Nuclear plant service water system aging degradation assessment: Phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarrell, D.B.; Johnson, A.B. Jr.; Zimmerman, P.W.; Gore, M.L.

1989-06-01

The initial phase of an aging assessment of nuclear power plant service water systems (SWSs) was performed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory to support the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program. The SWS was selected for study because of its essential role in the mitigation of and recovery from accident scenarios involving the potential for core-melt. The objectives of the SWS task under the NPAR program are to identify and characterize the principal aging degradation mechanisms relevant to this system and assess their impact on operational readiness, and to provide a methodology for the mitigation of aging on the service water aspect of nuclear plant safety. The first two of these objectives have been met and are covered in this Phase 1 report. A review of available literature and data-base information indicated that motor operated valve torque switches (an electro-mechanical device) were the prime suspect in component service water systems failures. More extensive and detailed data obtained from cooperating utility maintenance records and personnel accounts contradicted this conclusion indicating that biologic and inorganic accumulation and corrosive attack of service water on component surfaces were, in fact, the primary degradation mechanisms. A review of the development of time dependent risk assessment (aging) models shows that, as yet, this methodology has not been developed to a degree where implementation is reliable. Improvements in the accuracy of failure data documentation and time dependent risk analysis methodology should yield significant gains in relating aging phenomena to probabilistic risk assessment. 23 refs., 8 figs., 10 tabs

Biofouling of power-plant service systems by Corbicula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Page, T.L.; Neitzel, D.A.; Simmons, M.A.; Hayes, P.F.

1983-08-01

Corbicula sp. foul the service water systems at nuclear power plants because the environment within these systems is compatible with the ecological requirements of the species. To reduce Corbicula fouling, components of service water systems and operating procedures that enhance the potential for fouling need to be identified. Factors important in mediating biofouling of service water systems appear to be screening potential, minimum and maximum velocities and the operational procedures employed during power plant biofoulant control and downtime. These conclusions are based on the results of a categorical model we used to correlate information from power plants with that on Corbicula life history. Power plant parameters in the model include temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, screen and strainer size, maximum and minimum velocities, and elements of the biofouling control procedures. Parameters for Corbicula include tolerances to temperature, dissolved oxygen, biofouling control chemicals, velocity preferences, and optimal temperatures for each life stage and behavior. 13 references, 5 figures

Plant Research '75

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1975-01-01

Research is reported on stomatal regulation of the gas exchanges between plant and environment; inhibitory effects in flower formation; plant growth and development through hormones; hormone action; development and nitrogen fixation in algae; primary cell wall glycoprotein ectensin; enzymic mechanisms and control of polysaccharide and glycoprotein synthesis; molecular studies of membrane studies; sensory transduction in plants; regulation of formation of protein complexes and enzymes in higher plant cell and mechanism of sulfur dioxide toxicity in plants. (PCS)

ITER plant layout and site services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuyanov, V.A.

2000-01-01

The ITER site has not yet been determined. Nevertheless, to develop a construction plan and a cost estimate, it is necessary to have a detailed layout of the buildings, structures and outdoor equipment integrated with the balance of plant service systems prototypical of large fusion power plants. These services include electrical power for magnet feeds and plasma heating systems, cryogenic and conventional cooling systems, compressed air, gas supplies, demineralized water, steam and drainage. Nuclear grade facilities are provided to handle tritium fuel and activated waste, as well as to prevent radiation exposure of workers and the public. To prevent interference between services of different types and for efficient arrangement of buildings, structures and equipment within the site area, a plan was developed which segregated different classes of services to four quadrants surrounding the tokamak building, placed at the approximate geographical centre of the site. The locations of the buildings on the generic site were selected to meet all design requirements at minimum total project cost. A similar approach was used to determine the locations of services above, at and below grade. The generic site plan can be adapted to the site selected for ITER without significant changes to the buildings or equipment. Some rearrangements may be required by site topography, resulting primarily in changes to the length of services that link the buildings and equipment. (author)

Agricultural Research Service

Science.gov (United States)

... Menu United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Research Research Home National Programs Research Projects Scientific Manuscripts International Programs Scientific Software/Models Databases and Datasets Office of Scientific Quality ...

Development of Surveillance and In-Service Inspection Programme for Indian Research Reactors Cirus and Dhruva

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shukla, D.K.

2006-01-01

Many safety requirements for research reactors are quite similar to those of power reactors. For research reactors with a higher hazard potential, the use of safety codes and guides for power reactors is more appropriate. However, there are many important differences between power reactors and research reactors that must be taken into account to ensure that adequate safety margins are available in design and operation of the research reactor. Most research reactors may have small potential for hazard to the public compared to power reactors but may pose a greater potential hazard to the plant operators. The need for greater flexibility in use of research reactors for individual experiments requires a different safety approach. Safety rules for power reactors are required to be substantially modified for application to specific research reactor. Following the intent of the available safety guides for surveillance and In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plants, guidelines were formulated to develop surveillance and In-Service Inspection programme for research reactors Cirus and Dhruva. Based on the specific design of these research reactors, regulatory requirements, the degree of sophistication and experience of the technical organization involved in operating the research reactor, guidelines were evolved for developing and implementing the surveillance and In-Service Inspection programme for research reactors Cirus (40 MWt) and Dhruva (100 MWt) located at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, India. Paper describes the approach adopted for formulation of surveillance and In-service Inspection programme for Dhruva reactor in detail. (author)

Activities in Support of Continuing the Service of Nuclear Power Plant Safety-Related Concrete Structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, Dan J.

2010-01-01

Nuclear power plant concrete structures are described. In-service inspection and testing requirements in the U.S. are summarized. The license renewal process in the U.S. is outlined and its current status provided. Operating experience related to performance of the concrete structures is presented. Basic components of a program to manage aging of the concrete structures are identified and described: degradation mechanisms, damage models, and material performance; assessment and remediation (i.e., component selection, in-service inspection, non-destructive examinations, and remedial actions); and estimation of performance at present or some future point in time (i.e., application of structural reliability theory to the design and optimization of in-service inspection/maintenance strategies, and determination of the effects of degradation on plant risk). Finally, areas are noted where additional research would be of benefit to aging management of nuclear power plant concrete structures.

Exotic plant species receive adequate pollinator service despite variable integration into plant-pollinator networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Amibeth H; Knight, Tiffany M

2018-05-01

Both exotic and native plant species rely on insect pollinators for reproductive success, and yet few studies have evaluated whether and how exotic plant species receive services from native pollinators for successful reproduction in their introduced range. Plant species are expected to successfully reproduce in their exotic range if they have low reliance on animal pollinators or if they successfully integrate themselves into resident plant-pollinator networks. Here, we quantify the breeding system, network integration, and pollen limitation for ten focal exotic plant species in North America. Most exotic plant species relied on animal pollinators for reproduction, and these species varied in their network integration. However, plant reproduction was limited by pollen receipt for only one plant species. Our results demonstrate that even poorly integrated exotic plant species can still have high pollination service and high reproductive success. The comprehensive framework considered here provides a method to consider the contribution of plant breeding systems and the pollinator community to pollen limitation, and can be applied to future studies to provide a more synthetic understanding of the factors that determine reproductive success of exotic plant species.

Remote operation and maintenance support services for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Hiroki; Higuma, Koji; Shimizu, Shunichi; Sakuma, Masatake; Sonoda, Yukio; Kanemoto, Shigeru

2004-01-01

Toshiba Corporation constructed e-Toshiba Operating Plant Service (e-TOPS TM ) system and began remote operation and maintenance support service for nuclear power plants. The service put into practice remote operation and maintenance by harmony of information technologies such as internet and mobile, and nuclear power measurement/diagnostic technologies and security techniques. Outline of e-TOPS TM , remote-control service, -inspection system, -diagnostic service and technologies support service are explained. Construction, objects and application effects of e-TOPS TM , remote diagnostic system using image treatment techniques, construction of device record card control system are illustrated. (S.Y.)

9 CFR 113.6 - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service testing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service testing. 113.6 Section 113.6 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION... STANDARD REQUIREMENTS Applicability § 113.6 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service testing. A...

Aging and service wear of air compressors and dryers in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moyers, J.C.

1989-01-01

Compressed air systems and their associated compressors and dryers as incorporated in LWR power plants usually are not classified as safety related systems and components because their continued operation is not required to bring the plant to a safe shutdown condition. However, control air is a vital requirement for maintaining stable plant operation and its loss often results in a reactor trip and, on occasion, the actuation of engineered safety feature systems. Concerns caused by repeated instances of failures in air systems resulted in the high-priority ranking of Generic Issue No. 43, ''Reliability of Air Systems'' by the NRC. In support of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is carrying out a Phase I aging assessment of air compressors and dryers used in LWR power plants. The objectives of this study include: (1) determination of the types and ratings of equipment utilized in typical plants; (2) identification of aging and service wear stressors imposed on the machines; (3) evaluation of operating experience with the machines; (4) comparison of user and manufacturer-recommended inspection, surveillance, and monitoring (ISM) methods; and (5) the identification of any improved ISM methods that might lead to longer, more reliable, service. 2 refs

Enhanced design, operation and maintenance practices for a longer plant service life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raimondo, E.; Courcoux, A.

2004-01-01

Plant service life problems have been under detailed investigation in France and the experience acquired by our company over the past 25 years in the design, construction and maintenance of Pressurized Water Reactors has contributed to develop skills, equipment and capabilities available for efficient plant aging management and component service life extension. The service life of a nuclear power plant is deeply dependant of the provisions made during the design stage, directly linked to good operating conditions and adequate maintenance practices. This paper presents the importance of these three steps (design, operation and maintenance) for plant service life concern. (author)

The Green Roof Microbiome: Improving Plant Survival for Ecosystem Service Delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Fulthorpe

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Plants are key contributors to ecosystem services delivered by green roofs in cities including stormwater capture, temperature regulation, and wildlife habitat. As a result, current research has primarily focused on their growth in relationship to extensive green roof (e.g., substrates <15 cm depth ecosystem services. Green roofs are exposed to a variety of harsh abiotic factors such as intense solar radiation, wind, and isolation from ground-level habitats, making survival exceedingly difficult. Plants in natural habitats benefit from a variety of interactions with fungi and bacteria. These plant-microbial interactions improve mechanisms of survival and productivity; however, many green roof substrates are sterilized prior to installation and lack microbial communities with unstudied consequences for green roof plant health and subsequent survival and performance. In this paper, we present six hypotheses on the positive role of microbes in green roof applications. In natural and experimental systems, microbial interactions have been linked to plant (1 drought tolerance, (2 pathogen protection, (3 nutrient availability, (4 salt tolerance, (5 phytohormone production, and (6 substrate stabilization, all of which are desirable properties of green roof ecosystems. As few studies exist that directly examine these relationships on green roofs, we explore the existing ecological literature on these topics to unravel the mechanisms that could support more complex green roof ecosystem and lead to new insight into the design, performance, and broader applications in green infrastructure.

47 CFR 32.2001 - Telecommunications plant in service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telecommunications plant in service. 32.2001 Section 32.2001 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Balance Sheet Accounts § 32...

MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-01-01

This document is the compiled progress reports of research funded through the Michigan State University/Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory. Fourteen reports are included, covering the molecular basis of plant/microbe symbiosis, cell wall biosynthesis and proteins, gene expression, stress responses, plant hormone biosynthesis, interactions between the nuclear and organelle genomes, sensory transduction and tropisms, intracellular sorting and trafficking, regulation of lipid metabolism, molecular basis of disease resistance and plant pathogenesis, developmental biology of Cyanobacteria, and hormonal involvement in environmental control of plant growth. 320 refs., 26 figs., 3 tabs. (MHB)

National Plant Germplasm System: Critical Role of Customer Service

Science.gov (United States)

The National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) conserves plant genetic resources, not only for use by future generations, but for immediate use by scientists and educators around the world. With a great deal of interaction between genebank curators and users of plant genetic resources, customer service...

Manual on service business for policy research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The contents of this book are summary of service business for policy research : conception classification and ways of service business for policy research, propel procedure of service business for policy research on system of committee, management, choice, contract, evaluation and post management, related regulation on service business for policy research : management regulation on service business for policy research, guide of evaluation for service business for policy research, estimation standard of policy research cost, law arrangement of national contract, required document on service business for policy research, and application manual for PRISM.

Nuclear plant service water system aging degradation assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarrell, D.B.; Larson, L.L.; Stratton, R.C.; Bohn, S.J.; Gore, M.L.

1992-10-01

This report discusses the second phase of the aging assessment of nuclear plant service water systems (SWSs) which was performed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to support the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program. The SWS was selected for study because of its essential role in the mitigation of and recovery from accident scenarios involving the potential for core-melt, and because it is subject to a variety of aging mechanisms. The objectives of the SWS task under the NPAR program are to identify and characterize the principal age-related degradation mechanisms relevant to this system, to assess the impact of aging degradation on operational readiness, and to provide a methodology for the management of aging on the service water aspect of nuclear plant safety. The primary degradation mechanism in the SWSs as stated in the Phase I assessment and confirmed by the analysis in Phase II, is corrosion compounded by biologic and inorganic accumulation. It then follows that the most effective means for mitigating degradation in these systems is to pursue appropriate programs to effectively control the water chemistry properties when possible and to use biocidal agents where necessary. A methodology for producing a complete root-cause analysis was developed as a result of needs identified in the Phase I assessment for a more formal procedure that would lend itself to a generic, standardized approach. It is recommended that this, or a similar methodology, be required as a part of the documentation for corrective maintenance performed on the safety-related portions of SWSs to provide an accurate focus for effective management of aging

Research and development related to the services engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rembado, J. L.

2000-01-01

In the present paper it is clarified what is understood by the expression R and D, Research and Development in the Servicie Engineering's which support the nuclear power plants exploitation, being more appropriated to talk about Innovation and Technological Development. In this paper it is analysed the need to have an innovation as per the marketing needs and to have a technological development to maintain an independence to let us to keep and increase the company's activity. It is described how the Services Engineering's with technological development turn to equipment suppliers which can be supplied to the nuclear sector as well as to other industrial sectors. Finally, it is described the innovation and technological development evolution, the technological polities objectives and the action lines of Tecnatom, S. A. as a Services Engineering's. (Author)

British Nuclear Fuels plc's effluent plant services building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, L.

1990-01-01

The new Effluent Plant Services building (EPSB) on the Sellafield Nine Acre Site was built by Costain Engineering Limited for British Nuclear Fuels Limited. The EPSB is dedicated to a new generation of nuclear waste treatment plants, aimed at reducing discharges into the Irish Sea and other environmental impacts by removing actinides from liquid effluents and decontaminating waste solvents. This article describes the design, construction and operation of the plant. (UK)

Reliability-based service life assessment of concrete structures in nuclear power plants: optimum inspection and repair

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellingwood, B.R.; Mori, Y.

1995-01-01

Research is being conducted to address aging management of safety-related reinforced concrete structures in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Documentation is being prepared to identify potential structural safety issues and to recommend criteria for use in evaluating reinforced concrete structures for continued service. Time-dependent reliability analysis provides the framework and quantitative tools for the condition assessment. The role of in-service inspection and repair in ensuring continued reliability in-service is examined. (author). 19 refs., 4 figs

Ageing management of nuclear power plant concrete structures - Overview and suggested research topics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, J.

2009-01-01

Nuclear power plant concrete structures are described and their operating experience noted. Primary considerations related to management of their ageing are noted and an indication of their status provided: degradation mechanisms, damage models, and material performance; assessment and remediation (i.e., component selection, in-service inspection, non-destructive examinations, and remedial actions); and estimation of performance at present or some future point in time (i.e., application of structural reliability theory to the design and optimisation of in-service inspection/maintenance strategies, and determination of the effects of degradation on plant risk). Several activities are identified that provide background information and data on areas of concern with respect to non-destructive examination of nuclear power plant concrete structures: inspection of thick-walled, heavily-reinforced sections; basemat; and inaccessible areas of the containment metallic pressure boundary. Topics are noted where additional research would be of benefit to ageing management of nuclear power plant concrete structures. (author)

Research data services in veterinary medicine libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerby, Erin E

2016-10-01

The study investigated veterinary medicine librarians' experience with and perceptions of research data services. Many academic libraries have begun to offer research data services in response to researchers' increased need for data management support. To date, such services have typically been generic, rather than discipline-specific, to appeal to a wide variety of researchers. An online survey was deployed to identify trends regarding research data services in veterinary medicine libraries. Participants were identified from a list of contacts from the MLA Veterinary Medical Libraries Section. Although many respondents indicated that they have a professional interest in research data services, the majority of veterinary medicine librarians only rarely or occasionally provide data management support as part of their regular job responsibilities. There was little consensus as to whether research data services should be core to a library's mission despite their perceived importance to the advancement of veterinary research. Furthermore, most respondents stated that research data services are just as or somewhat less important than the other services that they provide and feel only slightly or somewhat prepared to offer such services. Lacking a standard definition of "research data" and a common understanding of precisely what research data services encompass, it is difficult for veterinary medicine librarians and libraries to define and understand their roles in research data services. Nonetheless, they appear to have an interest in learning more about and providing research data services.

Research Data Services in European Academic Research Libraries

OpenAIRE

Tenopir, Carol; Talja, Sanna; Horstmann, Wolfram; Late, Elina; Hughes, Dane; Pollock, Danielle; Schmidt, Birgit; Baird, Lynn; Sandusky, Robert J.; Allard, Suzie

2017-01-01

Research data is an essential part of the scholarly record, and management of research data is increasingly seen as an important role for academic libraries. This article presents the results of a survey of directors of the Association of European Research Libraries (LIBER) academic member libraries to discover what types of research data services (RDS) are being offered by European academic research libraries and what services are planned for the future. Overall, the survey found that librar...

Refueling outage services in Spanish Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landete, J. L.; Soto, M.; Nunuez, A.

2007-01-01

DOMINGUIS Group, through its 75 years of business development, has positioned as the Spanish leader Group in Services for the Nuclear Energy and Petrochemical Sectors. In this article, we present the most significant services summary that, through the companies that constitute DOMINGUIS Group, we have developed in Refueling Outage in Spanish Nuclear Power Plants. (Author)

Applications of research results from NPAR service water system studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarrell, D.B.; Stratton, R.C.

1991-01-01

Under the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has invested considerable resources in understanding the mechanisms, mitigating the damage, and managing the results of nuclear power plant aging degradation. Many direct benefits have resulted from this program in terms of improved plant safety through upgraded regulatory guidance. The 'Service Water System (SWS) Aging Degradation Assessment' (NUREG/CR-5379), produced by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), contributed to this program. Two other benefits have resulted from the NPAR SWS task: (1) a contribution to the content of Generic Letter 89-13 (nuclear plant SWS performance requirements) and (2) the development of a systematic and complete root-cause analysis (RCA) methodology for use in the solution of SWS as well as other system component failures. Less recognized, but also of significance, are the spin-off initiatives from the NRC's NPAR program investigations. One such spin-off resulting specifically from the NRC-sponsored SWS research is the continuing development of the RCA methodology to facilitate the computerized integration of the following: (1) component condition monitoring; (2) fault diagnostics; and (3) failure root cause analysis. The Decision Support system for Operations and Maintenance project being developed at PNL is implementing the NPAR-developed RCA methodology utilizing an artificial intelligence approach

Changes in ecosystem services associated with planting structures of cropland: A case study in Minle County in China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yaqun; Song, Wei; Mu, Fengyun

2017-12-01

The cropland ecosystem provides essential direct and indirect products and services to mankind such as food, fiber, biodiversity and soil conservation. A change of crop planting structure can change the ecosystem services of cropland by affecting land use type. In recent years, under the influence of regional comparative advantage and consumer demand changes, the crop planting structure in China has changed rapidly. However, there is still a lack of deep understanding on the effect of such a change in planting structure on the ecosystem services of cropland. Therefore, this research selected Minle County in the Heihe River Basin, which has small scattered croplands and a complex planting structure, as a study area. Based on the key time phase and optimal threshold of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data of the Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (TM/ETM+) images, this study used the decision tree algorithm to classify and extract the crop planting structure in Minle County in 2007 and 2012 and to analyze the changes in its temporal and spatial patterns. Then, the market value method was adopted to estimate the effect of the change in crop planting structure on the ecosystem services of the cropland. From 2007 to 2012, the planting area of corn and rapeseed in Minle County increased by 5.86 × 103 ha and 5.10 × 103 ha, respectively. Conversely, the planting area of wheat and barley was reduced by 3.26 × 103 ha and 6.34 × 103 ha, respectively. These changes directly caused the increase of the ecosystem services value of corn and rapeseed by 1062.82 × 104 USD and 842.54 × 104 USD, respectively. The resulting reduction in the ecosystem services value of wheat and barley was 488.24 × 104 USD and 828.29 × 104 USD, respectively. Besides, the total ecosystem services value of cropland increased by 1564.98 × 104 USD. Further analysis found that the change in the crop planting structure caused an increase in the ecosystem services

Bibliography of the Maryland Power Plant Research Program, Thirteenth Edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLean, R.I.

1992-02-01

The Power Plant Siting Act of 1971 (Sec. 3-303) established the Power Plant Research Program to insure that demands for electric power would be met in a timely manner at a reasonable cost while assuring that the associated environmental impact would be acceptable. The scope of the Program extends to estimating the impact of proposed new generating facilities, evaluating the acceptability of proposed transmission line routes, assessing the impact of existing generation facilities, and investigating generic issues related to power plant site evaluation and associated environmental and land use considerations. The bibliography is a compilation of all the studies performed for and or by the Power Plant and Environmental Review Division since its inception. Reports published by the Division considered to be of general interest are routinely made available through the National Technical Information Service. Those reports so registered may be identified by the NTIS accession number immediately following the citation in the bibliography

Overview of Activities in U.S. Related to Continued Service of Nuclear Power Plant Concrete Structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, Dan J.

2011-01-01

Safety-related nuclear power plant concrete structures are described and commentary on continued service assessments of these structures is provided. In-service inspection and testing requirements in the U.S. are summarized. The license renewal process in the U.S. is outlined and its current status noted. A summary of operating experience related to U.S. nuclear power plant concrete structures is presented. Several candidate areas are identified where additional research would be of benefit to aging management of NPP concrete structures. Finally current ORNL activities related to aging-management of concrete structures are outlined: development of operating experience database, application of structural reliability theory, and compilation of elevated temperature concrete material property data and information.

EPA Facility Registry Service (FRS): Wastewater Treatment Plants

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This GIS dataset contains data on wastewater treatment plants, based on EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS), EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS)...

Activities at ORNL in support of continuing the service of nuclear power plant concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, D.J.

2012-01-01

In general, nuclear power plant concrete structure's performance has been very good; however, aging of concrete structures occurs with the passage of time that can potentially result in degradation if its effects are not controlled. Safety-related nuclear power plant concrete structures are described. In-service inspection and testing requirements in the U.S. are summarized. The interaction of the license renewal process and concrete structures is noted. A summary of operating experience related to aging of nuclear power plant concrete structures is provided. Several candidate areas are identified where additional research would be beneficial for aging management of nuclear power plant concrete structures. Finally, an update on recent activities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory related to aging management of nuclear power plant concrete structures is provided. (author)

Plant Research Department annual report 2001

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kossmann, J.; Gissel Nielsen, G.; Jakobsen, Iver

2002-01-01

of plants to resist fungal attack, and to optimise flowering time. Two programmes are devoted to improving the market value of plant products. Plants withenhanced nutritional value, or that contain novel renewable resources, are designed to add value to the European Agro-Industries. A sixth programme......The Plant Research Department integrates modern post-genomic tools to improve our understanding of plants. The aim is to develop crops with improved agronomic traits and to engineer high-value plants, which are able to meet the growth conditions of thefuture environment. The department is divided...... into six research programmes that are linked through their individual expertise delivered to the rest of the department. Three programmes are engaged in improving the agronomic performance of plants. Genetictools are being developed to enhance the nutrient efficiency of plants, to strengthen the ability...

Aquatic Plant Control Research Program

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cofrancesco, Alfred

1998-01-01

.... This search for natural plant enemies (insects and fungal pathogens) has led researchers to the native ranges of noxious aquatic plants, located throughout the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia...

Linking ecosystem services with cultural landscape research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schaich, Harald; Biding, Claudia; Plieninger, Tobias

2010-01-01

The concept of ecosystem services facilitates the valuation of the multiple services from ecosystems and landscapes, the identification of trade-offs between different land use scenarios, and also informs decision making in land use planning. Unfortunately, cultural services have been mostly...... neglected within the ecosystem services framework. This could result in trade-off assessments which are biased and mislead ecosystem management and landscape planning. However, cultural landscape research approaches have proven valuable in the assessment of different nonmaterial landscape values...... and cultural services. In this paper, we compare the objectives, approaches, and methodologies adopted by ecosystem services research and cultural landscape research through a bibliographic research. Both research communities investigate the human dimension of ecosystems and landscapes and, hence, study...

E-Services in Danish Research Libraries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scupola, Ada

2008-01-01

This chapter reports the findings of a case study of e-services adoption at research libraries. The case under consideration is Roskilde University Library (RUB), a research library supporting learning activities at Roskilde University. The research focuses on the main issues that RUB had to deal...... research libraries in Denmark. The main results can be summarized as follows: 1) Adoption of e-services has forced RUB to innovate rapidly. Innovation is driven, among other factors, by ICT developments (technology push), but innovation is also user-driven and pervasive throughout the organization.  2) E...... with in the process of adopting e-services and the future challenges that e-services provide for RUB. The chapter also presents the consequences of e-services adoption for Roskilde University library's organization, its business model and the relationships with customers, publishers (providers of knowledge) and other...

Research evaluation support services in biomedical libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutzman, Karen Elizabeth; Bales, Michael E; Belter, Christopher W; Chambers, Thane; Chan, Liza; Holmes, Kristi L; Lu, Ya-Ling; Palmer, Lisa A; Reznik-Zellen, Rebecca C; Sarli, Cathy C; Suiter, Amy M; Wheeler, Terrie R

2018-01-01

The paper provides a review of current practices related to evaluation support services reported by seven biomedical and research libraries. A group of seven libraries from the United States and Canada described their experiences with establishing evaluation support services at their libraries. A questionnaire was distributed among the libraries to elicit information as to program development, service and staffing models, campus partnerships, training, products such as tools and reports, and resources used for evaluation support services. The libraries also reported interesting projects, lessons learned, and future plans. The seven libraries profiled in this paper report a variety of service models in providing evaluation support services to meet the needs of campus stakeholders. The service models range from research center cores, partnerships with research groups, and library programs with staff dedicated to evaluation support services. A variety of products and services were described such as an automated tool to develop rank-based metrics, consultation on appropriate metrics to use for evaluation, customized publication and citation reports, resource guides, classes and training, and others. Implementing these services has allowed the libraries to expand their roles on campus and to contribute more directly to the research missions of their institutions. Libraries can leverage a variety of evaluation support services as an opportunity to successfully meet an array of challenges confronting the biomedical research community, including robust efforts to report and demonstrate tangible and meaningful outcomes of biomedical research and clinical care. These services represent a transformative direction that can be emulated by other biomedical and research libraries.

[Health services research for the public health service (PHS) and the public health system].

Science.gov (United States)

Hollederer, A; Wildner, M

2015-03-01

There is a great need for health services research in the public health system and in the German public health service. However, the public health service is underrepresented in health services research in Germany. This has several structural, historical and disciplinary-related reasons. The public health service is characterised by a broad range of activities, high qualification requirements and changing framework conditions. The concept of health services research is similar to that of the public health service and public health system, because it includes the principles of multidisciplinarity, multiprofessionalism and daily routine orientation. This article focuses on a specified system theory based model of health services research for the public health system and public health service. The model is based on established models of the health services research and health system research, which are further developed according to specific requirements of the public health service. It provides a theoretical foundation for health services research on the macro-, meso- and microlevels in public health service and the public health system. Prospects for public health service are seen in the development from "old public health" to "new public health" as well as in the integration of health services research and health system research. There is a significant potential for development in a better linkage between university research and public health service as is the case for the "Pettenkofer School of Public Health Munich". © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Recent trends in medicinal plants research

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Shyur, Lie-fen; Lau, Allan S.Y

2012-01-01

.... One type of research explores the value of medicinal plants as traditionally used and studies of these plants have the potential to determine which plants are most potent, optimize dosages and dose...

Radiation protection service for a nucleonic control system of continuous casting plant after events of accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakrabarti, Santanu; Massand, O.P.

1998-01-01

Extensive use of nucleonic control systems like level controllers was observed during radiation protection surveys in industries such as refineries, steel plants etc., located in the eastern region of India. There were two accidents at continuous casting plant in 1995 which affected the nucleonic control system installed in 1992. The authorities contacted Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for radiation protection surveys for the involved nucleonic gauges. The present paper describes the radiation protection services rendered by BARC during such accidents. (author)

Support services for new nuclear power plant projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manrique, Alberto B.; Cazorla, Francisco

2009-01-01

TECNATOM is a spanish engineering company with more than 50 years of experience working for the nuclear industry all over the world. TECNATOM has worked in over 30 countries in activities related to the Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants. It started to work in the design of new Nuclear Power Plants in the early 90s and since then has continued collaborating with different suppliers in the design and licensing of new reactors specially in the areas of plant systems design, Man-Machine Interface design, Main Control Room simulators building, training, qualification of equipment and PSI/ISI engineering services. (author)

Research data services in veterinary medicine libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin E. Kerby, MSI

2017-01-01

Conclusions: Lacking a standard definition of ‘‘research data’’ and a common understanding of precisely what research data services encompass, it is difficult for veterinary medicine librarians and libraries to define and understand their roles in research data services. Nonetheless, they appear to have an interest in learning more about and providing research data services.

Threatened plant resources: distribution and ecosystem services in the world's high elevation park of the karakoram ranges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shedayi, A.; Xu, M.; Hussain, F.; Sadia, S.; Bano, S.

2016-01-01

sustainable use. Awareness for sustainable harvesting of plants, reducing grazing pressure, equitable resource sharing, marketing of the products, effective management and policy decisions and research on ecosystem services assessment, valuation and climate change impact on wild plant resources are recommended. (author)

9. Nuclear power plant service life prolongation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evropin, S.V.

1998-01-01

The problem of prolongation of nuclear power plant service life duration is discussed. A schematic diagram of the program developed in the course of activities dealing with NPP service time prolongation is shown and analyzed in details. It is shown that the basic moment when determining the strategy for NPP service time prolongation is the positive confirmation of the agreement between the NPP safety provisions and modern safety requirements. The other very important aspect of the problem is engineering substantiation of the measures assuring the reactor operation prolongation. The conclusion is made that available methods of recovering reactor materials properties, main components repair and replacement, the modern techniques for nondestructive testing of metals and NPP pipelines, as well as the developed approaches to reactor facility safety improvements make the prolongation of the Russian NPP service lifetimes possible from engineering viewpoint and economically desirable

47 CFR 32.6561 - Depreciation expense-telecommunications plant in service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Depreciation expense-telecommunications plant... Expense Accounts § 32.6561 Depreciation expense—telecommunications plant in service. This account shall include the depreciation expense of capitalized costs in Accounts 2112 through 2441, inclusive. [69 FR...

The Research Funding Service: a model for expanded library services

OpenAIRE

Means, Martha L.

2000-01-01

Traditionally, libraries have provided a modest amount of information about grants and funding opportunities to researchers in need of research funding. Ten years ago, the University of Washington (UW) Health Sciences Libraries and Information Center joined in a cooperative effort with the School of Medicine to develop a complete, library-based grant and funding service for health sciences researchers called the Research Funding Service. The library provided space, access to the library colle...

Research and management of soil, plant, animal, and human resources in the Middle Rio Grande Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Deborah M. Finch

1996-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station initiated a research program in 1994 called. "Ecology, diversity, and sustainability of soil, plant, animal, and human resources of the Rio Grande Basin". This program is funded by an Ecosystem Management grant from Forest Service Research. Its mission focuses on the development and application of new...

Forging New Service Paths: Institutional Approaches to Providing Research Data Management Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Regina Raboin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: This paper describes three different institutional experiences in developing research data management programs and services, challenges/opportunities and lessons learned.Overview: This paper is based on the Librarian Panel Discussion during the 4th Annual University of Massachusetts and New England Region e-Science Symposium. Librarians representing large public and private research universities presented an overview of service models developed at their respective organizations to bring support for data management and eScience to their communities. The approaches described include two library-based, integrated service models and one collaboratively-staffed, center-based service model.Results: Three institutions describe their experiences in creating the organizational capacity for research data management support services. Although each institutional approach is unique, common challenges include garnering administrative support, managing the integration of services with new or existing staff structures, and continuing to meet researchers needs as they evolve.Conclusions: There is no one way to provide research data management services, but any staff position, committee, or formalized center reflects an overarching organizational commitment to data management support.

Plant Research Department annual report 2003

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kossmann, J.; Jakobsen, Iver; Nielsen, K.K.

2004-01-01

In 2003 the Plant Research Department (PRD) at Risø National Laboratory was involved in establishing the consortium Plant Biotech Denmark, which is unifying most of the Danish Plant Biotechnology activities. Within the consortium, PRD has the uniqueopportunity to be the only life science department...... to genes, which are widely applicable in the life sciences, such as non-invasive and non-destructive technologies to determine metabolite concentrationswith high spatial and temporal resolution. The Plant Research Department applies these and state-of-the-art technologies to increase knowledge to develop...... located in an environment that is largely dominated by physicists. PRD is challenged to optimally interface Plant Biology with the different fields of expertise that are established at Risø NationalLaboratory. These activities are mainly related to develop novel post-genomic tools to assign function...

Aquatic Plant Control Research Program. Biological Control of Pistia stratiotes L. (Waterlettuce) Using Neohydronomus affinis Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Science.gov (United States)

1992-07-01

plant must also be examined for herbivores attacking the weed. This ensures that time and money are not wasted by importing insects already present in...Agricultural Research Service Aquatic Weed Research Laboratory in Fort Lauder - dale, FL, from quarantine tacilities in Gainesville, FL, on 11 February

The ASME research task force on risk-based in-service inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balkey, K.R.; Chapman, O.J.V.

1997-01-01

The use of risk-based methods in the development of in-service inspection (ISI) and in-service testing (IST) programs for nuclear power plant and other industrial applications has been studied for the last several years through the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Centre for Research and Technology Development (ASME 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996). The results of this work are being used as a foundation to develop specific requirements for implementation of risk-based technology in ASME Codes and Standards, regulatory requirements and industry programs both in the U.S. and other countries. This paper provides a brief overview of the ASME Research Methodology and how it has been adapted for application to the inspection of piping within the USA. It also relates how the reliability of nondestructive examination (NDE) methods for pressure boundary components can impact the risk and discusses the relationship between this and NDE qualification/demonstration now being implemented in Europe and the USA. (orig.)

A Study of the potency of construction service industries to support the first nuclear power plant construction in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dharu Dewi; Sriyana

2008-01-01

The study was conducted to identify the potency of construction service industries to participate in nuclear power plant program in Indonesia. The potency is identified by evaluation results of national industries potency in some multinational construction service industries. The research methodology chosen was the survey method by sending questionnaires, visits to National industries, interview, and literature study. The data collection technique was sampling purposive. Data can be obtained from both primary and secondary data. The study results showed that the performance of construction service industries to support the NPP program must be increased through the selection of competent human resources, reliable equipment and an effective and efficient project management system, so that they can be expected to play necessary role in the nuclear power plant construction in Indonesia. (author)

Research and services provision on the world research market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Witold Wiśniowski

2013-03-01

Full Text Available It is necessary to create new knowledge for the development of the economy. The source of new knowledge are research: basic, applied and industrial, which complement each other to form one whole. Each of these research has other sources of financing and other purposes. Due to the large influx of foreign technology to Poland industrial research is not growing as we would expect. To balance this deficiency the Research Institutes may provide services on the world market. It would be advisable to seek the provision of services on the global research market so that it could became a Polish smart specialization. This specialization would include the sale of intellect, which should never run out of customers.

Plant biology research and training for the 21st century

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, K. [ed.

1992-12-31

The committee was assembled in response to a request from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the US Department of Energy (DoE). The leadership of these agencies asked the National Academy of Sciences through the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the status of plant-science research in the United States in light of the opportunities arising from advances inother areas of biology. NRC was asked to suggest ways of accelerating the application of these new biologic concepts and tools to research in plant science with the aim of enhancing the acquisition of new knowledge about plants. The charge to the committee was to examine the following: Organizations, departments, and institutions conducting plant biology research; human resources involved in plant biology research; graduate training programs in plant biology; federal, state, and private sources of support for plant-biology research; the role of industry in conducting and supporting plant-biology research; the international status of US plant-biology research; and the relationship of plant biology to leading-edge research in biology.

Plant biology research and training for the 21st century

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, K. (ed.)

1992-01-01

The committee was assembled in response to a request from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the US Department of Energy (DoE). The leadership of these agencies asked the National Academy of Sciences through the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the status of plant-science research in the United States in light of the opportunities arising from advances inother areas of biology. NRC was asked to suggest ways of accelerating the application of these new biologic concepts and tools to research in plant science with the aim of enhancing the acquisition of new knowledge about plants. The charge to the committee was to examine the following: Organizations, departments, and institutions conducting plant biology research; human resources involved in plant biology research; graduate training programs in plant biology; federal, state, and private sources of support for plant-biology research; the role of industry in conducting and supporting plant-biology research; the international status of US plant-biology research; and the relationship of plant biology to leading-edge research in biology.

The European community's programme of research on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants: objectives, scope and implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huber, B.

