The University of Minnesota Morris - N.S.F. REU Program: Twenty years of encouraging women to participate in the Geological Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Cotter, J. F.

2009-12-01

The goal of the UMM - REU program is to nurture the development of women in the geological sciences. Women are historically under-represented in the geological sciences. This program introduces undergraduate women to research project design and independent data collection and analysis designed to increase student’s scientific skills, introduce them to new fields of study, and to develop academic/professional confidence. In so doing, the program tries to encourage students to continue their education at the graduate level and/or to pursue a career in the Geosciences. The program was first proposed in 1988 and was run during the summers of 1989, '90, '91, '94, '95, '97, ’99, 2000, 05, 07, and 09 (in 1996 and 1998 a similar program was run at Gustavus Adolphus College). The focus of the program is field and laboratory research to determine the origin and history of glacial deposits in west-central Minnesota and the late Paleozoic Glacial deposits of the Parana Basin, Brazil. Much of the success of the program can be attributed to developing student “ownership” of their individual projects, their particular REU group, and the UMM-REU program overall. Research projects are selected and designed by the participants. Frequently considered are: research subject, location of field area and geologic techniques employed. Both project ownership and team building is encouraged by participant led weekly visits to field areas and frequent group discussions of research problems, successes and major gaffes. Additional team building activities include: 1) living in the same on-campus apartments and Brazilian B&B, 2) organized social activities, 3) international travel and working with Brazilian (women) students, 4) readings and discussions on "women in geology”, 5) shared strategies and concerns for career choices and; 6) participation in the "Friends of UMM-REU" conference (an "informal" presentation of results). Finally, an emphasis is placed on the utilization of the

Using REU Projects and Crowdsourcing to Facilitate Learning on Demand

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hong P.; Klein, Jerry E.

2013-01-01

With the increasing complexity of technology and large quantities of data in our digital age, learning and training has become a major cost of employers. Employee competence depends more and more on how quickly one can acquire new knowledge and solve problems to meet pressing deadlines. This paper presents a practical method to use REU (Research…

Integrating Research and Extension for the Nsf-Reu Program in Water Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Judge, J.; Migliaccio, K.; Gao, B.; Shukla, S.; Ehsani, R.; McLamore, E.

2011-12-01

Providing positive and meaningful research experiences to students in their undergraduate years is critical for motivating them to pursue advanced degrees or research careers in science and engineering. Such experiences not only offer training for the students in problem solving and critical thinking via hands-on projects, but also offer excellent mentoring and recruiting opportunities for the faculty advisors. The goal of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department (ABE) at the University of Florida (UF) is to provide eight undergraduate students a unique opportunity to conduct research in water resources using interdisciplinary approaches, integrating research and extension. The students are selected from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. The eight-week REU Program utilizes the extensive infrastructure of UF - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) through the Research and Education Centers (RECs). Two students are paired to participate in their own project under the direct supervision of one of the four research mentors. Four of the eight students are located at the main campus, in Gainesville, Fl, and four remaining students are located off-campus, at the RECs, where some of the ABE faculty are located. The students achieve an enriching cohort experience through social networking, daily blogs, and weekly video conferences to share their research and other REU experiences. The students are co-located during the Orientation week and also during the 5-day Florida Waters Tour. Weekly group meetings and guest lectures are conducted via synchronously through video conferencing. The integration of research and extension is naturally achieved through the projects at the RECs, the guest lectures, Extension workshops, and visits to the Water Management Districts in Florida. In the last two years of the Program, we have received over 80 applicants, from four-year and advanced

Development of a monitoring protocol to enhance mentoring in the IRIS REU site

Science.gov (United States)

Hubenthal, M.; Brudzinski, M. R.; Colella, H.

2013-12-01

Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) sites pair interns with scientists expected to oversee and guide an intern's scientific research, and assist in the development of skills, knowledge, and connections that will enhance the intern's professional and personal growth. This aspect of REU sites is generally recognized as a powerful, yet complicated, component that has a strong influence on the overall success of the intern's experience. Evaluations indicate that the quality and consistency of mentoring in REU sites can be highly variable. Traditional strategies to influence mentorship generally include reading lists or short trainings at the beginning of the summer. The efficacy of these approaches is questionable. As a result many REU Site facilitators are deeply interested in the question 'How can REU programs challenge scientists to raise their participation to the level of (truly) mentoring?' The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) REU site is developing a 13-item rubric measuring research skills, and a protocol of training and intern-mentor meetings to discuss progress. The goal of the intervention is to both increase the extent to which the mentoring relationship is centered on the intern, and to enable interns and mentors to feel more effective monitoring interns' personal/professional growth. This intervention was piloted in 2011, refined, and fully implemented in 2012. During the initial week of the program, interns assess their skills, complete the rubric independently, and discuss the completed rubric with their mentor. Midway through the summer interns and mentors each review the rubric and assess the intern's skills. The intern-mentor pairs then meet to collaborate and complete the rubric together. Finally, in the last week of the program, interns and mentors independently assess the intern's skills and complete the rubric, and the pairs again meet to discuss and negotiate these independent assessments. Survey data from 2012

Broadening participation in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs: an evaluation of the team research model for undergraduate research experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Berthelote, A. R.; Geraghty Ward, E. M.; Dalbotten, D. M.

2014-12-01

The REU site on sustainable land and water resources has a goal of broadening participation in the geosciences by underrepresented groups and particularly Native American students. We are evaluating modifications to the traditional REU model in order to better support these students. First, we review a team research model for REU students, where students are placed on teams and work together in peer groups supported by a team of mentors. Second, the REU takes place in locations that have high populations of Native American students to remove barriers to participation for non-traditional students. Finally, the teams do research on issues related to local concerns with cultural focus. Traditional REU models (1 faculty to 1 student/on campus) have been shown to be effective in supporting student movement into graduate programs but often fail to attract a diverse group of candidates. In addition, they rely for success on the relationship between faculty and student, which can often be undermined by unrealistic expectations on the part of the student about the mentor relationship, and can be exacerbated by cultural misunderstanding, conflicting discourse, or students' personal or family issues. At this REU site, peer mentorship and support plays a large role. Students work together to select their research question, follow the project to completion and present the results. Students from both native and non-native backgrounds learn about the culture of the partner reservations and work on a project that is of immediate local concern. The REU also teaches students protocols for working on Native American lands that support good relations between reservation and University. Analysis of participant data gathered from surveys and interview over the course of our 3-year program indicates that the team approach is successful. Students noted that collaborating with other teams was rewarding and mentors reported positively about their roles in providing guidance for the student

Evaluating Research Ethics Training in the Maryland Sea Grant REU Program

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, M. R.; Kumi, G. A.; Kumi, B. C.; Moser, F. C.

2016-02-01

The NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is an opportunity to cultivate responsible research practices in researchers at an early stage in their career. However, teaching responsible research conduct and science ethics in this program has been challenging because of a lack of consensus regarding which instructional methods are most effective for educating students about ethical concepts and establishing the process of ethical decision-making. Over the last 15 years, Maryland Sea Grant's REU ethics program has evolved by exploring different teaching models and looking for ways to effectively engage upper level undergraduates throughout their summer experience in ethical responsibility training. Since 2007, we have adopted a concerted experiential learning approach that includes an ethics seminar, role playing, case studies, and reflection. Currently, our summer long ethics training includes: 1) an interactive seminar; 2) a workshop with role playing and case studies; 3) 1-2 readings; and 4) a roundtable discussion with faculty mentors and their mentees to discuss researchers' real-world experiences with ethical dilemmas. Within the last 3 years, we have expanded our student learning outcomes assessments by administering pre- and post-program surveys to assess ethical skills students acquire through the program. Reevaluations administered three and six years after the REU experience will measure long term effectiveness of the training. Results from the first group of students reveal a greater awareness of ethical issues following our summer program. Students show a high level of competence about "black and white" issues (falsification, fabrication, plagiarism), but are more challenged by ethical "gray areas" such as data ownership and authorship. Results suggest many undergraduates come to research programs with basic ethics training, but benefit from our additional focus on complex ethical dilemmas.

Building diversity in REU programs through MIMSUP at the Shannon Point Marine Center

Science.gov (United States)

Bingham, B. L.; Sulkin, S.

2011-12-01

The road to a career in the ocean sciences can be long and challenging, particularly for students from racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in the field. For the past 21 years, faculty and staff at the Shannon Point Marine Center, Western Washington University have annually administered the NSF-funded Multicultural Initiative in the Marine Sciences: Undergraduate Participation (MIMSUP) program. The goal of MIMSUP is to increase diversity in the ocean sciences by moving students though their undergraduate programs into advanced education and leadership positions in the field. Helping students find positions in REU and other focused research programs is an important step along this path. Primary obstacles for the students include 1) a lack of knowledge about opportunities available to them, 2) a lack of experience preparing quality applications and 3) a lack of confidence in their ability to compete for positions. Focused mentoring, with an emphasis on skills development is important in helping outstanding, though inexperienced, students find and excel in REU programs.

Introducing Ethics to Chemistry Students in a "Research Experiences for Undergraduates" (REU) Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Mark J.

2015-01-01

A three-day ethics seminar introduced ethics to undergraduate environmental chemistry students in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. The seminar helped students become sensitive to and understand the ethical and values dimensions of their work as researchers. It utilized a variety of resources to supplement lectures and…

Who is looking for an internship and successful in obtaining one? Examining application data from REU programs funded through NSF GEO

Science.gov (United States)

Hubenthal, M.; Kelly, M.

2017-12-01

The Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) is currently funding 60 Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) sites. Each site offers opportunities for 8 to 12 undergraduates to participate in research within solid earth, oceans, atmospheric and cryosphere sciences. Because applicant data is collected at individual REU sites, the exact number of unique applicants to all REU sites, and the demographics of this national applicant pool has not been previously reported. While some sites do provide some of this information to NSF in annual reports, obtaining and combining such data is problematic because the percentage of individuals that apply to multiple programs is unknown and generally believed anecdotally to be high, especially for students traditionally underrepresented in the geosciences. Understanding both the scale and makeup of the national applicant pool is important for several reasons. First, very little is known about how the supply and geographic location of slots in REU programs compares to the demand from undergraduate STEM majors interested in research experiences. Second, research into internship programs and their role in the career development process are limited by a lack of baseline data that includes both successful and unsuccessful internship applicants across the various sub-disciplines of the Earth sciences. Finally, designing and refining efforts to engage underrepresented populations in STEM research, and measuring the impact of such efforts is difficult without baseline data for comparison. We will present aggregate application data from up to 20 GEO REU funded programs. These programs represent Oceans, Atmospheres and Earth Science research areas and includes over a thousand applicants. Preliminary analysis suggests the number of unique applicants in the pool is higher than anecdotally predicted. Similarly, unique applicants from underrepresented communities also appears higher than anticipated.

Using a Summer REU to Help Develop the Next Generation of Mathematical Ecologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennie, Barbara; Eager, Eric Alan; Peirce, James P; Sandland, Gregory J

2018-04-01

Understanding the complexities of environmental issues requires individuals to bring together ideas and data from different disciplines, including ecology and mathematics. With funding from the national science foundation (NSF), scientists from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the US geological survey held a research experience for undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2016. The goals of the program were to expose students to open problems in the area of mathematical ecology, motivate students to pursue STEM-related positions, and to prepare students for research within interdisciplinary, collaborative settings. Based on backgrounds and interests, eight students were selected to participate in one of two research projects: wind energy and wildlife conservation or the establishment and spread of waterfowl diseases. Each research program was overseen by a mathematician and a biologist. Regardless of the research focus, the program first began with formal lectures to provide students with foundational knowledge followed by student-driven research projects. Throughout this period, student teams worked in close association with their mentors to create, parameterize and evaluate ecological models to better understand their systems of interest. Students then disseminated their results at local, regional, and international meetings and through publications (one in press and one in progress). Direct and indirect measures of student development revealed that our REU program fostered a deep appreciation for and understanding of mathematical ecology. Finally, the program allowed students to gain experiences working with individuals with different backgrounds and perspectives. Taken together, this REU program allowed us to successfully excite, motivate and prepare students for future positions in the area of mathematical biology, and because of this it can be used as a model for interdisciplinary programs at other institutions.

Successes and Challenges in the SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience) REU Program

Science.gov (United States)

Braile, L. W.; Baldridge, W. S.; Pellerin, L.; Ferguson, J. F.; Bedrosian, P.; Biehler, S.; Jiracek, G. R.; Snelson, C. M.; Kelley, S.; McPhee, D.

2014-12-01

The SAGE program was initiated in 1983 to provide an applied geophysics research and education experience for students. Since 1983, 820 students have completed the SAGE summer program. Beginning in 1992, with funding from the NSF, SAGE has included an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) experience for selected undergraduate students from U.S. colleges and universities. Since 1992, 380 undergraduate REU students have completed the SAGE program. The four week, intensive, summer program is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and involves students in learning geophysical theory and applications; collection of geophysical field data in the northern Rio Grande Rift area; data processing, modeling and interpretation; and presentation (oral and written) of results of each student's research results. Students (undergraduates, graduates and professionals) and faculty are together on a school campus for the summer program. Successful strategies (developed over the years) of the program include teamwork experience, mentoring of REUs (by faculty and more senior students), cultural interchange due to students from many campuses across the U.S. and international graduate students, including industry visitors who work with the students and provide networking, a capstone experience of the summer program that includes all students making a "professional-meeting" style presentation of their research and submitting a written report, a follow-up workshop for the REU students to enhance and broaden their experience, and providing professional development for the REUs through oral or poster presentations and attendance at a professional meeting. Program challenges include obtaining funding from multiple sources; significant time investment in program management, reporting, and maintaining contact with our many funding sources and industry affiliates; and, despite significant efforts, limited success in recruiting racial and ethnic minority students to the program.

Configuring The REU Experience To Maximize Student Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Majkowski, L.; Pullin, M. J.

2012-12-01

The New Mexico Tech NSF-funded REU Program, Interdisciplinary Science for the Environment (ISE), hosted six cohorts of students between 2005 and 2010. The program ran for eight weeks during the first cycle and nine weeks during the second cycle, bringing in an average of twelve student participants per year. Students were provided with a stipend, food allowance, travel from home to New Mexico Tech, and free campus housing. The program sponsored weekend group field trips to scientific, environmental, and cultural sites of significance in New Mexico. For the second cycle, the ISE shared some programmatic elements with the New Mexico EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). The majority of the research projects focused on the geosciences, with interdepartmental participation from researchers in earth science, hydrology, chemistry, environmental science, and biology. The ISE adopted a non-traditional approach to matching student participants with research projects and faculty mentors. Students were selected from different disciplines to work together in pairs on each project. This model provided the students with a peer collaborator in addition to the guidance of their faculty mentors and support from graduate students associated with the different projects. The focus on cohort, both within the individual research projects and each year's group, enabled and enhanced the students' critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills. Students would routinely seek out the advice of their peers when they hit a roadblock in their research. This collaboration also occurred across the boundaries of the ISE and UROP cohorts. Long-term follow up has shown that a significant number of the student participants have continued on to graduate school. Students credit the program with developing their capacity to work on complex problems in an interdisciplinary group environment. Additionally, many students have continued contact with their research partners

Evaluating Student Success and Outcomes in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography REU Program

Science.gov (United States)

Teranes, J. L.; Kohne, L.

2013-12-01

The NSF foundation-wide REU program exists to help attract and retain a diverse pool of talented undergraduate students in STEM fields. These goals are particularly relevant in earth and marine sciences because relatively few minority students traditionally seek careers in these fields and only account for an extremely small percentage of Ph.D. degrees earned. The Scripps Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) REU program is a 10-week summer program currently in its third year of funding. The SURF program invites 10-15 undergraduate students from across the country to Scripps to participate in high quality collaborative research with Scripps faculty and researchers. Program components also include research seminars, career and graduate school preparation, GRE-prep courses, field trips and social activities. The project's goal, broadly, is to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in marine science and related disciplines at a national level. Our program includes a comprehensive evaluation and assessment plan to help us understand the impact of this REU experience on the student participant. Our assessment consists of paired pre- and post-survey questions to estimate student growth in the following areas as related to earth and marine sciences: (1) increased knowledge and skills (2) increased confidence in ability to conduct research (3) improved attitudes and interest in the field and (4) more ambitious career goals. Assessment results from the last two cohorts have helped refine our recruitment and selection strategies. In the first year of our program, we focused almost exclusively on recruiting underrepresented minority students; over of the participants represented ethic groups considered to be underrepresented in STEM fields. However, participants did not demonstrate overall significant pre/post gains in any of the goal areas, mostly because pre-survey scores indicated that the students were already very strong in all goal areas. In years

A Research Experiences for Undergraduates program (REU) Program Designed to Recruit, Engage and Prepare a Diverse Student Population for Careers in Ocean Sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarkston, B. E.; Garza, C.

2016-02-01

The problem of improving diversity within the Ocean Sciences workforce—still underperforming relative to other scientific disciplines—can only be addressed by first recruiting and engaging a more diverse student population into the discipline, then retaining them in the workforce. California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is home to the Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. As an HSI with strong ties to multiple regional community colleges and other Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) in the CSU system, the Monterey Bay REU is uniquely positioned to address the crucial recruitment and engagement of a diverse student body. Eleven sophomore and junior-level undergraduate students are recruited per year from academic institutions where research opportunities in STEM are limited and from groups historically underrepresented in the Ocean Sciences, including women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. During the program, students engage in a 10-week original research project guided by a faculty research mentor in one of four themes: Oceanography, Marine Biology and Ecology, Ocean Engineering, and Marine Geology. In addition to research, students develop scientific self-efficacy and literacy skills through rigorous weekly professional development workshops in which they practice critical thinking, ethical decision-making, peer review, writing and oral communication skills. These workshops include tangible products such as an NSF-style proposal paper, Statement of Purpose and CV modelled for the SACNAS Travel Award Application, research abstract, scientific report and oral presentation. To help retain students in Ocean Sciences, students build community during the REU by living together in the CSUMB dormitories; post-REU, students stay connected through an online facebook group, LinkedIn page and group webinars. To date, the REU has supported 22 students in two

The Community Mentoring REU: A Novel Paradigm for Research Experiences for Undergraduates Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Kobulnicky, Henry; Maierhofer, Lara; Kobulnicky, Carol; Dale, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

Research Experience for Undergraduates programs were conceived to promote entry of college students into STEM disciplines. Evidence suggests that participating in REUs increases interest in STEM, conveys skills leading to STEM jobs and graduate study, increases science self-efficacy, builds professional networks for young scientists, and cultivates identity as a scientist. Nevertheless, the factors that mediate desired outcomes are still poorly understood, and persistence of negative mentoring experiences among REU participants motivates the design and study of novel approaches to preparing future STEM professionals. During five summers spanning 2012-2016 we implemented a "Community Mentoring" paradigm at the University of Wyoming's 10-week Astronomy REU program. In contrast to "traditional model (TM)" REUs that pair a single senior scientist mentor with a single junior mentee, community mentoring (CM) unites 6-8 undergraduates with 3-5 faculty (perhaps assisted by a graduate student or postdoc) on a collaborative team addressing a single science goal. In CM, students have access to a pool of mentors and a peer group reading the same literature, working in a common location, sharing equipment (in this case the WIRO 2.3 meter telescope), sharing data, and learning the same analysis skills. The community interacts daily, modeling the highly collaborative nature of modern scientific teams. Our study used an electronic survey consisting of 24 questions to compare a cohort of 28 CM students to a national control group of 77 students who conducted REUs elsewhere during the same period, typically under the TM. CM students report a significantly higher level of "learning from their peers", "learning to work on a science team", and "sense of community" compared to the TM cohort. The CM cohort also reports a higher overall level of satisfaction with the REU and a lower level of negative experiences, such as finding it difficult to get time with a mentor. This talk will

The ASSURE Summer REU Program: Introducing research to first-generation and underserved undergraduates through space sciences and engineering projects

Science.gov (United States)

Barron, Darcy; Peticolas, Laura; Multiverse Team at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab

2018-01-01

The Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) summer REU program is an NSF-funded REU site at the Space Sciences Lab at UC Berkeley that first started in summer 2014. The program recruits students from all STEM majors, targeting underserved students including community college students and first-generation college students. The students have little or no research experience and a wide variety of academic backgrounds, but have a shared passion for space sciences and astronomy. We will describe our program's structure and the components we have found successful in preparing and supporting both the students and their research advisors for their summer research projects. This includes an intensive first week of introductory lectures and tutorials at the start of the program, preparing students for working in an academic research environment. The program also employs a multi-tiered mentoring system, with layers of support for the undergraduate student cohort, as well as graduate student and postdoctoral research advisors.

Assessing Student-Mentor Interaction During a Summer REU for Two Year College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Doser, D. I.; Olivarez, A.; Rohrbaugh, R.; Villalobos, J. I.

2017-12-01

UTEP-ROCCS (Research Opportunities for Community College Students) is a summer REU program designed exclusively for two-year college students. The program differs from other summer REU's in several ways. First, the participants are only in El Paso during the month of June to begin their research projects, with subsequent research carried out at their home institutions with intensive virtual mentoring in July. Second, the mentoring team is a unique mix of 2-year and 4-year college faculty and undergraduate juniors and seniors. Our first cohort of 6 ROCCS students began their research in June 2017 supported by 2 UTEP undergraduate mentors and 5 faculty mentors. Preliminary results of a series of 4 weekly road checks indicate that 95% of the time the participants felt the faculty and student mentors were supportive, encouraging, and able to respond to their questions and concerns. All felt they received constructive, useful critiques of their field and research work, were motivated by the mentors to learn more and were challenged to extend their abilities and skills for the success of their research projects. Over 70% of the time they felt the mentors encouraged them by suggesting appropriate and available resources when they were struggling. And, most importantly, over 96% of the time they felt the experience stimulated their interest in geology as a future career. We hope to observe similar trends in the road checks of July 2017 as participants prepare their results for the AGU's fall virtual undergraduate poster session.

Evaluating Student Success and Progress in the Maryland Sea Grant REU Program

Science.gov (United States)

Moser, F. C.; Allen, M. R.; Clark, J.

2012-12-01

The Maryland Sea Grant's Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) 12-week summer program is in its 24th year. This estuarine science-focused program has evolved, based in part on our use of assessment tools to measure the program's effectiveness. Our goal is to understand the REU program's effectiveness in such areas as improving student understanding of scientific research, scientific ethics and marine science careers. Initially, our assessment approach was limited to short surveys that used qualitative answers from students about their experience. However, in the last decade we have developed a more comprehensive approach to measure program effectiveness. Currently, we use paired pre- and post-survey questions to estimate student growth during the program. These matching questions evaluate the student's change in knowledge and perception of science research over the course of the summer program. Additionally, we administer several surveys during the 12 weeks of the program to measure immediate responses of students to program activities and to gauge the students' evolving attitudes to customize each year's program. Our 2011 cohort showed consistent improvement in numerous areas, including understanding the nature of science (pre: 4.35, post: 4.64 on a 5 point scale), what graduate school is like (3.71, 4.42), the job of a researcher (4.07, 4.50), and career options in science (3.86, 4.42). Student confidence also increased in numerous skills required for good scientists. To analyze the long-term impact of our program, we survey our alumni to assess graduate degrees earned and career choices. A large percentage (72%) of our tracked alumni have continued on to graduate school, with subsequent careers spanning the academic (51%), public (24%) and private (25%) sectors. These assessments demonstrate that our program is successful in meeting our key objectives of strengthening the training of undergraduates in the sciences and retaining them in marine science

Broadening Participation: Mentoring Community College Students in a Geoscience REU

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, M.; Osborn, J.

2015-12-01

Increasingly, REUs are recruiting from community colleges as a means of broadening participation of underrepresented minorities, women, and low-income students in STEM. As inclusion of community college students becomes normalized, defining the role of science faculty and preparing them to serve as mentors to community college students is a key component of well-designed programs. This session will present empirical research regarding faculty mentoring in the first two years of an NSF-REU grant to support community college students in a university's earth and environmental science labs. Given the documented benefits of undergraduate research on students' integration into the scientific community and their career trajectory in STEM, the focus of the investigation has been on the processes and impact of mentoring community college STEM researchers at a university serving a more traditionally privileged population; the degree to which the mentoring relationships have addressed community college students needs including their emotional, cultural and resource needs; and gaps in mentor training and the mentoring relationship identified by mentors and students.

An REU Project on the Precambrian Rocks of Yellowstone National Park: Some lessons learned

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, D.; Mogk, D. W.; Mueller, P. A.; Foster, D. A.

2014-12-01

An NSF-funded REU project (2011-2013), based in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), was designed to characterize the geology, geochemistry and geochronology of Precambrian rocks in northern YNP. Over two field seasons two cadres of 12 students (12 women and 12 men) were chosen from small-to-large state universities and private colleges. REU students participated in three major activities constituting a complete research experience: Field studies involved geologic mapping and sampling of Precambrian basement; formulation of testable research questions by smaller working groups; and mapping and sampling projects to address research questions; Analytical studies, sample preparation immediately followed field work with petrographic analysis at students' home institutions and a week-long visit to analytical laboratories to conduct follow-up studies by small research groups during the academic year (Univ. Florida - geochemistry and geochronology; Univ. Minnesota - EMPA analysis); Communicating results, each working group submitted an abstract and collectively presented 13 posters at the 2011 and 2012 GSA Rocky Mountain sectional meetings. We used directed discovery to engage students in a community of practice in the field and found that a long apprenticeship (2-3 weeks) is optimal for novice-master interactions in exploring natural setting. Initial group hikes were used to normalize methods and language of the discipline. Students developed a sense of ownership of the overall project and assumed personal responsibility for directed research projects. Training was provided to: guide students in selection and appropriate use of tools; develop sampling strategies; discuss communal ethics, values, and expectations; develop efficient work habits; stimulate independent thinking; and engage decision-making. It was important to scaffold the field experience to students' level of development to lead to mastery. Analytical activities were designed from rock to analysis so that each

Four years of REU in South Texas: Fostering the Participation of Hispanic Students in Marine Science Research

Science.gov (United States)

Buskey, E. J.; Erdner, D.

2011-12-01

Our REU site is a ten-week summer program that is currently in its fourth year and has served 37 undergraduate students in that time. The range of environments present in south Texas, including barrier islands, estuaries and hypersaline lagoons, and the inherent climatic variability of the region make it an excellent natural laboratory for studying the effects of both natural and human-driven change. REU projects to date have focused on many of the pressing environmental concerns in the region, including the impacts of land use and freshwater demand on the transport of water and waterborne constituents to coastal waters, harmful algal blooms, effects of nutrient loads on coastal ecosystems, and hypoxia. The program begins with a 2 day research cruise that serves as an immediate introduction to local biota and methods in marine science, and it brings the students and mentors together as a group in a more informal setting. The students then carry out independent research projects under the mentorship of a faculty member, and attend workshops on responsible research, graduate school, and science careers. Our program also benefits from a close interaction with the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, exposing the students to applied research of relevance to coastal management issues. One of the primary goals of our program is to foster the retention of underrepresented groups, particularly Hispanics, in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields by increasing their participation in undergraduate research experiences. We have targeted Hispanic students because our institute is located in a state where 37% of the population is Hispanic, and in a region where the proportion of Hispanic students is even higher. Our recruiting efforts have included advertising the program via in-person presentations at minority serving institutions (UT El Paso, UT San Antonio), and on list-serves for professional societies and sites at minority serving

Further considerations for damping in heavily insulated pipe systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, M.J.; Lindquist, M.R.; Severud, L.K.

1985-01-01

Over the past several years a body of test data has been accumulated which demonstrates that damping in small diameter heavily insulated pipe systems is much larger than presently recommended by Regulatory Guide 1.61. This data is generally based on pipe systems using a stand-off insulation design with a heater annulus. Additional tests have how been completed on similar pipe systems using a strap-on insulation design without the heater annulus. Results indicate some reduction in damping over the stand-off designs. Test data has also been obtained on a larger sixteen-inch diameter heavily insulated pipe system. Results of these two additional test series are presented. Revised damping values for seismic design of heavily insulated pipe systems are then recommended

Further considerations for damping in heavily insulated pipe systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, M.J.; Lindquist, M.R.; Severud, L.K.

1985-01-01

Over the past several years a body of test data has been accumulated which demonstrates that damping in small diameter heavily insulated pipe systems is much larger than presently recommended by Regulatory Code 1.61. This data is generally based on pipe systems using a stand-off insulation design with a heater annulus. Additional tests have now been completed on similar pipe systems using a strap-on insulation design without the heater annulus. Results indicate some reduction in damping over the stand-off designs. Test data has also been obtained on a larger sixteen-inch diameter heavily insulated pipe system. Results of these two additional test series are presented. Revised damping values for seismic design for heavily insulated pipe systems are then recommended

Superconductivity in heavily boron-doped silicon carbide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markus Kriener, Takahiro Muranaka, Junya Kato, Zhi-An Ren, Jun Akimitsu and Yoshiteru Maeno

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The discoveries of superconductivity in heavily boron-doped diamond in 2004 and silicon in 2006 have renewed the interest in the superconducting state of semiconductors. Charge-carrier doping of wide-gap semiconductors leads to a metallic phase from which upon further doping superconductivity can emerge. Recently, we discovered superconductivity in a closely related system: heavily boron-doped silicon carbide. The sample used for that study consisted of cubic and hexagonal SiC phase fractions and hence this led to the question which of them participated in the superconductivity. Here we studied a hexagonal SiC sample, free from cubic SiC phase by means of x-ray diffraction, resistivity, and ac susceptibility.

Over a Decade of Lessons Learned from an REU Program in the Science of Global Change and Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Hersh, E. S.; James, E. W.; Banner, J. L.

2014-12-01

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in "The Science of Global Change and Sustainability" at the University of Texas at Austin Environmental Science Institute (ESI) has just completed its twelfth summer. The program has 113 REU alumni plus 5 Research Experience for Teachers (RET) alumni, selected from a competitive pool of 976 applicants (~14% acceptance rate), 68% from 61 smaller colleges and universities (of 79 schools represented), 40% of those who self-reported coming from demographics underrepresented in STEM, and with nearly 70% women. Students conduct independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor in four major interdisciplinary themes: Impacts on Ecosystems, Impacts on Watersheds and the Land Surface, Campus Sustainability, and Reconstructing Past Global Change. These themes bridge chemistry, biology, ecology, environmental policy, civil and environmental engineering, marine science, and geological science. The summer cohort participates in weekly research and professional development seminars along with group field exercises. Topics include graduate school, career preparation, research ethics, sustainability, global change, environmental justice, and research communication. These activities plus the student's individual research comprise a portfolio that culminates in a reflection essay integrating the concepts, methods, and perspectives gained over the 10-week program. Program alumni were surveyed in 2014 to gauge long-term impact and outcomes. Of the 76 surveyed from 2006-2013, 39% responded. 67% have earned or are working on a graduate degree, and 94% of the graduate programs are in STEM. 93% of the responding alumni felt that the program "influenced my job and educational choices" and 97% felt that the program "helped me better understand scientific research." 40% presented their findings at a conference and 17% authored or co-authored a peer-reviewed publication. This presentation will include a discussion of best practices

Ecophysiological characterization of early successional biological soil crusts in heavily human-impacted areas

Science.gov (United States)

Szyja, Michelle; Büdel, Burkhard; Colesie, Claudia

2018-04-01

Ecophysiological characterizations of photoautotrophic communities are not only necessary to identify the response of carbon fixation related to different climatic factors, but also to evaluate risks connected to changing environments. In biological soil crusts (BSCs), the description of ecophysiological features is difficult, due to the high variability in taxonomic composition and variable methodologies applied. Especially for BSCs in early successional stages, the available datasets are rare or focused on individual constituents, although these crusts may represent the only photoautotrophic component in many heavily disturbed ruderal areas, such as parking lots or building areas with increasing surface area worldwide. We analyzed the response of photosynthesis and respiration to changing BSC water contents (WCs), temperature and light in two early successional BSCs. We investigated whether the response of these parameters was different between intact BSC and the isolated dominating components. BSCs dominated by the cyanobacterium Nostoc commune and dominated by the green alga Zygogonium ericetorum were examined. A major divergence between the two BSCs was their absolute carbon fixation rate on a chlorophyll basis, which was significantly higher for the cyanobacterial crust. Nevertheless, independent of species composition, both crust types and their isolated organisms had convergent features such as high light acclimatization and a minor and very late-occurring depression in carbon uptake at water suprasaturation. This particular setup of ecophysiological features may enable these communities to cope with a high variety of climatic stresses and may therefore be a reason for their success in heavily disturbed areas with ongoing human impact. However, the shape of the response was different for intact BSC compared to separated organisms, especially in absolute net photosynthesis (NP) rates. This emphasizes the importance of measuring intact BSCs under natural

Comparison on mechanical properties of heavily phosphorus- and arsenic-doped Czochralski silicon wafers

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Kang; Sun, Yuxin; Lu, Yunhao; Liang, Xingbo; Tian, Daxi; Ma, Xiangyang; Yang, Deren

2018-04-01

Heavily phosphorus (P)- and arsenic (As)-doped Czochralski silicon (CZ-Si) wafers generally act as the substrates for the epitaxial silicon wafers used to fabricate power and communication devices. The mechanical properties of such two kinds of n-type heavily doped CZ silicon wafers are vital to ensure the quality of epitaxial silicon wafers and the manufacturing yields of devices. In this work, the mechanical properties including the hardness, Young's modulus, indentation fracture toughness and the resistance to dislocation motion have been comparatively investigated for heavily P- and As-doped CZ-Si wafers. It is found that heavily P-doped CZ-Si possesses somewhat higher hardness, lower Young's modulus, larger indentation fracture toughness and stronger resistance to dislocation motion than heavily As-doped CZ-Si. The mechanisms underlying this finding have been tentatively elucidated by considering the differences in the doping effects of P and As in silicon.

Modern Process Studies in Kongsfjord, Svalbard: Arctic Geoscience Research Experience for U.S. Undergraduates (Svalbard REU)

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, R. D.; Brigham-Grette, J.

2011-12-01

The Svalbard REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program focuses on understanding how high latitude glaciers, meltwater streams, and sedimentation in lakes and fjords respond to changing climate. Since summer of 2004, six under-graduate students have been selected to participate in the summer field program. Students work on individual projects and in close conjunction with faculty advisors and other student researchers. They formulate their own research questions, develop their project, and complete their field research during a five-week program on Svalbard, Norway. Following the summer program, students complete their projects at their home institution during the following academic year as a senior thesis. A spring symposium brings all participants back together again with their final results. The most recent field season was completed in Kongsfjord (79N) showing that the contemporary studies of tidewater glacier margins provide an unparalleled opportunity for introducing motivated third year undergraduate students to the challenges and rewards of polar geoscientific field research. Rates of rapid change in this high-latitude Arctic environment emphasize the complexity of the Earth System at the interface of the ocean, atmosphere and cryosphere. Given background information in glacial and marine geology, glaciology, hydrology, climatology and fjord oceanography not routinely offered in undergraduate curricula, students develop the science questions to be addressed and establish a field plan for instrumentation and sampling. Working together in small boats in one of the most challenging natural environments, the students expand their leadership skills, learn the value of teamwork and collaborative data sharing while maintaining a strong sense of ownership over their individual science projects. The rigors of studying an actively calving tidewater glacier also builds on their outdoor skills, especially when it is necessary to improvise and become

a Study of Oxygen Precipitation in Heavily Doped Silicon.

Science.gov (United States)

Graupner, Robert Kurt

Gettering of impurities with oxygen precipitates is widely used during the fabrication of semiconductors to improve the performance and yield of the devices. Since the effectiveness of the gettering process is largely dependent on the initial interstitial oxygen concentration, accurate measurements of this parameter are of considerable importance. Measurements of interstitial oxygen following thermal cycles are required for development of semiconductor fabrication processes and for research into the mechanisms of oxygen precipitate nucleation and growth. Efforts by industrial associations have led to the development of standard procedures for the measurement of interstitial oxygen in wafers. However practical oxygen measurements often do not satisfy the requirements of such standard procedures. An additional difficulty arises when the silicon wafer has a low resitivity (high dopant concentration). In such cases the infrared light used for the measurement is severely attenuated by the electrons of holes introduced by the dopant. Since such wafers are the substrates used for the production of widely used epitaxial wafers, this measurement problem is economically important. Alternative methods such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy or Gas Fusion Analysis have been developed to measure oxygen in these cases. However, neither of these methods is capable of distinguishing interstitial oxygen from precipitated oxygen as required for precipitation studies. In addition to the commercial interest in heavily doped silicon substrates, they are also of interest for research into the role of point defects in nucleation and precipitation processes. Despite considerable research effort, there is still disagreement concerning the type of point defect and its role in semiconductor processes. Studies of changes in the interstitial oxygen concentration of heavily doped and lightly doped silicon wafers could help clarify the role of point defects in oxygen nucleation and precipitation

Explosive phenomena in heavily irradiated NaCl

NARCIS (Netherlands)

denHartog, HW; Vainshtein, DI; Matthews, GE; Williams, RT

1997-01-01

In heavily irradiated NaCl crystals explosive phenomena can be initiated during irradiation or afterwards when samples are heated to temperatures between 100 and 250 degrees C. During irradiation of NaCl Na and Cl-2 precipitates and void structures are produced along with the accumulation of stored

Growth and characterization of heavily doped silicon crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scala, R.; Porrini, M. [MEMC Electronic Materials SpA, via Nazionale 59, 39012 Merano (Italy); Borionetti, G. [MEMC Electronic Materials SpA, viale Gherzi 31, Novara (Italy)

2011-08-15

Silicon crystals grown with the Czochralski method are still the most common material used for the production of electronic devices. In recent years, a growing need of large diameter crystals with increasingly higher doping levels is observed, especially to support the expanding market of discrete devices and its trend towards lower and lower resistivity levels for the silicon substrate. The growth of such heavily doped, large-diameter crystals poses several new challenges to the crystal grower, and the presence of a high dopant concentration in the crystal affects significantly its main properties, requiring also the development of dedicated characterization techniques. This paper illustrates the recent advances in the growth and characterization of silicon crystals heavily doped with antimony, arsenic, phosphorus and boron. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Heavily nitrogen doped, graphene supercapacitor from silk cocoon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahu, Vikrant; Grover, Sonia; Tulachan, Brindan; Sharma, Meenakshi; Srivastava, Gaurav; Roy, Manas; Saxena, Manav; Sethy, Niroj; Bhargava, Kalpana; Philip, Deepu; Kim, Hansung; Singh, Gurmeet; Singh, Sushil Kumar; Das, Mainak; Sharma, Raj Kishore

2015-01-01

Doping of graphene with nitrogen is of much interest, since it improves the overall conductivity and supercapacitive properties. Besides conductivity, nitrogen doping also enhances the pseudo-capacitance due to fast and reversible surface redox processes. In this work, we have developed a cheap and easy process for synthesizing heavily nitrogen doped graphene (15% nitrogen) from non-mulberry silk cocoon membrane (Tassar, Antheraea mylitta) by pyrolyzing the cocoon at 400 °C in argon atmosphere. Further we have investigated the performance of this heavily ‘nitrogen doped graphene’ (NDG) in a supercapacitor device. Our results suggest that NDG obtained from cocoon has improved supercapacitor performance. The improved performance is due to the high electronegativity of nitrogen that forms dipoles on the graphene surface. These dipoles consequently enhance the tendency of graphene to attract charged species to its surface. This is a green and clean synthesis approach for developing electronic materials for energy applications

Operation of heavily irradiated silicon detectors in non-depletion mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verbitskaya, E.; Eremin, V.; Ilyashenko, I.; Li, Z.; Haerkoenen, J.; Tuovinen, E.; Luukka, P.

2006-01-01

The non-depletion detector operation mode has generally been disregarded as an option in high-energy physics experiments. In this paper, the non-depletion operation is examined by detailed analysis of the electric field distribution and the current pulse response of heavily irradiated silicon (Si) detectors. The previously reported model of double junction in heavily irradiated Si detector is further developed and a simulation of the current pulse response has been performed. It is shown that detectors can operate in a non-depletion mode due to the fact that the value of the electric field in a non-depleted region is high enough for efficient carrier drift. This electric field originates from the current flow through the detector and a consequent drop of the potential across high-resistivity bulk of a non-depleted region. It is anticipated that the electric field in a non-depleted region, which is still electrically neutral, increases with fluence that improves the non-depleted detector operation. Consideration of the electric field in a non-depleted region allows the explanation of the recorded double-peak current pulse shape of heavily irradiated Si detectors and definition of the requirements for the detector operational conditions. Detailed reconstruction of the electric field distribution gives new information on radiation effects in Si detectors

Remote Excavation of Heavily Contaminated UXO Sites. The Range Master

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Crandall, Alan L

2007-01-01

USA Environmental, Inc., and Timberline Environmental Services, Inc., developed the Range Master, a remote controlled scraper with an integrated power screen, to excavate and sift the top 12 inches of heavily contaminated UXO sites...

Electrochemical Decontamination of Painted and Heavily Corroded Metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marczak, S.; Anderson, J.; Dziewinski, J.

1998-01-01

The radioactive metal wastes that are generated from nuclear fuel plants and radiochemical laboratories are mainly contaminated by the surface deposition of radioactive isotopes. There are presently several techniques used in removing surface contamination involving physical and chemical processes. However, there has been very little research done in the area of soiled, heavily oxidized, and painted metals. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have been developing electrochemical procedures for the decontamination of bare and painted metal objects. These methods have been found to be effective on highly corroded as well as relatively new metals. This study has been successful in decontaminating projectiles and shrapnel excavated during environmental restoration projects after 40+ years of exposure to the elements. Heavily corroded augers used in sampling activities throughout the area were also successfully decontaminated. This process has demonstrated its effectiveness and offers several advantages over the present metal decontamination practices of media blasting and chemical solvents. These advantages include the addition of no toxic or hazardous chemicals, low operating temperature and pressure, and easily scaleable equipment. It is in their future plans to use this process in the decontamination of gloveboxes destined for disposal as TRU waste

Collaborative, Early-undergraduate-focused REU Programs at Savannah State University have been Vital to Growing a Demographically Diverse Ocean Science Community

Science.gov (United States)

Gilligan, M. R.; Cox, T. M.; Hintz, C. J.

2011-12-01

Formal support for undergraduates to participate in marine/ocean science research at Savannah State University (SSU), a historically-Black unit of the University System of Georgia, began in 1989 with funding from the National Science Foundation for an unsolicited proposal (OCE-8919102, 34,935). Today SSU, which has offered B.S degrees since 1979 and M.S. degrees since 2001 in Marine Sciences, is making major contributions nationally to demographic diversity in ocean sciences. 33% of Master's degrees in marine/ocean sciences earned by African Americans in the U.S. from 2004-2007 were earned at SSU. 10% of African American Master's and Doctoral students in marine/ ocean sciences in 2007 were either enrolled in the Master's program at SSU or were former SSU students enrolled in Doctoral programs elsewhere. Collaborative REU programs that focus on early (freshman and sophomore) undergraduate students have been a consistent and vital part of that success. In the most recent iteration of our summer REU program we used six of the best practices outlined in the literature to increase success and retention of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields: early intervention, strong mentoring, research experience, career counseling, financial support, workshops and seminars. The early intervention with strong mentoring has proven successful in several metrics: retention in STEM majors (96%), progression to graduate school (50%), and continuation to later research experiences (75%). Research mentors include faculty at staff at SSU, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and Georgia Tech-Savannah. Formal collaborative and cooperative agreements, externally-funded grants, and contracts in support of student research training have proven to be critical in providing resources for growth and improvement marine science curricular options at the University. Since 1981 the program has had four formal partnerships and 36 funded grant awards

Cornell Astronomy REU: Casting a Wide Net to Increase Access to Research Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez de Castro, Patricia; Haynes, Martha P.

2018-01-01

We describe a Research Experience for Undergraduates program in astrophysics and planetary science hosted in a major university setting that is geared especially but not exclusively to students who matriculate at smaller colleges and universities without major astronomy research programs, have not previously had off-campus research experiences and/or have non-traditional academic backgrounds.Individual research projects which students undertake with faculty mentors and their research groups are the keystone of the program. Built around this central activity are a set of other components that aim to expose students to the broad areas of astrophysical and planetary science research and to foster their appreciation of the research enterprise and their possible place within it. We describe the professional development activities that are offered to students, including lectures and workshops on a broad range of topics in astrophysics and planetary science, research group meetings, tutorials on research and scientific presentation skills, participation in outreach, education on the graduate school experience and application process, and discussions of the scientific enterprise, career paths and options in astronomy and related fields as well as the role REU group meetings with the program director (which complement meetings students attend within the context of their research group) play in developing students’ scientific competencies and pre-professional development. Also described are program elements that aim to make the program accessible to all students, including older students, those in relationships or with children as well as cohort building. Finally, we discuss lessons learned on how recruiting on merit and suitability to the research projects on offer, with a strong emphasis on smaller colleges and universities without major astronomy research programs can work towards a broader and more inclusive recruitment.This work was supported by NSF award AST-1156780.

Best Practices at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) REU Site

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, D. H.

2014-12-01

At the LDEO REU site, we take student health and safety very seriously. In 2014, we gave the students training on laboratory safety, fire safety, and a Title IX orientation covering discrimination and sexual harassment. We also compile emergency contact information for all the students and distribute it to students, mentors and the administration. Students choose a research project and mentors then pick the best student for their project. Because the mentors choose the student, they are more invested in the student. Students and mentors are encouraged to interact before the program starts, both through discussions and assigned background reading. During these discussions, research projects are often modified to better-fit students interests and skill levels. During the program, we facilitate student-mentor interaction by conducting three research-focusing sessions with small groups of students. Students give 20-minute long oral presentations on the progress of their research and answer questions about their project. Mentors prepare the students for these sessions, thereby increasing student knowledge about their research project. Mid-way through the summer, students write a 3-page proposal about their research as part of a special seminar on scientific writing. The students also participate in a final poster session that is attended by the LDEO community. We maximize student engagement by giving students a choice of research projects that are specifically selected for their suitability for and interest among undergraduates. The track record of mentors is also considered. Mentors must be in residence at LDEO during most of the intern program and arrange a suitable co-mentor during any absences. Mentors must be individuals who are able to encourage the students while giving them constructive input on the progress of their research project. We also encourage students to present their research results at a national scientific meeting. Students and mentors are given a

Positron trapping in heavily irradiated semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moser, P.; Pautrat, J.L.; Corbel, C.; Hautojarvi, P.

1985-01-01

Vacancy processes are studied in several heavily irradiated semiconductors. Specimens are ZnTe, CdTe, CdTe (In), InP, InP (Cr), InP (Zn) and Ge. Irradiations are made at 20 K using a 3 MeV Van de Graaff electron accelerator. Doses are 4 x 10 18 e - /cm 2 . Lifetime measurements are made at 77 K at each step of an isochronal annealing (30 min 20 K). In each specimen, the results show a significant increase of the lifetime (+ 30 at + 50 ps) which anneals out in different steps restoring the initial lifetime. The steps are sharp (ΔT/T=0.3) with the exception of InP, InP(Cr), InP(Zn), (ΔT/T=0.9). Tentative interpretations are given

Near-infrared free carrier absorption in heavily doped silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker-Finch, Simeon C.; McIntosh, Keith R.; Yan, Di; Fong, Kean Chern; Kho, Teng C.

2014-01-01

Free carrier absorption in heavily doped silicon can have a significant impact on devices operating in the infrared. In the near infrared, the free carrier absorption process can compete with band to band absorption processes, thereby reducing the number of available photons to optoelectronic devices such as solar cells. In this work, we fabricate 18 heavily doped regions by phosphorus and boron diffusion into planar polished silicon wafers; the simple sample structure facilitates accurate and precise measurement of the free carrier absorptance. We measure and model reflectance and transmittance dispersion to arrive at a parameterisation for the free carrier absorption coefficient that applies in the wavelength range between 1000 and 1500 nm, and the range of dopant densities between ∼10 18 and 3 × 10 20  cm −3 . Our measurements indicate that previously published parameterisations underestimate the free carrier absorptance in phosphorus diffusions. On the other hand, published parameterisations are generally consistent with our measurements and model for boron diffusions. Our new model is the first to be assigned uncertainty and is well-suited to routine device analysis

Addition of sunitinib to cetuximab and irinotecan in patients with heavily pre-treated advanced colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qvortrup, Camilla; Jensen, Benny Vittrup; Jørgensen, Trine Lembrecht

2010-01-01

Results of continuous sunitinib, in combination with cetuximab and irinotecan every other week (SIC) for compassionate use in heavily pre-treated patients with mCRC are presented.......Results of continuous sunitinib, in combination with cetuximab and irinotecan every other week (SIC) for compassionate use in heavily pre-treated patients with mCRC are presented....

Gemcitabine and capecitabine for heavily pre-treated metastatic colorectal cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spindler, Karen-Lise G; Pallisgaard, Niels; Andersen, Rikke F

2014-01-01

AIM: We investigated the efficacy and safety of capecitabine and gemcitabin (GemCap) in heavily pre-treated, therapy-resistant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients and the clinical importance of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) measurement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients' inclusion criteria included...

The changing emphases in health physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denham, D.H.; Kathren, R.L.

1987-11-01

This paper explores the changing emphases in health physics as evidenced by the subject matter of published papers in four primary English language journals of interest to health physicists. Articles from each journal were first grouped by subject and date of publication and were then compiled according to the list of professional domains practiced by health physicists. Five domains of practice were examined, measurements including dosimetry and environmental monitoring; regulations and standards; facilities and equipment including shielding, ventilation, and instrumentation; operations and procedures; and education and training. 2 tabs

The Svalbard REU Program: Undergraduates Pursuing Arctic Climate Change Research on Svalbard, Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Roof, S.; Werner, A.

