maturation processes in a project-based organization as well as to give an enhanced understanding of multi-project management in practice. The maturation model displays how the management of project-based organizations evolves between structuring administration and managing any uncertainty, and emphasizes the importance of active individual actions and situated management actions that haveto be undertaken in order to coordinate, synchronize, and communicate the required knowledge and skills.The outcomes primarily reveal that, although standardized project models are used and considerable resources are spent on effective project portfolio management, how information and communication are executedis essential for the management of project-based organizations. This is particularly true for informal and non-codified communication.

Measure, Then Show: Grasping Human Evolution Through an Inquiry-Based, Data-driven Hominin Skulls Lab.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayer, Chris N; Luberda, Michael

2016-01-01

Incomprehension and denial of the theory of evolution among high school students has been observed to also occur when teachers are not equipped to deliver a compelling case also for human evolution based on fossil evidence. This paper assesses the outcomes of a novel inquiry-based paleoanthropology lab teaching human evolution to high-school students. The inquiry-based Be a Paleoanthropologist for a Day lab placed a dozen hominin skulls into the hands of high-school students. Upon measuring three variables of human evolution, students explain what they have observed and discuss findings. In the 2013/14 school year, 11 biology classes in 7 schools in the Greater New Orleans area participated in this lab. The interviewed teacher cohort unanimously agreed that the lab featuring hominin skull replicas and stimulating student inquiry was a pedagogically excellent method of delivering the subject of human evolution. First, the lab's learning path of transforming facts to data, information to knowledge, and knowledge to acceptance empowered students to themselves execute part of the science that underpins our understanding of deep time hominin evolution. Second, although challenging, the hands-on format of the lab was accessible to high-school students, most of whom were readily able to engage the lab's scientific process. Third, the lab's exciting and compelling pedagogy unlocked higher order thinking skills, effectively activating the cognitive, psychomotor and affected learning domains as defined in Bloom's taxonomy. Lastly, the lab afforded students a formative experience with a high degree of retention and epistemic depth. Further study is warranted to gauge the degree of these effects.

MATHEMATICAL APPARATUS FOR KNOWLEDGE BASE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Валентина Николаевна ПУРИЧ

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The occupational safety project (OSP management is aimed onto a rational choice implementation. With respect to the subjectivity of management goals the project selection is considered as a minimum formalization level information process, The proposed project selection model relies upon the enterprise’s occupational and industrial safety assessment using fuzzy logic and linguistic variables based on occupational safety knowledge base.

Application of Technology in Project-Based Distance Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Mehrabian

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Present technology and the accessibility of internet have made distance learning easier, more efficient, and more convenient for students. This technology allows instructors and students to communicate asynchronously, at times and locations of their own choosing, by exchanging printed or electronic information. The use of project-based approach is being recognized in the literature as a potential component of courses in the faculties of engineering, science, and technology. Instructors may have to restructure their course differently to accommodate and facilitate the effectiveness of distance learning. A project-based engineering course, traditionally taught in a classroom settings using live mode at the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of Central Florida (UCF has been transformed to a distance course taught using distance modes. In this case, pedagogical transitions and adjustments are required, in particular for obtaining an optimal balance between the course material and the project work. Project collaboration in groups requires communication, which is possible with extensive utilization of new information and communication technology, such as virtual meetings. This paper discusses the course transition from live to distance modes and touches on some issues as they relate to the effectiveness of this methodology and the lessons learned from its application within different context. More specifically, this discussion includes the benefit of implementing project-based work in the domain of the distance learning courses.

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.

Terms, Trends, and Insights: PV Project Finance in the United States, 2017

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feldman, David J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Schwabe, Paul D [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-10-23

This brief is a compilation of data points and market insights that reflect the state of the project finance market for solar photovoltaic (PV) assets in the United States as of the third quarter of 2017. This information can generally be used as a simplified benchmark of the costs associated with securing financing for solar PV as well as the cost of the financing itself (i.e., the cost of capital). This work represents the second DOE sponsored effort to benchmark financing costs across the residential, commercial, and utility-scale PV markets, as part of its larger effort to benchmark the components of PV system costs.