1984-01-01

The European Community's research activities on the decommissioning of nuclear installations are aimed at developing effective techniques and procedures for ensuring the protection of man and his environment against the potential hazards from nuclear installations that have been withdrawn from service. The first five-year (1979-1983) programme of research on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants has comprised seven R and D projects concerning the following areas: maintaining disused plants in safe condition; surface decontamination for decommissioning purposes; dismantling techniques; treatment of the main waste materials arising in decommissioning, i.e. steel, concrete and graphite; large containers for decommissioning waste; arisings and characteristics of decommissioning waste; plant design features facilitating decommissioning. The research work was carried out by organizations and companies in the Member States under 51 research contracts, most of them cost-sharing. The Commission is now launching a new five-year (1984-1988) programme of research on the decommissioning of nuclear installations. (author)

Nuclear plant aging research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissenberg, D.M.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, has established the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program in its Division of Engineering Technology. Principal contractors for this program include Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The program goals are: to identify and characterize time-dependent degradation (aging) of nuclear plant safety-related electrical and mechanical components which could lead to loss of safety function; to identify and recommend methods for detecting and trending aging effects prior to loss of safety function so that timely maintenance can be implemented; and to recommend maintenance practices for mitigating the effects of aging. Research activities include prioritization of system and component aging in nuclear plants, characterization of aging degradation of specific components including identification of functional indicators useful for trending degradation, and testing of practical methods and devices for measuring the functional indicators. Aging assessments have been completed on electric motors, snubbers, motor-operated valves, and check valves. Testing of trending methods and devices for motor-operated valves and check valves is in progress

Plant Research Department annual report 2002

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2003-01-01

concentrations in the atmosphere. Finally, activities are increasing to establish systems thatoptimize the production of energy from biomass in order to promote sustainability in industrial societies. The department is divided into five research programmes that are linked through their individual expertise...... to the optimal use of crops. One programme is devoted to improve the market value of plant products. Plants with enhanced nutritional value or that contain novel renewable resources are designed to add value to the European Agro-Industries.A fifth programme ultimately is studying the effects of the future......The Plant Research Department at Risø National Laboratory has the unique opportunity to be the only life science department located in an environment that is largely dominated by physicists. In 2002 increasing numbers of projects have been initiated thatestablish interdisciplinary research in order...

The experiences of health services research and health services research training in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, O R

1984-12-01

Early in the 1970s the Korean government recognized the necessity of Health Services Research (HSR). The law of the Korea Health Development Institute was promulgated in 1975, and a contribution from the Republic was combined with an Agency for International Development loan to field test low-cost health service strategies. A program to deploy Community Health Practitioners (CHPs), similar to family nurse practitioners or Medex has been demonstrated to be effective. The CHP training program grew from 9 in 1980 to 1343 in 1984. CHP's main functions are curative, preventive, educative, and administrative. They are selected registered nurses and/or midwives, where possible from serviced communities. They are trained in 24 weeks, including 12 weeks of clinical practice, in an anticipated recruiting post. CHPs help train village health volunteers (VHVs), who are literate women chosen by their communities. They work closely with the CHPs as a liaison with the village and in information gathering. An HSR orientation workshop held in Chuncheon in 1980, discussed role, policy, status, finance components, information systems, behavioral and manpower components, staff training, protocols for project development, HSR in the future and evaluation of the conference. In 1980, a National Workshop on Biomedical Research Methodology was also held, with World Health Organization and Korean consultants. Training of junior scientists would include introduction to scientific method, statement of problems, quantitative study technics, research proposals, and interpretation of results. The Korean Institute of Public Health sponsored a 1982 experts forum on the health care system, medical facilities, organizational management, financing and medical security, and health behavioral aspects. Training of trainers and lower level field workers, orientation of program managers, researchers, and communities themselves should all be training priorities. In future, CHPs should be refresher

[Qualitative Research in Health Services Research - Discussion Paper, Part 3: Quality of Qualitative Research].

Science.gov (United States)

Stamer, M; Güthlin, C; Holmberg, C; Karbach, U; Patzelt, C; Meyer, T

2015-12-01

The third and final discussion paper of the German Network of Health Services Research's (DNVF) "Qualitative Methods Working Group" demonstrates methods for the evaluation and quality of qualitative research in health services research. In this paper we discuss approaches described in evaluating qualitative studies, including: an orientation to the general principles of empirical research, an approach-specific course of action, as well as procedures based on the research-process and criteria-oriented approaches. Divided into general and specific aspects to be considered in a qualitative study quality evaluation, the central focus of the discussion paper undertakes an extensive examination of the process and criteria-oriented approaches. The general aspects include the participation of relevant groups in the research process as well as ethical aspects of the research and data protection issues. The more specific aspects in evaluating the quality of qualitative research include considerations about the research interest, research questions, and the selection of data collection methods and types of analyses. The formulated questions are intended to guide reviewers and researchers to evaluate and to develop qualitative research projects appropriately. The intention of this discussion paper is to ensure a transparent research culture, and to reflect on and discuss the methodological and research approach of qualitative studies in health services research. With this paper we aim to initiate a discussion on high quality evaluation of qualitative health services research. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Engineering a plant community to deliver multiple ecosystem services.

Science.gov (United States)

Storkey, Jonathan; Döring, Thomas; Baddeley, John; Collins, Rosemary; Roderick, Stephen; Jones, Hannah; Watson, Christine

2015-06-01

The sustainable delivery of multiple ecosystem services requires the management of functionally diverse biological communities. In an agricultural context, an emphasis on food production has often led to a loss of biodiversity to the detriment of other ecosystem services such as the maintenance of soil health and pest regulation. In scenarios where multiple species can be grown together, it may be possible to better balance environmental and agronomic services through the targeted selection of companion species. We used the case study of legume-based cover crops to engineer a plant community that delivered the optimal balance of six ecosystem services: early productivity, regrowth following mowing, weed suppression, support of invertebrates, soil fertility building (measured as yield of following crop), and conservation of nutrients in the soil. An experimental species pool of 12 cultivated legume species was screened for a range of functional traits and ecosystem services at five sites across a geographical gradient in the United Kingdom. All possible species combinations were then analyzed, using a process-based model of plant competition, to identify the community that delivered the best balance of services at each site. In our system, low to intermediate levels of species richness (one to four species) that exploited functional contrasts in growth habit and phenology were identified as being optimal. The optimal solution was determined largely by the number of species and functional diversity represented by the starting species pool, emphasizing the importance of the initial selection of species for the screening experiments. The approach of using relationships between functional traits and ecosystem services to design multifunctional biological communities has the potential to inform the design of agricultural systems that better balance agronomic and environmental services and meet the current objective of European agricultural policy to maintain viable food

Basis for snubber aging research: Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, D.P.; Palmer, G.R.; Werry, E.V.; Blahnik, D.E.

1990-01-01

This report describes a research plan to address the safety concerns of aging in snubbers used on piping and equipment in commercial nuclear power plants. The work is to be performed under Phase 2 of the Snubber Aging Study of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) as the prime contractor. Research conducted by PNL under Phase 1 provided an initial assessment of snubber operating experience and was primarily based on a review of licensee event reports. The work proposed is an extension of Phase 1 and includes research at nuclear power plants and in test laboratories. Included is technical background on the design and use of snubbers in commercial nuclear power applications; the primary failure modes of both hydraulic and mechanical snubbers are discussed. The anticipated safety, technical, and regulatory benefits of the work, along with concerns of the NRC and the utilities, are also described. 21 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab

A review of impacts by invasive exotic plants on forest ecosystem services

Science.gov (United States)

Kevin Devine; Songlin. Fei

2011-01-01

Many of our forest ecosystems are at risk due to the invasion of exotic invasive plant species. Invasive plant species pose numerous threats to ecosystems by decreasing biodiversity, deteriorating ecosystem processes, and degrading ecosystem services. Literature on Kentucky's most invasive exotic plant species was examined to understand their potential impacts on...

PlantDB – a versatile database for managing plant research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gruissem Wilhelm

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research in plant science laboratories often involves usage of many different species, cultivars, ecotypes, mutants, alleles or transgenic lines. This creates a great challenge to keep track of the identity of experimental plants and stored samples or seeds. Results Here, we describe PlantDB – a Microsoft® Office Access database – with a user-friendly front-end for managing information relevant for experimental plants. PlantDB can hold information about plants of different species, cultivars or genetic composition. Introduction of a concise identifier system allows easy generation of pedigree trees. In addition, all information about any experimental plant – from growth conditions and dates over extracted samples such as RNA to files containing images of the plants – can be linked unequivocally. Conclusion We have been using PlantDB for several years in our laboratory and found that it greatly facilitates access to relevant information.

Evaluation of the degradation of the service water system in nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salaices A, E.

2003-01-01

The service water system, the circulation water system, the cooling water system and the protection against fires system so much in nuclear plants as in fossils plants they are being degraded by a wide variety of mechanisms. These mechanisms include microbiologically influenced corrosion, cavitation, erosion-corrosion, erosion by solid particles, corrosion in cracks, stings, general corrosion, galvanic corrosion, sedimentation and obstructions and incrustations in the heat exchangers. In the last years were developed predictive models for the more common degradation forms and were installed in a new application of the CHECWORKS TM code called Cooling Water Application (CWA). This application of the code provides a new technology that so much nuclear facilities as fossil ones can use to modelling specific systems and to carry out corrosion predictions in each one of its components. Presently work the results of the employment of the CHECWORKS CWA code are described to carry out predictions of 12 different corrosion mechanisms that affect to the service water system of a nuclear plant, as well as the recommendations and options that the plant can to consider to reduce indexes of damages. This work can be used for to optimize inspections to the service water system and it gives the bases for similar changes in other nuclear plants. (Author)

Quality assurance in the procurement of items and services for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

This Safety Guide was prepared as part of the Agency's programme, referred to as the NUSS programme, for establishing Codes of Practice and Safety Guides relating to nuclear power plants. It supplements the Agency's Code of Practice on Quality Assurance for Safety in Nuclear Power Plants (Safety Series No.50-C-QA), which states requirements for the control of procurement of items and services which are important to the safety of nuclear power plants, for the purpose of achieving quality. The establishment and implementation of controls over the procurement process provide a basis for establishing an appropriate level of confidence that the activities undertaken during procurement of items and services have been performed in accordance with the principles of quality assurance expressed in the Code, and that the required quality of items and services has been achieved. The purchaser, in establishing control over procurement, shall ensure that the quality criteria, quality level, and other quality requirements specified for the particular item or service are taken into account

Aging and service wear of auxiliary feedwater pumps for PWR nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenstreet, W.L.

1989-01-01

This paper describes investigations on auxiliary feedwater pumps being done under the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program. Objectives of these studies are: to identify and evaluate practical, cost-effective methods for detecting, monitoring, and assessing the severity of time-dependent degradation (aging and service wear); recommend inspection and maintenance practices; establish acceptance criteria; and help facilitate use of the results. Emphasis is given to identifying and assessing methods for detecting failure in the incipient stage and to developing degradation trends to allow timely maintenance, repair or replacement actions. 3 refs

Effects of Invasive-Plant Management on Nitrogen-Removal Services in Freshwater Tidal Marshes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Alldred

Full Text Available Establishing relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function is an ongoing endeavor in contemporary ecosystem and community ecology, with important practical implications for conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Removal of invasive plant species to conserve native diversity is a common management objective in many ecosystems, including wetlands. However, substantial changes in plant community composition have the potential to alter sediment characteristics and ecosystem services, including permanent removal of nitrogen from these systems via microbial denitrification. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping and removing invasive plants is needed to manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets. We monitored small-scale removals of Phragmites australis over four years to determine their effects on potential denitrification rates relative to three untreated Phragmites sites and adjacent sites dominated by native Typha angustifolia. Sediment ammonium increased following the removal of vegetation from treated sites, likely as a result of decreases in both plant uptake and nitrification. Denitrification potentials were lower in removal sites relative to untreated Phragmites sites, a pattern that persisted at least two years following removal as native plant species began to re-colonize treated sites. These results suggest the potential for a trade-off between invasive-plant management and nitrogen-removal services. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping versus removing invasive plants is needed to adequately manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets.

Effects of Invasive-Plant Management on Nitrogen-Removal Services in Freshwater Tidal Marshes.

Science.gov (United States)

Alldred, Mary; Baines, Stephen B; Findlay, Stuart

2016-01-01

Establishing relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function is an ongoing endeavor in contemporary ecosystem and community ecology, with important practical implications for conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Removal of invasive plant species to conserve native diversity is a common management objective in many ecosystems, including wetlands. However, substantial changes in plant community composition have the potential to alter sediment characteristics and ecosystem services, including permanent removal of nitrogen from these systems via microbial denitrification. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping and removing invasive plants is needed to manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets. We monitored small-scale removals of Phragmites australis over four years to determine their effects on potential denitrification rates relative to three untreated Phragmites sites and adjacent sites dominated by native Typha angustifolia. Sediment ammonium increased following the removal of vegetation from treated sites, likely as a result of decreases in both plant uptake and nitrification. Denitrification potentials were lower in removal sites relative to untreated Phragmites sites, a pattern that persisted at least two years following removal as native plant species began to re-colonize treated sites. These results suggest the potential for a trade-off between invasive-plant management and nitrogen-removal services. A balanced assessment of costs associated with keeping versus removing invasive plants is needed to adequately manage simultaneously for biodiversity and pollution targets.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Facility Registry Service (FRS) Power Plants

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — This GIS dataset contains data on wastewater treatment plants, based on EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS) and NPDES, along with Clean Watersheds Needs Survey...

Research evaluation support services in biomedical libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Elizabeth Gutzman

2018-01-01

Conclusions: Libraries can leverage a variety of evaluation support services as an opportunity to successfully meet an array of challenges confronting the biomedical research community, including robust efforts to report and demonstrate tangible and meaningful outcomes of biomedical research and clinical care. These services represent a transformative direction that can be emulated by other biomedical and research libraries.

Aging of control and service air compressors and dryers used in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moyers, J.C.

1990-07-01

This report was produced under the Detection of Defects and Degradation Monitoring of Nuclear Plant Safety Equipment element of the Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program. This element includes the identification of practical and cost-effective methods for detecting, monitoring, and assessing the severity of time-dependent degradation (aging) of control and service air compressors and dryers in nuclear power plants. These methods are to provide capabilities for establishing degradation trends prior to failure and developing guidance for effective maintenance. The topics of this Phase 1 assessment report are failure modes and causes resulting from aging, manufacturer--recommended maintenance and surveillance practices, and measurable parameters (including functional indicators) for use in assessing operational readiness, establishing degradation trends, and detecting incipient failure. the results presented are based on information derived from operating experience records, manufacturer-supplied information, and input from plant operators. For each failure mode, failure causes are listed by subcomponent, and parameters potentially useful for detecting degradation that could lead to failure are identified. 13 refs., 9 figs., 16 tabs

Frontiers for research on the ecology of plant-pathogenic bacteria: fundamentals for sustainability: Challenges in Bacterial Molecular Plant Pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Cindy E; Barny, Marie-Anne; Berge, Odile; Kinkel, Linda L; Lacroix, Christelle

2017-02-01

Methods to ensure the health of crops owe their efficacy to the extent to which we understand the ecology and biology of environmental microorganisms and the conditions under which their interactions with plants lead to losses in crop quality or yield. However, in the pursuit of this knowledge, notions of the ecology of plant-pathogenic microorganisms have been reduced to a plant-centric and agro-centric focus. With increasing global change, i.e. changes that encompass not only climate, but also biodiversity, the geographical distribution of biomes, human demographic and socio-economic adaptations and land use, new plant health problems will emerge via a range of processes influenced by these changes. Hence, knowledge of the ecology of plant pathogens will play an increasingly important role in the anticipation and response to disease emergence. Here, we present our opinion on the major challenges facing the study of the ecology of plant-pathogenic bacteria. We argue that the discovery of markedly novel insights into the ecology of plant-pathogenic bacteria is most likely to happen within a framework of more extensive scales of space, time and biotic interactions than those that currently guide much of the research on these bacteria. This will set a context that is more propitious for the discovery of unsuspected drivers of the survival and diversification of plant-pathogenic bacteria and of the factors most critical for disease emergence, and will set the foundation for new approaches to the sustainable management of plant health. We describe the contextual background of, justification for and specific research questions with regard to the following challenges: Development of terminology to describe plant-bacterial relationships in terms of bacterial fitness. Definition of the full scope of the environments in which plant-pathogenic bacteria reside or survive. Delineation of pertinent phylogenetic contours of plant-pathogenic bacteria and naming of strains

ServiceNow as a platform – practical research

OpenAIRE

Nechyporenko, Tamara

2015-01-01

In this thesis I am going to cover the main aspects of ServiceNow platform, what is it, and related areas to ServiceNow technologies such as cloud service technologies and ITIL framework, how it is used in ServiceNow. All the definitions and descriptions will be in details and a reader can get the important terms and definitions. The main scope of the thesis is practical research and creation of portal based on that research. The portal will be implemented using ServiceNow platform, Servic...

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) plant layout and site services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuyanov, V.

2001-01-01

The ITER site has not been determined at this time. Nevertheless, to develop a construction plan and a cost estimate, it is necessary to have a detailed layout of the buildings, structures, and outdoor equipment integrated with the balance of plant service systems prototypical of large fusion power plants. These services include electric power for magnet feeds and plasma heating systems, cryogenic and conventional cooling systems, compressed air, gas supplies, de-mineralized water, steam, and drainage. Nuclear grade facilities are provided to handle tritium fuel and activated waste, as well as to prevent radioactive exposure of either the workers or the public. To avoid interference between services of different types and for efficient arrangement of buildings, structures, and equipment within the site area, a plan was developed which segregated different classes of services to four quadrants surrounding the tokamak building, placed at the approximate geographic center of the site. Location of the twenty-seven buildings on the generic site was selected to meet all design requirements at minimum total project cost. A similar approach has been used to determine the location of services above, at, and below grade. The generic site plan can be adapted to the site selected for ITER without significant changes to the buildings or equipment. Some rearrangements may be required by site topography resulting primarily in changes to the length of services that link the buildings and equipment. (author)

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) plant layout and site services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuyanov, V.

1999-01-01

The ITER site has not been determined at this time. Nevertheless, to develop a construction plan and a cost estimate, it is necessary to have a detailed layout of the buildings, structures, and outdoor equipment integrated with the balance of plant service systems prototypical of large fusion power plants. These services include electric power for magnet feeds and plasma heating systems, cryogenic and conventional cooling systems, compressed air, gas supplies, de-mineralized water, steam, and drainage. Nuclear grade facilities are provided to handle tritium fuel and activated waste, as well as to prevent radioactive exposure of either the workers or the public. To avoid interference between services of different types and for efficient arrangement of buildings, structures, and equipment within the site area, a plan was developed which segregated different classes of services to four quadrants surrounding the tokamak building, placed at the approximate geographic center of the site. Location of the twenty-seven buildings on the generic site was selected to meet all design requirements at minimum total project cost. A similar approach has been used to determine the location of services above, at, and below grade. The generic site plan can be adapted to the site selected for ITER without significant changes to the buildings or equipment. Some rearrangements may be required by site topography resulting primarily in changes to the length of services that link the buildings and equipment. (author)

2011 Plant Lipids: Structure, Metabolism, & Function Gordon Research Conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christopher Benning

2011-02-04

This is the second Gordon Research Conference on 'Plant Lipids: Structure, Metabolism & Function'. It covers current topics in lipid structure, metabolism and function in eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms including seed plants, algae, mosses and ferns. Work in photosynthetic bacteria is considered as well as it serves the understanding of specific aspects of lipid metabolism in plants. Breakthroughs are discussed in research on plant lipids as diverse as glycerolipids, sphingolipids, lipids of the cell surface, isoprenoids, fatty acids and their derivatives. The program covers nine concepts at the forefront of research under which afore mentioned plant lipid classes are discussed. The goal is to integrate areas such as lipid signaling, basic lipid metabolism, membrane function, lipid analysis, and lipid engineering to achieve a high level of stimulating interaction among diverse researchers with interests in plant lipids. One Emphasis is on the dynamics and regulation of lipid metabolism during plant cell development and in response to environmental factors.

Genomics-based plant germplasm research (GPGR)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jizeng Jia; Hongjie Li; Xueyong Zhang; Zichao Li; Lijuan Qiu

2017-01-01

Plant germplasm underpins much of crop genetic improvement. Millions of germplasm accessions have been collected and conserved ex situ and/or in situ, and the major challenge is now how to exploit and utilize this abundant resource. Genomics-based plant germplasm research (GPGR) or "Genoplasmics" is a novel cross-disciplinary research field that seeks to apply the principles and techniques of genomics to germplasm research. We describe in this paper the concept, strategy, and approach behind GPGR, and summarize current progress in the areas of the definition and construction of core collections, enhancement of germplasm with core collections, and gene discovery from core collections. GPGR is opening a new era in germplasm research. The contribution, progress and achievements of GPGR in the future are predicted.

Elevated service water temperature systems analysis for a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, T.; Hurt, W.

1992-01-01

This paper describes analyses performed to support the evaluation of the effects of elevated Service Water (SW) temperatures on the operation of a Pressurized Water Reactor. The purpose of the analyses is to provide justification of continued plant operation with SW temperatures up to 5 degrees F (3 degrees C) above the original temperature design limit. The study involved evaluation of the following major components or plant transients: Containment Design Basis Accident (DBA), Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG), Plant Cooldown, Engineered Safety Feature (ESF) Room Coolers, Engineered Safety Feature Pumps, and Assessment for Impact on Normal Operation. The principal objective was related to raising the design maximum temperature of the SW system from 95 degrees F (35 degrees C) to 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). since the Service Water system is safety related, an serves a plant during both normal and design basis conditions, a wide variety of components must be analyzed under various operating modes. The evaluation of systems and components affected by elevated SW temperature is presented, along with conclusions

The use of NPAR [Nuclear Plant Aging Research] results in plant inspection activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunther, W.; Taylor, J.

1989-01-01

The US NRC's Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program is a hardware oriented research program which has produced a large data base of equipment and system operating, maintenance, and testing information. Equipment and systems which have a propensity for age related degradation are identified, and methods for detecting and mitigating aging effects have been evaluated. As plants age, it becomes increasingly important that NRC inspectors be cognizant of plant aging phenomena. This paper describes the NPAR information which can enhance inspection activities, and provides a mechanism for making pertinent research available to the inspectors. 7 refs., 2 figs

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Goff, Stephen A.; Vaughn, Matthew; McKay, Sheldon; Lyons, Eric; Stapleton, Ann E.; Gessler, Damian; Matasci, Naim; Wang, Liya; Hanlon, Matthew; Lenards, Andrew; Muir, Andy; Merchant, Nirav; Lowry, Sonya; Mock, Stephen; Helmke, Matthew; Kubach, Adam; Narro, Martha; Hopkins, Nicole; Micklos, David; Hilgert, Uwe; Gonzales, Michael; Jordan, Chris; Skidmore, Edwin; Dooley, Rion; Cazes, John; McLay, Robert; Lu, Zhenyuan; Pasternak, Shiran; Koesterke, Lars; Piel, William H.; Grene, Ruth; Noutsos, Christos; Gendler, Karla; Feng, Xin; Tang, Chunlao; Lent, Monica; Kim, Seung-Jin; Kvilekval, Kristian; Manjunath, B. S.; Tannen, Val; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Sanderson, Michael; Welch, Stephen M.; Cranston, Karen A.; Soltis, Pamela; Soltis, Doug; O'Meara, Brian; Ane, Cecile; Brutnell, Tom; Kleibenstein, Daniel J.; White, Jeffery W.; Leebens-Mack, James; Donoghue, Michael J.; Spalding, Edgar P.; Vision, Todd J.; Myers, Christopher R.; Lowenthal, David; Enquist, Brian J.; Boyle, Brad; Akoglu, Ali; Andrews, Greg; Ram, Sudha; Ware, Doreen; Stein, Lincoln; Stanzione, Dan

2011-01-01

The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant) is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006). iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services. PMID:22645531

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Goff, Stephen A; Vaughn, Matthew; McKay, Sheldon; Lyons, Eric; Stapleton, Ann E; Gessler, Damian; Matasci, Naim; Wang, Liya; Hanlon, Matthew; Lenards, Andrew; Muir, Andy; Merchant, Nirav; Lowry, Sonya; Mock, Stephen; Helmke, Matthew; Kubach, Adam; Narro, Martha; Hopkins, Nicole; Micklos, David; Hilgert, Uwe; Gonzales, Michael; Jordan, Chris; Skidmore, Edwin; Dooley, Rion; Cazes, John; McLay, Robert; Lu, Zhenyuan; Pasternak, Shiran; Koesterke, Lars; Piel, William H; Grene, Ruth; Noutsos, Christos; Gendler, Karla; Feng, Xin; Tang, Chunlao; Lent, Monica; Kim, Seung-Jin; Kvilekval, Kristian; Manjunath, B S; Tannen, Val; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Sanderson, Michael; Welch, Stephen M; Cranston, Karen A; Soltis, Pamela; Soltis, Doug; O'Meara, Brian; Ane, Cecile; Brutnell, Tom; Kleibenstein, Daniel J; White, Jeffery W; Leebens-Mack, James; Donoghue, Michael J; Spalding, Edgar P; Vision, Todd J; Myers, Christopher R; Lowenthal, David; Enquist, Brian J; Boyle, Brad; Akoglu, Ali; Andrews, Greg; Ram, Sudha; Ware, Doreen; Stein, Lincoln; Stanzione, Dan

2011-01-01

The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant) is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006). iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services.

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen A Goff

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006. iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services.

78 FR 50144 - Health Services Research and Development Service, Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-16

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Health Services Research and Development Service, Scientific Merit... management, and nursing research. Applications are reviewed for scientific and technical merit, mission... Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D...

Researcher-library collaborations: Data repositories as a service for researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Andrew S; Millman, David S; Steiger, Lisa; Adolph, Karen E; Gilmore, Rick O

New interest has arisen in organizing, preserving, and sharing the raw materials-the data and metadata-that undergird the published products of research. Library and information scientists have valuable expertise to bring to bear in the effort to create larger, more diverse, and more widely used data repositories. However, for libraries to be maximally successful in providing the research data management and preservation services required of a successful data repository, librarians must work closely with researchers and learn about their data management workflows. Databrary is a data repository that is closely linked to the needs of a specific scholarly community-researchers who use video as a main source of data to study child development and learning. The project's success to date is a result of its focus on community outreach and providing services for scholarly communication, engaging institutional partners, offering services for data curation with the guidance of closely involved information professionals, and the creation of a strong technical infrastructure. Databrary plans to improve its curation tools that allow researchers to deposit their own data, enhance the user-facing feature set, increase integration with library systems, and implement strategies for long-term sustainability.

Experiment research on cognition reliability model of nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Bingquan; Fang Xiang

1999-01-01

The objective of the paper is to improve the reliability of operation on real nuclear power plant of operators through the simulation research to the cognition reliability of nuclear power plant operators. The research method of the paper is to make use of simulator of nuclear power plant as research platform, to take present international research model of reliability of human cognition based on three-parameter Weibull distribution for reference, to develop and get the research model of Chinese nuclear power plant operators based on two-parameter Weibull distribution. By making use of two-parameter Weibull distribution research model of cognition reliability, the experiments about the cognition reliability of nuclear power plant operators have been done. Compared with the results of other countries such USA and Hungary, the same results can be obtained, which can do good to the safety operation of nuclear power plant

Research and Practice of the News Map Compilation Service

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, T.; Liu, W.; Ma, W.

2018-04-01

Based on the needs of the news media on the map, this paper researches on the news map compilation service, conducts demand research on the service of compiling news maps, designs and compiles the public authority base map suitable for media publication, and constructs the news base map material library. It studies the compilation of domestic and international news maps with timeliness and strong pertinence and cross-regional characteristics, constructs the hot news thematic gallery and news map customization services, conducts research on types of news maps, establish closer liaison and cooperation methods with news media, and guides news media to use correct maps. Through the practice of the news map compilation service, this paper lists two cases of news map preparation services used by different media, compares and analyses cases, summarizes the research situation of news map compilation service, and at the same time puts forward outstanding problems and development suggestions in the service of news map compilation service.

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE OF THE NEWS MAP COMPILATION SERVICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Zhao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Based on the needs of the news media on the map, this paper researches on the news map compilation service, conducts demand research on the service of compiling news maps, designs and compiles the public authority base map suitable for media publication, and constructs the news base map material library. It studies the compilation of domestic and international news maps with timeliness and strong pertinence and cross-regional characteristics, constructs the hot news thematic gallery and news map customization services, conducts research on types of news maps, establish closer liaison and cooperation methods with news media, and guides news media to use correct maps. Through the practice of the news map compilation service, this paper lists two cases of news map preparation services used by different media, compares and analyses cases, summarizes the research situation of news map compilation service, and at the same time puts forward outstanding problems and development suggestions in the service of news map compilation service.

Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) program plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-06-01

A comprehensive Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program was implemented by the US NRC office of Nuclear Regulatory Research in 1985 to identify and resolve technical safety issues related to the aging of systems, structures, and components in operating nuclear power plants. This is Revision 2 to the Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program Plant. This planes defines the goals of the program the current status of research, and summarizes utilization of the research results in the regulatory process. The plan also describes major milestones and schedules for coordinating research within the agency and with organizations and institutions outside the agency, both domestic and foreign. Currently the NPAR Program comprises seven major areas: (1) hardware-oriented engineering research involving components and structures; (2) system-oriented aging interaction studies; (3) development of technical bases for license renewal rulemaking; (4) determining risk significance of aging phenomena; (5) development of technical bases for resolving generic safety issues; (6) recommendations for field inspection and maintenance addressing aging concerns; (7) and residual lifetime evaluations of major LWR components and structures. The NPAR technical database comprises approximately 100 NUREG/CR reports by June 1991, plus numerous published papers and proceedings that offer regulators and industry important insights to aging characteristics and aging management of safety-related equipment. Regulatory applications include revisions to and development of regulatory guides and technical specifications; support to resolve generic safety issues; development of codes and standards; evaluation of diagnostic techniques; (e.g., for cables and valves); and technical support for development of the license renewal rule. 80 refs., 25 figs., 10 tabs

Research directions in plant protection chemistry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andras Szekacs

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This Opinion paper briefly summarizes the views of the authors on the directions of research in the area of plant protection chemistry. We believe these directions need to focus on (1 the discovery of new pesticide active ingredients, and (2 the protection of human health and the environment. Research revenues are discussed thematically in topics of target site identification, pesticide discovery, environmental aspects, as well as keeping track with the international trends. The most fundamental approach, target site identification, covers both computer-aided molecular design and research on biochemical mechanisms. The discovery of various classes of pesticides is reviewed including classes that hold promise to date, as well as up-to-date methods of innovation, e.g. utilization of plant metabolomics in identification of novel target sites of biological activity. Environmental and ecological aspects represent a component of increasing importance in pesticide development by emphasizing the need to improve methods of environmental analysis and assess ecotoxicological side-effects, but also set new directions for future research. Last, but not least, pesticide chemistry and biochemistry constitute an integral part in the assessment of related fields of plant protection, e.g. agricultural biotechnology, therefore, issues of pesticide chemistry related to the development and cultivation of genetically modified crops are also discussed.

78 FR 12422 - Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board, Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-22

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit... nursing research. Applications are reviewed for scientific and technical merit, mission relevance, and the... Program Manager, Scientific Merit Review Board, Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research...

Reliability research to nuclear power plant operators based on several methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Xiang; Li Fu; Zhao Bingquan

2009-01-01

The paper utilizes many kinds of international reliability research methods, and summarizes the review of reliability research of Chinese nuclear power plant operators in past over ten years based on the simulator platform of nuclear power plant. The paper shows the necessity and feasibility of the research to nuclear power plant operators from many angles including human cognition reliability, fuzzy mathematics model and psychological research model, etc. It will be good to the safe operation of nuclear power plant based on many kinds of research methods to the reliability research of nuclear power plant operators. (authors)

Demonstration of Essential Reliability Services by a 300-MW Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loutan, Clyde; Klauer, Peter; Chowdhury, Sirajul; Hall, Stephen; Morjaria, Mahesh; Chadliev, Vladimir; Milam, Nick; Milan, Christopher; Gevorgian, Vahan

2017-03-24

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), First Solar, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a demonstration project on a large utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plant in California to test its ability to provide essential ancillary services to the electric grid. With increasing shares of solar- and wind-generated energy on the electric grid, traditional generation resources equipped with automatic governor control (AGC) and automatic voltage regulation controls -- specifically, fossil thermal -- are being displaced. The deployment of utility-scale, grid-friendly PV power plants that incorporate advanced capabilities to support grid stability and reliability is essential for the large-scale integration of PV generation into the electric power grid, among other technical requirements. A typical PV power plant consists of multiple power electronic inverters and can contribute to grid stability and reliability through sophisticated 'grid-friendly' controls. In this way, PV power plants can be used to mitigate the impact of variability on the grid, a role typically reserved for conventional generators. In August 2016, testing was completed on First Solar's 300-MW PV power plant, and a large amount of test data was produced and analyzed that demonstrates the ability of PV power plants to use grid-friendly controls to provide essential reliability services. These data showed how the development of advanced power controls can enable PV to become a provider of a wide range of grid services, including spinning reserves, load following, voltage support, ramping, frequency response, variability smoothing, and frequency regulation to power quality. Specifically, the tests conducted included various forms of active power control such as AGC and frequency regulation; droop response; and reactive power, voltage, and power factor controls. This project demonstrated that advanced power electronics and solar generation can be

DAMAGE RESEARCH WITH P. PENETRANS IN ASPARAGUS PLANTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoek, J; Molendijk, L P G

2014-01-01

During cultivation of asparagus plants growth can be inhibited and yield can be reduced by plant-parasitic nematodes. Plant raising companies assume that the root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans) can cause severe yield loss in asparagus plants. However quantitative information about yield reduction in relation to the degree of infestation of this nematode species in the field is lacking. Research was done in The Netherlands by Applied Plant Research (part of Wageningen University and Research Centre) to determine the maximum degree of yield loss of asparagus plants at high infestation levels of P. penetrans and to establish the height of the tolerance limit for this nematode species. Also was investigated whether a field application of a granular nematicide could prevent or reduce yield loss caused by P. penetrans. Research was done in the field at sandy soils at the PPO location near Vredepeel in The Netherlands over a period of two years. In the first year the most suitable field was selected and on this field different infestation levels of P. penetrans were created. In the second year asparagus was cultivated and plant yield (number and quality of deliverable plants and financial yield) was calculated. At high infestation levels of Pratylenchus penetrans maximum yield loss was 12% (which can mean a financial loss of 7.000 C per ha). Yield started to decrease at very low infestation levels of P. penetrans and no statistical reliable tolerance limit could be calculated. Field application of 40 kg per ha of Vydate 10 G just before sowing of asparagus, could almost completely prevent yield loss caused by P. penetrans. After harvest infestation levels of P. penetrans were much lower than could be expected if asparagus was a non-host for this nematode species. In this paper therefore it is suggested that asparagus plants are (actively) controlling P. penetrans.

Service users' perceptions about their hospital admission elicited by service user-researchers or by clinicians.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donoghue, Brian

2013-05-01

OBJECTIVE Service users may express positive, ambivalent, or negative views of their hospital admission. The objective of this study was to determine whether the background of the interviewer-service user-researcher or clinician-influences the information elicited. The primary outcome was the level of perceived coercion on admission, and secondary outcomes were perceived pressures on admission, procedural justice, perceived necessity for admission, satisfaction with services, and willingness to consent to participate in the study. METHODS Participants voluntarily and involuntarily admitted to three hospitals in Ireland were randomly allocated to be interviewed at hospital discharge by either a service user-researcher or a clinician. Interviewers used the MacArthur Admission Experience Survey and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 161 participants were interviewed. No differences by interviewer status or by admission status (involuntary or voluntary) were found in levels of perceived coercion, perceived pressures, procedural justice, perceived necessity, or satisfaction with services. Service users were more likely to decline to participate if their consent was sought by a service user-researcher (24% versus 8%, p=.003). CONCLUSIONS Most interviewees gave positive accounts of their admission regardless of interviewer status. The findings indicate that clinicians and researchers can be more confident that service users\\' positive accounts of admissions are not attributable to a response bias. Researchers can also feel more confident in directly comparing the results of studies undertaken by clinicians and by service user-researchers.

78 FR 6854 - Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-31

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit... Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will meet on February 13-14, 2013, at the... research. Applications are reviewed for scientific and technical merit. Recommendations regarding funding...

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Facility Registry Service (FRS) Wastewater Treatment Plants

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — This GIS dataset contains data on wastewater treatment plants, based on EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS) and NPDES, along with Clean Watersheds Needs Survey...

Goods and services provided by native plants in desert ecosystems: Examples from the northwestern coastal desert of Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laila M. Bidak

2015-01-01

Full Text Available About one third of the earth’s land surface is covered by deserts that have low and variable rainfall, nutrient-poor soils, and little vegetation cover. Here, we focus on the goods and services offered by desert ecosystems using the northwestern coastal desert of Egypt extending from Burg El-Arab to El-Salloum as an example. We conducted field surveys and collected other data to identify the goods services and provided by native plant species. A total of 322 native plant species were compiled. The direct services provided by these native plants included sources of food, medicine, and energy; indirect vegetation services included promotion of biodiversity, water storage, and soil fertility. The plant diversity in this ecosystem provided economic service benefits, such as sources of fodder, fuel-wood, and traditional medicinal plants. Changes in land use and recent ill-managed human activities may influence the availability of these services and strongly impact biodiversity and habitat availability. Although deserts are fragile and support low levels of productivity, they provide a variety of goods and services whose continuing availability is contingent upon the adoption of rational land management practices.