2007-12-01

The Svalbard Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the Arctic Natural Sciences Program of the National Science Foundation has been successfully providing international field research experiences since 2004. Each year, 7-9 undergraduate students have participated in 4-5 weeks of glacial geology and climate change fieldwork on Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago in the North Atlantic (76- 80° N lat.). While we continue to learn new and better ways to run our program, we have learned specific management and pedagogical strategies that allow us to streamline our logistics and to provide genuine, meaningful research opportunities to undergraduate students. We select student participants after extensive nationwide advertising and recruiting. Even before applying to the program, students understand that they will be doing meaningful climate change science, will take charge of their own project, and will be expected to continue their research at their home institution. We look for a strong commitment of support from a student's advisor at their home institution before accepting students into our program. We present clear information, including participant responsibilities, potential risks and hazards, application procedures, equipment needed, etc on our program website. The website also provides relevant research papers and data and results from previous years, so potential participants can see how their efforts will contribute to growing body of knowledge. New participants meet with the previous years' participants at a professional meeting (our "REUnion") before they start their field experience. During fieldwork, students are expected to develop research questions and test their own hypotheses while providing and responding to peer feedback. Professional assessment by an independent expert provides us with feedback that helps us improve logistical procedures and shape our educational strategies. The assessment also shows us how

Advertising energy saving programs: The potential environmental cost of emphasizing monetary savings.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Daniel; Bruine de Bruin, Wändi; Fischhoff, Baruch; Lave, Lester

2015-06-01

Many consumers have monetary or environmental motivations for saving energy. Indeed, saving energy produces both monetary benefits, by reducing energy bills, and environmental benefits, by reducing carbon footprints. We examined how consumers' willingness and reasons to enroll in energy-savings programs are affected by whether advertisements emphasize monetary benefits, environmental benefits, or both. From a normative perspective, having 2 noteworthy kinds of benefit should not decrease a program's attractiveness. In contrast, psychological research suggests that adding external incentives to an intrinsically motivating task may backfire. To date, however, it remains unclear whether this is the case when both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations are inherent to the task, as with energy savings, and whether removing explicit mention of extrinsic motivation will reduce its importance. We found that emphasizing a program's monetary benefits reduced participants' willingness to enroll. In addition, participants' explanations about enrollment revealed less attention to environmental concerns when programs emphasized monetary savings, even when environmental savings were also emphasized. We found equal attention to monetary motivations in all conditions, revealing an asymmetric attention to monetary and environmental motives. These results also provide practical guidance regarding the positioning of energy-saving programs: emphasize intrinsic benefits; the extrinsic ones may speak for themselves. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Mid-infrared plasmonic resonances exploiting heavily-doped Ge on Si

Science.gov (United States)

Biagioni, P.; Sakat, E.; Baldassarre, L.; Calandrini, E.; Samarelli, A.; Gallacher, K.; Frigerio, J.; Isella, G.; Paul, D. J.; Ortolani, M.

2015-03-01

We address the behavior of mid-infrared localized plasmon resonances in elongated germanium antennas integrated on silicon substrates. Calculations based on Mie theory and on the experimentally retrieved dielectric constant allow us to study the tunability and the figures of merit of plasmon resonances in heavily-doped germanium and to preliminarily compare them with those of the most established plasmonic material, gold.

Volcanic Surface Deformation in Dominica From GPS Geodesy: Results From the 2007 NSF- REU Site

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, R.; James, S.; Styron, R. H.; Turner, H. L.; Ashlock, A.; Cavness, C.; Collier, X.; Fauria, K.; Feinstein, R.; Staisch, L.; Williams, B.; Mattioli, G. S.; Jansma, P. E.; Cothren, J.

2007-12-01

GPS measurements have been collected on the island of Dominica in the Lesser Antilles between 2001 and 2007, with five month-long campaigns completed in June of each year supported in part by a NSF REU Site award for the past two years. All GPS data were collected using dual-frequency, code-phase receivers and geodetic-quality antenna, primarily choke rings. Three consecutive 24 hr observation days were normally obtained for each site. Precise station positions were estimated with GIPSY-OASISII using an absolute point positioning strategy and final, precise orbits, clocks, earth orientation parameters, and x-files. All position estimates were updated to ITRF05 and a revised Caribbean Euler pole was used to place our observations in a CAR-fixed frame. Time series were created to determine the velocity of each station. Forward and inverse elastic half-space models with planar (i.e. dike) and Mogi (i.e. point) sources were investigated. Inverse modeling was completed using a downhill simplex method of function minimization. Selected site velocities were used to create appropriate models for specific regions of Dominica, which correspond to known centers of pre-historic volcanic or recent shallow, seismic activity. Because of the current distribution of GPS sites with robust velocity estimates, we limit our models to possible magmatic activity in the northern, proximal to the volcanic centers of Morne Diablotins and Morne aux Diables, and southern, proximal to volcanic centers of Soufriere and Morne Plat Pays, regions of the island. Surface deformation data from the northernmost sites may be fit with the development of a several km-long dike trending approximately northeast- southwest. Activity in the southern volcanic centers is best modeled by an expanding point source at approximately 1 km depth.

NuSTAR observations of heavily obscured quasars at z ~ 0.5

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lansbury, G. B.; Alexander, D. M.; Del Moro, A.

2014-01-01

We present NuSTAR hard X-ray observations of three Type 2 quasars at z ≈ 0.4-0.5, optically selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Although the quasars show evidence for being heavily obscured, Compton-thick systems on the basis of the 2-10 keV to [O III] luminosity ratio and multiwavelength...

Conductivity and superconductivity in heavily vacant diamond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S A Jafari

2009-08-01

Full Text Available   Motivated by the idea of impurity band superconductivity in heavily Boron doped diamond, we investigate the doping of various elements into diamond to address the question, which impurity band can offer a better DOS at the Fermi level. Surprisingly, we find that the vacancy does the best job in producing the largest DOS at the Fermi surface. To investigate the effect of disorder in Anderson localization of the resulting impurity band, we use a simple tight-binding model. Our preliminary study based on the kernel polynomial method shows that the impurity band is already localized at the concentration of 10-3. Around the vacancy concentration of 0.006 the whole spectrum of diamond becomes localized and quantum percolation takes place. Therefore to achieve conducting bands at concentrations on the scale of 5-10 percent, one needs to introduce correlations such as hopping among the vacancies .

Yield strength of a heavily drawn Cu-20% Nb filamentary microcomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, S.I.

1998-01-01

It has been well documented that heavily-drawn, copper-niobium microcomposites possess high strength and high conductivity. Since niobium has little solubility in copper, the conductivity of the copper is not strongly affected by the addition of niobium. Following extensive mechanical deformation of Cu-Nb, niobium dendrites transform into fine niobium ribbons as a result of the niobium texture upon drawing. This nanostructure contributes to the ultrahigh strength of Cu-Nb microcomposites. The strength of heavily deformed Cu-Nb exceeds that predicted by the rule-of-mixtures (ROM), and a fundamental understanding of the strengthening mechanisms involved has been the subject of much discussion. Spitzig and his coworkers suggests a barrier strengthening model while Funkenbusch and Courtney believe that stored dislocations have a role in substructural hardening. Hangen and Raabe recently proposed an analytical model for the calculation of the yield strength of Cu-Nb microcomposite. The model of Hangen and Raabe and that of Spitzig and his coworkers have a great deal of resemblance since both models attribute the strength to the difficulty of propagating plastic flow through the interface. The purpose of this study was to enhance the understanding of the strengthening mechanisms associated with Cu-Nb microcomposites by examining the previous studies on mechanical and microstructural stability of Cu-based microcomposites

AFM of metallic nano-particles and nano-structures in heavily irradiated NaCl

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaynutdinov, R; Vainshtein, DI; Hak, SJ; Tolstikhina, A; Den Hartog, HW

2003-01-01

AFM investigations are reported for heavily, electron irradiated NaCl crystals in ultra high vacuum (UHV) in the non-contact mode-with an UHV AFM/STM Omicron system. To avoid chemical reactions between the radiolytic Na and oxygen and water, the irradiated samples were cleaved and prepared for the

Tracking with heavily irradiated silicon detectors operated at cryogenic temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casagrande, L.; Barnett, B.M.; Bartalina, P.

1999-01-01

In this work, the authors show that a heavily irradiated double-sided silicon microstrip detector recovers its performance when operated at cryogenic temperatures. A DELPHI microstrip detector, irradiated to a fluence of ∼4 x 10 14 p/cm 2 , no longer operational at room temperature, cannot be distinguished from a non-irradiated one when operated at T < 120 K. Besides confirming the previously observed Lazarus effect in single diodes, these results establish, for the first time, the possibility of using standard silicon detectors for tracking applications in extremely demanding radiation environments

Theoretical investigation of the heavily-doped semiconductor aspect of ultra-dilute GaAsN

Science.gov (United States)

Sukpitak, Jessada; Sa-yakanit, Virulh

2015-12-01

The model of GaAs1- y N y ( y = 0.001) as a heavily-doped semiconductor in the ultra-dilute region is attentively examined. The model enables GaAsN to be viewed as a disordered assembly of three-dimensional quantum dots (potential wells) caused by random potential fluctuations from nitrogen pairs in the system. Consequently, Feynman's path-integration technique is applied in order to quantify the density of states (DOS) in the vicinity of the conduction band edge. The obtained DOS tail, even though overestimated, still clearly shows a much shorter tail than that the experimental result does. This shows that the heavily-doped semiconductor viewpoint is not proper for GaAsN, not even in the ultra-dilute region. Furthermore, this also suggests that the impurity wave function overlap is not a basic mechanism of band gap reduction.

Overview of an REU program: A case study in gender parity, ethnic diversity, and community college students

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, J. K.; Noriega, G.; Benthien, M. L.

2017-12-01

The Undergraduate Studies in Earthquake Information Technology (USEIT) is an REU Internship Program focused in multi-disciplinary, collaborative research offered through the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC); a research consortium focused on earthquake science. USEIT is an 8-week intensive undergraduate research program. The program is designed for interns to work as a collaborative engine to solve an overarching real-world earthquake problem referred to as the "Grand Challenge". The interns are organized in teams and paired with mentors that have expertise in their specific task in the Grand Challenge. The program is focused around earthquake system science, where students have the opportunity to use super computers, programming platforms, geographic information systems, and internally designed and developed visualization software. The goal of the USEIT program is to motivate undergraduates from diverse backgrounds towards careers in science and engineering through team-based research in the field of earthquake information technology. Efforts are made to recruit students with diverse backgrounds, taking into consideration gender, ethnic background, socioeconomic standing, major, college year, and institution type (2-year and 4-year colleges). USEIT has a partnership with two local community colleges to recruit underserved students. Our emphasis is to attract students that would 1) grow and develop technical skills, soft skills, and confidence from the program, and 2) provide perspective and innovation to the program. USEIT offers on-campus housing to provide a submerged learning environment, recruits diverse majors to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, maintains a full time in lab mentor for day-to-day intern needs, takes students on field trips to provide context to their research, and plans activities and field trips for team building and morale. Each year metrics are collected through exit surveys, personal statements, and intern experience

An X-ray wave theory for heavily distorted crystals. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohkawa, T.; Hashimoto, H.

1985-01-01

An X-ray diffraction theory is developed of monochromatic waves having spherical wave front, which is applicable to an interpretation of divergent X-ray diffraction images of crystals containing arbitral types of strain field. The theory is divided into two parts. In part I, Takagi's theory is expanded by introducing amplitude and phase correction functions and a new improved representation for the X-ray diffraction theory is given. In part II dispersion surfaces in heavily distorted crystals are discussed, and in the discussion the resonance shift functions are introduced. These formulations can lead to a complete understanding of the extinction phenomena. (author)

Dual Inhibition of EGFR and VEGF in Heavily Pretreated Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Finn Ole; Markussen, Alice; Nielsen, Dorte

2017-01-01

: The combination of irinotecan, bevacizumab, and cetuximab/panitumumab is safe and shows a toxicity profile corresponding to what is expected from the agents alone. The results indicate that the combination in the 4th line may result in a high rate of disease control in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic...

The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Summer Student Programs in La Serena, Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Kaleida, Catherine C.; Smith, C.; Van Der Bliek, N. S.; James, D.

2014-01-01

The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) offers positions for U.S. and Chilean student interns during the Chilean summer months of January-March (northern winter semester) at the CTIO offices in La Serena, Chile. CTIO is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) of the United States, focused on the development of astronomy in the southern hemisphere. Six undergraduate research assistantships are offered for U.S. physics and astronomy undergraduate students through the NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. The CTIO-funded Prácticas de Investigación en Astronomía (PIA) program is run concurrently with the REU program, and offers two research assistantships for Chilean undergraduate or 1st or 2nd year masters students, also at the CTIO offices in La Serena, Chile. The CTIO REU and PIA programs provide exceptional opportunities for students considering a career in astronomy to engage in substantive research activities with scientists working at the forefront of contemporary astrophysics. Student participants work on specific research projects in close collaboration with members of the CTIO scientific and technical staff, such as galaxy clusters, gravitational lensing, supernovae, planetary nebulae, stellar populations, star clusters, star formation, variable stars and interstellar medium. The CTIO REU and PIA programs emphasize observational techniques and provide opportunities for direct observational experience using CTIO's state-of-the-art telescopes and instrumentation. The programs run for 10 weeks, from mid-January to the end of March. A two-night observing run on Cerro Tololo and a field trip to another observatory in Chile are included for students of both programs. These positions are full time, and those selected will receive a modest stipend and subsidized housing on the grounds of the offices of CTIO in La Serena, as well as travel costs to and from La Serena. In addition, the students have the

One unit-cell seed layer induced epitaxial growth of heavily nitrogen doped anatase TiO{sub 2} films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, T L; Hirose, Y; Hitosugi, T; Hasegawa, T [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan)], E-mail: chen@ksp.or.jp

2008-03-21

We present a novel way to obtain heavily nitrogen doped anatase TiO{sub 2} films by using a solid-state nitrogen source. Epitaxial growth of the films was realized by introducing one unit-cell seed layer, which was indicated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction as intensity oscillation. Results of x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that the films were in the anatase phase heavily doped with nitrogen of {approx}15 at%. The films obtained exhibited considerable narrowing of the optical bandgap, resulting in an enhancement of absorption in the visible-light region. (fast track communication)

High-temperature ferromagnetism in heavily Fe-doped ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Fe)Sb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu, Nguyen Thanh; Hai, Pham Nam; Anh, Le Duc; Tanaka, Masaaki

2016-01-01

We show high-temperature ferromagnetism in heavily Fe-doped ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga_1_−_x,Fe_x)Sb (x = 23% and 25%) thin films grown by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy. Magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and anomalous Hall effect measurements indicate intrinsic ferromagnetism of these samples. The Curie temperature reaches 300 K and 340 K for x = 23% and 25%, respectively, which are the highest values reported so far in intrinsic III-V ferromagnetic semiconductors.

Einstein's photoemission emission from heavily-doped quantized structures

CERN Document Server

Ghatak, Kamakhya Prasad

2015-01-01

This monograph solely investigates the Einstein's Photoemission(EP) from Heavily Doped(HD) Quantized Structures on the basis of newly formulated electron dispersion laws. The materials considered are quantized structures of HD non-linear optical, III-V, II-VI, Ge, Te, Platinum Antimonide, stressed materials, GaP, Gallium Antimonide, II-V, Bismuth Telluride together with various types of HD superlattices and their Quantized counterparts respectively. The EP in HD opto-electronic materials and their nanostructures is studied in the presence of strong light waves and intense electric fields  that control the studies of such quantum effect devices. The suggestions for the experimental determinations of different important physical quantities in HD 2D and 3D materials  and the importance of measurement of band gap in HD optoelectronic materials under intense built-in electric field in nano devices and strong external photo excitation (for measuring   physical properties in the presence of intense light waves w...

A Classroom Research Skills Development Emphasizing Data Analysis and Result of SSRU Students by RBL

Science.gov (United States)

Waree, Chaiwat

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study is the learning using research as a base. To strengthen the skills of classroom research Emphasizing Data Analysis and Result and to study the development of research skills in the class Emphasizing Data Analysis and Result of SSRU' Students by learning using research base. The target group are students in the 2nd semester…

Long-Term Stability of Oxide Nanowire Sensors via Heavily Doped Oxide Contact.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Hao; Takahashi, Tsunaki; Kanai, Masaki; Zhang, Guozhu; He, Yong; Nagashima, Kazuki; Yanagida, Takeshi

2017-12-22

Long-term stability of a chemical sensor is an essential quality for long-term collection of data related to exhaled breath, environmental air, and other sources in the Internet of things (IoT) era. Although an oxide nanowire sensor has shown great potential as a chemical sensor, the long-term stability of sensitivity has not been realized yet due to electrical degradation under harsh sensing conditions. Here, we report a rational concept to accomplish long-term electrical stability of metal oxide nanowire sensors via introduction of a heavily doped metal oxide contact layer. Antimony-doped SnO 2 (ATO) contacts on SnO 2 nanowires show much more stable and lower electrical contact resistance than conventional Ti contacts for high temperature (200 °C) conditions, which are required to operate chemical sensors. The stable and low contact resistance of ATO was confirmed for at least 1960 h under 200 °C in open air. This heavily doped oxide contact enables us to realize the long-term stability of SnO 2 nanowire sensors while maintaining the sensitivity for both NO 2 gas and light (photo) detections. The applicability of our method is confirmed for sensors on a flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate. Since the proposed fundamental concept can be applied to various oxide nanostructures, it will give a foundation for designing long-term stable oxide nanomaterial-based IoT sensors.

Self-Assembled Formation of Well-Aligned Cu-Te Nano-Rods on Heavily Cu-Doped ZnTe Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jing; Cheng, Man Kit; Lai, Ying Hoi; Wei, Guanglu; Yang, Sean Derman; Wang, Gan; Ho, Sut Kam; Tam, Kam Weng; Sou, Iam Keong

2016-11-01

Cu doping of ZnTe, which is an important semiconductor for various optoelectronic applications, has been successfully achieved previously by several techniques. However, besides its electrical transport characteristics, other physical and chemical properties of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe have not been reported. We found an interesting self-assembled formation of crystalline well-aligned Cu-Te nano-rods near the surface of heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films grown via the molecular beam epitaxy technique. A phenomenological growth model is presented based on the observed crystallographic morphology and measured chemical composition of the nano-rods using various imaging and chemical analysis techniques. When substitutional doping reaches its limit, the extra Cu atoms favor an up-migration toward the surface, leading to a one-dimensional surface modulation and formation of Cu-Te nano-rods, which explain unusual observations on the reflection high energy electron diffraction patterns and apparent resistivity of these thin films. This study provides an insight into some unexpected chemical reactions involved in the heavily Cu-doped ZnTe thin films, which may be applied to other material systems that contain a dopant having strong reactivity with the host matrix.

High-temperature ferromagnetism in heavily Fe-doped ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Fe)Sb

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tu, Nguyen Thanh [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Department of Physics, Ho Chi Minh City University of Pedagogy, 280, An Duong Vuong Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City 748242 (Viet Nam); Hai, Pham Nam [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Department of Physical Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-0033 (Japan); Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN), The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Anh, Le Duc [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Tanaka, Masaaki [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Center for Spintronics Research Network (CSRN), The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2016-05-09

We show high-temperature ferromagnetism in heavily Fe-doped ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga{sub 1−x},Fe{sub x})Sb (x = 23% and 25%) thin films grown by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy. Magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and anomalous Hall effect measurements indicate intrinsic ferromagnetism of these samples. The Curie temperature reaches 300 K and 340 K for x = 23% and 25%, respectively, which are the highest values reported so far in intrinsic III-V ferromagnetic semiconductors.

Becoming a Heavily Tattooed Young Body: From a Bodily Experience to a Body Project

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Vitor Sérgio

2014-01-01

Why some young people start to tattoo their bodies? And why some of them keep going on with this practice, until having all body tattooed? What doing so means to them? These are some of the questions that underlie a qualitative research project carried out in Portugal on heavily tattooed young people. In this article, the author discusses their…

Cytogenetic abnormalities of the descendants of permanent residents of heavily contaminated East Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaizhunusova, Nailya; Madiyeva, Madina; Tanaka, Kimio; Hoshi, Masaharu; Kawano, Noriyuki; Noso, Yoshihiro; Takeichi, Nobuo; Rakhypbekov, Tolebay; Urazalina, Nailya; Dovgal, Galina; Rymbaeva, Tamara; Tokanova, Sholpan; Beisengazina, Meruert; Kembayeva, Kulypash; Inoue, Ken

2017-11-01

More than 400 nuclear explosion tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) and significant radioactive substances were released. The long-term consequences of the activities at the SNTS and the appearance of any hereditary effects remain insufficiently studied about 25 years after the test site was closed. The population living in villages near the SNTS are considered to have been heavily exposed to external and internal radiation. This study aims to perform an assessment and comprehensive cytogenetic analysis of the inhabitants living near the SNTS, and their first-(F1) and second-(F2) generation children. Residents of the East Kazakhstan region living in the area covered by the former SNTS were included in the study. To evaluate the hereditary effects of nuclear testing, comprehensive chromosome analyses were performed in lymphocytes using conventional Giemsa and fluorescent in situ hybridization methods in 115 F1 and F2 descendants in the villages of Dolon and Sarzhal, which were heavily contaminated. The parents of the subjects had permanently lived in the villages. A higher number of stable-type chromosome aberrations such as translocations was found in these residents than in 80 residents of the control area, Kokpecty, which indicates the possibility that radiation had biological effects on the exposed subjects.

An Example Emphasizing Mass-Volume Relationships for Problem Solving in Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Heitman, J. L.; Vepraskas, M. J.

2009-01-01

Mass-volume relationships are a useful tool emphasized for problem solving in many geo-science and engineering applications. These relationships also have useful applications in soil science. Developing soils students' ability to utilize mass-volume relationships through schematic diagrams of soil phases (i.e., air, water, and solid) can help to…

Rapid enhancement of nodal quasiparticle mass with heavily underdoping in Bi2212

Science.gov (United States)

Anzai, Hiroaki; Arita, Masashi; Namatame, Hirofumi; Taniguchi, Masaki; Ishikado, Motoyuki; Fujita, Kazuhiro; Ishida, Shigeyuki; Uchida, Shin-ichi; Ino, Akihiro

2018-05-01

We report substantial advance of our low-energy angle-resolved photoemission study of nodal quasiparticles in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ. The new data cover the samples from underdoped down to heavily underdoped levels. We also present the nodal Fermi velocities that determined by using an excitation-photon energy of hν = 7.0 eV over a wide doping range. The consistency between the results with hν = 8.1 and 7.0 eV allows us to rule out the effect of photoemission matrix elements. In comparison with the data previously reported, the nodal effective mass increases by a factor of ∼ 1.5 in going from optimally doped to heavily underdoped levels. We find a rapid enhancement of the nodal quasiparticle mass at low doping levels near the superconductor-to-insulator transition. The effective coupling spectrum, λ (ω) , is extracted directly from the energy derivatives of the quasiparticle dispersion and scattering rate, as a causal function of the mass enhancement factor. A steplike increase in Reλ (ω) around ∼ 65 meV is demonstrated clearly by the Kramers-Kronig transform of Imλ (ω) . To extract the low-energy renormalization effect, we calculated a simple model for the electron-boson interaction. This model reveals that the contribution of the renormalization at | ω | ≤ 15 meV to the quasiparticle mass is larger than that around 65 meV in underdoped samples.

The University of Texas Science and Engineering Apprentice Program as a Model for an REU Site

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, M. B.; Blankenship, D. D.; Ellins, K. E.

2004-12-01

relevant to student learning. We are interested in expanding the SEAP model for student research to a scale that can support multidisciplinary REU site activities by extending research possibilities into polar research, marine studies, seismology, planetary science, and science education at UTIG in future years.

An accurate measurement of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation with heavily gas-dominated ALFALFA galaxies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papastergis, E.; Adams, E. A. K.; van der Hulst, J. M.

2016-01-01

We use a sample of 97 galaxies selected from the Arecibo legacy fast ALFA (ALFALFA) 21 cm survey to make an accurate measurement of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR). These galaxies are specifically selected to be heavily gas-dominated (Mgas/M∗ ≳ 2.7) and to be oriented edge-on. The former

AFM of metallic nano-particles and nano-structures in heavily irradiated NaCl

OpenAIRE

Gaynutdinov, R; Vainshtein, DI; Hak, SJ; Tolstikhina, A; Den Hartog, HW

2003-01-01

AFM investigations are reported for heavily, electron irradiated NaCl crystals in ultra high vacuum (UHV) in the non-contact mode-with an UHV AFM/STM Omicron system. To avoid chemical reactions between the radiolytic Na and oxygen and water, the irradiated samples were cleaved and prepared for the experiments in UHV At the surface of freshly cleaved samples, we have observed sodium nano-precipitates with shapes, which depend on the irradiation dose and the volume fraction of the radiolytic Na...

Stored energy and annealing behavior of heavily deformed aluminium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamikawa, Naoya; Huang, Xiaoxu; Kondo, Yuka

2012-01-01

It has been demonstrated in previous work that a two-step annealing treatment, including a low-temperature, long-time annealing and a subsequent high-temperature annealing, is a promising route to control the microstructure of a heavily deformed metal. In the present study, structural parameters...... are quantified such as boundary spacing, misorientation angle and dislocation density for 99.99% aluminium deformed by accumulative roll-bonding to a strain of 4.8. Two different annealing processes have been applied; (i) one-step annealing for 0.5 h at 100-400°C and (ii) two-step annealing for 6 h at 175°C...... followed by 0.5 h annealing at 200-600°C, where the former treatment leads to discontinuous recrystallization and the latter to uniform structural coarsening. This behavior has been analyzed in terms of the relative change during annealing of energy stored as elastic energy in the dislocation structure...

In situ observation of triple junction motion during recovery of heavily deformed aluminum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Tianbo; Hughes, Darcy A.; Hansen, Niels

2015-01-01

-junctions are pinned by deformation-induced interconnecting and lamellar boundaries, which slow down the recovery process and lead to a stop-go migration pattern. This pinning mechanism stabilizes the deformation microstructure, i.e. the structure is stabilized by balancing the driving and pinning forces controlling......Microstructural evolution during in situ annealing of heavily cold-rolled aluminum has been studied by transmission electron microscopy, confirming that an important recovery mechanism is migration of triple junctions formed by three lamellar boundaries (Y-junctions). The migrating Y...

Nice Guys Finish Last: Are People with Higher Tax Morale Taxed more Heavily?

OpenAIRE

Philipp Doerrenberg; Denvil Duncan; Clemens Fuest; Andreas Peichl

2012-01-01

This paper is the first to provide evidence of efficient taxation of groups with heterogeneous levels of 'tax morale'. We set up an optimal income tax model where high tax morale implies a high subjective cost of evading taxes. The model predicts that 'nice guys finish last': groups with higher tax morale will be taxed more heavily, simply because taxing them is less costly. Based on unique cross-country micro data and an IV approach to rule out reverse causality, we find empirical support fo...

The nature of the torus in the heavily obscured AGN Markarian 3: an X-ray study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guainazzi, M.; Risaliti, G.; Awaki, H.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we report the results of an X-ray monitoring campaign on the heavily obscured Seyfert galaxy, Markarian 3, carried out between the fall of 2014 and the spring of 2015 with NuSTAR, Suzaku and XMM–Newton. The hard X-ray spectrum of Markarian 3 is variable on all the time-scales probe...

Unintended Effects of Emphasizing Disparities in Cancer Communication to African-Americans

OpenAIRE

Nicholson, Robert A.; Kreuter, Matthew W.; Lapka, Christina; Wellborn, Rachel; Clark, Eddie M.; Sanders-Thompson, Vetta; Jacobsen, Heather M.; Casey, Chris

2008-01-01

Little is known about how minority groups react to public information that highlights racial disparities in cancer. This double-blind randomized study compared emotional and behavioral reactions to four versions of the same colon cancer (CRC) information presented in mock news articles to a community sample of African-American adults (n = 300). Participants read one of four articles that varied in their framing and interpretation of race-specific CRC mortality data, emphasizing impact (CRC is...

Building-up domestic enrichment capacity is emphasized

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1976-01-01

This is an interim report presented by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Committee of the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission to recommend adequate policy lines in each field of fuel cycle. As for the procurement of natural uranium, advises are given for both state authorities and for private companies (including electric utilities) on the basis of the ''develop-and-import'' policy. As for the procurement of enriched uranium, the urgency of the development of enrichment techniques and plants is emphasized together with the important role of the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC). As for reprocessing, it is confirmed that the construction and operation of the second reprocessing plant should be undertaken by private interests. The state authorities are advised to undertake revisions of the relevant laws, regulations, and standards. As for plutonium recycle, the demonstration of the use of plutonium with Fugen type heavy water reactors, as well as light water reactors is encouraged. As for the radiative waste disposal, advices associated with experimental ocean dumping, solidification, storage, and geological disposal are given. Finally, as for spent fuel transportation, problems associate with the physical protection and the safety of spent fuel transportation are treated. (Aoki, K.)

The "art" of science communication in undergraduate research training

Science.gov (United States)

Fatemi, F. R.; Stockwell, J.; Pinheiro, V.; White, B.

2016-12-01

Student creation of well-designed and engaging visuals in science communication can enhance their deep learning while streamlining the transmission of information to their audience. However, undergraduate research training does not frequently emphasize the design aspect of science communication. We devised and implemented a new curricular component to the Lake Champlain NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in Vermont. We took a holistic approach to communication training, with a targeted module in "art and science". Components to the module included: 1) an introduction to environmental themes in fine art, 2) a photography assignment in research documentation, 3) an overview of elements of design (e.g., color, typography, hierarchy), 4) a graphic design workshop using tools in Powerpoint, and 5) an introduction to scientific illustration. As part of the REU program, students were asked to document their work through photographs, and develop an infographic or scientific illustration complementary to their research. The "art and science" training culminated with a display and critique of their visual work. We report on student responses to the "art and science" training from exit interviews and survey questions. Based on our program, we identify a set of tools that mentors can use to enhance their student's ability to engage with a broad audience.

Near-Field Imaging of Free Carriers in ZnO Nanowires with a Scanning Probe Tip Made of Heavily Doped Germanium

Science.gov (United States)

Sakat, Emilie; Giliberti, Valeria; Bollani, Monica; Notargiacomo, Andrea; Pea, Marialilia; Finazzi, Marco; Pellegrini, Giovanni; Hugonin, Jean-Paul; Weber-Bargioni, Alexander; Melli, Mauro; Sassolini, Simone; Cabrini, Stefano; Biagioni, Paolo; Ortolani, Michele; Baldassarre, Leonetta

2017-11-01

A novel scanning probe tip made of heavily doped semiconductor is fabricated and used instead of standard gold-coated tips in infrared scattering-type near-field microscopy. Midinfrared near-field microscopy experiments are conducted on ZnO nanowires with a lateral resolution better than 100 nm, using tips made of heavily electron-doped germanium with a plasma frequency in the midinfrared (plasma wavelength of 9.5 μ m ). Nanowires embedded in a dielectric matrix are imaged at two wavelengths, 11.3 and 8.0 μ m , above and below the plasma wavelength of the tips. An opposite sign of the imaging contrasts between the nanowire and the dielectric matrix is observed at the two infrared wavelengths, indicating a clear role of the free-electron plasma in the heavily doped germanium tip in building the imaging contrast. Electromagnetic simulations with a multispherical dipole model accounting for the finite size of the tip are well consistent with the experiments. By comparison of the simulated and measured imaging contrasts, an estimate for the local free-carrier density in the investigated ZnO nanowires in the low 1019 cm-3 range is retrieved. The results are benchmarked against the scattering intensity and phase maps obtained on the same sample with a gold-coated probe tip in pseudoheterodyne detection mode.

Effects of messages emphasizing environmental determinants of obesity on intentions to engage in diet and exercise behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Niederdeppe, Jeff; Roh, Sungjong; Shapiro, Michael A; Kim, Hye Kyung

2013-12-12

Reducing rates of obesity will require interventions that influence both individual decisions and environmental factors through changes in public policy. Previous work indicates that messages emphasizing environmental determinants increases support for public policies, but some suspect this strategy may undermine motivation to engage in diet and exercise. Study 1 involved 485 adults recruited from a shopping mall in New York. Study 2 involved 718 adult members of a Web-based national panel of US adults. Respondents in both studies were randomly assigned to read a story that emphasized environmental determinants of health or a control condition. The stories varied in the extent to which they described the story character as taking personal responsibility for weight management. Logistic regression and ordered logit models were used to test for differences in intentions to engage in diet and exercise behaviors based on which story the participant read. Analyses were also performed separately by participants' weight status. In both studies, messages that acknowledged personal responsibility while emphasizing environmental causes of obesity increased intentions to engage in healthy behavior for at least 1 weight status group. Emphasizing factors outside of personal control appears to enhance rather than undermine motivations to engage in healthy diet and exercise behavior.

Measurement of surface recombination velocity on heavily doped indium phosphide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, P.; Ghalla-Goradia, M.; Faur, M.; Bailey, S.

1990-01-01

The controversy surrounding the published low values of surface recombination velocity (SRV) in n-InP, solidified in recent years when modeling of existing n/p InP solar cells revealed that the front surface SRV had to be higher than 1 x 10 6 cm/sec in order to justify the poor blue response that is characteristic of all n/p InP solar cells. In this paper, SRV on heavily doped (>10 18 cm -3 )n-type and p-type InP is measured as a function of surface treatment. For the limited range of substrates and surface treatments studied, SRV and surface stability depend strongly on the surface treatment. SRVs of ∼10 5 cm/sec in both p-type and n-type InP are obtainable, but in n-type the low SRV surfaces were unstable, and the only stable surfaces on n-type had SRVs of >10 6 cm/sec

Heavily-doped 2D-quantized structures and the Einstein relation

CERN Document Server

Ghatak, Kamakhya P

2015-01-01

This book presents the Einstein Relation(ER) in two-dimensional (2-D) Heavily Doped(HD) Quantized Structures. The materials considered are quantized structures of HD non-linear optical, III-V, II-VI, Ge, Te, Platinum Antimonide, stressed materials, GaP, Gallium Antimonide, II-V, Bismuth Telluride together with various types of HD superlattices and their Quantized counterparts respectively. The ER in HD opto-electronic materials and their nanostructures is studied in the presence of strong light waves and intense electric fields on the basis of newly formulated electron dispersion laws that control the studies of such quantum effect devices. The suggestion for the experimental determination of HD 2D and 3D ERs and the importance of measurement of band gap in HD optoelectronic materials under intense built-in electric field in nanodevices and strong external photo excitation (for measuring photon induced physical properties) are also discussed in this context. The influence of crossed electric and quantizing ma...

[The emphases and basic procedures of genetic counseling in psychotherapeutic model].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuan-Zhi; Zhong, Nanbert

2006-11-01

The emphases and basic procedures of genetic counseling are all different with those in old models. In the psychotherapeutic model, genetic counseling will not only focus on counselees' genetic disorders and birth defects, but also their psychological problems. "Client-centered therapy" termed by Carl Rogers plays an important role in genetic counseling process. The basic procedures of psychotherapeutic model of genetic counseling include 7 steps: initial contact, introduction, agendas, inquiry of family history, presenting information, closing the session and follow-up.

Marine reserves and reproductive biomass: a case study of a heavily targeted reef fish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brett M Taylor

Full Text Available Recruitment overfishing (the reduction of a spawning stock past a point at which the stock can no longer replenish itself is a common problem which can lead to a rapid and irreversible fishery collapse. Averting this disaster requires maintaining a sufficient spawning population to buffer stochastic fluctuations in recruitment of heavily harvested stocks. Optimal strategies for managing spawner biomass are well developed for temperate systems, yet remain uncertain for tropical fisheries, where the danger of collapse from recruitment overfishing looms largest. In this study, we explored empirically and through modeling, the role of marine reserves in maximizing spawner biomass of a heavily exploited reef fish, Lethrinus harak around Guam, Micronesia. On average, spawner biomass was 16 times higher inside the reserves compared with adjacent fished sites. Adult density and habitat-specific mean fish size were also significantly greater. We used these data in an age-structured population model to explore the effect of several management scenarios on L. harak demography. Under minimum-size limits, unlimited extraction and all rotational-closure scenarios, the model predicts that preferential mortality of larger and older fish prompt dramatic declines in spawner biomass and the proportion of male fish, as well as considerable declines in total abundance. For rotational closures this occurred because of the mismatch between the scales of recovery and extraction. Our results highlight how alternative management scenarios fall short in comparison to marine reserves in preserving reproductively viable fish populations on coral reefs.

Socio-contextual Determinants of Research Evidence Use in Public-Youth Systems of Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Antonio R; Kim, Minseop; Palinkas, Lawrence A; Snowden, Lonnie; Landsverk, John

2016-07-01

Recent efforts have been devoted to understanding the conditions by which research evidence use (REU) is facilitated from the perspective of system leaders in the context of implementing evidence-based child mental health interventions. However, we have limited understanding of the extent to which outer contextual factors influence REU. Outer contextual factors for 37 counties in California were gathered from public records in 2008; and child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health system leaders' perceptions of their REU were measured via a web-based survey from 2010 to 2012. Results showed that leaders with higher educational attainment and in counties with lower expenditures on inpatient mental health services were significantly associated with higher REU. Positive relationships between gathering research evidence and racial minority concentration and poverty at the county level were also detected. Results underscore the need to identify the organizational and socio-political factors by which mental health services and resources meet client demands that influence REU, and to recruit and retain providers with a graduate degree to negotiate work demands and interpret research evidence.

Anomalous transmission through heavily doped conducting polymer films with periodic subwavelength hole array

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Tatsunosuke; Vardeny, Z. Valy; Agrawal, Amit; Nahata, Ajay; Menon, Reghu

2006-08-01

We observed resonantly enhanced (or anomalous transmission) terahertz transmission through two-dimensional (2D) periodic arrays of subwavelength apertures with various periodicities fabricated on metallic organic conducting polymer films of polypyrrole heavily doped with PF 6 molecules [PPy(PF6)]. The anomalous transmission spectra are in good agreement with a model involving surface plasmon polariton excitations on the film surfaces. We also found that the resonantly enhanced transmission peaks are broader in the exotic metallic PPy(PF6) films compared to those formed in 2D aperture array in regular metallic films such as silver, indicating that the surface plasmon polaritons on the PPy(PF6) film surfaces have higher attenuation.

An Analysis of NSF Geosciences Research Experience for Undergraduate Site Programs from 2009 through 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Rom, E. L.; Patino, L. C.; Weiler, S.; Sanchez, S. C.; Colon, Y.; Antell, L.

2011-12-01

The Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Program at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) provides U.S. undergraduate students from any college or university the opportunity to conduct research at a different institution and gain a better understanding of research career pathways. The Geosciences REU Sites foster research opportunities in areas closely aligned with geoscience programs, particularly those related to earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Geosciences REU Site programs run in 2009 through 2011. A survey requesting information on recruitment methods, student demographics, enrichment activities, and fields of research was sent to the Principal Investigators of each of the active REU Sites. Over 70% of the surveys were returned with the requested information from about 50 to 60 sites each year. The internet is the most widely used mechanism to recruit participants, with personal communication as the second most important recruiting tool. The admissions rate for REU Sites in Geosciences varies from less than 10% to 50%, with the majority of participants being rising seniors and juniors. Many of the participants come from non-PhD granting institutions. Among the participants, gender distribution varies by discipline, with ocean sciences having a large majority of women and earth sciences having a majority of men. Regarding ethnic diversity, the REU Sites reflect the difficulty of attracting diverse students into Geosciences as a discipline; a large majority of participants are Caucasian and Asian students. Furthermore, participants from minority-serving institutions and community colleges constitute a small percentage of those taking part in these research experiences. The enrichment activities are very similar across the REU Sites, and mimic activities common to the scientific community, including intellectual exchange of ideas (lab meetings, seminars, and professional meetings

Obama Emphasizes Science and Innovation in State of the Union Address

Science.gov (United States)

Tretkoff, Ernie

2011-02-01

U.S. president Barack Obama emphasized innovation and competitiveness in his State of the Union address on 25 January. He also raised science and technology early in the hour-long speech, noting that nations like China and India are focusing on math and science education and investing in research and technology. To be competitive with those countries, “we need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world,” Obama said. “The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation.”

Very heavily electron-doped CrSi2 as a high-performance high-temperature thermoelectric material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, David; Singh, David J

2012-01-01

We analyze the thermoelectric behavior, using first principles and Boltzmann transport calculations, of very heavily electron-doped CrSi 2 and find that at temperatures of 900-1250 K and electron dopings of 1-4 × 10 21 cm -3 , thermopowers as large in magnitude as 200 μV K -1 may be found. Such high thermopowers at such high carrier concentrations are extremely rare, and suggest that excellent thermoelectric performance may be found in these ranges of temperature and doping. (paper)

Evaluation of the use of polymer modified bitumen in the production of high modulus asphalt for heavily-trafficked roads

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Komba, Julius J

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Enrobé à Module Élevé (EME) technology, a High Modulus Asphalt (HiMA), has been introduced to South Africa to provide an optimum solution for the design and construction of heavily trafficked roads. Implementation of EME technology in South Africa...

High-resolution heavily T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of the pituitary stalk in children with ectopic neurohypophysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanharawi, Imane El; Tzarouchi, Loukia [Hopital Robert Debre, APHP, Service de Radiologie Pediatrique, Paris (France); Cardoen, Liesbeth [Hopital Robert Debre, APHP, Service de Radiologie Pediatrique, Paris (France); Universite Paris Diderot, Paris (France); Martinerie, Laetitia; Leger, Juliane; Carel, Jean-Claude [Universite Paris Diderot, Paris (France); Inserm U1141, DHU PROTECT, Paris (France); Hopital Robert Debre, APHP, Service d' Endocrinologie Pediatrique, Paris (France); Elmaleh-Berges, Monique [Hopital Robert Debre, APHP, Service de Radiologie Pediatrique, Paris (France); Inserm U1141, DHU PROTECT, Paris (France); Alison, Marianne [Hopital Robert Debre, APHP, Service de Radiologie Pediatrique, Paris (France); Universite Paris Diderot, Paris (France); Inserm U1141, DHU PROTECT, Paris (France)

2017-05-15

In anterior pituitary deficiency, patients with non visible pituitary stalk have more often multiple deficiencies and persistent deficiency than patients with visible pituitary stalk. To compare the diagnostic value of a high-resolution heavily T2-weighted sequence to 1.5-mm-thick unenhanced and contrast-enhanced sagittal T1-weighted sequences to assess the presence of the pituitary stalk in children with ectopic posterior pituitary gland. We retrospectively evaluated the MRI data of 14 children diagnosed with ectopic posterior pituitary gland between 2010 and 2014. We evaluated the presence of a pituitary stalk using a sagittal high-resolution heavily T2-weighted sequence and a 1.5-mm sagittal T1-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence before and after contrast medium administration. A pituitary stalk was present on at least one of the sequences in 10 of the 14 children (71%). T2-weighted sequence depicted the pituitary stalk in all 10 children, whereas the 1.5-mm-thick T1-weighted sequence depicted 2/10 (20%) before contrast injection and 8/10 (80%) after contrast injection (P=0.007). Compared with 1.5-mm-thick contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences, high-resolution heavily T2-weighted sequence demonstrates better sensitivity in detecting the pituitary stalk in children with ectopic posterior pituitary gland, suggesting that contrast injection is unnecessary to assess the presence of a pituitary stalk in this setting. (orig.)

High-resolution heavily T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of the pituitary stalk in children with ectopic neurohypophysis.

Science.gov (United States)

El Sanharawi, Imane; Tzarouchi, Loukia; Cardoen, Liesbeth; Martinerie, Laetitia; Leger, Juliane; Carel, Jean-Claude; Elmaleh-Berges, Monique; Alison, Marianne

2017-05-01

In anterior pituitary deficiency, patients with non visible pituitary stalk have more often multiple deficiencies and persistent deficiency than patients with visible pituitary stalk. To compare the diagnostic value of a high-resolution heavily T2-weighted sequence to 1.5-mm-thick unenhanced and contrast-enhanced sagittal T1-weighted sequences to assess the presence of the pituitary stalk in children with ectopic posterior pituitary gland. We retrospectively evaluated the MRI data of 14 children diagnosed with ectopic posterior pituitary gland between 2010 and 2014. We evaluated the presence of a pituitary stalk using a sagittal high-resolution heavily T2-weighted sequence and a 1.5-mm sagittal T1-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence before and after contrast medium administration. A pituitary stalk was present on at least one of the sequences in 10 of the 14 children (71%). T2-weighted sequence depicted the pituitary stalk in all 10 children, whereas the 1.5-mm-thick T1-weighted sequence depicted 2/10 (20%) before contrast injection and 8/10 (80%) after contrast injection (P=0.007). Compared with 1.5-mm-thick contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences, high-resolution heavily T2-weighted sequence demonstrates better sensitivity in detecting the pituitary stalk in children with ectopic posterior pituitary gland, suggesting that contrast injection is unnecessary to assess the presence of a pituitary stalk in this setting.

Quantitative Microstructural Characterization of Thick Aluminum Plates Heavily Deformed Using Equal Channel Angular Extrusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mishin, Oleg; Segal, V.M.; Ferrasse, S.

2012-01-01

A detailed quantitative analysis of the microstructure has been performed in three orthogonal planes of 15-mm-thick aluminum plates heavily deformed via two equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) routes. One route was a conventional route A with no rotation between passes. Another route involved...... sequential 90 deg rotations about the normal direction (ND) between passes. The microstructure in the center of these plates, and especially the extent of microstructural heterogeneity, has been characterized quantitatively and compared with that in bar samples extruded via either route A or route Bc with 90...... Bc. © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2012...

Features of the band structure and conduction mechanisms of n-HfNiSn heavily doped with Y

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romaka, V. A., E-mail: vromaka@polynet.lviv.ua [National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Pidstryhach Institute for Applied Problems of Mechanics and Mathematics (Ukraine); Rogl, P. [Universitet Wien, Institut für Physikalische Chemie (Austria); Romaka, V. V. [National University “Lvivska Politechnika” (Ukraine); Kaczorowski, D. [Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research (Poland); Krayovskyy, V. Ya. [National University “Lvivska Politechnika” (Ukraine); Stadnyk, Yu. V.; Horyn, A. M. [Ivan Franko Lviv National University (Ukraine)

2017-02-15

The crystalline and electronic structures, energy, kinetic, and magnetic characteristics of n-HfNiSn semiconductor heavily doped with Y acceptor impurity are studied in the ranges: T = 80–400 K, N{sub A}{sup Y} ≈ 1.9 × 10{sup 20}–5.7 × 10{sup 21} cm{sup –3} (x = 0.01–0.30), and H ≤ 10 kG. The nature of the mechanism of structural defect generation is determined, which leads to a change in the band gap and the degree of semiconductor compensation, the essence of which is the simultaneous reduction and elimination of structural donor-type defects as a result of the displacement of ~1% of Ni atoms from the Hf (4a) site, and the generation of structural acceptor-type defects by substituting Hf atoms with Y atoms at the 4a site. The results of calculations of the electronic structure of Hf{sub 1–x}Y{sub x}NiSn are in agreement with the experimental data. The discussion is performed within the Shklovskii–Efros model of a heavily doped and compensated semiconductor.

Measuring intergroup ideologies: positive and negative aspects of emphasizing versus looking beyond group differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Adam; Banchefsky, Sarah; Park, Bernadette; Judd, Charles M

2015-12-01

Research on interethnic relations has focused on two ideologies, asking whether it is best to de-emphasize social-category differences (colorblind) or emphasize and celebrate differences (multicultural). We argue each of these can manifest with negative outgroup evaluations: Assimilationism demands that subordinate groups adopt dominant group norms to minimize group distinctions; segregationism holds that groups should occupy separate spheres. Parallel versions can be identified for intergender relations. Scales to measure all four ideologies are developed both for ethnicity (Studies 1 and 2) and gender (Studies 3 and 4). Results demonstrate that the ideologies can be reliably measured, that the hypothesized four-factor models are superior to alternative models with fewer factors, and that the ideologies relate as predicted to the importance ascribed to group distinctions, subordinate group evaluations, and solution preferences for intergroup conflict scenarios. We argue that this fourfold model can help clarify theory and measurement, allowing a more nuanced assessment of ideological attitudes. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Simultaneous rota-stenting and transcatheter aortic valve implantation for patients with heavily calcified coronary stenosis and aortic stenosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yung-Tsai Lee

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Given that coronary artery disease (CAD in octogenarians undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI often presents with more complex lesions and extensive calcification, rotational atherectomy (RA may be needed in some cases before stenting. However, data regarding the feasibility and safety of simultaneous RA during TAVI using the Medtronic CoreValve (MCV; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA system are lacking. Three out of 107 (2.8% patients (2 females, average age 85.6 years, mean aortic valve area 0.5 cm2, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 39%, mean Logistic EuroScore 70%, with complex, heavily calcified coronary stenosis, and severe valvular aortic stenosis (AS were treated with TAVI and RA due to high surgical risk. After balloon valvuloplasty, all coronary lesions were successfully treated with RA and stenting, immediately followed by transfemoral TAVI with a self-expandable MCV. Our data suggested that in the very elderly patients with severe and heavily calcified CAD and AS who were turned down for cardiac surgery, RA and stenting followed by TAVI may be performed successfully in a combined, single-stage procedure.