Process evaluation of Project WebHealth: a nondieting Web-based intervention for obesity prevention in college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Dour, Colleen A; Horacek, Tanya M; Schembre, Susan M; Lohse, Barbara; Hoerr, Sharon; Kattelmann, Kendra; White, Adrienne A; Shoff, Suzanne; Phillips, Beatrice; Greene, Geoffrey

2013-01-01

To evaluate the motivational effect of the Project WebHealth study procedures and intervention components on weight-related health behavior changes in male and female college students. Process evaluation. Eight universities in the United States. Project WebHealth participants (n = 653; 29% men). Participants rated motivational effects of study procedures and intervention components. Participants were grouped into outcome-based health behavior categories based on achievement of desired targets for fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and/or body weight. Differences in motivation from each procedure and component were analyzed by gender- and outcome-based health behavior category. Women were generally more motivated than men. Compared to those who did not meet any target health behaviors, men with improved health outcomes (68%) were significantly more motivated by the skills to fuel the body lesson, goal setting, and research snippets. Their female counterparts (63%) were significantly more motivated by the lessons on body size and eating enjoyment, and by the suggested weekly activities. Specific study procedures and components of Project WebHealth motivated study participants to improve their weight-related health behaviors, and they differed by gender. Findings support the need for gender-tailored interventions in this population. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The geological evolution of opalinus clay in the Zurcher Weinland Area (ne Switzerland): learning from the past to predict future evolution and stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautschi, A.; Mazurek, M.

2004-01-01

A number of safety-relevant issues need to be addressed when considering long-term evolution of a radioactive waste repository, out of which uplift/erosion, fault activity, and changes in the geochemical and hydrogeological environment are particularly important. Among the strongest arguments in the prediction of future evolution is the extrapolation of events and processes that occurred over a long period of time in the geological past (e.g. 10 Ma) to a shorter period in the future. The future long-term evolution of Opalinus Clay in a potential siting area for a high-level waste repository in the Zurcher Weinland (NE Switzerland) is considered over a time period of around l Ma. The geological evolution or geological stability, respectively, can be predicted plausibly within reasonable limits over such a time period based on a detailed analysis of geological history. Predictions extending beyond this time period are feasible but contain an increasing element of uncertainty. This paper summarises the project-related conclusions, which are presented in greater detail in Nagra (2002a). (author)

Health promotion in Local Health Unit 4 Chiavarese--Liguria Region, Italy. "Unplugged" project: needs, methodology and implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpi, A; Ferrari Bravo, M; Poggi, L; Chiesa, S; Costa, A; De Leo, A; Rebolini, G; Gabutti, G

2015-12-01

The aim of this paper was to use and evaluate the unplugged project, a school-based program of proven effectiveness aimed at the prevention of substance abuse based on social influence. This project was conducted during the school-year 2011/2012; it involved the Local Health Unit (LHU)'s personnel specifically and adequately formed and was addressed to teachers working in the three districts of the LHU4 Chiavarese. The courses involved teachers in three consecutive days and provided both theoretical inputs and practical exercises designed to enpower skills and to make the same effective. As a whole, 25 teachers of the secondary schools (public and private) of first and second level were trained. Following the training, 14 curricular courses have been launched and 286 students have been involved. The teachers have mainly worked on personal and social components of their students, stimulating their critical assessment of standards and skills potentially transferable in everyday life. The benefits for students have been: establishment of the classroom, positive relationship with the teacher, empathy, decrease of conflicts, increased self-awareness and self-esteem, better school results. Besides, teachers benefit from increased respect, self-reliance and confidence, as well as acquisition of new skills. Both the interest shown by teachers and the results achieved in classrooms have stimulated school leadership and personnel belonging to LHU4 Chiavarese to plan a new edition of the program the next autumn.

Technical specifications, South Texas Project, Unit No. 1 (Docket No. 50-498): Appendix ''A'' to License No. NPF-71

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-08-01

This report presents specifications for the South Texas Project, Unit No. 1 concerning: safety limits, and limiting safety system settings; limiting conditions for operation and surveillance requirements; design features; and administrative controls

Project-Based Laboratory Experiences in Mechanical Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narendra Sharma

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we describe project-based laboratories in Mechanical Engineering designed to provide semester-long team experiences which mimic the real life industrial processes of design, development, testing and optimization. The labs are focused on courses at the sophomore level and thus require special attention to constraints of student backgrounds and experience. This paper describes laboratory projects in Dynamics and Fluid Mechanics.