Results of research and development for nuclear power plants with WWER-1000 type light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The conference met in three sessions: 1. Project designing and construction of nuclear power plants; 2. Materials, technologies and applied mechanics; 3. Physics, thermal physics and control. The proceedings contains 82 papers of which only two have not been inputted in INIS. The final resolutions of session 1 related to the reduction of capital costs for newly built units, processing of project documentation, the introduction of step motors manufactured in Czechoslovakia, in-service diagnostics of nuclear power plants, etc. The final recommendations of session 2 dealt with the centralization of the management of research into the reliability, safety and residual life of nuclear installations, with radiation stability of weld metals, repairs of nuclear power plants by patch welding, with welding in nuclear power plants and stress calculations using mathematical methods. Session 3 centred on questions of the safety, reliability and economy of nuclear power plant operation. It was recommended to make a comparison of the results of theoretical calculations with experiments, to concentrate on the automation of measurement, to extend international division of labour and cooperation of CMEA countries, to extend publishing activities in the field of thermal physics, etc. General recommendations were related to the conception of the construction of nuclear power plants in Czechoslovakia, the implementation of original scientific, research and development work, to the question of personnel for nuclear research, the experimental base of the Czechoslovak nuclear programme and to planning and management of technical development. (E.S.)

Managing postgraduate research service quality: Developing and assessing a conceptual model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shawn Ramroop

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on the conceptual development and empirical evaluation of a postgraduate (PG research service quality management model, through conducting an electronic survey among a cohort of master’s and doctorate graduates at one of the top three research universities in South Africa, using specifically developed and validated research instruments.By fitting the data from a sample of 117 graduates to a conceptual model using structural equation modelling, it became evident that the PG research students’ perception of the Organisational Climate for Research (OCR is associated with their perception of the PG Research Service Quality (PGSQUAL, the PG Service Experience (SERVEXP and their perception of their Role (RC. However, no association was found between the students’ perception of the research climate (OCR and their satisfaction (SERVSAT with the research service; the service experience (SERVEXP and postgraduate research service quality (PGSQUAL; service satisfaction (SERVSAT and postgraduate service quality (PGSQUAL.  The aforementioned findings imply that higher education institutions need to create a research climate which is supportive of service quality, and better manage the research climate, so that the PG students are clear about their role, which will eventually translate to a better PG service experience and improved perception of PG service quality.

Trends in plant research using molecular markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Garrido-Cardenas, Jose Antonio; Mesa-Valle, Concepción; Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco

2018-03-01

A deep bibliometric analysis has been carried out, obtaining valuable parameters that facilitate the understanding around the research in plant using molecular markers. The evolution of the improvement in the field of agronomy is fundamental for its adaptation to the new exigencies that the current world context raises. In addition, within these improvements, this article focuses on those related to the biotechnology sector. More specifically, the use of DNA markers that allow the researcher to know the set of genes associated with a particular quantitative trait or QTL. The use of molecular markers is widely extended, including: restriction fragment length polymorphism, random-amplified polymorphic DNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism, microsatellites, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms. In addition to classical methodology, new approaches based on the next generation sequencing are proving to be fundamental. In this article, a historical review of the molecular markers traditionally used in plants, since its birth and how the new molecular tools facilitate the work of plant breeders is carried out. The evolution of the most studied cultures from the point of view of molecular markers is also reviewed and other parameters whose prior knowledge can facilitate the approach of researchers to this field of research are analyzed. The bibliometric analysis of molecular markers in plants shows that top five countries in this research are: US, China, India, France, and Germany, and from 2013, this research is led by China. On the other hand, the basic research using Arabidopsis is deeper in France and Germany, while other countries focused its efforts in their main crops as the US for wheat or maize, while China and India for wheat and rice.

Provision of enhanced ancillary services from wind power plants - Examples and challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Altin, Müfit; Iov, Florin

2016-01-01

Emphasis in this article is on the power system impact of wind power plants capability to provide enhanced ancillary services, i.e. temporary frequency response (TFR) and power oscillation damping (POD). The main objective of the article is to analyze and justify the challenges in the use of TFR...... and POD from wind power plants (WPPs). The study is conducted with an aggregated wind power plant model which is integrated into a generic power system model, specifically designed to assess the targeted ancillary services in a relatively simple, but still relevant environment. Various case studies...... with different wind power penetration levels are considered. The study shows that WPPs can provide additional control features such as TFR and POD to enhance the stability of power systems with large share of wind power. Nevertheless, the results illustrate that the power system stability can be potentially...

Research Data Management - Building Service Infrastructure and Capacity

KAUST Repository

Baessa, Mohamed A.

2018-03-07

Research libraries support the missions of their institutions by facilitating the flow of scholarly information to and from the institutions’ researchers. As research in many disciplines becomes more data and software intensive, libraries are finding that services and infrastructure developed to preserve and provide access to textual documents are insufficient to meet their institutions’ needs. In response, libraries around the world have begun assessing the data management needs of their researchers, and expanding their capacity to meet the needs that they find. This discussion panel will discuss approaches to building research data management services and infrastructure in academic libraries. Panelists will discuss international efforts to support research data management, while highlighting the different models that universities have adopted to provide a mix of services and infrastructure tailored to their local needs.

Nordic research infrastructures for plant phenotyping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristiina Himanen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Plant phenomics refers to the systematic study of plant phenotypes. Together with closely monitored, controlled climates, it provides an essential component for the integrated analysis of genotype-phenotype-environment interactions. Currently, several plant growth and phenotyping facilities are under establishment globally, and numerous facilities are already in use. Alongside the development of the research infrastructures, several national and international networks have been established to support shared use of the new methodology. In this review, an overview is given of the Nordic plant phenotyping and climate control facilities. Since many areas of phenomics such as sensor-based phenotyping, image analysis and data standards are still developing, promotion of educational and networking activities is especially important. These facilities and networks will be instrumental in tackling plant breeding and plant protection challenges. They will also provide possibilities to study wild species and their ecological interactions under changing Nordic climate conditions.

Ancillary services provided by PV power plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio PIERNO

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy sources are widely utilized in distributed generation systems, and, recently, they are also considered for providing ancillary services. The paper is focused on PV plants, a survey of the most interesting papers published in the literature in the last decade is reported and the main characteristics of the technical proposals, with their advantages and limits, are evidenced. The results are schematically shown in a table that immediately gives the opportunity to be aware of what was already done, representing a reference tool.

Forest Service Global Change Research Strategy, 2009-2019 Implementation Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Allen Solomon; Richard A. Birdsey; Linda A. Joyce

2010-01-01

In keeping with the research goals of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the climate change strategy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the climate change framework of the Forest Service, this Forest Service Global Change Research Strategy, 2009-2019 Implementation Plan (hereafter called the Research Plan), was written by Forest Service Research...

Investment in plant research and development bears fruit in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Kang; Xu, Zhihong

2014-04-01

Recent rapid progress in plant science and biotechnology in China demonstrates that China's stronger support for funding in plant research and development (R&D) has borne fruit. Chinese groups have contributed major advances in a range of fields, such as rice biology, plant hormone and developmental biology, genomics and evolution, plant genetics and epigenetics, as well as plant biotechnology. Strigolactone studies including those identifying its receptor and dissecting its complex structure and signaling are representative of the recent researches from China at the forefront of the field. These advances are attributable in large part to interdisciplinary studies among scientists from plant science, chemistry, bioinformatics, structural biology, and agronomy. The platforms provided by national facilities facilitate this collaboration. As well, efficient restructuring of the top-down organization of state programs and free exploration of scientists' interests have accelerated achievements by Chinese researchers. Here, we provide a general outline of China's progress in plant R&D to highlight fields in which Chinese research has made significant contributions.

Interdisciplinary research and training program in the plant sciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolk, C.P.

1991-01-01

This document is the compiled progress reports from the Interdisciplinary Research and Training Program in the Plant Sciences funded through the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory. Fourteen reports are included, covering topics such as the molecular basis of plant/microbe symbiosis, cell wall proteins and assembly, gene expression, stress responses, growth regulator biosynthesis, interaction between nuclear and organelle genomes, sensory transduction and tropisms, intracellular sorting and membrane trafficking, regulation of lipid metabolism, the molecular basis of disease resistance and plant pathogenesis, developmental biology of Cyanobacteria and hormonal involvement in environmental control of plant growth. 132 refs. (MHB)

[Research progress of ecosystem service flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hui Min; Fan, Yu Long; Ding, Sheng Yan

2016-07-01

With the development of social economy, human disturbance has resulted in a variety of ecosystem service degradation or disappearance. Ecosystem services flow plays an important role in delivery, transformation and maintenance of ecosystem services, and becomes one of the new research directions. In this paper, based on the classification of ecosystem services flow, we analyzed ecosystem service delivery carrier, and investigated the mechanism of ecosystem service flow, including the information, property, scale features, quantification and cartography. Moreover, a tentative analysis on cost-effective of ecosystem services flow (such as transportation costs, conversion costs, usage costs and cost of relativity) was made to analyze the consumption cost in ecosystem services flow process. It aimed to analyze dissipation cost in ecosystem services flow process. To a certain extent, the study of ecosystem service flow solved the problem of "double counting" in ecosystem services valuation, which could make a contribution for the sake of recognizing hot supply and consumption spots of ecosystem services. In addition, it would be conducive to maximizing the ecosystem service benefits in the transmission process and putting forward scientific and reasonable ecological compensation.

Plant research '79: report of the Michigan State University, Department of Energy, Plant Research Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-01-01

Botanical research conducted at MSU during 1979 is described. Areas of study include cell wall biosynthesis, hormonal regulation, responses of plants to environmental stresses, and molecular studies. (ACR)

77 FR 42365 - Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board, Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-18

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit...-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that various subcommittees of the Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will meet on August 28-30, 2012, at the Boston Omni Parker...

Comparison of Design Research on Manufacturing Firms Moving Towards Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Matzen, Detlef; Sakao, Tomohiko; Sandström, Gunilla Ölundh

2007-01-01

Corresponding to a steadily advancing integration of roducts and service operations in the manufacturing industry, a number of research groups within the design community are working with issues of integrated product and service development. Although closely related, the evolving groups focus...... on different research dimensions, and thus the terminologies and concepts used in research contributions are not fully compatible. This research attempts to promote and support an evolving collaboration between the different research groups within the design community, by analysing and comparing the key...... contribution areas of three of the existing groups, namely the groups of Integrated Product and Service Engineering, Service/Product Engineering and Product/Service-System development. A review of the groups’ research contributions is carried out and the main characteristics’ of their research is compared...

Using Service Oriented Architecture in a Generic Virtual Power Plant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Peter Bach; Poulsen, Bjarne; Træholt, Chresten

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to find and describe a suitable software framework that can be used to help implement the concept of a Generic Virtual Power Plant in the future power system. The Generic Virtual Power Plant concept, along with the utilization of distributed energy resources, has many...... the Generic Virtual Power Plant, an array of different software design principles, patterns and architectures must be applied. Especially Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) can aid in implementing the Generic Virtual Power Plant.......The purpose of this paper is to find and describe a suitable software framework that can be used to help implement the concept of a Generic Virtual Power Plant in the future power system. The Generic Virtual Power Plant concept, along with the utilization of distributed energy resources, has many...... interesting properties that can influence the future shape of power markets. The concept holds many promises including cheaper power to the consumer, a more flexible and responsive power production and the support of a more environment-friendly development. In order to realize a software solution supporting...

NASA Space Biology Plant Research for 2010-2020

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, H. G.; Tomko, D. L.; Porterfield, D. M.

2012-01-01

The U.S. National Research Council (NRC) recently published "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era" (http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record id=13048), and NASA completed a Space Biology Science Plan to develop a strategy for implementing its recommendations ( http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/library/esmd documents.html). The most important recommendations of the NRC report on plant biology in space were that NASA should: (1) investigate the roles of microbial-plant systems in long-term bioregenerative life support systems, and (2) establish a robust spaceflight program of research analyzing plant growth and physiological responses to the multiple stimuli encountered in spaceflight environments. These efforts should take advantage of recently emerged analytical technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and apply modern cellular and molecular approaches in the development of a vigorous flight-based and ground-based research program. This talk will describe NASA's strategy and plans for implementing these NRC Plant Space Biology recommendations. New research capabilities for Plant Biology, optimized by providing state-of-the-art automated technology and analytical techniques to maximize scientific return, will be described. Flight experiments will use the most appropriate platform to achieve science results (e.g., ISS, free flyers, sub-orbital flights) and NASA will work closely with its international partners and other U.S. agencies to achieve its objectives. One of NASA's highest priorities in Space Biology is the development research capabilities for use on the International Space Station and other flight platforms for studying multiple generations of large plants. NASA will issue recurring NASA Research Announcements (NRAs) that include a rapid turn-around model to more fully engage the biology community in designing experiments to respond to the NRC recommendations. In doing so, NASA

Research and service experience with environmentally assisted cracking of low-alloy steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hickling, J. [Electric Power Reasearch Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Seifert, H.P.; Ritter, S. [Paul Scherrer Inst. (Switzerland)

2005-01-01

Environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) of carbon and low-alloy steels has been identified as a possible degradation mechanism for pressure vessels and piping in nuclear power plants. Selected aspects of research and service experience with cracking of these materials in high-temperature water are reviewed, with special emphasis on the primary pressure boundary in boiling water reactors. The main factors controlling EAC susceptibility under reactor conditions are discussed with regard to both crack initiation and crack growth. The adequacy and conservatism of the relevant engineering criteria for component design and disposition of detected or postulated flaws are evaluated in the context of recent research results, e.g., on the effects of so-called ''ripple loading'' or of water chemistry transients. Finally, the relevant operating experience over the last 30 years is briefly summarized and compared with the background knowledge which has been accumulated in more recent laboratory experiments. Some of the insights gained in this work may also be of value in improving understanding and prediction of the EAC behavior of carbon and low-alloy steels in certain fossil plant components, if appropriate allowances are made for differences in temperature and water chemistry. (orig.)

Human Pathogens on Plants: Designing a Multidisciplinary Strategy for Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Jacqueline; Leach, Jan E; Eversole, Kellye; Tauxe, Robert

2014-10-15

Recent efforts to address concerns about microbial contamination of food plants and resulting foodborne illness have prompted new collaboration and interactions between the scientific communities of plant pathology and food safety. This article provides perspectives from scientists of both disciplines and presents selected research results and concepts that highlight existing and possible future synergisms for audiences of both disciplines. Plant pathology is a complex discipline that encompasses studies of the dissemination, colonization, and infection of plants by microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and oomycetes. Plant pathologists study plant diseases as well as host plant defense responses and disease management strategies with the goal of minimizing disease occurrences and impacts. Repeated outbreaks of human illness attributed to the contamination of fresh produce, nuts and seeds, and other plant-derived foods by human enteric pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. have led some plant pathologists to broaden the application of their science in the past two decades, to address problems of human pathogens on plants (HPOPs). Food microbiology, which began with the study of microbes that spoil foods and those that are critical to produce food, now also focuses study on how foods become contaminated with pathogens and how this can be controlled or prevented. Thus, at the same time, public health researchers and food microbiologists have become more concerned about plant-microbe interactions before and after harvest. New collaborations are forming between members of the plant pathology and food safety communities, leading to enhanced research capacity and greater understanding of the issues for which research is needed. The two communities use somewhat different vocabularies and conceptual models. For example, traditional plant pathology concepts such as the disease triangle and the disease cycle can help to define

Human pathogens on plants: designing a multidisciplinary strategy for research.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Jacqueline; Leach, Jan E; Eversole, Kellye; Tauxe, Robert

2013-04-01

Recent efforts to address concerns about microbial contamination of food plants and resulting foodborne illness have prompted new collaboration and interactions between the scientific communities of plant pathology and food safety. This article provides perspectives from scientists of both disciplines and presents selected research results and concepts that highlight existing and possible future synergisms for audiences of both disciplines. Plant pathology is a complex discipline that encompasses studies of the dissemination, colonization, and infection of plants by microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and oomycetes. Plant pathologists study plant diseases as well as host plant defense responses and disease management strategies with the goal of minimizing disease occurrences and impacts. Repeated outbreaks of human illness attributed to the contamination of fresh produce, nuts and seeds, and other plant-derived foods by human enteric pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. have led some plant pathologists to broaden the application of their science in the past two decades, to address problems of human pathogens on plants (HPOPs). Food microbiology, which began with the study of microbes that spoil foods and those that are critical to produce food, now also focuses study on how foods become contaminated with pathogens and how this can be controlled or prevented. Thus, at the same time, public health researchers and food microbiologists have become more concerned about plant-microbe interactions before and after harvest. New collaborations are forming between members of the plant pathology and food safety communities, leading to enhanced research capacity and greater understanding of the issues for which research is needed. The two communities use somewhat different vocabularies and conceptual models. For example, traditional plant pathology concepts such as the disease triangle and the disease cycle can help to define

Delivering research data management services fundamentals of good practice

CERN Document Server

Jones, Sarah; Whyte, Angus

2014-01-01

The research landscape is changing, with key global research funders now requiring institutions to demonstrate how they will preserve and share research data. However, the practice of structured research data management is very new, and the construction of services remains experimental and in need of models and standards of approach. This groundbreaking guide will lead researchers, institutions and policy makers through the processes needed to set up and run effective institutional research data management services. This book will provide a step-by-step explanation of the components for an institutional service - effectively a 'how to guide'. Case studies from the newly emerging service infrastructures in the UK, USA and Australia will draw out the lessons learnt from working (or near to delivery) exemplars. Different approaches are highlighted and compared, for example, a case study of a researcher-focused strategy from Australia contrasted with a national, top-down approach. A chapter on the redeveloped UK ...

From theory to practice: improving the impact of health services research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Levine Robert

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While significant strides have been made in health research, the incorporation of research evidence into healthcare decision-making has been marginal. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how the utility of health services research can be improved through the use of theory. Integrating theory into health services research can improve research methodology and encourage stronger collaboration with decision-makers. Discussion Recognizing the importance of theory calls for new expectations in the practice of health services research. These include: the formation of interdisciplinary research teams; broadening the training for those who will practice health services research; and supportive organizational conditions that promote collaboration between researchers and decision makers. Further, funding bodies can provide a significant role in guiding and supporting the use of theory in the practice of health services research. Summary Institutions and researchers should incorporate the use of theory if health services research is to fulfill its potential for improving the delivery of health care.

Bivalve fouling of nuclear power plant service-water systems. Volume 2. Current status of biofouling surveillance and control techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daling, P.M.; Johnson, K.I.

1985-03-01

This report describes the current status of techniques for detection and control of cooling-water system fouling by bivalve mollusks at nuclear power plants. The effectiveness of these techniques is evaluated on the basis of information gathered from a literature review and in interviews with nuclear power plant personnel. Biofouling detection techniques examined in this report include regular maintenance, in-service inspection, and testing. Generally, these methods have been inadequate for detecting biofouling. Recommendations for improving biofouling detection capabilities are presented. Biofouling prevention (or control) methods that are examined in this report include intake screen systems, thermal treatment, preventive maintenance, chemical treatment alternatives, and antifoulant coatings. Recommendations for improving biofouling control methods at operating nuclear power plants are presented. Additional techniques that could be implemented at future power plants or that require further research are also described

Dairy and functional foods research in the Agricultural Research Service

Science.gov (United States)

The Dairy and Functional Foods Research Unit is the only group in the Agricultural Research Service that is dedicated to solving critical problems in milk utilization and fruit and vegetable byproducts from specialty crops. The many areas of investigation include development of specialty cheese, c...

Replacement of major nuclear power plant components for service life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novak, S.

1987-01-01

Problems are discussed associated with replacement of nuclear power plant components with the aim to extend their original scheduled life. The existing foreign experience shows that it is technically feasible to replace practically all basic components for which the necessity of replacement is established. Data is summed up on the replacement of steam generators in US and West German nuclear power plants showing the duration of the job, the total consumption of manhours, the collective dose equivalent and the cost. Attention is also focused on implemented and projected replacements of circulation pipes in nuclear power plants abroad. Based on these figures, the cost is estimated of the replacement of the reactor vessel and the steam generators for WWER-440 nuclear power plants. The conclusion is arrived at that even based on a conservative estimate, the extension by 20 years of the service life of a nuclear power plant is economically more effective than the construction of a new plant. (Z.M.) 2 tabs., 15 refs., 3 figs

Interdisciplinary Research and Training Program in the Plant Sciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolk, C.P.

1992-01-01

Research on plants continued. Topics include: Molecular basis of symbiotic plant-microbe interations; enzymatic mechanisms and regulation of plant cell wall biosynthesis; molecular mechanisms that regulate the expression of genes in plants; resistance of plants to environmental stress; studies on hormone biosynthesis and action; plant cell wall proteins; interaction of nuclear and organelle genomes; sensor transduction in plants; molecular mechanisms of trafficking in the plant cell; regulation of lipid metabolism; molecular bases of plant disease resistance mechanisms; biochemical and molecular aspects of plant pathogenesis; developmental biology of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria; environmental control of plant development and its relation to plant hormones.

DNA Damage Repair System in Plants: A Worldwide Research Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Gimenez, Estela; Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco

2017-10-30

Living organisms are usually exposed to various DNA damaging agents so the mechanisms to detect and repair diverse DNA lesions have developed in all organisms with the result of maintaining genome integrity. Defects in DNA repair machinery contribute to cancer, certain diseases, and aging. Therefore, conserving the genomic sequence in organisms is key for the perpetuation of life. The machinery of DNA damage repair (DDR) in prokaryotes and eukaryotes is similar. Plants also share mechanisms for DNA repair with animals, although they differ in other important details. Plants have, surprisingly, been less investigated than other living organisms in this context, despite the fact that numerous lethal mutations in animals are viable in plants. In this manuscript, a worldwide bibliometric analysis of DDR systems and DDR research in plants was made. A comparison between both subjects was accomplished. The bibliometric analyses prove that the first study about DDR systems in plants (1987) was published thirteen years later than that for other living organisms (1975). Despite the increase in the number of papers about DDR mechanisms in plants in recent decades, nowadays the number of articles published each year about DDR systems in plants only represents 10% of the total number of articles about DDR. The DDR research field was done by 74 countries while the number of countries involved in the DDR & Plant field is 44. This indicates the great influence that DDR research in the plant field currently has, worldwide. As expected, the percentage of studies published about DDR systems in plants has increased in the subject area of agricultural and biological sciences and has diminished in medicine with respect to DDR studies in other living organisms. In short, bibliometric results highlight the current interest in DDR research in plants among DDR studies and can open new perspectives in the research field of DNA damage repair.

Ecosystem services and economic theory: integration for policy-relevant research.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Brendan; Turner, Kerry; Zylstra, Matthew; Brouwer, Roy; de Groot, Rudolf; Farber, Stephen; Ferraro, Paul; Green, Rhys; Hadley, David; Harlow, Julian; Jefferiss, Paul; Kirkby, Chris; Morling, Paul; Mowatt, Shaun; Naidoo, Robin; Paavola, Jouni; Strassburg, Bernardo; Yu, Doug; Balmford, Andrew

2008-12-01

It has become essential in policy and decision-making circles to think about the economic benefits (in addition to moral and scientific motivations) humans derive from well-functioning ecosystems. The concept of ecosystem services has been developed to address this link between ecosystems and human welfare. Since policy decisions are often evaluated through cost-benefit assessments, an economic analysis can help make ecosystem service research operational. In this paper we provide some simple economic analyses to discuss key concepts involved in formalizing ecosystem service research. These include the distinction between services and benefits, understanding the importance of marginal ecosystem changes, formalizing the idea of a safe minimum standard for ecosystem service provision, and discussing how to capture the public benefits of ecosystem services. We discuss how the integration of economic concepts and ecosystem services can provide policy and decision makers with a fuller spectrum of information for making conservation-conversion trade-offs. We include the results from a survey of the literature and a questionnaire of researchers regarding how ecosystem service research can be integrated into the policy process. We feel this discussion of economic concepts will be a practical aid for ecosystem service research to become more immediately policy relevant.

[Memorandum IV: Theoretical and Normative Grounding of Health Services Research].

Science.gov (United States)

Baumann, W; Farin, E; Menzel-Begemann, A; Meyer, T

2016-05-01

With Memoranda and other initiatives, the German Network for Health Service Research [Deutsches Netzwerk Versorgungsforschung e.V. (DNVF)] is fostering the methodological quality of care research studies for years. Compared to the standards of empirical research, questions concerning the role and function of theories, theoretical approaches and scientific principles have not been taken up on its own. Therefore, the DNVF e.V. has set up a working group in 2013, which was commissioned to prepare a memorandum on "theories in health care research". This now presented memorandum will primarily challenge scholars in health care services research to pay more attention to questions concerning the theoretical arsenal and the background assumptions in the research process. The foundation in the philosophy of science, the reference to normative principles and the theory-bases of the research process are addressed. Moreover, the memorandum will call on to advance the theorizing in health services research and to strengthen not empirical approaches, research on basic principles or studies with regard to normative sciences and to incorporate these relevant disciplines in health services research. Research structures and funding of health services research needs more open space for theoretical reflection and for self-observation of their own, multidisciplinary research processes. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Green infrastructure and ecosystem services – is the devil in the detail?

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Ross W. F.; Blanuša, Tijana

2016-01-01

Background Green infrastructure is a strategic network of green spaces designed to deliver ecosystem services to human communities. Green infrastructure is a convenient concept for urban policy makers, but the term is used too generically and with limited understanding of the relative values or benefits of different types of green space and how these complement one another. At a finer scale/more practical level, little consideration is given to the composition of the plant communities, yet this is what ultimately defines the extent of service provision. This paper calls for greater attention to be paid to urban plantings with respect to ecosystem service delivery and for plant science to engage more fully in identifying those plants that promote various services. Scope Many urban plantings are designed based on aesthetics alone, with limited thought on how plant choice/composition provides other ecosystem services. Research is beginning to demonstrate, however, that landscape plants provide a range of important services, such as helping mitigate floods and alleviating heat islands, but that not all species are equally effective. The paper reviews a number of important services and demonstrates how genotype choice radically affects service delivery. Conclusions Although research is in its infancy, data are being generated that relate plant traits to specific services, thereby helping identify genotypes that optimize service delivery. The urban environment, however, will become exceedingly bland if future planting is simply restricted to monocultures of a few ‘functional’ genotypes. Therefore, further information is required on how to design plant communities where the plants identified (1) provide more than a single benefit (multifunctionality), (B) complement each other in maximizing the range of benefits that can be delivered in one location, and (3) continue to maintain public acceptance through diversity. The identification/development of functional

The application of biotechnology in medicinal plants breeding research in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, He-Ping; Li, Jin-Cai; Huang, Lu-Qi; Wang, Dian-Lei; Huang, Peng; Nie, Jiu-Sheng

2015-07-01

Breeding is not only an important area of medicinal plants research but also the foundation for the superior varieties acquirement of medicinal plants. The rise of modern biotechnology provides good opportunities and new means for medicinal plants breeding research in China. Biotechnology shows its technical advantages and new development prospects in breeding of new medicinal plants varieties with high and stable yield, good quality, as well as stress-resistance. In this paper, we describe recent advances, problems, and development prospects about the application of modern biotechnology in medicinal plants breeding research in China.

Salutogenic service user involvement in nursing research: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mjøsund, Nina Helen; Vinje, Hege Forbech; Eriksson, Monica; Haaland-Øverby, Mette; Jensen, Sven Liang; Kjus, Solveig; Norheim, Irene; Portaasen, Inger-Lill; Espnes, Geir Arild

2018-05-12

The aim was to explore the process of involving mental healthcare service users in a mental health promotion research project as research advisors and to articulate features of the collaboration which encouraged and empowered the advisors to make significant contributions to the research process and outcome. There is an increasing interest in evaluating aspects of service user involvement in nursing research. Few descriptions exist of features that enable meaningful service user involvement. We draw on experiences from conducting research which used the methodology interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how persons with mental disorders perceived mental health. Aside from the participants in the project, five research advisors with service user experience were involved in the entire research process. We applied a case study design to explore the ongoing processes of service user involvement. Documents and texts produced while conducting the project (2012-2016), as well as transcripts from multistage focus group discussions with the research advisors, were analysed. The level of involvement was dynamic and varied throughout the different stages of the research process. Six features: leadership, meeting structure, role clarification, being members of a team, a focus on possibilities and being seen and treated as holistic individuals, were guiding principles for a salutogenic service user involvement. These features strengthened the advisors' perception of themselves as valuable and competent contributors. Significant contributions from research advisors were promoted by facilitating the process of involvement. A supporting structure and atmosphere were consistent with a salutogenic service user involvement. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

2010 Plant Molecular Biology Gordon Research Conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael Sussman

2010-07-23

The Plant Molecular Biology Conference has traditionally covered a breadth of exciting topics and the 2010 conference will continue in that tradition. Emerging concerns about food security have inspired a program with three main themes: (1) genomics, natural variation and breeding to understand adaptation and crop improvement, (2) hormonal cross talk, and (3) plant/microbe interactions. There are also sessions on epigenetics and proteomics/metabolomics. Thus this conference will bring together a range of disciplines, will foster the exchange of ideas and enable participants to learn of the latest developments and ideas in diverse areas of plant biology. The conference provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to discuss their research because additional speakers in each session will be selected from submitted abstracts. There will also be a poster session each day for a two-hour period prior to dinner. In particular, this conference plays a key role in enabling students and postdocs (the next generation of research leaders) to mingle with pioneers in multiple areas of plant science.

Transfusion research priorities for blood services in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Imelda; Hassall, Oliver; Mapako, Tonderai

2017-06-01

Evidence to support many blood transfusion policies and practices in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is weak or lacking. SSA cannot extrapolate from wealthy countries' research findings because its environment, users and structures are very different and SSA has critical blood shortages. SSA needs to generate its own evidence but research funds are very scarce and need to be carefully targeted to match need. This study aimed to define this need by determining research priorities for blood services in SSA. Thirty-five stakeholders representing diverse blood services' interests and expertise participated in a workshop. An adapted 'consensus development method' was used to identify, agree and justify research priorities under five themes through small group and plenary discussion, and cumulative voting. Research priorities covered traditional research areas, such as clinical use of blood and infection screening, but also highlighted many new, under-researched topics, mostly concerning blood service 'systems', such as economics, blood components and regulation. Lack of electronic information management systems was an important hindrance to the blood services' ability to generate robust research data. This study has identified and prioritised novel research that will help blood services in SSA to address their own needs including their most urgent problem: the lack of access to adequate blood supplies. To catalyse this research blood services in SSA need to enhance their capacity to conduct, commission and manage research and to strengthen their collaborations within and beyond Africa. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving the reliability of service-water systems at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neitzel, D.A.; Johnson, K.I.; Daling, P.M.; Chang, T.Y.

1989-01-01

Fouling and clogging caused by sedimentation, corrosion, and the buildup of biological organisms is a persistent problem whenever raw water from a river, lake, or ocean is used as a heat exchange medium. The fouling caused by raw water cooling of service-water systems at nuclear power plants is a particular concern because of the potential for affecting safety-related heat exchangers and components, including online and redundant backup units. Open-cycle service-water, as discussed here, provide cooling to reactor support systems required during shutdown and emergency conditions and relate to those heat exchangers and components cooled directly by raw water. To resolve this issue, the NRC initiated a research program at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), to study the conditions that allow fouling and to compare alternative surveillance and control programs to minimize service water system fouling. There is no single solution to biological, sediment, and corrosion fouling. An effective surveillance and control program must satisfy certain criteria to address major areas of the service-water system and the major fouling types. Three fouling program alternatives were developed. Value/impact (or cost/benefit) studies were performed on these three alternatives. The alternative chosen to be most cost effective is a baseline fouling program. It consists of two principal elements of a control program, continuous chlorination (for example during bivalve spawning seasons) and periodic flushing and flow testing of redundant and infrequently used cooling loops, to minimize flow blockage that would result from biofouling and sediment/corrosion product buildup. In addition, a surveillance program is recommended to regularly inspect the intake structure for macroscopic biological fouling organisms, sediment, and corrosion

A theoretical framework to support research of health service innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Amanda; Gardner, Glenn; Osborne, Sonya

2015-02-01

Health service managers and policy makers are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of innovations implemented in health care settings. The increasing demand on health services requires that innovations are both effective and sustainable; however, research in this field is limited, with multiple disciplines, approaches and paradigms influencing the field. These variations prevent a cohesive approach, and therefore the accumulation of research findings, in the development of a body of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough examination of the research findings and provide an appropriate theoretical framework to examine sustainability of health service innovation. This paper presents an integrative review of the literature available in relation to sustainability of health service innovation and provides the development of a theoretical framework based on integration and synthesis of the literature. A theoretical framework serves to guide research, determine variables, influence data analysis and is central to the quest for ongoing knowledge development. This research outlines the sustainability of innovation framework; a theoretical framework suitable for examining the sustainability of health service innovation. If left unaddressed, health services research will continue in an ad hoc manner, preventing full utilisation of outcomes, recommendations and knowledge for effective provision of health services. The sustainability of innovation theoretical framework provides an operational basis upon which reliable future research can be conducted.

Continuing the service of safety-related concrete structures in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, D.J.; Oland, C.B.; Ellingwood, B.R.; Mori, Y.; Arndt, E.G.

1993-01-01

The Structural Aging (SAG) Program is addressing the aging management of safety-related concrete structures in nuclear power plants (NPPs) for the purpose of providing improved technical bases for their continued service. The program consists of three technical tasks: materials property data base, structural component assessment/repair technologies, and quantitative methodologies for continued service determinations. Recent accomplishments under each of these tasks are summarized

2007 Plant Metabolic Engineering Gordon Conference and Graduate Research Seminar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erich Grotewold

2008-09-15

Plant Metabolic Engineering is an emerging field that integrates a diverse range of disciplines including plant genetics, genomics, biochemistry, chemistry and cell biology. The Gordon-Kenan Graduate Research Seminar (GRS) in Plant Metabolic Engineering was initiated to provide a unique opportunity for future researcher leaders to present their work in this field. It also creates an environment allowing for peer-review and critical assessment of work without the intimidation usually associated with the presence of senior investigators. The GRS immediately precedes the Plant Metabolic Engineering Gordon Research Conference and will be for and by graduate students and post-docs, with the assistance of the organizers listed.

Proteomic Contributions to Medicinal Plant Research: From Plant Metabolism to Pharmacological Action

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akiko Hashiguchi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Herbal medicine is a clinical practice of utilizing medicinal plant derivatives for therapeutic purposes. It has an enduring history worldwide and plays a significant role in the fight against various diseases. Herbal drug combinations often exhibit synergistic therapeutic action compared with single-constituent dosage, and can also enhance the cytotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. To explore the mechanism underlying the pharmacological action of herbs, proteomic approaches have been applied to the physiology of medicinal plants and its effects on animals. This review article focuses on the existing proteomics-based medicinal plant research and discusses the following topics: (i plant metabolic pathways that synthesize an array of bioactive compounds; (ii pharmacological action of plants tested using in vivo and in vitro studies; and (iii the application of proteomic approaches to indigenous plants with scarce sequence information. The accumulation of proteomic information in a biological or medicinal context may help in formulating the effective use of medicinal plants.

Green infrastructure and ecosystem services - is the devil in the detail?

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Ross W F; Blanuša, Tijana

2016-09-01

Green infrastructure is a strategic network of green spaces designed to deliver ecosystem services to human communities. Green infrastructure is a convenient concept for urban policy makers, but the term is used too generically and with limited understanding of the relative values or benefits of different types of green space and how these complement one another. At a finer scale/more practical level, little consideration is given to the composition of the plant communities, yet this is what ultimately defines the extent of service provision. This paper calls for greater attention to be paid to urban plantings with respect to ecosystem service delivery and for plant science to engage more fully in identifying those plants that promote various services. Many urban plantings are designed based on aesthetics alone, with limited thought on how plant choice/composition provides other ecosystem services. Research is beginning to demonstrate, however, that landscape plants provide a range of important services, such as helping mitigate floods and alleviating heat islands, but that not all species are equally effective. The paper reviews a number of important services and demonstrates how genotype choice radically affects service delivery. Although research is in its infancy, data are being generated that relate plant traits to specific services, thereby helping identify genotypes that optimize service delivery. The urban environment, however, will become exceedingly bland if future planting is simply restricted to monocultures of a few 'functional' genotypes. Therefore, further information is required on how to design plant communities where the plants identified (1) provide more than a single benefit (multifunctionality), (B) complement each other in maximizing the range of benefits that can be delivered in one location, and (3) continue to maintain public acceptance through diversity. The identification/development of functional landscape plants is an exciting and

NATO Advanced Research Institute on Health Services Systems

CERN Document Server

Werff, Albert; Hirsch, Gary; Barnard, Keith

1984-01-01

The Advanced Research Institute on "Health Services Systems" was held under the auspices of the NATO Special Programme Panel on Systems Science as a part of the NATO Science Committee's continuous effort to promote the advancement of science through international cooperation. A special word is said in this respect supra by Pro­ fessor Checkland, Chairman of the Systems Science Panel. The Advanced Research Institute (ARI) was organized for the purpose of bringing together senior scientists to seek a consensus on the assessment of the present state of knowledge on the specific topic of "health services systems" and to present views and recom­ mendations for future health services research directions, which should be of value to both the scientific community and the people in charge of reorienting health services. The conference was structured so as to permit the assembly of a variety of complementary viewpoints through intensive group discussions to be the basis of this final report. Invitees were selected fr...