Pills and pints: risky drinking and alcohol-related harms among regular ecstasy users in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinner, Stuart A; George, Jessica; Johnston, Jennifer; Dunn, Matthew; Degenhardt, Louisa

2012-05-01

A significant proportion of young Australians engage in risky alcohol consumption, and an increasing minority are regular ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) users. Risky alcohol use, alone or in combination with ecstasy, is associated with a range of acute and chronic health risks. The aim of this study was to document the incidence and some health-related correlates of alcohol use, and concurrent alcohol and ecstasy use, among a large, national sample of regular ecstasy users (REU) in Australia. National, cross-sectional surveys of REU in Australia 2003-2008. Among REU in 2008 (n=678) usual alcohol use, psychological distress and health-related quality of life were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and Short Form-8 Survey respectively. Among REU in 2008, 36% reported high-risk patterns of usual alcohol consumption, 62% reported usually consuming more than five standard drinks with ecstasy, and 24% reported currently experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress. Controlling for age and education, high-risk drinking among REU was associated with higher levels of psychological distress and poorer health-related functioning; however, the associations between concurrent alcohol and ecstasy use, and health outcomes, were not significant (P>0.05). A large and increasing proportion of REU in Australia engage in high-risk patterns of alcohol consumption, including in combination with ecstasy. High-risk alcohol consumption among this group is associated with adverse health-related outcomes. Prevention and harm reduction interventions for REU should incorporate messages about the risks associated with alcohol use. There is an ongoing need for youth-specific, coordinated alcohol and other drug and mental health services. © 2011 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Induction hardening of tool steel for heavily loaded aircraft engine components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rokicki P.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Induction hardening is an innovative process allowing modification of the materials surface with more effective, cheaper and more reproducible way to compare with conventional hardening methods used in the aerospace industry. Unfortunately, high requirements and strict regulation concerning this branch of the industry force deep research allowing to obtain results that would be used for numerical modelling of the process. Only by this way one is able to start the industrial application of the process. The main scope of presented paper are results concerning investigation of microstructure evolution of tool steel after single-frequency induction hardening process. The specimens that aim in representing final industrial products (as heavily loaded gears, were heat- -treated with induction method and subjected to metallographic preparation, after which complex microstructure investigation was performed. The results obtained within the research will be a basis for numerical modelling of the process of induction hardening with potential to be introduced for the aviation industrial components.

Structural coarsening during annealing of an aluminum plate heavily deformed using ECAE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mishin, Oleg V.; Zhang, Yubin; Godfrey, A.

2015-01-01

The microstructure and softening behaviour have been investigated in an aluminum plate heavily deformed by equal channel angular extrusion and subsequently annealed at 170 °C. It is found that at this temperature the microstructure evolves by coarsening with no apparent signs of recrystallization...... even after 2 h of annealing. Both coarsening and softening are rapid within first 10 minutes of annealing followed by a slower evolution with increasing annealing duration. Evidence of triple junction (TJ) motion during coarsening is obtained by inspecting the microstructure in one region using...... the electron backscatter diffraction technique both before and after annealing for 10 minutes. The fraction of fast-migrating TJs is found to strongly depend of the type of boundaries composing a junction. The greatest fraction of fast-migrating TJs is in the group, where all boundaries forming a junction...

Backward diodes using heavily Mg-doped GaN growth by ammonia molecular-beam epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Okumura, Hironori; Martin, Denis; Malinverni, Marco; Grandjean, Nicolas

2016-02-01

We grew heavily Mg-doped GaN using ammonia molecular-beam epitaxy. The use of low growth temperature (740 °C) allows decreasing the incorporation of donor-like defects (p-type doping compensation. As a result, a net acceptor concentration of 7 × 1019 cm-3 was achieved, and the hole concentration measured by Hall effect was as high as 2 × 1019 cm-3 at room temperature. Using such a high Mg doping level, we fabricated GaN backward diodes without polarization-assisted tunneling. The backward diodes exhibited a tunneling-current density of 225 A/cm2 at a reverse bias of -1 V at room temperature.

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research's Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric and Related Sciences (UCAR-SOARS) program: A paradigm case for a research based analysis of elements and attributes of a highly successful research experience for undergraduate (REU) program designed to broaden participation in STEM

Science.gov (United States)

Windham, T. L.

2011-12-01

REU (research experience for undergraduate) programs in science serve as a centerpiece for: recruitment improved learning, retention and increased graduation rates among students in STEM fields. Structured REUs are highly effective programs for broadening participation and remedying inequities, to increase and diversify the STEM talent pool and professional workforce. Now in its 16th year, SOARS is dedicated to broadening participation in the atmospheric and related sciences. SOARS is an undergraduate through graduate program built on the structure of: a summer research internship, mentoring by professional scientists, and a supportive learning community. SOARS is an exemplar. Its structure serves as a paradigm case for the recruitment, retention, and graduation of students from underserved populations. This research-based examination of SOARS explores its program elements and identifies attributes and practices that contribute to its impact and lasting outcomes.

Thermal conductivity of high-porosity heavily doped biomorphic silicon carbide prepared from sapele wood biocarbon

Science.gov (United States)

Parfen'eva, L. S.; Orlova, T. S.; Smirnov, B. I.; Smirnov, I. A.; Misiorek, H.; Mucha, J.; Jezowski, A.; Cabezas-Rodriguez, R.; Ramirez-Rico, J.

2012-08-01

The electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of high-porosity (˜52 vol %, channel-type pores) bio-SiC samples prepared from sapele wood biocarbon templates have been measured in the temperature range 5-300 K. An analysis has been made of the obtained results in comparison with the data for bio-SiC samples based on beech and eucalyptus, as well as for polycrystalline β-SiC. The conclusion has been drawn that the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of bio-SiC samples based on natural wood are typical of heavily doped polycrystalline β-SiC.

Spin relaxation through lateral spin transport in heavily doped n -type silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, M.; Oka, T.; Fujita, Y.; Sugiyama, H.; Saito, Y.; Hamaya, K.

2017-03-01

We experimentally study temperature-dependent spin relaxation including lateral spin diffusion in heavily doped n -type silicon (n+-Si ) layers by measuring nonlocal magnetoresistance in small-sized CoFe/MgO/Si lateral spin-valve (LSV) devices. Even at room temperature, we observe large spin signals, 50-fold the magnitude of those in previous works on n+-Si . By measuring spin signals in LSVs with various center-to-center distances between contacts, we reliably evaluate the temperature-dependent spin diffusion length (λSi) and spin lifetime (τSi). We find that the temperature dependence of τSi is affected by that of the diffusion constant in the n+-Si layers, meaning that it is important to understand the temperature dependence of the channel mobility. A possible origin of the temperature dependence of τSi is discussed in terms of the recent theories by Dery and co-workers.

Chromosome aberrations of bone marrow cells in heavily exposed atomic bomb survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Kimio; Kamada, Nanao; Kuramoto, Atsushi; Ohkita, Takeshi

1986-01-01

Seven hundred and ten bone marrow cells from 13 A-bomb survivors, who were heavily exposed to atomic radiation, were examined using chromosome banding method. An average frequency of chromosome aberrations was 17 %. The most common structural abnormality was translocation (47 %), followed by complex aberrations involving three or more chromosomes (32 %). These abnormalities were frequently seen in A-bomb survivors exposed to estimated doses of 3.5 - 4.0 Gy. Eighty two percent of the structural aberrations were stable. Diploid cells were seen in 0.4 % and tetraploid cells were seen in 0.7 %. The frequency of breakpoint sites was high in chromosomes 1 and 17; while it was low in chromosomes 3, 6, 9, and 11. Abnormal clones were seen in one of the 13 survivors. Chromosome aberrations common to the bone marrow cells and peripheral lymphocytes were not seen in the same individual. (Namekawa, K.)

Acknowledging individual responsibility while emphasizing social determinants in narratives to promote obesity-reducing public policy: a randomized experiment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeff Niederdeppe

Full Text Available This study tests whether policy narratives designed to increase support for obesity-reducing public policies should explicitly acknowledge individual responsibility while emphasizing social, physical, and economic (social determinants of obesity. We use a web-based, randomized experiment with a nationally representative sample of American adults (n = 718 to test hypotheses derived from theory and research on narrative persuasion. Respondents exposed to narratives that acknowledged individual responsibility while emphasizing obesity's social determinants were less likely to engage in counterargument and felt more empathy for the story's main character than those exposed to a message that did not acknowledge individual responsibility. Counterarguing and affective empathy fully mediated the relationship between message condition and support for policies to reduce rates of obesity. Failure to acknowledge individual responsibility in narratives emphasizing social determinants of obesity may undermine the persuasiveness of policy narratives. Omitting information about individual responsibility, a strongly-held American value, invites the public to engage in counterargument about the narratives and reduces feelings of empathy for a character that experiences the challenges and benefits of social determinants of obesity.

Acknowledging individual responsibility while emphasizing social determinants in narratives to promote obesity-reducing public policy: a randomized experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Niederdeppe, Jeff; Roh, Sungjong; Shapiro, Michael A

2015-01-01

This study tests whether policy narratives designed to increase support for obesity-reducing public policies should explicitly acknowledge individual responsibility while emphasizing social, physical, and economic (social) determinants of obesity. We use a web-based, randomized experiment with a nationally representative sample of American adults (n = 718) to test hypotheses derived from theory and research on narrative persuasion. Respondents exposed to narratives that acknowledged individual responsibility while emphasizing obesity's social determinants were less likely to engage in counterargument and felt more empathy for the story's main character than those exposed to a message that did not acknowledge individual responsibility. Counterarguing and affective empathy fully mediated the relationship between message condition and support for policies to reduce rates of obesity. Failure to acknowledge individual responsibility in narratives emphasizing social determinants of obesity may undermine the persuasiveness of policy narratives. Omitting information about individual responsibility, a strongly-held American value, invites the public to engage in counterargument about the narratives and reduces feelings of empathy for a character that experiences the challenges and benefits of social determinants of obesity.

Defects in heavily phosphorus-doped Si epitaxial films probed by monoenergetic positron beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uedono, Akira; Tanigawa, Shoichiro; Suzuki, Ryoichi; Ohgaki, Hideaki; Mikado, Tomohisa.

1994-01-01

Vacancy-type defects in heavily phosphorus-doped Si epitaxial films were probed by monoenergetic positron beams. Doppler broadening profiles of the annihilation radiation and lifetime spectra of positrons were measured for the epitaxial films grown on the Si substrates by plasma chemical vapor deposition. For the as-deposited film, divacancy-phosphorus complexes were found with high concentration. After 600degC annealing, vacancy clusters were formed near the Si/Si interface, while no drastic change in the depth distribution of the divacancy-phosphorus complexes was observed. By 900degC annealing, the vacancy clusters were annealed out; however, the average number of phosphorus atoms coupled with divacancies increased. The relationship between the vacancy-type defects probed by the positron annihilation technique and the carrier concentration was confirmed. (author)

Defects in heavily phosphorus-doped Si epitaxial films probed by monoenergetic positron beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uedono, Akira; Tanigawa, Shoichiro [Tsukuba Univ., Ibaraki (Japan). Inst. of Materials Science; Suzuki, Ryoichi; Ohgaki, Hideaki; Mikado, Tomohisa

1994-11-01

Vacancy-type defects in heavily phosphorus-doped Si epitaxial films were probed by monoenergetic positron beams. Doppler broadening profiles of the annihilation radiation and lifetime spectra of positrons were measured for the epitaxial films grown on the Si substrates by plasma chemical vapor deposition. For the as-deposited film, divacancy-phosphorus complexes were found with high concentration. After 600degC annealing, vacancy clusters were formed near the Si/Si interface, while no drastic change in the depth distribution of the divacancy-phosphorus complexes was observed. By 900degC annealing, the vacancy clusters were annealed out; however, the average number of phosphorus atoms coupled with divacancies increased. The relationship between the vacancy-type defects probed by the positron annihilation technique and the carrier concentration was confirmed. (author).

Simulation of Heavily Irradiated Silicon Pixel Sensors and Comparison with Test Beam Measurements

CERN Document Server

Chiochia, Vincenzo; Bortoletto, Daniela; Cremaldi, Lucien; Cucciarelli, Susanna; Dorokhov, Andrei; Hoermann, Christoph; Kim, Dongwook; Konecki, Marcin; Kotlinski, Danek; Prokofiev, Kirill; Regenfus, Christian; Rohe, Tilman; Sanders, David A.; Son, Seunghee; Speer, Thomas; Chiochia, Vincenzo; Swartz, Morris; Bortoletto, Daniela; Cremaldi, Lucien; Cucciarelli, Susanna; Dorokhov, Andrei; Hoermann, Christoph; Kim, Dongwook; Konecki, Marcin; Kotlinski, Danek; Prokofiev, Kirill; Regenfus, Christian; Rohe, Tilman; Sanders, David A.; Son, Seunghee; Speer, Thomas

2004-01-01

Charge collection measurements performed on heavily irradiated p-spray DOFZ pixel sensors with a grazing angle hadron beam provide a sensitive determination of the electric field within the detectors. The data are compared with a complete charge transport simulation of the sensor which includes signal trapping and charge induction effects. A linearly varying electric field based upon the standard picture of a constant type-inverted effective doping density is inconsistent with the data. A two-trap double junction model implemented in the ISE TCAD software can be tuned to produce a doubly-peaked electric field which describes the data reasonably well. The modeled field differs somewhat from previous determinations based upon the transient current technique. The model can also account for the level of charge trapping observed in the data.

The Educational Function of an Astronomy Research Experience for Undergraduates Program as Described by Female Participants

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, Stephanie

2010-01-01

The long-running REU-program is tacitly intended to increase retention and provide "an important educational experience" for undergraduates, particularly women, minorities and underrepresented groups. This longitudinal, two-stage study was designed to explore the ways in which the REU acted as an educational experience for 51 women in the field of astronomy. Stage-1 consisted of an ex post facto analysis of data collected over 8 years, including multiple interviews with each participant during their REU, annual open-ended alumni surveys, faculty interviews, and extensive field notes. Four themes emerged, related to developing understandings of the nature of professional scientific work, the scientific process, the culture of academia, and an understanding of the "self." Analysis provided an initial theory that was used to design the Stage-2 interview protocol. In Stage-2, over 10 hours of interviews were conducted with 8 participants selected for their potential to disconfirm the initial theory. Results indicate that the REU provided a limited impact in terms of participants’ knowledge of professional astronomy as a largely computer-based endeavor. The REU did not provide a substantive educational experience related to the nature of scientific work, the scientific process, the culture of academia, participants' conceptions about themselves as situated in science, or other aspects of the "self,” were limited. Instead, the data suggests that these women began the REU with pre-existing and remarkably strong conceptions in these areas, and that the REU did not functional to alter those states. These conceptions were frequently associated with other mentors/scientist interactions, from middle school into the undergraduate years. Instructors and family members also served as crucial forces in shaping highly developed, stable science identities. Sustained relationships with mentors were particularly transformational. These findings motivate an ongoing research agenda

The nature of the torus in the heavily obscured AGN Markarian 3: an X-ray study

OpenAIRE

Guainazzi, M.; Risaliti, G.; Awaki, H.; Arevalo, P.; Bauer, F. E.; Bianchi, S.; Boggs, S. E.; Brandt, W. N.; Brightman, M.; Christensen, Finn Erland; Craig, W. W.; Forster, K.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F.; Koss, M.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we report the results of an X-ray monitoring campaign on the heavily obscured Seyfert galaxy, Markarian 3, carried out between the fall of 2014 and the spring of 2015 with NuSTAR, Suzaku and XMM–Newton. The hard X-ray spectrum of Markarian 3 is variable on all the time-scales probed by our campaign, down to a few days. The observed continuum variability is due to an intrinsically variable primary continuum seen in transmission through a large, but still Compton-thin column dens...

High Thermoelectric Performance by Convergence of Bands in IV-VI Semiconductors, Heavily Doped PbTe, and Alloys/Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, G. Jeffrey (Inventor); Pei, Yanzhong (Inventor)

2015-01-01

The present invention teaches an effective mechanism for enhancing thermoelectric performance through additional conductive bands. Using heavily doped p-PbTe materials as an example, a quantitative explanation is disclosed, as to why and how these additional bands affect the figure of merit. A high zT of approaching 2 at high temperatures makes these simple, likely more stable (than nanostructured materials) and Tl-free materials excellent for thermoelectric applications.

Student Feedback of Career Development Workshops for Program Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

LeBeau, J. E.; Pressley, S. N.

2016-12-01

A number of techniques are employed each year to evaluate the effectiveness of and to identify opportunities for improvement in the Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (LAR) REU program at Washington State University. For example, information gathered from pre-/post-surveys and pre-/post-interviews provides information regarding students' perceptions and levels of experience with the scientific process, career and academic goals, and motivation for joining the REU program. Poster session rubrics assess students' abilities to summarize their experiences in a professional setting. Alumni surveys gauge former participants' perceptions of the REU experience. One seemingly simple and highly useful, but often less documented, component of the evaluation process for program improvement is the use of workshop feedback forms. Weekly workshops are designed to provide students with enhanced knowledge and skills in the area of atmospheric chemistry as well as research design skills, academic and career guidance, and presentation skills. According to previous years' evaluation reports, workshops are largely beneficial to students for learning new skills. Yet, students suggest a number of recommendations that may benefit any REU program, such as: providing slides beforehand to provide a framework for the upcoming workshop, having instructors speak in more student-friendly language, covering higher-level topics, and including more hands-on, instructor-guided practice during the workshops. Thus, workshop feedback forms provide meaningful feedback to increase learning outcomes and enhance the REU student experience. This presentation will offer ideas gathered from over five years of workshop feedback forms that, while somewhat specific to workshops offered for the LAR REU, can offer faculty and PIs insight into the student experience, enhancing their ability to improve programming and achieve greater learning outcomes.

Critical Components of a Successful Undergraduate Research Experience in the Geosciences for Minority Students

Science.gov (United States)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Chukuigwe, C.

2013-12-01

For the past five years, the New York City College of Technology has administered a successful National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The program provides rich, substantive, academic and life-transformative STEM educational experiences for students who would otherwise not pursue STEM education altogether or would not pursue STEM education through to the graduate school level. The REU Scholars are provided with an opportunity to conduct intensive satellite and ground-based remote sensing research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology Center (NOAA-CREST). Candidates for the program are recruited from the City University of New York's twenty-three separate campuses. These students engage in a research experience that spans the summer and the fall and spring semesters. Eighty-four percent (84%) of the program participants are underrepresented minorities in STEM, and they are involved in a plethora of undergraduate research best practice activities that include: training courses in MATLAB programming, Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing; workshops in Research Ethics, Scientific Writing, and Oral and Poster Research Presentations; national, regional, and local conference presentations; graduate school support; and geoscience exposure events at national laboratories, agencies, and research facilities. To enhance their success in the program, the REU Scholars are also provided with a comprehensive series of safety nets that include a multi-tiered mentoring design specifically to address critical issues faced by this diverse population. Since the inception of the REU program in 2008, a total of 61 undergraduate students have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. All the REU Scholars conducted individual satellite and ground-based remote sensing research projects that ranged from the study of

Heavily doped n-type a-IGZO by F plasma treatment and its thermal stability up to 600 °C

Science.gov (United States)

Um, Jae Gwang; Jang, Jin

2018-04-01

We report the electrical properties and thermal stability of heavily doped, amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) treated with fluorine (F) plasma. When the F doping concentration in a-IGZO is 17.51 × 1021/cm-3, the a-IGZO exhibits a carrier concentration of 6 × 1019 cm-3, a resistivity of 3 × 10-3 Ω cm, and a Hall mobility of 20 cm2/V s. This indicates that F is a suitable n-type dopant in a-IGZO. The similarity of the ionic radius of F to that of oxygen (O) allows substitutional doping by replacing O with F or the occupation of the oxygen vacancy (VO) site by F and consequent reduction in defect density. The semiconducting property of a-IGZO can change into metallic behavior by F doping. The defect passivation by F incorporation is confirmed by the XPS depth profile, which reveals the significant reduction in the VO concentration due to the formation of In-F bonds. The heavily doped a-IGZO exhibits thermally stable conductivity up to 600 °C annealing and thus can be widely used for the ohmic contact of a-IGZO devices.

Predominance of heavily calcified coccolithophores at low CaCO3 saturation during winter in the Bay of Biscay

OpenAIRE

Smith, Helen E. K.; Tyrrell, Toby; Charalampopoulou, Anastasia; Dumousseaud, Cynthia; Legge, Oliver J.; Birchenough, Sarah; Pettit, Laura R.; Garley, Rebecca; Hartman, Sue E.; Hartman, Mark C.; Sagoo, Navjit; Daniels, Chris J.; Achterberg, Eric P.; Hydes, David J.

2012-01-01

Coccolithophores are an important component of the Earth system, and, as calcifiers, their possible susceptibility to ocean acidification is of major concern. Laboratory studies at enhanced pCO2 levels have produced divergent results without overall consensus. However, it has been predicted from these studies that, although calcification may not be depressed in all species, acidification will produce “a transition in dominance from more to less heavily calcified coccolithophores” [Ridgwell A,...

Multi-Mission System Architecture Platform: Design and Verification of the Remote Engineering Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Sartori, John

2005-01-01

The Multi-Mission System Architecture Platform (MSAP) represents an effort to bolster efficiency in the spacecraft design process. By incorporating essential spacecraft functionality into a modular, expandable system, the MSAP provides a foundation on which future spacecraft missions can be developed. Once completed, the MSAP will provide support for missions with varying objectives, while maintaining a level of standardization that will minimize redesign of general system components. One subsystem of the MSAP, the Remote Engineering Unit (REU), functions by gathering engineering telemetry from strategic points on the spacecraft and providing these measurements to the spacecraft's Command and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem. Before the MSAP Project reaches completion, all hardware, including the REU, must be verified. However, the speed and complexity of the REU circuitry rules out the possibility of physical prototyping. Instead, the MSAP hardware is designed and verified using the Verilog Hardware Definition Language (HDL). An increasingly popular means of digital design, HDL programming provides a level of abstraction, which allows the designer to focus on functionality while logic synthesis tools take care of gate-level design and optimization. As verification of the REU proceeds, errors are quickly remedied, preventing costly changes during hardware validation. After undergoing the careful, iterative processes of verification and validation, the REU and MSAP will prove their readiness for use in a multitude of spacecraft missions.

Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD: A review emphasizing on Iran perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Khezri

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD is one of the most important diseases of cattle responsible for major economic losses in dairy industries of Iran. So far, no nationwide program has been taken in Iran to control and eradicate the disease. Moreover, until now, no vaccination program has been practiced against BVD in Iran, although the disease is prevailing in the country. For effective controlling of BVD, it is necessary to cull the affected animals, and new entry of BVD in the farm should be prevented. Focusing on biosecurity in systematic control programs of BVD can also reduce the risks of introduction and spread of other epizootic and zoonotic diseases, thereby improving both cattle health and welfare in general. In this review paper, an overview on BVD emphasizing on Iran perspective has been discussed focusing on clinical manifestations of BVD, routes of transmission of BVD virus (BVDV, its diagnostic methods and possible prevention strategies. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2015; 2(3.000: 240-251

Influence of quantum confinement on the carrier contribution to the elastic constants in quantum confined heavily doped non-linear optical and optoelectronic materials: simplified theory and the suggestion for experimental determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baruah, D; Choudhury, S; Singh, K M; Ghatak, K P

2007-01-01

In this paper we study the carrier contribution to elastic constants in quantum confined heavily doped non-linear optical compounds on the basis of a newly formulated electron dispersion law taking into account the anisotropies of the effective electron masses and spin orbit splitting constants together with the proper inclusion of the crystal field splitting in the Hamiltonian within the framework of k.p formalism. All the results of heavily doped three, and two models of Kane for heavily doped III-V materials form special cases of our generalized analysis. It has been found, taking different heavily doped quantum confined materials that, the carrier contribution to the elastic constants increases with increase in electron statistics and decrease in film thickness in ladder like manners for all types of quantum confinements with different numerical values which are totally dependent on the energy band constants. The said contribution is greatest in quantum dots and least in quantum wells together with the fact the heavy doping enhances the said contributions for all types of quantum confined materials. We have suggested an experimental method of determining the carrier contribution to the elastic constants in nanostructured materials having arbitrary band structures

Building Capacity Through Hands-on Computational Internships to Assure Reproducible Results and Implementation of Digital Documentation in the ICERT REU Program

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, R.; Gentle, J.

2015-12-01

Modern data pipelines and computational processes require that meticulous methodologies be applied in order to insure that the source data, algorithms, and results are properly curated, managed and retained while remaining discoverable, accessible, and reproducible. Given the complexity of understanding the scientific problem domain being researched, combined with the overhead of learning to use advanced computing technologies, it becomes paramount that the next generation of scientists and researchers learn to embrace best-practices. The Integrative Computational Education and Research Traineeship (ICERT) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). During Summer 2015, two ICERT interns joined the 3DDY project. 3DDY converts geospatial datasets into file types that can take advantage of new formats, such as natural user interfaces, interactive visualization, and 3D printing. Mentored by TACC researchers for ten weeks, students with no previous background in computational science learned to use scripts to build the first prototype of the 3DDY application, and leveraged Wrangler, the newest high performance computing (HPC) resource at TACC. Test datasets for quadrangles in central Texas were used to assemble the 3DDY workflow and code. Test files were successfully converted into a stereo lithographic (STL) format, which is amenable for use with a 3D printers. Test files and the scripts were documented and shared using the Figshare site while metadata was documented for the 3DDY application using OntoSoft. These efforts validated a straightforward set of workflows to transform geospatial data and established the first prototype version of 3DDY. Adding the data and software management procedures helped students realize a broader set of tangible results (e.g. Figshare entries), better document their progress and the final state of their work for the research group and community

Pollination with heavily irradiated pollen in Nicotiana: induced parthenogenesis and embryological study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musial, K.; Przywara, L.

1999-01-01

Nicotiana crosses were pollinated in situ and in vitro with heavily irradiated pollen (500, 700, 1000 Gy) to induce parthenogenesis and to study the development of embryo and endosperm. Haploids were obtained after in situ pollination only; however, parthenogenetic proembryos occurred also after in vitro pollination. It was demonstrated that ovule culture following pollination offers a better chance to produce haploids than undisturbed pollination does. Pollination with irradiated pollen (PwIP) stron gly decreased the number of endosperm cells and the size of embryo sacs, and it affected the development of embryos; no significant differences between applied irradiation doses were found. Ovules with endosperm only, embryo only, and with both embryo and endosperm were observed. The most frequent were the ovules with endosperm only, the rarest with embryo only. A small amount of storage products occurred in the endosperm cells. The diploid chromosome number counted in the endosperm produced after PwIP points to their origin without fertilization. An interesting phenomenon observed after PwIP was vigorous growth of endothelium. (author)

NuSTAR J033202-2746.8: direct constraints on the Compton reflection in a heavily obscured quasar at z ≈ 2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Del Moro, A.; Mullaney, J. R.; Alexander, D. M.

2014-01-01

We report Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observations of NuSTAR J033202-2746.8, a heavily obscured, radio-loud quasar detected in the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South, the deepest layer of the NuSTAR extragalactic survey (∼400 ks, at its deepest). NuSTAR J033202-2746.8 is reliably......-2746.8, indicating that this source is a heavily obscured quasar (NH = 5.6+−0.80.9 × 1023 cm−2) with luminosity L10-40 keV ≈ 6.4 × 1044 erg s−1. Although existing optical and near-infrared (near-IR) data, as well as follow-up spectroscopy with the Keck and VLT telescopes, failed to provide a secure redshift......-Newton data alone. The measured reflection fraction is higher than the R∼0 typically observed in bright radio-loud quasars such as NuSTAR J033202-2746.8, which has L1.4 GHz≈1027 W Hz−1. Constraining the spectral shape of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), including bright quasars, is very important...

Relationship between levels of serum creatinine and perirenal hyperintensity on heavily T2-weighted MR images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erden, Ayse, E-mail: ayse.erden@medicine.ankara.edu.tr [Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Talatpasa Bulvari, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Sahin, Burcu Savran, E-mail: bsavrans@hotmail.com [Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Talatpasa Bulvari, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Orgodol, Horolsuren, E-mail: hoogii99@yahoo.com [Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Talatpasa Bulvari, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Erden, Ilhan, E-mail: erden@medicine.ankara.edu.tr [Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Talatpasa Bulvari, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Biyikli, Zeynep, E-mail: zeynep.biyikli@gmail.com [Ankara University, School of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Talatpasa Bulvari, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara (Turkey)

2011-11-15

Objective: To determine the frequency of perirenal hyperintensity on heavily T2-weighted images and to evaluate its relationship with serum creatinine levels. Subjects and methods: Axial and coronal single-shot fast spin-echo images which have been originally obtained for MR cholangiopancreatography in 150 subjects were examined by two observers individually for the presence of perirenal hyperintensity. The morphologic properties of perirenal hyperintensity (peripheral rim-like, discontinuous, polar) were recorded. Chi square test was used to test whether the frequencies of bilateral perirenal hyperintensity differ significantly in subjects with high serum creatinine levels and those with normal creatinine levels. This test was also used to compare the frequencies of perirenal hyperintensity in patients with and without renal cysts and in patients with and without corticomedullary differentiation. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The perirenal hyperintensity was identified in 40 of 150 cases (26.6%) on heavily T2-weighted image. Serum creatinine levels were high in 18 of 150 cases (12%). The perirenal hyperintensity was present in 11 of 18 subjects (61%) with high serum creatinine levels and 26 of 132 subjects (19.7%) with normal creatinine levels. The difference of rates in two groups was statistically significant. Odds ratio was 6407 (95% confidence interval 2264-18,129). The frequency of perirenal hyperintensity was also significantly higher in subjects with renal cyst or cysts in whom serum creatinine levels were normal (p < 0.05) (37.5% vs. 11.8%). Conclusion: Perirenal hyperintensities are more frequent in patients with high serum creatinine levels. They are also more common in patients with simple renal cysts.

Relationship between levels of serum creatinine and perirenal hyperintensity on heavily T2-weighted MR images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erden, Ayse; Sahin, Burcu Savran; Orgodol, Horolsuren; Erden, Ilhan; Biyikli, Zeynep

2011-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency of perirenal hyperintensity on heavily T2-weighted images and to evaluate its relationship with serum creatinine levels. Subjects and methods: Axial and coronal single-shot fast spin-echo images which have been originally obtained for MR cholangiopancreatography in 150 subjects were examined by two observers individually for the presence of perirenal hyperintensity. The morphologic properties of perirenal hyperintensity (peripheral rim-like, discontinuous, polar) were recorded. Chi square test was used to test whether the frequencies of bilateral perirenal hyperintensity differ significantly in subjects with high serum creatinine levels and those with normal creatinine levels. This test was also used to compare the frequencies of perirenal hyperintensity in patients with and without renal cysts and in patients with and without corticomedullary differentiation. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The perirenal hyperintensity was identified in 40 of 150 cases (26.6%) on heavily T2-weighted image. Serum creatinine levels were high in 18 of 150 cases (12%). The perirenal hyperintensity was present in 11 of 18 subjects (61%) with high serum creatinine levels and 26 of 132 subjects (19.7%) with normal creatinine levels. The difference of rates in two groups was statistically significant. Odds ratio was 6407 (95% confidence interval 2264-18,129). The frequency of perirenal hyperintensity was also significantly higher in subjects with renal cyst or cysts in whom serum creatinine levels were normal (p < 0.05) (37.5% vs. 11.8%). Conclusion: Perirenal hyperintensities are more frequent in patients with high serum creatinine levels. They are also more common in patients with simple renal cysts.

Resonantly-enhanced transmission through a periodic array of subwavelength apertures in heavily-doped conducting polymer films

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Tatsunosuke; Vardeny, Z. Valy; Agrawal, Amit; Nahata, Ajay; Menon, Reghu

2006-02-01

We observed resonantly-enhanced terahertz transmission through two-dimensional (2D) periodic arrays of subwavelength apertures with various periodicities fabricated on metallic organic conducting polymer films of polypyrrole heavily doped with PF6 molecules [PPy(PF6)]. The "anomalous transmission" spectra are in good agreement with a model involving surface plasmon polariton excitations on the film surfaces. We also found that the `anomalous transmission' peaks are broader in the exotic metallic PPy (PF6) films compared to those formed in 2D aperture array in regular metallic films such as silver, showing that the surface plasmon polaritons on the PPy (PF6) film surfaces have higher attenuation.

AN AMELIORATED DETECTION STATISTICS FOR ADAPTIVE MASK MEDIAN FILTRATION OF HEAVILY NOISED DIGITAL IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geeta Hanji

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Noise reduction is an important area of research in image processing applications. The performance of the digital image noise filtering method primarily depends upon the accuracy of noise detection scheme. This paper presents an effective detector based, adaptive mask, median filtration of heavily noised digital images affected with fixed value (or salt and pepper impulse noise. The proposed filter presents a novel approach; an ameliorated Rank Ordered Absolute Deviation (ROAD statistics to judge whether the input pixel is noised or noise free. If a pixel is detected as corrupted, it is subjected to adaptive mask median filtration; otherwise, it is kept unchanged. Extensive experimental results and comparative performance evaluations demonstrate that the proposed filter outperforms the existing decision type, median based filters with powerful noise detectors in terms of objective performance measures and visual retrieviation accuracy.

Culture and National Well-Being: Should Societies Emphasize Freedom or Constraint?

Science.gov (United States)

Harrington, Jesse R; Boski, Pawel; Gelfand, Michele J

2015-01-01

Throughout history and within numerous disciplines, there exists a perennial debate about how societies should best be organized. Should they emphasize individual freedom and autonomy or security and constraint? Contrary to proponents who tout the benefits of one over the other, we demonstrate across 32 nations that both freedom and constraint exhibit a curvilinear relationship with many indicators of societal well-being. Relative to moderate nations, very permissive and very constrained nations exhibit worse psychosocial outcomes (lower happiness, greater dysthymia, higher suicide rates), worse health outcomes (lower life expectancy, greater mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and diabetes) and poorer economic and political outcomes (lower gross domestic product per capita, greater risk for political instability). This supports the notion that a balance between freedom and constraint results in the best national outcomes. Accordingly, it is time to shift the debate away from either constraint or freedom and focus on both in moderation.

Clonal variation in survival and growth of hybrid poplar and willow in an in situ trial on soils heavily contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons

Science.gov (United States)

Ronald S., Jr. Zalesny; Edmund O. Bauer; Richard B. Hall; Jill A. Zalesny; Joshua Kunzman; Chris J. Rog; Don E. Riemenschneider

2005-01-01

Species and hybrids between species belonging to the genera Populus (poplar) and Salix (willow) have been used successfully for phytoremediation of contaminated soils. Our objectives were to: 1) evaluate the potential for establishing genotypes of poplar and willow on soils heavily contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and 2)...

A model for describing the eutrophication in a heavily regulated coastal lagoon. Application to the Albufera of Valencia (Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

del Barrio Fernández, Pilar; Gómez, Andrés García; Alba, Javier García; Díaz, César Álvarez; Revilla Cortezón, José Antonio

2012-12-15

A simplified two-dimensional eutrophication model was developed to simulate temporal and spatial variations of chlorophyll-a in heavily regulated coastal lagoons. This model considers the hydrodynamics of the whole study area, the regulated connexion of the lagoon with the sea, the variability of the input and output nutrient loads, the flux from the sediments to the water column, the phytoplankton growth and mortality kinetics, and the zooplankton grazing. The model was calibrated and validated by applying it to the Albufera of Valencia, a hypertrophic system whose connection to the sea is strongly regulated by a system of sluice-gates. The calibration and validation results presented a significant agreement between the model and the data obtained in several surveys. The accuracy was evaluated using a quantitative analysis, in which the average uncertainty of the model prediction was less than 6%. The results confirmed an expected phytoplankton bloom in April and October, achieving mean maximum values around 250 μg l(-1) of chlorophyll-a. A mass balance revealed that the eutrophication process is magnified by the input loads of nutrients, mainly from the sediments, as well as by the limited connection of the lagoon with the sea. This study has shown that the developed model is an efficient tool to manage the eutrophication problem in heavily regulated coastal lagoons. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fitness Promotion for Adolescent Girls: The Impact and Effectiveness of Promotional Material which Emphasizes the Slim Ideal.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Susan M.; Kemeny, Lidia

1989-01-01

Looked at techniques for promoting fitness participation among adolescent girls, in particular those which emphasize the slim ideal. Relative effectiveness of posters using different models (slim, average, overweight) and different messages (slimness, activity, health) was tested using 627 female high school students. Found slim model to be most…

Culture and National Well-Being: Should Societies Emphasize Freedom or Constraint?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesse R Harrington

Full Text Available Throughout history and within numerous disciplines, there exists a perennial debate about how societies should best be organized. Should they emphasize individual freedom and autonomy or security and constraint? Contrary to proponents who tout the benefits of one over the other, we demonstrate across 32 nations that both freedom and constraint exhibit a curvilinear relationship with many indicators of societal well-being. Relative to moderate nations, very permissive and very constrained nations exhibit worse psychosocial outcomes (lower happiness, greater dysthymia, higher suicide rates, worse health outcomes (lower life expectancy, greater mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and diabetes and poorer economic and political outcomes (lower gross domestic product per capita, greater risk for political instability. This supports the notion that a balance between freedom and constraint results in the best national outcomes. Accordingly, it is time to shift the debate away from either constraint or freedom and focus on both in moderation.

Stereoselective, nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascades for the direct synthesis of heavily decorated 5-nitropiperidin-2-ones and related heterocycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavol Jakubec

2012-04-01

Full Text Available A versatile nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascade for the direct stereoselective synthesis of heavily decorated 5-nitropiperidin-2-ones and related heterocycles has been developed. A highly enantioenriched substituted 5-nitropiperidin-2-one was synthesised in a four component one-pot reaction combining an enantioselective organocatalytic Michael addition with the diastereoselective nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascade. Protodenitration and chemoselective reductive manipulation of the heterocycles was used to install contiguous and fully substituted stereocentres in the synthesis of substituted piperidines.

The effect of irradiation temperature on the optical attenuation recovery in heavily Ge-doped single mode silica core fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertolotti, M.; Mabrouk, M.A.; Ferrari, A.; Serra, A.; Viezzoli, G.

1992-01-01

The behaviour under irradiation of a single mode fiber heavily doped with germanium has been investigated at 0.85 μm and 1.3 μm under different irradiation temperatures in the range from -65degC to 60degC. The time behaviour of the recovery of the induced attenuation has been described using empirical equations, for different temperatures. An nth order kinetics seems appropriate to describe the results and the order of kinetics has been determined at different temperatures. (orig.)

Launch prices for new pharmaceuticals in the heavily regulated and subsidized Spanish market, 1995-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Puig-Junoy, Jaume; López-Valcárcel, Beatriz González

2014-06-01

This paper provides empirical evidence on the explanatory factors affecting introductory prices of new pharmaceuticals in a heavily regulated and highly subsidized market. We collect a data set consisting of all new chemical entities launched in Spain between 1997 and 2005, and model launch prices following an extended version of previous economic models. We found that, unlike in the US and Sweden, therapeutically "innovative" products are not overpriced relative to "imitative" ones after having controlled for other factors. Price setting is mainly used as a mechanism to adjust for inflation independently of the degree of innovation. The drugs that enter through the centralized EMA approval procedure are overpriced, which may be a consequence of market globalization and international price setting. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical Gaps in Pristine and Heavily Doped Silicon Nanocrystals: DFT versus Quantum Monte Carlo Benchmarks.

Science.gov (United States)

Derian, R; Tokár, K; Somogyi, B; Gali, Á; Štich, I

2017-12-12

We present a time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) study of the optical gaps of light-emitting nanomaterials, namely, pristine and heavily B- and P-codoped silicon crystalline nanoparticles. Twenty DFT exchange-correlation functionals sampled from the best currently available inventory such as hybrids and range-separated hybrids are benchmarked against ultra-accurate quantum Monte Carlo results on small model Si nanocrystals. Overall, the range-separated hybrids are found to perform best. The quality of the DFT gaps is correlated with the deviation from Koopmans' theorem as a possible quality guide. In addition to providing a generic test of the ability of TDDFT to describe optical properties of silicon crystalline nanoparticles, the results also open up a route to benchmark-quality DFT studies of nanoparticle sizes approaching those studied experimentally.

Multilevel approach to mentoring in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs

Science.gov (United States)

Bonine, K. E.; Dontsova, K.; Pavao-Zuckerman, M.; Paavo, B.; Hogan, D.; Oberg, E.; Gay, J.

2015-12-01

This presentation focuses on different types of mentoring for students participating in Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs with examples, including some new approaches, from The Environmental and Earth Systems Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at Biosphere 2. While traditional faculty mentors play essential role in students' development as researchers and professionals, other formal and informal mentoring can be important component of the REU program and student experiences. Students receive mentoring from program directors, coordinators, and on site undergraduate advisors. While working on their research projects, REU students receive essential support and mentoring from undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scientists in the research groups of their primary mentors. Cohort living and group activities give multiple opportunities for peer mentoring where each student brings their own strengths and experiences to the group. Biosphere 2 REU program puts strong emphasis on teaching students to effectively communicate their research to public. In order to help REUs learn needed skills the outreach personnel at Biosphere 2 mentor and advise students both in groups and individually, in lecture format and by personal example, on best outreach approaches in general and on individual outreach projects students develop. To further enhance and strengthen outreach mentoring we used a novel approach of blending cohort of REU students with the Cal Poly STAR (STEM Teacher And Researcher) Program fellows, future K-12 STEM teachers who are gaining research experience at Biosphere 2. STAR fellows live together with the REU students and participate with them in professional development activities, as well as perform research side by side. Educational background and experiences gives these students a different view and better preparation and tools to effectively communicate and adapt science to lay audiences, a challenge commonly facing

Exploration of the impacts of distributed-site Research Experiences for Undergraduates using pre-/post- student interviews

Science.gov (United States)

Colella, H.; Hubenthal, M.; Brudzinski, M. R.

2013-12-01

The benefits for student participants of undergraduate research opportunities have been well documented. However, advancements in information and communications technologies (ICT) and cultural shifts around online education and virtual peer-to-peer interaction have lead to new models in which to structure such experiences. Currently, these ICT-enabled Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs connect geographically distributed interns in supportive e-learning communities while maintaining a traditional local mentoring arrangement. To document and explore the effects of distributed REU Sites in more depth, six interns from such a program, the Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology (IRIS) REU, were selected at random and asked to be interviewed about the REU experience. The primary targets of the interviews are to understand the mentor/mentee relationships, feeling of support and development and value of near-peer and far-peer relationships throughout their internship in a distributed REU program, and whether they receive the training necessary to gain confidence as a researcher. We also examine the various communication technologies as well as best practices and strategies that can increase intern connectedness. Pre-internship interviews were conducted in-person at the start of the centralized internship orientation week, while post-internship interviews were virtual (e.g. video chat with Skype or Google Hangout). These semi-structured interviews have full audio recordings and subsequent transcriptions. An additional, virtual follow-up interview will be conducted next spring after the interns have an opportunity to attend and present their research at a national conference (e.g., AGU). Interview material will be analyzed through a process of coding, sorting, local integration, and inclusive integration. Results will also be triangulated with pre- and post- survey data both from participants and other survey data from previous years of the IRIS

The origin of double peak electric field distribution in heavily irradiated silicon detectors

CERN Document Server

Eremin, V; Li, Z

2002-01-01

The first observation of double peak (DP) electric field distribution in heavily neutron irradiated (>10 sup 1 sup 4 n/cm sup 2) semiconductor detectors has been published about 6 yr ago. However, this effect was not quantitatively analyzed up to now. The explanation of the DP electric field distribution presented in this paper is based on the properties of radiation induced deep levels in silicon, which act as deep traps, and on the distribution of the thermally generated free carrier concentration in the detector bulk. In the frame of this model, the earlier published considerations on the so-called 'double junction (DJ) effect' are discussed as well. The comparison of the calculated electric field profiles at different temperatures with the experimental ones allows one to determine a set of deep levels. This set of deep levels, and their charge filling status are essential to the value and the distribution of space charge in the space charge region in the range of 305-240 K, which is actual temperature ran...

Rehabilitation After Hamstring-Strain Injury Emphasizing Eccentric Strengthening at Long Muscle Lengths: Results of Long-Term Follow-Up.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyler, Timothy F; Schmitt, Brandon M; Nicholas, Stephen J; McHugh, Malachy P

2017-04-01

Hamstring-strain injuries have a high recurrence rate. To determine if a protocol emphasizing eccentric strength training with the hamstrings in a lengthened position resulted in a low recurrence rate. Longitudinal cohort study. Sports-medicine physical therapy clinic. Fifty athletes with hamstring-strain injury (age 36 ± 16 y; 30 men, 20 women; 3 G1, 43 G2, 4 G3; 25 recurrent injuries) followed a 3-phase rehabilitation protocol emphasizing eccentric strengthening with the hamstrings in a lengthened position. Injury recurrence; isometric hamstring strength at 80°, 60°, 40°, and 20° knee flexion in sitting with the thigh flexed to 40° above the horizontal and the seat back at 90° to the horizontal (strength tested before return to sport). Four of the 50 athletes sustained reinjuries between 3 and 12 mo after return to sport (8% recurrence rate). The other 42 athletes had not sustained a reinjury at an average of 24 ± 12 mo after return to sport. Eight noncompliant athletes did not complete the rehabilitation and returned to sport before initiating eccentric strengthening in the lengthened state. All 4 reinjuries occurred in these noncompliant athletes. At time of return to sport, compliant athletes had full restoration of strength while noncompliant athletes had significant hamstring weakness, which was progressively worse at longer muscle lengths (compliance × side × angle P = .006; involved vs noninvolved at 20°, compliant 7% stronger, noncompliant 43% weaker). Compliance with rehabilitation emphasizing eccentric strengthening with the hamstrings in a lengthened position resulted in no reinjuries.

NuSTAR and XMM-Newton observations of luminous, heavily obscured, WISE-selected quasars at z ∼ 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stern, D.; Eisenhardt, P. R. M. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Mail Stop 169-221, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Lansbury, G. B.; Alexander, D. M.; Del Moro, A.; Gandhi, P. [Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Assef, R. J. [Núcleo de Astronomía de la Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército Libertador 441, Santiago (Chile); Brandt, W. N.; Griffith, R. L. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Ballantyne, D. R. [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Baloković, M.; Bridge, C. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bauer, F. E. [Instituto de Astrofísica, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 306, Santiago 22 (Chile); Benford, D. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Blain, A. [Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, 1 University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Boggs, S. E.; Craig, W. W. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 (United States); Brightman, M. [Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, D-85748, Garching bei München (Germany); Christensen, F. E. [Danish Technical University, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Comastri, A., E-mail: daniel.k.stern@jpl.nasa.gov [INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, I-40127, Bologna (Italy); and others

2014-10-20

We report on a NuSTAR and XMM-Newton program that has observed a sample of three extremely luminous, heavily obscured WISE-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at z ∼ 2 across a broad X-ray band (0.1 – 79 keV). The parent sample, selected to be faint or undetected in the WISE 3.4 μm (W1) and 4.6 μm (W2) bands but bright at 12 μm (W3) and 22 μm (W4), are extremely rare, with only ∼1000 so-called 'W1W2-dropouts' across the extragalactic sky. Optical spectroscopy reveals typical redshifts of z ∼ 2 for this population, implying rest-frame mid-IR luminosities of νL {sub ν}(6 μm) ∼ 6 × 10{sup 46} erg s{sup –1} and bolometric luminosities that can exceed L {sub bol} ∼ 10{sup 14} L {sub ☉}. The corresponding intrinsic, unobscured hard X-ray luminosities are L(2-10 keV) ∼ 4 × 10{sup 45} erg s{sup –1} for typical quasar templates. These are among the most AGNs known, though the optical spectra rarely show evidence of a broad-line region and the selection criteria imply heavy obscuration even at rest-frame 1.5 μm. We designed our X-ray observations to obtain robust detections for gas column densities N {sub H} ≤ 10{sup 24} cm{sup –2}. In fact, the sources prove to be fainter than these predictions. Two of the sources were observed by both NuSTAR and XMM-Newton, with neither being detected by NuSTAR (f {sub 3-24} {sub keV} ≲ 10{sup –13} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1}), and one being faintly detected by XMM-Newton (f {sub 0.5-10} {sub keV} ∼ 5 × 10{sup –15} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1}). A third source was observed only with XMM-Newton, yielding a faint detection (f {sub 0.5-10} {sub keV} ∼ 7 × 10{sup –15} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1}). The X-ray data imply these sources are either X-ray weak, or are heavily obscured by column densities N {sub H} ≳ 10{sup 24} cm{sup –2}. The combined X-ray and mid-IR analysis seems to favor this second possibility, implying the sources are extremely obscured, consistent with Compton

NuSTAR and XMM-Newton observations of luminous, heavily obscured, WISE-selected quasars at z ∼ 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stern, D.; Eisenhardt, P. R. M.; Lansbury, G. B.; Alexander, D. M.; Del Moro, A.; Gandhi, P.; Assef, R. J.; Brandt, W. N.; Griffith, R. L.; Ballantyne, D. R.; Baloković, M.; Bridge, C.; Bauer, F. E.; Benford, D.; Blain, A.; Boggs, S. E.; Craig, W. W.; Brightman, M.; Christensen, F. E.; Comastri, A.