United States streamflow probabilities based on forecasted La Nina, winter-spring 2000

Science.gov (United States)

Dettinger, M.D.; Cayan, D.R.; Redmond, K.T.

1999-01-01

Although for the last 5 months the TahitiDarwin Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) has hovered close to normal, the “equatorial” SOI has remained in the La Niña category and predictions are calling for La Niña conditions this winter. In view of these predictions of continuing La Niña and as a direct extension of previous studies of the relations between El NiñoSouthern Oscil-lation (ENSO) conditions and streamflow in the United States (e.g., Redmond and Koch, 1991; Cayan and Webb, 1992; Redmond and Cayan, 1994; Dettinger et al., 1998; Garen, 1998; Cayan et al., 1999; Dettinger et al., in press), the probabilities that United States streamflows from December 1999 through July 2000 will be in upper and lower thirds (terciles) of the historical records are estimated here. The processes that link ENSO to North American streamflow are discussed in detail in these diagnostics studies. Our justification for generating this forecast is threefold: (1) Cayan et al. (1999) recently have shown that ENSO influences on streamflow variations and extremes are proportionately larger than the corresponding precipitation teleconnections. (2) Redmond and Cayan (1994) and Dettinger et al. (in press) also have shown that the low-frequency evolution of ENSO conditions support long-lead correlations between ENSO and streamflow in many rivers of the conterminous United States. (3) In many rivers, significant (weeks-to-months) delays between precipitation and the release to streams of snowmelt or ground-water discharge can support even longer term forecasts of streamflow than is possible for precipitation. The relatively slow, orderly evolution of El Niño-Southern Oscillation episodes, the accentuated dependence of streamflow upon ENSO, and the long lags between precipitation and flow encourage us to provide the following analysis as a simple prediction of this year’s river flows.

The Development of an Instrument to Measure the Project Competences of College Students in Online Project-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chien-Liang

2018-01-01

This study sought to develop a self-report instrument to be used in the assessment of the project competences of college students engaged in online project-based learning. Three scales of the KIPSSE instrument developed for this study, namely, the knowledge integration, project skills, and self-efficacy scales, were based on related theories and…

Has Human Evolution Stopped?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan R. Templeton

2010-07-01

Full Text Available It has been argued that human evolution has stopped because humans now adapt to their environment via cultural evolution and not biological evolution. However, all organisms adapt to their environment, and humans are no exception. Culture defines much of the human environment, so cultural evolution has actually led to adaptive evolution in humans. Examples are given to illustrate the rapid pace of adaptive evolution in response to cultural innovations. These adaptive responses have important implications for infectious diseases, Mendelian genetic diseases, and systemic diseases in current human populations. Moreover, evolution proceeds by mechanisms other than natural selection. The recent growth in human population size has greatly increased the reservoir of mutational variants in the human gene pool, thereby enhancing the potential for human evolution. The increase in human population size coupled with our increased capacity to move across the globe has induced a rapid and ongoing evolutionary shift in how genetic variation is distributed within and among local human populations. In particular, genetic differences between human populations are rapidly diminishing and individual heterozygosity is increasing, with beneficial health effects. Finally, even when cultural evolution eliminates selection on a trait, the trait can still evolve due to natural selection on other traits. Our traits are not isolated, independent units, but rather are integrated into a functional whole, so selection on one trait can cause evolution to occur on another trait, sometimes with mildly maladaptive consequences.

Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels - International Database Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massara, Simone; Gueneau, Christine

2014-01-01

The Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels - International Database (TAF-ID) Project was established in 2013 under the auspices of the NEA Nuclear Science Committee. The project was designed to make available a comprehensive, internationally recognised and quality-assured database of phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties of advanced nuclear fuels with a view to meeting specialised requirements for the development of advanced fuels for a future generation of nuclear reactors. Some of the specific technical objectives that this programme intends to achieve are to predict the solid, liquid and/or gas phases formed during fuel cladding chemical interactions under normal and accident conditions, to improve the control of the experimental conditions during the fabrication of fuel materials at high temperature, for example by predicting the vapour pressures of the elements (particularly of plutonium and the minor actinides) and to predict the evolution of the chemical composition of fuel under irradiation versus temperature and burn-up. This joint project, co-ordinated by the NEA, was established for an initial three-year period among nine organisations from six NEA member countries: Canada (AECL, RMCC, UOIT), France (CEA), Japan (JAEA, CRIEPI), the Netherlands (NRG), the Republic of Korea (KAERI) and the United States (US DOE). It is entirely funded by the nine signatories of the project. (authors)

Genetic-evolution-based optimization methods for engineering design

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, S. S.; Pan, T. S.; Dhingra, A. K.; Venkayya, V. B.; Kumar, V.