Service Learning: Applications and Research in Business

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Christine P.

2007-01-01

Researchers have described "service learning" as an ideal way to integrate experiential education into coursework while meeting community needs and imbuing students with civic responsibility. They have advocated service learning in business as a method to implement course concepts and increase student understanding of the external environment. In…

In-service inspection of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This Manual is intended to provide more comprehensive considerations on the management, organization, preparation, improvement and implementation of in-service inspection activities and the related surveillance. It also gives illustrative examples of good practices and recommendations from operating and other organizations that are consistent with the requirements and recommendations of the Code and Safety Guides. The Manual is directed primarily towards plant management. This Manual should be used in conjunction with the Code and the Safety Guides, in particular with IAEA Safety Series Nos. 50-C-O, 50-SG-O2, 50-SG-05, 50-SG-07, 50-SG-08 and 50-SG-D1, which contain recommendations of a general character about maintenance activities and radiation protection in an operating power plant, and with the 'Manual on the Maintenance of Systems and Components Important to Safety'. This Manual is divided into four technical sections. The first introduces the purpose, structure and main requirements of the programme. The second section describes constituents of the programme, recommending its scope, scheduling, acceptance standards and documentation of results. The following section goes into details of the inspection programme's contents, such as the selection of components, inspection locations, defect types, applicable techniques and procedures, and the evaluation of results. The last section specifies recommended methods and techniques for inspection, such as visual, ultrasonic, eddy current, magnetic particle and others. This main part of the Manual is complemented by a number of annexes which reproduce actual national examples of established procedures, ISI programme parts, acceptance standards, personnel training programmes, testing techniques and other aspects of in-service inspection, illustrating practical implementation of the recommendations of the Manual

The role of national consultant services industries to support the first nuclear power plant programme in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dharu Dewi; Sahala Lumbanraja; Sriyana

2007-01-01

Study has been done which concerning the role of Indonesian National Consultant Services Industries to support the First Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Programme in Indonesia. NPP programme activities will be success if the studies should be started with good planning. To obtain the optimal results, the opportunity and the role of national consultants should be considered to the localization of NPP Programme to be bigger. Utilizing of national consultants services can be expected to become second opinion which is to play important role in socialization of NPP Programme. The Government and NPP Project Owner's candidate should analysis, plan and implement the Nuclear Power Plant Programme activities, started from identification of the available national consultants, considering the national consults procurement process, definition of scope of works of national consultants activities, carry out the selection of national consultants, evaluation, monitoring and supervision so that the utilizing of national consultants will give benefit more effective, efficient, economic appropriate objectives and good quality. This study to assess the structure and type of national consultants, works package which can be done by national consultants, selection methods of national consultants, constraints of national consultants and enhancing of the role of national consultants to involve and support in the nuclear power plant programme in Indonesia. The research methods are literature study, consultation with resource person and exploring of website/internet. (author)

Plant-specific evaluations of Transamerica Delaval diesel engines for nuclear service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dingee, D.A.; Laity, W.W.; Nesbitt, J.F.

1985-03-01

This paper discusses the approach taken to evlauate the readiness of Transamerica Delaval, Inc. (TDI) diesel generators for nuclear service at five power plants: Catawba, Comanche Peak, Grand Gulf, San Onofre, and Shoreham. TDI engines in these and other nuclear power plants have been the subject of a coordinated effort by 13 nuclear utilities to address reliability and quality issues. The utilities formed the TDI Diesel Generator Owners' Group and prepared a comprehensive plan for requalifying the engines as emergency power sources. Prior to full implementation of the plan by the Owners' Group and final review of the findings by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, several member plants became candidates for operating licenses. The TDI engines in those plants, including the five listed above, were evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the factors discussed in this paper. 2 refs

Health Services Research for Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarty, Dennis; Roman, Paul M; Sorensen, James; Weisner, Constance

2009-01-01

Health services research is a multidisciplinary field that examines ways to organize, manage, finance, and deliver high-quality care. This specialty within substance abuse research developed from policy analyses and needs assessments that shaped federal policy and promoted system development in the 1970s. After the authorization of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), patient information systems supported studies of treatment processes and outcomes. Health services research grew substantially in the 1990s when NIAAA and NIDA moved into the National Institutes of Health and legislation allocated 15% of their research portfolio to services research. The next decade will emphasize research on quality of care, adoption and use of evidence-based practices (including medication), financing reforms and integration of substance abuse treatment with primary care and mental health services.

RATU - Nuclear power plant structural safety research programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rintamaa, R.

1992-07-01

Studies on the structural materials in nuclear power plants create the experimental data and background information necessary for the structural integrity assessments of mechanical components. The research is carried out by developing experimental fracture mechanics methods including statistical analysis methods of materials property data, and by studying material ageing and, in particular, mechanisms of material deterioration due to neutron irradiation, corrosion and water chemistry. Besides material studies, new testing methods and sensors for measurement of loading and water chemistry parameters have been developed. The monitoring data obtained in real power plants has been used to simulate more precisely the real environment during laboratory tests. The research on structural analysis has focused on extending and verifying the analysis capabilities for structural assessments of nuclear power plants. A widely applicable system including various computational fracture assessment methods has been created with which different structural problems can be solved reliably and effectively. Research on reliability assessment of maintenance in nuclear power plants is directed to practical case studies on components and structures of safety importance, and to the development of models for maintenance related decision support. A systematic analysis of motor-operated valve has been performed

Study and discussion on management of nuclear island in-service inspection procedure system in nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xueliang; Fan Yancheng

2014-01-01

In-service inspection of nuclear island is the important way for keeping safety operation of nuclear power plant. Taking Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant as example, the management problems of in-service inspection system was studied and discussed from the angle of references, contents, classifications etc. Based on comparison with French practice, some points of view on perfection of in-service inspection system and improvement of management ability under future multi-bases and multi-units management mode were presented. (authors)

CASE STUDY: Uzbekistan — Competition research improves services

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

2010-12-22

Dec 22, 2010 ... Small Grants Competition for Distribution Sector Research ... restrictive business practices in international money transfer services and find ways to .... through its own methodology on analyzing the financial services market [.

Preliminary construction of a service provider--informed domestic violence research agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Christine E; Welch, Metoka L

2010-12-01

This article presents the results of a statewide survey of domestic violence (DV) service providers that focused on the needs, background characteristics, and opinions of service providers related to research. The survey included an examination of service providers' motivation for working in the field, research background and training, and perceptions of research as well as the topics they believe are important for researchers to study, the resources they consult to learn about DV, and their suggestions to help researchers learn more about the nature of their work. The results are integrated into a preliminary agenda for future DV research that accounts for the needs and insight of service providers.

From plant genomes to phenotypes

OpenAIRE

Bolger, Marie; Gundlach, Heidrun; Scholz, Uwe; Mayer, Klaus; Usadel, Björn; Schwacke, Rainer; Schmutzer, Thomas; Chen, Jinbo; Arend, Daniel; Oppermann, Markus; Weise, Stephan; Lange, Matthias; Fiorani, Fabio; Spannagl, Manuel

2017-01-01

Recent advances in sequencing technologies have greatly accelerated the rate of plant genome and applied breeding research. Despite this advancing trend, plant genomes continue to present numerous difficulties to the standard tools and pipelines not only for genome assembly but also gene annotation and downstream analysis.Here we give a perspective on tools, resources and services necessary to assemble and analyze plant genomes and link them to plant phenotypes.

Service Robotics in Healthcare: A Perspective for Information Systems Researchers?

OpenAIRE

Garmann-Johnsen, Niels Frederik; Mettler, Tobias; Sprenger, Michaela

2014-01-01

Recent advances in electronics and telecommunication have paved the way for service robots to enter the clinical world. While service robotics has long been a core research theme in computer science and other engineering-related fields, it has attracted little interest of Information Systems (IS) researchers so far. We argue that service robotics represents an interesting area of investigation, especially for healthcare, since current research lacks a thorough examination of socio-technical p...

2009 Plant Lipids: Structure, Metabolism & Function Gordon Research Conference - February 1- 6 ,2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kent D. Chapman

2009-02-06

The Gordon Research Conference on 'Plant Lipids: Structure, Metabolism and Function' has been instituted to accelerate research productivity in the field of plant lipids. This conference will facilitate wide dissemination of research breakthroughs, support recruitment of young scientists to the field of plant lipid metabolism and encourage broad participation of the plant lipid community in guiding future directions for research in plant lipids. This conference will build upon the strengths of the successful, previous biannual meetings of the National Plant Lipid Cooperative (www.plantlipids.org) that began in 1993, but will reflect a broader scope of topics to include the biochemistry, cell biology, metabolic regulation, and signaling functions of plant acyl lipids. Most importantly, this conference also will serve as a physical focal point for the interaction of the plant lipid research community. Applications to attend this conference will be open to all researchers interested in plant lipids and will provide a venue for the presentation of the latest research results, networking opportunities for young scientists, and a forum for the development and exchange of useful lipid resources and new ideas. By bringing together senior- and junior-level scientists involved in plant lipid metabolism, a broad range of insights will be shared and the community of plant lipid researchers will function more as a network of vested partners. This is important for the vitality of the research community and for the perceived value that will encourage conference attendance into the future.

2009 Plant Cell Walls Gordon Research Conference-August 2-7,2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohnen, Debra [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

2009-08-07

Plant cell walls are a complex cellular compartment essential for plant growth, development and response to biotic and abiotic stress and a major biological resource for meeting our future bioenergy and natural product needs. The goal of the 2009 Plant Cell Walls Gordon Research Conference is to summarize and critically evaluate the current level of understanding of the structure, synthesis and function of the whole plant extracellular matrix, including the polysaccharides, proteins, lignin and waxes that comprise the wall, and the enzymes and regulatory proteins that drive wall synthesis and modification. Innovative techniques to study how both primary and secondary wall polymers are formed and modified throughout plant growth will be emphasized, including rapid advances taking place in the use of anti-wall antibodies and carbohydrate binding proteins, comparative and evolutionary wall genomics, and the use of mutants and natural variants to understand and identify wall structure-function relationships. Discussions of essential research advances needed to push the field forward toward a systems biology approach will be highlighted. The meeting will include a commemorative lecture in honor of the career and accomplishments of the late Emeritus Professor Bruce A. Stone, a pioneer in wall research who contributed over 40 years of outstanding studies on plant cell wall structure, function, synthesis and remodeling including emphasis on plant cell wall beta-glucans and arabinogalactans. The dwindling supply of fossil fuels will not suffice to meet our future energy and industrial product needs. Plant biomass is the renewable resource that will fill a large part of the void left by vanishing fossil fuels. It is therefore critical that basic research scientists interact closely with industrial researchers to critically evaluate the current state of knowledge regarding how plant biomass, which is largely plant cell walls, is synthesized and utilized by the plant. A final

Key insights for the future of urban ecosystem services research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peleg Kremer

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Understanding the dynamics of urban ecosystem services is a necessary requirement for adequate planning, management, and governance of urban green infrastructure. Through the three-year Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (URBES research project, we conducted case study and comparative research on urban biodiversity and ecosystem services across seven cities in Europe and the United States. Reviewing > 50 peer-reviewed publications from the project, we present and discuss seven key insights that reflect cumulative findings from the project as well as the state-of-the-art knowledge in urban ecosystem services research. The insights from our review indicate that cross-sectoral, multiscale, interdisciplinary research is beginning to provide a solid scientific foundation for applying the ecosystem services framework in urban areas and land management. Our review offers a foundation for seeking novel, nature-based solutions to emerging urban challenges such as wicked environmental change issues.

Savannah River Plant engineering and design history. Volume 4: 300/700 Areas & general services and facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1957-01-01

The primary function of the 300 Area is the production and preparation of the fuel and target elements required for the 100 Area production reactors. Uranium slugs and lithium-aluminium alloy control and blanket rods are prepared in separate structures. Other facilities include a test pile, a physics assembly laboratory, an office and change house, an electrical substation, and various service facilities such as rail lines, roads, sewers, steam and water distribution lines, etc. The 700 Area contains housing and facilities for plant management, general plant services, and certain technical activities. The technical buildings include the Main Technical Laboratory, the Waste Concentration Building, the Health Physics Headquarters, and the Health Physics Calibration building. Sections of this report describe the following: development of the 300-M Area; selection and description of process; design of main facilities of the 300 Area; development of the 700-A Area; design of the main facilities of the 700 Area; and general services and facilities, including transportation, plant protection, waste disposal and drainage, site work, pilot plants, storage, and furniture and fixtures.

Implementing an online pharmaceutical service using design science research.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapão, Luís Velez; da Silva, Miguel Mira; Gregório, João

2017-03-27

The rising prevalence of chronic diseases is pressing health systems to introduce reforms. Primary healthcare and multidisciplinary models have been suggested as approaches to deal with this challenge, with new roles for nurses and pharmacists being advocated. More recently, implementing healthcare based on information systems and technologies (e.g. eHealth) has been proposed as a way to improve health services. However, implementing online pharmaceutical services, including their adoption by pharmacists and patients, is still an open research question. In this paper we present ePharmacare, a new online pharmaceutical service implemented using Design Science Research. The Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) was chosen to implement this online service for chronic diseases management. In the paper, DSRM's different activities are explained, from the definition of the problem to the evaluation of the artifact. During the design and development activities, surveys, observations, focus groups, and eye-tracking glasses were used to validate pharmacists' and patients' requirements. During the demonstration and evaluation activities the new service was used with real-world pharmacists and patients. The results show the contribution of DSRM in the implementation of online services for pharmacies. We found that pharmacists spend only 50% of their time interacting with patients, uncovering a clear opportunity to implement online pharmaceutical care services. On the other hand, patients that regularly visit the same pharmacy recognize the value in patient follow-up demanding to use channels such as the Internet for their pharmacy interactions. Limitations were identified regarding the high workload of pharmacists, but particularly their lack of know-how and experience in dealing with information systems (IST) for the provision of pharmaceutical services. This paper summarizes a research project in which an online pharmaceutical service was proposed, designed, developed

Cultural Ecosystem Services: A Literature Review and Prospects for Future Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andra Ioana. Milcu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Cultural ecosystem services constitute a growing field of research that is characterized by an increasing number of publications from various academic disciplines. We conducted a semiquantitative review of publications explicitly dealing with cultural ecosystem services. Our aims were: (1 to provide an overview of the current state of research, (2 to classify the diversity of research approaches by identifying clusters of publications that address cultural ecosystem services in similar ways, and (3 to highlight some important challenges for the future of cultural ecosystem services research. We reviewed 107 publications and extracted 20 attributes describing their type and content, including methods, scales, drivers of change, and trade-offs between services. Using a cluster analysis on a subset of attributes we identified five groups of publications: Group 1, conceptual focus, deals with theoretical issues; Group 2, descriptive reviews, consists mostly of desktop studies; Group 3, localized outcomes, deals with case studies coming from different disciplines; Group 4, social and participatory, deals mainly with assessing preferences and perceptions; and Group 5, economic assessments, provides economic valuations. Emerging themes in cultural ecosystem services research relate to improving methods for cultural ecosystem services valuation, studying cultural ecosystem services in the context of ecosystem service bundles, and more clearly articulating policy implications. Based on our findings, we conclude that: (1 cultural ecosystem services are well placed as a tool to bridge gaps between different academic disciplines and research communities, (2 capitalizing on the societal relevance of cultural ecosystem services could help address real-world problems, and (3 cultural ecosystem services have the potential to foster new conceptual links between alternative logics relating to a variety of social and ecological issues.

Scenario of research on Food Service in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flávia Milagres CAMPOS

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: The present study aims to investigate the scenario of research on Food Service in Brazil based on the Stricto Sensu Graduate Programs in Nutrition, research groups, and scientific production. Methods: A search of the research lines including studies related to this topic and the researchers engaged in those studies was conducted. The research groups were identified on the Directory of Research Groups in Brazil website and the profile of the scientific production was based on articles included in the Scientific Electronic Library Online database. Articles published in international journals that were related to research lines focused on food production were also searched and analyzed. Results: The search identified only two graduate programs with research lines that describe the food production as the object of study although 13 graduate programs carry out research related to Food Service, especially focused on nutritional and sanitary aspects of food. The same trend was observed in the national articles. The internationalization of these two research line results from the academic publication in 22 different journals over the past 5 years. Thirty five professors were identified and most of them hold a PhD in Food Science and Technology. The number of research groups increased from two in 2000 to twenty nine in 2010. Conclusion: The inclusion of Food Service in graduate programs is still limited. The main trend observed is towards a closer relationship with Food Science and Technology in terms of the lines of research, professional qualification, and published studies.

LiGA Research and Service at CAMD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goettert, Jost; Datta, Proyag; Desta, Yohannes; Jin, Yoonyoung; Ling Zhonggeng; Singh, Varshni

2006-01-01

Since 1995 CAMD has been offering exposure services, so called print shop for a variety of users interested in making precision High-Aspect-Ratio Microstructures (HARMST) for various application. Services have been expanded beyond only the print shop service in recent years and now include x-ray mask fabrication, substrate preparation for PMMA and SU- 8 resists, electroplating, finishing and molding. Metallic and polymeric parts are now routinely fabricated for precision engineering, micro-fluidic and micro-optic applications. This paper presents a brief overview of the actual status of LiGA services provided at CAMD including ongoing research efforts and examples of LiGA components for different applications

Research and development in power plant engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riedle, K.; Taud, R.

2001-01-01

Research and development are a bridge for visions that are escorted to a successful market introduction. Also in power plant engineering, research and development are a lever with which the product power plant, its technology and processes can be adapted to the quickly changing future market. In the overview given by this paper, therefore at first the development boosters and targets are outlined from the viewpoint of the market; then the available technology portfolio is addressed in a concise way. Targets for the development can be seen from the support programmes of the governments. Before a preview is given, some development topics from the point of view of the manufacturer are introduced. (orig.) [de

Nuclear power plant Severe Accident Research Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larkins, J.T.; Cunningham, M.A.

1983-01-01

The Severe Accident Research Plan (SARP) will provide technical information necessary to support regulatory decisions in the severe accident area for existing or planned nuclear power plants, and covers research for the time period of January 1982 through January 1986. SARP will develop generic bases to determine how safe the plants are and where and how their level of safety ought to be improved. The analysis to address these issues will be performed using improved probabilistic risk assessment methodology, as benchmarked to more exact data and analysis. There are thirteen program elements in the plan and the work is phased in two parts, with the first phase being completed in early 1984, at which time an assessment will be made whether or not any major changes will be recommended to the Commission for operating plants to handle severe accidents. Additionally at this time, all of the thirteen program elements in Chapter 5 will be reviewed and assessed in terms of how much additional work is necessary and where major impacts in probabilistic risk assessment might be achieved. Confirmatory research will be carried out in phase II to provide additional assurance on the appropriateness of phase I decisions. Most of this work will be concluded by early 1986

Analysis Of Provided Service Quality In Flowers And Living Plants Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Poliaková, Adela

2015-06-01

This paper analyses quality of the living flowers and plants transportation. A part of this paper compares the demands for a particular transport mode and a practical demonstration of these transport modes within a specific transport mode. The paper presents a survey of quality of services provided by individual transport modes.

Long term operation of nuclear power plants – IAEA SALTO peer review service and its results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krivanek, Robert, E-mail: r.krivanek@iaea.org

2014-12-15

Highlights: • SALTO peer review service is designed for reviewing of ageing management and NPPs’ preparedness LTO. • It has been established as an effective tool to review the compliance with IAEA safety standards. • The important issues for safe LTO are being identified by SALTO missions. • Analysis of those issues is provided in the paper. • This peer review service is strongly recommended for NPPs prior to entering LTO period. - Abstract: This paper presents main IAEA activities for safe long term operation (LTO) which includes establishment of IAEA Safety Standards and other LTO related documents, fostering information exchange and establishing databases and provision of SALTO (Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation) peer review service. This paper provides insights into IAEA SALTO peer review service objectives, scope and methodology. The SALTO peer review service was designed to assist nuclear power plant (NPP) operators in adopting a proper approach to LTO of their plants and in implementing complete and appropriate activities to ensure that plant safety will be maintained during the LTO period. The SALTO peer review service can also support regulators in establishing or improving regulatory and licensing strategies for LTO of NPPs. Issues derived from 19 SALTO missions and 2 LTO modules of OSART (Operational Safety Review Team) missions conducted during the period of 2005 to March 2014 are also analyzed in this paper.

The selective application of quality assurance activities to nuclear power plant items and services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, J.W.

1982-01-01

The definition of quality assurance and the criteria for a quality assurance programme that are contained in both national and international codes and standards provide the principle of selective application of quality assurance activities for cost-effective results. The effective implementation of this principle requires a systematic and disciplined methodology that should be established by or for the owner at the beginning of a nuclear power plant project. The methodology that has proven to be successful generally includes a uniform method of classifying plant items and services at their lowest level of unit assembly and using that classification in the selection of applicable quality assurance activities and the specification of appropriate requirements for those activities. The applicable quality assurance activities are those to be implemented by the organizations designing, manufacturing, installing and operating plant items or performing support services. The methods and techniques provided illustrate the methodology and are one way by which a nuclear power plant project may translate the principle into application in order to achieve the desired results. (author)

Beliefs concerning the reliability of nuclear power plant in-service inspections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kettunen, J.

1997-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate belief systems held by the officials responsible for the planning and supervision of NDT operations within the Finnish nuclear industry. They were asked to express their opinions on (1) the reliability of NDT methods in general, (2) the factors influencing the reliability of in-service inspections, and (3) the degree of reliability of the current inspections operations conducted by means of NDT methods in the Finnish nuclear power plants. Another goal of the study was to assess the adequacy of officials' beliefs (or belief systems). The research data was collected by interviewing representatives from Finnish power companies (Imatran Voima Oy and Teollisuuden Voima Oy), independent inspection organisations, and the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK). The adequacy of the beliefs expressed was assessed by means of the results obtained from international NDT reliability studies and on the basis of interviewees' own justification. (refs.)

Apparel Merchandising Students Learn Customer Service Strategies while Conducting Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulins, V, Ann

2000-01-01

Apparel merchandising students participated in a cooperative research project in which they observed customer service techniques by posing as customers in retail stores. The project taught research processes, collaboration, and principles of customer service. (SK)

Framing design research for service orientation through PSS approaches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakao, Tomohiko; Sandström, Gunilla Ölundh; Matzen, Detlef

2009-01-01

on the literature analysis, the authors present three crucial dimensions for service oriented design research, i.e. an offer dimension representing products and services, a provider dimension, and a customer/user dimension. In addition, three research targets are proposed; PSS-offer modelling, PSS development......, and PSS potential. Furthermore, several promising future research directions are identified. These include evaluating economic consequences or environmental benefits, establishing terminology, organizational issues, and developing methods and tools to support designers. The boundaries to other research...... fields are getting blurry and many aspects of other professionalisms must be taken into account. Thus, there is especially need in future research to open towards other research areas....

Research of the Power Plant Operational Modes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koismynina Nina M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this article the algorithm of the power plant operational modes research is offered. According to this algorithm the program for the modes analysis and connection power transformers choice is developed. The program can be used as educational means for studying of the power plant electric part, at the same time basic data are provided. Also the program can be used for the analysis of the working power plants modes. Checks of the entered data completeness and a choice correctness of the operational modes are provided in the program; in all cases of a deviation from the correct decisions to the user the relevant information is given.

Medicinal Plant Research Group, School of Pharmacy, College of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Medicinal Plant Research Group, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi,. P.O. Box 19676-00202, ... of plant used, the dosage form and procedures for preparation and ... by thermal gravimetric methods. In finely.

Applied research and service activities at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Facility (MURR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alger, D.M.

1987-01-01

The University Of Missouri operates MURR to provide an intense source of neutron and gamma radiation for research and applications by experimenters from its four campuses and by experimenters from other universities, government and industry. The 10 MW reactor, which has been operating an average of 155 hours per week for the past eight years, produces thermal neutron fluxes up to 6-7x10 14 n/cm 2 -s in the central flux trap and beamport source fluxes of up to 1.2x10 14 n/cm 2 -s. The mission of the reactor facility, to promote research, education and service, is the same as the overall mission of the university and therefore, applied research and service supported by industrial firms have been welcomed. The university recognized after a few years of reactor operation that in order to build utilization, it would be necessary to develop in-house research programs including people, equipment and activity so that potential users could more easily and quickly obtain the results needed. Nine research areas have been developed to create a broadly based program to support the level of activity needed to justify the cost of operating the facility. Applied research and service generate financial support for about one-half of the annual budget. The applied and service programs provide strong motivation for university/industry association in addition to the income generated. (author)

Maintenance services of nuclear power plant using 3D as-built database management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okumura, Kazutaka; Nakashima, Kazuhito; Mori, Norimasa; Azuma, Takashi

2017-01-01

Three dimensional As-built DAtabase Management System (NUSEC-ADAMS) is a system whose goal is to produce economical, speedy and accurate maintenance services of nuclear power plants by using 3D point group data. This system makes it possible to understand the plant situation remotely without field measurements. 3D point group data are collected before and after plant equipment installations, and it is stored to database after converted to viewable data on the web. Therefore, it can be shared in domestic network of a company and it can be connected with system diagram, specification of equipment, and additional information (e.g. maintenance record) by registering key information between 3D point group data and equipment's data. Thus, it reduces workload of pre-job field survey and improves work efficiency. In case of problem at a plant, if 3D as-built data is set to be seen on the network, it is possible to understand accurate information and the cause remotely in the beginning of problem. Collecting 3D point group data and updating database continuously keep as-built information up to date, therefore it improves accuracy of off-site study, and plant situation can be grasped timely. As a result, we can reduce workload and improve quality of maintenance services of nuclear power plants. (author)

Using life strategies to explore the vulnerability of ecosystem services to invasion by alien plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vicente, J.; Pinro, A.; Araujo, M.; Lomba, A.; Randin, C.; Guisan, A.; Honrado, J.; Verburg, P.H.

2013-01-01

Invasive plants can have different effects on ecosystem functioning and on the provision of ecosystem services, with the direction and magnitude of such effects depending on the service and ecosystem being considered, but also on the life strategies of the invaders. Strategies can influence

Life extension, power upgrade, and return to service work for Pickering NGS and other PWR and CANDU plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Millman, J.; Idvorian, N.; Schneider, W.

2002-01-01

Work on life extension, power upgrade and return to service has been performed and is in progress for a number of PWR and CANDU plants. For PWR plants, power upgrade work has been done for the new replacement steam generators in several cases. This work consists of redoing the formal equipment qualification analysis and reports for the uprated operating conditions to support the application for license adjustment. Life extension assessments have been performed for several CANDU plants. These are highly detailed assessments in which the particular steam generator is reassessed part by part as to the ability of each to sustain full life operation and also extended life operation. Return to service work for Pickering NGSA specifically has included this type of assessment and also specific repair, cleaning and retrofit activities including secondary side inspection, waterlancing, divider plate repair, eddy current inspection, etc. Steam generator modifications and retrofit work have been performed in a number of cases. The paper discusses various life extension, power upgrade, equipment modification and return to service activities all of which are part of the renewed drive in the industry to realise the full potential of nuclear plants by getting more and better performance from the extended service of existing plants. (author)

Service quality in alcohol treatment: a research note.

Science.gov (United States)

Resnick, Sheilagh M; Griffiths, Mark D

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate service quality in a UK privately funded alcohol treatment clinic. Data were gathered via interviews with two groups of participants using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The first group comprised 32 patients and the second 15 clinic staff. The SERVQUAL instrument measures service quality expectations and perceptions across five service dimensions and identifies gaps between service expectations and perceptions of what was delivered. Patients' service quality expectations were exceeded on four of five dimensions. However, staff members felt services fell below expectations on four of five dimensions with the "reliability" service dimension emerging as the common service element falling below expectations for both participant groups. It was concluded that achieving consistent service delivery and increasing empathy between staff and patients improves overall service quality perceptions. The paper relies on self-report methods from a relatively small number of individuals. There have been limited research studies measuring alcohol treatment service quality in the private sector.

The use of "mixing" procedure of mixed methods in health services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wanqing; Creswell, John

2013-08-01

Mixed methods research has emerged alongside qualitative and quantitative approaches as an important tool for health services researchers. Despite growing interest, among health services researchers, in using mixed methods designs, little has been done to identify the procedural aspects of doing so. To describe how mixed methods researchers mix the qualitative and quantitative aspects of their studies in health services research. We searched the PubMed for articles, using mixed methods in health services research, published between January 1, 2006 and December 30, 2010. We identified and reviewed 30 published health services research articles on studies in which mixed methods had been used. We selected 3 articles as illustrations to help health services researcher conceptualize the type of mixing procedures that they were using. Three main "mixing" procedures have been applied within these studies: (1) the researchers analyzed the 2 types of data at the same time but separately and integrated the results during interpretation; (2) the researchers connected the qualitative and quantitative portions in phases in such a way that 1 approach was built upon the findings of the other approach; and (3) the researchers mixed the 2 data types by embedding the analysis of 1 data type within the other. "Mixing" in mixed methods is more than just the combination of 2 independent components of the quantitative and qualitative data. The use of "mixing" procedure in health services research involves the integration, connection, and embedding of these 2 data components.

Siemens's spectrum of deliveries and services for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

In 2001, Siemens and Framatome merged their nuclear activities in the present Areva NP joint venture. Siemens has since focused on the construction and further development of conventional power plants and on the so-called conventional island (CI), the non-nuclear part of a nuclear power plant, i.e. the steam turbine, generator, and plant I and C systems, and also on service for the conventional part of nuclear power plants. Its role as a minority shareholder in Areva NP constrained Siemens. For this reason, the company in January 2009 decided to terminate its interest in Areva NP effective January 30, 2012. By January 2012 at the latest, Siemens will transfer to the majority shareholder Areva, holding 66 percent of the shares, its interest in the joint venture. For the time being, the joint venture still entails certain limitations to Siemens's activities in the nuclear field. Its delivery of the conventional island for the Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) nuclear power plant in Finland confirms the company's know-how in power plant construction. When commissioned, its 1,720 MW power will make OL3 the world's largest nuclear generating unit. The turbo-generator of the CI comprises a double-flow HP turbine and a 6-flow LP turbine. The driven 4-pole generator with a power of up to 2,200 MVA consists of a water-cooled stator and a hydrogen-cooled rotor. (orig.)

Nuclear containment systems and in-service inspection status of Korea nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jihong, Park; Jaekeun, Hong; Banuk, Park [Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, Dept. of Authorized Test and Evaluation, Kyungnam (Korea, Republic of)

2007-07-01

20 unit nuclear power plants in Korea have been operated and maintained since the first unit started in commercial service in 1978. Most recently 4 units were under construction and several units were planned to be constructed. by industries. 4 types of nuclear containment systems have been constructed until now: first, metal containments, then pre-stressed concrete containments with grouted tendon systems, followed by pre-stressed concrete containments with un-grouted tendon systems, and Korea standard nuclear containments. All the nuclear containments should be inspected periodically. Therefore for periodic in-service inspection, several appropriate technical requirements should be applied differently depending on the specific nuclear containment types. With the changes of times, nuclear containment systems have undergone a remarkable change, and finally nuclear containment system of Korea standard nuclear power plant was settled down, and as a matter of course it dominates the trend of present and future nuclear containment systems. Overall in-service inspection results of most Korea nuclear containments have not showed any serious evidence of degradation.

Not all GMOs are crop plants: non-plant GMO applications in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Hokanson, K E; Dawson, W O; Handler, A M; Schetelig, M F; St Leger, R J

2014-12-01

Since tools of modern biotechnology have become available, the most commonly applied and often discussed genetically modified organisms are genetically modified crop plants, although genetic engineering is also being used successfully in organisms other than plants, including bacteria, fungi, insects, and viruses. Many of these organisms, as with crop plants, are being engineered for applications in agriculture, to control plant insect pests or diseases. This paper reviews the genetically modified non-plant organisms that have been the subject of permit approvals for environmental release by the United States Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service since the US began regulating genetically modified organisms. This is an indication of the breadth and progress of research in the area of non-plant genetically modified organisms. This review includes three examples of promising research on non-plant genetically modified organisms for application in agriculture: (1) insects for insect pest control using improved vector systems; (2) fungal pathogens of insects to control insect pests; and (3) virus for use as transient-expression vectors for disease control in plants.

ICT Requirements and Challenges for Provision of Grid Services from Renewable Generation Plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shahid, Kamal; Olsen, Rasmus Løvenstein; Petersen, Lennart

2018-01-01

The penetration of renewable energy into the electricity supply mix necessitates the traditional power grid to become more resilient, reliable and efficient. One way of ensuring this is to require renewable power plants to have similar regulating properties as conventional power plants...... applications – in terms of data payloads, sampling rates, latency and reliability. Therefore, this paper presents a brief survey on the control and communication architectures for controlling renewable power plants in the future power grid, including the communication network technologies, requirements...... and to coordinate their grid support services (GSS) as well. Among other requirements, the coordination of GSS will highly depend on the communication between renewable plants and system operators’ control rooms, thereby imposing high responsibility on the under lying communication infrastructure. Despite...

Theory model and experiment research about the cognition reliability of nuclear power plant operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Xiang; Zhao Bingquan

2000-01-01

In order to improve the reliability of NPP operation, the simulation research on the reliability of nuclear power plant operators is needed. Making use of simulator of nuclear power plant as research platform, and taking the present international reliability research model-human cognition reliability for reference, the part of the model is modified according to the actual status of Chinese nuclear power plant operators and the research model of Chinese nuclear power plant operators obtained based on two-parameter Weibull distribution. Experiments about the reliability of nuclear power plant operators are carried out using the two-parameter Weibull distribution research model. Compared with those in the world, the same results are achieved. The research would be beneficial to the operation safety of nuclear power plant

Plant cell engineering: current research, application and future prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xunqing; Liu Luxiang

2008-01-01

This paper reviewed the current status of basic research in plant cell engineering, highlighted the application of embryo culture, double haploid (DH) technology, protoplast culture and somatic hybridization, somaclonal variation, rapid propagation, and bio-products production of plant-origin, and t he prospects. (authors)

Should the service life of nuclear power plants be limited for technical reasons?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schomer, E.

1995-01-01

German nuclear power plant operating licenses take into account the fact that the design lifetime of the facilities is 40 years. The technological lifetime, however, is governed by actual ageing processes and operational burden. The service life of nuclear power plants can be extended by replacement of the steam generator and by repair or replacement of the reactor pressure vessel or parts thereof. Attention is also paid to the reactor protection systems. (J.B.). 8 figs

DOE's foreign research reactor transportation services contract: Perspective and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, John

1997-01-01

DOE committed to low- and moderate-income countries participating in the foreign research reactor spent fuel returns program that the United States government would provide for the transportation of the spent fuel. In fulfillment of that commitment, DOE entered into transportation services contracts with qualified, private-sector firms. NAC will discuss its experience as a transportation services provider, including range of services available to the foreign reactors, advantages to DOE and to the foreign research reactors, access to contract services by high income countries and potential advantages, and experience with initial tasks performed under the contract. (author)

Health services research in urology.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hua-Yin; Ulmer, William; Kowalczyk, Keith J; Hu, Jim C

2011-06-01

Health services research (HSR) is increasingly important given the focus on patient-centered, cost-effective, high-quality health care. We examine how HSR affects contemporary evidence-based urologic practice and its role in shaping future urologic research and care. PubMed, urologic texts, and lay literature were reviewed for terms pertaining to HSR/outcomes research and urologic disease processes. HSR is a broad discipline that focuses on access, cost, and outcomes of Health care. Its use has been applied to a myriad of urologic conditions to identify deficiencies in access, to evaluate cost-effectiveness of therapies, and to evaluate structural, process, and outcome quality measures. HSR utilizes an evidence-based approach to identify the most effective ways to organize/manage, finance, and deliver high-quality urologic care and to tailor care optimized to individuals.

Beyond Assessment: Conducting Theoretically Grounded Research on Service-Learning in Gerontology Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, Tina M; Pearl, Andrew J

2016-01-01

Service-learning is a useful pedagogical tool and high-impact practice, providing multiple benefits. Gerontology (and other) courses frequently include service-learning activities but lack theory-based, intentional research on outcomes. Here, the authors define service-learning and contextualize it in higher education, provide an overview of research and assessment in service-learning and gerontology courses, demonstrate the shortcomings of program evaluations, and offer suggestions for future research to advance and generate theory.

Considerations in the evaluation of concrete structures for continued service in aged Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, D.; Marchbanks, M.; Oland, B.; Arndt, G.; Brown, T.

1989-01-01

Currently, there are /approximately/119 commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the US either under construction, operating at low-to-full power, or awaiting an operating license. Together, these units have a net generating capacity of /approximately/110 GW(e). Assuming no life extension of present facilities, the operating licenses for these plants will start to expire in the middle of the next decade with Yankee Rowe being the first plant to attain this status. Where it is noted that with no life extension of facilities, a potential loss of electrical generating capacity in excess of 75 GW(e) could occur during the time period 2006 to 2020 when the operating licenses of 80 to 90 NPPs are scheduled to expire. A potential timely and cost-effective solution to meeting future electricity demand, which has worked well for non-nuclear generating plants, is to extend the service life (operating licenses) of existing NPPs. Since the concrete components in these plants provide a vital safety function, any continued service considerations must include an in-depth assessment of the safety-related concrete structures. 7 refs

Current state of seagrass ecosystem services: Research and policy integration

KAUST Repository

Ruiz-Frau, A.; Gelcich, S.; Hendriks, I.E.; Duarte, Carlos M.; Marbà , N.