2014-01-01

We report on a NuSTAR and XMM-Newton program that has observed a sample of three extremely luminous, heavily obscured WISE-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at z ∼ 2 across a broad X-ray band (0.1 – 79 keV). The parent sample, selected to be faint or undetected in the WISE 3.4 μm (W1) and 4.6 μm (W2) bands but bright at 12 μm (W3) and 22 μm (W4), are extremely rare, with only ∼1000 so-called 'W1W2-dropouts' across the extragalactic sky. Optical spectroscopy reveals typical redshifts of z ∼ 2 for this population, implying rest-frame mid-IR luminosities of νL ν (6 μm) ∼ 6 × 10 46 erg s –1 and bolometric luminosities that can exceed L bol ∼ 10 14 L ☉ . The corresponding intrinsic, unobscured hard X-ray luminosities are L(2-10 keV) ∼ 4 × 10 45 erg s –1 for typical quasar templates. These are among the most AGNs known, though the optical spectra rarely show evidence of a broad-line region and the selection criteria imply heavy obscuration even at rest-frame 1.5 μm. We designed our X-ray observations to obtain robust detections for gas column densities N H ≤ 10 24 cm –2 . In fact, the sources prove to be fainter than these predictions. Two of the sources were observed by both NuSTAR and XMM-Newton, with neither being detected by NuSTAR (f 3-24 keV ≲ 10 –13 erg cm –2 s –1 ), and one being faintly detected by XMM-Newton (f 0.5-10 keV ∼ 5 × 10 –15 erg cm –2 s –1 ). A third source was observed only with XMM-Newton, yielding a faint detection (f 0.5-10 keV ∼ 7 × 10 –15 erg cm –2 s –1 ). The X-ray data imply these sources are either X-ray weak, or are heavily obscured by column densities N H ≳ 10 24 cm –2 . The combined X-ray and mid-IR analysis seems to favor this second possibility, implying the sources are extremely obscured, consistent with Compton-thick, luminous quasars. The discovery of a significant population of heavily obscured, extremely luminous AGNs would not conform to the standard

Soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of heavily boron-doped superconducting diamond films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Yokoya, T. Nakamura, T. Matushita, T. Muro, H. Okazaki, M. Arita, K. Shimada, H. Namatame, M. Taniguchi, Y. Takano, M. Nagao, T. Takenouchi, H. Kawarada and T. Oguchi

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We have performed soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SXARPES of microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition diamond films with different B concentrations in order to study the origin of the metallic behavior of superconducting diamond. SXARPES results clearly show valence band dispersions with a bandwidth of ~23 eV and with a top of the valence band at gamma point in the Brillouin zone, which are consistent with the calculated valence band dispersions of pure diamond. Boron concentration-dependent band dispersions near the Fermi level (EF exhibit a systematic shift of EF, indicating depopulation of electrons due to hole doping. These SXARPES results indicate that diamond bands retain for heavy boron doping and holes in the diamond band are responsible for the metallic states leading to superconductivity at low temperature. A high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy spectrum near EF of a heavily boron-doped diamond superconductor is also presented.

Precise Th/U-dating of small and heavily coated samples of deep sea corals

Science.gov (United States)

Lomitschka, Michael; Mangini, Augusto

1999-07-01

Marine carbonate skeletons like deep-sea corals are frequently coated with iron and manganese oxides/hydroxides which adsorb additional thorium and uranium out of the sea water. A new cleaning procedure has been developed to reduce this contamination. In this further cleaning step a solution of Na 2EDTA (Na 2H 2T B) and ascorbic acid is used which composition is optimised especially for samples of 20 mg of weight. It was first tested on aliquots of a reef-building coral which had been artificially contaminated with powdered ferromanganese nodule. Applied on heavily contaminated deep-sea corals (scleractinia), it reduced excess 230Th by another order of magnitude in addition to usual cleaning procedures. The measurement of at least three fractions of different contamination, together with an additional standard correction for contaminated carbonates results in Th/U-ages corrected for the authigenic component. A good agreement between Th/U- and 14C-ages can be achieved even for extremely coated corals.

Prospective high thermoelectric performance of the heavily p-doped half-Heusler compound CoVSn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Hongliang; Ming, Wenmei; Parker, David S.; Du, Mao-Hua; Singh, David J.

2017-01-01

The electronic structure and transport properties of the half-Heusler compound CoVSn are studied in this paper systematically by combining first-principles electronic structure calculations and Boltzmann transport theory. The band structure at the valence-band edge is complex with multiple maxima derived from hybridized transition element d states. The result is a calculated thermopower larger than 200 μV /Κ within a wide range of doping concentrations and temperatures for heavily doped p-type CoVSn. The thermoelectric properties additionally benefit from the corrugated shapes of the hole pockets in our calculated isoenergy surfaces. Our calculated power factor S"2σ/τ (with respect to an average unknown scattering time) of CoVSn is comparable to that of FeNbSb. A smaller lattice thermal conductivity can be expected from the smaller group velocities of acoustical modes compared to FeNbSb. Finally, overall, good thermoelectric performance for CoVSn can be expected by considering the electronic transport and lattice thermal conductivity.

Path-integral calculation of the density of states in heavily doped strongly compensated semiconductors in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koinov, Z.G.; Yanchev, I.Y.

1981-09-01

The density of states in heavily doped strongly compansated semiconductors in a strong magnetic field is calculated by using the path-integral method. The case is considered when correlation exists in the impurity positions owing to the Coulomb interactions between the charged donors and acceptors during the high-temperature preparation of the samples. The semiclassical formula is rederived and corrections to it due to the long-range character of the potential and its short-range fluctuations are obtained. The density of states in the tail is studied and analytical results are given in the classical and quantum cases. (author)

Heavily doped GaAs:Te layers grown by MOVPE using diisopropyl telluride as a source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daniltsev, V. M.; Demidov, E. V.; Drozdov, M. N.; Drozdov, Yu. N., E-mail: drozdyu@ipmras.ru; Kraev, S. A.; Surovegina, E. A.; Shashkin, V. I.; Yunin, P. A. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Physics of Microstructures (Russian Federation)

2016-11-15

The capabilities of GaAs epitaxial layers extremely heavily doped with tellurium by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy using diisopropyl telluride as a source are studied. It is shown that tellurium incorporation into GaAs occurs to an atomic concentration of 10{sup 21} cm{sup –3} without appreciable diffusion and segregation effects. Good carrier concentrations (2 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup –3}) and specific contact resistances of non-alloyed ohmic contacts (1.7 × 10{sup –6} Ω cm{sup 2}) give grounds to use such layers to create non-alloyed ohmic contacts in electronic devices. A sharp decrease in the electrical activity of Te atoms, a decrease in the electron mobility, and an increase in the contact resistance at atomic concentrations above 2 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup –3} are detected.

The Effects of Different Teaching, Research, and Service Emphases on Individual and Organizational Outcomes in Higher Education Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Terpstra, David E.; Honoree, Andre L.

2009-01-01

The authors investigated the relative emphasis that educators give to teaching, research, and service in the business discipline and 4 other academic disciplines. The authors also investigated the effects of different faculty activity emphases on faculty teaching effectiveness, research performance, service levels, job and pay satisfaction,…

Carrier compensation mechanism in heavily Nb-doped anatase Ti{sub 1-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 2+{delta}} epitaxial thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nogawa, H; Chikamatsu, A; Hirose, Y; Hasegawa, T [Department of Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Nakao, S [Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki 213-0012 (Japan); Kumigashira, H; Oshima, M, E-mail: chikamatsu@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2011-09-14

We investigated the electronic structures of anatase Ti{sub 1-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 2+{delta}} (TNO) thin films as a function of Nb concentration x using photoemission spectroscopy (PES) measurements to elucidate the origin of the abrupt decrease in carrier activation in heavily Nb-doped regime. The existing intensity ratio of Nb{sup 5+} evaluated from Nb 3d core-level PES spectra maintained a constant value of {approx}0.8 at x = 0.06-0.3, implying that electron carriers generated by Nb doping are compensated by p-type defects. Ti 2p-3d and O1s-2p resonant PES measurements of x = 0.06-0.3 films revealed that the in-gap states positioned {approx}1 eV below the Fermi level (E{sub F}) have a mixed character of Ti 3d and O 2p orbitals, whereas the states at E{sub F} mainly have a Ti 3d nature. We proposed a carrier compensation mechanism that interstitial oxygen atoms strongly combined with surrounding Nb atoms kill conduction electrons in heavily Nb-doped anatase TiO{sub 2}.

Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students

Science.gov (United States)

Raftery, C. L.; Davis, H. B.; Peticolas, L. M.; Paglierani, R.

2015-12-01

The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The "Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences" (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.

Effect of impurity correlation on the density of states in slightly compensated heavily doped semiconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doan Nhat Quang; Nguyen Nhu Dat; Dinh Van An

1993-07-01

A theory is developed of the electron density of states (DOS) in slightly compensated heavily doped semiconductors which undergo a thermal treatment. The calculation is carried out within the semiclassical approach to the random impurity field, taking adequately into account high-temperature correlation among the impurities and low temperature screening due to the free carriers as well. Then, a simple analytic expression for the DOS is obtained which exhibits the same energy dependence as in the case of a random impurity distribution, but now with some correlation-induced changes in the coefficients. A numerical estimation on non-compensated n-type sample of GaAs at a doping level of 5 x 10 18 cm -3 shows that in the tail region the correlated DOS turns out to be somewhat larger and cut less sharply than the random one. (author). 45 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab

Successful Chemotherapy with Nab-Paclitaxel in a Heavily Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikiko Ishihara

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC accounts for the majority of all lung cancers. A 69-year-old female with postoperatively recurrent NSCLC was treated weekly with nanoparticle-albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel monotherapy every 4 weeks as a tenth line chemotherapy, and stable disease was achieved by seven cycles of this regimen. The patient developed grade 4 neutropenia and grade 3 leukopenia, but none of the other toxicities, including febrile neutropenia and peripheral neuropathy, were severe, and thus she was able to tolerate this salvage chemotherapy. To our knowledge this is the first report of the efficacy of nab-paclitaxel monotherapy in a heavily treated NSCLC patient.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (progonoma): a case report emphasizing the computed tomography findings and literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo Junior, Cyrillo Rodrigues de; Carvalho, Tarcisio Nunes; Fraguas Filho, Sergio Roberto; Costa, Marlos Augusto Bitencourt; Borba, Ana Olivia Cardoso; Figueiredo, Sizenildo da Silva; Machado, Marcio Martins; Teixeira, Kim-Ir-Sen Santos

2004-01-01

The melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy, also known as progonoma, is a rare benign disease of neural crest origin that occurs within the first year of life and affects mainly the maxilla. The authors report a case of a 10-month-old child presenting with this uncommon tumor in the maxilla, emphasizing the diagnostic findings on computed tomography, and present a literature review. (author)

Designing Skin Cancer Prevention Messages: Should We Emphasize Gains or Losses? Message Framing, Risk Type, and Prior Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Moon J; Kang, Hannah

2018-05-01

To test whether message framing (ie, gain vs. loss) and risk type (ie, health vs appearance risk) in skin cancer prevention messages interact with one's prior experience. Two experiments with a 2 (message framing: gain vs loss) × 2 (risk type: health vs appearance risk) factorial design were conducted. The participants were given a URL to the experiment website via e-mail. On the first page of the website, the participants were told that they would be asked to evaluate a skin cancer print public service announcement (PSA): Online experiments. A total of 397 individuals participated (236 for experiment 1 and 161 for experiment 2). Apparatus: Four versions of the skin cancer print PSAs were developed. Four PSAs were identical except for the 2 manipulated components: message framing and risk type. Measures were adopted from Cho and Boster (message framing), Jones and Leary and Kiene et al. (risk type), De Vries, Mesters, van't Riet, Willems, and Reubsaet and Knight, Kirincich, Farmer, and Hood (prior experience), and Hammond, Fong, Zanna, Thrasher, and Borland and Hoffner and Ye (behavioral intent). General linear models were used to test hypotheses. Three-way interactions among message framing, risk type, and prior experience were found: When the intent of the message was to encourage sunscreen use, the effects of message framing and risk type were shown to be the exact opposite directions from when the intent was to discourage indoor/outdoor tanning. To discourage tanning among those with prior experience, messages emphasizing losses in terms of one's health will work better. For those with no prior experience, messages emphasizing potential appearance losses will work better for discouraging tanning while messages emphasizing gains like improving appearance will do a better job in encouraging sunscreen use.

A Curriculum Development for the Enhancement of Learning Management Performances Emphasizing Higher Order Thinking Skills for Lower Secondary Science Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saksit Seeluangpetch

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at 1 investigating the problems and needs for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers, 2 developing an effective curriculum to enhance the learning management performances which emphasized the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers, and 3 studying the effects of using the curriculum developed for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers. The research was conducted in 4 phases. Phase 1 of the research was the study of fundamental information regarding problems and needs for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers. It was carried out by studying the related literature and exploring the needs. The instrument used in Phase 1 study was the needs assessment. The statistics used for data analysis were mean ( , percentage (%, and standard deviation (S.D.. The result of the study revealed that the Science teachers’ prior knowledge was at low level and the need to enhance their performances was at high level. The development of the curriculum was carried out in Phase 2 of the study. The curriculum was constructed and developed in order to enhance the learning management performances which emphasized the higher order thinking skills. The instrument used was the appropriateness the assessment of the curriculum framework. Mean ( , percentage (%, and standard deviation (S.D. were used to analyze the data. The result of the assessment showed that the overall appropriateness of the curriculum was at high level. The main components of the curriculum comprised of curriculum’s problem and necessity, rationale, objective, structure, training activity, training media, training duration, and evaluation and assessment. The curriculum trial was

Quantifying the importance of diffuse minewater pollution in a historically heavily coal mined catchment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayes, W.M.; Gozzard, E.; Potter, H.A.B.; Jarvis, A.P.

2008-01-01

There has been considerable progress in developing treatment systems for point sources of minewater pollution in recent years; however, there remains a knowledge gap in the characterisation and remediation of diffuse minewater sources. Data are presented from the River Gaunless catchment, a historically heavily coal mined catchment in the northeast of England. Instream iron (Fe) loadings were monitored alongside loadings arising from point minewater discharges over a 12-month period to assess the dynamic importance of diffuse sources of minewater pollution. In low flow, diffuse sources account for around 50% of instream loading, a proportion which increases to 98% in high flow conditions. The low flow sources appear to be dominated by direct discharge of contaminated groundwater to surface waters in lower reaches of the catchment. In high flow, resuspended Fe-rich sediments, which are both naturally occurring and derived from historic mining, become the dominant diffuse source of Fe in the water column. - Diffuse sources of minewater pollution significantly contribute to instream contaminant loadings under varying flow conditions

Facilitating political decisions using species distribution models to assess restoration measures in heavily modified estuaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Heuner, Maike; Weber, Arnd; Schröder, Uwe; Kleinschmit, Birgit; Schröder, Boris

2016-09-15

The European Water Framework Directive requires a good ecological potential for heavily modified water bodies. This standard has not been reached for most large estuaries by 2015. Management plans for estuaries fall short in linking implementations between restoration measures and underlying spatial analyses. The distribution of emergent macrophytes - as an indicator of habitat quality - is here used to assess the ecological potential. Emergent macrophytes are capable of settling on gentle tidal flats where hydrodynamic stress is comparatively low. Analyzing their habitats based on spatial data, we set up species distribution models with 'elevation relative to mean high water', 'mean bank slope', and 'length of bottom friction' from shallow water up to the vegetation belt as key predictors representing hydrodynamic stress. Effects of restoration scenarios on habitats were assessed applying these models. Our findings endorse species distribution models as crucial spatial planning tools for implementing restoration measures in modified estuaries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of a deep-level-defect band formed in a heavily Mg-doped GaN contact layer on the Ni/Au contact to p-GaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiao-Jing; Zhao De-Gang; Jiang De-Sheng; Chen Ping; Zhu Jian-Jun; Liu Zong-Shun; Yang Jing; He Xiao-Guang; Yang Hui; Zhang Li-Qun; Zhang Shu-Ming; Le Ling-Cong; Liu Jian-Ping

2015-01-01

The influence of a deep-level-defect (DLD) band formed in a heavily Mg-doped GaN contact layer on the performance of Ni/Au contact to p-GaN is investigated. The thin heavily Mg-doped GaN (p ++ -GaN) contact layer with DLD band can effectively improve the performance of Ni/Au ohmic contact to p-GaN. The temperature-dependent I–V measurement shows that the variable-range hopping (VRH) transportation through the DLD band plays a dominant role in the ohmic contact. The thickness and Mg/Ga flow ratio of p ++ -GaN contact layer have a significant effect on ohmic contact by controlling the Mg impurity doping and the formation of a proper DLD band. When the thickness of the p ++ -GaN contact layer is 25 nm thick and the Mg/Ga flow rate ratio is 10.29%, an ohmic contact with low specific contact resistivity of 6.97× 10 −4 Ω·cm 2 is achieved. (paper)

RNA Secondary Structure Prediction by Using Discrete Mathematics: An Interdisciplinary Research Experience for Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James

2010-01-01

The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses discrete mathematical techniques and identifies specified base pairs as parameters. The goal of the REU was to introduce upper-level undergraduate students to the principles and challenges of interdisciplinary research in molecular biology and discrete mathematics. At the beginning of the project, students from the biology and mathematics departments of a mid-sized university received instruction on the role of secondary structure in the function of eukaryotic RNAs and RNA viruses, RNA related to combinatorics, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information resources. The student research projects focused on RNA secondary structure prediction on a regulatory region of the yellow fever virus RNA genome and on an untranslated region of an mRNA of a gene associated with the neurological disorder epilepsy. At the end of the project, the REU students gave poster and oral presentations, and they submitted written final project reports to the program director. The outcome of the REU was that the students gained transferable knowledge and skills in bioinformatics and an awareness of the applications of discrete mathematics to biological research problems. PMID:20810968

RNA secondary structure prediction by using discrete mathematics: an interdisciplinary research experience for undergraduate students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James; Nkwanta, Asamoah

2010-01-01

The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses discrete mathematical techniques and identifies specified base pairs as parameters. The goal of the REU was to introduce upper-level undergraduate students to the principles and challenges of interdisciplinary research in molecular biology and discrete mathematics. At the beginning of the project, students from the biology and mathematics departments of a mid-sized university received instruction on the role of secondary structure in the function of eukaryotic RNAs and RNA viruses, RNA related to combinatorics, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information resources. The student research projects focused on RNA secondary structure prediction on a regulatory region of the yellow fever virus RNA genome and on an untranslated region of an mRNA of a gene associated with the neurological disorder epilepsy. At the end of the project, the REU students gave poster and oral presentations, and they submitted written final project reports to the program director. The outcome of the REU was that the students gained transferable knowledge and skills in bioinformatics and an awareness of the applications of discrete mathematics to biological research problems.

Comparative study and quantification of cementite decomposition in heavily drawn pearlitic steel wires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamontagne, A. [University of Lyon, INSA Lyon, MATEIS–UMR CNRS 5510, Bât. St Exupéry, 3ème étage, 25 Avenue Jean Capelle, Villeurbanne Cedex 69621 (France); Massardier, V., E-mail: veronique.massardier@insa-lyon.fr [University of Lyon, INSA Lyon, MATEIS–UMR CNRS 5510, Bât. St Exupéry, 3ème étage, 25 Avenue Jean Capelle, Villeurbanne Cedex 69621 (France); Kléber, X. [University of Lyon, INSA Lyon, MATEIS–UMR CNRS 5510, Bât. St Exupéry, 3ème étage, 25 Avenue Jean Capelle, Villeurbanne Cedex 69621 (France); Sauvage, X. [University of Rouen, GPM, UMR CNRS 6634, BP 12, Avenue de l’Université, 76801 Saint-Etienne du Rouvray (France); Mari, D. [Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 3, Lausanne CH-1015 (Switzerland)

2015-09-17

Heavily cold-drawing was performed on a pearlitic steel wire and on an ultra-low carbon (ULC) steel wire in order to highlight and quantify the microstructural changes caused by this type of deformation. Both global techniques (thermoelectric power, electrical resistivity, internal fiction background) and local techniques (Atom Probe Tomography) were combined for this study. It was shown that two distinct stages have to be taken into account during the cold-drawing of pearlitic steels. The first stage (below a true strain of 1.5) was attributed mainly to the lamellar alignment, while the second stage (above a true strain of 1.5) was unambiguously interpreted as being due to a gradual enrichment of the carbon content of ferrite arising from the strain induced cementite decomposition. The carbon content in solid solution in ferrite was assessed as a function of the true strain. All the techniques showed that this carbon content exceeds the solubility limit of carbon in the ferrite above a true strain of 2.2. A correlation between the increase in the carbon content of ferrite and the increase in yield strength was also highlighted. Moreover, a scenario was proposed to explain the microstructural changes caused by drawing.

Comparative study and quantification of cementite decomposition in heavily drawn pearlitic steel wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamontagne, A.; Massardier, V.; Kléber, X.; Sauvage, X.; Mari, D.

2015-01-01

Heavily cold-drawing was performed on a pearlitic steel wire and on an ultra-low carbon (ULC) steel wire in order to highlight and quantify the microstructural changes caused by this type of deformation. Both global techniques (thermoelectric power, electrical resistivity, internal fiction background) and local techniques (Atom Probe Tomography) were combined for this study. It was shown that two distinct stages have to be taken into account during the cold-drawing of pearlitic steels. The first stage (below a true strain of 1.5) was attributed mainly to the lamellar alignment, while the second stage (above a true strain of 1.5) was unambiguously interpreted as being due to a gradual enrichment of the carbon content of ferrite arising from the strain induced cementite decomposition. The carbon content in solid solution in ferrite was assessed as a function of the true strain. All the techniques showed that this carbon content exceeds the solubility limit of carbon in the ferrite above a true strain of 2.2. A correlation between the increase in the carbon content of ferrite and the increase in yield strength was also highlighted. Moreover, a scenario was proposed to explain the microstructural changes caused by drawing

Direct identification of interstitial Mn in heavily p-type doped GaAs and evidence of its high thermal stability

CERN Document Server

Pereira, LMC; Correia, JG; Decoster, S; da Silva, MR; Araújo, JP; Vantomme, A

2011-01-01

We report on the lattice location of Mn in heavily p-type doped GaAs by means of $\\beta^{-}$-emission channeling from the decay of $^{56}$Mn. The majority of the Mn atoms substitute for Ga and up to 31% occupy the tetrahedral interstitial site with As nearest neighbors. Contrary to the general belief, we find that interstitial Mn is immobile up to 400$^{\\circ}$C, with an activation energy for diffusion of 1.7–2.3 eV. Such high thermal stability of interstitial Mn has significant implications on the strategies and prospects for achieving room temperature ferromagnetism in Ga$_{1−x}$Mn$_{x}$As.

Becoming an Educational Leader--Exploring Leadership in Medical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Bolander Laksov, Klara; Tomson, Tanja

2017-01-01

Research on educational leadership emphasizes the importance of having institutional leaders heavily involved with advanced instructional programming. Best practices for developing educational leadership in higher education health care and medical faculties have to be better understood. Within the framework of a seminar series, researchers and…

Bringing norms back in: A theoretical and empirical discussion of their importance for understanding demographic behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liefbroer, A.C.; Billari, F.C.

2010-01-01

Although the life-course perspective emphasizes the importance of the concept of social norms for understanding demographic choices, the usefulness of this concept is heavily debated. In particular, it has been questioned whether social norms are still important in post-modern societies, and whether

The Diverse Generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Neil; Strauss, Bill

1993-01-01

In this era of multiculturalism, young people find diversity so heavily emphasized that they may wonder whether centrifugal group loyalties may tear the nation apart. Most people born between 1961 and 1981 believe that they handle racial problems better than their elders did. (SLD)

Unusual near-band-edge photoluminescence at room temperature in heavily-doped ZnO:Al thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanty, Bhaskar Chandra; Yeon, Deuk Ho; Das, Sachindra Nath; Kwak, Ji Hye; Yoon, Kyung Hoon; Cho, Yong Soo

2013-01-01

Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) properties of heavily-doped ZnO:Al thin films (with carrier concentration n in the range of 5–20 × 10 20 cm −3 ) prepared by pulsed laser deposition have been investigated. Despite their high carrier concentration, the films exhibited strong room temperature near-band-edge bound excitons at ∼3.34 eV and an unusual peak at ∼3.16 eV, and negligible deep-level emission even for the films deposited at a temperature as low as 25 °C. The radiative efficiency of the films increased with growth temperature as a result of increased n and improved crystallinity. A large blue shift of optical band gap was observed, which is consistent with the n-dependent Burstein–Moss and band gap-renormalization effects. Comparison of the results of the PL and optical measurements revealed a large Stokes shift that increased with increase in n. It has been explained by a model based on local potential fluctuations caused by randomly-distributed doping impurities. - Highlights: • Studied PL properties of heavily-doped ZnO:Al films grown by PLD. • Unusual strong near-band-edge emissions and negligible deep-level emission at RT. • Increased optical band gap with growth temperature and thus carrier concentration. • Stokes shift and PL peak width increased with carrier concentration. • Results explained by a model based on local potential fluctuations

Cognitive Factors that Impact Learning in the Field: Observations from an REU Project on Precambrian Rocks of Yellowstone National Park

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, D.; Mogk, D. W.; Goodwin, C.

2011-12-01

Field work requires cognitive processing on many different levels, and constitutes a powerful and important learning environment. To be effective and meaningful, the context of field work must be fully understood in terms of key research questions, earlier published work, regional geology, geologic history, and geologic processes. Scale(s) of observation and sample selection methods and strategies must be defined. Logistical decisions must be made about equipment needed, points of access, and navigation in the field. Professional skills such as field note-taking, measuring structural data, and rock descriptions must be employed, including appropriate use of field tools. Interpretations of geologic features in the field must be interpreted through recall of concepts from the geologic knowledge base (e.g. crystallization history of igneous rocks interpreted through phase diagrams). Field workers need to be able to self-monitor and self-regulate their actions (metacognitively), and make adjustments to daily plans as needed. The results of field work must be accurately and effectively communicated to other geoscientists. Personal and professional ethics and values are brought to bear as decisions are made about whether or not the work has been satisfactorily completed at a field site. And, all of this must be done against a back drop of environmental factors that affect the ability to do this work (e.g. inclement weather, bears, impassable landscapes). The simultaneous relevance of all these factors creates a challenging, but rewarding environment for learning on many different scales. During our REU project to study the Precambrian rocks in the back country of Yellowstone National Park (YNP), we considered these cognitive factors in designing our project curriculum. To reduce the "novelty space" of the project a website was developed that described the project goals and expected outcomes, introduced primary literature, and alerted students about the physical demands

Weathering the Storm: Consociational Democracy and Crisis Management in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anderson, K.M.; Kim, Y.; Széll, G.

2011-01-01

The Dutch response to the economic crisis emphasizes stabilizing the domestic financial system and mobilizing the labour market so that Dutch firms and workers are well-prepared to take advantage of the expanding economy when the current recession ends. This approach has been heavily conditioned by

EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS (SES) WITH LEISURE TIME SPENDING OF GIRLS EMPHASIZING SPORTING ACTIVITIES

OpenAIRE

Bahyeh Zarei; Mozafar Yektayar

2016-01-01

The objective of this research was doing an examination about the relationship of socio-economic status (SES) with leisure time spending in the girls of Sanandaj city emphasizing sporting activities. The method of research was descriptive-correlated and has been done as field research. The population of the research consisted of all young girls of Sanandaj aged between 15-29 years old which 384 samples were selected by using multi-stage cluster sampling. The tools of research were Godrat Nama...

Replacing Heavily Damaged Teeth by Third Molar Autotransplantation With the Use of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography and Rapid Prototyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Verweij, Jop P; Anssari Moin, David; Wismeijer, Daniel; van Merkesteyn, J P Richard

2017-09-01

This article describes the autotransplantation of third molars to replace heavily damaged premolars and molars. Specifically, this article reports on the use of preoperative cone-beam computed tomographic planning and 3-dimensional (3D) printed replicas of donor teeth to prepare artificial tooth sockets. In the present case, an 18-year-old patient underwent autotransplantation of 3 third molars to replace 1 premolar and 2 molars that were heavily damaged after trauma. Approximately 1 year after the traumatic incident, autotransplantation with the help of 3D planning and rapid prototyping was performed. The right maxillary third molar replaced the right maxillary first premolar. The 2 mandibular wisdom teeth replaced the left mandibular first and second molars. During the surgical procedure, artificial tooth sockets were prepared with the help of 3D printed donor tooth copies to prevent iatrogenic damage to the actual donor teeth. These replicas of the donor teeth were designed based on the preoperative cone-beam computed tomogram and manufactured with the help of 3D printing techniques. The use of a replica of the donor tooth resulted in a predictable and straightforward procedure, with extra-alveolar times shorter than 2 minutes for all transplantations. The transplanted teeth were placed in infraocclusion and fixed with a suture splint. Postoperative follow-up showed physiologic integration of the transplanted teeth and a successful outcome for all transplants. In conclusion, this technique facilitates a straightforward and predictable procedure for autotransplantation of third molars. The use of printed analogues of the donor teeth decreases the risk of iatrogenic damage and the extra-alveolar time of the transplanted tooth is minimized. This facilitates a successful outcome. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emphasizing humanities in medical education: Promoting the integration of medical scientific spirit and medical humanistic spirit.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Peipei; Tang, Wei

2017-05-23

In the era of the biological-psychological-social medicine model, an ideal of modern medicine is to enhance the humanities in medical education, to foster medical talents with humanistic spirit, and to promote the integration of scientific spirit and humanistic spirit in medicine. Throughout the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), other Western countries, and some Asian countries like Japan, many medical universities have already integrated the learning of medical humanities in their curricula and recognized their value. While in China, although medical education reform over the past decade has emphasized the topic of medical humanities to increase the professionalism of future physicians, the integration of medical humanity courses in medical universities has lagged behind the pace in Western countries. In addition, current courses in medical humanities were arbitrarily established due to a lack of organizational independence. For various reasons like a shortage of instructors, medical universities have failed to pay sufficient attention to medical humanities education given the urgent needs of society. The medical problems in contemporary Chinese society are not solely the purview of biomedical technology; what matters more is enhancing the humanities in medical education and fostering medical talents with humanistic spirit. Emphasizing the humanities in medical education and promoting the integration of medical scientific spirit and medical humanistic spirit have become one of the most pressing issues China must address. Greater attention should be paid to reasonable integration of humanities into the medical curriculum, creation of medical courses related to humanities and optimization of the curriculum, and actively allocating abundant teaching resources and exploring better methods of instruction.

Boron deactivation in heavily boron-doped Czochralski silicon during rapid thermal anneal: Atomic level understanding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Chao; Dong, Peng; Yi, Jun; Ma, Xiangyang; Yang, Deren; Lu, Yunhao

2014-01-01

The changes in hole concentration of heavily boron (B)-doped Czochralski silicon subjected to high temperature rapid thermal anneal (RTA) and following conventional furnace anneal (CFA) have been investigated. It is found that decrease in hole concentration, namely, B deactivation, is observed starting from 1050 °C and increases with RTA temperature. The following CFA at 300–500 °C leads to further B deactivation, while that at 600–800 °C results in B reactivation. It is supposed that the interaction between B atoms and silicon interstitials (I) thus forming BI pairs leads to the B deactivation during the high temperature RTA, and, moreover, the formation of extended B 2 I complexes results in further B deactivation in the following CFA at 300–500 °C. On the contrary, the dissociation of BI pairs during the following CFA at 600–800 °C enables the B reactivation. Importantly, the first-principles calculation results can soundly account for the above-mentioned supposition

Boron deactivation in heavily boron-doped Czochralski silicon during rapid thermal anneal: Atomic level understanding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Chao; Dong, Peng; Yi, Jun; Ma, Xiangyang, E-mail: luyh@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: mxyoung@zju.edu.cn; Yang, Deren [State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Lu, Yunhao, E-mail: luyh@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: mxyoung@zju.edu.cn [International Center for New-Structured Materials and Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2014-01-20

The changes in hole concentration of heavily boron (B)-doped Czochralski silicon subjected to high temperature rapid thermal anneal (RTA) and following conventional furnace anneal (CFA) have been investigated. It is found that decrease in hole concentration, namely, B deactivation, is observed starting from 1050 °C and increases with RTA temperature. The following CFA at 300–500 °C leads to further B deactivation, while that at 600–800 °C results in B reactivation. It is supposed that the interaction between B atoms and silicon interstitials (I) thus forming BI pairs leads to the B deactivation during the high temperature RTA, and, moreover, the formation of extended B{sub 2}I complexes results in further B deactivation in the following CFA at 300–500 °C. On the contrary, the dissociation of BI pairs during the following CFA at 600–800 °C enables the B reactivation. Importantly, the first-principles calculation results can soundly account for the above-mentioned supposition.

Two cases of acute leukemia in heavily exposed a-bomb survivors following radiotherapy for breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikami, Motoko; Kuramoto, Atsushi; Kamada, Nanao; Ohkita, Takeshi; Sawada, Hisao.

1980-03-01

Two cases of acute leukemia in heavily exposed atomic bomb survivors following postoperative 60 Co radiotherapy for breast cancer are presented. Case 1, a female who received an estimated dose of 364 rad from the A-bomb at the age of 22, was diagnosed as having left breast cancer 17 years later. At the age of 48, about 8 years after undergoing postoperative 60 Co radiotherapy, she developed acute monocytic leukemia. Case 2, a female who received an estimated dose of 594 rad from the A-bomb at the age of 37, was diagnosed as having right breast cancer 22 years later. At the age of 63, 4 years after postoperative 60 Co radiotherapy, she was found to have acute erythroleukemia. Both cases had been exposed to the A-bomb in Hiroshima and to therapeutic radiation after developing breast cancer presumably induced by A-bomb exposure. Thus it is proposed that acute leukemia was induced by exposure to large doses of radiation from two sources. (author)

Replicative phenotyping adds value to genotypic resistance testing in heavily pre-treated HIV-infected individuals - the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinetti Gladys

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Replicative phenotypic HIV resistance testing (rPRT uses recombinant infectious virus to measure viral replication in the presence of antiretroviral drugs. Due to its high sensitivity of detection of viral minorities and its dissecting power for complex viral resistance patterns and mixed virus populations rPRT might help to improve HIV resistance diagnostics, particularly for patients with multiple drug failures. The aim was to investigate whether the addition of rPRT to genotypic resistance testing (GRT compared to GRT alone is beneficial for obtaining a virological response in heavily pre-treated HIV-infected patients. Methods Patients with resistance tests between 2002 and 2006 were followed within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS. We assessed patients' virological success after their antiretroviral therapy was switched following resistance testing. Multilevel logistic regression models with SHCS centre as a random effect were used to investigate the association between the type of resistance test and virological response (HIV-1 RNA Results Of 1158 individuals with resistance tests 221 with GRT+rPRT and 937 with GRT were eligible for analysis. Overall virological response rates were 85.1% for GRT+rPRT and 81.4% for GRT. In the subgroup of patients with >2 previous failures, the odds ratio (OR for virological response of GRT+rPRT compared to GRT was 1.45 (95% CI 1.00-2.09. Multivariate analyses indicate a significant improvement with GRT+rPRT compared to GRT alone (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.31-2.15. Conclusions In heavily pre-treated patients rPRT-based resistance information adds benefit, contributing to a higher rate of treatment success.

Heavily T2-weighted MR myelography vs CT myelography in spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y-F; Lirng, J-F; Fuh, J-L; Hseu, S-S; Wang, S-J

2009-12-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of heavily T2-weighted magnetic resonance myelography (MRM) in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Patients with SIH were recruited prospectively, and first underwent MRM and then computed tomographic myelography (CTM). The results of MRM were validated with the gold standard, CTM, focusing on 1) CSF leaks along the nerve roots, 2) epidural CSF collections, and 3) high-cervical (C1-3) retrospinal CSF collections. Comparisons of these 3 findings between the 2 studies were made by kappa statistics and agreement rates. Targeted epidural blood patches (EBPs) were placed at the levels of CSF leaks if supportive treatment failed. Nineteen patients (6 men and 13 women, mean age 37.9 +/- 8.6 years) with SIH completed the study. MRM did not differ from CTM in the detection rates of CSF leaks along the nerve roots (84% vs 74%, p = 0.23), high-cervical retrospinal CSF collections (32% vs 16%, p = 0.13), and epidural CSF collections (89% vs 79%, p = 0.20). MRM demonstrated more spinal levels of CSF leaks (2.2 +/- 1.7 vs 1.5 +/- 1.5, p = 0.011) and epidural collections (12.2 +/- 5.9 vs 7.1 +/- 5.8, p localizing CSF leaks for patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. This noninvasive technique may be an alternative to computed tomographic myelography before targeted epidural blood patches.

Preliminary Results From a Heavily Instrumented Engine Ice Crystal Icing Test in a Ground Based Altitude Test Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Flegel, Ashlie B.; Oliver, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Preliminary results from the heavily instrumented ALF502R-5 engine test conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center Propulsion Systems Laboratory are discussed. The effects of ice crystal icing on a full scale engine is examined and documented. This same model engine, serial number LF01, was used during the inaugural icing test in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory facility. The uncommanded reduction of thrust (rollback) events experienced by this engine in flight were simulated in the facility. Limited instrumentation was used to detect icing on the LF01 engine. Metal temperatures on the exit guide vanes and outer shroud and the load measurement were the only indicators of ice formation. The current study features a similar engine, serial number LF11, which is instrumented to characterize the cloud entering the engine, detect/characterize ice accretion, and visualize the ice accretion in the region of interest. Data were acquired at key LF01 test points and additional points that explored: icing threshold regions, low altitude, high altitude, spinner heat effects, and the influence of varying the facility and engine parameters. For each condition of interest, data were obtained from some selected variations of ice particle median volumetric diameter, total water content, fan speed, and ambient temperature. For several cases the NASA in-house engine icing risk assessment code was used to find conditions that would lead to a rollback event. This study further helped NASA develop necessary icing diagnostic instrumentation, expand the capabilities of the Propulsion Systems Laboratory, and generate a dataset that will be used to develop and validate in-house icing prediction and risk mitigation computational tools. The ice accretion on the outer shroud region was acquired by internal video cameras. The heavily instrumented engine showed good repeatability of icing responses when compared to the key LF01 test points and during day-to-day operation. Other noticeable

Intermediate-Level Foreign Language Courses for BBA Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortuno, Manuel J.; Uber, David M.

Following the early success of its inclusion of languages in the master's-level business administration curriculum, Baylor University began to emphasize foreign language study more heavily in its undergraduate business administration program. The revised program, to be fully implemented in 1989, encourages students to choose 11 hours of language…

NuSTAR observations of heavily obscured quasars at z ∼ 0.5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lansbury, G. B.; Alexander, D. M.; Moro, A. Del; Gandhi, P.; Aird, J. [Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Assef, R. J. [Núcleo de Astronomía de la Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército Libertador 441, Santiago (Chile); Stern, D. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Mail Stop 169-221, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Ballantyne, D. R. [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Baloković, M.; Grefenstette, B. W.; Harrison, F. A. [Cahill Center for Astrophysics, 1216 East California Boulevard, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Bauer, F. E. [Instituto de Astrofísica, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Catlica de Chile, Casilla 306, Santiago 22 (Chile); Boggs, S. E. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Brandt, W. N. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Lab, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Christensen, F. E.; Craig, W. W. [DTU Space-National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Elvis, M. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Hailey, C. J. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, 550 W 120th Street, Columbia University, NY 10027 (United States); Hickox, R. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Koss, M., E-mail: g.b.lansbury@durham.ac.uk [Institute for Astronomy, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 27, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); and others

2014-04-10

We present NuSTAR hard X-ray observations of three Type 2 quasars at z ≈ 0.4-0.5, optically selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Although the quasars show evidence for being heavily obscured, Compton-thick systems on the basis of the 2-10 keV to [O III] luminosity ratio and multiwavelength diagnostics, their X-ray absorbing column densities (N {sub H}) are poorly known. In this analysis, (1) we study X-ray emission at >10 keV, where X-rays from the central black hole are relatively unabsorbed, in order to better constrain N {sub H}. (2) We further characterize the physical properties of the sources through broad-band near-UV to mid-IR spectral energy distribution analyses. One of the quasars is detected with NuSTAR at >8 keV with a no-source probability of <0.1%, and its X-ray band ratio suggests near Compton-thick absorption with N {sub H} ≳ 5 × 10{sup 23} cm{sup –2}. The other two quasars are undetected, and have low X-ray to mid-IR luminosity ratios in both the low-energy (2-10 keV) and high-energy (10-40 keV) X-ray regimes that are consistent with extreme, Compton-thick absorption (N {sub H} ≳ 10{sup 24} cm{sup –2}). We find that for quasars at z ∼ 0.5, NuSTAR provides a significant improvement compared to lower energy (<10 keV) Chandra and XMM-Newton observations alone, as higher column densities can now be directly constrained.

Epibenthic diversity and productivity on a heavily trawled Barents Sea bank (Tromsøflaket

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Kędra

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Shallow Arctic banks have been observed to harbour rich communities of epifaunal organisms, but have not been well-studied with respect to composition or function due to sampling challenges. In order to determine how these banks function in the Barents Sea ecosystem, we used a combination of video and trawl/dredge sampling at several locations on a heavily trawled bank, Tromsøflaket – located at the southwestern entrance to the Barents Sea. We describe components of the benthic community, and calculate secondary production of dominant epifaunal organisms. Forty-six epibenthic taxa were identified, and sponges were a significant part of the surveyed benthic communities. There were differences in diversity and production among areas, mainly related to the intensity of trawling activities. Gamma was the most diverse and productive area, with highest species abundance and biomass. Trawled areas had considerably lower species numbers, and significant differences in epifaunal abundance and biomass were found between all trawled and untrawled areas. Trawling seems to have an impact on the sponge communities: mean individual poriferan biomass was higher in untrawled areas, and, although poriferans were observed in areas subjected to more intensive trawling, they were at least five times less frequent than in untrawled areas.

Road Environments: Impact of Metals on Human Health in Heavily Congested Cities of Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Adamiec, Ewa

2017-06-29

Road dust as a by-product of exhaust and non-exhaust emissions can be a major cause of systemic oxidative stress and multiple disorders. Substantial amounts of road dust are repeatedly resuspended, in particular at traffic lights and junctions where more braking is involved, causing potential threat to pedestrians, especially children. In order to determine the degree of contamination in the heavily traffic-congested cities of Poland, a total of 148 samples of road dust (RD), sludge from storm drains (SL) and roadside soil (RS) were collected. Sixteen metals were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) in all samples. Chemical evaluation followed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that road environments have been severely contaminated with traffic-related elements. Concentration of copper in all road-environment samples is even higher, exceeding even up to 15 times its average concentrations established for the surrounding soils. Non-carcinogenic health risk assessment revealed that the hazard index (HI) for children in all road-environment samples exceeds the safe level of 1. Therefore, greater attention should be paid to potential health risks caused by the ingestion of traffic-related particles during outdoor activities.

Comparison of the Thermal Degradation of Heavily Nb-Doped and Normal PZT Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jeong-Suong; Kang, YunSung; Kang, Inyoung; Lim, SeungMo; Shin, Seung-Joo; Lee, JungWon; Hur, Kang Heon

2017-03-01

The degradation of niobium-doped lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and two types of PZT thin films were investigated. Undoped PZT, two-step PZT, and heavily Nb-doped PZT (PNZT) around the morphotropic phase boundary were in situ deposited under optimum condition by RF-magnetron sputtering. All 2- [Formula: see text]-thick films had dense perovskite columnar grain structure and self-polarized (100) dominant orientation. PZT thin films were deposited on Pt/TiO x bottom electrode on Si wafer, and PNZT thin film was on Ir/TiW electrode with the help of orientation control. Sputtered PZT films formed on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope and the degradation rates were compared at different temperatures. PNZT showed the best resistance to the thermal degradation, followed by two-step PZT. To clarify the effect of oxygen vacancies on the degradation of the film at high temperature, photoluminescence measurement was conducted, which confirmed that oxygen vacancy rate was the lowest in heavy PNZT. Nb-doping PZT thin films suppressed the oxygen deficit and made high imprint with self-polarization. This defect distribution and high internal field allowed PNZT thin film to make the piezoelectric sensors more stable and reliable at high temperature, such as reflow process of MEMS packaging.

Predicting prices of agricultural commodities in Thailand using combined approach emphasizing on data pre-processing technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thoranin Sujjaviriyasup

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this research, a combined approach emphasizing on data pre-processing technique is developed to forecast prices of agricultural commodities in Thailand. The future prices play significant role in decision making to cultivate crops in next year. The proposed model takes ability of MODWT to decompose original time series data into more stable and explicit subseries, and SVR model to formulate complex function of forecasting. The experimental results indicated that the proposed model outperforms traditional forecasting models based on MAE and MAPE criteria. Furthermore, the proposed model reveals that it is able to be a useful forecasting tool for prices of agricultural commodities in Thailand

Unintended effects of emphasizing disparities in cancer communication to African-Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Robert A; Kreuter, Matthew W; Lapka, Christina; Wellborn, Rachel; Clark, Eddie M; Sanders-Thompson, Vetta; Jacobsen, Heather M; Casey, Chris

2008-11-01

Little is known about how minority groups react to public information that highlights racial disparities in cancer. This double-blind randomized study compared emotional and behavioral reactions to four versions of the same colon cancer (CRC) information presented in mock news articles to a community sample of African-American adults (n = 300). Participants read one of four articles that varied in their framing and interpretation of race-specific CRC mortality data, emphasizing impact (CRC is an important problem for African-Americans), two dimensions of disparity (Blacks are doing worse than Whites and Blacks are improving, but less than Whites), or progress (Blacks are improving over time). Participants exposed to disparity articles reported more negative emotional reactions to the information and were less likely to want to be screened for CRC than those in other groups (both P emotional reactions and participants were more likely to want to be screened. Moreover, negative emotional reaction seemed to mediate the influence of message type on individuals wanting to be screened for CRC. Overall, these results suggest that the way in which disparity research is reported in the medium can influence public attitudes and intentions, with reports about progress yielding a more positive effect on intention. This seems especially important among those with high levels of medical mistrust who are least likely to use the health care system and are thus the primary target of health promotion advertising.

Power output of microbial fuel cell emphasizing interaction of anodic binder with bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongying; Liao, Bo; Xiong, Juan; Zhou, Xingwang; Zhi, Huozhen; Liu, Xiang; Li, Xiaoping; Li, Weishan

2018-03-01

Electrochemically active biofilm is necessary for the electron transfer between bacteria and anodic electrode in microbial fuel cells and selecting the type of anodic electrode material that favours formation of electrochemically active biofilm is crucial for the microbial fuel cell operation. We report a new finding that the interaction of anodic binder with bacteria plays more important role than its hydrophilicity for forming an electrochemically active biofilm, which is emphasized by applying poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin) as an anodic binder of the microbial fuel cell based on carbon nanotubes as anodic electrode and Escherichia coli as bacterium. The physical characterizations and electrochemical measurements demonstrate that poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin) exhibits a strong interaction with bacteria and thus provides the microbial fuel cell with excellent power density output. The MFC using poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin) reaches a maximum power density output of 3.8 W m-2. This value is larger than that of the MFCs using polytetrafluoroethylene that has poorer hydrophilicity, or polyvinyl alcohol that has better hydrophilicity but exhibits weaker interaction with bacteria than poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin).

Mapping the Intricacies of Young Adults' Developmental Journey from Socially Prescribed to Internally Defined Identities, Relationships, and Beliefs

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Kari B.

2008-01-01

Recent research has called for complex holistic models of college student development, but traditionally, scholars have focused heavily if not exclusively on creating models that emphasize only psychological explanations and probe only one dimension or aspect of development. This article synthesizes a wide range of theories and models to construct…

Improvement on p-type CVD diamond semiconducting properties by fabricating thin heavily-boron-doped multi-layer clusters isolated each other in unintentionally boron-doped diamond layer

Science.gov (United States)

Maida, Osamu; Tabuchi, Tomohiro; Ito, Toshimichi

2017-12-01

We have developed a new fabrication process to decrease the effective activation energy of B atoms doped in diamond without a significant decrease in the carrier mobility by fabricating heavily B-doped clusters with very low mobility which are embedded in lightly-B-doped diamond layers. The resistivities of the heavily B-doped and unintentionally B-doped diamond stacked layers had almost no temperature dependence, suggesting the presence of an impurity-band conduction in these diamond layers. On the other hand, the resistivities of the samples after the embedding growth process of the stacked layers that had been appropriately divided to innumerable small clusters by means of a suitable etching process increased with decreasing the temperature from 330 to 130 K. The effective activation energies and Hall mobilities at room temperature of both samples were estimated to be 0.21 eV, 106 cm2 V-1 s-1 for micron-sized clusters and 0.23 eV, 470 cm2 V-1 s-1 for nano-sized clusters, respectively, indicating that the diamond film structure fabricated in this work is effective for the improvement of the p-type performance for the B-doped CVD diamond.

Atmospheric depositions around a heavily industrialized area in a seasonally dry tropical environment of India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Raj Kumar; Agrawal, Madhoolika

2005-01-01

Clear and throughfall bulk depositions were collected in the downwind of a highly industrialized region in Sonbhadra district of India to estimate the influence of anthropogenic activities on chemical composition of depositions. Significant spatial and temporal variations in depositions of cations and anions were observed. Depositions were higher near the thermal power stations and coalmines as compared to distantly situated site. Seasonally summer samples showed maximum cation and anion depositions followed by winter and minimum in rainy season. The mean pH of the depositions indicates that rainfall in the area is alkaline. Among the anions, maximum deposition was recorded for SO 4 2- followed by NO 3 - and minimum for Cl - . Among the cations, Ca 2+ deposition was maximum followed by NH 4 + . Na + , K + and Mg 2+ deposition rates showed more or less similar values. The depositions of cations and anions as well as pH were higher in throughfall than clearfall samples. Results of the present study suggest that atmospheric depositions are strongly modified due to thermal power stations and coal mines in the area. - Atmospheric abundance of cations have neutralized the acidity of depositions around a heavily industrialized area in India

Supporting a Diverse Community of Undergraduate Researchers in Satellite and Ground-Based Remote Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Blake, R.; Liou-Mark, J.