1990-01-01

This paper presents the applicability of a biological model, based on genetic evolution, for engineering design optimization. Algorithms embodying the ideas of reproduction, crossover, and mutation are developed and applied to solve different types of structural optimization problems. Both continuous and discrete variable optimization problems are solved. A two-bay truss for maximum fundamental frequency is considered to demonstrate the continuous variable case. The selection of locations of actuators in an actively controlled structure, for minimum energy dissipation, is considered to illustrate the discrete variable case.

United Nations Environment Programme Capacity Building Pilot Project - Training on persistent organic pollutant analysis under the Stockholm Convention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, J.; Leslie, H.A.; van Leeuwen, S.P.J.; Wegener, J.W.M.; van Bavel, B; Lindstrom, G.; Lahoutifard, N.; Fiedler, H.

2008-01-01

Within the framework of a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Capacity Building Project for training of laboratory staff in developing countries on persistent organic pollutant (POP) analysis, an interlaboratory study was organised following an initial evaluation of the performance of

The latest application of Hitachi's state-of-the-art construction technology and further evolution towards new build NPP projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akagi, K.; Morita, K.; Miyahara, R.; Murayama, K.; Deir, C.; Akahori, S.

2008-01-01

Shika Nuclear Power Station Unit No.2 began commercial operation in March 2006 as one of the latest new-build projects in the world. Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy Ltd. (Hitachi) was the main contractor and supplied the entire plant including engineering, manufacturing of all major reactor and turbine-generator components, and executed the installation and commissioning. Hitachi completed the project on schedule and on budget owing in large part to its highly reliable advanced construction technology. This article describes Hitachi's unsurpassed advanced construction technology being applied to the current new-build projects in Japan. Furthermore, this article addresses a possible form of applications to new build nuclear power plants in North America. (author)

24 CFR 1000.103 - How may IHBG funds be used for tenant-based or project-based rental assistance?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Housing Activities § 1000.103 How may IHBG funds be used for tenant-based or project-based rental assistance? (a) IHBG funds may be used for project-based or tenant-based rental assistance. (b) IHBG funds may be used for project-based or tenant-based rental assistance that is provided in a manner...

Reconstruction for limited-projection fluorescence molecular tomography based on projected restarted conjugate gradient normal residual.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Xu; Zhang, Bin; Liu, Fei; Wang, Xin; Bai, Jing

2011-12-01

Limited-projection fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) can greatly reduce the acquisition time, which is suitable for resolving fast biology processes in vivo but suffers from severe ill-posedness because of the reconstruction using only limited projections. To overcome the severe ill-posedness, we report a reconstruction method based on the projected restarted conjugate gradient normal residual. The reconstruction results of two phantom experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is feasible for limited-projection FMT. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Quantity versus Quality in Project Based Learning Practices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Keegan (Anne); J.R. Turner (Rodney)

2000-01-01

textabstractIn the midst of the turbulence wrought by the global economy, it has become common to see projects as an essential medium for achieving change. However, project based learning practices - as a subset of organizational learning practices- have not kept pace with this development. To

Projector primary-based optimization for superimposed projection mappings

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Bilal; Lee, Jong Hun; Lee, Yong Yi; Lee, Kwan H.