2017-01-01

areas; a type of service research bias, provisioning and regulating services have received extensive attention while cultural services remain understudied; a type of discipline bias, the ecological aspects of SGES have been well documented while economic

A 2-1-1 research collaboration: participant accrual and service quality indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Eddens, Katherine S; Alcaraz, Kassandra I; Kreuter, Matthew W; Rath, Suchitra; Greer, Regina

2012-12-01

In times of crises, 2-1-1 serves as a lifeline in many ways. These crises often cause a spike in call volume that can challenge 2-1-1's ability to meet its service quality standards. For researchers gathering data through 2-1-1s, a sudden increase in call volume might reduce accrual as 2-1-1 has less time to administer study protocols. Research activities imbedded in 2-1-1 systems may affect directly 2-1-1 service quality indicators. Using data from a 2-1-1 research collaboration, this paper examines the impact of crises on call volume to 2-1-1, how call volume affects research participant accrual through 2-1-1, and how research recruitment efforts affect 2-1-1 service quality indicators. t-tests were used to examine the effect of call volume on research participant accrual. Linear and logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of research participant accrual on 2-1-1 service quality indicators. Data were collected June 2010-December 2011; data were analyzed in 2012. Findings from this collaboration suggest that crises causing spikes in call volume adversely affect 2-1-1 service quality indicators as well as accrual of research participants. Administering a brief (2-3 minute) health risk assessment did not affect service quality negatively, but administering a longer (15-18 minute) survey had a modest adverse effect on these indicators. In 2-1-1 research collaborations, both partners need to understand the dynamic relationship among call volume, research accrual, and service quality and adjust expectations accordingly. If research goals include administering a longer survey, increased staffing of 2-1-1 call centers may be needed to avoid compromising service quality. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mixed Methods in Biomedical and Health Services Research

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Leslie A.; Krumholz, Harlan M.; O’Cathain, Alicia; Plano Clark, Vicki L.; Cherlin, Emily; Bradley, Elizabeth H.

2013-01-01

Mixed methods studies, in which qualitative and quantitative methods are combined in a single program of inquiry, can be valuable in biomedical and health services research, where the complementary strengths of each approach can yield greater insight into complex phenomena than either approach alone. Although interest in mixed methods is growing among science funders and investigators, written guidance on how to conduct and assess rigorous mixed methods studies is not readily accessible to the general readership of peer-reviewed biomedical and health services journals. Furthermore, existing guidelines for publishing mixed methods studies are not well known or applied by researchers and journal editors. Accordingly, this paper is intended to serve as a concise, practical resource for readers interested in core principles and practices of mixed methods research. We briefly describe mixed methods approaches and present illustrations from published biomedical and health services literature, including in cardiovascular care, summarize standards for the design and reporting of these studies, and highlight four central considerations for investigators interested in using these methods. PMID:23322807

Aging research program at the LaCrosse nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiBenedetto, P.A.; Goller, K.R.; Sideris, T.

1988-01-01

A research program on the time-dependent, environmentally and operationally induced degradation of components, systems and structures---that is aging---is being conducted at the LaCrosse Boiling Water Reactor (LACBWR) nuclear power plant. In the spring of 1987, Dairyland Power Cooperative, the owner/licensee of the LACBWR plant announced that it was permanently shutting down this plant and intended to decommission it. Shortly thereafter, Dairyland entered into an agreement with DiBenedetto Associates (DBA) to be the exclusive agent and manager of the Aging Research Program (ARP). Wyle Laboratories is the primary supporting contractor to DBA in this effort

Role and position of Nuclear Power Plants Research Institute in nuclear power industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metke, E.

1984-01-01

The Nuclear Power Plants Research Institute carries out applied and experimental research of the operating states of nuclear power plants, of new methods of surveillance and diagnosis of technical equipment, it prepares training of personnel, carries out tests, engineering and technical consultancy and the research of automated control systems. The main research programme of the Institute is the rationalization of raising the safety and operating reliability of WWER nuclear power plants. The Institute is also concerned with quality assurance of selected equipment of nuclear power plants and assembly works, with radioactive waste disposal and the decommissioning of nuclear power plants as well as with the preparation and implementation of the nuclear power plant start-up. The Research Institute is developing various types of equipment, such as equipment for the decontamination of the primary part of the steam generator, a continuous analyzer of chloride levels in water, a gas monitoring instrument, etc. The prospects are listed of the Research Institute and its cooperation with other CMEA member countries. (M.D.)

Research and development towards decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minato, Kazuo

2013-01-01

Towards the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants, science-based research and development is important and useful, as well as technology and engineering development. Research and development activities based on radiation chemistry, radiochemistry, thermodynamics, etc., have contributed to safe and efficient decommissioning of the plants. (author)

Enhancing legume ecosystem services through an understanding of plant-pollinator interplay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Jose eSuso

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Legumes are bee-pollinated, but to a different extent. The importance of the plant-pollinator interplay (PPI, in flowering crops such as legumes lies in a combination of the importance of pollination for the production service and breeding strategies, plus the increasing urgency in mitigating the decline of pollinators through the development and implementation of conservation measures. To realize the full potential of the PPI, a multidisciplinary approach is required. This article assembles an international team of genebank managers, geneticists, plant breeders, experts on environmental governance and agro-ecology, and comprises several sections. The contributions in these sections outline both the state of the art of knowledge in the field and the novel aspects under development, and encompass a range of reviews, opinions and perspectives. The first three sections explore the role of PPI in legume breeding strategies. PPI based approaches to crop improvement can make it possible to adapt and re-design breeding strategies to meet both goals of: 1 optimal productivity, based on an efficient use of pollinators, and 2 biodiversity conservation. The next section deals with entomological aspects and focuses on the protection of the pest control service and pollinators in legume crops. The final section addresses general approaches to encourage the synergy between food production and pollination services at farmer field level. Two basic approaches are proposed: a Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP and b Crop Design System (CDS.

Application of risk-informed methods to in-service piping inspection in Framatome type nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Hoi; Lee, Jeong Seok; Yun, Eun Sub

2014-01-01

The Pressurized water reactor owners group (PWROG) developed and applied a risk-informed in-service inspection (RI-ISI) program, as an alternative to the existing ASME Section XI sampling inspection method. The RI-ISI programs enhance overall safety by focusing inspections of piping at high safety significance (HSS) locations where failure mechanisms are likely to be present. Additionally, the RI-ISI program can reduce nondestructive evaluation (NDE) exams, man-rem exposure for inspectors, and inspection time, among other benefits. The RI-ISI method of in-service piping inspection was applied to 3 units (KSNPs: Korea standard nuclear power plants) and is being deployed to the other units. In this paper, the results of RI-ISI for a Framatome type (France CPI) nuclear power plant are presented. It was concluded that application of RI-ISI to the plant could enhance and maintain plant safety, as well as provide the benefits of greater reliability.

Astroserver - Research Services in the Stellar Webshop

Science.gov (United States)

Németh, Péter

2017-12-01

A quick look at research and development in astronomy shows that we live in exciting times. Exoplanetary systems, supernovae, and merging binary black holes were far out of reach for observers two decades ago and now such phenomena are recorded routinely. This quick development would not have been possible without the ability for researchers to be connected, to think globally and to be mobile. Classical short-term positions are not always suitable to support these conditions and freelancing may be a viable alternative.We introduce the Astroserver framework, which is a new freelancing platform for scientists, and demonstrate through examples how it contributed to some recent projects related to hot subdwarf stars and binaries. These contributions, which included spectroscopic data mining, computing services and observing services, as well as artwork, allowed a deeper look into the investigated systems. The work on composite spectra binaries provided new details for the hypervelocity wide subdwarf binary PB 3877 and found diverse and rare systems with sub-giant companions in high-resolution spectroscopic surveys. The models for the peculiar abundance pattern of the evolved compact star LP 40-365 showed it to be a bound hypervelocity remnant of a supernova Iax event. Some of these works also included data visualizations to help presenting the new results. Such services may be of interest for many researchers.

Integrated modelling of ecosystem services and energy systems research

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwala, Matthew; Lovett, Andrew; Bateman, Ian; Day, Brett; Agnolucci, Paolo; Ziv, Guy

2016-04-01

The UK Government is formally committed to reducing carbon emissions and protecting and improving natural capital and the environment. However, actually delivering on these objectives requires an integrated approach to addressing two parallel challenges: de-carbonising future energy system pathways; and safeguarding natural capital to ensure the continued flow of ecosystem services. Although both emphasise benefiting from natural resources, efforts to connect natural capital and energy systems research have been limited, meaning opportunities to improve management of natural resources and meet society's energy needs could be missed. The ecosystem services paradigm provides a consistent conceptual framework that applies in multiple disciplines across the natural and economic sciences, and facilitates collaboration between them. At the forefront of the field, integrated ecosystem service - economy models have guided public- and private-sector decision making at all levels. Models vary in sophistication from simple spreadsheet tools to complex software packages integrating biophysical, GIS and economic models and draw upon many fields, including ecology, hydrology, geography, systems theory, economics and the social sciences. They also differ in their ability to value changes in natural capital and ecosystem services at various spatial and temporal scales. Despite these differences, current models share a common feature: their treatment of energy systems is superficial at best. In contrast, energy systems research has no widely adopted, unifying conceptual framework that organises thinking about key system components and interactions. Instead, the literature is organised around modelling approaches, including life cycle analyses, econometric investigations, linear programming and computable general equilibrium models. However, some consistencies do emerge. First, often contain a linear set of steps, from exploration to resource supply, fuel processing, conversion

[New materia medica project: synthetic biology based bioactive metabolites research in medicinal plant].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yong

2017-03-25

In the last decade, synthetic biology research has been gradually transited from monocellular parts or devices toward more complex multicellular systems. The emerging plant synthetic biology is regarded as the "next chapter" of synthetic biology. The complex and diverse plant metabolism as the entry point, plant synthetic biology research not only helps us understand how real life is working, but also facilitates us to learn how to design and construct more complex artificial life. Bioactive compounds innovation and large-scale production are expected to be breakthrough with the redesigned plant metabolism as well. In this review, we discuss the research progress in plant synthetic biology and propose the new materia medica project to lift the level of traditional Chinese herbal medicine research.

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Materials Research and Development Program Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G. O. Hayner; E.L. Shaber

2004-09-01

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The NGNP will demonstrate the use of nuclear power for electricity and hydrogen production without greenhouse gas emissions. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, helium-cooled, prismatic or pebble-bed, thermal neutron spectrum reactor that will produce electricity and hydrogen in a state-of-the-art thermodynamically efficient manner. The NGNP will use very high burn-up, low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel and have a projected plant design service life of 60 years.

The MacGyver effect: alive and well in health services research?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moriarty Helen J

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In a manner similar to the television action hero MacGyver, health services researchers need to respond to the pressure of unpredictable demands and constrained time frames. The results are often both innovative and functional, with the creation of outputs that could not have been anticipated in the initial planning and design of the research. Discussion In the conduct of health services research many challenges to robust research processes are generated as a result of the interface between academic research, health policy and implementation agendas. Within a complex and rapidly evolving environment the task of the health services researcher is, therefore, to juggle sometimes contradictory pressures to produce valid results. Summary This paper identifies the MacGyver-type dilemmas which arise in health services research, wherein innovation may be called for, to maintain the intended scientific method and rigour. These 'MacGyver drivers' are framed as opposing issues from the perspective of both academic and public policy communities. The ideas expressed in this paper are illustrated by four examples from research projects positioned at the interface between public policy strategy and academia.

Transportable Hydrogen Research Plant Based on Renewable Energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikel Fernandez; Carlos Madina; Asier Gil de Muro; Jose Angel Alzolab; Iker Marino; Javier Garcia-Tejedor; Juan Carlos Mugica; Inaki Azkkrate; Jose Angel Alzola

2006-01-01

Efficiency and cost are nowadays the most important barriers for the penetration of systems based on hydrogen and renewable energies. According to this background, TECNALIA Corporation has started in 2004 the HIDROTEC project: 'Hydrogen Technologies for Renewable Energy Applications'. The ultimate aim of this project is the implementation of a multipurpose demonstration and research plant in order to explore diverse options for sustainable energetic solutions based on hydrogen. The plant is conceived as an independent system that can be easily transported and assembled. Research and demonstration activities can thus be carried out at very different locations, including commercial renewable facilities. Modularity and scalability have also been taken into account for an optimised exploitation. (authors)

[Research on the original plants of Xian Zhao Zi (Senshosi)].

Science.gov (United States)

Kotaka, Shuji

2008-01-01

Since the Heian period, Xian Zhao Zi (Senshosi) has been used as part of the ceremony believed to help in a healthy pregnancy and safe birth. The purpose of this report is to consider which plants are original Xian Zhao Zi plants. Past research lists certain plants as Xian Zhao Zi, but it was difficult to draw any conclusions.

Old Plants, New Tricks: Phenological Research Using Herbarium Specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Willis, Charles G; Ellwood, Elizabeth R; Primack, Richard B; Davis, Charles C; Pearson, Katelin D; Gallinat, Amanda S; Yost, Jenn M; Nelson, Gil; Mazer, Susan J; Rossington, Natalie L; Sparks, Tim H; Soltis, Pamela S

2017-07-01

The timing of phenological events, such as leaf-out and flowering, strongly influence plant success and their study is vital to understanding how plants will respond to climate change. Phenological research, however, is often limited by the temporal, geographic, or phylogenetic scope of available data. Hundreds of millions of plant specimens in herbaria worldwide offer a potential solution to this problem, especially as digitization efforts drastically improve access to collections. Herbarium specimens represent snapshots of phenological events and have been reliably used to characterize phenological responses to climate. We review the current state of herbarium-based phenological research, identify potential biases and limitations in the collection, digitization, and interpretation of specimen data, and discuss future opportunities for phenological investigations using herbarium specimens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyzing Music Services Positioning Through Qualitative Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Cuadrado

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Information technologies have produced new ways of distributing and consuming music, mainly by youth, in relation to both goods and services. In the case of goods, there has been a dramatic shift from traditional ways of buying and listening to music to new digital platforms. There has also been an evolution in relation to music services. In this sense, live music concerts have been losing their audiences over the past few years, as have music radio stations, in favor of streaming platforms. Curious about this phenomenon, we conducted an exploratory research in order to analyze how all these services, both traditional and new ones were perceived. Specifically, we aimed to study youth´s assessment of the three most relevant music service categories: music radio stations, digital streaming platforms, and pop-rock music festivals. To do so, we used the projective technique of image association to gather information. The population of the study consisted of individuals between 18 and 25 years of age. Our results, after using content analysis, were poor due to spontaneous recall. Therefore, we duplicated the study, but in a more focus-oriented way. Information gathered this time allowed us not only to better know how all these organizations are positioned but also to obtain a list of descriptors to be used in a subsequent descriptive research study.

Current state of seagrass ecosystem services: Research and policy integration

KAUST Repository

Ruiz-Frau, A.

2017-10-12

Seagrasses contribute to the maintenance of human wellbeing. However certain aspects of their role as ecosystem service (ES) providers remain understudied. Here, we synthesise the state of seagrass ES (SGES) research and policy implications. Additionally, we recommend ways in which SGES research can be integrated in to policy design, by drawing lessons from the case of Blue Carbon (BC). SGES research suffers from three main biases: a geographical bias, SGES has been restricted to chartered seagrass areas; a type of service research bias, provisioning and regulating services have received extensive attention while cultural services remain understudied; a type of discipline bias, the ecological aspects of SGES have been well documented while economic and social aspects remain in comparison understudied. These are particularly important, as an understanding of the social and economic considerations of the provision of ES is fundamental to facilitate its integration into policy frameworks. Lessons drawn from the operationalization process of BC show the reoccurrence of certain aspects that have enabled the integration of BC into policy. These aspects are grouped under 4 different categories. From the analysis of these elements we draw lessons that could facilitate the operationalization of other ecosystem services and their incorporation into management policy frameworks.

Repression of fungal plant pathogens and fungal-related contaminants: Selected ecosystem services by soil fauna communities in agroecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer-Wolfarth, Friederike; Schrader, Stefan; Oldenburg, Elisabeth; Brunotte, Joachim; Weinert, Joachim

2017-04-01

In agroecosystems soil-borne fungal plant diseases are major yield-limiting factors which are difficult to control. Fungal plant pathogens, like Fusarium species, survive as a saprophyte in infected tissue like crop residues and endanger the health of the following crop by increasing the infection risk for specific plant diseases. In infected plant organs, these pathogens are able to produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins like deoxynivalenol (DON) persist during storage, are heat resistant and of major concern for human and animal health after consumption of contaminated food and feed, respectively. Among fungivorous soil organisms, there are representatives of the soil fauna which are obviously antagonistic to a Fusarium infection and the contamination with mycotoxins. Specific members of the soil macro-, meso-, and microfauna provide a wide range of ecosystem services including the stimulation of decomposition processes which may result in the regulation of plant pathogens and the degradation of environmental contaminants. Investigations under laboratory conditions and in field were conducted to assess the functional linkage between soil faunal communities and plant pathogenic fungi (Fusarium culmorum). The aim was to examine if Fusarium biomass and the content of its mycotoxin DON decrease substantially in the presence of soil fauna (earthworms: Lumbricus terrestris, collembolans: Folsomia candida and nematodes: Aphelenchoides saprophilus) in a commercial cropping system managed with conservation tillage located in Northern Germany. The results of our investigations pointed out that the degradation performance of the introduced soil fauna must be considered as an important contribution to the biodegradation of fungal plant diseases and fungal-related contaminants. Different size classes within functional groups and the traits of keystone species appear to be significant for soil function and the provision of ecosystem services as in particular L. terrestris revealed to

Application of neutron radiography to plant research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakanishi, Tomoko

1995-01-01

Neutron radiography was used to image plant roots in soils. Soybeans were used as experimental plants. When the length of the soybean root was 3-5 cm, the plant was transferred to an alminum foil and cultivated by adding polyvinyl alcoholic polymer (polymer A) and pulm-derived polymer (polymer B) as water absorbing polymers to soils. Plant samples were removed sequentially and irradiated with neutrons for 19 seconds at the JRR-3M neutron radiography facility. After irradiation, X-ray film images were obtained to observe water dynamics of roots and soils. Neutron images of soybean roots showed that secondary roots had grown on the side of water absorbing polymer-added soils in the case of polymer A, but on the side of non-added soils in the case of polymer B. When polymer B was added just below the soils where roots were grown, root growth was restricted only to the soil surface, and plant growth condition and dry weight were similar to those in the control plants. Thus the design of root shape may be possible by using polymer B. Similar experiment was made on 5 kinds of trees. Images of cross section of Japanese Cypress revealed that water contained in the tree is not always present along with growth ring of the tree. These findings may have an important implication for the potential application of neutron radiography in plant research. (N.K.)

[The Engineering and Technical Services Directorate at the Glenn Research Center

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, James

2004-01-01

My name is James Moon and I am a senior at Tennessee State University where my major is Aeronautical and Industrial Technology with a concentration in industrial electronics. I am currently serving my internship in the Engineering and Technical Services Directorate at the Glenn Research Center (GRC). The Engineering and Technical Service Directorate provides the services and infrastructure for the Glenn Research Center to take research concepts to reality. They provide a full range of integrated services including engineering, advanced prototyping and testing, facility management, and information technology for NASA, industry, and academia. Engineering and Technical Services contains the core knowledge in Information Technology (IT). This includes data systems and analysis, inter and intranet based systems design and data security. Including the design and development of embedded real-time s o h a r e applications for flight and supporting ground systems, Engineering and Technical Services provide a wide range of IT services and products specific to the Glenn Research Center research and engineering community. In the 7000 Directorate I work directly in the 7611 organization. This organization is known as the Aviation Environments Technical Branch. My mentor is Vincent Satterwhite who is also the Branch Chief of the Aviation Environments Technical Branch. In this branch, I serve as the Assistant program manager of the Engineering Technology Program. The Engineering Technology Program (ETP) is one of three components of the High School L.E.R.C.I.P. This is an Agency-sponsored, eight-week research-based apprenticeship program designed to attract traditionally underrepresented high school students that demonstrate an aptitude for and interest in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.

Evaluation of aged concrete structures for continued service in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, D.J.; Marchbanks, M.F.; Arndt, E.G.

1988-01-01

Results are summarized of a study on concrete component aging and its significance relative to continued service of nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond the initial period for which they were granted operating licenses. Progress is presented of a second study being conducted to identify and provide acceptance criteria for structural safety issues which the USNRC staff will need to address when applications are submitted for continued service of NPPs. Major activities under this program include: development of a materials property data base, establishment of structural component assessment and repair procedures, and development of a methodology for determination of structural reliability

Business data processing in the service of quality and safety in nuclear power plant construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chassignet, C.

1980-01-01

Construction of a nuclear power plant implies collection and correlation of several thousand items of information which must be identified and which must remain retrievable throughout the service life of the plant. The Framatome Corporation, which has one of the largest nuclear power plant construction programs in the world, therefore set up a processing and checking system for the documents containing this information. The author describes the functions and principles of this system (known as SHARAD), together with its technical data and its operation [fr

Plant life management and modernisation: Research challenges in the EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rintamaa, R.; Aho-Mantila, I.

2011-01-01

The European network of excellence NULIFE (nuclear plant life prediction) has been launched with a clear focus on integrating safety-oriented research on materials, structures and systems and exploiting the results of this integration through the production of harmonised lifetime assessment methods. NULIFE will help provide a better common understanding of the factors affecting the lifetime of nuclear power plants which, together with associated management methods, will help facilitate safe and economic long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants. In addition, NULIFE will help in the development of design criteria for future generations of nuclear power plant. NULIFE was kicked-off in October 2006 and will work over a 5-year period to create a single organization structure, capable of providing harmonised research and development (R and D) at European level to the nuclear power industry and the related safety authorities. Led by VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland), the project has a total budget in excess of 8 million euros, with over 40 partners drawn from leading research institutions, technical support organizations, electric power utilities and manufacturers throughout Europe. NULIFE also involves many industrial organizations and, in addition to their R and D contributions, these take part in a dedicated End User Group. Over the last 15 years the European Commission has sponsored a significant number of R and D projects under the Euratom Framework Programme and its Joint Research Centre has developed co-operative European Networks for mutual benefits on specific topics related to plant life management. However, their overall impact has been reduced due to fragmentation. These networks are considered forerunners to NULIFE. The importance of the long-term operation of the plants has been recognized at European level, in the strategic research agenda of SNETP (Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform). In NULIFE, the joint EU

Public health services and systems research: current state of finance research.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, Richard C; Bernet, Patrick M; Costich, Julia F

2012-11-01

There is a growing recognition that the US public health system should strive for efficiency-that it should determine the optimal ways to utilize limited resources to improve and protect public health. The field of public health finance research is a critical part of efforts to understand the most efficient ways to use resources. This article discusses the current state of public health finance research through a review of public health finance literature, chronicles important lessons learned from public health finance research to date, discusses the challenges faced by those seeking to conduct financial research on the public health system, and discusses the role of public health finance research in relation to the broader endeavor of Public Health Services and Systems Research.

Public Service Motivation Research : Achievements, Challenges, and Future Directions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perry, James L.; Vandenabeele, Wouter

2015-01-01

This article takes stock of public service motivation research to identify achievements, challenges, and an agenda for research to build on progress made since 1990. After enumerating achievements and challenges, the authors take stock of progress on extant proposals to strengthen research. In

Developing nursing capacity for health systems and services research in Cuba, 2008-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, Nelcy

2012-07-01

Health systems and services research by nursing personnel could inform decision-making and nursing care, providing evidence concerning quality of and patient satisfaction. Such studies are rather uncommon in Cuban research institutes, where clinical research predominates. Assess the results of a strategy implemented between 2008 and 2011 to develop nursing capacity for health systems and services research in 14 national research institutes based in Havana. The study comprised four stages: description of approaches to health systems and services research by nurses worldwide and in Cuba; analysis of current capacities for such research in Cuba; intervention design and implementation; and evaluation. Various techniques were used including: literature review, bibliometric analysis, questionnaire survey, consultation with experts, focus groups, and workshops for participant orientation and design and followup of research projects. Qualitative information reduction and quantitative information summary methods were used. Initially, 32 nursing managers participated; a further 105 nurses from the institutes were involved in research teams formed during intervention implementation. Of all published nursing research articles retrieved, 8.9% (185 of 2081) concerned health systems and services research, of which 26.5% (49 of 185) dealt with quality assessment. At baseline, 75% of Cuban nurses surveyed had poor knowledge of health systems and services research. Orientation, design and followup workshops for all institute teams developed individual and institutional capacity for health systems and services research. Post-intervention, 84.7% (27) of nurses reached good knowledge and 14.3% (5) fair; institutional research teams were formed and maintained in 9 institutes, and 13 projects designed and implemented (11 institutional, 2 addressing ministerial-level priorities) to research nursing issues at selected centers. A systematic strategy to build nursing capacity for health

The research status and prospect of tritium migration in soil-plant system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Guohua

2011-01-01

In this paper, the research significance and progress of tritium migration in soil-plant system are briefly introduced, which includes spatial and temporal distribution, migration pattern and influence factors, chemical forms, mathematical models of tritium migration in different soil and plant. The research results are summarized, and the existing problems in research process are analyzed and discussed. (authors)

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Materials Research and Development Program Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G.O. Hayner; R.L. Bratton; R.N. Wright

2005-09-01

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The NGNP will demonstrate the use of nuclear power for electricity and hydrogen production without greenhouse gas emissions. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, helium-cooled, prismatic or pebble-bed, thermal neutron spectrum reactor that will produce electricity and hydrogen in a state-of-the-art thermodynamically efficient manner. The NGNP will use very high burn-up, low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel and have a projected plant design service life of 60 years. The VHTR concept is considered to be the nearest-term reactor design that has the capability to efficiently produce hydrogen. The plant size, reactor thermal power, and core configuration will ensure passive decay heat removal without fuel damage or radioactive material releases during accidents. The NGNP Project is envisioned to demonstrate the following: (1) A full-scale prototype VHTR by about 2021; (2) High-temperature Brayton Cycle electric power production at full scale with a focus on economic performance; (3) Nuclear-assisted production of hydrogen (with about 10% of the heat) with a focus on economic performance; and (4) By test, the exceptional safety capabilities of the advanced gas-cooled reactors. Further, the NGNP program will: (1) Obtain a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) License to construct and operate the NGNP, this process will provide a basis for future performance based, risk-informed licensing; and (2) Support the development, testing, and prototyping of hydrogen infrastructures. The NGNP Materials Research and Development (R&D) Program is responsible for performing R&D on likely NGNP materials in support of the NGNP design, licensing, and construction activities. The NGNP Materials R&D Program includes the following elements: (1) Developing a specific approach, program plan and other project management tools for

Evaluation of a Generic Virtual Power Plant Framework Using Service Oriented Architecture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Peter Bach; Poulsen, Bjarne; Decker, Morten

2008-01-01

interesting properties that can influence the future shape of power markets. The concept holds many promises including cheaper power to the consumer, a more flexible and responsive power production and the support of a more environment- friendly development. In order to realize a software solution supporting...... the generic virtual power plant, an array of different software design principles, patterns and architectures must be applied. Especially Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) can aid in implementing the generic virtual power plant. An analysis of the Nordic power market has been carried out in order...... to identify potential issues and barriers, henceforth mentioned as challenges, connected with the introduction of the generic virtual power plant concept. In this paper, three use case scenarios will show how each of these challenges can be overcome by the proposed solution framework. The use case scenarios...

An analysis of the Research Team-Service User relationship from the Service User perspective: a consideration of 'The Three Rs' (Roles, Relations, and Responsibilities) for healthcare research organisations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Melanie; Rowley, Emma; Morriss, Richard; Manning, Nick

2015-12-01

This article debates interview data from service users who engaged with the work of a Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC). The evidence base, to date, concerning the nature of CLAHRC work at the frontline (i.e. What is it actually like to do CLAHRC work?) is meagre; thus, this article represents an original contribution to that literature. Further, this article analyses service users' participation in research - as members of the research team - and so contributes to the body of developing literature regarding involvement too. This article explores the nature of the Research Team-Service User relationship, plus associated roles, relations and responsibilities of collaborative health research. Qualitative social science research was undertaken in a health-care research organization utilizing interview method and a medical sociology and organizational sociology theoretical framework for analysis. Data utilized originate from a larger evaluation study that focuses on the CLAHRC as an iterative organization and explores members' experiences. There can be a disparity between initial expectations and actual experiences of involvement for service users. Therefore, as structured via 'The Three Rs' (Roles, Relations and Responsibilities), aspects of the relationship are evaluated (e.g. motivation, altruism, satisfaction, transparency, scope, feedback, communication, time). Regarding the inclusion of service users in health research teams, a careful consideration of 'The Three Rs' is required to ensure expectations match experiences. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Materials Research and Development Program Plan, Revision 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G.O. Hayner; R.L. Bratton; R.E. Mizia; W.E. Windes; W.R. Corwin; T.D. Burchell; C.E. Duty; Y. Katoh; J.W. Klett; T.E. McGreevy; R.K. Nanstad; W. Ren; P.L. Rittenhouse; L.L. Snead; R.W. Swindeman; D.F. Wlson

2007-09-01

DOE has selected the High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) design for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The NGNP will demonstrate the use of nuclear power for electricity and hydrogen production. It will have an outlet gas temperature in the range of 950°C and a plant design service life of 60 years. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, helium-cooled, prismatic or pebble-bed reactor and use low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel. The plant size, reactor thermal power, and core configuration will ensure passive decay heat removal without fuel damage or radioactive material releases during accidents. The NGNP Materials Research and Development (R&D) Program is responsible for performing R&D on likely NGNP materials in support of the NGNP design, licensing, and construction activities. Some of the general and administrative aspects of the R&D Plan include: • Expand American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Codes and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards in support of the NGNP Materials R&D Program. • Define and develop inspection needs and the procedures for those inspections. • Support selected university materials related R&D activities that would be of direct benefit to the NGNP Project. • Support international materials related collaboration activities through the DOE sponsored Generation IV International Forum (GIF) Materials and Components (M&C) Project Management Board (PMB). • Support document review activities through the Materials Review Committee (MRC) or other suitable forum.

Involving mental health service users in suicide-related research: a qualitative inquiry model.

Science.gov (United States)

Lees, David; Procter, Nicholas; Fassett, Denise; Handley, Christine

2016-03-01

To describe the research model developed and successfully deployed as part of a multi-method qualitative study investigating suicidal service-users' experiences of mental health nursing care. Quality mental health care is essential to limiting the occurrence and burden of suicide, however there is a lack of relevant research informing practice in this context. Research utilising first-person accounts of suicidality is of particular importance to expanding the existing evidence base. However, conducting ethical research to support this imperative is challenging. The model discussed here illustrates specific and more generally applicable principles for qualitative research regarding sensitive topics and involving potentially vulnerable service-users. Researching into mental health service users with first-person experience of suicidality requires stakeholder and institutional support, researcher competency, and participant recruitment, consent, confidentiality, support and protection. Research with service users into their experiences of sensitive issues such as suicidality can result in rich and valuable data, and may also provide positive experiences of collaboration and inclusivity. If challenges are not met, objectification and marginalisation of service-users may be reinforced, and limitations in the evidence base and service provision may be perpetuated.

Petronas: research and scientific services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

Petroleum is one of Malaysia's major commodities. In 1993 alone, Malaysia exported about 21 million tonne crude petroleum and 3.4 million tonne of petroleum products with export value of about RM 9.2 billion. Despite the large local and export market of the fuel, our petroleum industry is facing several difficulties. The supply of petrol will inevitably deplete. The industry faces an increase in the exploration costs and decline in the discovery of large reserves. Petronas research and scientific services Sdn Bhd was established 3 years ago. The company which supports its holding company's needs in R and D started its history as an analytical laboratory in 1978. Today, it is one of the leading upstream and downstream petroleum research institute in this region

In-service materials testing of selected components of unit 1 and 2 of V-1 nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cintula, J.

1982-01-01

The task of in-service nondestructive testing of nuclear installations is to confirm that the state of base material and welded joints has not changed owing to mechanical, thermal or radiation stress. Under the regulations of safe operation the first in-service inspection of all components of a WWER 440 reactor must be carried out after 15,000 to 2O,00O operating hours at the latest. Further in-service inspections are repeated after 30,000 hours (pressure vessels) and 40,000 hours (the main steam piping and the feedwater piping). Proceeding from experience gained so far, intervals are suggested for in-service checks of the other components of the V-1 nuclear power plant. Also briefly described are the main nondestructive methods used for such checks at this power plant. (Z.M.)

Information-seeking behavior of basic science researchers: implications for library services.

Science.gov (United States)

Haines, Laura L; Light, Jeanene; O'Malley, Donna; Delwiche, Frances A

2010-01-01

This study examined the information-seeking behaviors of basic science researchers to inform the development of customized library services. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of basic science researchers employed at a university medical school. The basic science researchers used a variety of information resources ranging from popular Internet search engines to highly technical databases. They generally relied on basic keyword searching, using the simplest interface of a database or search engine. They were highly collegial, interacting primarily with coworkers in their laboratories and colleagues employed at other institutions. They made little use of traditional library services and instead performed many traditional library functions internally. Although the basic science researchers expressed a positive attitude toward the library, they did not view its resources or services as integral to their work. To maximize their use by researchers, library resources must be accessible via departmental websites. Use of library services may be increased by cultivating relationships with key departmental administrative personnel. Despite their self-sufficiency, subjects expressed a desire for centralized information about ongoing research on campus and shared resources, suggesting a role for the library in creating and managing an institutional repository.

Comments on Navarro's review of Health services research: an anthology.

Science.gov (United States)

White, K L

1993-01-01

In preparing Health Services Research: An Anthology, the editors attempted to broaden the definition of health services research promulgated by the National Library of Medicine. Many articles in the Anthology focused on stemming the avalanche of medicine's unevaluated procedures and prescribing practices, and on broadening the horizons of the medical establishment. Another anthology is clearly needed to address Virchow's dictum that medicine is politics writ large.

Nuclear Power Plant Operator Reliability Research Based on Fuzzy Math

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Xiang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper makes use of the concept and theory of fuzzy number in fuzzy mathematics, to research for the response time of operator in accident of Chinese nuclear power plant. Through the quantitative analysis for the performance shape factors (PSFs which influence the response time of operators, the formula of the operator response time is obtained based on the possibilistic fuzzy linear regression model which is used for the first time in this kind of research. The research result shows that the correct research method can be achieved through the analysis of the information from a small sample. This method breaks through the traditional research method and can be used not only for the reference to the safe operation of nuclear power plant, but also in other areas.

Pediatric Oncology Branch - Support Services | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Support Services As part of the comprehensive care provided at the NCI Pediatric Oncology Branch, we provide a wide range of services to address the social, psychological, emotional, and practical facets of pediatric cancer and to support patients and families while they are enrolled in clinical research protocols.

Growth Disparity between Medical Research and Medical Services ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Growth Disparity between Medical Research and Medical Services in India. British rulers opened hospitals for modern medicine; medical colleges; nurses schools etc. in the 19th century to the joyous welcome of natives. During the same period, they set up Indian Research Fund Association two years ahead of the MRC of ...

An interoperable research data infrastructure to support climate service development

Science.gov (United States)

De Filippis, Tiziana; Rocchi, Leandro; Rapisardi, Elena

2018-02-01

Accessibility, availability, re-use and re-distribution of scientific data are prerequisites to build climate services across Europe. From this perspective the Institute of Biometeorology of the National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR), aiming at contributing to the sharing and integration of research data, has developed a research data infrastructure to support the scientific activities conducted in several national and international research projects. The proposed architecture uses open-source tools to ensure sustainability in the development and deployment of Web applications with geographic features and data analysis functionalities. The spatial data infrastructure components are organized in typical client-server architecture and interact from the data provider download data process to representation of the results to end users. The availability of structured raw data as customized information paves the way for building climate service purveyors to support adaptation, mitigation and risk management at different scales.This work is a bottom-up collaborative initiative between different IBIMET-CNR research units (e.g. geomatics and information and communication technology - ICT; agricultural sustainability; international cooperation in least developed countries - LDCs) that embrace the same approach for sharing and re-use of research data and informatics solutions based on co-design, co-development and co-evaluation among different actors to support the production and application of climate services. During the development phase of Web applications, different users (internal and external) were involved in the whole process so as to better define user needs and suggest the implementation of specific custom functionalities. Indeed, the services are addressed to researchers, academics, public institutions and agencies - practitioners who can access data and findings from recent research in the field of applied meteorology and climatology.

The establishment of research ethics consultation services (RECS): an emerging research resource.

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Jennifer B; Sharp, Richard R; Ottenberg, Abigale L; Reider, Carson R; Taylor, Holly A; Wilfond, Benjamin S

2013-02-01

Emphasis on translational research to facilitate progression from the laboratory into the community also creates a dynamic in which ethics and social policy questions and solutions are ever pressing. In response, academic institutions are creating Research Ethics Consultation Services (RECS). All Clinical Translational Science Award institutions were surveyed in early 2010 to determine which institutions have a RECS in operation and what is their composition and function. Of the 46 institutions surveyed, 33 (70%) have a RECS. Only 15 RECS have received any consult requests in the last year. Issues that are common among these relatively nascent services include relationships with institutional oversight committees, balancing requestor concerns about confidentiality with research integrity and human subjects protection priorities, tracking consult data and outcomes, and developing systems for internal evaluation. There is variability in how these issues are approached. It will be important to be attentive to the institutional context to develop an appropriate approach. Further data about the issues raised by requestors and the recommendations provided are necessary to build a community of scholars who can navigate and resolve ethical issues encountered along the translational research pathway. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Technical Service Agreement (TSA) | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) scientists provide services and solutions to collaborators through the Technical Services Program, whose portfolio includes more than 200 collaborations with more than 80 partners. The Frederi

Evaluation of aged concrete structures for continued service in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naus, D.J.; Marchbanks, M.F.; Arndt, E.G.