2012-12-01

The U.S. remains in grave danger of losing its global competitive edge in STEM. To find solutions to this problem, the Obama Administration proposed two new national initiatives: the Educate to Innovate Initiative and the $100 million government/private industry initiative to train 100,000 STEM teachers and graduate 1 million additional STEM students over the next decade. To assist in ameliorating the national STEM plight, the New York City College of Technology has designed its NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program in satellite and ground-based remote sensing to target underrepresented minority students. Since the inception of the program in 2008, a total of 45 undergraduate students of which 38 (84%) are considered underrepresented minorities in STEM have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. The program is comprised of the three primary components. The first component, Structured Learning Environments: Preparation and Mentorship, provides the REU Scholars with the skill sets necessary for proficiency in satellite and ground-based remote sensing research. The students are offered mini-courses in Geographic Information Systems, MATLAB, and Remote Sensing. They also participate in workshops on the Ethics of Research. Each REU student is a member of a team that consists of faculty mentors, post doctorate/graduate students, and high school students. The second component, Student Support and Safety Nets, provides undergraduates a learning environment that supports them in becoming successful researchers. Special networking and Brown Bag sessions, and an annual picnic with research scientists are organized so that REU Scholars are provided with opportunities to expand their professional community. Graduate school support is provided by offering free Graduate Record Examination preparation courses and workshops on the graduate school application process. Additionally, students are supported by college

Impaired serum inhibin-B and number of germ cells in boys with cryptorchidism following heavily gestational maternal smoking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hildorf, Simone; Clasen-Linde, Erik; Dong, Lihua

2018-01-01

heavily (>10 cigarettes/day) during pregnancy with age matched cryptorchid controls of nonsmoking mothers (1:6). We studied: birthweight, germ-cell number/tubular cross section, frequency of germ cells positive for placental-like alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), gonadotropins and inhibin-B. RESULTS: 501 boys...... were sons of nonsmokers, 72 boys of intermittent smokers and 28 boys of heavy smokers. 39%, 44% and 61% respectively had bilateral cryptorchidism. Compared to age-matched cryptorchid controls of nonsmoking mothers, sons of heavy smokers had lower birthweight (p = 0.006), germ-cell number/tubular cross...... could add detailed knowledge to the impact of maternal gestational smoking on pathogenesis of cryptorchidism. METHODS: 601 cryptorchid boys aged 4 months to 14 years old were included. Because normal hormones have a pronounced age dependency, we compared results from boys whose mothers had smoked...

Oral etoposide in heavily pre-treated metastatic breast cancer: A retrospective series.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannone, G; Milani, A; Ghisoni, E; Genta, S; Mittica, G; Montemurro, F; Valabrega, G

2018-04-01

Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) can derive clinical benefit from several subsequent lines of chemotherapy. However, in heavily pre-treated patients, agents with clinical activity, a favourable side effects profile and a convenient administration modality are preferred. We retrospectively analyzed 110 patients with previously treated MBC, who received oral etoposide at the dose of 50 mg/day for 20 days in 28 days cycles, between 2003 and 2017. Because this was not a prospectively planned study, to describe the clinical performance of oral etoposide we adopted the approach suggested by Dzimitrowicz and colleagues (J Clin Oncol. 2016; 34:3511-17); Tumour Response (TR) was defined as the proportion of physician-reported clinical or imaging response; Prolonged Duration on Therapy (PDT) as the proportion of non-progressing patients whose treatment lasted more than 6 months. Furthermore, we evaluated median duration on therapy (TD) and median Overall Survival (OS) by the Kaplan Meier method. The median number of previous chemotherapy lines was 5 (range 2-8). TR, PDT, median TD and median OS were 6.4%, 18.2% 4 (range 3.5-4.5) and 10.6 (range 8.4-12.8) months respectively. Interestingly, etoposide activity was unrelated to the number of previous lines and type of metastatic involvement. Oral etoposide was well tolerated with only two patients discontinuing therapy due to toxicity. In this large, single Institution, real practice analysis oral etoposide is a valuable and safe option for pre-treated metastatic breast cancer patients and might be considered in patients failing other approaches, but still suitable for chemotherapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation of soil heavily contaminated with crude oil and its products: composition of the microbial consortium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JELENA S. MILIĆ

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Bioremediation, a process that utilizes the capability of microorganism to degrade toxic waste, is emerging as a promising technology for the treatment of soil and groundwater contamination. The technology is very effective in dealing with petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. The aim of this study was to examine the composition of the microbial consortium during the ex situ experiment of bioremediation of soil heavily contaminated with crude oil and its products from the Oil Refinery Pančevo, Serbia. After a 5.5-month experiment with biostimulation and bioventilation, the concentration of the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH had been reduced from 29.80 to 3.29 g/kg (89 %. In soil, the dominant microorganism population comprised Gram-positive bacteria from actinomycete-Nocardia group. The microorganisms which decompose hydrocarbons were the dominant microbial population at the end of the process, with a share of more than 80 % (range 107 CFU/g. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that a stable microbial community had been formed after initial fluctuations.

Effects of thin heavily Mg-doped GaN capping layer on ohmic contact formation of p-type GaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, L L; Zhao, D G; Jiang, D S; Chen, P; Le, L C; Li, L; Liu, Z S; Zhang, S M; Zhu, J J; Wang, H; Zhang, B S; Yang, H

2013-01-01

The growth condition of thin heavily Mg-doped GaN capping layer and its effect on ohmic contact formation of p-type GaN were investigated. It is confirmed that the excessive Mg doping can effectively enhance the Ni/Au contact to p-GaN after annealing at 550 °C. When the flow rate ratio between Mg and Ga gas sources is 6.4% and the layer width is 25 nm, the capping layer grown at 850 °C exhibits the best ohmic contact properties with respect to the specific contact resistivity (ρ c ). This temperature is much lower than the conventional growth temperature of Mg-doped GaN, suggesting that the deep-level-defect induced band may play an important role in the conduction of capping layer. (paper)

Participatory Action Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Sample McMeeking, L. B.; Weinberg, A. E.

2013-12-01

Research experiences for undergraduates (REU) have been shown to be effective in improving undergraduate students' personal/professional development, ability to synthesize knowledge, improvement in research skills, professional advancement, and career choice. Adding to the literature on REU programs, a new conceptual model situating REU within a context of participatory action research (PAR) is presented and compared with data from a PAR-based coastal climate research experience that took place in Summer 2012. The purpose of the interdisciplinary Participatory Action Research Experiences for Undergraduates (PAREU) model is to act as an additional year to traditional, lab-based REU where undergraduate science students, social science experts, and community members collaborate to develop research with the goal of enacting change. The benefits to traditional REU's are well established and include increased content knowledge, better research skills, changes in attitudes, and greater career awareness gained by students. Additional positive outcomes are expected from undergraduate researchers (UR) who participate in PAREU, including the ability to better communicate with non-scientists. With highly politicized aspects of science, such as climate change, this becomes especially important for future scientists. Further, they will be able to articulate the relevance of science research to society, which is an important skill, especially given the funding climate where agencies require broader impacts statements. Making science relevant may also benefit URs who wish to apply their science research. Finally, URs will gain social science research skills by apprenticing in a research project that includes science and social science research components, which enables them to participate in future education and outreach. The model also positively impacts community members by elevating their voices within and outside the community, particularly in areas severely underserved

Reconstructing historical trends in metal input in heavily-disturbed, contaminated estuaries: studies from Bilbao, Southampton Water and Sicily

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cundy, A.B.; Croudace, I.W.; Cearreta, A.; Irabien, M.J.

2003-01-01

Estuaries may be important reservoirs for contaminants as they tend to act as sinks for fine, contaminant-reactive sediments, and, historically, they have acted as centres for industrial and urban development. Analysis of dated sediment cores from these areas may allow historical trends in heavy metal input to be reconstructed, and recent and historical inputs of metal contaminants to be compared. Undisturbed saltmarsh settings have been used widely in the reconstruction of historical trends in metal input as saltmarshes provide a stable, vegetated substrate of dominantly fine sediments, and are less prone to erosion and reworking than adjacent mudflat areas. In comparison, much less research on historical pollution trends has been undertaken at estuarine sites which are prone to severe local disturbance, such as intertidal areas which are routinely dredged or where sedimentary processes have been modified by human activities such as shipping, salt working, port activities, land claim etc. This paper assesses the usefulness of 210 Pb and 137 Cs dating, combined with geochemical studies, in reconstructing historical trends in heavy metal input and sediment accretion in 3 heavily-modified, industrialised estuarine areas in Europe: the Bilbao estuary (Spain), Southampton Water (UK), and the Mulinello estuary (Sicily). Of these sites, only a salt marsh core from the Mulinello estuary provides a high-resolution record of recent heavy metal inputs. In Southampton Water only a partial record of changing metal inputs over time is retained due to land-claim and possible early-diagenetic remobilisation, while at Bilbao the vertical distribution of heavy metals in intertidal flats is mainly controlled by input on reworked sediment particles and variations in sediment composition. Where 137 Cs and 210 Pb distributions with depth allow a chronology of sediment deposition to be established, and early-diagenetic remobilisation has been minimal, mudflat and saltmarsh cores from

Experiment and simulation on the thermal instability of a heavily deformed Cu-Fe composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qu Lei; Wang Engang; Zuo Xiaowei; Zhang Lin; He Jicheng

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Fe fibers undergo thermal instability at temperature above 600 deg. C. → Longitudinal boundary splitting is the dominant instability process. → Instability of cylindrical fibers is controlled by breakup, growth and coarsening. → Breakup times can be predicted by Rayleigh perturbation model accurately. → The increase of fiber diameters is due to the coarsening and growth. - Abstract: The thermal instability of the Fe fibers in the heavily deformed Cu-12.8 wt.%Fe composites is investigated experimentally and numerically. The fiber evolution is characterized by a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results show that the dominant instability of the Fe fibers is the longitudinal boundary splitting which is determined by the greater cross sectional aspect ratio (width/thickness, w/t) and the larger ratio of boundary to interfacial energy (γ B /γ S ). The longitudinal boundary splitting makes the ribbon-like Fe fibers evolve into a series of cylindrical fibers. Then the cylindrical Fe fibers undergo the instability process in terms of the breakup, growth and coarsening concurrently. The breakup times are accurately predicted by the Rayleigh perturbation model. The growth process primarily contributes to the higher increasing rate of the fiber radius during isothermal annealing at 700 deg. C than that calculated by the coarsening theory developed for cylindrical fibers, since the Cu-matrix of composites is highly supersaturated after casting/cold-working process.

Studying Grammar in the Technological Age

Science.gov (United States)

Ediger, Marlow

2012-01-01

When being a student in grade school as well as in high school (1934-1946), grammar was heavily emphasized in English/language arts classes, particularly in grades four through the senior year in high school. Evidently, teachers and school administrators then saw a theoretical way to assist pupils in writing achievement. Grammar and writing were…

Population-level assessments should be emphasized over community/ecosystem-level assessments. Environmental Sciences Division Publication No. 1535

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Winkle, W.

1980-01-01

Arguments are presented in favor of emphasizing population-level assessments over community/ecosystem-level assessments. The two approaches are compared on each of four issues: (1) the nature of entrainment/impingement impacts; (2) the ability to forecast reliably for a single fish population as contrasted to the ability to forecast for an aquatic community or ecosystem; (3) practical considerations involving money, manpower, time, and the need to make decisions; and (4) the nature of societal and economic concerns. The conclusion on each of these four issues is that population-level assessments provide the optimal approach for evaluating the effects of entrainment and impingement mortality

Highly efficient and heavily-doped organic light-emitting devices based on an orange phosphorescent iridium complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Shunliang; Wang, Qi; Li, Ming; Lu, Zhiyun; Yu, Junsheng

2014-01-01

Heavily doped and highly efficient phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs) had been fabricated by utilizing an orange iridium complex, bis[2-(3′,5′-di-tert-butylbiphenyl-4-yl)benzothiazolato-N,C 2' ]iridium(III) (acetylacetonate) [(tbpbt) 2 Ir(acac)], as a phosphor. When the doping concentration of [(tbpbt) 2 Ir(acac)] reached as high as 15 wt%, the PhOLEDs exhibited a power efficiency, current efficiency, and external quantum efficiency of 24.5 lm/W, 32.1 cd/A, 15.7%, respectively, implying a promising quenching-resistant characteristics of this novel phosphor. Furthermore, the efficient white PhOLEDs had been obtained by employing (tbpbt) 2 Ir(acac) as a self-host orange emitter, indicating that (tbpbt) 2 Ir(acac) could serve as a promising phosphor to fabricate white organic light-emitting devices with simplified manufacturing process. - Highlights: • Efficient phosphorescent devices were fabricated. • Optimized phosphor doping ratio reached as high as 15 wt%. • The results proved a promising quench-resistant property of the phosphor. • Efficient white devices based on this phosphor as self-host layer had been realized

Highly efficient and heavily-doped organic light-emitting devices based on an orange phosphorescent iridium complex

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Shunliang; Wang, Qi [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China); Li, Ming [College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064 (China); Lu, Zhiyun, E-mail: luzhiyun@scu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064 (China); Yu, Junsheng, E-mail: jsyu@uestc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)

2014-10-15

Heavily doped and highly efficient phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs) had been fabricated by utilizing an orange iridium complex, bis[2-(3′,5′-di-tert-butylbiphenyl-4-yl)benzothiazolato-N,C{sup 2'}]iridium(III) (acetylacetonate) [(tbpbt){sub 2}Ir(acac)], as a phosphor. When the doping concentration of [(tbpbt){sub 2}Ir(acac)] reached as high as 15 wt%, the PhOLEDs exhibited a power efficiency, current efficiency, and external quantum efficiency of 24.5 lm/W, 32.1 cd/A, 15.7%, respectively, implying a promising quenching-resistant characteristics of this novel phosphor. Furthermore, the efficient white PhOLEDs had been obtained by employing (tbpbt){sub 2}Ir(acac) as a self-host orange emitter, indicating that (tbpbt){sub 2}Ir(acac) could serve as a promising phosphor to fabricate white organic light-emitting devices with simplified manufacturing process. - Highlights: • Efficient phosphorescent devices were fabricated. • Optimized phosphor doping ratio reached as high as 15 wt%. • The results proved a promising quench-resistant property of the phosphor. • Efficient white devices based on this phosphor as self-host layer had been realized.

High-efficiency and heavily doped organic light-emitting devices based on quench-resistant red iridium complex

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qi [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Yu, Junsheng, E-mail: jsyu@uestc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Zhao, Juan; Wang, Jun [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Li, Ming [College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China); Lu, Zhiyun, E-mail: luzhiyun@scu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China)

2013-02-15

Highly efficient red phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices had been fabricated using a new iridium complex, bis[2-(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl) benzothiazolato-N,C{sup 2'}]iridium(III) (acetylacetonate) [(fbt){sub 2}Ir(acac)] as phosphor. With a high doping concentration of 15 wt%, the device exhibited a maximum luminance efficiency, power efficiency and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 35.2 cd/A, 21.3 lm/W, 18.2%, respectively, indicating an excellent quench-resistant property of (fbt){sub 2}Ir(acac). The results are appealing towards the development of 'easy-to-make' OLEDs. It has been demonstrated that the high efficiency arises from more balanced charge carriers in the emissive layer. - Highlight: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We obtained efficient OLEDs based on newly synthesized quench-resistant phosphor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Peak performance was obtained with 15 wt% (fbt){sub 2}Ir(acac) doped device. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Our devices gave one of the best performance among heavily-doped red devices. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Balanced carrier transport is crucial for the high performance of our devices.

Coplanar amorphous-indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film transistor with He plasma treated heavily doped layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Ho-young [Advanced Display Research Center, Department of Information Display, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701 (Korea, Republic of); LG Display R and D Center, 245 Lg-ro, Wollong-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do 413-811 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Bok-young; Lee, Young-jang; Lee, Jung-il; Yang, Myoung-su; Kang, In-byeong [LG Display R and D Center, 245 Lg-ro, Wollong-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do 413-811 (Korea, Republic of); Mativenga, Mallory; Jang, Jin, E-mail: jjang@khu.ac.kr [Advanced Display Research Center, Department of Information Display, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-01-13

We report thermally stable coplanar amorphous-indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with heavily doped n{sup +} a-IGZO source/drain regions. Doping is through He plasma treatment in which the resistivity of the a-IGZO decreases from 2.98 Ω cm to 2.79 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm after treatment, and then it increases to 7.92 × 10{sup −2} Ω cm after annealing at 300 °C. From the analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the concentration of oxygen vacancies in He plasma treated n{sup +}a-IGZO does not change much after thermal annealing at 300 °C, indicating thermally stable n{sup +} a-IGZO, even for TFTs with channel length L = 4 μm. Field-effect mobility of the coplanar a-IGZO TFTs with He plasma treatment changes from 10.7 to 9.2 cm{sup 2}/V s after annealing at 300 °C, but the performance of the a-IGZO TFT with Ar or H{sub 2} plasma treatment degrades significantly after 300 °C annealing.

Coplanar amorphous-indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film transistor with He plasma treated heavily doped layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Ho-young; Lee, Bok-young; Lee, Young-jang; Lee, Jung-il; Yang, Myoung-su; Kang, In-byeong; Mativenga, Mallory; Jang, Jin

2014-01-01

We report thermally stable coplanar amorphous-indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with heavily doped n + a-IGZO source/drain regions. Doping is through He plasma treatment in which the resistivity of the a-IGZO decreases from 2.98 Ω cm to 2.79 × 10 −3 Ω cm after treatment, and then it increases to 7.92 × 10 −2 Ω cm after annealing at 300 °C. From the analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the concentration of oxygen vacancies in He plasma treated n + a-IGZO does not change much after thermal annealing at 300 °C, indicating thermally stable n + a-IGZO, even for TFTs with channel length L = 4 μm. Field-effect mobility of the coplanar a-IGZO TFTs with He plasma treatment changes from 10.7 to 9.2 cm 2 /V s after annealing at 300 °C, but the performance of the a-IGZO TFT with Ar or H 2 plasma treatment degrades significantly after 300 °C annealing

Effects of flexibility and soil-structure interaction on a completely buried structure with a heavily loaded roof system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, R.C.; Maryak, M.E.; Mulliken, J.S.

1993-01-01

A completely buried structure with a heavily loaded roof system has been analyzed for seismic forces. The seismic input was a site-specific spectrum shape anchored at 0.2g zero period acceleration in the horizontal directions, and the vertical input was prescribed at two thirds of the horizontal input. Models of the structure were developed to account for the flexibility of the base mat, walls, and roof, and were analyzed for the above seismic input with uncertainties in the soil properties considered. The results indicate that horizontal rigid body soil-structure interaction effects are negligible and the seismic amplifications are dominated by the soil-structure system natural frequencies. In addition, the analysis shows that the flexibility of the structure and soil-structure interaction cause considerable amplification of the vertical structural response of the facility's roof system. Finally it was shown that the computer program SASSI can be used to predict the soil-structure interaction responses of a completely buried structure

Surface modification by vacuum annealing for field emission from heavily phosphorus-doped homoepitaxial (1 1 1) diamond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Takatoshi; Nebel, Christoph E.; Somu, Kumaragurubaran; Shikata, Shin-ichi

2008-01-01

The relationship between field emission properties and C 1s core level shifts of heavily phosphorus-doped homoepitaxial (1 1 1) diamond is investigated as a function of annealing temperature in order to optimize surface carbon bonding configurations for device applications. A low field emission threshold voltage is observed from surfaces annealed at 800 deg. C for hydrogen-plasma treated surface, while a low field emission threshold voltage of wet-chemical oxidized surface is observed after annealing at 900 deg. C. The C 1s core level by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed a shoulder peak at 1 eV below the main peak over 800 and 900 deg. C annealing temperature for hydrogen-plasma treated and wet-chemical oxidized surfaces, respectively. When the shoulder peak intensity is less than 10% of the main peak intensity, lower threshold voltages are observed. This is due to the carbon-reconstruction which gives rise to a small positive electron affinity. By increasing annealing temperature, the shoulder peak ratios also increase, which indicates that a surface graphitization takes place. This leads to higher threshold voltages

2012 Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

Science.gov (United States)

Castelaz, Michael W.; Cline, J. D.; Whitworth, C.; Clavier, D.; Owen, L.

2013-01-01

Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) offers research experiences for undergraduates (REU). PARI receives support for the internships from the NC Space Grant Consortium, NSF awards, private donations, and industry partner funding. The PARI REU program began in 2001 with 4 students and has averaged 6 students per year over the past 11 years. This year PARI hosted 8 funded REU students. Mentors for the interns include PARI’s Science, Education, and Information Technology staff and visiting faculty who are members of the PARI Research Faculty Affiliate program. Students work with mentors on radio and optical astronomy research, electrical engineering for robotic control of instruments, software development for instrument control and software for citizen science projects, and science education by developing curricula and multimedia and teaching high school students in summer programs at PARI. At the end of the summer interns write a paper about their research which is published in the annually published PARI Summer Student Proceedings. Several of the students have presented their results at AAS Meetings. We will present a summary of specific research conducted by the students with their mentors and the logistics for hosting the PARI undergraduate internship program.

Misdiagnosis of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa in a choroideremia patient with heavily pigmented fundi.

Science.gov (United States)

Nanda, A; Salvetti, A P; Martinez-Fernandez de la Camara, C; MacLaren, R E

2018-06-01

Inherited retinal diseases are thought to be the leading cause of sight loss in the working age population. Mutations found in the RPGR and CHM genes cause retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and choroideremia, respectively. In the first instance, an X-linked family history of visual field loss commonly raises the suspicion of one of these two genes. In choroideremia, the classic description of a white fundal reflex secondary to the widespread chorioretinal degeneration was made over a hundred years ago in Caucasians. But, it is not so obvious in heavily pigmented fundi. Hence, the clinical diagnosis of CHM in non-Caucasian patients may be challenging in the first stages of the disease. Here we report a case of a Southeast Asian gentleman who has a family history of X-linked retinal degeneration and was found to have a confirmed in-frame deletion of 12 DNA nucleotides in exon 15 of the RPGR gene. Later in life, however, his fundal appearance showed unusual areas of circular pigment hypertrophy and clumping. He was therefore tested for carrying a disease-causing mutation in the CHM gene and a null mutation was found. Since gene therapy trials are ongoing for both of these conditions, it has now become critically important to establish the correct genetic diagnosis in order to recruit suitable candidates. Moreover, this case demonstrates the necessity to remain vigilant in the interpretation of genetic results which are inconsistent with clinical features.

Thermal oxidation effect on structural and optical properties of heavily doped phosphorus polycrystalline silicon films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birouk, B.; Madi, D. [Universite de Jijel, Laboratoire d' Etudes et de Modelisation en Electrotechnique (LAMEL), Cite Ouled Aissa, BP 98, Jijel (Algeria)

2011-08-15

The study reported in this paper contributes to better understanding the thermal oxidation effect on structural and optical properties of polycrystalline silicon heavily in situ P-LPCVD films. The deposits, doped at levels 3 x 10{sup 19} and 1.6 x 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}, have been elaborated from silane decomposition (400 mTorrs, 605 C) on monosilicon substrate oriented left angle 111 right angle. The thermal oxidation was performed at temperatures: 850 C during 1 hour, 1000, 1050, and 1100 C during 15 minutes. The XRD spectra analysis pointed out significant left angle 111 right angle texture evolution, while in the case of left angle 220 right angle and left angle 311 right angle textures, the intensities are practically invariant (variations fall in the uncertainty intervals). The optical characterizations showed that refractive index and absorption coefficient are very sensitive to the oxidation treatment, mainly when the doping level is not very high. We think that atomic oxygen acts as defects passivating agent leading to carriers' concentration increasing. Besides, the optical behavior is modeled in visible and near infrared, by a seven-term polynomial function n {sup 2}=f({lambda} {sup 2}), with alternate signs, instead of theoretically unlimited terms number from Drude's model. It has been shown that fitting parameters fall on Gaussian curves like they do in the theoretical model. (orig.)

Alkylphenolic compounds and bisphenol A contamination within a heavily urbanized area: case study of Paris.

Science.gov (United States)

Cladière, Mathieu; Gasperi, Johnny; Lorgeoux, Catherine; Bonhomme, Céline; Rocher, Vincent; Tassin, Bruno

2013-05-01

This study evaluates the influence of a heavily urbanized area (Paris Metropolitan area), on receiving water contamination by both bisphenol A (BPA) and alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE) biodegradation product. The study began by investigating concentrations within urban sources. In addition to the more commonly studied wastewater treatment plant effluent, wet weather urban sources (including combined sewer overflows, urban runoff, and total atmospheric fallout) were considered. The initial results highlight a significant contamination of all urban sources (from a few nanograms per liter in atmospheric fallout to several micrograms per liter in the other sources) with clearly distinguishable distribution patterns. Secondly, concentration changes along the Seine River from upstream of the Paris Metropolitan area to downstream were investigated. While the concentrations of BPA and nonylphenoxy acetic acid (NP₁EC) increase substantially due to urban sources, the 4-nonylphenol concentrations remain homogeneous along the Seine. These results suggest a broad dissemination of 4-nonylphenol at the scale of the Seine River basin. Moreover, the relationship between pollutant concentrations and Seine River flow was assessed both upstream and downstream of the Paris conurbation. Consequently, a sharp decrease in dissolved NP1EC concentrations relative to Seine River flow underscores the influence of single-point urban pollution on Seine River contamination. Conversely, dissolved 4-nonylphenol concentrations serve to reinforce the hypothesis of its widespread presence at the Seine River basin scale.

Giving wellness a spiritual workout. Two model programs emphasize the development of self-reliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Seaward, B L

1989-04-01

Many hospitals, corporations, and communities have developed wellness programs to help people maintain a healthy life-style. Today's wellness doctrine reflects modern medical thinking that, to achieve optimal human potential, a person must enjoy physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Most wellness programs, however, concentrate on the physical; few take into account spiritual well-being. Wellness programs developed by the Boulder County YMCA, Longmont, CO, and the University of Maryland, College Park, were based on an interpretation of a model suggested by Carl Jung that defines spirituality as the development of self-reliance. According to Jung, the constituents of self-reliance include awareness, inner faith, self-worth, humility, patience, acceptance, and self-confidence. He suggested that the absence of any one of these could cause a breakdown in a person's belief system and lead to a spiritual crisis. These programs trained participants to recognize the importance of their spiritual well-being and to find practical ways to improve it. Key components were a stress management course; workshops in confidence building and values clarification; and classes, lectures, and workshops that emphasize the integration of spiritual and physical well-being.

Age standardized cancer mortality ratios in areas heavily exposed to methyl mercury.

Science.gov (United States)

Yorifuji, Takashi; Tsuda, Toshihide; Kawakami, Norito

2007-08-01

Methyl-mercury (MeHg) was discharged from a chemical factory in Minamata, and consequently spread throughout the Shiranui Sea in Kumamoto, Japan. Although many studies have focused on MeHg-induced neurological disorders, the association between MeHg and malignant neoplasms has not been adequately investigated. Therefore, we explored this association using the age standardized mortality ratio (ASMR) in an ecologic study over a wide area allowing for a long empirical induction period. The subjects were residents in areas around the Shiranui Sea. We divided these areas into exposure groups 1 (Minamata and Ashikita regions) and 2 (Amakusa region). Exposure group 1 was contaminated from the late 1930s, and exposure group 2 was contaminated from the late 1950s. In addition, exposure group 1 was contaminated more heavily than exposure group 2. There were 92,525 and 152,541 residents in each group in 1960, respectively. We analyzed the cancer ASMR in both exposure groups using data from two reference populations (Japan and Kumamoto prefecture) from 1961 to 1997. There were 94,301,494 and 1,856,192 people in each reference group in 1960, respectively. We abstracted population and mortality data from the censuses and the vital statistics of the prefecture and Japan. An increased leukemia ASMR and a decreased gastric cancer ASMR were observed in both exposure groups, while other ASMRs were around unity and less precise. Furthermore, the leukemia ASMRs were elevated differently between the two exposure groups: the leukemia ASMR was already elevated early in the study period in exposure group 1 and increased gradually in exposure group 2. While the negative association between MeHg and gastric cancer might be explained by salt intake, the positive association between MeHg and leukemia could not be explained by potential confounders. Despite some limitations mainly due to its ecologic design, this study indicates the necessity of an individual-level study evaluating the

Preliminary studies on factors controlling the rate of regrowth of heavily x-irradiated rat rhabdomyosarcoma tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenforde, T.S.; Curtis, S.B.; Woodruff, H.K.; Parks, D.L.; Daniels, S.J.; Crabtree, K.E.; Schilling, W.A.; DeGuzman, R.J.

1977-12-01

Following large single doses of x rays, rat rhabdomyosarcoma tumors exhibit a volume response which characteristically has a swelling phase, a regression phase, a rapid ''initial'' regrowth phase and a slow ''late'' regrowth phase. The preliminary experiments reported here were designed to examine three mechanisms that may underlie the reduction in growth rate occurring in the late regrowth phase; heritable non-lethal cellular damage, host immunity, delayed post-irradiation tissue and vascular damage. Based on retransplantation experiments and studies with immunosuppressed rats, neither heritable non-lethal damage nor host immune factors appear to influence the regrowth rate of tumors receiving radiation doses well below the cure level. After an x-ray dose approaching the cure level, regrowing tumors were observed to have a greatly reduced growth rate, possibly reflecting the presence of heritable non-lethal damage and/or an increased antigenicity of the heavily irradiated tumor cells. Morphometric analysis of histological sections did not reveal statistically significant abnormalities at the cellular level during the late regrowth phase, except for an increase in the percentage of necrotic tissue relative to non-irradiated tumors. The morphological resolution of small blood vessels was not adequate to evaluate delayed vascular damage in regrowing irradiated tumors

Effective Recruiting and Intrusive Retention Strategies for Diversifying the Geosciences through a Research Experiences for Undergraduate Program

Science.gov (United States)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Norouzi, H.; Yuen-Lau, L.; Ikramova, M.

2016-12-01

Worse than in most Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, underrepresented minority (URM) groups in the geosciences are reported to be farthest beneath the national benchmarks. Even more alarming, the geosciences have the lowest diversity of all the STEM disciplines at all three levels of higher education. In order to increase the number of underrepresented groups in the geosciences, a National Science Foundation funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the New York City College of Technology has implemented effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain diverse student cohorts. Recruitment efforts include: 1) establishing partnership with the local community colleges; 2) forging collaborations with scientists of color; 3) reaching out to the geoscience departments; and 4) forming relationships with STEM organizations. Unlike the other REU programs which primarily provide a summer-only research experience, this REU program engages students in a year-long research experience. Students begin their research in the summer for nine weeks, and they continue their research one day a week in the fall and spring semesters. During the academic year, they present their projects at conferences. They also serve as STEM ambassadors to community and high school outreach events. This one-year triad connection of 1) professional organizations/conferences, 2) continual research experience, and 3) service constituent has resulted in higher retention and graduation rates of URMs in the STEM disciplines. Both formative and summative program assessment have uncovered and shown that strong recruitment efforts accompanied by intrusive retention strategies are essential to: a) sustain and support STEM URMs in developing confidence as scientists; b) create formal and informal STEM communities; and c) provide a clear pathway to advanced degrees and to the geoscience workforce. This project is supported by NSF REU Grant #1560050.

Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Multidisciplinary Environmental Science

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, M. S.

2012-12-01

During summers 2011 and 12 Montclair State University hosted a Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) in transdisciplinary, hands-on, field-oriented research in environmental sciences. Participants were housed at the Montclair State University's field station situated in the middle of 30,000 acres of mature forest, mountain ridges and freshwater streams and lakes within the Kittatinny Mountains of Northwest New Jersey, Program emphases were placed on development of project planning skills, analytical skills, creativity, critical thinking and scientific report preparation. Ten students were recruited in spring with special focus on recruiting students from underrepresented groups and community colleges. Students were matched with their individual research interests including hydrology, erosion and sedimentation, environmental chemistry, and ecology. In addition to research activities, lectures, educational and recreational field trips, and discussion on environmental ethics and social justice played an important part of the program. The ultimate goal of the program is to facilitate participants' professional growth and to stimulate the participants' interests in pursuing Earth Science as the future career of the participants.

Study of Reduced-Enrichment Uranium Fuel Possibility for Research Reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruppel V.A.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Having analyzed the results obtained in the work, it is possible to conclude that the flux density of fast and thermal neutrons in the shell of fuel elements in EFA in REU-zone decreased on average by 5% for UO2 fuel and by 7% for U9%Mo fuel. Change of neutrons flux density during the cycle does not exceed 4% for both fuel types. On average the fuel burnup in reactor core during the cycle for UO2 and U9%Mo increased by 2.8%. It is 1% less that in HEU-zone, which is conditioned by higher initial loading of 235U in fuel assembly with REU fuel.

High critical currents in heavily doped (Gd,Y)Ba2Cu3Ox superconductor tapes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selvamanickam, V; Gharahcheshmeh, MH; Xu, A; Galstyan, E; Delgado, L; Cantoni, C

2015-01-19

REBa2Cu3Ox ((REBCO), RE = rare earth) superconductor tapes with moderate levels of dopants have been optimized for high critical current density in low magnetic fields at 77 K, but they do not exhibit exemplary performance in conditions of interest for practical applications, i.e., temperatures less than 50K and fields of 2-30 T. Heavy doping of REBCO tapes has been avoided by researchers thus far due to deterioration in properties. Here, we report achievement of critical current densities (J(c)) above 20 MA/cm(2) at 30 K, 3 T in heavily doped (25 mol.% Zr-added) (Gd,Y)Ba2Cu3Ox superconductor tapes, which is more than three times higher than the J(c) typically obtained in moderately doped tapes. Pinning force levels above 1000 GN/m(3) have also been attained at 20 K. A composition map of lift factor in J(c) (ratio of J(c) at 30 K, 3 T to the J(c) at 77 K, 0 T) has been developed which reveals the optimum film composition to obtain lift factors above six, which is thrice the typical value. A highly c-axis aligned BaZrO3 (BZO) nanocolumn defect density of nearly 7 x 10(11) cm(-2) as well as 2-3 nm sized particles rich in Cu and Zr have been found in the high J(c) films. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Holistic Contract Administration in Army Forces Abroad

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-01

other began. Expanding the Scope of Quality Assurance Personnel charged with administering service contracts tend to heavily emphasize ensuring... audits deterred unethical contractor labor practices while providing contractor employees assur - ances of fair treatment. A well-written QASP will...Contracting Team at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar. Gatewood, a U.S. Government civilian employee, was the lead quality assurance specialist for the 742nd

Materiality assessment in sustainability reporting : case study of the airline industry

OpenAIRE

Aryal, Nabin

2017-01-01

Materiality has been heavily emphasized in different sustainability reporting guidelines to increase the quality of the sustainability reports and report issues that are most aligned with the company’s most significant economic, environmental and social issues. In this thesis materiality analysis in sustainability reporting is analyzed. Firstly, in the theoretical part, the concept of sustainability reporting and materiality is explained along with the provision of materiality ...

The Emphasizing Metonymy and Its Relation Whit Ambiguity of Text

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Saleh Masoomi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available   Abstract   In this paper, the use of two different linguistic tools in Arabic language, i.e. Metonymy and Emphasis combined in form of " Emphasizing Metonymy " has been studied . Metonymy, in the tradition of Arabic linguistics, is defined as "the use of a word in the meaning other than the prime meaning for which the word was coined". Using the metonymy has certain requirements; one of them is the existence of sign or marker ( القرینځ in the text. The function of the sign is to inform reader of word's new use in the meaning other than the prime meaning. In the other words , its function is to prevent understanding the true meaning from the word used in the metonymic meaning. The sign conceptually is related to metonymic meaning and incompatible with true meaning ; so, if the reader wants to consider concept of sign and true meaning of word beside each other, he certainly faces conceptual tension . Thus, he has no way but interpreting the word in its metonymic meaning and here, he finds the metonymic use of the word out.   The Muslim linguists have introduced two general types of sign: "verbal sign" and "contextual sign" ( القرینه اللفظیه والقرینه المقامیه . The verbal sign is the one seen among the words used in the text and the contextual sign is the one gained from the context. Of these tow, the fist one has more power to determine metonymic meaning, so that if the reader doesn't find it in the text, he can interpret the word in its true meaning. But, in the other hand, due to the extensive and abundant use of metonymy in Arabic, especially in the literary texts, it could be expected to find the metonymic words almost in all sentences, even though there is no verbal sign. In fact, this is because it's likely to be found the contextual sign for metonymic meaning in the text. Since the contextual signs, in contrary to verbal

Evidence for serial discontinuity in the fish community of a heavily impounded river

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Leandro E.; Dembkowski, D.J.

2016-01-01

In the Tennessee River, USA, we examined lengthwise patterns in fish community structure and species richness within and among nine reservoirs organized in sequence and connected through navigational locks. Within reservoirs, the riverine, transition and lacustrine zones supported distinct, although overlapping, nearshore fish assemblages; differences were also reflected in measures of species richness. Spatial patterns were most apparent for rheophilic species, which increased in species richness and representation upstream within each reservoir and downstream across the chain of reservoirs. This pattern resembled a sawtooth wave, with the amplitude of the wave peaking in the riverine zone below each dam, and progressively higher wave amplitude developing downstream in the reservoir chain. The observed sawtooth pattern supports the serial discontinuity concept in that the continuity of the riverine fish community is interrupted by the lacustrine conditions created behind each dam. Upstream within each reservoir, and downstream in the chain of reservoirs, habitat characteristics become more riverine. To promote sustainability of rheophilic fishes and maintain biodiversity in impounded rivers, conservation plans could emphasize maintenance and preservation of riverine environments of the reservoir's upper reaches, while remaining cognizant of the broader basin trends that provide opportunities for a lengthwise array of conservation and management policy. 

Contribution to the study, by magnetic resonance, of the properties of heavily doped silicon at low temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jerome, D.

1965-10-01

The magnetic properties of heavily doped silicon at low temperature have been studied in a range of concentration on either side of the Mott transition. For impurity densities less than that of the transition a magnetic double resonance method allows the exchange coupling between localized donors to be measured, and in addition the existence of paramagnetic centers (pairs of neutral and ionized donors) is demonstrated. The behaviour of the spin-lattice relaxation of 29 Ci is explained in terms of the dipolar coupling between nuclei and paramagnetic centers. In the range of concentration 10 16 -10 17 impurities/cm 3 , the concentration dependent relaxation of donors is studied experimentally. A theoretical explanation is proposed for the latter mechanism, the basis of which is the presence of ionized pairs of donors. At increasing impurity concentrations the electronic delocalization increases. For the concentration of 2.5 X 10 18 P/cm 3 the hyperfine coupling is responsible for the 29 Si relaxation. It is shown that the electron density has a very large maximum near the impurities in the metallic domain of concentrations. An estimation of the impurity band width (19 deg. K) is deduced from the measurement of the paramagnetic part of the electronic susceptibility at low temperature. (author) [fr

Inhomogeneous electronic structures in heavily Pb-doped Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub y} single crystals probed by low temperature STM/STS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kinoda, Go; Nakao, Shoichiro; Motohashi, Teruki; Nakayama, Yuri; Shimizu, Keisuke; Shimoyama, Junichi; Kishio, Koji; Hanaguri, Tetsuo; Kitazawa, Koichi; Hasegawa, Tetsuya

2003-05-15

We have performed cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) of heavily Pb-doped Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub y} single crystals to investigate local electronic structures in the overdoped regime. The obtained STM/STS results at 4.3 K clearly showed local inhomogeneity of gap structure {delta} ({delta}=20-60 meV) in a scale of several nm, suggesting the coexistence of superconducting and pseudogap-like regions, even in the overdoped regime.

Evolution of carbon distribution and mechanical properties during the static strain ageing of heavily drawn pearlitic steel wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamontagne, A.; Massardier, V.; Sauvage, X.; Kléber, X.; Mari, D.

2016-01-01

The static strain ageing of heavily cold-drawn pearlitic steel wires was investigated using both global techniques and local techniques (Atom Probe Tomography (APT)), in order to highlight how the cold-drawn destabilized microstructure returns to a more stable state during post-drawing treatments between 20 °C and 150 °C. The global techniques (thermoelectric power, differential scanning calorimetry) clearly showed that ageing occurs in three successive ageing stages and is due to a redistribution of the carbon atoms coming from the strain-induced cementite dissolution. The first ageing stage was unambiguously attributed to the carbon segregation to the defects, while the second and third stages were interpreted as being due to the precipitation of intermediate carbides (2nd stage) and cementite (3rd stage). The true strain was not found to significantly affect the ageing kinetics and mechanisms but appeared to play a role in the amount of carbon atoms involved in the different ageing stages. APT analyses confirmed that ageing is governed by the carbon depletion of strain-induced supersaturated ferrite. The strengthening mechanisms associated with the different ageing stages were also discussed.

High critical currents in heavily doped (Gd,Y)Ba2Cu3Ox superconductor tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvamanickam, V.; Gharahcheshmeh, M. Heydari; Xu, A.; Galstyan, E.; Delgado, L.; Cantoni, C.

2015-01-01

REBa 2 Cu 3 O x ((REBCO), RE = rare earth) superconductor tapes with moderate levels of dopants have been optimized for high critical current density in low magnetic fields at 77 K, but they do not exhibit exemplary performance in conditions of interest for practical applications, i.e., temperatures less than 50 K and fields of 2–30 T. Heavy doping of REBCO tapes has been avoided by researchers thus far due to deterioration in properties. Here, we report achievement of critical current densities (J c ) above 20 MA/cm 2 at 30 K, 3 T in heavily doped (25 mol. % Zr-added) (Gd,Y)Ba 2 Cu 3 O x superconductor tapes, which is more than three times higher than the J c typically obtained in moderately doped tapes. Pinning force levels above 1000 GN/m 3 have also been attained at 20 K. A composition map of lift factor in J c (ratio of J c at 30 K, 3 T to the J c at 77 K, 0 T) has been developed which reveals the optimum film composition to obtain lift factors above six, which is thrice the typical value. A highly c-axis aligned BaZrO 3 (BZO) nanocolumn defect density of nearly 7 × 10 11  cm −2 as well as 2–3 nm sized particles rich in Cu and Zr have been found in the high J c films

NuSTAR J033202-2746.8: Direct constraints on the Compton reflection in a heavily obscured quasar at z ≈ 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Moro, A.; Mullaney, J. R.; Alexander, D. M.; Aird, J. A.; Gandhi, P. [Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Comastri, A.; Vignali, C.; Gilli, R. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Bauer, F. E. [Instituto de Astrofísica, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 306, Santiago 22 (Chile); Treister, E. [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción (Chile); Stern, D. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Mail Stop 169-221, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Civano, F. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Ranalli, P. [National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing, Metaxa and Pavlou St., 15236 Penteli (Greece); Ballantyne, D. R. [Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Baloković, M. [Cahill Center for Astrophysics, 1216 East California Boulevard, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Boggs, S. E. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Brandt, W. N. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Lab, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Christensen, F. E. [DTU Space-National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Craig, W. W. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Hailey, C. J., E-mail: agnese.del-moro@durham.ac.uk [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, 550 W 120th Street, Columbia University, NY 10027 (United States); and others

2014-05-01

We report Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observations of NuSTAR J033202-2746.8, a heavily obscured, radio-loud quasar detected in the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South, the deepest layer of the NuSTAR extragalactic survey (∼400 ks, at its deepest). NuSTAR J033202-2746.8 is reliably detected by NuSTAR only at E > 8 keV and has a very flat spectral slope in the NuSTAR energy band (Γ=0.55{sub −0.64}{sup +0.62}; 3-30 keV). Combining the NuSTAR data with extremely deep observations by Chandra and XMM-Newton (4 Ms and 3 Ms, respectively), we constrain the broad-band X-ray spectrum of NuSTAR J033202-2746.8, indicating that this source is a heavily obscured quasar (N{sub H}=5.6{sub −0.8}{sup +0.9}×10{sup 23} cm{sup –2}) with luminosity L {sub 10-40} {sub keV} ≈ 6.4 × 10{sup 44} erg s{sup –1}. Although existing optical and near-infrared (near-IR) data, as well as follow-up spectroscopy with the Keck and VLT telescopes, failed to provide a secure redshift identification for NuSTAR J033202-2746.8, we reliably constrain the redshift z = 2.00 ± 0.04 from the X-ray spectral features (primarily from the iron K edge). The NuSTAR spectrum shows a significant reflection component (R=0.55{sub −0.37}{sup +0.44}), which was not constrained by previous analyses of Chandra and XMM-Newton data alone. The measured reflection fraction is higher than the R ∼ 0 typically observed in bright radio-loud quasars such as NuSTAR J033202-2746.8, which has L {sub 1.4} {sub GHz} ≈ 10{sup 27} W Hz{sup –1}. Constraining the spectral shape of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), including bright quasars, is very important for understanding the AGN population, and can have a strong impact on the modeling of the X-ray background. Our results show the importance of NuSTAR in investigating the broad-band spectral properties of quasars out to high redshift.

Moral stories emphasizing actors' negative emotions toward their nonhelping behavior promote preschoolers' helping behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xu; Hao, Jian

2018-04-01

Specific emotions, especially guilt, are considered to facilitate children's prosocial behavior. The current study differentiated moral stories with a helping theme in terms of the valence and source of emotions and aimed to clarify the effect of these stories on preschoolers' helping intentions and behavior. A total of 322 preschoolers between 4 and 6 years old were randomly assigned to four experimental groups and one control group. A specific type of moral story was presented to each of the experimental groups, whereas a nonmoral story was presented to the control group. The preschoolers were also asked to answer relevant questions to examine their story comprehension. The preschoolers' donating intentions and behavior were then measured. The results showed that all the experimental groups expressed more donating intentions than the control group. However, only the group that read the moral story emphasizing the actor's negative emotions toward his nonhelping behavior displayed more donating behavior than the control group. Therefore, the current study reveals that various moral stories dealing with a helping theme can facilitate helping intentions among preschoolers and that only certain stories can promote their helping behavior. Thus, it indicates the specificity of moral stories that facilitate prosocial behavior in terms of the valence and source of emotions in those stories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gear Tooth Root Stresses of a Very Heavily Loaded Gear Pair-Case Study: Orbiter Body Flap Actuator Pinion and Ring Gear

Science.gov (United States)

Krantz, Timothy L.; Handschuh, Robert F.

2015-01-01

The space shuttle orbiter's body flap actuator gearing was assessed as a case study of the stresses for very heavily loaded external-internal gear pairs (meshing pinion and ring gear). For many applications, using the high point of single tooth contact (HPSTC) to locate the position of the tooth force is adequate for assessing the maximum tooth root stress condition. But for aerospace gearing such an approach may be inadequate for assessing the stress condition while also simultaneously minimizing mass. In this work specialized contact analyses and finite element methods were used to study gear tooth stresses of body flap actuator gears. The analytical solutions considered the elastic deformations as an inherent part of the solutions. The ratio for the maximum tooth stresses using the HPSTC approach solutions relative to the contact analysis and finite element solutions were 1.40 for the ring gear and 1.28 for the pinion gear.

Studying the relationship between the styles of attachment, drug addiction and psychological profile of addicts in comparison with non-addicts (in self-introduced centers of Bushehr Province)

OpenAIRE

2004-01-01

Emphasizing on effective factors in drug dependency and multiple drug relapse, is probably related to formation of personality models. These models are heavily affected by development orientation personality. Various researches show that attachment as a development factor has a decisive role in forming personality models. Hence, in one hand, the present research evaluates the relationship between attachment styles and drug dependency and ,in the other hand, it addresses the relationship betwe...

Do the VOCs that evaporate from a heavily polluted river threaten the health of riparian residents?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juang, Der-Fong; Lee, Chao-Hsien; Chen, Wei-Chin; Yuan, Chung-Shin

2010-01-01

To understand the potential threat of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the health of residents living close to a heavily polluted river, this study investigated the species and the concentration of VOCs evaporating from a river and surveyed the health condition of the nearby residents. Air samples were taken seasonally at the upstream, midstream, and downstream water surfaces of the river, and at different locations at certain distances from the river. These samples were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively through gas chromatography and electron capture detector (GC/ECD) for chlorinated organic compounds, and through gas chromatography and flame ionization detector (GC/FID) for ordinary hydrocarbons. The health data obtained from valid health questionnaires of 908 residents were analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Twenty-six species of VOCs were identified in the environment adjacent the river, many of which are carcinogenic or believed to be carcinogenic to humans. However, results of this study shows that the VOCs evaporating from the polluted river have not been definitively identified as a major factor of cancer in the residents. However, the risk of suffering from certain chronic diseases may increase in residents living less than 225 m away from the river due to the high levels of evaporated VOCs. Residents living less than 225 m away from the river and with nearby specific industries are 3.130 times more at risk of suffering from chronic diseases than those with no nearby specific industries.

Life in the Universe - Astronomy and Planetary Science Research Experience for Undergraduates at the SETI Institute

Science.gov (United States)

Chiar, J.; Phillips, C. B.; Rudolph, A.; Bonaccorsi, R.; Tarter, J.; Harp, G.; Caldwell, D. A.; DeVore, E. K.