2018-01-01

Recently, many researchers have focused on fully overlapping projections for three-dimensional (3-D) projection mapping systems but reproducing a high-quality appearance using this technology still remains a challenge. On top of existing color compensation-based methods, much effort is still required to faithfully reproduce an appearance that is free from artifacts, colorimetric inconsistencies, and inappropriate illuminance over the 3-D projection surface. According to our observation, this is due to the fact that overlapping projections are treated as an additive-linear mixture of color. However, this is not the case according to our elaborated observations. We propose a method that enables us to use high-quality appearance data that are measured from original objects and regenerate the same appearance by projecting optimized images using multiple projectors, ensuring that the projection-rendered results look visually close to the real object. We prepare our target appearances by photographing original objects. Then, using calibrated projector-camera pairs, we compensate for missing geometric correspondences to make our method robust against noise. The heart of our method is a target appearance-driven adaptive sampling of the projection surface followed by a representation of overlapping projections in terms of the projector-primary response. This gives off projector-primary weights to facilitate blending and the system is applied with constraints. These samples are used to populate a light transport-based system. Then, the system is solved minimizing the error to get the projection images in a noise-free manner by utilizing intersample overlaps. We ensure that we make the best utilization of available hardware resources to recreate projection mapped appearances that look as close to the original object as possible. Our experimental results show compelling results in terms of visual similarity and colorimetric error.

Towards the Extended Enterprise in Project Business

CERN Document Server

Hameri, A P; Viitala, M

2000-01-01

This paper studies the evolution of engineering information systems towards full support of distributed operations in project business. The results reported are based on an industrial project called Connecting Distributed Competencies (CoDisCo). With multiple industrial collaborators the project brings together project management, Internet and the construction of complex products. The aim of the project is to outline the best practices, both managerial and tool-wise, on how to connect distributed partners and their competencies in such a way that the end-product is delivered in time, with right quality, reliable documentation and within the planned budget frame. From the cases ranging from complex scientific instrumentation to traditional industries such as shipbuilding it becomes evident that modern communication systems can improve efficiency and reduce mistakes, yet they do not make well-allocated face-to- face reviews with collaborating parties obsolete. It is also reported that despite the sophisticated ...

The Temporal-Spatial Distribution of Shule River Alluvial Fan Units in China Based on SAR Data and OSL Dating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Zhang

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Alluvial fans in arid and semi-arid regions can provide important evidence of geomorphic and climatic changes, which reveal the evolution of the regional tectonic activity and environment. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR remote sensing technology, which is sensitive to geomorphic features, plays an important role in quickly mapping alluvial fan units of different ages. In this paper, RADARSAT-2 (Canada’s C-band new-generation radar satellite and ALOS-PALSAR (Japan’s advanced land observing satellite, phased array type L-band SAR sensor data, acquired over the Shule River Alluvial Fan (SRAF, are used to extract backscattering coefficients, scattering mechanism-related information, and polarimetric characteristic parameters. The correlation between these SAR characteristic parameters and fan units of the SRAF of different ages was studied, and the spatial distribution of fan units, since the Late Pleistocene, was extracted based on the Maximum Likelihood classification method. The results prove that (1 some C-band SAR parameters can describe the geomorphic characteristics of alluvial fan units of different ages in the SRAF; (2 SAR data can be used to map the SRAF’s surface between the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene and to extract the spatial distribution of fan units; and (3 the time-spatial distribution of the SRAF can provide valuable information for tectonic and paleoenvironmental research of the study area.

Chirp subbottom profiler data collected in Pamlico Sound on cruise RVRiggs_07_31_2013 of RV Riggs for the Coastal Hydrodynamics and Natural Geologic Evolution (CHaNGE) project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Edgetech 216 chirp data (SEG-Y format) collected for the Coastal Hydrodynamics and Natural Geologic Evolution (CHaNGE) project, OCE-1130843. Survey area covers...

Chirp subbottom profiler data collected in Pamlico Sound on cruise RVRiggs_07_30_2013 of RV Riggs for the Coastal Hydrodynamics and Natural Geologic Evolution (CHaNGE) project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Edgetech 216 chirp data (SEG-Y format) collected for the Coastal Hydrodynamics and Natural Geologic Evolution (CHaNGE) project, OCE-1130843. Survey area covers...

Foundation Investigation for Ground Based Radar Project-Kwajalein Island, Marshall Islands

Science.gov (United States)

1990-04-01

iL_ COPY MISCELLANEOUS PAPER GL-90-5 i iFOUNDATION INVESTIGATION FOR GROUND BASED RADAR PROJECT--KWAJALEIN ISLAND, MARSHALL ISLANDS by Donald E...C!assification) Foundatioa Investigation for Ground Based Radar Project -- Kwajalein Island, Marshall Islands 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Yule, Donald E...investigation for the Ground Based Radar Project -- Kwajalein Island, Marshall Islands , are presented.- eophysical tests comprised of surface refrac- tion

The Project-Based Learning Approach in Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)