1988-01-01

Results are summarized of a study on concrete component aging and its significance relative to continued service of nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond the initial period for which they were granted operating licenses. Progress is presented of a second study being conducted to identify and provide acceptance criteria for structural safety issues which the USNRC staff will need to address when applications are submitted for continued service of NPPs. Major activities under this program include: development of a materials property data base, establishment of structural component assessment and repair procedures, and development of a methodology for determination of structural reliability. 19 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Plant services (maintenance) foreman training. Inception to implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunlap, M.S.

1991-01-01

Training content and time allocated for training have become essential and auditable commodities. This additional awareness, by upper management, has increased the pressure on training organizations to demonstrate effective and efficient programs. Structured program design and administration can assist training organizations in meeting these requirements and assuring a quality program. Sequential development of the job analysis, qualification standard, associated lesson plans, and a methodology for tracking program changes which affect the system, are all required components in a systematic approach to training. This paper addresses these facets in establishing a training program. It describes the methods utilized, problems identified and resolved as they occurred in the development of the Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Company (WINCO) Plant Services (Maintenance) Foreman Training Program

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Research and Development Program Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

P. E. MacDonald

2005-01-01

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting research and development (R&D) on the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design concept for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, thermal neutron spectrum reactor that will produce electricity and hydrogen in a highly efficient manner. The NGNP reactor core could be either a prismatic graphite block type core or a pebble bed core. Use of a liquid salt coolant is also being evaluated. The NGNP will use very high-burnup, low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel, and have a projected plant design service life of 60 years. The VHTR concept is considered to be the nearest-term reactor design that has the capability to efficiently produce hydrogen. The plant size, reactor thermal power, and core configuration will ensure passive decay heat removal without fuel damage or radioactive material releases during accidents. The objectives of the NGNP Project are to: Demonstrate a full-scale prototype VHTR that is commercially licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Demonstrate safe and economical nuclearassisted production of hydrogen and electricity. The DOE laboratories, led by the INL, will perform R&D that will be critical to the success of the NGNP, primarily in the areas of: High temperature gas reactor fuels behavior High temperature materials qualification Design methods development and validation Hydrogen production technologies Energy conversion. The current R&D work is addressing fundamental issues that are relevant to a variety of possible NGNP designs. This document describes the NGNP R&D planned and currently underway in the first three topic areas listed above. The NGNP Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program is presented in Section 2, the NGNP Materials R&D Program Plan is presented in Section 3, and the NGNP Design Methods Development and Validation R&D Program is presented in Section 4. The DOE-funded hydrogen

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Research and Development Program Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2005-01-01

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting research and development (R&D) on the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design concept for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, thermal neutron spectrum reactor that will produce electricity and hydrogen in a highly efficient manner. The NGNP reactor core could be either a prismatic graphite block type core or a pebble bed core. Use of a liquid salt coolant is also being evaluated. The NGNP will use very high-burnup, low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel, and have a projected plant design service life of 60 years. The VHTR concept is considered to be the nearest-term reactor design that has the capability to efficiently produce hydrogen. The plant size, reactor thermal power, and core configuration will ensure passive decay heat removal without fuel damage or radioactive material releases during accidents. The objectives of the NGNP Project are to: (1) Demonstrate a full-scale prototype VHTR that is commercially licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (2) Demonstrate safe and economical nuclear-assisted production of hydrogen and electricity. The DOE laboratories, led by the INL, will perform R&D that will be critical to the success of the NGNP, primarily in the areas of: (1) High temperature gas reactor fuels behavior; (2) High temperature materials qualification; (3) Design methods development and validation; (4) Hydrogen production technologies; and (5) Energy conversion. The current R&D work is addressing fundamental issues that are relevant to a variety of possible NGNP designs. This document describes the NGNP R&D planned and currently underway in the first three topic areas listed above. The NGNP Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program is presented in Section 2, the NGNP Materials R&D Program Plan is presented in Section 3, and the NGNP Design Methods Development and Validation R&D Program is presented

SAFIR. The Finnish research programme on nuclear power plant safety 2003-2006. Executive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puska, E.

2006-12-01

Major part of Finnish public research on nuclear power plant safety during the years 2003-2006 has been carried out in the SAFIR programme. The programme has been administrated by the steering group that was nominated by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (KTM). The steering group of SAFIR has consisted of representatives from Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Ministry of Trade and Industry (KTM), Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO), Fortum Power and Heat Oy, Fortum Nuclear Services Oy (Fortum), Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes), Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) and Lappeenranta University of Technology (LTY). The key research areas of SAFIR have been (1) reactor fuel and core, (2) reactor circuit and structural safety, (3) containment and process safety functions, that was divided in 2005 into (3a) thermal hydraulics and (3b) severe accidents, (4) automation, control room and IT, (5) organisations and safety management and (6) risk-informed safety management. The research programme has included annually from 20 up to 24 research projects, whose volume has varied from a few person months to several person years. The total volume of the programme during the four year period 2003-2006 has been 19.7 million euros and 148 person years. The research in the programme has been carried out primarily by Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). Other research units responsible for the projects include Lappeenranta University of Technology, Fortum Nuclear Services Oy, Helsinki University of Technology and RAMSE Consulting Oy. In addition, there have been a few minor subcontractors in some projects. The programme management structure has consisted of the steering group, a reference group in each of the seven research areas and a number of ad hoc groups in the various research areas. This report gives a short summary of the results of the SAFIR programme for the period January 2003 - November

E-research platform of EPOS Thematic Core Service "ANTHROPOGENIC HAZARDS"

Science.gov (United States)

Orlecka-Sikora, Beata; Lasocki, Stanisław; Grasso, Jean Robert; Schmittbuhl, Jean; Kwiatek, Grzegorz; Garcia, Alexander; Cassidy, Nigel; Sterzel, Mariusz; Szepieniec, Tomasz; Dineva, Savka; Biggare, Pascal; Saccorotti, Gilberto; Sileny, Jan; Fischer, Tomas

2016-04-01

EPOS Thematic Core Service ANTHROPOGENIC HAZARDS (TCS AH) aims to create new research opportunities in the field of anthropogenic hazards evoked by exploitation of georesources. TCS AH, based on the prototype built in the framework of the IS-EPOS project (https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/), financed from Polish structural funds (POIG.02.03.00-14-090/13-00), is being further developed within EPOS IP project (H2020-INFRADEV-1-2015-1, INFRADEV-3-2015). TCS AH is designed as a functional e-research environment to ensure a researcher the maximum possible freedom for in silico experimentation by providing a virtual laboratory in which researcher will be able to create own workspace with own processing streams. The unique integrated RI is: (i) data gathered in the so- called "episodes", comprehensively describing a geophysical process, induced or triggered by human technological activity, which under certain circumstances can become hazardous for people, infrastructure and the environment and (ii) problem-oriented, specific high-level services, with the particular attention devoted to methods analyzing correlations between technology, geophysical response and resulting hazard. Services to be implemented are grouped within six blocks: (1) Basic services for data integration and handling; (2) Services for physical models of stress/strain changes over time and space as driven by geo-resource production; (3) Services for analysing geophysical signals; (4) Services to extract the relation between technological operations and observed induced seismic/deformation; (5) Services to quantitative probabilistic assessments of anthropogenic seismic hazard - statistical properties of anthropogenic seismic series and their dependence on time-varying anthropogenesis; ground motion prediction equations; stationary and time-dependent probabilistic seismic hazard estimates, related to time-changeable technological factors inducing the seismic process; (6) Simulator for Multi

A strategy for building public service motivation research Internationally

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kim, S.; Vandenabeele, W.V.

2010-01-01

As public service motivation research grows qualitatively and quantitatively, some scholars question its appropriateness for international applications. This essay sets out a strategy of convergence for international research and measurement approaches. Studies that assess commonalities in public

Plant life management and modernisation: Research challenges in the EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rintamaa, R.; Aho-Mantila, I.

2010-01-01

The NULIFE (Nuclear plant life prediction) European network of excellence is described in detail. The following topics are highlighted: Vision; Consortium; Organization and working methods; Research and development planning; Research project portfolio (pilot projects, umbrella projects); Strategic research planning; and Conclusions. (P.A.)

Plants in aquatic ecosystems: current trends and future directions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

O’Hare, Matthew T.; Aguiar, Francisca C.; Asaeda, Takashi; Bakker, Elisabeth S.; Chambers, Patricia A.; Clayton, John S.; Elger, Arnaud; Ferreira, Teresa M.; Gross, Elisabeth M.; Gunn, Iain D.M.; Gurnell, Angela M.; Hellsten, Seppo; Hofstra, Deborah E.; Li, Wei; Mohr, Silvia; Puijalon, Sara; Szoszkiewicz, Krzysztof; Willby, Nigel J.; Wood, Kevin A.

2018-01-01

Aquatic plants fulfil a wide range of ecological roles, and make a substantial contribution to the structure, function and service provision of aquatic ecosystems. Given their well-documented importance in aquatic ecosystems, research into aquatic plants continues to blossom. The 14th International

A nuclear power plant status monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, B.B.; Conradi, L.L.; Weinzimmer, F.

1986-01-01

Power plant operation requires decisions that can affect both the availability of the plant and its compliance with operating guidelines. Taking equipment out of service may affect the ability of the plant to produce power at a certain power level and may also affect the status of the plant with regard to technical specifications. Keeping the plant at a high as possible production level and remaining in compliance with the limiting conditions for operation (LCOs) can dictate a variety of plant operation and maintenance actions and responses. Required actions and responses depend on the actual operational status of a nuclear plant and its attendant systems, trains, and components which is a dynamic situation. This paper discusses an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Research Project, RP 2508, the objective of which is to combine the key features of plant information management systems with systems reliability analysis techniques in order to assist nuclear power plant personnel to perform their functions more efficiently and effectively. An overview of the EPRI Research Project is provided along with a detailed discussion of the design and operation of the PSM portion of the project

Qualitative Methods in Mental Health Services Research

Science.gov (United States)

Palinkas, Lawrence A.

2014-01-01

Qualitative and mixed methods play a prominent role in mental health services research. However, the standards for their use are not always evident, especially for those not trained in such methods. This paper reviews the rationale and common approaches to using qualitative and mixed methods in mental health services and implementation research based on a review of the papers included in this special series along with representative examples from the literature. Qualitative methods are used to provide a “thick description” or depth of understanding to complement breadth of understanding afforded by quantitative methods, elicit the perspective of those being studied, explore issues that have not been well studied, develop conceptual theories or test hypotheses, or evaluate the process of a phenomenon or intervention. Qualitative methods adhere to many of the same principles of scientific rigor as quantitative methods, but often differ with respect to study design, data collection and data analysis strategies. For instance, participants for qualitative studies are usually sampled purposefully rather than at random and the design usually reflects an iterative process alternating between data collection and analysis. The most common techniques for data collection are individual semi-structured interviews, focus groups, document reviews, and participant observation. Strategies for analysis are usually inductive, based on principles of grounded theory or phenomenology. Qualitative methods are also used in combination with quantitative methods in mixed method designs for convergence, complementarity, expansion, development, and sampling. Rigorously applied qualitative methods offer great potential in contributing to the scientific foundation of mental health services research. PMID:25350675

Classical table services in commercial catering: standardization proposal and clarifications for future researches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolfo Wendhausen Krause

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study aims to synthesize the scientific knowledge with the empirical knowledge of the authors of this article on the four main types/styles of individual services in gastronomic full service establishments. In addition, it seeks to, as secondary objectives, to simplify and standardize the types of classic services in restaurants. These objectives were met through a positivist methodological approach. It had as research techniques a comparative analysis and synthesis of the state of the art on the typology of classical services with the empirical knowledge of the authors. Subsequently, the validation of standardization proposal was made by a panel of evaluators. We came to simplify the services into three basic categories: French Service; Direct English Service and Platted Service. It is understood that, because it is an exploratory study, the proposal is the beginning of scientific research on the subject. Therefore, it has to be investigated in greater depth in future studies. Therefore, the research field of the mise en place is the area that greater needs research of this nature.

Integration of distributed plant lifecycle data using ISO 15926 and Web services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Byung Chul; Teijgeler, Hans; Mun, Duhwan; Han, Soonhung

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The ISO 15926 parts that provide implementation methods are under development. → A prototype of an ISO 15926-based data repository called a facade was implemented. → The prototype facade has the advantages of data interoperability and integration. → These are obtained through the features of ISO 15926 and Web services. - Abstract: Considering the financial, safety, and environmental risks related to industrial installations, it is of paramount importance that all relevant lifecycle information is readily available. Parts of this lifecycle information are stored in a plethora of computer systems, often scattered around the world and in many native formats and languages. These parts can create a complete, holistic set of lifecycle data only when they are integrated together. At present, no software is available that can integrate these parts into one coherent, distributed, and up-to-date set. The ISO 15926 standard has been developed, and in part is still under development, to overcome this problem. In this paper, the authors discuss a prototype of an ISO 15926-based data repository called a facade, and its Web services are implemented for storing the equipment data of a nuclear power plant and servicing the data to interested organizations. This prototype is for a proof-of-concept study regarding the ISO 15926 parts that are currently under development and that are expected to provide implementation methods for the integration of distributed plant systems.

High temperature corrosion in the service environments of a nuclear process heat plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quadakkers, W.J.

1987-01-01

In a nuclear process heat plant the heat-exchanging components fabricated from nickel- and Fe-Ni-based alloys are subjected to corrosive service environments at temperatures up to 950 0 C for service lives of up to 140 000 h. In this paper the corrosion behaviour of the high temperature alloys in the different service environments will be described. It is shown that the degree of protection provided by Cr 2 O 3 -based surface oxide scales against carburization and decarburization of the alloys is primarily determined not by the oxidation potential of the atmospheres but by a dynamic process involving, on the one hand, the oxidizing gas species and the metal and, on the other hand, the carbon in the alloy and the oxide scale. (orig.)

How will we know "good" qualitative research when we see it? Beginning the dialogue in health services research.

OpenAIRE

Devers, K J

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To lay the foundation for an explicit review and dialogue concerning the criteria that should be used to evaluate qualitative health services research. Clear criteria are critical for the discipline because they provide a benchmark against which research can be assessed. DATA SOURCES: Existing literature in the social sciences and health services research, particularly in primary care and medicine. PRINCIPAL FINDING: Traditional criteria for evaluating qualitative research are root...

Forest Service Global Change Research Strategy, 2009-2019

Science.gov (United States)

Allen Solomon; Richard Birdsey; Linda A. Joyce; Jennifer Hayes

2009-01-01

In keeping with the research goals of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, the Research and Development agenda of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), helps define climate change policy and develop best management practices for forests (both rural and urban) and grasslands. These actions are taken to sustain ecosystem health, adjust management...

Improving intercropping: a synthesis of research in agronomy, plant physiology and ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooker, Rob W; Bennett, Alison E; Cong, Wen-Feng; Daniell, Tim J; George, Timothy S; Hallett, Paul D; Hawes, Cathy; Iannetta, Pietro P M; Jones, Hamlyn G; Karley, Alison J; Li, Long; McKenzie, Blair M; Pakeman, Robin J; Paterson, Eric; Schöb, Christian; Shen, Jianbo; Squire, Geoff; Watson, Christine A; Zhang, Chaochun; Zhang, Fusuo; Zhang, Junling; White, Philip J

2015-04-01

Intercropping is a farming practice involving two or more crop species, or genotypes, growing together and coexisting for a time. On the fringes of modern intensive agriculture, intercropping is important in many subsistence or low-input/resource-limited agricultural systems. By allowing genuine yield gains without increased inputs, or greater stability of yield with decreased inputs, intercropping could be one route to delivering ‘sustainable intensification’. We discuss how recent knowledge from agronomy, plant physiology and ecology can be combined with the aim of improving intercropping systems. Recent advances in agronomy and plant physiology include better understanding of the mechanisms of interactions between crop genotypes and species – for example, enhanced resource availability through niche complementarity. Ecological advances include better understanding of the context-dependency of interactions, the mechanisms behind disease and pest avoidance, the links between above- and below-ground systems, and the role of microtopographic variation in coexistence. This improved understanding can guide approaches for improving intercropping systems, including breeding crops for intercropping. Although such advances can help to improve intercropping systems, we suggest that other topics also need addressing. These include better assessment of the wider benefits of intercropping in terms of multiple ecosystem services, collaboration with agricultural engineering, and more effective interdisciplinary research.

Experimental investigations of overvoltages in 6kV station service cable networks of thermal power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vukelja, P.I.; Naumov, R.M.; Drobnjak, G.V.; Mrvic, J.D. [Nikola Tesla Inst., Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

1996-12-31

The paper presents the results of experimental investigations of overvoltages on 6kV isolated neutral station service cable networks of thermal power plants. The overvoltages were recorded with capacitive voltage measurement systems made at the Nikola Tesla Institute. Wideband capacitive voltage measurement systems recorded a flat response from below power frequencies to 10MHz. Investigations of overvoltages were performed for appearance and interruption of metal earth faults, intermittent earth faults, switching operation of HV motors switchgear, switching operation of transformers switchgear, and transfer of the network supply from one transformer to another. On the basis of these investigations, certain measures are proposed for limiting overvoltages and for the reliability of station service of thermal power plants.

Stakeholder Perceptions of an Ecosystem Services Approach to Clearing Invasive Alien Plants on Private Land

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauren S. Urgenson

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Incentivizing private landowners and other stakeholders is central to the effective conservation of ecosystem services in working landscapes. To better understand how to design effective incentives, the perceptions of landowners and other stakeholders are explored regarding a proposed approach to clearing invasive alien plants on private land in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The public funded national program, Working for Water, conserves ecosystem services while employing and training people from marginalized sectors of society to clear these plants. Private landowner involvement is a key conservation challenge, because without adequate landowner involvement, invasive alien plants persist on the landscape and continuously reinvade cleared areas. We collected interview data from private landowners in three study sites, and web-survey data from conservation professionals and Working for Water managers, in order to compare stakeholder perceptions of (1 government and landowners' responsibilities for clearing invasive alien plants; (2 existing and proposed policy tools; and (3 the extent to which stakeholders consider the proposed financial incentive to be sufficient. There was significant consensus among stakeholders concerning their preference for shared landowner and government responsibility and for a policy mix that combines incentives with disincentives. Landowners from the three study sites differed in the level of responsibility they were willing to assume. Stakeholders also diverged in terms of their perceptions of the proposed financial incentives. Furthermore, the perspectives of landowners were strongly associated with ecological and social features of the landscapes in which they are located. Understanding stakeholders' points of view within their differing contexts is shown to be a valuable means of gaining insight into the opportunities and constraints that face ecosystem service conservation in working landscapes.

An interoperable research data infrastructure to support climate service development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. De Filippis

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Accessibility, availability, re-use and re-distribution of scientific data are prerequisites to build climate services across Europe. From this perspective the Institute of Biometeorology of the National Research Council (IBIMET-CNR, aiming at contributing to the sharing and integration of research data, has developed a research data infrastructure to support the scientific activities conducted in several national and international research projects. The proposed architecture uses open-source tools to ensure sustainability in the development and deployment of Web applications with geographic features and data analysis functionalities. The spatial data infrastructure components are organized in typical client–server architecture and interact from the data provider download data process to representation of the results to end users. The availability of structured raw data as customized information paves the way for building climate service purveyors to support adaptation, mitigation and risk management at different scales.This work is a bottom-up collaborative initiative between different IBIMET-CNR research units (e.g. geomatics and information and communication technology – ICT; agricultural sustainability; international cooperation in least developed countries – LDCs that embrace the same approach for sharing and re-use of research data and informatics solutions based on co-design, co-development and co-evaluation among different actors to support the production and application of climate services. During the development phase of Web applications, different users (internal and external were involved in the whole process so as to better define user needs and suggest the implementation of specific custom functionalities. Indeed, the services are addressed to researchers, academics, public institutions and agencies – practitioners who can access data and findings from recent research in the field of applied meteorology and climatology.

NPAR [Nuclear Plant Aging Research] approach to managing aging in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, J.A.

1989-01-01

Over the past 5 years, the Nuclear Plant Aging Research program (NPAR) has been devoted to developing technical understanding of the time dependent processes that, through deterioration of components, systems, or structures (C/S/S), can reduce safety margins in nuclear power plants. A major and necessary element of the program involves the application of this basic knowledge in defining functional approaches to managing aging by anticipating and mitigating important deterioration processes. Fundamental understanding and characterization of aging processes are being accomplished through NPAR-sponsored research projects, review and analysis of aging related information, integration of NPAR results with those from industry and other aging studies, and interfacing of all of these with the existing body of codes, standards and regulatory instruments that convey aging-related guidance to NPP licensees. Products of these efforts are applied to structuring and providing aging-related technical recommendations in forms that are useful in: (1) developing and implementing good aging management practices, (2) developing regulatory guidance and requirements for understanding and managing aging during normal plant operations and in support of license renewal, and (3) planning and implementing other regulatory actions and initiatives in which aging-related concerns have a bearing on scope or priority

Arizona Public Service - Alternative Fuel (Hydrogen) Pilot Plant Design Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James E. Francfort

2003-12-01

Hydrogen has promise to be the fuel of the future. Its use as a chemical reagent and as a rocket propellant has grown to over eight million metric tons per year in the United States. Although use of hydrogen is abundant, it has not been used extensively as a transportation fuel. To assess the viability of hydrogen as a transportation fuel and the viability of producing hydrogen using off-peak electric energy, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW) and its electric utility subsidiary, Arizona Public Service (APS) designed, constructed, and operates a hydrogen and compressed natural gas fueling station—the APS Alternative Fuel Pilot Plant. This report summarizes the design of the APS Alternative Fuel Pilot Plant and presents lessons learned from its design and construction. Electric Transportation Applications prepared this report under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory manages these activities for the Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity.

Field services experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colflesh, J.A.; Kruse, P.W.; Merluzzi, R.A.

1985-01-01

Combustion Engineering (C-E) is a large diversified manufacturer of products and services for the energy field. At this time, C-E has supplied the nuclear steam supply systems for eleven operating nuclear power plants with two additional units currently undergoing start-up testing. The focus of C-E's commitment in the nuclear power plant services area is the Nuclear Services organization within the Nuclear Power Systems Division. The Nuclear Services organization provides services on a timely cost efficient basis; and dedicates resources to developing new products and services which are truly responsive to the needs of operating power plants world wide. In the paper, C-E's capabilities and experience in the field of nuclear services are described. Highlighted are our capabilities in the areas of transition management services, operating services and engineering services

Nuclear plant-aging research on reactor protection systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, L.C.

1988-01-01

This report presents the rsults of a review of the Reactor Trip System (RTS) and the Engineered Safety Feature Actuating System (ESFAS) operating experiences reported in Licensee Event Reports (LER)s, the Nuclear Power Experience data base, Nuclear Plant Reliability Data System, and plant maintenance records. Our purpose is to evaluate the potential significance of aging, including cycling, trips, and testing as contributors to degradation of the RTS and ESFAS. Tables are presented that show the percentage of events for RTS and ESFAS classified by cause, components, and subcomponents for each of the Nuclear Steam Supply System vendors. A representative Babcock and Wilcox plant was selected for detailed study. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Nuclear Plant Aging Research guidelines were followed in performing the detailed study that identified materials susceptible to aging, stressors, environmental factors, and failure modes for the RTS and ESFAS as generic instrumentation and control systems. Functional indicators of degradation are listed, testing requirements evaluated, and regulatory issues discussed

Whitebark pine planting guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

Ward McCaughey; Glenda L. Scott; Kay L. Izlar

2009-01-01

This article incorporates new information into previous whitebark pine guidelines for planting prescriptions. Earlier 2006 guidelines were developed based on review of general literature, research studies, field observations, and standard US Forest Service survival surveys of high-elevation whitebark pine plantations. A recent study of biotic and abiotic factors...

Detection and mitigation of aging and service wear effects of nuclear power plant components in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pachner, J.

1987-07-01

In Canada, the operational safety management of nuclear power plants employs methods which are intended to prevent, detect, correct and mitigate system and component failures from any cause, including the effects of aging and service wear degradation. The paper gives an overview of the application of these methods in the detection and mitigation of aging effects before they impact on plant safety and production reliability. Regulatory audits of these methods, to ensure that an acceptable level of plant safety is maintained by the nuclear power plant licensees, are also described. The methods are: a preventive maintenance program, Significant Event Reporting system, and a reliability based assessment of performance of safety related systems. The above methods are discussed and illustrated by examples. The soundness of the approach has been proven by the results achieved in 163 reactor-years of operation. Present and future developments include reviews of current monitoring, testing and inspection methods to ensure that appropriate time variant parameters (capable of revealing aging degradation before loss of functional capability) are monitored, and reviews of the effectiveness of existing maintenance programs and methods in mitigating aging and service wear effects

Mexican medicinal plants with anxiolytic or antidepressant activity: Focus on preclinical research.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Rubalcava, Carolina; Estrada-Camarena, Erika

2016-06-20

Anxiety and depression are considered the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide. In Mexico, the use of medicinal plants to alleviate the symptoms associated with these psychiatric disorders is increasing. However, there is little scientific evidence that validates the efficacy of these plants. This evidence needs to be critically revised, and further studied to provided scientific support for their use. To identify the plants that are used in Mexico for the treatment of disorders related to anxiety and depression, and to review the current preclinical and when available, clinical information of these plants. We searched in scientific databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and other web sources such as "Biblioteca digital de la medicina tradicional Mexicana" ) for Mexican plants used for the treatment of anxiety and depression that have been analyzed in preclinical studies. Additional information was obtained from published books. For this review, we also consider those plants used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of "nervios," "susto" or "espanto;" common terms that describe symptoms related to anxiety and depression disorders. The bibliographic search identified 49 plants used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of disorders related to anxiety and depression. From all these plants, 59% were analyzed in preclinical research, and only 8% were tested in clinical studies; only a few of these studies tried to elucidate their mechanism of action. In general, it is proposed that the plant extracts interact with the GABAergic system. However, only part of these studies attempted to analyze other neurotransmitter systems. Finally, in some cases, drug-herbal interactions were reported. There is a large number of Mexican medicinal plants used as a treatment for anxiety and depression disorders. Although some of these plants have been studied in preclinical research, in most cases these studies are preliminary, and the understanding

Nuclear power plant control room operators' performance research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, L.H.; Haas, P.M.

1984-01-01

A research program is being conducted to provide information on the performance of nuclear power plant control room operators when responding to abnormal/emergency events in the plants and in full-scope training simulators. The initial impetus for this program was the need for data to assess proposed design criteria for the choice of manual versus automatic action for accomplishing safety-related functions during design basis accidents. The program also included studies of training simulator capabilities, of procedures and data for specifying and verifying simulator performance, and of methods and applications of task analysis

Research Support in Australian Academic Libraries: Services, Resources, and Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

Haddow, Gaby; Mamtora, Jayshree

2017-01-01

In the last decade Australian academic libraries have increasingly aligned their research support services with assessment criteria used in the national research evaluation exercise (Excellence for Research in Australia). The same period has seen growing interest in research impact outside of traditional measures, such as bibliometrics. Social…

Astroserver – Research Services in the Stellar Webshop

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Németh Péter

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A quick look at research and development in astronomy shows that we live in exciting times. Exoplanetary systems, supernovae, and merging binary black holes were far out of reach for observers two decades ago and now such phenomena are recorded routinely. This quick development would not have been possible without the ability for researchers to be connected, to think globally and to be mobile. Classical short-term positions are not always suitable to support these conditions and freelancing may be a viable alternative.We introduce the Astroserver framework, which is a new freelancing platform for scientists, and demonstrate through examples how it contributed to some recent projects related to hot subdwarf stars and binaries. These contributions, which included spectroscopic data mining, computing services and observing services, as well as artwork, allowed a deeper look into the investigated systems. The work on composite spectra binaries provided new details for the hypervelocity wide subdwarf binary PB 3877 and found diverse and rare systems with sub-giant companions in high-resolution spectroscopic surveys. The models for the peculiar abundance pattern of the evolved compact star LP 40-365 showed it to be a bound hypervelocity remnant of a supernova Iax event. Some of these works also included data visualizations to help presenting the new results. Such services may be of interest for many researchers.

Influence of communication systems to support the services in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moron, P.; Ruiz, J. C.; Guerra, F. J.

2005-01-01

The continuous technological advances related to communications infrastructures and mobility solutions, increasingly within reach of the companies, are leading to upgrade most of the associated processes within a service company. Tecnatom is not irrelevant to it and is carrying out a technological development for the intercommunication between its facilities, and the spanish nuclear power plants. Consequently is carrying out and adjustment and optimization of their services. All the performances are included in a corporate project to three years named ARCOM. Along 2004 the first results have been obtained, remote analysis of data has been made and the access to the management information systems from the nuclear power stations has been facilitated. (Author)

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Materials Research and Development Program Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

G.O. Hayner; R.L. Bratton; R.N. Wright

2005-01-01

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) design for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. The NGNP will demonstrate the use of nuclear power for electricity and hydrogen production without greenhouse gas emissions. The reactor design will be a graphite moderated, helium-cooled, prismatic or pebble-bed, thermal neutron spectrum reactor that will produce electricity and hydrogen in a state-of-the-art thermodynamically efficient manner. The NGNP will use very high burn-up, low-enriched uranium, TRISO-coated fuel and have a projected plant design service life of 60 years. The VHTR concept is considered to be the nearest-term reactor design that has the capability to efficiently produce hydrogen. The plant size, reactor thermal power, and core configuration will ensure passive decay heat removal without fuel damage or radioactive material releases during accidents. The NGNP Project is envisioned to demonstrate the following: (1) A full-scale prototype VHTR by about 2021; (2) High-temperature Brayton Cycle electric power production at full scale with a focus on economic performance; (3) Nuclear-assisted production of hydrogen (with about 10% of the heat) with a focus on economic performance; and (4) By test, the exceptional safety capabilities of the advanced gas-cooled reactors. Further, the NGNP program will: (1) Obtain a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) License to construct and operate the NGNP, this process will provide a basis for future performance based, risk-informed licensing; and (2) Support the development, testing, and prototyping of hydrogen infrastructures. The NGNP Materials Research and Development (R and D) Program is responsible for performing R and D on likely NGNP materials in support of the NGNP design, licensing, and construction activities. The NGNP Materials R and D Program includes the following elements: (1) Developing a specific approach, program plan and other project management

Human factors in maintenance: Development and research in Swedish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salo, I.; Svensson, Ola

2001-11-01

The present report investigated previously completed, ongoing, and planned research and development projects focusing human factors and maintenance work carried out at Swedish nuclear power plants and SKI. In addition, needs for future research and development works were also investigated. Participants from all nuclear power plants and SKI were included in the study. Participants responded to a set of questions in an interview. The interviews also generated a list of future research and development projects

Human factors in maintenance: development and research in Swedish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salo, I.; Svenson, O.

2001-11-01

The report investigated previously completed, ongoing, and planned research and development projects focusing human factors and maintenance work carried out at Swedish nuclear power plants and SKI. In addition, needs for future research and development works were also investigated. Participants from all nuclear power plants and SKI were included in the study. Participants responded to a set of questions in an interview. The interviews also generated a list of future research and development projects. (au)

Human factors in maintenance: Development and research in Swedish nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salo, I. [Lund Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Psychology; Svensson, Ola [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Psychology

2001-11-01

The present report investigated previously completed, ongoing, and planned research and development projects focusing human factors and maintenance work carried out at Swedish nuclear power plants and SKI. In addition, needs for future research and development works were also investigated. Participants from all nuclear power plants and SKI were included in the study. Participants responded to a set of questions in an interview. The interviews also generated a list of future research and development projects.

In-service diagnostic systems of steam generators, pressurizers and other components of WWER type nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matal, O.

1988-01-01

A detailed description is presented of the systems of vibration inspections and systems of determining residual service life, implemented as in-service diagnostic systems for steam generators and pressurizers at the Dukovany nuclear power plant. Low temperature accelerometers of the KD or KS type and high temperature accelerometers CA 91 are used as vibration sensors. In the system of vibration inspection a total of 64 vibration measuring chains of Czechoslovak make and design are installed in the power plant. Systems are being built for determining residual service life which consist of 75 special chains for heat monitoring with thermocouples installed on selected assemblies of the steam generators and the pressurizers serving to monitor and evaluate heat stress. Also included in the system for determining residual service life are 16 routes for water withdrawal from steam generators. Their purpose is to make in-service determinations of places of biggest concentrations of impurities in secondary water, to determine the biggest local chemical exposure of primary collector and heat exchange tube materials and to optimize the size and place of leachate withdrawal. (Z.M.). 2 figs., 2 tabs., 15 refs

National Nuclear Power Plant Safety Research 2003-2006. Proposal for the Content and Organisation of a New Research Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-11-01

A country utilising nuclear energy is presumed to possess a sufficient infrastructure to cover the education and research in this field, besides the operating and supervisory organisations of the plants. The starting point of public nuclear safety research programmes is that they provide the necessary conditions for retaining the knowledge needed for ensuring the continuance of safe and economic use of nuclear power, for development of new know-how and for participation in international cooperation. In fact, the Finnish organisations engaged in research in this sector have been an important resource which the various ministries, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) and the power companies have had at their disposal. The Steering Group to the Finnish Research Programme on Nuclear Power Plant Safety (FINNUS), which was launched upon the assignment of the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Energy, appointed in spring 2002 a group to plan the contents of the new programme. This report contains a proposal for the general outline of the programme, preliminarily entitled as SAFIR (SAfety of Nuclear Power Plants - Finnish National Research Programme). The plan has been made for the period 2003-2006, but it is based on safety challenges identified for a longer time span as well. The favourable decision-in-principle on a new nuclear power plant unit adopted by Parliament has also been taken into account in the plan. The safety challenges set by the existing plants and the new plant unit, as well as the ensuing research needs do, however, converge to a great extent. The construction of the new power plant unit will increase the need for experts in the field in Finland. At the same time, the retirement of the existing experts is continuing. These factors together will call for more education and training, in which active research activities play a key role. This situation also makes long-term safety research face a great challenge. The general plan aims to define the

Service-oriented computing : State of the art and research challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papazoglou, Michael P.; Traverso, Paolo; Dustdar, Schahram; Leymann, Frank

2007-01-01

Service-oriented computing promotes the idea of assembling application components into a network of services that can be loosely coupled to create flexible, dynamic business processes and agile applications that span organizations and computing platforms. An SOC research road map provides a context

Research on technological assessment for ageing management of commercial reprocessing plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

The research program has been carried out to provide technical database and review manuals for evaluating the adequacy of Tokai plant's Ageing Management report from F.Y.2006 to F.Y.2011. In the near future, the regulator will be to carry out the evaluation of Rokkasho plant, which is commercial-size plant mainly designed by the technologies in Britain and France. This plant is different from Tokai plant in a technique of the prevention of corrosion. The purpose of the research program is to provide supplementary database and improve the review manual in order to evaluate the adequacy of Rokkasho plant's Ageing Management report. We selected three experimental subjects on ageing phenomena listed bellow in this program on the basis of the result of the operational experience of the foreign plants and the related previous studies. Effect of solid deposit adhering on the metal, Np(VI) and nitrous ions in solution on the corrosion of stainless steel made reduced pressure evaporator in boiling nitric acid solutions, Conditions of initiation of Stress Corrosion Cracking of the zirconium made components in boiling nitric acid solutions including highly-concentrated plutonium, Conditions of initiation of Hydrogen Embrittlement Stress Corrosion Cracking of Pipe Fittings Composed of Zirconium, Tantalum and Stainless Steel in high radioactive nitric acid solutions. (author)

Counseling Services and Student Success. Research Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Perry C.; Horn, Aaron S.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research brief is to provide an overview of mental health issues and counseling services on college campuses. The findings from several national surveys are reviewed to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression, suicide and suicidal ideation, and violence among college students. Common prevention and treatment programs…

RESEARCH OF EXPECTED AND PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY IN HOTEL MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milan Bradić

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The paper examines the concept and measurement of quality of service in the hotel sector. The ratings of guests’ expectations and calculations of SERVQUAL gap (discrepancies between expectations and perceptions, has been the most reliable method in estimating the precise diagnosis of quality deficiency. The findings of questionnaire research aimed at measuring the service quality in spa hotels are presented in this paper. The research was conducted in hotels of the third category (three-star hotels which are located in the most visited spa centers in Serbia: Vrnjačka banja, Niška banja, Soko banja and Mataruška banja, during the months of September - November 2009. Service quality was measured with a model based on SERVQUAL model. The results may be important for providers of hotel services and contribute to the advancement of business through the adjustment of the product needs of hotel guests.

Data base on nuclear power plant dose reduction research projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1986-10-01

Staff at the ALARA Center of Brookhaven National Laboratory have established a data base of information about current research that is likely to result in lower radiation doses to workers. The data base, concerned primarily with nuclear power generation, is part of a project that the ALARA Center is carrying out for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This report describes its current status. A substantial amount of research on reducing occupational exposure is being done in the US and abroad. This research is beginning to have an impact on the collective dose expenditures at nuclear power plants. The collective radiation doses in Europe, Japan, and North America all show downward trends. A large part of the research in the US is either sponsored by the nuclear industry through joint industry organizations such as EPRI and ESEERCO or is done by individual corporations. There is also significant participation by smaller companies. The main emphasis of the research on dose reduction is on engineering approaches aimed at reducing radiation fields or keeping people out of high-exposure areas by using robotics. Effective ALARA programs are also underway at a large number of nuclear plants. Additional attention should be given to non-engineering approaches to dose reduction, which are potentially very useful and cost effective but require quantitative study and analysis based on data from nuclear power plants. 9 refs., 1 fig.