2016-12-01

The SETI Institute hosts an Astrobiology Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Beginning in 2013, we partnered with the Physics and Astronomy Dept. at Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-serving university, to recruit underserved students. Over 11 years, we have served 155 students. We focus on Astrobiology since the Institute's mission is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe. Our REU students work with mentors at the Institute - a non-profit organization located in California's Silicon Valley-and at the nearby NASA Ames Research Center. Projects span research on survival of microbes under extreme conditions, planetary geology, astronomy, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), extrasolar planets and more. The REU program begins with an introductory lectures by Institute scientists covering the diverse astrobiology subfields. A week-long field trip to the SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array (Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory in Northern California) and field experiences at hydrothermal systems at nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park immerses students in radio astronomy and SETI, and extremophile environments that are research sites for astrobiologists. Field trips expose students to diverse environments and allow them to investigate planetary analogs as our scientists do. Students also participate in local trips to the California Academy of Sciences and other nearby locations of scientific interest, and attend the weekly scientific colloquium hosted by the SETI Institute at Microsoft, other seminars and lectures at SETI Institute and NASA Ames. The students meet and present at a weekly journal club where they hone their presentation skills, as well as share their research progress. At the end of the summer, the REU interns present their research projects at a session of the Institute's colloquium. As a final project, students prepare a 2-page formal abstract and 15-minute

Comparação entre método bioquímico e reação em cadeia de polimerase para identificação de Lactobacillus spp., isolados de aves Comparison between biochemical and polymerase chain reaction methods for the identification of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from chickens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.R. Barros

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Lactobacilos foram isolados do inglúvio e cecos de reprodutoras pesadas e caracterizados como Gram-positivo, catalase negativo, produtores de gás em glicose e não produtores de H2S em triple sugar iron e pela fermentação de carboidratos. Utilizaram-se os iniciadores: Lac 1/23-10C para detecção de Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. crispatus, L. amylovorus, L. gasseri, L. helveticus e L. jensenii; Lac 2/LU-1' para L. acidophilus; Fer 3/Fer 4 para L. fermentum; Reu 1/Reu 2 para L. reuteri e Sal 1 e Sal 2 para L. salivarius. L. reuteri e L. salivarius foram identificados pela reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR e pelo teste bioquímico, enquanto L. acidophilus, L. fermentum e Lactobacillus sp. somente pelo teste bioquímico. Os resultados obtidos na PCR foram mais precisos quando comparados aos obtidos com o método bioquímico, que demonstrou ser subjetivo devido às variações na fermentação de carboidratos, principalmente na diferenciação entre L. fermentum e L. reuteri.Lactobacilli were isolated from crops and ceca of broiler breeders and characterized by positive Gram staining, negative catalase test, production of gas from glucose, and negative for H2S production from triple sugar iron, and carbohydrates fermentation. Primers: Lac1/23-10C for detecting Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. crispatus, L. amylovorus, L. gasseri, L. helveticus, and L. jensenii; Lac2/LU-1' for L. acidophilus; Fer3/Fer4 for L. fermentum; Reu1/Reu2 for L. reuteri, and Sal1/Sal2 for L. salivarius were used. L. reuteri and L. salivarius were identified by both polymerase chain reaction (PCR and biochemical tests. However, L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, and Lactobacillus sp. were only identified by biochemical tests. PCR results were more precise, considering the variability of carbohydrate fermentation among the strains, especially for identifying L. fermentum and L. reuteri.

SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience): Learning Geophysics by Doing Geophysics

Science.gov (United States)

Jiracek, G. R.; Baldridge, W. S.; Biehler, S.; Braile, L. W.; Ferguson, J. F.; Gilpin, B. E.; Pellerin, L.

2005-12-01

SAGE, a field-based educational program in applied geophysical methods has been an REU site for 16 years and completed its 23rd year of operation in July 2005. SAGE teaches the major geophysical exploration methods (including seismics, gravity, magnetics, and electromagnetics) and applies them to the solution of specific local and regional geologic problems. These include delineating buried hazardous material; mapping archaeological sites; and studying the structure, tectonics, and water resources of the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico. Nearly 600 graduates, undergraduates, and professionals have attended SAGE since 1983. Since 1990 REU students have numbered 219 coming from dozens of different campuses. There have been 124 underrepresented REU students including 100 women, 14 Hispanics, 7 Native Americans, and 3 African Americans. Tracking of former REU students has revealed that 81% have gone on to graduate school. Keys to the success of SAGE are hands-on immersion in geophysics for one month and a partnership between academia, industry, and a federal laboratory. Successful approaches at SAGE include: 1) application of the latest equipment by all students; 2) continued updating of equipment, computers, and software by organizing universities and industry affiliates; 3) close ties with industry who provide supplemental instruction, furnish new equipment and software, and alert students to the current industry trends and job opportunities; 4) two-team, student data analysis structure that simultaneously addresses specific geophysical techniques and their integration; and 5) oral and written reports patterned after professional meetings and journals. An eight member, 'blue ribbon' advisory panel from academia, industry, and the federal government has been set up to maintain the vitality of SAGE by addressing such issues as funding, new faculty, organization, and vision. SAGE is open to students from any university (or organization) with backgrounds including

Growth parameter optimization and interface treatment for enhanced electron mobility in heavily strained GaInAs/AlInAs high electron mobility transistor structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedoryshyn, Yuriy; Ostinelli, Olivier; Alt, Andreas; Pallin, Angel; Bolognesi, Colombo R.

2014-01-01

The optimization of heavily strained Ga 0.25 In 0.75 As/Al 0.48 In 0.52 As high electron mobility transistor structures is discussed in detail. The growth parameters and the channel layer interfaces were optimized in order to maximize the mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas. Structures composed of an 11 nm thick channel layer and a 4 nm thick spacer layer exhibited electron mobilities as high as 15 100 cm 2 /Vs and 70 000 cm 2 /Vs at 300 and 77 K, respectively, for channels including InAs strained layers. The sheet carrier density was kept above 2.5 × 10 12  cm −2 throughout the entire study

Two-Year Clinical Outcomes of Newer-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation Following Rotational Atherectomy for Heavily Calcified Lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jinnouchi, Hiroyuki; Kuramitsu, Shoichi; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Kobayashi, Yohei; Hiromasa, Takashi; Morinaga, Takashi; Mazaki, Toru; Sakakura, Kenichi; Soga, Yoshimitsu; Hyodo, Makoto; Shirai, Shinichi; Ando, Kenji

2015-01-01

Clinical outcomes of implantation of the newer-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) following rotational atherectomy for heavily calcified lesions remain unclear in the real-world setting. We enrolled 252 consecutive patients (273 lesions) treated with newer-generation DES following rotational atherectomy. The primary endpoint was the cumulative 2-year incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as cardiac death, myocardial infarction, clinically-driven target lesion revascularization, and definite stent thrombosis. Complete clinical follow-up information at 2-year was obtained for all patients. The mean age was 73.2±9.0 years and 155 patients (61.5%) were male. Cumulative 2-year incidence of MACE (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, clinically-driven target lesion revascularization and definite stent thrombosis) was 20.3% (7.0%, 2.1%, 18.1% and 2.1%, respectively). Predictors of MACE were presenting with acute coronary syndrome (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-11.2, P=0.02), hemodialysis (HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.04-3.56, P=0.04) and previous coronary artery bypass graft (HR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.02-5.00, P=0.045). PCI for calcified lesions requiring rotational atherectomy is still challenging even in the era of newer-generation DES.

Atmospheric concentrations, distributions and air-soil exchange tendencies of PAHs and PCBs in a heavily industrialized area in Kocaeli, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Cetin, Banu; Yurdakul, Sema; Keles, Melek; Celik, Isil; Ozturk, Fatma; Dogan, Cevdet

2017-09-01

Dilovasi is one of the heavily industrialized areas in Turkey with serious environmental problems. In this study, the atmospheric concentration of PAHs and PCBs were measured for a whole year at 23 sites. The average ambient air Σ 15 PAH and Σ 41 PCB concentrations were found as 285 ± 431 ng m -3 and 4152 ± 6072 pg m -3 , respectively. PAH concentrations increased with decreasing temperature especially in urban areas, indicating the impact of residential heating. However, PCB concentrations mostly increased with temperature probably due to enhanced volatilization from their sources. The gradient obtained for PCBs, rural air were higher in industrial-urban areas than rural sites, showing that soil was a secondary source for PAHs. Fugacity ratios of PCBs were mostly <1.0 for the whole sampling period. Although the source/sink tendency of soil for some PCBs depends on their volatility, considering the whole data, PCBs were generally deposited to soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative study on the reliability of co-authorship networks with emphases on edges and nodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Cristina de Oliveira

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A scientific co-authorship network may be modeled by a graph G composed of k nodes and m edges. Researchers that make up this network may be interpreted as its nodes and the link between these agents (co-authored papers as its edges. Current work evaluated and compared the reliability measure of networks with two emphases: 1 On nodes (perfectly reliable edges and 2 On edges (perfectly reliable nodes. Specifically, the reliability of a fictitious co-authorship network at a given time t was analyzed taking into account, first, the reliability of nodes (researchers equal and different, and, second, the reliability of edges (co-authorship relations, equal and different. Additionally, centrality measures of nodes were obtained to identify situations where the insertion of an edge significantly increased the reliability of the network. Results showed that the reliability of the co-authorship network focusing on edges is more sensitive to changes in individual reliabilities than the reliability of the network focusing on nodes. Additionally, the use of centrality measures was viable to identify possible insertions of edges or co-authorship relations to increase the reliability of the network in the two approaches.

Carbon Footprint Reduction in Transportation Activity by Emphasizing the Usage of Public Bus Services Among Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Sukor, Nur Sabahiah Abdul; Khairiyah Basri, Nur; Asmah Hassan, Sitti

2017-08-01

Transportation is one of the sectors that contributes to the Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) emissions. In terms of carbon footprint, transportation is among the major contributors of high carbon intensity in the urban area. This study was conducted to reduce the carbon footprint contributed by the transportation sector in Penang Island by emphasizing the use of public buses. Secondary school students were the target group for this study. They were asked to report their daily travel behaviour and fuel consumption in a travel journal. The fuel consumption data from the travel journal were used to calculate each individual’s carbon emission level. After the analyses, the value of carbon emissions was revealed to the students. Next, they were encouraged to use public transport in a motivation session and were asked to record their fuel consumption in the travel journal once again. The results showed that there was a significant difference in fuel consumption before and after the motivation session, as the students preferred to use public buses instead of private vehicles after the motivation session. This indicates that the motivation programme had been successful in creating the awareness towards carbon footprint reduction among the adolescents.

Risk ranking of environmental contaminants in Xiaoqing River, a heavily polluted river along urbanizing Bohai Rim.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qifeng; Zhang, Yueqing; Lu, Yonglong; Wang, Pei; Suriyanarayanan, Sarvajayakesavalu; Meng, Jing; Zhou, Yunqiao; Liang, Ruoyu; Khan, Kifayatullah

2018-08-01

Xiaoqing River, located in the Laizhou Bay of Bohai Sea, is heavily polluted by various pollutants including heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), bisphenol A (BPA) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs). The aim of this study is to identify the relative risks of such contaminants that currently affect the coastal ecosystem. The median and highest concentrations of PFAAs and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were 3.23 μg L -1 and 325.28 μg L -1 , and 0.173 μg L -1 and 276.24 μg L -1 , respectively, which were ranked higher when compared with global level concentrations. To assess the relative risk levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), PFOA, and other contaminants in the upstream and downstream of the Xiaoqing River and in its tributary, a risk ranking analysis was carried out. Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), and arsenic (As) showed the highest risk values in the Xiaoqing River, while the relative risks of PFOA and PFOS differed across the various segments. The risk ranking of PFOA was the second highest in the tributary and the fourth highest in the downstream portion of the river, whereas the PFOS was found to be the lowest in all the segments. Heavy metals and PFOA are the main chemicals that should be controlled in the Xiaoqing River. The results of the present study provide a better understanding of the potential ecological risks of the contaminants in Xiaoqing River. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical activation of nitrogen heavily implanted 3C-SiC(1 0 0)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Fan, E-mail: f.li.1@warwick.ac.uk [School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Sharma, Yogesh; Shah, Vishal; Jennings, Mike [School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Pérez-Tomás, Amador [ICN2 – Institut Catala de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Myronov, Maksym [Physics Department, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Fisher, Craig [School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Leadley, David [Physics Department, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); Mawby, Phil [School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

2015-10-30

Highlights: • Nitrogen is fully activated by 1175 °C annealing for 1.5 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3} doped 3C-SiC. • Free donor concentration is found to readily saturate in 3C-SiC at ∼7 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}. • 3C-SiC is found to have complete donor thermal ionization above 150 K. • Donor in 1.5 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3} nitrogen implanted 3C-SiC has an energy level ∼15 meV. • The SiO{sub 2} cap is found to have a bigger influence on low and medium doped samples. - Abstract: A degenerated wide bandgap semiconductor is a rare system. In general, implant levels lie deeper in the band-gap and carrier freeze-out usually takes place at room temperature. Nevertheless, we have observed that heavily doped n-type degenerated 3C-SiC films are achieved by nitrogen implantation level of ∼6 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} at 20 K. According to temperature dependent Hall measurements, nitrogen activation rates decrease with the doping level from almost 100% (1.5 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}, donor level 15 meV) to ∼12% for 6 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3}. Free donors are found to saturate in 3C-SiC at ∼7 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}. The implanted film electrical performances are characterized as a function of the dopant doses and post implantation annealing (PIA) conditions by fabricating Van der Pauw structures. A deposited SiO{sub 2} layer was used as the surface capping layer during the PIA process to study its effect on the resultant film properties. From the device design point of view, the lowest sheet resistivity (∼1.4 mΩ cm) has been observed for medium doped (4 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}) sample with PIA 1375 °C 2 h without a SiO{sub 2} cap.

Improved cuckoo search with particle swarm optimization for ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

an effective method to index images, as many images provide limited texture ... While humans can match similar images or objects, machine vision research is ..... cs.usu.edu/~xqi/Teaching/REU07/Website/Samuel/SamFinalPaper.pdf.

Treatment of heavily contaminated storm water from an industrial site area by filtration through an adsorbent barrier with pine bark (Pinus Silvestris), polonite and active carbon in a comparison study

OpenAIRE

Nehrenheim, Emma; Ribé, Veronica; Carlsson, Peter; Eneroth, Peder; Odlare, Monica

2011-01-01

This study aims to evaluate a simple and robust filtration method for separation of of heavy metals from storm water. The storm water, collected at a metals manufacturing site, is heavily contaminated with heavy metals, A first analysis of a water sample collected from the site in mid Sweden showed exceptionally high concentrations of especially Zn, which was present in concentrations exceeding 200 mgL-1. The basic idea is to filter the water as it flows out of the industry area through a pas...

Microbial Diversity of a Heavily Polluted Microbial Mat and Its Community Changes following Degradation of Petroleum Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Abed, Raeid M. M.; Safi, Nimer M. D.; Köster, Jürgen; de Beer, Dirk; El-Nahhal, Yasser; Rullkötter, Jürgen; Garcia-Pichel, Ferran

2002-01-01

We studied the microbial diversity of benthic cyanobacterial mats inhabiting a heavily polluted site in a coastal stream (Wadi Gaza) and monitored the microbial community response induced by exposure to and degradation of four model petroleum compounds in the laboratory. Phormidium- and Oscillatoria-like cyanobacterial morphotypes were dominant in the field. Bacteria belonging to different groups, mainly the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteriodes group, the γ and β subclasses of the class Proteobacteria, and the green nonsulfur bacteria, were also detected. In slurry experiments, these communities efficiently degraded phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene completely in 7 days both in the light and in the dark. n-Octadecane and pristane were degraded to 25 and 34% of their original levels, respectively, within 7 days, but there was no further degradation until 40 days. Both cyanobacterial and bacterial communities exhibited noticeable changes concomitant with degradation of the compounds. The populations enriched by exposure to petroleum compounds included a cyanobacterium affiliated phylogenetically with Halomicronema. Bacteria enriched both in the light and in the dark, but not bacteria enriched in any of the controls, belonged to the newly described Holophaga-Geothrix-Acidobacterium phylum. In addition, another bacterial population, found to be a member of green nonsulfur bacteria, was detected only in the bacteria treated in the light. All or some of the populations may play a significant role in metabolizing the petroleum compounds. We concluded that the microbial mats from Wadi Gaza are rich in microorganisms with high biodegradative potential. PMID:11916684

An acute hemolytic transfusion reaction due to the "anti-c" rhesus antibody: A case report emphasizing the role of transfusion medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepti Sachan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Rhesus (Rh mediated hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR are usually immunoglobulin G mediated and delayed onset. Rh antibodies being the cause of acute HTR (AHTR and intravascular hemolysis are still under debate. We report here a case of a 53-year-old male who developed AHTR due to "anti-c" antibodies within 3 h of blood transfusion, precipitating fatal acute liver failure in a patient with hepatitis C related chronic liver disease. This case emphasizes the need of inclusion of antibody screening in routine pretransfusion testing as well as a critical role of transfusion medicine specialists for early diagnosis and minimizing transfusion-related morbidity and mortality.

Distributions, sources and pollution status of 17 trace metal/metalloids in the street dust of a heavily industrialized city of central China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhonggen; Feng, Xinbin; Li, Guanghui; Bi, Xiangyang; Zhu, Jianming; Qin, Haibo; Dai, Zhihui; Liu, Jinling; Li, Qiuhua; Sun, Guangyi

2013-11-01

A series of representative street dust samples were collected from a heavily industrialized city, Zhuzhou, in central China, with the aim to investigate the spatial distribution and pollution status of 17 trace metal/metalloid elements. Concentrations of twelve elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, As, Sb, In, Bi, Tl, Ag and Ga) were distinctly amplified by atmospheric deposition resulting from a large scale Pb/Zn smelter located in the northwest fringe of the city, and followed a declining trend towards the city center. Three metals (W, Mo and Co) were enriched in samples very close to a hard alloy manufacturing plant, while Ni and Cr appeared to derive predominantly from natural sources. Other industries and traffic had neglectable effects on the accumulation of observed elements. Cd, In, Zn, Ag and Pb were the five metal/metalloids with highest pollution levels and the northwestern part of city is especially affected by heavy metal pollution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulations, Imaging, and Modeling: A Unique Theme for an Undergraduate Research Program in Biomechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Stephanie M; Domire, Zachary J

2017-07-01

As the reliance on computational models to inform experiments and evaluate medical devices grows, the demand for students with modeling experience will grow. In this paper, we report on the 3-yr experience of a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) based on the theme simulations, imaging, and modeling in biomechanics. While directly applicable to REU sites, our findings also apply to those creating other types of summer undergraduate research programs. The objective of the paper is to examine if a theme of simulations, imaging, and modeling will improve students' understanding of the important topic of modeling, provide an overall positive research experience, and provide an interdisciplinary experience. The structure of the program and the evaluation plan are described. We report on the results from 25 students over three summers from 2014 to 2016. Overall, students reported significant gains in the knowledge of modeling, research process, and graduate school based on self-reported mastery levels and open-ended qualitative responses. This theme provides students with a skill set that is adaptable to other applications illustrating the interdisciplinary nature of modeling in biomechanics. Another advantage is that students may also be able to continue working on their project following the summer experience through network connections. In conclusion, we have described the successful implementation of the theme simulation, imaging, and modeling for an REU site and the overall positive response of the student participants.

Emergent Computation Emphasizing Bioinformatics

CERN Document Server

Simon, Matthew

2005-01-01

Emergent Computation is concerned with recent applications of Mathematical Linguistics or Automata Theory. This subject has a primary focus upon "Bioinformatics" (the Genome and arising interest in the Proteome), but the closing chapter also examines applications in Biology, Medicine, Anthropology, etc. The book is composed of an organized examination of DNA, RNA, and the assembly of amino acids into proteins. Rather than examine these areas from a purely mathematical viewpoint (that excludes much of the biochemical reality), the author uses scientific papers written mostly by biochemists based upon their laboratory observations. Thus while DNA may exist in its double stranded form, triple stranded forms are not excluded. Similarly, while bases exist in Watson-Crick complements, mismatched bases and abasic pairs are not excluded, nor are Hoogsteen bonds. Just as there are four bases naturally found in DNA, the existence of additional bases is not ignored, nor amino acids in addition to the usual complement of...

Heavy Metal Pollution in Settled Dust Associated with Different Urban Functional Areas in a Heavily Air-Polluted City in North China

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Dejun; Han, Zhangxiong; Yang, Jinsong; Yang, Guanglin; Liu, Xingqi

2016-01-01

Understanding variations of heavy metals in atmospheric particles between different functional areas is significant for pollution control and urban planning in cities. To reveal pollution and spatial distribution of heavy metals in atmospheric particles from different urban functional areas in Shijiazhuang in North China, 43 settled dust samples were collected over the main urban area and heavy metal concentrations were determined in their pollution indexes (IPIs) of the ten heavy metals are 2.7–13.6 (5.7 ± 2.2), suggesting high or very high pollution levels of most dust. Relatively lower IPIs occur mainly in the administration-education area, the commercial area, and other unclassified sites; while peaks occur mainly in the North Railway Station, the northeastern industrial area, and some sites near heavily trafficked areas, implying the significant influence of intensive industrial (including coal combustion) and traffic activities on atmospheric heavy metal accumulation. These results suggest a clear need of mitigating atmospheric heavy metal pollution via controlling emissions of toxic metals (especially Cd and Pb) from industrial and traffic sources in the city. PMID:27834903

Heavy Metal Pollution in Settled Dust Associated with Different Urban Functional Areas in a Heavily Air-Polluted City in North China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Dejun; Han, Zhangxiong; Yang, Jinsong; Yang, Guanglin; Liu, Xingqi

2016-11-10

Understanding variations of heavy metals in atmospheric particles between different functional areas is significant for pollution control and urban planning in cities. To reveal pollution and spatial distribution of heavy metals in atmospheric particles from different urban functional areas in Shijiazhuang in North China, 43 settled dust samples were collected over the main urban area and heavy metal concentrations were determined in their pollution indexes (IPIs) of the ten heavy metals are 2.7-13.6 (5.7 ± 2.2), suggesting high or very high pollution levels of most dust. Relatively lower IPIs occur mainly in the administration-education area, the commercial area, and other unclassified sites; while peaks occur mainly in the North Railway Station, the northeastern industrial area, and some sites near heavily trafficked areas, implying the significant influence of intensive industrial (including coal combustion) and traffic activities on atmospheric heavy metal accumulation. These results suggest a clear need of mitigating atmospheric heavy metal pollution via controlling emissions of toxic metals (especially Cd and Pb) from industrial and traffic sources in the city.

Anodic oxidation of wastewater containing the Reactive Orange 16 Dye using heavily boron-doped diamond electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migliorini, F.L.; Braga, N.A.; Alves, S.A.; Lanza, M.R.V.; Baldan, M.R.; Ferreira, N.G.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Electrochemical advanced oxidation process was studied using BDD based anodes with different boron concentrations. → The difference between the non-active and active anodes for organics degradation. → The influence of morphologic and structural properties of BDD electrodes on the RO-16 dye degradation. - Abstract: Boron-doped diamond (BDD) films grown on the titanium substrate were used to study the electrochemical degradation of Reactive Orange (RO) 16 Dye. The films were produced by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique using two different boron concentrations. The growth parameters were controlled to obtain heavily doped diamond films. They were named as E1 and E2 electrodes, with acceptor concentrations of 4.0 and 8.0 x 10 21 atoms cm -3 , respectively. The boron levels were evaluated from Mott-Schottky plots also corroborated by Raman's spectra, which characterized the film quality as well as its physical property. Scanning Electron Microscopy showed well-defined microcrystalline grain morphologies with crystal orientation mixtures of (1 1 1) and (1 0 0). The electrode efficiencies were studied from the advanced oxidation process (AOP) to degrade electrochemically the Reactive Orange 16 azo-dye (RO16). The results were analyzed by UV/VIS spectroscopy, total organic carbon (TOC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques. From UV/VIS spectra the highest doped electrode (E2) showed the best efficiency for both, the aromaticity reduction and the azo group fracture. These tendencies were confirmed by the TOC and chromatographic measurements. Besides, the results showed a direct relationship among the BDD morphology, physical property, and its performance during the degradation process.

Estimation of free carrier concentrations in high-quality heavily doped GaN:Si micro-rods by photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Mohajerani, M. S.; Khachadorian, S.; Nenstiel, C.; Schimpke, T.; Avramescu, A.; Strassburg, M.; Hoffmann, A.; Waag, A.

2016-03-01

The controlled growth of highly n-doped GaN micro rods is one of the major challenges in the fabrication of recently developed three-dimensional (3D) core-shell light emitting diodes (LEDs). In such structures with a large active area, higher electrical conductivity is needed to achieve higher current density. In this contribution, we introduce high quality heavily-doped GaN:Si micro-rods which are key elements of the newly developed 3D core-shell LEDs. These structures were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) using selective area growth (SAG). We employed spatially resolved micro-Raman and micro-photoluminescence (PL) in order to directly determine a free-carrier concentration profile in individual GaN micro-rods. By Raman spectroscopy, we analyze the low-frequency branch of the longitudinal optical (LO)-phonon-plasmon coupled modes and estimate free carrier concentrations from ≍ 2.4 × 1019 cm-3 up to ≍ 1.5 × 1020 cm-3. Furthermore, free carrier concentrations are determined by estimating Fermi energy level from the near band edge emission measured by low-temperature PL. The results from both methods reveal a good consistency.

Biotechnology Process Engineering Center at MIT Home

Science.gov (United States)

NEWS AND EVENTS REU Application for 2008 now available BPEC Director awarded MacArthur ... &22; )&14;&1;t &6; &1; - &8; &22; Q )&14;&1;h &6; - &8; &22; )&25; Spaces>4438< &6; - &8; &22; ( &4;A&1;o &6; ...

SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT APPROACHES AND REVITALIZATION TOOLS-ELECTRONIC (SMARTE): OVERVIEW AND DEMONSTRATION FOR FINAL PHASE 3 CONFERENCE

Science.gov (United States)

The U.S. contingent of the U.S.-German Bilateral Working Group is developing Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools-electronic (SMARTe). SMARTe is a web-based, decision support system designed to assist stakeholders in developing and evaluating alternative reu...

Proto-Typing Research Aimed for Secondary School Students and Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, C. E.; Fersch, A.; Barringer, D.; Pompea, S. M.

2011-12-01

In workshops on GLOBE at Night, teacher professional development has begun on using night sky brightness data and bat telemetry data to do scientific research in the classroom. The study looks at the effects of light pollution on the flight paths of threatened and endangered (T&E) bats between their day roosts and night foraging areas. A jump-start in getting secondary school students involved was the BioBlitz event in Tucson, Arizona in October 2011. During the 24-hour event, night Sky Quality Meter (SQM) data was taken across the Saguaro National Park West, through Tucson and across the Saguaro National Park East. The program had its beginning with a pair of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) students and their advisor. Through the collaboration of the National Science Foundation's REU program, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory's GLOBE at Night program and the U.S. Arizona Game and Fish Department (AzGFD), two REU students along with their advisor used data from the GLOBE at Night project and telemetry tracking data of lesser long-nosed bats to study the effects of light pollution on the flight paths of the bats between their day roosts and night foraging areas around the city of Tucson, AZ. During the summer of 2010, the first REU student used the visual limiting magnitude data from GLOBE at Night and, with the assistance of the AzGFD, ran compositional analyses with respect to the bats' flight paths to determine whether the bats were selecting for or against flight through regions of particular night sky brightness levels. The bats selected for the regions in which the limiting sky magnitudes fell between the ranges of 2.8-3.0 to 3.6-3.8 and 4.4-4.6 to 5.0-5.2, suggesting that the lesser long-nosed bat can tolerate a fair degree of urbanization. Three areas of systematic uncertainty were identified of which 2 could be addressed the following summer. Due to a relatively large uncertainty in each individually measured visual limiting magnitude

Assessment of heavy metals in sediment in a heavily polluted urban river in the Chaohu Basin, China

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Shiguang; Xue, Lianqing; Liu, Cheng; Shang, Jingge; Wang, Zhaode; He, Xiang; Fan, Chengxin

2016-05-01

The Nanfei River (Anhui Province, China) is a severely polluted urban river that flows into Chaohu Lake. In the present study, sediments were collected from the river and analyzed for their heavy metal contents. Multivariate statistics and the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method were used to determine the sources of pollution, the current pollution status, and spatial and temporal variations in heavy metal pollution in sediments. The concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in sediments ranged from 5.67-113, 0.08-40.2, 41.6-524, 15.5-460, 0.03-4.84, 13.5-180, 18.8-250, and 47.9-1 996 mg/kg, and the average concentrations of each metal were 1.7, 38.7, 1.8, 5.5, 18.8, 1.3, 2.5, and 11.1 times greater than the background values, respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that Hg, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Ni may have originated from industrial activities, whereas As and Pb came from agricultural activities. The fuzzy comprehensive assessment method, based on the fuzzy mathematics theory, was used to obtain a detailed assessment of the sediment quality in the Nanfei River watershed. The results indicated that the pollution was moderate in the downstream tributaries of the Nianbu and Dianbu Rivers, but was severe in the main channel of the Nanfei River and in the upstream tributaries of the Sili and Banqiao Rivers. Therefore, sediments in the Nanfei River watershed are heavily polluted and urgent measures should be taken to remedy the status.

Ethics of using language editing services in an era of digital communication and heavily multi-authored papers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lozano, George A

2014-06-01

Scientists of many countries in which English is not the primary language routinely use a variety of manuscript preparation, correction or editing services, a practice that is openly endorsed by many journals and scientific institutions. These services vary tremendously in their scope; at one end there is simple proof-reading, and at the other extreme there is in-depth and extensive peer-reviewing, proposal preparation, statistical analyses, re-writing and co-writing. In this paper, the various types of service are reviewed, along with authorship guidelines, and the question is raised of whether the high-end services surpass most guidelines' criteria for authorship. Three other factors are considered. First, the ease of collaboration possible in the internet era allows multiple iterations between the author(s) and the "editing service", so essentially, papers can be co-written. Second, "editing services" often offer subject-specific experts who comment not only on the language, but interpret and improve scientific content. Third, the trend towards heavily multi-authored papers implies that the threshold necessary to earn authorship is declining. The inevitable conclusion is that at some point the contributions by "editing services" should be deemed sufficient to warrant authorship. Trying to enforce any guidelines would likely be futile, but nevertheless, it might be time to revisit the ethics of using some of the high-end "editing services". In an increasingly international job market, awareness of this problem might prove increasingly important in authorship disputes, the allocation of research grants, and hiring decisions.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Patients with Heavily Pretreated Liver Metastases and Liver Tumors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lanciano, Rachelle; Lamond, John; Yang, Jun; Feng, Jing; Arrigo, Steve; Good, Michael; Brady, Luther, E-mail: rlancmd@gmail.com [Philadelphia CyberKnife, Drexel University, Havertown, PA (United States)

2012-03-09

We present our initial experience with CyberKnife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in a heavily pretreated group of patients with liver metastases and primary liver tumors. From October 2007 to June 2009, 48 patients were treated at the Philadelphia CyberKnife Center for liver metastases or primary liver tumors. We report on 30 patients with 41 discrete lesions (1–4 tumors per patient) who received an ablative radiation dose (BED ≥ 79.2 Gy10 = 66 Gy EQD2). The treatment goal was to achieve a high SBRT dose to the liver tumor while sparing at least 700 cc of liver from radiation doses above 15 Gy. Twenty-three patients were treated with SBRT for metastatic cancer to the liver; the remainder (n = 7) were primary liver tumors. Eighty-seven percent of patients had prior systemic chemotherapy with a median 24 months from diagnosis to SBRT; 37% had prior liver directed therapy. Local control was assessed for 28 patients (39 tumors) with 4 months or more follow-up. At a median follow-up of 22 months (range, 10–40 months), 14/39 (36%) tumors had documented local failure. A decrease in local failure was found with higher doses of SBRT (p = 0.0237); 55% of tumors receiving a BED ≤ 100 Gy10 (10/18) had local failure compared with 19% receiving a BED > 100 Gy10 (4/21). The 2-year actuarial rate of local control for tumors treated with BED > 100 Gy10 was 75% compared to 38% for those patients treated with BED ≤ 100 Gy10 (p = 0.04). At last follow-up, 22/30 patients (73%) had distant progression of disease. Overall, seven patients remain alive with a median survival of 20 months from treatment and 57 months from diagnosis. To date, no patient experienced persistent or severe adverse effects. Despite the heavy pretreatment of these patients, SBRT was well tolerated with excellent local control rates when adequate doses (BED > 100 Gy10) were used. Median survival was limited secondary to development of further metastatic disease in the majority of patients.

Historical data reveal 30-year persistence of benthic fauna associations in heavily modified waterbody

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Callaway

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Baseline surveys form the cornerstone of coastal impact studies where altered conditions, for example through new infrastructure development, are assessed against a temporal reference state. They are snapshots taken before construction. Due to scarcity of relevant data prior to baseline surveys long-term trends can often not be taken into account. Particularly in heavily modified waterbodies this would however be desirable to control for changes in anthropogenic use over time as well as natural ecological variation. Here, the benthic environment of an industrialized embayment was investigated (Swansea Bay, Wales, UK where it is proposed to build a tidal lagoon that would generate marine renewable energy from the tidal range. Since robust long-term baseline data was not available, the value of unpublished historical benthos information from 1984 by a regional water company was assessed with the aim to improve certainty about the persistence of current benthic community patterns. A survey of 101 positions in 2014 identified spatially discrete benthic communities with areas of high and low diversity. Habitat characteristics including sediment properties and the proximity to a sewage outfall explained 17-35% of the variation in the community structure. Comparing the historical information from 1984 with 2014 revealed striking similarity in the benthic communities between those years, not just in their spatial distribution but also to a large extent in the species composition. The 30-year-old information confirmed spatial boundaries of discrete species associations and pinpointed a similar diversity hotspot. A group of five common species was found to be particularly persistent over time (Nucula nitidosa, Spisula elliptica, Spiophanes bombyx, Nephtys hombergii, Diastylis rathkei. According to the Infauna Quality Index (IQI linked to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD the average ecological status for 2014 was ‘moderate’, but eleven samples

Faraday rotation and photoluminescence in heavily Tb(3+)-doped GeO2-B2O3-Al2O3-Ga2O3 glasses for fiber-integrated magneto-optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Guojun; Winterstein-Beckmann, Anja; Surzhenko, Oleksii; Dubs, Carsten; Dellith, Jan; Schmidt, Markus A; Wondraczek, Lothar

2015-03-10

We report on the magneto-optical (MO) properties of heavily Tb(3+)-doped GeO2-B2O3-Al2O3-Ga2O3 glasses towards fiber-integrated paramagnetic MO devices. For a Tb(3+) ion concentration of up to 9.7 × 10(21) cm(-3), the reported glass exhibits an absolute negative Faraday rotation of ~120 rad/T/m at 632.8 nm. The optimum spectral ratio between Verdet constant and light transmittance over the spectral window of 400-1500 nm is found for a Tb(3+) concentration of ~6.5 × 10(21) cm(-3). For this glass, the crystallization stability, expressed as the difference between glass transition temperature and onset temperature of melt crystallization exceeds 100 K, which is a prerequisite for fiber drawing. In addition, a high activation energy of crystallization is achieved at this composition. Optical absorption occurs in the NUV and blue spectral region, accompanied by Tb(3+) photoluminescence. In the heavily doped materials, a UV/blue-to-green photo-conversion gain of ~43% is achieved. The lifetime of photoluminescence is ~2.2 ms at a stimulated emission cross-section σem of ~1.1 × 10(-21) cm(2) for ~ 5.0 × 10(21) cm(-3) Tb(3+). This results in an optical gain parameter σem*τ of ~2.5 × 10(-24) cm(2)s, what could be of interest for implementation of a Tb(3+) fiber laser.

Faraday rotation and photoluminescence in heavily Tb3+-doped GeO2-B2O3-Al2O3-Ga2O3 glasses for fiber-integrated magneto-optics

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Guojun; Winterstein-Beckmann, Anja; Surzhenko, Oleksii; Dubs, Carsten; Dellith, Jan; Schmidt, Markus A.; Wondraczek, Lothar

2015-01-01

We report on the magneto-optical (MO) properties of heavily Tb3+-doped GeO2-B2O3-Al2O3-Ga2O3 glasses towards fiber-integrated paramagnetic MO devices. For a Tb3+ ion concentration of up to 9.7 × 1021 cm−3, the reported glass exhibits an absolute negative Faraday rotation of ~120 rad/T/m at 632.8 nm. The optimum spectral ratio between Verdet constant and light transmittance over the spectral window of 400–1500 nm is found for a Tb3+ concentration of ~6.5 × 1021 cm−3. For this glass, the crystallization stability, expressed as the difference between glass transition temperature and onset temperature of melt crystallization exceeds 100 K, which is a prerequisite for fiber drawing. In addition, a high activation energy of crystallization is achieved at this composition. Optical absorption occurs in the NUV and blue spectral region, accompanied by Tb3+ photoluminescence. In the heavily doped materials, a UV/blue-to-green photo-conversion gain of ~43% is achieved. The lifetime of photoluminescence is ~2.2 ms at a stimulated emission cross-section σem of ~1.1 × 10−21 cm2 for ~ 5.0 × 1021 cm−3 Tb3+. This results in an optical gain parameter σem*τ of ~2.5 × 10−24 cm2s, what could be of interest for implementation of a Tb3+ fiber laser. PMID:25754819

The Nature of the Torus in the Heavily Obscured AGN Markarian 3: an X-Ray Study

Science.gov (United States)

Guainazzi, M.; Risaliti, G.; Awaki, H.; Arevalo, P.; Bauer, F. E.; Bianchi, S.; Boggs, S.E; Brandt, W. N.; Brightman, M.; Christensen, F. E.;

Increasing costs due to ocean acidification drives phytoplankton to be more heavily calcified: optimal growth strategy of coccolithophores.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takahiro Irie

Full Text Available Ocean acidification is potentially one of the greatest threats to marine ecosystems and global carbon cycling. Amongst calcifying organisms, coccolithophores have received special attention because their calcite precipitation plays a significant role in alkalinity flux to the deep ocean (i.e., inorganic carbon pump. Currently, empirical effort is devoted to evaluating the plastic responses to acidification, but evolutionary considerations are missing from this approach. We thus constructed an optimality model to evaluate the evolutionary response of coccolithophorid life history, assuming that their exoskeleton (coccolith serves to reduce the instantaneous mortality rates. Our model predicted that natural selection favors constructing more heavily calcified exoskeleton in response to increased acidification-driven costs. This counter-intuitive response occurs because the fitness benefit of choosing a better-defended, slower growth strategy in more acidic conditions, outweighs that of accelerating the cell cycle, as this occurs by producing less calcified exoskeleton. Contrary to the widely held belief, the evolutionarily optimized population can precipitate larger amounts of CaCO(3 during the bloom in more acidified seawater, depending on parameter values. These findings suggest that ocean acidification may enhance the calcification rates of marine organisms as an adaptive response, possibly accompanied by higher carbon fixation ability. Our theory also provides a compelling explanation for the multispecific fossil time-series record from ∼200 years ago to present, in which mean coccolith size has increased along with rising atmospheric CO(2 concentration.

Evolution of microstructure and texture in copper during repetitive extrusion-upsetting and subsequent annealing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Q.; Shu, D. Y.; Lin, J.

2017-01-01

The evolution of the microstructure and texture in copper has been studied during repetitive extrusion-upsetting (REU) to a total von Mises strain of 4.7 and during subsequent annealing at different temperatures. It is found that the texture is significantly altered by each deformation pass...... strain of 4.7 is measured to be ∼0.3μm. This refined microstructure is unstable at room temperature as is evident from the presence of a small number of recrystallized grains in the deformed matrix. Pronounced recrystallization took place during annealing at 200 °C for 1 h with recrystallized grains...... developing predominantly in high misorientation regions. At 350 ºC the microstructure is fully recrystallized with an average grain size of only 2.3 μm and a very weak crystallographic texture. This REU-processed and subsequently annealed material is considered to be potentially suitable for using...

An accurate measurement of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation with heavily gas-dominated ALFALFA galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Papastergis, E.; Adams, E. A. K.; van der Hulst, J. M.

2016-09-01

We use a sample of 97 galaxies selected from the Arecibo legacy fast ALFA (ALFALFA) 21 cm survey to make an accurate measurement of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR). These galaxies are specifically selected to be heavily gas-dominated (Mgas/M∗ ≳ 2.7) and to be oriented edge-on. The former property ensures that the error on the galactic baryonic mass is small, despite the large systematic uncertainty involved in galactic stellar mass estimates. The latter property means that rotational velocities can be derived directly from the width of the 21 cm emission line, without any need for inclination corrections. We measure a slope for the linewidth-based BTFR of α = 3.75 ± 0.11, a value that is somewhat steeper than (but in broad agreement with) previous literature results. The relation is remarkably tight, with almost all galaxies being located within a perpendicular distance of ± 0.1 dex from the best fit line. The low observational error budget for our sample enables us to establish that, despite its tightness, the measured linewidth-based BTFR has some small (I.e., non-zero) intrinsic scatter. We furthermore find a systematic difference in the BTFR of galaxies with "double-horned" 21 cm line profiles - suggestive of flat outer galactic rotation curves - and those with "peaked" profiles - suggestive of rising rotation curves. When we restrict our sample of galaxies to objects in the former category, we measure a slightly steeper slope of α = 4.13 ± 0.15. Overall, the high-accuracy measurement of the BTFR presented in this article is intended as a reliable observational benchmark against which to test theoretical expectations. Here we consider a representative set of semi-analytic models and hydrodynamic simulations in the lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) context, as well as modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND). In the near future, interferometric follow-up observations of several sample members will enable us to further refine the BTFR measurement, and

Case report 460: Synovial chondrosarcoma of left knee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manivel, J.C.; Dehner, L.P.; Thompson, R.

1988-01-01

The case is presented of a 50-year-old man who presented with a mass around the left knee which radiologically was calcified heavily and eroded bone. A final diagnosis over a period of time of synovial chondrosarcoma was established. A description in depth of the types of synovial chondromatosis and the possible etiology of synovial chondrosarcoma was included in the manuscript. The diagnostic (radiological and pathological) features of the entity were described and the rarity of synovial chondrosarcoma was emphasized. (orig.)

Lan Network Management System Design In PT. ABC

OpenAIRE

Mellviana Chandra; Drs. Lingga Hermanto, MM

1998-01-01

In all cases, the process of choosing what type of system and network to the appropriate network operating system relies heavily on an understanding of running a business firm (in terms of managing data and information into something meaningful). Hence thing to note is studied process data and information flow within an existing business in a way to analyze and evaluate as precisely as possible. Emphasized here that the selected network must support and reflect the ways data / information flo...

Creating Authentic Geoscience Research Experiences for Underrepresented Students in Two-Year Undergraduate Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.

2014-12-01

With community college and two-year program students playing pivotal roles in advancing the nation's STEM agenda now and throughout the remainder of this young millennia, it is incumbent on educators to devise innovative and sustainable STEM initiatives to attract, retain, graduate, and elevate these students to four-year programs and beyond. Involving these students in comprehensive, holistic research experiences is one approach that has paid tremendous dividends. The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) was recently awarded a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) supplemental grant to integrate a community college/two-year program component into its existing REU program. The program created an inviting and supportive community of scholars for these students, nurtured them through strong, dynamic mentoring, provided them with the support structures needed for successful scholarship, and challenged them to attain the same research prominence as their Bachelor degree program companions. Along with their colleagues, the community college/two-year program students were given an opportunity to conduct intensive satellite and ground-based remote sensing research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology Center (NOAA-CREST) at City College and its CREST Institute Center for Remote Sensing and Earth System Science (ReSESS) at City Tech. This presentation highlights the challenges, the rewards, and the lessons learned from this necessary and timely experiment. Preliminary results indicate that this paradigm for geoscience inclusion and high expectation has been remarkably successful. (The program is supported by NSF REU grant #1062934.)

Phytoextraction of nitrogen and phosphorus by crops grown in a heavily manured Dark Brown Chernozem under contrasting soil moisture conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Agomoh, Ikechukwu; Hao, Xiying; Zvomuya, Francis

2018-01-02

Phytoextraction of excess nutrients by crops in soils with a long history of manure application may be a viable option for reducing the nutrient levels. This greenhouse study examined the effectiveness of six growth cycles (40 d each) of barley, canola, corn, oat, pea, soybean, and triticale at extracting nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from a Dark Brown Chernozem that had received 180 Mg ha -1 (wet wt.) of beef cattle feedlot manure annually for 38 years. Moisture content during the study was maintained at either 100% or 50% soil field capacity (SFC). Repeated cropping resulted in an overall decrease in dry matter yield (DMY). The decrease in N and P uptake relative to Cycle 1 was fastest for the cereal grains and less pronounced for the two legumes. However, cumulative N uptake values were significantly greater for corn than the other crops under both moisture regimes. The reduction in soil N was greater under the 100% than the 50% SFC. These results indicate that repeated cropping can be a useful management practice for reducing N and P levels in a heavily manured soil. The extent of reduction will be greater for crops with high biomass production under adequate moisture supply.

Collaborative innovation: Internal and external involvement in new product development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Timenes Laugen, Bjørge; Lassen, Astrid Heidemann

2011-01-01

Industry and academia alike are increasingly becoming aware of the fact that innovation does not take place in isolated cells or functions within the firm. During the last the years the term open innovation has emphasized the importance of internal and external collaboration in order to increase...... strategic priorities influence the degree of external and internal involvement in the NPD process, moderated by contextual factors. Results based on analyses of 584 companies from the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS) 2005 indicate that suppliers are heavily involved in the NPD process...... in firms in B2C markets aiming at increasing the innovation volume. For B2B companies the reverse picture emerges. However, when the aim is to increase the radicality of new products, suppliers and customers are heavily involved for firms in B2B markets. Further, market uncertainty, and to some extent...

A T = 3/2 LEVEL IN Be⁹

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lauritsen, T.; Lynch, B.; Griffiths, G.

1963-12-15

Targets of Li⁷ were bombarded with a He³ beam from a tandem accelerator, and the resulting proton spectrum was studied to determined a T = 3/ 2 level in Be⁹ at about 14.5 Mev. (R.E.U.)

Teaching Global Change in Local Places: The HERO Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program

Science.gov (United States)

Yarnal, Brent; Neff, Rob

2007-01-01

The Human-Environment Research Observatory (HERO) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program aimed to develop the next generation of researchers working on place-based human-environment problems. The program followed a cooperative learning model to foster an integrated approach to geographic research and to build collaborative research…

The Medusa Algorithm for Polynomial Matings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boyd, Suzanne Hruska; Henriksen, Christian

2012-01-01

of its Julia set. Whether these approximations converge is answered using Thurston's topological characterization of rational maps. This algorithm was designed by John Hamal Hubbard, and implemented in 1998 by Christian Henriksen and REU students David Farris and Kuon Ju Liu. In this paper we describe...

The status of the german AF-program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thamm, G.

1984-01-01

The status of the german AF-program is reported in the fields of high density fuel development and qualification as well as for the conversion planning of the FRG research reactors. Up to U-densities of 2,2 g U/cm 3 and 3,2 g U/cm 3 UAlsub(x)- respectively U 3 O 8 -A1 are considered fully qualified and are available at an industrial fabrication scale. Fabrication technology development and irradiation qualification of U-silicide fuels are in good grogress whereof U 3 Si 2 -Al up to 5,0 g U/cm 3 is expected to be fully qualified within the next 2 years. Most of the german research reactors currently operated on HEU-MTR fuel will be converted to the use REU material within the eighties. Tests with REU fuel elements have been successfully started and will be extended very soon by means of which the final HEU-LEU conversion process is expected to be iniated sometimes very smoothly. (author)

Characterizing Gaint Exoplanets through Multiwavelength Transit Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Kasper, David; Cole, Jackson L.; Gardner, Cristilyn N.; Garver, Bethany R.; Jarka, Kyla L.; Kar, Aman; McGough, Aylin M.; PeQueen, David J.; Rivera, Daniel Ivan; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Kobulnicky, Henry A.; Dale, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

Observing the characteristics of giant exoplanets is possible with ground-based telescopes and modern observational methods. We are performing characterizations of multiple giant exoplanets based on 85 allotted nights of transit observations with the 2.3 m Wyoming Infrared Observatory using Sloan filters. In particular, constraints can be made on the atmospheres of our targets from the wavelength (in)dependence in the depth of the transit observations. We present early multiwavelength photometric results on the exoplanet HD 189733 b with comparison to literature sources to exemplify the methodology employed. In total, 15 exoplanets were observed across multiple wavelengths. The majority of the observing allotted to the project was completed as part of the 2017 Summer REU at the University of Wyoming. This work will significantly contribute to the growing number of observed atmospheres and influence interpretation of future WFIRST, JWST, and TESS targets. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under REU grant AST 1560461.

Determination of the Fundamental Properties of the Eclipsing Binary V541 Cygni

Science.gov (United States)

McGruder, Chima; Torres, Guillermo; Siverd, Robert; Pepper, Joshua; Rodriguez, Joseph; KELT Collaboration

2017-01-01

We report new high-resolution spectroscopic observations of the B-type detached spectroscopic eclipsing binary V541 Cygni (e = 0.465 and P =15.34 days). We combine analysis of these new spectra with analysis of V-band photometry from the literature to obtain the most precise measurements of the fundamental properties of the stars to date (yielding ~1% errors in the masses and ~2% for the radii). A comparison with current stellar evolution models indicates good fits for an age of ~ 200 million years and [Fe/H] ~ -0.2. Available eclipse timings gathered over 40 years were used to re-determine the apsidal motion of the system, dω/dt = 0.993 degs/cent, which is larger than what theory suggests.The SAO REU program was funded in part by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant no. 1262851, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Abstract algebra

CERN Document Server

Garrett, Paul B

2007-01-01

Designed for an advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level course, Abstract Algebra provides an example-oriented, less heavily symbolic approach to abstract algebra. The text emphasizes specifics such as basic number theory, polynomials, finite fields, as well as linear and multilinear algebra. This classroom-tested, how-to manual takes a more narrative approach than the stiff formalism of many other textbooks, presenting coherent storylines to convey crucial ideas in a student-friendly, accessible manner. An unusual feature of the text is the systematic characterization of objects by universal

Automating an EXAFS facility: hardware and software considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgopoulos, P.; Sayers, D.E.; Bunker, B.; Elam, T.; Grote, W.A.