EPRI research on component aging and nuclear plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sliter, G.E.; Carey, J.J.

1985-01-01

This paper first describes several research efforts sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) that examine the aging degradation of organic materials and the nuclear plant equipment in which they appear. This research includes a compendium of material properties characterizing the effects of thermal and radiation aging, shake table testing to evaluate the effects of aging on the seismic performance of electrical components, and a review of condition monitoring techniques applicable to electrical equipment. Also described is a long-term investigation of natural versus artificial aging using reactor buildings as test beds. The paper then describes how the equipment aging research fits into a broad-scoped EPRI program on nuclear plant life extension. The objective of this program is to provide required information, technology, and guidelines to enable utilities to significantly extend operating life beyond the current 40-year licensed term

78 FR 70102 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies; Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-22

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative... notice under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the Clinical Science Research and... Development Officer through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the...

77 FR 72438 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-05

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative... under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the Clinical Science Research and... through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and...

78 FR 53015 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-27

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative... under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the Clinical Science Research and... Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and feasibility of proposed projects and...

2012 Gordon Research Conference, Plant molecular biology, July 15-20 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sussman, Michael R. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2013-07-20

The 2012 Gordon Conference on Plant Molecular Biology will present cutting-edge research on molecular aspects of plant growth and development, with particular emphasis on recent discoveries in molecular mechanisms involved with plant signaling systems. The Conference will feature a wide range of topics in plant molecular biology including hormone receptors and early events in hormone signaling, plant perception of and response to plant pathogen and symbionts, as well as technological and biological aspects of epigenomics particularly as it relates to signaling systems that regulate plant growth and development. Genomic approaches to plant signaling will be emphasized, including genomic profiling technologies for quantifying various biological subsystems, such as the epigenome, transcriptome, phosphorylome, and metabolome. The meeting will include an important session devoted to answering the question, "What are the biological and technological limits of plant breeding/genetics, and how can they be solved"?

Building a science of partnership-focused research: forging and sustaining partnerships to support child mental health prevention and services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Catherine P; Haynes, Katherine Taylor

2012-07-01

Building on growing interest in translational research, this paper provides an overview of a special issue of Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Service Research, which is focused on the process of forging and sustaining partnerships to support child mental health prevention and services research. We propose that partnership-focused research is a subdiscipline of translational research which requires additional research to better refine the theoretical framework and the core principles that will guide future research and training efforts. We summarize some of the major themes across the eight original articles and three commentaries included in the special issue. By advancing the science of partnership-focused research we will be able to bridge the gap between child mental health prevention and services research and practice.

Sustainability of financial professional services through marketing strategy- an empirical research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dutescu Adriana

2017-07-01

Full Text Available All types of companies providing financial professional services use, formally or informally, marketing principles and tools for the development of their business, in order to straighten their sustainability. By the end of 2009, in Romania, the financial professional services market has had a relatively constant and predictable development, the mandatory nature of these services being their most important promoter. This article presents the results of a survey aimed to highlight the impact of different marketing principles, techniques and tools on the sustainability of financial professional services in accounting and audit nowadays. The research is based on a questionnaire circulated to professionals with the relevant expertise in the financial-accounting domain. The number of responses obtained was considered meaningful, allowing the research results to be extrapolated to the entire studied population. The respondents, whose anonymity was respected, had multiple choice answers for most of the questions and also having the option of opened answers. The main findings of our research are a starting point in providing solutions to improve the sustainability of financial professional services through a coherent, innovative and effective marketing strategy.

Environmental risk assessment for plant pests: a procedure to evaluate their impacts on ecosystem services.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilioli, G; Schrader, G; Baker, R H A; Ceglarska, E; Kertész, V K; Lövei, G; Navajas, M; Rossi, V; Tramontini, S; van Lenteren, J C

2014-01-15

The current methods to assess the environmental impacts of plant pests differ in their approaches and there is a lack of the standardized procedures necessary to provide accurate and consistent results, demonstrating the complexity of developing a commonly accepted scheme for this purpose. By including both the structural and functional components of the environment threatened by invasive alien species (IAS), in particular plant pests, we propose an environmental risk assessment scheme that addresses this complexity. Structural components are investigated by evaluating the impacts of the plant pest on genetic, species and landscape diversity. Functional components are evaluated by estimating how plant pests modify ecosystem services in order to determine the extent to which an IAS changes the functional traits that influence ecosystem services. A scenario study at a defined spatial and temporal resolution is then used to explore how an IAS, as an exogenous driving force, may trigger modifications in the target environment. The method presented here provides a standardized approach to generate comparable and reproducible results for environmental risk assessment as a component of Pest Risk Analysis. The method enables the assessment of overall environmental risk which integrates the impacts on different components of the environment and their probabilities of occurrence. The application of the proposed scheme is illustrated by evaluating the environmental impacts of the invasive citrus long-horn beetle, Anoplophora chinensis. © 2013.

Peace corps partnered health services implementation research in global health: opportunity for impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Dykens, Andrew; Hedrick, Chris; Ndiaye, Youssoupha; Linn, Annē

2014-09-01

There is abundant evidence of the affordable, life-saving interventions effective at the local primary health care level in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the understanding of how to deliver those interventions in diverse settings is limited. Primary healthcare services implementation research is needed to elucidate the contextual factors that can influence the outcomes of interventions, especially at the local level. US universities commonly collaborate with LMIC universities, communities, and health system partners for health services research but common barriers exist. Current challenges include the capacity to establish an ongoing presence in local settings in order to facilitate close collaboration and communication. The Peace Corps is an established development organization currently aligned with local health services in many LMICs and is well-positioned to facilitate research partnerships. This article explores the potential of a community-Peace Corps-academic partnership approach to conduct local primary healthcare services implementation research. The Peace Corps is well positioned to offer insights into local contextual factors because volunteers work closely with local leaders, have extensive trust within local communities, and have an ongoing, constant, well-integrated presence. However, the Peace Corps does not routinely conduct primary healthcare services implementation research. Universities, within the United States and locally, could benefit from the established resources and trust of the Peace Corps to conduct health services implementation research to advance access to local health services and further the knowledge of real world application of local health services in a diversity of settings. The proposed partnership would consist of (1) a local community advisory board and local health system leaders, (2) Peace Corps volunteers, and (3) a US-LMIC academic institutional collaboration. Within the proposed partnership approach

Preliminary research on eddy current bobbin quantitative test for heat exchange tube in nuclear power plant

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Pan; Shao, Wenbin; Liao, Shusheng

2016-02-01

For quantitative defects detection research on heat transfer tube in nuclear power plants (NPP), two parts of work are carried out based on the crack as the main research objects. (1) Production optimization of calibration tube. Firstly, ASME, RSEM and homemade crack calibration tubes are applied to quantitatively analyze the defects depth on other designed crack test tubes, and then the judgment with quantitative results under crack calibration tube with more accuracy is given. Base on that, weight analysis of influence factors for crack depth quantitative test such as crack orientation, length, volume and so on can be undertaken, which will optimize manufacture technology of calibration tubes. (2) Quantitative optimization of crack depth. Neural network model with multi-calibration curve adopted to optimize natural crack test depth generated in in-service tubes shows preliminary ability to improve quantitative accuracy.

Application of Gap Model in the Researches of Hotel Services Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Blešić

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents the research results of the hotel services quality by applying Gap model and SERVQUAL questionnaire. The research was conducted in five health spa centers in the West Morava river valley region during August and September 2008. The reach is aimed at testing of Gap model, i.e. identification of exceptions when the hotel services quality in the observed sample is concerned.

Aquatic Plant Control Research Program. Volume A-00-1

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kirk, James

2000-01-01

... at the Waterways Experiment Station. It is principally intended to be a forum whereby information pertaining to and resulting from the Corps of Engineers' nationwide Aquatic Plant Control Research Program (APCRP...

Research on Logistics Service Providers Selection Based on AHP and VIKOR

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Lu

The logistics service providers supply a kind of service which is a service product, thus there is a plenty of uncertainty and fuzzy in selecting logistics service providers. AHP is first used to calculate the weights of logistics services providers evaluations and then VIKOR method developed for multi-criteria optimization determining a compromise solution is applied to select the logistics services providers. The latter method provides a maximum "group utility" for the "majority" and minimum of an individual regret for the "opponent". This decision making process of logistics services providers selection is verified to be scientific and feasible through the empirical research.

Supporting Theory Building in Integrated Services Research

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Mark; Atkinson, Mary; Downing, Dick

2008-01-01

This literature review was commissioned by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to draw together current and recent studies of integrated working, in order to build an overview of the theories and models of such working. The review is important for current work on evaluating the early impact of integrated children's services and…

Paucity of qualitative research in general medical and health services and policy research journals: analysis of publication rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagliardi, Anna R; Dobrow, Mark J

2011-10-12

Qualitative research has the potential to inform and improve health care decisions but a study based on one year of publications suggests that it is not published in prominent health care journals. A more detailed, longitudinal analysis of its availability is needed. The purpose of this study was to identify, count and compare the number of qualitative and non-qualitative research studies published in high impact health care journals, and explore trends in these data over the last decade. A bibliometric approach was used to identify and quantify qualitative articles published in 20 top general medical and health services and policy research journals from 1999 to 2008. Eligible journals were selected based on performance in four different ranking systems reported in the 2008 ISI Journal Citation Reports. Qualitative and non-qualitative research published in these journals were identified by searching MEDLINE, and validated by hand-searching tables of contents for four journals. The total number of qualitative research articles published during 1999 to 2008 in ten general medical journals ranged from 0 to 41, and in ten health services and policy research journals from 0 to 39. Over this period the percentage of empirical research articles that were qualitative ranged from 0% to 0.6% for the general medical journals, and 0% to 6.4% for the health services and policy research journals. This analysis suggests that qualitative research it is rarely published in high impact general medical and health services and policy research journals. The factors that contribute to this persistent marginalization need to be better understood.

The Communities' research and development programme on decommissioning of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

This is the first progress report of the European Community's programme (1979-1983) of research on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. It shows the status of the programme on 31 December 1980. The programme seeks to promote a number of research and development projects as well as the identification of guiding principles. The projects concern the following subjects: long-term integrity of buildings and systems; decontamination for decommissioning purposes; dismantling techniques; treatment of specific waste materials: steel, concrete and graphite; large transport containers for radioactive was produced in the dismantling of nuclear power plants; estimation of the quantities of radioactive wastes arising from decommissioning of nuclear power plants in the Community; influence of nuclear power plant design features on decommissioning

Biosecurity implications of new technology and discovery in plant virus research.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin MacDiarmid

Full Text Available Human activity is causing new encounters between viruses and plants. Anthropogenic interventions include changing land use, decreasing biodiversity, trade, the introduction of new plant and vector species to native landscapes, and changing atmospheric and climatic conditions. The discovery of thousands of new viruses, especially those associated with healthy-appearing native plants, is shifting the paradigm for their role within the ecosystem from foe to friend. The cost of new plant virus incursions can be high and result in the loss of trade and/or production for short or extended periods. We present and justify three recommendations for plant biosecurity to improve communication about plant viruses, assist with the identification of viruses and their impacts, and protect the high economic, social, environmental, and cultural value of our respective nations' unique flora: 1 As part of the burden of proof, countries and jurisdictions should identify what pests already exist in, and which pests pose a risk to, their native flora; 2 Plant virus sequences not associated with a recognized virus infection are designated as "uncultured virus" and tentatively named using the host plant species of greatest known prevalence, the word "virus," a general location identifier, and a serial number; and 3 Invest in basic research to determine the ecology of known and new viruses with existing and potential new plant hosts and vectors and develop host-virus pathogenicity prediction tools. These recommendations have implications for researchers, risk analysts, biosecurity authorities, and policy makers at both a national and an international level.

Chemical cleaning the service water system at a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brice, T.O.; Glover, W.A.

1994-01-01

Chemical cleaning a large cooling water system in a nuclear power plant presented many unique problems. The selection, qualification, and performance of the cleaning process were done using a phased approach. The piping was inspected to determine the extent of the problem. Deposit samples were removed from the service water system pipe and tested in the laboratory to determine the most effective cleaning solvent for deposit removal. An engineering study was performed to define the design parameters required to implement the system-wide chemical cleaning

Research on psychological evaluation method for nuclear power plant operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Xiang; He Xuhong; Zhao Bingquan

2007-01-01

The qualitative and quantitative psychology evaluation methods to the nuclear power plant operators were analyzed and discussed in the paper. The comparison analysis to the scope and result of application was carried out between method of outline figure fitted and method of fuzzy synthetic evaluation. The research results can be referenced to the evaluation of nuclear power plant operators. (authors)

Basic research on human reliability in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Li; Deng Zhiliang

1996-10-01

Human reliability in nuclear power plants is one of key factors in nuclear safety and economic operation. According to cognitive science, behaviour theory and ergonomic and on the bases of human cognitive behaviour characteristics, performance shaping factors, human error mechanisms and organization management, the project systematically studied the human reliability in nuclear power plant systems, established the basic theory and methods for analyzing human factor accidents and suggested feasible approaches and countermeasures for precaution against human factor accidents and improving human reliability. The achievement has been applied in operation departments, management departments and scientific research institutions of nuclear power, and has produced guiding significance and practical value to design, operation and management in nuclear power plants. (11 refs.)

Community action research track: Community-based participatory research and service-learning experiences for medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Gimpel, Nora; Kindratt, Tiffany; Dawson, Alvin; Pagels, Patti

2018-04-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) and service-learning are unique experiential approaches designed to train medical students how to provide individualized patient care from a population perspective. Medical schools in the US are required to provide support for service-learning and community projects. Despite this requirement, few medical schools offer structured service-learning. We developed the Community Action Research Track (CART) to integrate population medicine, health promotion/disease prevention and the social determinants of health into the medical school curriculum through CBPR and service-learning experiences. This article provides an overview of CART and reports the program impact based on students' participation, preliminary evaluations and accomplishments. CART is an optional 4‑year service-learning experience for medical students interested in community health. The curriculum includes a coordinated longitudinal program of electives, community service-learning and lecture-based instruction. From 2009-2015, 146 CART students participated. Interests in public health (93%), community service (73%), primary care (73%), CBPR (60%) and community medicine (60%) were the top reasons for enrolment. Significant improvements in mean knowledge were found when measuring the principles of CBPR, levels of prevention, determining health literacy and patient communication strategies (all p's Projects were disseminated by at least 65 posters and four oral presentations at local, national and international professional meetings. Six manuscripts were published in peer-reviewed journals. CART is an innovative curriculum for training future physicians to be community-responsive physicians. CART can be replicated by other medical schools interested in offering a longitudinal CBPR and service-learning track in an urban metropolitan setting.

Plant natural products research in tuberculosis drug discovery and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Plant natural products research in tuberculosis drug discovery and development: A situation report ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... tuberculosis (XDR-TB), call for the development of new anti-tuberculosis drugs to combat this disease.

National nuclear power plant safety research 2011-2014. SAFIR2014 framework plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

A country utilising nuclear energy is presumed to possess a sufficient infrastructure to cover the education and research in this field, besides the operating organisations of the plants and a regulatory body. The starting point of public nuclear safety research programmes is that they provide the necessary conditions for retaining the knowledge needed for ensuring the continuance of safe and economic use of nuclear power, for development of new know-how and for participation in international cooperation. In fact, the Finnish organisations engaged in research in this sector have been an important resource which the various ministries, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) and the power companies have had at their disposal. Ministry of employment and the economy appointed a group to write the Framework Plan of the new programme. This report contains a proposal for the general outline of the programme, entitled as SAFIR2014 (SAfety of Nuclear Power Plants - Finnish National Research Programme). The plan has been made for the period 2011-2014, but it is based on safety challenges identified for a longer time span as well. Olkiluoto 3, the new nuclear power plant unit under construction and new decisions-in-principle have also been taken into account in the plan. The safety challenges set by the existing plants and the new projects, as well as the ensuing research needs do, however, converge to a great extent. The research programme is strongly based on the Chapter 7a of the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act. The construction of new power plant units will increase the need for experts in the field in Finland. At the same time, the retirement of the existing experts is continuing. These factors together will call for more education and training, in which active research activities play a key role. This situation also makes long-term safety research face a great challenge. The Framework Plan aims to define the important research needs related to the safety

Bibliography of the Maryland Power Plant Research Program, fourteenth edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLean, R.I.

1993-02-01

The Power Plant Siting Act of 1971 (Sec. 3-303) established the Power Plant Research Program to ensure that demands for electric power would be met in a timely manner at a reasonable cost while assuring that the associated environmental impact would be acceptable. The scope of the Program extends to estimating the impact of proposed new generating facilities, evaluating the acceptability of proposed transmission line routes, assessing the impact of existing generation facilities, and investigating generic issues related to power plant site evaluation and associated environmental and land use considerations. The bibliography is a compilation of all the studies performed for and/or by the Power Plant and Environmental Review Division since its inception

Research into Australian emergency services personnel mental health and wellbeing: An evidence map.

Science.gov (United States)

Varker, Tracey; Metcalf, Olivia; Forbes, David; Chisolm, Katherine; Harvey, Sam; Van Hooff, Miranda; McFarlane, Alexander; Bryant, Richard; Phelps, Andrea J

2018-02-01

Evidence maps are a method of systematically characterising the range of research activity in broad topic areas and are a tool for guiding research priorities. 'Evidence-mapping' methodology was used to quantify the nature and distribution of recent peer-reviewed research into the mental health and wellbeing of Australian emergency services personnel. A search of the PsycINFO, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases was performed for primary research articles that were published between January 2011 and July 2016. In all, 43 studies of primary research were identified and mapped. The majority of the research focused on organisational and individual/social factors and how they relate to mental health problems/wellbeing. There were several areas of research where very few studies were detected through the mapping process, including suicide, personality, stigma and pre-employment factors that may contribute to mental health outcomes and the use of e-health. No studies were detected which examined the prevalence of self-harm and/or harm to others, bullying, alcohol/substance use, barriers to care or experience of families of emergency services personnel. In addition, there was no comprehensive national study that had investigated all sectors of emergency services personnel. This evidence map highlights the need for future research to address the current gaps in mental health and wellbeing research among Australian emergency services personnel. Improved understanding of the mental health and wellbeing of emergency services personnel, and the factors that contribute, should guide organisations' wellbeing policies and procedures.

7 CFR 52.83 - Reporting results of the plant survey and inauguration of inspection services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Reporting results of the plant survey and inauguration... AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES...

Space flight research leading to the development of enhanced plant products: Results from STS-94

Science.gov (United States)

Stodieck, Louis S.; Hoehn, Alex; Heyenga, A. Gerard

1998-01-01

Products derived from plants, such as foods, pharmaceuticals, lumber, paper, oils, etc., are pervasive in everyday life and generate revenues in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Research on space-grown plants has the potential to alter quantities, properties and types of plant-derived products in beneficial ways. Research on space grown plants may help expand the utilization of this resource for Earth based benefit to an even greater extent. The use of space flight conditions may help provide a greater understanding and ultimate manipulation of the metabolic and genetic control of commercially important plant products. Companies that derive and sell plant products could significantly benefit from investing in space research and development. A flight investigation was conducted on the Shuttle mission STS-94 to establish the initial experimental conditions necessary to test the hypothesis that the exposure of certain plant forms to an adequate period of microgravity may divert the cell metabolic expenditure on structural compounds such as lignin to alternative secondary metabolic compounds which are of commercial interest. Nine species of plants were grown for 16 days in the Astro/Plant Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (Astro/PGBA) under well-controlled environmental conditions. Approximately half of the plant species exhibited significant growth comparable with synchronous ground controls. The other flight plant species were stunted and showed signs of stress with the cause still under investigation. For the plants that grew well, analyses are underway and are expected to demonstrate the potential for space flight biotechnology research.

Plant lifetime management and research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, K.; Nagayama, M.

1993-01-01

The importance of nuclear power generation has been increasing in Japan. Because the lower generation cost and more stable fuel supply, in comparison with the case of fossil plants, are beneficial to Japan which has scarce natural resources. In addition, nuclear power generation is expected to help reduce carbon dioxide emission which causes global warming. In these circumstances, the safe and stable operations of nuclear power plants are of prime importance, and the frequency of unscheduled shutdown has been kept low in Japan as a result of thorough periodic inspections supported by aging management. This paper covers the development process of the aging management program and related research programs in The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (KEPCO). KEPCO runs 11 nuclear power units (PWR). A Table shows the commencement date of commercial operation and operating hours for each unit. The early plants, such as Mihama-2 Unit, have been operated for more than 100,000 hours and are in the phase of aging management. Accordingly, we have been conducting aging management programs since 1987. in order to identify age-related degradation and work out countermeasures.The aging management programs have ensured safe and stable operation of nuclear power plants. Each result of the lifetime assessment has provided the information which helps establishing maintenance programs. For example, the result of the lifetime assessment has been reflected to the intervals of overhaulings and inspections, and the replacement timing of some components. In the future activities of aging management should be revised and should focus lifetime assessment on components which provoke difficulties in inspections because of high radiation exposure or high inspection cost

RIBA Project - Risk-Informed approach for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components. Project summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lidbury, D.; Smith, G.

2001-12-01

The need for a European review of a Risk-Informed Approach for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components (RIBA) was identified in 1998. This was as a priority item in the programme of activities conducted in the framework of the Council Resolutions of 22 July 1975 and of 18 June 1992 on the Technological Problems of Nuclear Safety. The RIBA Project was established in November 1999 as a 24-month Study Contract funded by the European Commission within the frame of the former DG XI WGCS (Working Group on Codes and Standards). The Study Contract was subsequently managed for the EC by DG TREN. The participants in RIBA were Serco Assurance (project coordinator), Ringhals AB, EDF, Tecnatom SA and Westinghouse Electric Europe. The work is presented in a summary report with the detailed results contained in three companion reports as follows: main conclusions and recommendations, Review of Existing Risk-Informed Methodologies, A Comparative Study of Risk-Informed In-Service Inspection Applications, Conclusions and Recommendations for Risk-Informed in-service inspection methodology applied to Nuclear Power Plants in Europe. (author)

E-service research trends in the domain of e-Government

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scupola, Ada; Islam, M. Sirajul

2011-01-01

review to examine the e-service research trends during the period between 2005 and 2009 mostly in terms of, research methods, theoretical models and frameworks employed as well as type of research questions. The results show that there has been a good amount of papers focusing on ‘e-Service’ within...

Seed dispersal as an ecosystem service: frugivore loss leads to decline of a socially valued plant, Capsicum frutescens.

Science.gov (United States)

Egerer, Monika H; Fricke, Evan C; Rogers, Haldre S

2018-04-01

Species interactions, both mutualistic and antagonistic, are widely recognized as providing important ecosystem services. Fruit-eating animals influence plant recruitment by increasing germination during gut passage and moving seeds away from conspecifics. However, relative to studies focused on the importance of frugivores for plant population maintenance, few studies target frugivores as ecosystem service providers, and frugivores are underappreciated as ecosystem service providers relative to other mutualists such as pollinators. Here, we use an accidental experiment to elucidate the role of seed dispersal by frugivores for maintaining a culturally and economically important plant, the donne' sali chili (Capsicum frutescens) in the Mariana Islands. One of the islands (Guam) has lost nearly all of its native forest birds due to an invasive snake (Boiga irregularis), whereas nearby islands have relatively intact bird populations. We hypothesized that frugivore loss would influence chili recruitment and abundance, which could have economic and cultural impacts. By using video cameras, we confirmed that birds were the primary seed dispersers. We used captive bird feeding trials to obtain gut-passed seeds to use in a seedling emergence experiment. The experiment showed that gut-passed seeds emerged sooner and at a higher proportion than seeds from whole fruits. Consistent with our findings that birds benefit chilies, we observed lower chili abundance on Guam than on islands with birds. In a survey questionnaire of island residents, the majority of residents reported an association between the wild chili and local cultural values and traditions. In addition, we identified a thriving market for chili products, suggesting benefits of wild chilies to people in the Marianas both as consumers and producers. Our study therefore documents seed dispersal as both a cultural and a supporting ecosystem service. We provide a comprehensive case study on how seed-dispersed plants

Service Integration to Enhance Research Data Management: RSpace Electronic Laboratory Notebook Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stuart Macdonald

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Research Data Management (RDM provides a framework that supports researchers and their data throughout the course of their research and is increasingly regarded as one of the essential areas of responsible conduct of research. New tools and infrastructures make possible the generation of large volumes of digital research data in a myriad of formats. This facilitates new ways to analyse, share and reuse these outputs, with libraries, IT services and other service units within academic institutions working together with the research community to develop RDM infrastructures to curate and preserve this type of research output and make them re-usable for future generations. Working on the principle that a rationalised and continuous flow of data between systems and across institutional boundaries is one of the core goals of information management, this paper will highlight service integration via Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN, which streamline research data workflows, result in efficiency gains for researchers, research administrators and other stakeholders, and ultimately enhance the RDM process.

Research into the influence of internal interdepartmental integration on service innovation and customer loyalty

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jui-Chan; Wu, Tzu-Jung; Wen, Hao-Ming; Hsin-Fei, Wu; Hairui, Ji

2017-06-01

It is the most important for the company to improve customer value and customer loyalty through service innovation. However, at present, only researches related to organizations or consumer behaviors are conducted, there is rare research into the combination between organization level and consumer behavior, and this research tries to explore this aspect, which is the motivation and contribution of this research. This research aims to explore the relationship between "Interdepartmental Integration", "Service Innovation" and "Customer Loyalty", according to the analysis results, the relationship between "interdepartmental integration and service innovation" and "service innovation and customer loyalty" has a low positive correlation and it reaches significant level; it shows the relationship between "interdepartmental interaction and progressive innovation" and "interdepartmental collaboration and fundamental innovation" is significant.

Identifying future research directions for biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainability : perspectives from early-career researchers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hossain, S.; Pogue, S.J.; Trenchard, L.; Oudenhoven, van A.P.E.; Washbourne, C-L.; Muiruri, E.W.; Tomczyk, A.M.; García-Llorente, M.; Hale, R.; Hevia, V.; Adams, T.; Tavallali, L.; De, Bell S.; Pye, M.; Resende, F.

2017-01-01

We aimed to identify priority research questions in the field of biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainability (BESS), based on a workshop held during the NRG BESS Conference for Early Career Researchers on BESS, and to compare these to existing horizon scanning exercises. This work highlights

Paucity of qualitative research in general medical and health services and policy research journals: analysis of publication rates

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Qualitative research has the potential to inform and improve health care decisions but a study based on one year of publications suggests that it is not published in prominent health care journals. A more detailed, longitudinal analysis of its availability is needed. The purpose of this study was to identify, count and compare the number of qualitative and non-qualitative research studies published in high impact health care journals, and explore trends in these data over the last decade. Methods A bibliometric approach was used to identify and quantify qualitative articles published in 20 top general medical and health services and policy research journals from 1999 to 2008. Eligible journals were selected based on performance in four different ranking systems reported in the 2008 ISI Journal Citation Reports. Qualitative and non-qualitative research published in these journals were identified by searching MEDLINE, and validated by hand-searching tables of contents for four journals. Results The total number of qualitative research articles published during 1999 to 2008 in ten general medical journals ranged from 0 to 41, and in ten health services and policy research journals from 0 to 39. Over this period the percentage of empirical research articles that were qualitative ranged from 0% to 0.6% for the general medical journals, and 0% to 6.4% for the health services and policy research journals. Conclusions This analysis suggests that qualitative research it is rarely published in high impact general medical and health services and policy research journals. The factors that contribute to this persistent marginalization need to be better understood. PMID:21992238

Present status of TMI-2 plant and results of its research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Sadaaki; Yokomi, Michiro.

1987-01-01

In the accident occurred in the TMI-2 plant on March 28, 1979, the damage was caused in the reactor core, but there scarcely was the effect on the health and safety of general public around the power station. But in USA, it was decided to collect the data on the fuel, decontamination, waste management and so on of this plant and to advance the survey and research on the safety by the analysis and evaluation of the course of the accident mainly by GPUN, EPRI, NRC and DOE. Also in Japan, it was judged that the participation in this research would be useful for improving the reliability of Japanese nuclear power plants hereafter, and the Japan-USA agreement on TMI-2 research and development project was concluded on April 16, 1984. The activity plan in TMI-2 is divided into three stages. Phase 1 is the stage of stabilization, Phase 2 is the stage of taking fuel out, and Phase 3 is the stage of cleaning. At present, Phase 2 - 3 are in progress, and the taking-out and transport of fuel and decontamination are carried out. After finishing Phase 3, the TMI-2 plant is placed in the state of monitoring and preservation, which is scheduled in September, 1988. The final disposal of the plant will be determined thereafter. Decontamination, treatment of contaminated water and wastes, taking-out and transport of fuel, state of the reactor core and others are reported. (Kako, I.)

Plant diversification promotes biocontrol services in peach orchards by shaping the ecological niches of insect herbivores and their natural enemies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wan, Nian Feng; Ji, Xiang Yun; Deng, Jian Yu

2018-01-01

Ecological niche indicators have been scarcely adopted to assess the biological control of insect herbivores by their natural enemies. We hypothesize that plant diversification promotes the biocontrol services by narrowing the niches of herbivores and broadening the niches of natural enemies....... Our study reveals that plant diversification promotes the biocontrol services by shaping the niche of herbivores and natural enemies, and provides a new assessment method to understand the biodiversity-niche-ecosystem management interactions........ In a large-scale experiment, we found that the abundance of natural enemies was increased by 38.1%, and the abundance of insect herbivores was decreased by 16.9% in peach orchards with plant diversification (treatment) compared to ones with monoculture (control). Stratified sampling indicated...

Power plants 2020+. Power plant options for the future and the related demand for research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

This short overview already demonstrates that in the foreseeable future all generation options - nuclear power, fossil-fired power plants and renewable sources of energy - will continue to be applied. If, however, due to climate protection targets, energy conversion processes are to be to switched to CO 2 -free or -low carbon energy sources, comprehensive research endeavours will be required in order to advance existing technology options and to adjust them to changing conditions. This paper is bound to recommend individual fields of research from the viewpoint of the VGB Scientific Advisory Board for the period 2020 and beyond. Firstly, the generation structure in the European high-voltage grid and its development until 2020 will be considered, then the research demand for - Hard coal- and lignite-fired power plants, - Renewables-based electricity generation (wind, solar energy) and - Nuclear-based electricity generation will be outlined briefly, listing the main technology issues to be answered by researchers in order to increase efficiency and to settle any ''loose ends''. Apart from generation technologies, the options for storing electrical energy will also be dealt with. These options can contribute to make the feed-in of renewables-based electricity more permanent and sustainable. (orig.)

Public health capacity in the provision of health care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdmanis, Vivian; DeNicola, Arianna; Bernet, Patrick

2015-12-01

In this paper, we assess the capacity of Florida's public health departments. We achieve this by using bootstrapped data envelopment analysis (DEA) applied to Johansen's definition of capacity utilization. Our purpose in this paper is to measure if there is, theoretically, enough excess capacity available to handle a possible surge in the demand for primary care services especially after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act that includes provisions for expanded public health services. We measure subunit service availability using a comprehensive data source available for all 67 county health departments in the provision of diagnostic care and primary health care. In this research we aim to address two related research questions. First, we structure our analysis so as to fix budgets. This is based on the assumption that State spending on social and health services could be limited, but patient needs are not. Our second research question is that, given the dearth of primary care providers in Florida if budgets are allowed to vary is there enough medical labor to provide care to clients. Using a non-parametric approach, we also apply bootstrapping to the concept of plant capacity which adds to the productivity research. To preview our findings, we report that there exists excess plant capacity for patient treatment and care, but question whether resources may be better suited for more traditional types of public health services.

Making research relevant? Ecological methods and the ecosystem services framework

Science.gov (United States)

Root-Bernstein, Meredith; Jaksic, Fabián. M.

2017-07-01

We examine some unexpected epistemological conflicts that arise at the interfaces between ecological science, the ecosystem services framework, policy, and industry. We use an example from our own research to motivate and illustrate our main arguments, while also reviewing standard approaches to ecological science using the ecosystem services framework. While we agree that the ecosystem services framework has benefits in its industrial applications because it may force economic decision makers to consider a broader range of costs and benefits than they would do otherwise, we find that many alignments of ecology with the ecosystem services framework are asking questions that are irrelevant to real-world applications, and generating data that does not serve real-world applications. We attempt to clarify why these problems arise and how to avoid them. We urge fellow ecologists to reflect on the kind of research that can lead to both scientific advances and applied relevance to society. In our view, traditional empirical approaches at landscape scales or with place-based emphases are necessary to provide applied knowledge for problem solving, which is needed once decision makers identify risks to ecosystem services. We conclude that the ecosystem services framework is a good policy tool when applied to decision-making contexts, but not a good theory either of social valuation or ecological interactions, and should not be treated as one.

Research-Based Program Development: Refining the Service Model for a Geographic Alliance

Science.gov (United States)

Rutherford, David J.; Lovorn, Carley

2018-01-01

Research conducted in 2013 identified the perceptions that K-12 teachers and administrators hold with respect to: (1) the perceived needs in education, (2) the professional audiences that are most important to reach, and (3) the service models that are most effective. The specific purpose of the research was to refine and improve the services that…

How will we know "good" qualitative research when we see it? Beginning the dialogue in health services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Devers, K J

1999-12-01

To lay the foundation for an explicit review and dialogue concerning the criteria that should be used to evaluate qualitative health services research. Clear criteria are critical for the discipline because they provide a benchmark against which research can be assessed. Existing literature in the social sciences and health services research, particularly in primary care and medicine. Traditional criteria for evaluating qualitative research are rooted in the philosophical perspective (positivism) most closely associated with quantitative research and methods. As a result, qualitative research and methods may not be used as frequently as they can be and research results generated from qualitative studies may not be disseminated as widely as possible. However, alternative criteria for evaluating qualitative research have been proposed that reflect a different philosophical perspective (post-positivism). Moreover, these criteria are tailored to the unique purposes for which qualitative research is used and the research designs traditionally employed. While criteria based on these two different philosophical perspectives have much in common, some important differences exist. The field of health services research must engage in a collective, "qualitative" process to determine which criteria to adopt (positivist or post-positivist), or whether some combination of the two is most appropriate. Greater clarity about the criteria used to evaluate qualitative research will strengthen the discipline by fostering a more appropriate and improved use of qualitative methods, a greater willingness to fund and publish "good" qualitative research, and the development of more informed consumers of qualitative research results.

IAEA-RCA training course on in-service inspection of research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has acquired a wide range of experience for over four decades in design, construction, operation and maintenance of research reactors. The two-week training course on In-Service Inspection of Research Reactors (ISI) has greatly increased the awareness in the field of ISI of Research Reactors. The training course has been formulated so as to cover most of the topics relevant to ISI of research reactors. Important topics such as rationale for in-service inspection, material degradation mechanisms, non-destructive examination techniques, design evaluation of flaws and radiological, codal and regulatory aspects of ISI for research reactors were covered. Lectures on ISI of elastomeric materials and concrete structures, which are generally used in the construction of reactors have also been included in the course. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

A Three-Part Electricity Price Mechanism for Photovoltaic-Battery Energy Storage Power Plants Considering the Power Quality and Ancillary Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yajing Gao

2017-08-01

Full Text Available To solve the problem of solar abandoning, which is accompanied by the rapid development of photovoltaic (PV power generation, a demonstration of a photovoltaic-battery energy storage system (PV-BESS power plant has been constructed in Qinghai province in China. However, it is difficult for the PV-BESS power plant to survive and develop with the current electricity price mechanism and subsidy policy. In this paper, a three-part electricity price mechanism is proposed based on a deep analysis of the construction and operation costs and economic income. The on-grid electricity price is divided into three parts: the capacity price, graded electricity price, and ancillary service price. First, to ensure that the investment of the PV-BESS power plant would achieve the industry benchmark income, the capacity price and benchmark electricity price are calculated using the discounted cash flow method. Then, the graded electricity price is calculated according to the grade of the quality of grid-connected power. Finally, the ancillary service price is calculated based on the graded electricity price and ancillary service compensation. The case studies verify the validity of the three-part electricity price mechanism. The verification shows that the three-part electricity price mechanism can help PV-BESS power plants to obtain good economic returns, which can promote the development of PV-BESS power plants.

Status Report and Research Plan for Cables Harvested from Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fifield, Leonard S. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-09-20

Harvested cables from operating or decommissioned nuclear power plants present an important opportunity to validate models, understanding material aging behavior, and validate characterization techniques. Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant is a pressurized water reactor that was licensed to operate from 1976 to 2013. Cable segments were harvested and made available to the Light Water Reactor Sustainability research program through the Electric Power Research Institute. Information on the locations and circuits within the reactor from whence the cable segments came, cable construction, sourcing and installation information, and photographs of the cable locations prior to harvesting were provided. The cable variations provided represent six of the ten most common cable insulations in the nuclear industry and experienced service usage for periods from 15 to 42 years. Subsequently, these cables constitute a valuable asset for research to understand aging behavior and measurement of nuclear cables. Received cables harvested from Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant consist of low voltage, insulated conductor surrounded by jackets in lengths from 24 to 100 feet each. Cable materials will primarily be used to investigate aging under simultaneous thermal and gamma radiation exposure. Each cable insulation and jacket material will be characterized in its as-received condition, including determination of the temperatures associated with endothermic transitions in the material using differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. Temperatures for additional thermal exposure aging will be selected following the thermal analysis to avoid transitions in accelerated laboratory aging that do not occur in field conditions. Aging temperatures above thermal transitions may also be targeted to investigate the potential for artifacts in lifetime prediction from rapid accelerated aging. Total gamma doses and dose rates targeted for each material

Towards a more holistic research approach to plant conservation: the case of rare plants on oceanic islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Luís; Dias, Elisabete Furtado; Sardos, Julie; Azevedo, Eduardo Brito; Schaefer, Hanno; Moura, Mónica

2015-06-11

Research dedicated to rare endemic plants is usually focused on one given aspect. However, holistic studies, addressing several key issues, might be more useful, supporting management programmes while unravelling basic knowledge about ecological and population-level processes. A more comprehensive approach to research is proposed, encompassing: phylogenetics/systematics, pollination biology and seed dispersal, propagation, population genetics, species distribution models (SDMs), threats and monitoring. We present a holistic study dedicated to Veronica dabneyi Hochst. ex Seub., an endangered chamaephyte endemic to the Azores. Veronica dabneyi was mainly found associated with other endemic taxa; however, invasive plants were also present and together with introduced cattle, goats and rabbits are a major threat. Most populations grow at somewhat rocky and steep locations that appeared to work as refuges. Seed set in the wild was generally high and recruitment of young plants from seed seemed to be frequent. In the laboratory, it was possible to germinate and fully develop V. dabneyi seedlings, which were planted at their site of origin. No dormancy was detected and time for 50 % germination was affected by incubation temperature. Eight new microsatellite markers were applied to 72 individuals from 7 sites. A considerable degree of admixture was found between samples from the two islands Flores and Corvo, with 98 % of the genetic variability allocated within populations. Levels of heterozygosity were high and no evidence of inbreeding was found. Species distribution models based on climatic and topographic variables allowed the estimation of the potential distribution of V. dabneyi on Flores and Corvo using ecological niche factor analysis and Maxent. The inclusion of land-use variables only slightly increased the information explained by the models. Projection of the expected habitat in Faial largely coincided with the only historic record of V. dabneyi on that island

77 FR 31072 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative... Development Officer through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the... notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the Clinical Science...

76 FR 19189 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-06

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative... through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and... notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the Clinical Science...

76 FR 65781 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-24

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service Cooperative... Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and feasibility of proposed projects and... notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the Clinical Science...

75 FR 28686 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service; Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-21

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service; Cooperative... through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and... notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the Clinical Science...

Research activities at nuclear research institute in water chemistry and corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kysela, Jan

2000-01-01

Research activities at Nuclear Research Institute Rez (NRI) are presented. They are based on former heavy water reactor program and now on pressurized reactors VVER types which are operated on Czech republic. There is LVR-15 research reactor operated in NRI. The reactor and its experimental facilities is utilized for water chemistry and corrosion studies. NRI services for power plants involve water chemistry optimalization, radioactivity build-up, fuel corrosion and structural materials corrosion tests. (author)

Mixed-methods designs in mental health services research: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Horwitz, Sarah M; Chamberlain, Patricia; Hurlburt, Michael S; Landsverk, John

2011-03-01

Despite increased calls for use of mixed-methods designs in mental health services research, how and why such methods are being used and whether there are any consistent patterns that might indicate a consensus about how such methods can and should be used are unclear. Use of mixed methods was examined in 50 peer-reviewed journal articles found by searching PubMed Central and 60 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded projects found by searching the CRISP database over five years (2005-2009). Studies were coded for aims and the rationale, structure, function, and process for using mixed methods. A notable increase was observed in articles published and grants funded over the study period. However, most did not provide an explicit rationale for using mixed methods, and 74% gave priority to use of quantitative methods. Mixed methods were used to accomplish five distinct types of study aims (assess needs for services, examine existing services, develop new or adapt existing services, evaluate services in randomized controlled trials, and examine service implementation), with three categories of rationale, seven structural arrangements based on timing and weighting of methods, five functions of mixed methods, and three ways of linking quantitative and qualitative data. Each study aim was associated with a specific pattern of use of mixed methods, and four common patterns were identified. These studies offer guidance for continued progress in integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in mental health services research consistent with efforts by NIH and other funding agencies to promote their use.

Qualitative data analysis for health services research: developing taxonomy, themes, and theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, Elizabeth H; Curry, Leslie A; Devers, Kelly J

2007-08-01

To provide practical strategies for conducting and evaluating analyses of qualitative data applicable for health services researchers. DATA SOURCES AND DESIGN: We draw on extant qualitative methodological literature to describe practical approaches to qualitative data analysis. Approaches to data analysis vary by discipline and analytic tradition; however, we focus on qualitative data analysis that has as a goal the generation of taxonomy, themes, and theory germane to health services research. We describe an approach to qualitative data analysis that applies the principles of inductive reasoning while also employing predetermined code types to guide data analysis and interpretation. These code types (conceptual, relationship, perspective, participant characteristics, and setting codes) define a structure that is appropriate for generation of taxonomy, themes, and theory. Conceptual codes and subcodes facilitate the development of taxonomies. Relationship and perspective codes facilitate the development of themes and theory. Intersectional analyses with data coded for participant characteristics and setting codes can facilitate comparative analyses. Qualitative inquiry can improve the description and explanation of complex, real-world phenomena pertinent to health services research. Greater understanding of the processes of qualitative data analysis can be helpful for health services researchers as they use these methods themselves or collaborate with qualitative researchers from a wide range of disciplines.

78 FR 41866 - Restructuring of Regulations on the Importation of Plants for Planting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-12

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 7 CFR Parts 319 and 340 [Docket No. APHIS-2008-0011] RIN 0579-AD75 Restructuring of Regulations on the Importation of Plants for Planting AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of...

Positioning the arts for intervention design research in the human services.

Science.gov (United States)

Moxley, David P; Calligan, Holly Feen

2015-12-01

The arts have been integral to the human experience fostering innovation in social arrangements, strengthening group cohesion, and merging esthetics with the utilitarian properties of technology. For intervention design research in the human services the arts can harness innovation and creativity in meeting human needs and addressing social issues. Given their capacities to stimulate expression of first person experience through interpretative strategies, the arts can equip people and groups, including researchers, with opportunities to express primary experiential knowledge through creative means, portray useful ways of meeting human needs, educate others about the social issues people experience, and formulate intervention strategies or even models to address the causes and consequences of those issues. In this paper, the authors discuss how the arts can inform and deepen human service intervention design and development and, as a result, advance innovation in the human services. They offer a rationale supporting the inclusion of the arts in the design of human service interventions, examine the contributions of the arts to the formulation of intervention concept and developmental research to further improve interventions, and consider how the arts can advance the reflexivity of intervention designers. The authors draw implications for how researchers can position the arts in the nine steps of intervention design and development the authors offer in this paper. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 79446 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service; Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-20

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service; Cooperative... Officer through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and... notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the Clinical Science...

76 FR 73781 - Clinical Science Research and Development Service; Cooperative Studies Scientific Evaluation...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-29

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Clinical Science Research and Development Service; Cooperative... Officer through the Director of the Clinical Science Research and Development Service on the relevance and... notice under Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that a meeting of the Clinical Science...

"We Serve You, Right?" A Case Study Adapting Coorientation to Customer Service Research

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, JoAnna

2010-01-01

An abundance of academic research has focused on identifying, explicating, operationalizing, and analyzing variables used to understand the dynamics of customer service. Despite this scholarly attention, applied researchers and the popular press have long reported consumers' dissatisfaction with the service received during their customer…

Finnish research programmes on nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puska, E. K.

2010-01-01

The current Finnish national research programme on nuclear power plant safety SAFIR2010 for the years 2007-2010 as well as the coming SAFIR2014 programme for the years 2011-2014 are based on the chapter 7a, 'Ensuring expertise', of the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act. The objective of this chapter is realised in the research work and education of experts in the projects of these research programmes. SAFIR2010 research programme is divided in eight research areas that are Organisation and human, Automation and control room, Fuel and reactor physics, Thermal hydraulics, Severe accidents, Structural safety of reactor circuit, Construction safety, and Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA). All the research areas include both projects in their own area and interdisciplinary co-operational projects. Research projects of the programme are chosen on the basis of annual call for proposals. In 2010 research is carried out in 33 projects in SAFIR2010. VTT is the responsible research organisation in 26 of these projects and VTT is also the coordination unit of SAFIR2010 and SAFIR2014. In 2007-2009 SAFIR2010 produced 497 Specified research results (Deliverables), 618 Publications, and 33 Academic degrees. SAFIR2010 programme covers approximately half of the reactor safety research volume in Finland currently. In 2010 the programme volume is EUR 7.1 million and 47 person years. The major funding partners are VYR with EUR 2.96 million, VTT with EUR 2.66 million, Fortum with EUR 0.28 million, TVO with EUR 0.19 million, NKS with EUR 0.15 million, EU with only EUR 0.03 million and other partners with EUR 0.85 million. The new decisions-in-principle on Olkiluoto unit 4 for Teollisuuden Voima and new nuclear power plant for Fennovoima ratified by the Finnish Parliament on 1 July 2010 increase the annual funding collected according to the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act from Fennovoima, Fortum and Teollisuuden Voima for the SAFIR2014 programme to EUR 5.2 million from the current level of EUR 3

Information Technology Research Services: Powerful Tools to Keep Up with a Rapidly Moving Field

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Paul

2010-01-01

Marty firms offer Information Technology Research reports, analyst calls, conferences, seminars, tools, leadership development, etc. These entities include Gartner, Forrester Research, IDC, The Burton Group, Society for Information Management, 1nfoTech Research, The Corporate Executive Board, and so on. This talk will cover how a number of such services are being used at the Goddard Space Flight Center to improve our IT management practices, workforce skills, approach to innovation, and service delivery. These tools and services are used across the workforce, from the executive leadership to the IT worker. The presentation will cover the types of services each vendor provides and their primary engagement model. The use of these services at other NASA Centers and Headquarters will be included. In addition, I will explain how two of these services are available now to the entire NASA IT workforce through enterprise-wide subscriptions.

Fedora Content Modelling for Improved Services for Research Databases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elbæk, Mikael Karstensen; Heller, Alfred; Pedersen, Gert Schmeltz

A re-implementation of the research database of the Technical University of Denmark, DTU, is based on Fedora. The backbone consists of content models for primary and secondary entities and their relationships, giving flexible and powerful extraction capabilities for interoperability and reporting....... By adopting such an abstract data model, the platform enables new and improved services for researchers, librarians and administrators....

Preliminary assessment of the impacts of invasive alien plants on ecosystem services in South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Wilgen, BW

2006-01-01

Full Text Available and invasive alien plant infestations, and to use the two to estimate impacts on each of the services. In this paper our focus is on water resources only. We describe our approach for selecting species and areas in order to estimate current and future potential...

Recruiting to cohort studies in specialist healthcare services: Lessons learned from clinical research nurses in UK cleft services.

Science.gov (United States)

Zucchelli, Fabio; Rumsey, Nichola; Humphries, Kerry; Bennett, Rhiannon; Davies, Amy; Sandy, Jonathan; Stock, Nicola Marie

2018-03-01

To explore the experiences of clinical research nurses recruiting patients in a large specialist care-based cohort study. Longitudinal studies are vital to better understand the aetiology and moderators of health conditions. This need is especially salient for congenital conditions, such as cleft lip and/or palate, where establishing large, comprehensive data sets from birth is vital to improve understanding and to inform interventions. Various barriers exist in recruiting patients to large cohort studies. The role of clinical research nurses embedded within health settings has grown over past decades to facilitate data collection, yet challenges remain. Qualitative descriptive study. Individual semi-structured interviews with 12 clinical research nurses based in 10 National Health Service cleft services across the UK, recruiting to the Cleft Collective Birth Cohort Study. Of seven emergent themes, three highlighted challenges to recruiting patients, another three described facilitative factors, and one theme overlapped challenges and facilitators. Challenges included the life circumstances of potential participants; language barriers; and limited clinical research nurse time for study. Facilitative factors included integrating research into clinical practice; patient information shared with clinical research nurses; and support from the university-based research study team. The theme "Method of data collection" related to both challenges and facilitators. The qualitative data from clinical research nurses recruiting to a large birth cohort study provide helpful practical detail for specialist healthcare teams, specialist nurses, clinical research nurses and researchers looking to optimise recruitment and data collection in longitudinal studies. The findings suggest the importance of specialist clinical services and research study teams cooperating to embed research into everyday clinical practice, without compromising care. This should facilitate patients

77 FR 8330 - Health Services Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-14

... Disorders; HCR 2--Substance Use Disorders; HCR 3--Rehabilitation/Rural; HCR 4--Women's Health; HCR 5--Pain... Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board will meet on March 6-8, 2012, at the Hilton New Orleans... to the Chief Research and Development Officer. On March 6, the subcommittee on Nursing Research...

Advances on radiation protection dosimetry research, development and services at AEOI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohrabi, M.

1993-01-01

Radiation dosimetry is the main counterpart of an effective national radiation protection program to protect radiation workers, public and the environment against harmful effects of radiation. Research and development on radiation dosimetry are of vital needs to support national dosimetry services. The National Radiation Protection Department (NRPD) of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) being a National Authority on radiation protection is also responsible for radiation dosimetry research, development and services. Some highlights of such activities at NRPD are reviewed and discussed

Research on energy use of field plants; Peltokasvien energiakaeyttoeae koskeva tutkimus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tauriainen, J. [Commission of Agricultural Research, Helsinki (Finland). Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

1996-12-31

Production of energy plants on set aside areas of peat production has risen to a subject of discussions during past few years. The field area becoming useless has been estimated to be, before the EU-membership, hundreds of thousands of hectares, 500 000 - 800 000 ha. Alternate usage will be needed for the set aside field areas because the profitability of plant cultivation is diminishing remarkable, and new possibilities for additional income are sought in Finnish farms. Research on field biomasses started in the national Bioenergy Research Programme in 1995. The number of projects was five, funded mainly by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The projects carried out in 1995 were: (1) Demonstration of the cultivation of Rape and Reed canary grass at present oil mills to fuel-oil, paper fibers and flash-pyrolysis oil as a large non-food production; (2) Cultivation of energy plants at peat production areas and the applicability of the bioenergy for different purposes; (3) Production of biomass in fields and the utilization of it for energy production; (4) Fractionation of different parts of the field plants and the development of the sorting technologies; and (5) Upgraded fuel from reed canary grass (an international task of the EU/AIR programme). In addition to these, the Agro-fiber research, funded totally by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, will serve the purposes of the energy sector. The research is concentrated on the investigation of the fundamentals of the pulping applications of the field biomasses

Avian use of introduced plants: ornithologist records illuminate interspecific associations and research needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslan, Clare E; Rejmánek, Marcel

2010-06-01

Introduced species have the potential to impact processes central to the organization of ecological communities. Although hundreds of nonnative plant species have naturalized in the United States, only a small percentage of these have been studied in their new biotic communities. Their interactions with resident (native and introduced) bird species remain largely unexplored. As a group, citizen scientists such as ornithologists possess a wide range of experiences. They may offer insights into the prevalence and form of bird interactions with nonnative plants on a broad geographic scale. We surveyed 173 ornithologists from four U.S. states, asking them to report observations of bird interactions with nonnative plants. The primary goal of the survey was to obtain information useful in guiding future empirical research. In all, 1143 unique bird-plant interactions were reported, involving 99 plant taxa and 168 bird species. Forty-seven percent of reported interactions concerned potential dispersal (feeding on seeds or fruits). Remaining "habitat interactions" involved bird use of plants for nesting, perching, woodpecking, gleaning, and other activities. We utilized detrended correspondence analysis to ordinate birds with respect to the plants they reportedly utilize. Results illuminate the new guilds formed by these interactions. We assessed the existing level of knowledge about invasiveness of those plants reported most often in feeding interactions, identifying information gaps for biological invasions research priority. To exemplify the usefulness of citizen science data, we utilized survey results to guide field research on invasiveness in some of these plant species and observed both qualitatively and quantitatively strong agreement between survey reports and our empirical data. Questionnaire reports are therefore heuristically informative for the fields of both avian ecology and invasion biology.

Research overview at USDA-ARS Coastal Plains, Soil, Water and Plant Research Center, and potential collaborative research projects with RDA - NIAS

Science.gov (United States)

The Center at Florence is one of the ninety research units of the United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). The mission of the Center is to conduct research and transfer solutions that improve agricultural production, protect the environment, and enhance the...

Our services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

In this video-films services of the VUJE, a. s. are presented. The company VUJE provides reconstruction and modernization of nuclear installations, research, development and production of equipment for nuclear power plants and electric industry, development of diagnostic methods, training on simulator of reactor, increase of reactor safety, preparation of documentation about NPP for the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic, measures for radiation protection and protection of the environment as well as development and application of information technologies.

The Evolution of Research and Information Services at the American Federation of Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, F. Howard; Bailey, Bernadette

2002-01-01

Provides a history of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union and its information services and research functions. Examines the research department and the influence of technology, shifting from collecting information to using information from the Internet and online databases that has made access easier. Analyzes information services with…

Marketing Research on Passenger Satisfaction With Public Transport Service in the City of Belgrade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Branislav Radnović

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to determine, based on conducted marketing research, the level of passenger satisfaction with public transport services for the purpose of making better marketing decisions in the example of the City of Belgrade. The main task is to test the hypothesis on the existence of significant influence of factors, such as quality service, attitude and behaviour of employees (e.g. driver, adequate informing, quality of vehicles, line routes and timetable, on passenger satisfaction. Correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used for interpreting the obtained results and examining the formulated hypothesis. Empirical research has shown that there is a significant correlation between the aforementioned factors and passenger satisfaction with public transport services. The obtained results provided recommendations and guidelines for improving and increasing the quality of public transport services. The research results also provide the basis for future research that could examine the relationship between passenger satisfaction with services and sub-groups within the analyzed factors.

Improvement of in-service inspection in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-07-01

During the nuclear power plant's (NPPs) operating lifetime, the operating organisation should examine the systems, structures and components (SSCs) for possible deterioration so as to determine whether they are acceptable for continued safe operation or whether remedial measures should be taken. In-service inspection (ISI) provides the systematic framework for these examinations. An effective ISI programme ensures both that the safety of the plant is not adversely affected after the commencement of operation and that the levels of reliability and availability of all plant SSCs remain in accordance with the assumptions and intent of the design and, consequently, a cost effective electricity generation is guaranteed. This report was prepared under one of the IAEA projects, 'Integrated NPP life cycle management including decommissioning'. The main objective of an integrated life cycle management programme is to enable NPPs to compete, without compromising safety, successfully in the changing energy markets throughout their service life and to facilitate life extension and eventual decommissioning through improved engineering, technological, economic and managerial actions. The Technical Working Group on NPP Life Management and other advisory groups nominated by the Member States provide recommendations on high priority needs of Member States in this area. The purpose of this TECDOC is to: discuss and evaluate the status of ISI and its evolution in NPPs of IAEA Member States; discuss and evaluate the criteria for effective ISI and the constitutive elements; discuss and evaluate the implication of the introduction of risk informed ISI (RI-ISI) concepts; generate a common recommendation as to how to benefit from utilising the potential of RI-ISI concepts for further development and, possibly, improvement of ISI effectiveness. The specific concept of this report is to treat the two key issues, i.e. inspection qualification and RI-ISI, and their complementarities, to

Research activities for nuclear power plant aging promoted by PLEC, JAPEIC, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, Noriyoshi; Tajima, Kenichi

2004-01-01

In order to perform research activity for aging countermeasure of nuclear power plant effectively, Plant Life Engineering Center (PLEC) was established in Japan Power Engineering and Inspection Corporation (JAPEIC) in April 2000 sponsored by Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI, presently METI). Outlined activities of PLEC are as follows. Results of technical survey for research and development for aging phenomena have been summarized in a table (Research Map) categorizing them into ''inspection and monitoring'', ''evaluation method for aging'' and ''preventive maintenances and refurbishment''. Necessary research themes have been extracted from the Research Map consulting to experts of the specified research area and they are summarized into Medium and Long-term Research Perspective (Research Perspective), which contains prioritized research themes and outlined specification of each theme. Several new research themes proposed by various organizations and selected by PLEC as effective for the regulation activities are identified and proposed to be funded by METI every year. This paper also provides outlines and obtained results of aging related research projects currently conducted by JAPEIC sponsored by METI. (author)

Does the name really matter? The importance of botanical nomenclature and plant taxonomy in biomedical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Bradley C; Balick, Michael J

2014-03-28

Medical research on plant-derived compounds requires a breadth of expertise from field to laboratory and clinical skills. Too often basic botanical skills are evidently lacking, especially with respect to plant taxonomy and botanical nomenclature. Binomial and familial names, synonyms and author citations are often misconstrued. The correct botanical name, linked to a vouchered specimen, is the sine qua non of phytomedical research. Without the unique identifier of a proper binomial, research cannot accurately be linked to the existing literature. Perhaps more significant, is the ambiguity of species determinations that ensues of from poor taxonomic practices. This uncertainty, not surprisingly, obstructs reproducibility of results-the cornerstone of science. Based on our combined six decades of experience with medicinal plants, we discuss the problems of inaccurate taxonomy and botanical nomenclature in biomedical research. This problems appear all too frequently in manuscripts and grant applications that we review and they extend to the published literature. We also review the literature on the importance of taxonomy in other disciplines that relate to medicinal plant research. In most cases, questions regarding orthography, synonymy, author citations, and current family designations of most plant binomials can be resolved using widely-available online databases and other electronic resources. Some complex problems require consultation with a professional plant taxonomist, which also is important for accurate identification of voucher specimens. Researchers should provide the currently accepted binomial and complete author citation, provide relevant synonyms, and employ the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III family name. Taxonomy is a vital adjunct not only to plant-medicine research but to virtually every field of science. Medicinal plant researchers can increase the precision and utility of their investigations by following sound practices with respect to botanical

Using design science research to develop online enhanced pharmaceutical care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapão, Luís Velez; Gregório, João; Mello, Diogo; Cavaco, Afonso; Mira Da Silva, Miguel; Lovis, Christian

2014-01-01

The ePharmaCare project aims at assessing the potential of eHealth services for the provision of pharmaceutical services interacting actively with patients. The results presented here focus on the first three steps of Design Science Research Methodology. A mixed methods approach was used with an online survey to collect data on use of information technologies in community pharmacy, followed by an exploratory observational time and business processes study, which use the shadowing method to identify and assess the opportunity to lunch online services. Combining this with the Service Experiment Blueprint and the Dáder method an enhanced pharmaceutical service was designed. Next, an artifact is developed and a prototype is implemented to demonstrate the value of online pharmaceutical services' delivery. This new service could represent a new perspective for pharmaceutical services integration within the health system.

A Trust Framework for Online Research Data Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malcolm Wolski

2017-06-01

Full Text Available There is worldwide interest in the potential of open science to increase the quality, impact, and benefits of science and research. More recently, attention has been focused on aspects such as transparency, quality, and provenance, particularly in regard to data. For industry, citizens, and other researchers to participate in the open science agenda, further work needs to be undertaken to establish trust in research environments. Based on a critical review of the literature, this paper examines the issue of trust in an open science environment, using virtual laboratories as the focus for discussion. A trust framework, which has been developed from an end-user perspective, is proposed as a model for addressing relevant issues within online research data services and tools.

Maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection in nuclear power plants. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Effective maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection (MS and I) are essential for the safe operation of a nuclear power plant. The objective of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations and guidance for MS and I activities to ensure that SSCs important to safety are available to perform their functions in accordance with the assumptions and intent of the design. This Safety Guide covers the organizational and procedural aspects of MS and I. However, it does not give detailed technical advice in relation to particular items of plant equipment, nor does it cover inspections made for and/or by the regulatory body. This Safety Guide provides recommendations and guidance for preventive and remedial measures, including testing, surveillance and in-service inspection, that are necessary to ensure that all plant structures, systems and components (SSCs) important to safety are capable of performing as intended. This Safety Guide covers measures for fulfilling the organizational and administrative requirements for: establishing and implementing schedules for preventive and predictive maintenance, repairing defective plant items, selecting and training personnel, providing related facilities and equipment, procuring stores and spare parts, and generating, collecting and retaining maintenance records for establishing and implementing an adequate feedback system for information on maintenance. MS and I should be subject to quality assurance in relation to all aspects important to safety. Quality assurance has been dealt with in detail in other IAEA safety standards and is covered here only in specific instances, for emphasis. In Section 2, a concept of MS and I is presented and the interrelationship between maintenance, surveillance and inspection is discussed. Section 3 concerns the functions and responsibilities of different organizations involved in MS and I activities. Section 4 provides recommendations and guidance on such organizational aspects as

Maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection in nuclear power plants. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Effective maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection (MS and I) are essential for the safe operation of a nuclear power plant. The objective of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations and guidance for MS and I activities to ensure that SSCs important to safety are available to perform their functions in accordance with the assumptions and intent of the design. This Safety Guide covers the organizational and procedural aspects of MS and I. However, it does not give detailed technical advice in relation to particular items of plant equipment, nor does it cover inspections made for and/or by the regulatory body. This Safety Guide provides recommendations and guidance for preventive and remedial measures, including testing, surveillance and in-service inspection, that are necessary to ensure that all plant structures, systems and components (SSCs) important to safety are capable of performing as intended. This Safety Guide covers measures for fulfilling the organizational and administrative requirements for: establishing and implementing schedules for preventive and predictive maintenance, repairing defective plant items, selecting and training personnel, providing related facilities and equipment, procuring stores and spare parts, and generating, collecting and retaining maintenance records for establishing and implementing an adequate feedback system for information on maintenance. MS and I should be subject to quality assurance in relation to all aspects important to safety. Quality assurance has been dealt with in detail in other IAEA safety standards and is covered here only in specific instances, for emphasis. In Section 2, a concept of MS and I is presented and the interrelationship between maintenance, surveillance and inspection is discussed. Section 3 concerns the functions and responsibilities of different organizations involved in MS and I activities. Section 4 provides recommendations and guidance on such organizational aspects as

The Evolution of the Research - Development Services at the Regional Level in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecilia-Irina RĂBONȚU

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Research and Development services are the first of the services that support the process of innovation, innovation, and eco-innovation, with a special attention from developing countries that invest a significant percentage of GDP in these type of services. Studying the evolution of R & D services in the territorial profile is a major issue in the current context because these services are the first step in any stage of innovation, development, competitiveness, raising the standard of living of the population, increasing the economic well-being and social issues of a country. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature in the field and to analyze the evolution of the main relevant indicators in describing the level at which R & D services in Romania, and at the regional level, indicators for which there are publicly available statistical data in the official databases. The study, based on fundamental research in the field and the results of numerous bibliographic sources on this topic, uses specific statistical methods of territorial analysis. The obtained results outline an overview of the research and development services in Romania, but also at the level of the NUTS2 regions highlighting the gaps between them.

Medical universities educational and research online services: benchmarking universities' website towards e-government.

Science.gov (United States)

Farzandipour, Mehrdad; Meidani, Zahra

2014-06-01

Websites as one of the initial steps towards an e-government adoption do facilitate delivery of online and customer-oriented services. In this study we intended to investigate the role of the websites of medical universities in providing educational and research services following the E-government maturity model in the Iranian universities. This descriptive and cross- sectional study was conducted through content analysis and benchmarking the websites in 2012. The research population included the entire medical university website (37). Delivery of educational and research services through these university websites including information, interaction, transaction, and Integration were investigated using a checklist. The data were then analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and using SPSS software. Level of educational and research services by websites of the medical universities type I and II was evaluated medium as 1.99 and 1.89, respectively. All the universities gained a mean score of 1 out of 3 in terms of integration of educational and research services. Results of the study indicated that Iranian universities have passed information and interaction stages, but they have not made much progress in transaction and integration stages. Failure to adapt to e-government in Iranian medical universities in which limiting factors such as users' e-literacy, access to the internet and ICT infrastructure are not so crucial as in other organizations, suggest that e-government realization goes beyond technical challenges.

Empirical research in service engineering based on AHP and fuzzy methods

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanrui; Cao, Wenfu; Zhang, Lina

2015-12-01

Recent years, management consulting industry has been rapidly developing worldwide. Taking a big management consulting company as research object, this paper established an index system of service quality of consulting, based on customer satisfaction survey, evaluated service quality of the consulting company by AHP and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods.

Action Research on Development and Application of Internet of Things Services in Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Arum; Chang, Hyejung; Lee, Kyoung Jun

2017-01-01

Services based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have emerged in various business environments. To enhance health service quality and maximize benefits, this study applied an IoT technology based on NFC and iBeacon as an omni-channel service for patient care in hospitals. Application of the IoT technology based on NFC and iBeacon was conducted in a general hospital during August 2015 through June 2016, and the development and evaluation results were aligned to an action research framework. The five phases in the action research included diagnosing, planning action, taking action, evaluating action, and specifying learning phases. During the first two phases, problems of functional operations in a hospital were diagnosed and eight service models were designed by using iBeacon and NFC to solve the problems. Service models were applied to the hospital by installing beacons, wearable beacons, beacon scanners, and NFC tags during the third phase. During the fourth and fifth phases, the roles and benefits of stakeholders participating in the service models were evaluated, and issues and knowledge of the whole application process were derived and summarized from technological, economic, social and legal perspectives, respectively. From an action research perspective, IoT-based healthcare services were developed and verified. IoT-based services enable the hospital to acquire lifelog data for precision medicine and ultimately be able to go one step closer to precision medical care. The derived service models could provide patients more enhanced healthcare services and improve the work efficiency and effectiveness of the hospital.

Considerations related to plant life management for Cernavoda-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cojan, Mihail

2002-01-01

Cernavoda-1 NPP, the first CANDU 6 Unit in Eastern Europe, is one of the original five CANDU 6 plants and the first CANDU 6 producing over 700 MWe. CANDU Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) continues to play a significant role in electricity supply both in Canada and some offshore countries (Korea, Argentina, Romania). The commercial versions of CANDU reactors were put into service more than 30 years ago. While the first series of CANDU 6 plants (which entered service in the early 1980's) have now reached the middle portion of their 30 years design life, the Cernavoda-1 was put into service on 2 December 1996. However, the Cernavoda-1 Plant Life Management should be an increasingly important program to Utility ('CNE-Prod') in order to protect the investment and the continued success of plant operation. Over the past three years, INR (Institute for Nuclear Research - Romania) has been working with AECL-Canada on R and D Programs to support a comprehensive and integrated Cernavoda-1 Plant Life Management (PLiM) program that will see the Cernavoda-1 NPP successfully and reliably through to design life and beyond. The PLiM program has a focus on critical systems, structures, and components (CSSCs) and will be applied in three phases: Phase 1 - Planning (assessment and recommendations); Phase 2 - Life attainment implementation, and; Phase 3 - Plant Life Extension (PLEx), also known as plant extended operation. The key activities during each phase are shown. The schedule of each Phase are shown using the in service date of 1983 as the basis. This schedule applies to three original CANDU 6 plants with an in-service date of 1983: Point Lepreau, Gentilly-2, Wolsong-1 and shortly thereafter (1984) the 4th original CANDU 6 Embalse NPP was declared in service. Cernavoda-1 is the 5th original CANDU 6 plant and was put into service on 2 December 1996 (on site activities were started in 1980). The paper will describe the elements of an integrated program, the multiphase

75 FR 3542 - Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-21

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit... (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit... Board is to review rehabilitation research and development applications for scientific and technical...

75 FR 40036 - Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-13

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit... (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that the Rehabilitation Research and Development Service Scientific Merit... is to review rehabilitation research and development applications for scientific and technical merit...

Improving Aboriginal maternal and infant health services in the 'Top End' of Australia; synthesis of the findings of a health services research program aimed at engaging stakeholders, developing research capacity and embedding change.

Science.gov (United States)

Barclay, Lesley; Kruske, Sue; Bar-Zeev, Sarah; Steenkamp, Malinda; Josif, Cathryn; Narjic, Concepta Wulili; Wardaguga, Molly; Belton, Suzanne; Gao, Yu; Dunbar, Terry; Kildea, Sue

2014-06-02

Health services research is a well-articulated research methodology and can be a powerful vehicle to implement sustainable health service reform. This paper presents a summary of a five-year collaborative program between stakeholders and researchers that led to sustainable improvements in the maternity services for remote-dwelling Aboriginal women and their infants in the Top End (TE) of Australia. A mixed-methods health services research program of work was designed, using a participatory approach. The study area consisted of two large remote Aboriginal communities in the Top End of Australia and the hospital in the regional centre (RC) that provided birth and tertiary care for these communities. The stakeholders included consumers, midwives, doctors, nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers (AHW), managers, policy makers and support staff. Data were sourced from: hospital and health centre records; perinatal data sets and costing data sets; observations of maternal and infant health service delivery and parenting styles; formal and informal interviews with providers and women and focus groups. Studies examined: indicator sets that identify best care, the impact of quality of care and remoteness on health outcomes, discrepancies in the birth counts in a range of different data sets and ethnographic studies of 'out of hospital' or health centre birth and parenting. A new model of maternity care was introduced by the health service aiming to improve care following the findings of our research. Some of these improvements introduced during the five-year research program of research were evaluated. Cost effective improvements were made to the acceptability, quality and outcomes of maternity care. However, our synthesis identified system-wide problems that still account for poor quality of infant services, specifically, unacceptable standards of infant care and parent support, no apparent relationship between volume and acuity of presentations and staff numbers with the

Available reprocessing and recycling services for research reactor spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tozser, Sandor Miklos; Adelfang, Pablo; Bradley, Ed [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria); Budu, Madalina [SOSNY Research and Development Company, Moscow (Russian Federation); Chiguer, Mustapha [AREVA, Paris (France)

2015-05-15

International activities in the back-end of the research reactor (RR) fuel cycle have so far been dominated by the programmes of acceptance of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) by the country where it was originally enriched. These programmes will soon have achieved their goals and the SNF take-back programmes will cease. However, the needs of the nuclear community dictate that the majority of the research reactors continue to operate using low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel in order to meet the varied mission objectives. As a result, inventories of LEU SNF will continue to be created and the back-end solution of RR SNF remains a critical issue. In view of this fact, the IAEA, based on the experience gained during the decade of international cooperation in supporting the objectives of the HEU take-back programmes, will draw up a report presenting available reprocessing and recycling services for research reactor spent nuclear fuel. This paper gives an overview of the guiding document which will address all aspects of Reprocessing and Recycling Services for RR SNF, including an overview of solutions, decision making support, service suppliers, conditions (prerequisites, options, etc.), services offered by the managerial and logistics support providers with a focus on available transport packages and applicable transport modes.

A Framework of Sustainable Service Supply Chain Management: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weihua Liu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the interdisciplinary research of supply chains and sustainability has received extensive, yet gradual, attention; when compared to the rapid economic growth of the service industry, however, sustainable supply chain management has not been systematically explored yet. It has not only great theoretical significance, but also positive practical significance to provide a framework for the operation of a sustainable service supply chain from a sustainable development point of view. Based on the triple bottom line (TBL, we have analyzed related sustainable supply chain management research between 2006 and 2015, reviewed papers involving two or three bottom lines as well, and then introduced some classical frameworks for manufacturing supply chain management and service supply chain management. Afterward, by analyzing the differences between the manufacturing and service industries, we propose a framework of sustainable service supply chain management (SSSCM. Based on the impacts of sustainable development TBL on service supply chain participants, we have finally made a framework for sustainable operation facing triads service supply chain and proposed a future research agenda.

Conducting Online Behavioral Research Using Crowdsourcing Services in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Majima, Yoshimasa; Nishiyama, Kaoru; Nishihara, Aki; Hata, Ryosuke

2017-01-01

Recent research on human behavior has often collected empirical data from the online labor market, through a process known as crowdsourcing. As well as the United States and the major European countries, there are several crowdsourcing services in Japan. For research purpose, Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is the widely used platform among those services. Previous validation studies have shown many commonalities between MTurk workers and participants from traditional samples based on not only personality but also performance on reasoning tasks. The present study aims to extend these findings to non-MTurk (i.e., Japanese) crowdsourcing samples in which workers have different ethnic backgrounds from those of MTurk. We conducted three surveys ( N = 426, 453, 167, respectively) designed to compare Japanese crowdsourcing workers and university students in terms of their demographics, personality traits, reasoning skills, and attention to instructions. The results generally align with previous studies and suggest that non-MTurk participants are also eligible for behavioral research. Furthermore, small screen devices are found to impair participants' attention to instructions. Several recommendations concerning this sample are presented.

Corrosion-related failures in power plant condensers. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beavers, J.A.; Agrawal, A.K.; Berry, W.E.

1980-08-01

A survey of the literature has been conducted for the Electric Power Research Institute on corrosion failures in surface condensers. The survey was directed toward condenser failures in pressurized water reactor (PWR) power plants but includes pertinent literature related to fossil and to other nuclear power plants. It includes literature on reported service failures and on experimental studies that impact on these failures

Proper survey methods for research of aquatic plant ecology and management

Science.gov (United States)

Proper survey methods are essential for objective, quantitative assessment of the distribution and abundance of aquatic plants as part of research and demonstration efforts. For research, the use of the appropriate method is an essential part of the scientific method, to ensure that the experimenta...

Participatory Research Into Inclusive Practice: Improving Services for People With Long Term Neurological Conditions