1981-01-01

The basic design considerations for computer hardware and software, applicable not only to laboratory EXAFS facilities, but also to synchrotron installations, are reviewed. Uniformity and standardization of both hardware configurations and program packages for data collection and analysis are heavily emphasized. Specific recommendations are made with respect to choice of computers, peripherals, and interfaces, and guidelines for the development of software packages are set forth. A description of two working computer-interfaced EXAFS facilities is presented which can serve as prototypes for future developments. 3 figures

Taxation of Income from Labour and Capital in Finland - Towards Greater or Lesser Equality?

OpenAIRE

Ylä-Liedenpohja, Jouko

2008-01-01

The structure and reforms of the direct tax system over the last two decades is summarized, emphasizing the tax base broadening implemented with dual income taxation and contrasting it to the tax system of the 1980’s. Different categories of capital income are still taxed at rates that are far from uniform. On average labour income is less heavily taxed in Finland than income from capital. There is scope for flattening the progressive tax rate schedule on earned income to prevent high opportu...

Approximate techniques for calculating gamma ray dose rates in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lahti, G.P.

1986-01-01

Although today's computers have made three-dimensional discrete ordinates transport codes a virtual reality, there is still a need for approximate techniques for estimating radiation environments. This paper discusses techniques for calculating gamma ray dose rates in nuclear power plants where Compton scattering is the dominant attenuation mechanism. The buildup factor method is reviewed; its use and misuse are discussed. Several useful rules-of-thumb are developed. The paper emphasizes the need for understanding the fundamental physics and draws heavily on the old, classic references

Cathodoluminescence studies of anomalous ion implantation defect introduction in lightly and heavily doped liquid phase epitaxial GaAs:Sn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norris, C.B.; Barnes, C.E.

1980-01-01

The anomalous postrange defect introduction produced by shallow ion implantation in GaAs has been investigated in Sn-doped liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) material using depth-resolved cathodoluminescence in conjunction with layer removal by chemical etching. 100-keV Ne + or 200-keV Zn + ions were implanted into lightly or heavily Sn-doped LPE layers at temperatures between 80 and 300 K. All implantations were subsequently annealed at 300 K. Although the projected ion ranges for the implants were on the order of 1000 A, significant postrange damage was observed at far greater depths. At depths up to several microns, the damage introduction produced severe nonradiative recombination but simultaneously caused an apparent increase in the concentration of incumbent luminescence centers responsible for an extrinsic band near 1.39 eV. A weak damage-related band near 1.2 eV could also be seen in one instance. At depths of 5--30 μm, the postrange damage had the opposite effect of annihilating incumbent 1.39-eV luminescence centers. The efficiency of the damage introduction has a complicated temperature dependence which is significantly different for the ion/substrate combinations investigated. However, no conditions were found for which the damage introduction could be inhibited. While our measurements are the most extensive to date concerning the anomalous ion implant damage introduction in GaAs, the detailed mechanisms responsible for this effect still remain obscure owing in part to the limited understanding of defects in GaAs

Virtual cohorts and face-to-face recruitment: Strategies for cultivating the next generation of the IRIS Community

Science.gov (United States)

Hubenthal, M.; Wysession, M. E.; Aster, R. C.

2009-12-01

Since 1998, the IRIS Consortium REU program has facilitated research opportunities and career development for 71 undergraduate students to work with leaders in seismological research, travel to exciting locations for fieldwork, and engage in significant research for presentation and recognition at major professional conferences. A principal program goal is to encourage more students, representing a more diverse population, to choose careers in Earth science. Of the forty-six internship alumni that have completed their undergraduate degrees thus far, 85% have attained or are currently pursuing a graduate degree in a geoscience field and an additional 6% are working in a geoscience career with an undergraduate degree. The IRIS Consortium’s program differs from traditional REUs in that students are hosted at IRIS member institutions that are geographically distributed. To capture the sprit of a traditional REU cohort, IRIS has developed and refined a model that bonds students into a cohort. Key to the model are: a) research projects that have a common focus within seismology, b) a weeklong orientation where students get to know one another, share common experiences and establish a “social presence” with the other interns, c) a cyber infrastructure to maintain their connectedness in a way that enables both learning and collaboration, d) an alumni mentor that supports the interns and serves both as a role model and an unbiased and experienced third-party to the mentor/mentee relationship, and e) an alumni reception, and scientific presentation, at the annual Fall AGU Meeting to reconnect and share experiences. Through their virtual community interns offer each other assistance, share ideas, ask questions, and relate life experiences while conducting their own unique research. In addition to developing a model for encouraging virtual cohorts, IRIS has also carefully examined recruitment strategies to increase and diversify the applicant pool. Based on applicant

GEMINI/GeMS Observations Unveil the Structure of the Heavily Obscured Globular Cluster Liller 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Saracino, S.; Dalessandro, E.; Ferraro, F. R.; Lanzoni, B.; Geisler, D.; Mauro, F.; Villanova, S.; Moni Bidin, C.; Miocchi, P.; Massari, D.

2015-06-01

By exploiting the exceptional high-resolution capabilities of the near-IR camera GSAOI combined with the Gemini Multi-Conjugate Adaptive System at the GEMINI South Telescope, we investigated the structural and physical properties of the heavily obscured globular cluster Liller 1 in the Galactic bulge. We have obtained the deepest and most accurate color-magnitude diagram published so far for this cluster, reaching {{K}s}˜ 19 (below the main-sequence turnoff level). We used these data to redetermine the center of gravity of the system, finding that it is located about 2.″2 southeast from the literature value. We also built new star density and surface brightness profiles for the cluster and rederived its main structural and physical parameters (scale radii, concentration parameter, central mass density, total mass). We find that Liller 1 is significantly less concentrated (concentration parameter c=1.74) and less extended (tidal radius {{r}t}=298\\prime\\prime and core radius {{r}c}=5\\buildrel{\\prime\\prime}\\over{.} 39) than previously thought. By using these newly determined structural parameters, we estimated the mass of Liller 1 to be {{M}tot}=2.3+0.3-0.1× {{10}6} {{M}⊙ } ({{M}tot}=1.5+0.2-0.1× {{10}6} {{M}⊙ } for a Kroupa initial mass function), which is comparable to that of the most massive clusters in the Galaxy (ω Centari and Terzan 5). Also, Liller 1 has the second-highest collision rate (after Terzan 5) among all star clusters in the Galaxy, thus confirming that it is an ideal environment for the formation of collisional objects (such as millisecond pulsars). Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministério da

The changing consumer in Germany

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grunert, Klaus G.; Grunert, Suzanne C.; Glatzer, Wolfgang

1995-01-01

Changes in economic, demographic, and cultural factors in West Germany during the past decades are briefly described, as well as changes in consumption patterns and the way the major marketing variables have been used and implemented. Special atte is paid to the upheavals caused by the German reu...

INDIAN POINT REACTOR STARTUP AND PERFORMANCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deddens, J. C.; Batch, M. L.

1963-09-15

The testing program for the Indian Point Reactor is discussed. The thermal and hydraulic evaluation of the primary coolant system is discussed. Analyses of fuel loading and initial criticality, measurement of operating coefficients of reactivity, control rod group reactivity worths, and xenon evaluation are presented. (R.E.U.)

Building a Network of Internships for a Diverse Geoscience Community

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, V.; Haacker-Santos, R.; Pandya, R.

2011-12-01

Individual undergraduate internship programs, however effective, are not sufficient to address the lack of diversity in the geoscience workforce. Rather than competing with each other for a small pool of students from historically under-represented groups, REU and internship programs might share recruiting efforts and application processes. For example, in 2011, the RESESS program at UNAVCO and the SOARS program at UCAR shared recruiting websites and advertising. This contributed to a substantial increase in the number of applicants to the RESESS program, the majority of which were from historically under-represented groups. RESESS and SOARS shared qualified applications with other REU/internship programs and helped several additional minority students secure summer internships. RESESS and SOARS also leveraged their geographic proximity to pool resources for community building activities, a two-day science field trip, a weekly writing workshop, and our final poster session. This provided our interns with an expanded network of peers and gave our staff opportunities to work together on planning. Recently we have reached out to include other programs and agencies in activities for our interns, such as mentoring high-school students, leading outreach to elementary school students, and exposing our interns to geoscience careers options and graduate schools. Informal feedback from students suggests that they value these interactions and appreciate learning with interns from partner programs. Through this work, we are building a network of program managers who support one another professionally and share effective strategies. We would like to expand that network, and future plans include a workshop with university partners and an expanded list of REU programs to explore further collaborations.

Successes, Challenges and Lessons Learned for Recruiting, Engaging and Preparing a Diverse Student Population for 21st Century Careers in Ocean Sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarkston, B. E.; Garza, C.

2015-12-01

Diversity within the Ocean Sciences workforce is still underperforming relative to other scientific disciplines, a problem that will be only be solved by recruiting, engaging and retaining a more diverse student population. The Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program is housed at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), an HSI with strong connections to multiple regional community colleges and other Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) in the CSU system. From this unique position, 11 sophomore and junior-level undergraduate students are recruited per year from academic institutions where research opportunities in STEM are limited and from groups historically underrepresented in the Ocean Sciences, including women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. During the program, students engage in a 10-week original research project guided by a faculty research mentor in one of four themes: Oceanography, Marine Biology and Ecology, Ocean Engineering, and Marine Geology. In addition to research, students engage in rigorous weekly professional development workshops in which they practice critical thinking, ethical decision-making, peer review, writing and oral communication skills. These workshops include tangible products such as an NSF-style proposal paper, Statement of Purpose and CV modelled for the SACNAS Travel Award Application, research abstract, scientific report and oral presentation. To help retain students in Ocean Sciences, students build community during the REU by living together in the CSUMB dormitories; post-REU, students stay connected through an online facebook group, LinkedIn page and group webinars. To date, the REU has supported 22 students in two cohorts (2014, 2015) and here we present successes, challenges and lessons learned for a program designed to prepare students for 21st century Ocean Science careers.

RNA Secondary Structure Prediction by Using Discrete Mathematics: An Interdisciplinary Research Experience for Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James; Nkwanta, Asamoah

2010-01-01

The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses…

Presidents emphasize infrastructure / Roxanne Khamsi

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Khamsi, Roxanne

2003-01-01

Kolme Balti riigi presidendid kohtusid Riias Läänemere Arengufoorumil. Oma kõnedes rõhutasid presidendid vajadust kaitsta Läänemerd ning rääkisid energeetika ja transpordi arendamise olulisusest

Emphasizing the role of surface chemistry on hydrophobicity and cell adhesion behavior of polydimethylsiloxane/TiO2 nanocomposite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Yousefi, Seyedeh Zahra; Tabatabaei-Panah, Pardis-Sadat; Seyfi, Javad

2018-07-01

Improving the bioinertness of materials is of great importance for developing biomedical devices that contact human tissues. The main goal of this study was to establish correlations among surface morphology, roughness and chemistry with hydrophobicity and cell adhesion in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposites loaded with titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles. Firstly, wettability results showed that the nanocomposite loaded with 30 wt.% of TiO 2 exhibited a superhydrophobic behavior; however, the morphology and roughness analysis proved that there was no discernible difference between the surface structures of samples loaded with 20 and 30 wt.% of nanoparticles. Both cell culture and MTT assay experiments showed that, despite the similarity between the surface structures, the sample loaded with 30 wt.% nanoparticles exhibits the greatest reduction in the cell viability (80%) as compared with the pure PDMS film. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results, the remarkable reduction in cell viability of the superhydrophobic sample could be majorly attributed to the role of surface chemistry. The obtained results emphasize the importance of adjusting the surface properties especially surface chemistry to gain the optimum cell adhesion behavior. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on the immune response to fixed antigens. Preferential induction of helper function with heavily trinitrophenylated sheep erythrocytes, and glutaraldehyde-treated sheep erythrocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahan, M.; Berman-Goldman, R.; Saltoun, R.; Naor, D.

1976-01-01

Mice primed with heavily trinitrophenylated sheep red cells (TNP 128 SRC) or glutaraldehyde-treated sheep red cells (G-SRC) developed an early helper function mediated by thymus-derived cells. Such mice were able to produce high secondary responses to both hapten and carrier after challenge 2 days after priming, with lightly trinitrophenylated SRC (TNP 0 . 14 SRC). However, the primary response of the TNP 128 SRC or G-SRC-primed mice were very low to undetectable, and their secondary responses were also low when the challenge antigen was administered 4 days after priming or later. Inhibitory humoral factor(s) which were induced in the primed animals appeared responsible for the decreased capacity of primed mice to mount a secondary response when challenged later than 2 days after priming. Transfer of spleen cells from TNP 128 SRC-primed mice to sublethally irradiated recipients circumvents their exposure to inhibitory humoral factor(s) present in intact animals allowing them to react with challenge antigen. Enriched populations of T cells, but not B cells, were able to transfer this early immunologic memory to irradiated recipients. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed

PIA Program | CTIO

Science.gov (United States)

, accept unpaid interns who have funding through another source. For example, in the past we have hosted at CTIO, or if you have any questions about past CTIO PIA Programs, please send email to ctiopia each year to participate in a research program funded by CTIO and carried out together with the REU

The WIRED Survey. I. A Bright IR Excess Due to Dust Around the Heavily Polluted White Dwarf Galex J193156.8+011745

Science.gov (United States)

Debes, John H.; Hoard, D. W.; Kilic, Mukremin; Wachter, Stefanie; Leisawitz, David T.; Cohen, Martin; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Griffith, Roger L.

2011-01-01

With the launch of the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), a new era of detecting planetary debris around white dwarfs (WDs) has begun with the WISE InfraRed Excesses around Degenerates (WIRED) Survey. The WIRED survey will be sensitive to substellar objects and dusty debris around WDs out to distances exceeding 100 pc, well beyond the completeness level of local WDs and covering a large fraction of known WDs detected with the SDSS DR4 WD catalog. In this paper, we report an initial result of the WIRED survey, the detection of the heavily polluted hydrogen WD (spectral type DAZ) GALEX Jl93156.S-KlI1745 at 3.35 and 4.6/Lm. We find that the excess is consistent with either a narrow dusty ring with an inner radius of 29 RWD. outer radius of 40 RWD, and a face-on inclination, or a disk with an inclination of 70 , an inner radius of 23 RWD. and an outer radius of 80 RWD. We also report initial optical spectroscopic monitoring of several metal lines present in the photosphere and find no variability in the line strengths or radial velocities of the lines. We rule out all but planetary mass companions to GALEXl931 out to 0.5 AU.

Bevacizumab Demonstrates Prolonged Disease Stabilization in Patients with Heavily Pretreated Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole M. Agostino

2010-01-01

Full Text Available There are now a variety of therapies approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC. These include the immunotherapeutics, alfa-interferon, and interleukin-2, and agents that target the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR via its tyrosine kinase, such as sorafenib, sunitinib, and pazopanib, or the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR, such as temsirolimus and everolimus. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the ligand, VEGF, has shown activity against RCC as a single agent in patients who had failed prior cytokine therapy and as first line therapy in combination with interferon. The activity of bevacizumab in patients who had received and failed prior therapy has not been described. We report our experience in 4 patients with metastatic RCC who had failed prior cytokine, TKI, and mTOR inhibitors who were treated with bevacizumab as single agent therapy. These heavily pretreated patients sustained very prolonged periods of stable disease (median of 12 months with very little toxicity and excellent quality of life. The activity of this agent in patients who had failed prior therapies directed against the VEGFR and mTOR suggests that therapy targeting the ligand, VEGF, is still a viable approach in these patients and deserves further study.

A contemplation in negation and emphasizes of outstanding philosophers of Tehran philosophy school in immortality of subject in substantial movement.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

mohamad khosravi farsani

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Agha Ali and Jelveh ,two of outstanding of Tehran philosophy school, have reconsidered Sandra's opinions in two opposite sides. Agha Ali is the claimant of negation and ambiguity in most of Sandra's opinions while emphasizing on transcendent theosophy foundations ,and he tries to make these ambiguities clear .However , Jelveh follows Avicenna's way and has the idea of criticizing Sandra .This article has chosen the problem Of immortality of subject in substantial movement between all debates of these two philosophers of the same age.in this essay we are going to survey Agha Ali's claims in his new explantation in one hand ,and survey and criticize the new explanation of Jelveh in negation Of substantial movement .One of the consequences of surveying and criticizing these two philosophers is that we recognize Agha Ali has succeeded in making Sadra's opinions clear by presenting a new explanation of substantial movement subject. However ,Jelveh has merged Sadra's opinions with Avicenna's instead of debilitating Sadra's opinions and stabilizing Avicenna's opinions.

Insertion of a pentacene layer into the gold/poly(methyl methacrylate)/heavily doped p-type Si/indium device leading to the modulation of resistive switching characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Cheng-Chun; Lin, Yow-Jon

2018-01-01

In order to get a physical insight into the pentacene interlayer-modulated resistive switching (RS) characteristics, the Au/pentacene/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/heavily doped p-type Si (p+-Si)/In and Au/PMMA/p+-Si/In devices are fabricated and the device performance is provided. The Au/pentacene/PMMA/p+-Si/In device shows RS behavior, whereas the Au/PMMA/p+-Si/In device exhibits the set/reset-free hysteresis current-voltage characteristics. The insertion of a pentacene layer is a noticeable contribution to the RS characteristic. This is because of the occurrence of carrier accumulation/depletion in the pentacene interlayer. The transition from carrier depletion to carrier accumulation (carrier accumulation to carrier depletion) in pentacene occurring under negative (positive) voltage induces the process of set (reset). The switching conduction mechanism is primarily described as space charge limited conduction according to the electrical transport properties measurement. The concept of a pentacene/PMMA heterostructure opens a promising direction for organic memory devices.

Community level offset of rain use- and transpiration efficiency for a heavily grazed ecosystem in inner Mongolia grassland.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ying Z; Giese, Marcus; Gao, Qiang; Brueck, Holger; Sheng, Lian X; Yang, Hai J

2013-01-01

Water use efficiency (WUE) is a key indicator to assess ecosystem adaptation to water stress. Rain use efficiency (RUE) is usually used as a proxy for WUE due to lack of transpiration data. Furthermore, RUE based on aboveground primary productivity (RUEANPP) is used to evaluate whole plant water use because root production data is often missing as well. However, it is controversial as to whether RUE is a reliable parameter to elucidate transpiration efficiency (TE), and whether RUEANPP is a suitable proxy for RUE of the whole plant basis. The experiment was conducted at three differently managed sites in the Inner Mongolia steppe: a site fenced since 1979 (UG79), a winter grazing site (WG) and a heavily grazed site (HG). Site HG had consistent lowest RUEANPP and RUE based on total net primary productivity (RUENPP). RUEANPP is a relatively good proxy at sites UG79 and WG, but less reliable for site HG. Similarly, RUEANPP is good predictor of transpiration efficiency based on aboveground net primary productivity (TEANPP) at sites UG79 and WG but not for site HG. However, if total net primary productivity is considered, RUENPP is good predictor of transpiration efficiency based on total net primary productivity (TENPP) for all sites. Although our measurements indicate decreased plant transpiration and consequentially decreasing RUE under heavy grazing, productivity was relatively compensated for with a higher TE. This offset between RUE and TE was even enhanced under water limited conditions and more evident when belowground net primary productivity (BNNP) was included. These findings suggest that BNPP should be considered when studies fucus on WUE of more intensively used grasslands. The consideration of the whole plant perspective and "real" WUE would partially revise our picture of system performance and therefore might affect the discussion on the C-sequestration and resilience potential of ecosystems.

Sequence/structural analysis of xylem proteome emphasizes pathogenesis-related proteins, chitinases and β-1, 3-glucanases as key players in grapevine defense against Xylella fastidiosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandeep Chakraborty

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background. Xylella fastidiosa, the causative agent of various plant diseases including Pierce’s disease in the US, and Citrus Variegated Chlorosis in Brazil, remains a continual source of concern and economic losses, especially since almost all commercial varieties are sensitive to this Gammaproteobacteria. Differential expression of proteins in infected tissue is an established methodology to identify key elements involved in plant defense pathways. Methods. In the current work, we developed a methodology named CHURNER that emphasizes relevant protein functions from proteomic data, based on identification of proteins with similar structures that do not necessarily have sequence homology. Such clustering emphasizes protein functions which have multiple copies that are up/down-regulated, and highlights similar proteins which are differentially regulated. As a working example we present proteomic data enumerating differentially expressed proteins in xylem sap from grapevines that were infected with X. fastidiosa. Results. Analysis of this data by CHURNER highlighted pathogenesis related PR-1 proteins, reinforcing this as the foremost protein function in xylem sap involved in the grapevine defense response to X. fastidiosa. β-1, 3-glucanase, which has both anti-microbial and anti-fungal activities, is also up-regulated. Simultaneously, chitinases are found to be both up and down-regulated by CHURNER, and thus the net gain of this protein function loses its significance in the defense response. Discussion. We demonstrate how structural data can be incorporated in the pipeline of proteomic data analysis prior to making inferences on the importance of individual proteins to plant defense mechanisms. We expect CHURNER to be applicable to any proteomic data set.

High critical currents in heavily doped (Gd,Y)Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} superconductor tapes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selvamanickam, V., E-mail: selva@uh.edu; Gharahcheshmeh, M. Heydari; Xu, A.; Galstyan, E.; Delgado, L. [Department of Mechanical Engineering and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Rd., Houston, Texas 77204-4006 (United States); Cantoni, C. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37381 (United States)

2015-01-19

REBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} ((REBCO), RE = rare earth) superconductor tapes with moderate levels of dopants have been optimized for high critical current density in low magnetic fields at 77 K, but they do not exhibit exemplary performance in conditions of interest for practical applications, i.e., temperatures less than 50 K and fields of 2–30 T. Heavy doping of REBCO tapes has been avoided by researchers thus far due to deterioration in properties. Here, we report achievement of critical current densities (J{sub c}) above 20 MA/cm{sup 2} at 30 K, 3 T in heavily doped (25 mol. % Zr-added) (Gd,Y)Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} superconductor tapes, which is more than three times higher than the J{sub c} typically obtained in moderately doped tapes. Pinning force levels above 1000 GN/m{sup 3} have also been attained at 20 K. A composition map of lift factor in J{sub c} (ratio of J{sub c} at 30 K, 3 T to the J{sub c} at 77 K, 0 T) has been developed which reveals the optimum film composition to obtain lift factors above six, which is thrice the typical value. A highly c-axis aligned BaZrO{sub 3} (BZO) nanocolumn defect density of nearly 7 × 10{sup 11 }cm{sup −2} as well as 2–3 nm sized particles rich in Cu and Zr have been found in the high J{sub c} films.

Molecular and Recombination Lines in the Central Region of Sagittarius B2

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, J.; Langston, G.

2005-12-01

We present observations of recombination and molecular lines towards Sgr B2 in the frequency range 12.4 to 15.0 GHz. In this frequency range, Hα , β , and γ lines, Heα recombination lines and emission from the SO molecule are detected. Molecular absorption lines from OH, H2CO, and CH3CO are detected at velocity 62±3 km/s. Measurements of the line widths and intensities are presented for the central region of Sgr B2. We detect two previously un-reported molecular absorption lines at 12388.0 and 14625.8 MHz (v=0. in LSR Frame). For selected recombination and molecular lines, we present images of a 10x10 arc-minute region centered on Sgr B2(M). We discuss the sources of three H2CO absorption features detected at 62±3, 6±5, and 100±10 km/s. This was done as a summer REU project in 2005 at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Green Bank site, and was funded by the National Science Foundation's REU program.

Is Episodic Accretion Necessary to Resolve the Luminosity Problem in Low-Mass Protostars?

Science.gov (United States)

Sevrinsky, Raymond Andrew; Dunham, Michael

2017-01-01

In this contribution, we compare the results of protostellar accretion simulations for scenarios both containing and lacking episodic accretion activity. We determine synthetic observational signatures for collapsing protostars by taking hydrodynamical simulations predicting highly variable episodic accretion events, filtering out the stochastic behavior by applying power law fits to the mass accretion rates onto the disk and central star, and using the filtered rates as inputs to two-dimensional radiative transfer calculations. The spectral energy distributions generated by these calculations are used to calculate standard observational signatures of Lbol and Tbol, and compared directly to a sample of 230 embedded protostars. We explore the degree to which these continually declining accretion models successfully reproduce the observed spread of protostellar luminosities, and examine their consistency with the prior variable models to investigate the degree to which episodic accretion bursts are necessary in protostellar formation theories to match observations of field protostars. The SAO REU program is funded in part by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant no. 1262851, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Networking for Successful Diversity Recruiting: Creating a Highly Diverse Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program by Networking with Mentors, Faculty, and Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalbotten, D. M.; Berthelote, A.; Watts, N. B.

2017-12-01

Successfully recruiting for diversity begins as you plan your program and make sure that all elements of the program support diverse participation. The REU on Sustainable Land and Water Resources continues to be one of the most diverse NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduate Programs in the geosciences. Every aspect of the program, from recruiting, the application process, selecting participants, and the methods developed to support participant success have been scrutinized and tailored towards broadening participation. While the focus of the research has been on collaboration with Native American reservations to create community-based participatory research projects and improving access for Native American students, the PIs strive for ethnic and cultural diversity of the participants. Emphasis on networking and building relationships with minority-serving institutions has led to increasing numbers of underrepresented students applying to the REU. In 2017, a full 30% of our applications were from underrepresented groups. The authors will discuss methods for improved diversity recruiting, as well as ways to make every aspect of your program support diversity in the geosciences.

The '333' integrated strategy for effective pollution control and its application to the heavily polluted Jialu River in north China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yu; Sun, Jie; Li, Aimin; Xie, Xianchuan

2018-05-01

In this study, an integrated approach named the '333' strategy was applied to pollution control in the Jialu River, in northern China, which is heavily burdened with anthropogenic pollution. Due to a deficiency of the natural ecological inflow, the Jialu River receives predominantly industrial and municipal effluent. The '333' strategy is composed of three steps of pollution control including industrial point-source pollution control, advanced treatment of municipal wastewater, and ecological restoration; three increased stringency emission standards; and three stages of reclamation. Phase 1 of the '333' strategy focuses on industrial point-source pollution control; phase 2 aims to harness municipal wastewater and minimize sewage effluents using novel techniques for advanced water purification; phase 3 of the '333' strategy focuses on the further purification of effluents flowing into Jialu River with the employment of an engineering-based ecological restoration project. The application of the '333' strategy resulted in the development of novel techniques for water purification including modified magnetic resins (NDMP resin), a two-stage internal circulation anaerobic reactor (IC reactor) and an ecological restoration system. The results indicate that water quality in the river was significantly improved, with increased concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), as well as reduction of COD by 42.8% and NH 3 -N by 61.4%. In addition, it was observed that the total population of phytoplankton in treated river water notably increased from only one prior to restoration to 8 following restoration. This system also provides a tool for pollution control of other similar industrial and anthropogenic source polluted rivers.

Transformation from refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) into acute myeloid leukemia (AML) obserbed in a heavily exposed atomic bomb survivor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwato, Koji; Kawano, Michio; Kimura, Akiro; Kuramoto, Atsushi; Tanaka, Kimio; Kamada, Nanao

1987-01-01

A heavily exposed atomic bomb survivor, 59-year-old man presented refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) terminating in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 38 years after exposure. When he manifested AML, combination chemotherapy was started. But complete remission was not obtained even by B-DOMP regimen. Cytogenetic studies were performed, and their relation to the clinical course was analyzed. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes had 41.9 % non-clonal chromosomal abnormalities suggesting over 400 rad exposure. Bone marrow cells at RAEB exhibited a presence of mosaic clones of normal and abnormal chromosomal pattern, which supported the clinical diagnosis of RAEB and corresponded to the clinical features such as steady state and a low percentage of myeloblasts. At transformation into AML, clonal chromosomal abnormality was seen in bone marrow cells. It may explain a rapid increase of abnormal cells. This abnormal clone showed a little different karyotype seen at RAEB. But it was suspected to derive from a clone at RAEB, because of the same persistent chromosomal abnormalities. Then it aquired an additional chromosomal abnormalities at clinically drug-resistant phase of AML. In vivo selection assay of these leukemic cells revealed that transforming gene took part in this leukemogenesis. These data shown in this paper contribute to investigate a mechanism of leukemogenesis in atomic bomb survivors and establishment of new therapy.

Distributions, sources and pollution status of 17 trace metal/metalloids in the street dust of a heavily industrialized city of central China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zhonggen; Feng, Xinbin; Li, Guanghui; Bi, Xiangyang; Zhu, Jianming; Qin, Haibo; Dai, Zhihui; Liu, Jinling; Li, Qiuhua; Sun, Guangyi

2013-01-01

A series of representative street dust samples were collected from a heavily industrialized city, Zhuzhou, in central China, with the aim to investigate the spatial distribution and pollution status of 17 trace metal/metalloid elements. Concentrations of twelve elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, As, Sb, In, Bi, Tl, Ag and Ga) were distinctly amplified by atmospheric deposition resulting from a large scale Pb/Zn smelter located in the northwest fringe of the city, and followed a declining trend towards the city center. Three metals (W, Mo and Co) were enriched in samples very close to a hard alloy manufacturing plant, while Ni and Cr appeared to derive predominantly from natural sources. Other industries and traffic had neglectable effects on the accumulation of observed elements. Cd, In, Zn, Ag and Pb were the five metal/metalloids with highest pollution levels and the northwestern part of city is especially affected by heavy metal pollution. -- Highlights: •Large-scale Pb/Zn smelters contributed to elevated trace elements in the street dust. •The hard alloy processing caused the enrichment of a few elements. •Cd, In, Zn, Ag and Pb were the most polluted elements. •Northwestern Zhuzhou suffered severe contamination for a range of trace elements. -- Pb/Zn smelting and hard alloy processing operations have caused seriously contamination of trace metal/metalloids in the street dust

Transformation from refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) into acute myeloid leukemia (AML) obserbed in a heavily exposed atomic bomb survivor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwato, Koji; Kawano, Michio; Kimura, Akiro; Kuramoto, Atsushi; Tanaka, Kimio; Kamada, Nanao

1987-01-01

A heavily exposed atomic bomb survivor, 59-year-old man presented refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) terminating in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 38 years after exposure. When he manifested AML, combination chemotherapy was started. But complete remission was not obtained even by B-DOMP regimen. Cytogenetic studies were performed, and their relation to the clinical course was analyzed. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes had 41.9 % non-clonal chromosomal abnormalities suggesting over 400 rad exposure. Bone marrow cells at RAEB exhibited a presence of mosaic clones of normal and abnormal chromosomal pattern, which supported the clinical diagnosis of RAEB and corresponded to the clinical features such as steady state and a low percentage of myeloblasts. At transformation into AML, clonal chromosomal abnormality was seen in bone marrow cells. It may explain a rapid increase of abnormal cells. This abnormal clone showed a little different karyotype seen at RAEB. But it was suspected to derive from a clone at RAEB, because of the same persistent chromosomal abnormalities. Then it aquired an additional chromosomal abnormalities at clinically drug-resistant phase of AML. In vivo selection assay of these leukemic cells revealed that transforming gene took part in this leukemogenesis. These data shown in this paper contribute to investigate a mechanism of leukemogenesis in atomic bomb survivors and establishment of new therapy. (author)

Improving Pre-Operative Flexion in Primary TKA: A Surgical Technique Emphasizing Knee Flexion with 5-Year Follow-Up

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward McPherson

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study prospectively reviews a consecutive series of 228 primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA procedures utilizing a technique to optimize knee flexion. The main features include: (1the use of a “patellar friendly” femoral component and reduced thickness patellar components, (2 patient individualized adjustment of the femoral component rotation set strictly to the anterior-posterior femoral axis, (3a rigorous flexion compartment debridement to remove non-essential posterior femoral bone with a Z-osteotome, and (4incorporation of a rapid recovery protocol with features to promote knee flexion. Results were categorized into three groups: low pre-op flexion (90 degrees and below, regular pre-op flexion (91-125 degrees, and high pre-op flexion (126 degrees and above. Average flexion in the low flexion group improved by 20 degrees at 6 weeks, 28 degrees at 3 months, 31 degrees at 1 year, and 30 degrees at 5 years. In the regular flexion group, average flexion improved by 2 degrees at 6 weeks, 10 degrees at 3 months, 12 degrees at 1 year, and 13 degrees at 5 years. Finally, in the high flexion group, average flexion decreased by 7 degrees at 6 weeks, regained preoperative levels at 3 months, and increased by 3 degrees at 1 year and 4 degrees at 5 years. In summary, a technique that emphasizes patellofemoral kinematics can consistently improve flexion in TKA in short and long-term follow-up.

The multi-facets of sustainable nanotechnology – Lessons from a nanosafety symposium

Science.gov (United States)

George, Saji; Ho, Shirley S.; Wong, Esther S. P.; Tan, Timothy Thatt Yang; Verma, Navin Kumar; Aitken, Robert J.; Riediker, Michael; Cummings, Christopher; Yu, Liya; Wang, Zheng Ming; Zink, Daniele; Ng, Zhihan; Loo, Say Chye Joachim; Ng, Kee Woei

2015-01-01

Abstract An international symposium for nanosafety was held recently at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Topics relating to understanding nanomaterial properties, tools, and infrastructure required for predicting hazardous outcomes, measuring nanomaterial exposure levels, systems approach for risk assessment and public’s perception of nanotechnology were covered. The need for a multidisciplinary approach, across both natural and social sciences, for developing sustainable nanotechnology solutions was heavily emphasized. This commentary highlights the major issues discussed and the commitment of the nanosafety research community in Singapore to contribute collectively to realise the vision of sustainable nanotechnology. PMID:25976321

How federal government and university policies need to change to achieve more and better research and education

Science.gov (United States)

Wieman, Carl

2011-04-01

The Obama administration has repeatedly emphasized that the economic future of the country will depend heavily on the future success of both its scientific research and its science education. Research universities play a vital role in both of these activities. Unfortunately, universities are facing increasing difficulties in maintaining and enhancing the quality of their research and educational activities. There are some particularly notable unmet opportunities for improving science education. I will offer some ideas for how federal and university policies on research funding and education might be modified in tandem to enhance both research and educational outputs.

The status of coastal oceanography in heavily impacted Yellow and East China Sea: Past trends, progress, and possible futures

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao Hua; Cho, Yang-Ki; Guo, Xinyu; Wu, Chau-Ron; Zhou, Junliang

2015-09-01

Coastal environments are a key location for transport, commercial, residential and defence infrastructure, and have provided conditions suitable for economic growth. They also fulfil important cultural, recreational and aesthetic needs; have intrinsic ecosystem service values; and provide essential biogeochemical functions such as primary productivity, nutrient cycling and water filtration. The rapid expansion in economic development and anticipated growth of the population in the coastal zones along the Yellow and East China Sea basin has placed this region under intense multiple stresses. Here we aim to: 1) synthesize the new knowledge/science in coastal oceanography since 2010 within the context of the scientific literature published in English; 2) report on a citation analysis that assesses whether new research topics have emerged and integrated over time, indicate the location of modelling and field-based studies; and 3) suggest where the new research should develop for heavily impacted estuaries and coastal seas of East Asia. The conclusions of the synthesis include: 1) China has emerged as a dominant force in the region in producing scientific literature in coastal oceanography, although the area of publications has shifted from its traditional fields such as physical oceanography; 2) there has been an increasing number of publications with cross-disciplinary themes between physical oceanography and other fields of the biological, chemical, and geological disciplines, but vigorous and systematic funding mechanisms are still lacking to ensure the viability of large scale multi-disciplinary teams and projects in order to support trans-disciplinary research and newly emerging fields; 3) coastal oceanography is responding to new challenges, with many papers studying the impacts of human activities on marine environment and ecology, but so far very few studying management and conservation strategies or offering policy solutions.

Recovery of ostracod with known ages in differently textured sediments and comparison of toxicity of heavily contaminated sediments with ostracod Heterocypris incongruens and amphipod Hyalella azteca

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanova, N. Yu; Nikitin, O. V.; Latypova, V. Z.; Vybornova, I. B.; Galieva, G. S.; Okunev, R. V.

2018-01-01

The recovery of 1-, 4-, 6,-, and 8-d-old ostracods (Heterocypris incongruens) from sediments with different texture has been evaluated. The recovery of ostracods at all ages has been in agreement with the acceptability criterion of 80% of survival for sediment tests. The recovery of ostracods has turned out to be equal to or more than 80% for sand and silt sediments, respectively. The comparison of survival rates between ostracods and amphipods has shown good convergence in the tests of heavily contaminated sediments (R2=0.75, pquality criteria (TEC) have been exceeded mostly for total petroleum hydrocarbons (100% samples), Cr (100%), Ni (87%), Cu (87%), Pb (47%), and Cd (53%). The content of acid volatile sulfides (AVS) has been significantly higher than that of simultaneously extracted metals (SEM). The obtained results have indicated that, metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni, and Pb) are non-bioavailable. Only one sample has exceeded TEC for PAHs (dibenz[a,h]anthracene). It was observed that, no significant correlation between the effect of toxicity and the chemical content.

Thermal equilibrium concentration of intrinsic point defects in heavily doped silicon crystals - Theoretical study of formation energy and formation entropy in area of influence of dopant atoms-

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, K.; Yamaoka, S.; Sueoka, K.; Vanhellemont, J.

2017-09-01

It is well known that p-type, neutral and n-type dopants affect the intrinsic point defect (vacancy V and self-interstitial I) behavior in single crystal Si. By the interaction with V and/or I, (1) growing Si crystals become more V- or I-rich, (2) oxygen precipitation is enhanced or retarded, and (3) dopant diffusion is enhanced or retarded, depending on the type and concentration of dopant atoms. Since these interactions affect a wide range of Si properties ranging from as-grown crystal quality to LSI performance, numerical simulations are used to predict and to control the behavior of both dopant atoms and intrinsic point defects. In most cases, the thermal equilibrium concentrations of dopant-point defect pairs are evaluated using the mass action law by taking only the binding energy of closest pair to each other into account. The impacts of dopant atoms on the formation of V and I more distant than 1st neighbor and on the change of formation entropy are usually neglected. In this study, we have evaluated the thermal equilibrium concentrations of intrinsic point defects in heavily doped Si crystals. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to obtain the formation energy (Ef) of the uncharged V and I at all sites in a 64-atom supercell around a substitutional p-type (B, Ga, In, and Tl), neutral (C, Ge, and Sn) and n-type (P, As, and Sb) dopant atom. The formation (vibration) entropies (Sf) of free I, V and I, V at 1st neighboring site from B, C, Sn, P and As atoms were also calculated with the linear response method. The dependences of the thermal equilibrium concentrations of trapped and total intrinsic point defects (sum of free I or V and I or V trapped with dopant atoms) on the concentrations of B, C, Sn, P and As in Si were obtained. Furthermore, the present evaluations well explain the experimental results of the so-called ;Voronkov criterion; in B and C doped Si, and also the observed dopant dependent void sizes in P and As doped Si

Effects of a behavioral intervention that emphasizes spices and herbs on adherence to recommended sodium intake: results of the SPICE randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Cheryl A M; Cobb, Laura K; Miller, Edgar R; Woodward, Mark; Hottenstein, Annette; Chang, Alex R; Mongraw-Chaffin, Morgana; White, Karen; Charleston, Jeanne; Tanaka, Toshiko; Thomas, Letitia; Appel, Lawrence J

2015-09-01

For decades, dietary sodium intake in the United States has remained high, and few studies have examined strategies for maintaining recommended intakes. We examined the effects of a behavioral intervention, which emphasized spices and herbs, on the maintenance of sodium intake at the recommended intake of 1500 mg/d in individuals to whom the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans apply. We conducted a 2-phase study that included adults ≥18 y of age for whom Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 1500 mg Na/d. The study was conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2012 to 2014. In phase 1, 55 individuals consumed a low-sodium diet for 4 wk. Participants were provided all foods, snacks, and calorie-containing drinks. In phase 2, 40 participants from phase 1 were randomly assigned to either a behavioral intervention to reduce sodium intake (n = 20) or a self-directed control group (n = 20) for 20 wk. The primary study outcome was the change in mean 24-h urinary sodium excretion during phase 2. Linear regression analyses were used to determine intervention effects on urinary sodium excretion. Participant characteristics were as follows: women: 65%; African American: 88%; hypertension: 63%; diabetes: 18%; mean age: 61 y; and mean body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 30. At the end of phase 2, mean 24-h sodium excretion was lower in the behavioral intervention than in the self-directed group (mean difference: -956.8 mg/d; 95% CI: -1538.7, -374.9 mg/d) after sodium intake at screening was controlled for (P = 0.002). These findings persisted in sensitivity analyses that excluded potentially incomplete urine collections [Mage's equation mean difference: -1090 mg/d (P = 0.001); Joosens' equation mean difference: -796 mg/d (P = 0.04)]. A multifactorial behavioral intervention emphasizing spices and herbs significantly reduced sodium intake. Because of the ubiquity of sodium in the US food supply, multilevel strategies addressing individual behaviors and the food supply are needed

A randomized-controlled trial of intensive case management emphasizing the recovery model among patients with severe and enduring mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, S; McFarland, J; Kealy, B; Pullela, A; Saunders, J; Cullen, W; Meagher, D

2012-09-01

There is increasing interest in the application of recovery principles in mental health services. We studied the implementation of a programme of intensive case management (ICM) emphasizing recovery principles in a community mental health service in Ireland. Eighty service attenders with severe and enduring illness characterized by significant ongoing disability were randomized into (1) a group receiving a programme of ICM and (2) a group receiving treatment as usual (TAU). Groups were compared before and after the programme for general psychopathology using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) (clinician rated) and How are You? scale (self-rated). The Functional Analysis of Care Environments (FACE) scale provided assessment of multiple functional domains. The overall group (mean age 44.5 ± 13.2 years; 60% male) had mean total Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS) scale scores of 10.5 ± 4.6, with problems in social functioning especially prominent (mean social subscale score 5.0 ± 2.7). The ICM group were younger (p recovery principles resulted in significant improvement across psychopathological and functional domains. Improvements were linked to enhanced engagement with structured daily activities. Recovery-oriented practices can be integrated into existing mental health services and provided alongside traditional models of care.

Determining Plutonium Mass in Spent Fuel with Nondestructive Assay Techniques -- Preliminary Modeling Results Emphasizing Integration among Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobin, S.J.; Fensin, M.L.; Ludewigt, B.A.; Menlove, H.O.; Quiter, B.J.; Sandoval, N.P.; Swinhoe, M.T.; Thompson, S.J.

2009-01-01

There are a variety of motivations for quantifying Pu in spent (used) fuel assemblies by means of nondestructive assay (NDA) including the following: strengthen the capabilities of the International Atomic Energy Agencies to safeguards nuclear facilities, quantifying shipper/receiver difference, determining the input accountability value at reprocessing facilities and providing quantitative input to burnup credit determination for repositories. For the purpose of determining the Pu mass in spent fuel assemblies, twelve NDA techniques were identified that provide information about the composition of an assembly. A key point motivating the present research path is the realization that none of these techniques, in isolation, is capable of both (1) quantifying the elemental Pu mass of an assembly and (2) detecting the diversion of a significant number of pins. As such, the focus of this work is determining how to best integrate 2 or 3 techniques into a system that can quantify elemental Pu and to assess how well this system can detect material diversion. Furthermore, it is important economically to down-select among the various techniques before advancing to the experimental phase. In order to achieve this dual goal of integration and down-selection, a Monte Carlo library of PWR assemblies was created and is described in another paper at Global 2009 (Fensin et al.). The research presented here emphasizes integration among techniques. An overview of a five year research plan starting in 2009 is given. Preliminary modeling results for the Monte Carlo assembly library are presented for 3 NDA techniques: Delayed Neutrons, Differential Die-Away, and Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence. As part of the focus on integration, the concept of 'Pu isotopic correlation' is discussed and the role of cooling time determination.

An evaluation capacity building toolkit for principal investigators of undergraduate research experiences: A demonstration of transforming theory into practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rorrer, Audrey S

2016-04-01

This paper describes the approach and process undertaken to develop evaluation capacity among the leaders of a federally funded undergraduate research program. An evaluation toolkit was developed for Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering(1) Research Experiences for Undergraduates(2) (CISE REU) programs to address the ongoing need for evaluation capacity among principal investigators who manage program evaluation. The toolkit was the result of collaboration within the CISE REU community with the purpose being to provide targeted instructional resources and tools for quality program evaluation. Challenges were to balance the desire for standardized assessment with the responsibility to account for individual program contexts. Toolkit contents included instructional materials about evaluation practice, a standardized applicant management tool, and a modulated outcomes measure. Resulting benefits from toolkit deployment were having cost effective, sustainable evaluation tools, a community evaluation forum, and aggregate measurement of key program outcomes for the national program. Lessons learned included the imperative of understanding the evaluation context, engaging stakeholders, and building stakeholder trust. Results from project measures are presented along with a discussion of guidelines for facilitating evaluation capacity building that will serve a variety of contexts. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Research Ethics with Undergraduates in Summer Research Training Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, I.; Yalcin, K.

2016-02-01

Many undergraduate research training programs incorporate research ethics into their programs and some are required. Engaging students in conversations around challenging topics such as conflict of interest, cultural and gender biases, what is science and what is normative science can difficult in newly formed student cohorts. In addition, discussing topics with more distant impacts such as science and policy, intellectual property and authorship, can be difficult for students in their first research experience that have more immediate concerns about plagiarism, data manipulation, and the student/faculty relationship. Oregon State University's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Ocean Sciences: From Estuaries to the Deep Sea as one model for incorporating a research ethics component into summer undergraduate research training programs. Weaved into the 10-week REU program, undergraduate interns participate in a series of conversations and a faculty mentor panel focused on research ethics. Topics discussed are in a framework for sharing myths, knowledge and personal experiences on issues in research with ethical implications. The series follows guidelines and case studies outlined from the text, On Being A Scientist: Responsible Conduct In Research Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences.

Summer Research Experiences for Science and Art Teachers to Explore Astrobiology

Science.gov (United States)

Cola, J.; Gaucher, E.; Snell, T.; Greenwood, J.; Angra, A.; Zimmerman, C.; Williams, L. D.

2012-12-01

The Georgia Tech Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution, a center funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, developed an educational program titled, "Life on the Edge: Astrobiology." The purpose of the program was to provide high school educators with the exposure, materials, and skills necessary to prepare our future workforce and to foster student interest in scientific discovery on Earth and throughout the universe. In an effort to promote and encourage entry into teaching careers, Georgia Tech paired teachers in the Georgia Intern-Fellowship for Teachers (GIFT) program with undergraduate students interested in becoming a teacher through the NSF Pre-Teaching REU program. The GIFT and Pre-Teaching fellows investigated extremophiles, which became the focus of a week-long, "Life on the Edge: Astrobiology " summer program developed by three high school educators, two undergraduate students and faculty in the Schools of Biology, and Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. Twenty high school students were introduced to hands-on activities, such as astrobiology inspired art and techniques such as genomic DNA purification, gel electrophoresis, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The impact of the Astrobiology program on the GIFT researchers, Pre-Teaching REU students, high school students, and faculty are discussed.

Osteopetroses, emphasizing potential approaches to treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Teti, Anna; Econs, Michael J

2017-09-01

Osteopetroses are a heterogeneous group of rare genetic bone diseases sharing the common hallmarks of reduced osteoclast activity, increased bone mass and high bone fragility. Osteoclasts are bone resorbing cells that contribute to bone growth and renewal through the erosion of the mineralized matrix. Alongside the bone forming activity by osteoblasts, osteoclasts allow the skeleton to grow harmonically and maintain a healthy balance between bone resorption and formation. Osteoclast impairment in osteopetroses prevents bone renewal and deteriorates bone quality, causing atraumatic fractures. Osteopetroses vary in severity and are caused by mutations in a variety of genes involved in bone resorption or in osteoclastogenesis. Frequent signs and symptoms include osteosclerosis, deformity, dwarfism and narrowing of the bony canals, including the nerve foramina, leading to hematological and neural failures. The disease is autosomal, with only one extremely rare form associated so far to the X-chromosome, and can have either recessive or dominant inheritance. Recessive ostepetroses are generally lethal in infancy or childhood, with a few milder forms clinically denominated intermediate osteopetroses. Dominant osteopetrosis is so far associated only with mutations in the CLCN7 gene and, although described as a benign form, it can be severely debilitating, although not at the same level as recessive forms, and can rarely result in reduced life expectancy. Severe osteopetroses due to osteoclast autonomous defects can be treated by Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT), but those due to deficiency of the pro-osteoclastogenic cytokine, RANKL, are not suitable for this procedure. Likewise, it is unclear as to whether HSCT, which has high intrinsic risks, results in clinical improvement in autosomal dominant osteopetrosis. Therefore, there is an unmet medical need to identify new therapies and studies are currently in progress to test gene and cell therapies, small interfering RNA approach and novel pharmacologic treatments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Astronomy Courses which Emphasize Communication Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Dinerstein, H. L.

1998-12-01

The ability to communicate effectively, both in oral and written form, is crucial for success in almost any career path. Furthermore, being able to effectively communicate information requires a high level of conceptual mastery of the material. For these reasons, I have incorporated practice in communication into courses at a variety of levels, ranging from non-science-major undergraduate courses to graduate courses. I briefly describe the content of these courses, particularly the communication-related component. The first, Ast 309N, ``Astronomy Bizarre: Stars and Stellar Evolution," is an elective which follows one semester of general introductory astronomy for non-majors. Instead of homework problems, the students complete a sequence of writing assignments of graduated complexity, beginning with simple tasks such as writing abstracts and critiques of assigned readings, and moving on to writing term papers which require literature research and a short science fiction story incorporating accurate depictions of relativistic effects. In Ast 175/275, a ``Journal Club" course for upper-division astronomy majors, students read articles in the professional literature and give short oral presentations to the rest of the class. To build up their understanding of a topic, we work through the ``paper trail" of key papers on topics with exciting recent developments, such as extrasolar planets, gravitational lenses, or gamma-ray bursts. Finally, in a seminar course for first-semester astronomy graduate students (Ast 185C) that broadly addresses professional development issues, I include a practice AAS oral session, with the students giving 5-minute presentations on a journal paper of their choice. This seminar course also examines career paths and employment trends, the peer review process for papers and proposals, professional norms and ethics, and other topics. Syllabi for these and other courses I teach regularly can be found from my home page (http://www.as.utexas.edu/astronomy/people/dinerstein).

The robustness of two tomography reconstructing techniques with heavily noisy dynamical experimental data from a high speed gamma-ray tomograph

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasconcelos, Geovane Vitor; Melo, Silvio de Barros; Dantas, Carlos Costa; Moreira, Icaro Malta; Johansen, Geira; Maad, Rachid

2013-01-01

The PSIRT (Particle Systems Iterative Reconstructive Technique) is, just like the ART method, an iterative tomographic reconstruction technique with the recommended use in the reconstruction of catalytic density distribution in the refining process of oil in the FCC-type riser. The PSIRT is based upon computer graphics' particle systems, where the reconstructing material is initially represented as composed of particles subject to a force field emanating from the beams, whose intensities are parameterized by the differences between the experimental readings of a given beam trajectory, and the values corresponding to the current amount of particles landed in this trajectory. A dynamical process is set as the beams fields of attracting forces dispute the particles. At the end, with the equilibrium established, the particles are replaced by the corresponding regions of pixels. The High Speed Gamma-ray Tomograph is a 5-source-fan-beam device with a 17-detector deck per source, capable of producing up to a thousand complete sinograms per second. Around 70.000 experimental sinograms from this tomograph were produced simulating the move of gas bubbles in different angular speeds immersed in oil within the vessel, through the use of a two-hole-polypropylene phantom. The sinogram frames were set with several different detector integration times. This article studies and compares the robustness of both ART and PSIRT methods in this heavily noisy scenario, where this noise comes not only from limitations in the dynamical sampling, but also from to the underlying apparatus that produces the counting in the tomograph. These experiments suggest that PSIRT is a more robust method than ART for noisy data. Visual inspection on the resulting images suggests that PSIRT is a more robust method than ART for noisy data, since it almost never presents globally scattered noise. (author)

Mobility and Device Applications of Heavily Doped Silicon and Strained SILICON(1-X) Germanium(x) Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Carns, Timothy Keith

With the advent of Si molecular beam epitaxy (Si -MBE), a significant amount of research has occurred to seek alternative high conductivity Si-based materials such as rm Si_{1-x}Ge_ {x} and delta-doped Si. These materials have brought improvements in device speeds and current drives with the added advantage of monolithic integration into Si VLSI circuits. The bulk of research in Si-based materials has been devoted to the implementation of strained rm Si_{1-x}Ge_{x} as the base layer of a rm Si_ {1-x}Ge_{x}/Si heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). Because of the valence band offset, the rm Si_{1-x}Ge _{x} layer can be heavily doped, leading to lower base sheet resistances and hence, improved speed performances. The Ge content in the base can also be graded to increase the drift field in the base. However, very few hole mobility measurements have been done in these strained layers, leading to limitations in device modeling and in understanding the transport behavior in this important material. In addition to rm Si_{1 -x}Ge_{x}, much potential also exists in using delta-doping in Si for improved conductivities over those of bulk Si. However, as of yet, delta-doped Si has received little attention. Therefore, this dissertation is dedicated to the investigation of both of these Si-based materials (strained rm Si_{1-x}Ge_{x } and delta-doped Si and rm Si_{1-x}Ge_ {x}) for the purpose of obtaining higher conductivities than comparably doped bulk Si. This work is divided into three parts to accomplish this objective. The first part is contained in Chapter 3 and is comprised of a comprehensive characterization of the hole mobility in compressively strained rm Si_{1 -x}Ge_{x}. Few results have been obtained prior to this research which has led to many inaccuracies in device modeling. The second part of this dissertation in Chapters 4 and 5 is devoted to the study of the mobility behavior in both boron and antimony delta-doped Si and rm Si_ {1-x}Ge_{x}. The important

THE ROSENBLUTH FORMULA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yennie, D. R.

1963-06-15

The Rosenbluth formula, defined as the theoretical expression for the differential cross section for electronproton scattering under one-photon- exchange, is discussed. Electron-proton amd positron-proton scattering are compared using the formula. Some possible corrections to the Rosenbluth formula are discussed. The effects of nonelectromagnetic interactions and two-photon- exchange, with the possibility of Regge pole behavior, are also discussed. (R.E.U.)

PROJECTED MOLECULAR BEAM RESEARCH AT THE APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fristrom, R. M.

1963-05-15

An apparatus is described that is used in the study of elementary chemical reactions using the crossed molecular beam technique. A time-of-flight mass spectrometer is used as a detector and the velocity and angular distributions of the scattered species are measured directly. Schematic representation of the scope detector and the results of H + O/sub 2/ yields OH + O are given. (R.E.U.)

DETECTORS USED IN PARTICLE PHYSICS RESEARCH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melissines, A. C.

1963-10-15

Detectors used in particle physics are discussed, and their specific properties are compared. With the pictorial'' devices are included nuclear emulsions, cloud and bubble chambers, and spark chambers. Included in the digital'' devices are counters, e.g., the Geiger counter, scintillation counters, solid-state detectors, Cherenkov counters, and spark counters. Sensitivity, resolving power, time resolutions, saturation level, and energy detection are discussed. (R.E.U.)

Soil concentrations and source apportionment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and trace elements around a heavily industrialized area in Kocaeli, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Cetin, Banu

2014-01-01

Air pollutants are transported by dry deposition, wet deposition, and gas exchange accumulated in soil. Therefore, soil is an important environmental medium reflecting the level and the spatial distribution of air pollutants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals. Soil concentrations of seven PBDE congeners and 21 trace elements were determined in a heavily industrialized region (Dilovasi) in Kocaeli, Turkey. At all sites, Σ7PBDE concentrations ranged from 0.70 to 203 with a mean value of 26.3 μg kg(-1) (dry weight). The congener profiles and mass inventories of PBDEs and their interactions with soil organic matter (SOM) were also investigated. BDE-209 was the dominant congener at all sites, followed by BDE-99 and/or -47. The estimated inventory of PBDEs for the Dilovasi district was 310 kg. However, there are several additional industrial regions in Kocaeli city. Considering the total land area, the potential inventory would be much larger for this city. The relationship between the PBDE concentrations in soil and SOM content indicated that factors other than soil properties have a greater influence on soil concentrations. Crustal enrichment factors (EFs) were determined; correlation analysis and factor analysis (FA) were also applied to generated data set to identify and apportion the sources polluting the soil. Sn, Mn, Ca, As, Zn, Pb, and Cd had significantly high average EF values, indicating that their soil concentrations were mainly influenced by anthropogenic activities. In FA, six factors were extracted with a cumulative variance of 84.4 % and industrial activities and traffic were found to be the main factors affecting the soil profile.

Primary attributions in women suffering fibromyalgia emphasize the perception of a disruptive onset for a long-lasting pain problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Cedraschi, Christine; Girard, Elodie; Luthy, Christophe; Kossovsky, Michel; Desmeules, Jules; Allaz, Anne-Françoise

2013-03-01

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder characterized by widespread pain. This study focuses on patients' attributions of illness and of symptom onset. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 56 women to elicit patients' views on what triggered their FM. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using a classical indexing technique to identify key themes. Content analysis was performed by two independent coders. Primary causal attributions fell into five categories: psychological problems (28 respondents); somatic concerns (N=12); violence/abuse during childhood (N=7), gynaecological/obstetrical problems (N=6), and fatigue (N=3). Patients' attributions were internal and external in the same proportions, more frequently unstable than stable, and more often described uncontrollable than controllable. Participants expressed decrements in self-esteem and feelings such as self-blame or despair; global perceptions of persistent pain and long-lasting problems, evoking chronicity and hopelessness; and low perceived control over their lives as well as beliefs that nothing can be done, thus increasing a feeling of guilt and vulnerability. Patients' narratives emphasized disruptive circumstances surrounding symptom onset. Attributions often referred to the psychological dimension of the events surrounding FM onset, even though some of them also had a clear somatic dimension. Many narratives mentioned successive disruptive events and suggested an increasing loss of control. Addressing these illness representations may contribute to tailor the treatment and to help patients gain self-coherency by providing means to understand pain onset but also to guide future behaviours, particularly in terms of adjustment and help-seeking. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (progonoma): a case report emphasizing the computed tomography findings and literature review; Tumor neuroectodermico melanocitico da infancia (progonoma): relato de caso enfatizando os aspectos tomograficos e revisao da literatura

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araujo Junior, Cyrillo Rodrigues de; Carvalho, Tarcisio Nunes; Fraguas Filho, Sergio Roberto; Costa, Marlos Augusto Bitencourt; Borba, Ana Olivia Cardoso; Figueiredo, Sizenildo da Silva; Machado, Marcio Martins; Teixeira, Kim-Ir-Sen Santos [Goias Univ., Goiania, GO (Brazil). Hospital das Clinicas. Servico de Diagnostico por Imagem]. E-mail: radiologia@brturbo.com

2004-12-01

The melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy, also known as progonoma, is a rare benign disease of neural crest origin that occurs within the first year of life and affects mainly the maxilla. The authors report a case of a 10-month-old child presenting with this uncommon tumor in the maxilla, emphasizing the diagnostic findings on computed tomography, and present a literature review. (author)

Integrative taxonomy of the ornamental 'peppermint' shrimp public market and population genetics of Lysmata boggessi, the most heavily traded species worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Baeza, J Antonio; Behringer, Donald C

2017-01-01

The ornamental trade is a worldwide industry worth >15 billion USD with a problem of rampant product misidentification. Minimizing misidentification is critical in the face of overexploitation of species in the trade. We surveyed the peppermint shrimp ornamental marketplace in the southeastern USA, the most intense market for peppermint shrimps worldwide, to characterize the composition of species in the trade, reveal the extent of misidentification, and describe the population genetics of the true target species. Shrimps were bought from aquarium shops in FL, GA, SC, and NC. We demonstrated, contrary to popular belief (information from dealers), that the most heavily traded species in the market was Lysmata boggessi , an endemic species to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and not Lysmata wurdemanni . Importantly, only when color pattern or genetic markers in conjunction with morphological traits were employed, was it was possible to unequivocally identify L. boggessi as the only species in the trade. The intensity of the market for peppermint shrimps in the USA has led to L. boggessi being the most traded species worldwide. Misidentification in the shrimp aquarium trade is accidental and involuntary, and is explained by remarkable similarity among congeneric species. Using sequences of the 16S-mt-DNA marker, we found no indication of population genetic structure in the endemic L. boggessi across  550 km of linear coast. Therefore, this species can be considered genetically homogeneous and a single fished stock. Still, we argue in favor of additional studies using more powerful markers (e.g., SNPs) capable of revealing genetic structure at a finer spatial-scale. Our results will help advance management and conservation policies in this lucrative yet understudied fishery. Future studies of other ornamental fisheries will benefit from using an integrative taxonomic approach, as we demonstrate here.

MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER DESIGN FOR ELECTRON SCATTERING ABOVE 1 Bev

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schopper, H.

1963-06-15

Design considerations are discussed for magnetic spectrometer electron scattering investigations with the higher energy (above 1 Bev) electron sources which are being developed. The spectrometers are to be used to discriminate between elastic and inelastic processes. A momentum resolution of the order of one per cent is required for these experiments. Various spectrometers are compared according to their optical properties and the number of magnets they consist of. (R.E.U.)

Effect of Aluminum Doping on the Nanocrystalline ZnS:Al3+ Films Fabricated on Heavily-Doped p-type Si(100) Substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition Method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, He-Jie; Liang, Yan; Gao, Xiao-Yong; Guo, Rui-Fang; Ji, Qiang-Min

2015-06-01

Intrinsic ZnS and aluminum-doped nanocrystalline ZnS (ZnS:Al3+) films with zinc-blende structure were fabricated on heavily-doped p-type Si(100) substrates by chemical bath deposition method. Influence of aluminum doping on the microstructure, and photoluminescent and electrical properties of the films, were intensively investigated. The average crystallite size of the films varying in the range of about 9.0 ˜ 35.0 nm initially increases and then decreases with aluminum doping contents, indicating that the crystallization of the films are initially enhanced and then weakened. The incorporation of Al3+ was confirmed from energy dispersive spectrometry and the induced microstrain in the films. Strong and stable visible emission band resulting from the defect-related light emission were observed for the intrinsic ZnS and ZnS:Al3+ films at room temperature. The photoluminescence related to the aluminum can annihilate due to the self-absorption of ZnS:Al3+ when the Al3+ content surpasses certain value. The variation of the resistivity of the films that initially reduces and then increases is mainly caused by the partial substitute for Zn2+ by Al3+ as well as the enhanced crystallization, and by the enhanced crystal boundary scattering, respectively.

Estimating representative background PM2.5 concentration in heavily polluted areas using baseline separation technique and chemical mass balance model

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shuang; Yang, Wen; Zhang, Hui; Sun, Yanling; Mao, Jian; Ma, Zhenxing; Cong, Zhiyuan; Zhang, Xian; Tian, Shasha; Azzi, Merched; Chen, Li; Bai, Zhipeng

2018-02-01

The determination of background concentration of PM2.5 is important to understand the contribution of local emission sources to total PM2.5 concentration. The purpose of this study was to exam the performance of baseline separation techniques to estimate PM2.5 background concentration. Five separation methods, which included recursive digital filters (Lyne-Hollick, one-parameter algorithm, and Boughton two-parameter algorithm), sliding interval and smoothed minima, were applied to one-year PM2.5 time-series data in two heavily polluted cities, Tianjin and Jinan. To obtain the proper filter parameters and recession constants for the separation techniques, we conducted regression analysis at a background site during the emission reduction period enforced by the Government for the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Beijing. Background concentrations in Tianjin and Jinan were then estimated by applying the determined filter parameters and recession constants. The chemical mass balance (CMB) model was also applied to ascertain the effectiveness of the new approach. Our results showed that the contribution of background PM concentration to ambient pollution was at a comparable level to the contribution obtained from the previous study. The best performance was achieved using the Boughton two-parameter algorithm. The background concentrations were estimated at (27 ± 2) μg/m3 for the whole year, (34 ± 4) μg/m3 for the heating period (winter), (21 ± 2) μg/m3 for the non-heating period (summer), and (25 ± 2) μg/m3 for the sandstorm period in Tianjin. The corresponding values in Jinan were (30 ± 3) μg/m3, (40 ± 4) μg/m3, (24 ± 5) μg/m3, and (26 ± 2) μg/m3, respectively. The study revealed that these baseline separation techniques are valid for estimating levels of PM2.5 air pollution, and that our proposed method has great potential for estimating the background level of other air pollutants.

Efficacy and tolerability of high dose "ethinylestradiol" in post-menopausal advanced breast cancer patients heavily pre-treated with endocrine agents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robertson John FR

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High dose estrogens (HDEs were frequently used as endocrine agents prior to the introduction of tamoxifen which carries fewer side effects. Due to the development of resistance to available endocrine agents in almost all women with metastatic breast cancer, interest has renewed in the use of HDEs as yet another endocrine option that may have activity. We report our experience with one of the HDEs ("ethinylestradiol" 1 mg daily in advanced breast cancer (locally advanced and metastatic in post-menopausal women who had progressed on multiple endocrine agents. Patients and methods According to a database of advanced breast cancer patients seen in our Unit since 1998, those who had complete set of information and fulfilled the following criteria were studied: (1 patients in whom further endocrine therapy was deemed appropriate i.e., patients who have had clinical benefit with previous endocrine agents or were not fit or unwilling to receive chemotherapy in the presence of potentially life-threatening visceral metastases; (2 disease was assessable by UICC criteria; (3 were treated with "ethinylestradiol" until they were withdrawn from treatment due to adverse events or disease progression. Results Twelve patients with a median age of 75.1 years (49.1 – 85 years were identified. Majority (N = 8 had bony disease. They had ethinylestradiol as 3rd to 7th line endocrine therapy. One patient (8% came off treatment early due to hepato-renal syndrome. Clinical benefit (objective response or durable stable disease for ≥ 6 months was seen in 4 patients (33.3% with a median duration of response of 10+ (7–36 months. The time to treatment failure was 4 (0.5–36 months. Conclusion Yet unreported, high dose "ethinylestradiol" is another viable therapeutic strategy in heavily pre-treated patients when further endocrine therapy is deemed appropriate. Although it tends to carry more side effects, they may not be comparable to those of other

Efficacy and tolerability of high dose "ethinylestradiol" in post-menopausal advanced breast cancer patients heavily pre-treated with endocrine agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Agrawal, Amit; Robertson, John F R; Cheung, K L

2006-07-11

High dose estrogens (HDEs) were frequently used as endocrine agents prior to the introduction of tamoxifen which carries fewer side effects. Due to the development of resistance to available endocrine agents in almost all women with metastatic breast cancer, interest has renewed in the use of HDEs as yet another endocrine option that may have activity. We report our experience with one of the HDEs ("ethinylestradiol" 1 mg daily) in advanced breast cancer (locally advanced and metastatic) in post-menopausal women who had progressed on multiple endocrine agents. According to a database of advanced breast cancer patients seen in our Unit since 1998, those who had complete set of information and fulfilled the following criteria were studied: (1) patients in whom further endocrine therapy was deemed appropriate i.e., patients who have had clinical benefit with previous endocrine agents or were not fit or unwilling to receive chemotherapy in the presence of potentially life-threatening visceral metastases; (2) disease was assessable by UICC criteria; (3) were treated with "ethinylestradiol" until they were withdrawn from treatment due to adverse events or disease progression. Twelve patients with a median age of 75.1 years (49.1-85 years) were identified. Majority (N = 8) had bony disease. They had ethinylestradiol as 3rd to 7th line endocrine therapy. One patient (8%) came off treatment early due to hepato-renal syndrome. Clinical benefit (objective response or durable stable disease for > or = 6 months) was seen in 4 patients (33.3%) with a median duration of response of 10+ (7-36) months. The time to treatment failure was 4 (0.5-36) months. Yet unreported, high dose "ethinylestradiol" is another viable therapeutic strategy in heavily pre-treated patients when further endocrine therapy is deemed appropriate. Although it tends to carry more side effects, they may not be comparable to those of other HDEs (such as diethylstilbestrol) or chemotherapy.

The Effects of Galaxy Interactions on Star Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Beverage, Aliza; Weiner, Aaron; Ramos Padilla, Andres; Ashby, Matthew; Smith, Howard A.

2018-01-01

Galaxy interactions are key events in galaxy evolution, and are widely thought to trigger significant increases in star formation. However, the mechanisms and timescales for these increases are still not well understood. In order to probe the effects of mergers, we undertook an investigation based on the Spitzer Interacting Galaxies Survey (SIGS), a sample of 102 nearby galaxies in 48 systems ranging from weakly interacting to near coalescence. Our study is unique in that we use both broadband photometry and a large sample of objects chosen to be statistically meaningful. Our data come from 32 broad bands ranging from the UV to far-IR, and we model spectral energy distributions (SEDs) using the Code for Investigating Galaxy Emission (CIGALE) to estimate physical characteristics for each galaxy. We find marginal statistical correlations between galaxy interaction strength and dust luminosity and the distribution of dust mass as a function of heating intensity. The specific star formation rates, however, do not show any enhancement across the interaction stages. This result challenges conventional wisdom that mergers induce star formation throughout galaxy interaction.The SAO REU program is funded in part by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant no. 1262851, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

The AGN Luminosity Fraction in Galaxy Mergers

Science.gov (United States)

Dietrich, Jeremy; Weiner, Aaron; Ashby, Matthew; Martinez-Galarza, Juan Rafael; Smith, Howard Alan

2017-01-01

Galaxy mergers are key events in galaxy evolution, generally triggering massive starbursts and AGNs. However, in these chaotic systems, it is not yet known what fraction each of these two mechanisms contributes to the total luminosity. Here we measure and model spectral energy distributions (SEDs) using the Code for Investigating Galaxy Emission (CIGALE) in up to 33 broad bands from the UV to the far-IR for 23 IR-luminous galaxies to estimate the fraction of the bolometric IR luminosity that can be attributed to the AGN. The galaxies are split nearly evenly into two subsamples: late-stage mergers, found in the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample or Faint Source Catalog, and early-stage mergers found in the Spitzer Interacting Galaxy Sample. We find that the AGN contribution to the total IR luminosity varies greatly from system to system, from 0% up to ~90%, but is substantially greater in the later-stage and brighter mergers. This is consistent with what is known about galaxy evolution and the triggering of AGNs.The SAO REU program is funded in part by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant no. 1262851, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Size structure of a heavily fished benthic/demersal community by shrimp trawling in the Colombian Caribbean Sea Estructura de tamaños de una comunidad bentónica/demersal fuertemente impactada por la pesca de arrastre camaronero en el Mar Caribe de Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paúl Gómez-Canchong

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The benthic and demersal communities in the Colombian Caribbean Sea (CCS are heavily fished by the shrimp trawling fishery, which presents very high discard levels. Here, we conducted an analysis of the size structure of these benthic and demersal communities in the northern and southern zones of the CCS. Sampling was conducted onboard shrimp trawlers throughout an entire year. No significant differences were found in the size distributions of the two zones, among sites within southern ecoregions, or among the analyzed cruises. This homogeneity in size structure is remarkable since the zones analyzed possess very different species compositions and environmental conditions. The observed size structures were adequately described by non-linear distributions rather than the traditionally employed linear normalized biomass size spectra. It is hypothesized that the non-linearity is due to the effect of fishing and particularly, of discarding. This study emphasizes the need for a greater understanding of the impacts that trawl fishing has on community size structure and the applicability of this knowledge towards fishery resource management in ecosystems with high diversity.Las comunidades bentónico-demersales en el Mar Caribe de Colombia (MCC son fuertemente explotadas por la pesca de arrastre camaronero, presentando niveles de descarte muy altos. Se efectuó un análisis de la estructura de tamaños de estas comunidades bentónico-demersales en las zonas norte y sur del MCC. Se realizaron muéstreos a bordo de las embarcaciones de arrastre de camarón a lo largo de un año. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las distribuciones de tamaños de las diferentes zonas, ecorregiones de la zona sur y cruceros analizados. Esta homogeneidad en la estructura de tamaños es destacable ya que las areas analizadas difieren en composición de especies y condiciones medioambientales. Las estructuras de tamaño observadas, fueron descritas

Cancer incidence and community exposure to air emissions from petroleum and chemical plants in Contra Costa County, California: A critical epidemiological assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otto Wong; Bailey, W.J.

1993-01-01

The northern part of Contra Costa County, California is heavily industrialized with a number of petroleum refineries, chemical facilities and other small industrial plants. Several epidemiological studies have been conducted in the country to assess cancer risk in relation to estimated air pollution levels. In this paper, the air monitoring data, air pollution modeling and the epidemiologic studies are critically reviewed. The association between cancer risk and estimated emissions is critically evaluated. The role of occupational and lifestyle (such as cigarette smoking and diet) confounding exposures is also assessed. The importance of validating exposure data generated by air pollution models in epidemiologic studies is emphasized. Pollutants of major concern are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons

The prediction of breast cancer biopsy outcomes using two CAD approaches that both emphasize an intelligible decision process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elter, M.; Schulz-Wendtland, R.; Wittenberg, T.

2007-01-01

Mammography is the most effective method for breast cancer screening available today. However, the low positive predictive value of breast biopsy resulting from mammogram interpretation leads to approximately 70% unnecessary biopsies with benign outcomes. To reduce the high number of unnecessary breast biopsies, several computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems have been proposed in the last several years. These systems help physicians in their decision to perform a breast biopsy on a suspicious lesion seen in a mammogram or to perform a short term follow-up examination instead. We present two novel CAD approaches that both emphasize an intelligible decision process to predict breast biopsy outcomes from BI-RADS findings. An intelligible reasoning process is an important requirement for the acceptance of CAD systems by physicians. The first approach induces a global model based on decison-tree learning. The second approach is based on case-based reasoning and applies an entropic similarity measure. We have evaluated the performance of both CAD approaches on two large publicly available mammography reference databases using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, bootstrap sampling, and the ANOVA statistical significance test. Both approaches outperform the diagnosis decisions of the physicians. Hence, both systems have the potential to reduce the number of unnecessary breast biopsies in clinical practice. A comparison of the performance of the proposed decision tree and CBR approaches with a state of the art approach based on artificial neural networks (ANN) shows that the CBR approach performs slightly better than the ANN approach, which in turn results in slightly better performance than the decision-tree approach. The differences are statistically significant (p value <0.001). On 2100 masses extracted from the DDSM database, the CRB approach for example resulted in an area under the ROC curve of A(z)=0.89±0.01, the decision-tree approach in A(z)=0.87±0

Teraflop-scale Incremental Machine Learning

OpenAIRE

Özkural, Eray

2011-01-01

We propose a long-term memory design for artificial general intelligence based on Solomonoff's incremental machine learning methods. We use R5RS Scheme and its standard library with a few omissions as the reference machine. We introduce a Levin Search variant based on Stochastic Context Free Grammar together with four synergistic update algorithms that use the same grammar as a guiding probability distribution of programs. The update algorithms include adjusting production probabilities, re-u...

Reutericyclin producing Lactobacillus reuteri modulates development of fecal microbiota in weanling pigs

OpenAIRE

Yang, Yan; Zhao, Xin; Le, Minh H. A.; Zijlstra, Ruurd T.; G?nzle, Michael G.

2015-01-01

Lactobacillus reuteri is used as probiotic culture in food and feed applications; however, strain specific properties of L. reuteri that mediate probiotic activity remain unknown. This study aimed to determine effects of feed fermentation with exopolysaccharide and reutericyclin producing L. reuteri on the transition of the gut microbiome of piglets after weaning. The reutericyclin and reuteran producing L. reuteri TMW1.656 was compared to the reutericyclin negative and levan producing L. reu...

BROADENING OF BALMER LINES FOR HIGH QUANTUM NUMBER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Armstrong, B. H.

1963-10-15

It is shown that the impact theory breakdown at sufficiently large distances from the line center in effect lowers the principle quantum number at which electron broadening might otherwise be assumed to dominate. Since the impact theory breaks down and effectively the impact widths decrease progressively for the line components more distant from the center, the contributions of the components to the folding integral decrease rapidly except at their own positions. (R.E.U.)

Liming with powdered oil-shale ash in a heavily damaged forest ecosystem. 2.The effect on forest condition in a pine stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terasmaa, T.; Pikk, J.

1995-01-01

First years after the treatment (in 1987) of forest soil with mineral fertilizers and powdered oil-shale ash in a heavily damaged 50-year-old Scots pine ecosystem showed a comparatively small effect (B<0.95) of liming on the stand characters. However, in comparison with the effect of only NPK fertilization on the volume growth and the health state of trees, liming (NPK+oil-shale ash) tended to increase the positive influence of fertilizers. Under the influence of oil-shale ash the mortality of the trees was lower, the density of the stand rose more, and the mean radial increment of trees was by 26% greater than after the NPK treatment without a lime agent. On the whole, the effect of oil-shale ash liming on the growth and health condition of the pine stand was not high. However, the first results of its experimental use on mineral forest soil cannot serve as the basis for essential conclusions. Still, the results give us some assurance to continue our experimental work with powdered oil-shale ash in forests with the purpose of regulating the high acidity of forest soils in some sites to gain positive shifts in the forest life. Taking into account the low price of the powdered oil-shale ash and the plentiful resources of this liming material in Estonia, even a small trend towards an improvement of forest condition on poor sandy soils would be a satisfactory final result of the work. It is essential to note that oil-shale ash is not only a simple liming material, but also a lime fertilizer consisting of numerous chemical elements necessary for plant growth. 2 tabs., 3 figs., 18 refs

Effect of 60Co γ-irradiation on the nature of electronic transport in heavily doped n-type GaN based Schottky photodetectors

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Abhishek; Khamari, Shailesh K.; Porwal, S.; Kher, S.; Sharma, T. K.

2018-04-01

GaN Schottky photodetectors are fabricated on heavily doped n-type GaN epitaxial layers grown by the hydride vapour phase epitaxy technique. The effect of 60Co γ-radiation on the electronic transport in GaN epilayers and Schottky detectors is studied. In contrast to earlier observations, a steady rise in the carrier concentration with increasing irradiation dose is clearly seen. By considering a two layer model, the contribution of interfacial dislocations in carrier transport is isolated from that of the bulk layer for both the pristine and irradiated samples. The bulk carrier concentration is fitted by using the charge balance equation which indicates that no new electrically active defects are generated by γ-radiation even at 500 kGy dose. The irradiation induced rise in the bulk carrier concentration is attributed to the activation of native Si impurities that are already present in an electrically inert form in the pristine sample. Further, the rise in interfacial contribution in the carrier concentration is governed by the enhanced rate of formation of nitrogen vacancies by irradiation, which leads to a larger diffusion of oxygen impurities. A large value of the characteristic tunnelling energy for both the pristine and irradiated Au/Ni/GaN Schottky devices confirms that the dislocation-assisted tunnelling dominates the low temperature current transport even after irradiation. The advantage of higher displacement energy and larger bandgap of GaN as compared to GaAs is evident from the change in leakage current after irradiation. Further, a fast recovery of the photoresponse of GaN photodetectors after irradiation signifies their compatibility to operate in high radiation zones. The results presented here are found to be crucial in understanding the interaction of 60Co γ-irradiation with n+-GaN epilayers.

Heavily Obscured AGN with SIMBOL-X

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceca, R. Della; Caccianiga, A.; Severgnini, P.

2009-01-01

By comparing an optically selected sample of narrow lines AGN with an X-ray selected sample of AGN we have recently derived an estimate of the intrinsic (i.e. before absorption) 2-10 keV luminosity function (XLF) of Compton Thick AGNs. We will use this XLF to derive the number of Compton Thick AGN that will be found in the SIMBOL-X survey(s).

Heavily Obscured AGN with SIMBOL-X

Science.gov (United States)

Della Ceca, R.; Caccianiga, A.; Severgnini, P.

2009-05-01

By comparing an optically selected sample of narrow lines AGN with an X-ray selected sample of AGN we have recently derived an estimate of the intrinsic (i.e. before absorption) 2-10 keV luminosity function (XLF) of Compton Thick AGNs. We will use this XLF to derive the number of Compton Thick AGN that will be found in the SIMBOL-X survey(s).

AEC Advisory Committee report emphasizes personnel exchanges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1984-01-01

The Advisory Committee on Cooperation with Developing Countries set up in August 1983 in the AEC has studied for about one year the actual situations of nuclear energy development and utilization in developing countries and their expections toward Japan and also problems in Japan in this connection. The Advisory Committee's report is summarized: significance of nuclear energy cooperation; status of nuclear energy energy utilizations in developing countries; status and problems in Japan's cooperation (technical cooperation through IAEA and technical cooperation by JAERI, JAIF, etc.); future prospects (areas of cooperation including the uses of radioisotopes and radiation and research reactors, nuclear power generation, etc. and tasks of the Government and the private sector in expanding the cooperation). (Mori, K.)

Designing Writing Exercises to Emphasize Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, M.

2008-12-01

In this presentation, the author stresses the importance of writing exercises to educate students in certain disciplines. The objective is to make the students become personally involved so that their educational experience is more geared towards a learning paradigm instead of a teaching paradigm. In addition to accumulating a wealth of knowledge the students also refine and expand their writing skills and abilities. One should be pragmatic in one's approach. In other words, the instructor should have a clear understanding of the skills the students need to develop. It is important to define the target and implementation mode while designing writing exercises. Effective learning can thus be combined with enthusiasm in classroom instructional development. It is extremely important that all undergraduate engineering students are provided with an adequate understanding and thorough background of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. At present, undergraduate students at Miami University of Ohio do not acquire any knowledge pertaining to this particular topic. The author proposes that a topic based on NEPA be introduced in the Fluid Mechanics Course at a Junior Level. The author believes that there is an absolute and urgent need for introducing the students to the fact that various documents such as EA (Environmental Assessment), EIS (Environmental Impact Statement), FONSI (Finding Of No Significant Impact), are an essential part of present-day workplace environment. In this presentation the author talks about introducing NEPA in the classroom. More than a decade ago Harvard University Professor Dr. Howard Gardner suggested the theory of Multiple Intelligences. Dr. Gardner proposed that eight different Intelligences accounted for the development of human potential (Gardner, 1983, 1993, 2000). Leading scholars in the area of Cognitive Science and Educational Methodologies also agree and have concluded that it is essential that students need to be taught in a learning environment that enables them to acquire real-world problem-solving skills (Saxe, 1988; Senge, 1990; Sims, 1995). Educators should not allow the students to wonder whether they have been learning anything that would actually serve them in the workplace, upon graduation. (Barr and Tagg, 1995). Howard Gardner's list of Eight Intelligences is given below. 1. Linguistic intelligence ("word smart") 2. Logical intelligence ("number smart") 3. Spatial intelligence ("picture smart") 4. Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart") 5. Musical intelligence ("music smart") 6. Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart") 7. Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart") 8. Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart") The author has tried to examine students' learning development, behavior and exploration using some of the above eight Intelligences. In this presentation, he provides data he has collected while teaching certain selected courses (Narayanan, 2007). References Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic,1983 Gardner, Howard. Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: Basic, 1993. Gardner, Howard. Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New York: Basic, 2000. Barr, R. B., and Tagg, J. (1995, November/December). From teaching to learning: A new paradigm for undergraduate education. Change: The Magazine of Higher Education, 13-24. Narayanan, Mysore (2007). Assessment of Perceptual Modality Styles. Proceedings of ASEE 2007 Annual Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Teaching Teachers: The Problem with Emphasizing "Isms."

Science.gov (United States)

Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis

This paper argues that in teaching educational psychology, different experts often compartmentalize theories in substantially different ways, and there is considerable disagreement within the field regarding the dividing lines that separate various "isms." The four main "isms" (behaviorism, information processing theory, constructivism, and social…

Instruction Emphasizing Effort Improves Physics Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Daoquan

2012-01-01

Effectively using strategies to solve complex problems is an important educational goal and is implicated in successful academic performance. However, people often do not spontaneously use the effective strategies unless they are motivated to do so. The present study was designed to test whether educating students about the importance of effort in…

A/theology: Emphasizing on Inevitability of Theology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Fathzade

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The age of the sign is essentially theological. The system that is based on a basic concept, a concept that shapes the circulation of signs, is essentially theological. This central concept has named in each thought differently: the reality, essence, existence, truth, God, Logos, Nous, End etc. In This logocentric system(s, there is a transcendental signified that means and proves the chain of signification. Deconstructive reading of Derrida showed that there is no signified outside of the chain of signification that makes language to have bound. This revolutionary idea collapses hierarchical significative oppositions, and thus makes signifiers to be rank and homologous. By erasing the oppositions of signifiers, it is nonsense to talk about death of God; there is no death, and no life. We're always in the middle of an eternal play. Word (Logos, yet constantly erased and written and rewritten. A/theology is the absurdity of this claims that theology has terminated; a new a/system for those who lives in borders.

Field Geophysics at SAGE: Strategies for Effective Education

Science.gov (United States)

Braile, L. W.; Baldridge, W. S.; Jiracek, G. R.; Biehler, S.; Ferguson, J. F.; Pellerin, L.; McPhee, D. K.; Bedrosian, P. A.; Snelson, C. M.; Hasterok, D. P.

2011-12-01

SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience) is a unique program of education and research in geophysical field methods for undergraduate and graduate students from any university and for professionals. The core program is held for 4 weeks each summer in New Mexico and for an additional week in the following academic year in San Diego for U.S. undergraduates supported by the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Since SAGE was initiated in 1983, 730 students have participated in the program. NSF REU funding for SAGE began in 1990 and 319 REU students have completed SAGE through 2011. The primary objectives of SAGE are to teach the major geophysical exploration methods (seismic, gravity, magnetics, electromagnetics); apply these methods to the solution of specific problems (environmental, archaeological, hydrologic, geologic structure and stratigraphy); gain experience in processing, modeling and interpretation of geophysical data; and integrate the geophysical models and interpretations with geology. Additional objectives of SAGE include conducting research on the Rio Grande rift of northern New Mexico, and providing information on geophysics careers and professional development experiences to SAGE participants. Successful education, field and research strategies that we have implemented over the years include: 1. learn by doing; 2. mix lecture/discussion, field work, data processing and analysis, modeling and interpretation, and presentation of results; 3. a two-tier team approach - method/technique oriented teams and interpretation/integration teams (where each team includes persons representing different methods), provides focus, in-depth study, opportunity for innovation, and promotes teamwork and a multi-disciplinary approach; 4. emphasis on presentations/reports - each team (and all team members) make presentation, each student completes a written report; 5. experiment design discussion - students help design field program and consider

Annual budget of Gd and related Rare Earth Elements in a river basin heavily disturbed by anthropogenic activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hissler, Christophe; Stille, Peter; Guignard, Cédric; François Iffly, Jean; Pfister, Laurent

2014-05-01

budget of the REE in the particulate and dissolved fractions of the river water and the waste water treatment plant effluents. Enrichments in Gd have been observed for the dissolved fraction of the water during low water levels. This enrichment has not been detected in the surrounding soils of the basin and can be related to the effluents of the waste water treatment plants, which control the REE chemistry of the dissolved fraction during the low water period. When flood events occur, the Gd anomaly progressively disappears and gives way to the chemical signature of the basin soils. The REE and intense hydrological monitoring we performed at the same time allowed for the annual quantification of the anthropogenic vs. natural REE fluxes in the river water of this heavily polluted basin.

The Combination of Pixantrone, Etoposide, Bendamustine and, in CD20+ Tumors, Rituximab (PREBEN) Shows Promising Feasibility/Efficacy in Heavily Pre-Treated Aggressive Lymphomas of B- and T-Cell Phenotype - Results of the Pre-Trial Experience Leading to a Nordic Phase 1/2 Study (the PREBEN Trial)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Michael Roost; Leppa, Sirpa; Brown, Peter de Nully

2016-01-01

-anthracenadione recently approved in Europe for patients with multiply relapsed aNHL. Etoposide and bendamustine were chosen as companion compounds due to available feasibility data in combination with anthracenadions, and a well-documented efficacy in salvage regimens for relapsed aNHL. Rituximab was added......IND developed acute myeloid leukemia with therapy-related cytogenetic features.Conclusions: The PREBEN/PEBEN salvage regimen was feasible in a heavily pre-treated cohort of elderly patients with high-risk aNHL. In individual patients it elicited substantial and durable responses early in the course of therapy...

Improving fundamental movement skills in Hong Kong students through an assessment for learning intervention that emphasizes fun, mastery, and support: the A + FMS randomized controlled trial study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Cecilia; Ha, Amy; Ng, Johan Y Y

2016-01-01

Assessment for learning has been identified as an effective strategy to help children learn more effectively. Developing children to master basic movement skills in primary school requires formative assessments to inform instruction and learning. This study reports the rationale and methods for an assessment-based intervention that emphasizes fun, mastery and support (A + FMS) designed to improve fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency of primary schoolchildren. Utilizing a cluster randomized controlled trial, the A + FMS intervention was designed to improve FMS proficiency of Hong Kong Chinese schoolchildren. A target sample of 282 students or more from 10 Grade 3 classes (from five schools) will be recruited and randomly assigned into an experimental group or a wait-list control group. Competence motivation theory provided a framework for the intervention that emphasizes fun activities to develop basic fundamentals, improving mastery of movement, and providing support for teaching and learning skills. Primary outcome measures are the raw scores of six objectively measured FMS (i.e., jump, hop, skip, dribble, catch, and overhand throw). Secondary outcomes include self-reported measures: enjoyment in physical education, perceived physical competence, perceived skill competence, and perceived social support. Teachers in the experimental group are required to attend a six-h training workshop and integrate 550 min of assessment for learning strategies into their physical education lessons. Resources such as videos, skills checklists, and equipment will also be provided to support children to accumulate extra learning and practice time after school. The rate of changes in primary and secondary outcomes across the experimental and control groups will be compared to determine the effectiveness of the program. The A + FMS is an innovative school-based intervention targeting improvements in movement mastery by supporting physical education teachers in FMS

Short-Term Effects of Gaseous Pollutants and Particulate Matter on Daily Hospital Admissions for Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease in Lanzhou: Evidence from a Heavily Polluted City in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shan Zheng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Panel studies show a consistent association between increase in the cardiovascular hospitalizations with air pollutants in economically developed regions, but little evidence in less developed inland areas. In this study, a time-series analysis was used to examine the specific effects of major air pollutants [particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10, sulfur dioxide (SO2, and nitrogen dioxides (NO2] on daily hospital admissions for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases in Lanzhou, a heavily polluted city in China. We examined the effects of air pollutants for stratified groups by age and gender, and conducted the modifying effect of seasons on air pollutants to test the possible interaction. The significant associations were found between PM10, SO2 and NO2 and cardiac disease admissions, SO2 and NO2 were found to be associated with the cerebrovascular disease admissions. The elderly was associated more strongly with gaseous pollutants than younger. The modifying effect of seasons on air pollutants also existed. The significant effect of gaseous pollutants (SO2 and NO2 was found on daily hospital admissions even after adjustment for other pollutants except for SO2 on cardiac diseases. In a word, this study provides the evidence for the detrimental short-term health effects of urban gaseous pollutants on cardio-cerebrovascular diseases in Lanzhou.

Resolving issues with environmental impact assessment of marine renewable energy installations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilya M. D. Maclean

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Growing concerns about climate change and energy security have fueled a rapid increase in the development of marine renewable energy installations (MREIs. The potential ecological consequences of increased use of these devices emphasizes the need for high quality environmental impact assessment (EIA. We demonstrate that these processes are hampered severely, primarily because ambiguities in the legislation and lack of clear implementation guidance are such that they do not ensure robust assessment of the significance of impacts and cumulative effects. We highlight why the regulatory framework leads to conceptual ambiguities and propose changes which, for the most part, do not require major adjustments to standard practice. We emphasize the importance of determining the degree of confidence in impacts to permit the likelihood as well as magnitude of impacts to be quantified and propose ways in which assessment of population-level impacts could be incorporated into the EIA process. Overall, however, we argue that, instead of trying to ascertain which particular developments are responsible for tipping an already heavily degraded marine environment into an undesirable state, emphasis should be placed on better strategic assessment.

Accurate Masses, Radii, and Temperatures for the Eclipsing Binary V2154 Cyg, and Tests of Stellar Evolution Models

Science.gov (United States)

Bright, Jane; Torres, Guillermo

2018-01-01

We report new spectroscopic observations of the F-type triple system V2154 Cyg, in which two of the stars form an eclipsing binary with a period of 2.6306303 ± 0.0000038 days. We combine the results from our spectroscopic analysis with published light curves in the uvby Strömgren passbands to derive the first reported absolute dimensions of the stars in the eclipsing binary. The masses and radii are measured with high accuracy to better than 1.5% precision. For the primary and secondary respectively, we find that the masses are 1.269 ± 0.017 M⊙ and 0.7542 ± 0.0059 M⊙, the radii are 1.477 ± 0.012 R⊙ and 0.7232 ± 0.0091R⊙, and the temperatures are 6770 ± 150 K and 5020 ± 150 K. Current models of stellar evolution agree with the measured properties of the primary, but the secondary is larger than predicted. This may be due to activity in the secondary, as has been shown for other systems with a star of similar mass with this same discrepancy.The SAO REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant AST-1659473, and by the Smithsonian Institution. GT acknowledges partial support for this work from NSF grant AST-1509375.

Investigating Supermassive Black Hole Spin at Different Redshift

Science.gov (United States)

Sinanan-Singh, Jasmine

2018-01-01

Supermassive black hole (SMBH) spin encodes vital information about the history of SMBH growth. High spins indicate a history of growth through large mass accretion events, which spin-up the black hole; Intermediate spins indicate a history of galactic mergers, which don't tend to systemcatically spin-up or spin-down black holes; low spins are attributed to successive, small accretion events with random orientations. Examining spin over different redshifts will help us understand the relative growth of SMBHs by mergers or accretion over cosmic time, an important part of understanding how SMBHs and their host galaxies co-evolved over time. To study spin, we compute the Fe K alpha emission line from the X-ray spectra of AGN sources in the Chandra-COSMOS Legacy Survey. We stack rest frame AGN spectra to improve the signal-to-noise ratio since the photon counts are low for individual spectra, and then average the spectra using an unwieghted mean. Our method is derived from Corral et al. (2008). We test our method on the two brightest sources in the COSMOS Survey and compute the rest frame average Fe K alpha emission line for different redshift bins. The SAO REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant AST-1659473, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Bevacizumab plus chemotherapy as third- or later-line therapy in patients with heavily treated metastatic colorectal cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Q

2015-09-01

, patients with a primary colon tumor might have had a longer overall survival than patients with a primary rectal tumor (18.8 months vs 11.1 months, respectively; P=0.037. Common chemotherapy-related toxicities were nausea/vomiting (48.6%, fatigue (34.3%, leucopenia (40%, neutropenia (42.9%, and anemia (42.9%, with one patient with grade 3 neutropenia, and two patients with grade 3 thrombocytopenia. The common bevacizumab-associated toxicity was hypertension (31.4%. None of the patients discontinued therapy or died because of bevacizumab-associated toxicities.Conclusion: Our data showed that adding bevacizumab to third- or later-line therapy might lead to tumor control and improved survival in heavily pretreated mCRC patients. In addition, preliminary data suggested that primary colon cancer was more likely to benefit from bevacizumab-containing regimens. Toxicities were acceptable, and no new toxicity was identified. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.Keywords: bevacizumab, chemotherapy, metastatic colorectal cancer

Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Estuarine and Atmospheric Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Aller, J. Y.

2009-12-01

Our program in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University is unique in emphasizing the interdisciplinary study of coastal ocean and atmospheric processes. We attract a large number of both male and female undergraduate applicants representing diverse ethnic groups from across the country. Many are multi-discipline majors merging geology, biology, chemistry, or physics with engineering, and/or mathematics and welcome the opportunity to combine their academic training to examine environmental problems. Our goal is a program reflective of today’s world and environmental challenges, one that provides a ‘hands-on’ research experience which illustrates the usefulness of scientific research for understanding real-world problems or phenomena, and one in which students are challenged to apply their academic backgrounds to develop intuition about natural systems and processes. Projects this past summer focused on assessing climate change and its effects on coastal environments and processes. Projects addressed the implications of a changing global climate over the next 50 years on hydrologic cycles and coastal environments like barrier islands and beaches, on seasonal weather conditions and extreme events, on aerosols and the Earth’s radiative balance, and on aquatic habitats and biota. Collaborative field and laboratory or computer-based projects involving two or three REU students, graduate students, and several mentors, enable undergraduate students appreciate the importance of teamwork in addressing specific scientific questions or gaining maximum insight into a particular phenomenon or process. We believe that our approach allows students to understand what their role will be as scientists in the next phase of our earth’s evolution.

Infant mortality in the Federal Republic of Germany in the years after Chernobyl. Study into the influence of the Chernobyl reactor accident in April 1986 on infant mortality in lightly and heavily contaminated areas of the Federal Republic of Germany. Saeuglingssterblichkeit nach Tschernobyl in der BRD. Untersuchung der Auswirkungen des Reaktorunfalls von Tschernobyl im April 1986 auf die Saeuglingssterblichkeit in schwach- und hochbelasteten Gebieten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martini, W; Scholz, H; Hacker, C; Beushausen, S; Heydenreich, B; Platiel, G

1991-04-01

Study into the influence of the Chernobyl reactor accident in April 1986 on infant mortility in lightly and heavily contaminated areas of the Federal Republic of Germany. In connection with this scientific study, official quarterly reports on population developments released by the Wiesbaden-based Federal Office of Statistics were subjected to a time-dependent analysis. On the basis of generally applicable stastical laws infant mortality curves plotted after 1958 were examined for changes after Chernobyl. In view of regional differences in the effects from radioactive precipitations due to the Chernobyl ractor accident, the examinations were performed in subgroups that were largely derived from the results of a study covering all of the Federal territory. The analysis revealed the following links: The curve of the infant mortality rates for the first 7 days after delivery (7-day mortalities) pointed to a linear-exponential relationship between the point of time investigated and number of infants dying. In heavily contaminated areas the 7-day mortality rates determined after 1986 show statistically significant deviations from developments as expected from normal rates. (orig./MG).

Pemanfaatan Minyak Goreng Jelantah Pada Pembuatan Sabun Cuci Piring Cair

OpenAIRE

Lestari, Pratiwi Putri

2011-01-01

Cooking oil is one of the basic commodities, is highly needed by the Indonesian people, especially by housewives. Consuming reused cooking oil can cause serious diseases; therefore, there is an effort to use the reused cooking oil effectively in order that it does not soil the environment by reprocessing it as natural cooking oil or as materials from which liquid soap is made. The sample of the research was the reused cooking oil for frying tofu and tempe (soybean cake) after it had been reu...

Nuclear techniques in the control of parasitic infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulligan, W.

1976-01-01

The development of radiation-attenuated vaccines against economically important parasitic diseases of farm animals has met with mixed success. Examples are presented ranging from the highly effective and much used commercial vaccine against cattle lungworm to the almost completely unsuccessful attempts to immunize sheep against liver fluke. The results presented emphasize that this approach is likely to be successful only if there is evidence of a strong degree of acquired immunity to the natural infection. The extension of immunological control to those systems where the parasite provokes only a modest resistance by the host will probably depend on a much greater understanding of the mechanism of the immune response. Such fundamental studies are likely to rely heavily on nuclear techniques, e.g. in the labelling of antigens, antibodies and parasites with radioactive isotopes. (author)

The effects of social and health consequence framing on heavy drinking intentions among college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Kingsbury, John H; Gibbons, Frederick X; Gerrard, Meg

2015-02-01

Many interventions targeting college student drinking have focused on negative health effects of drinking heavily; however, some research suggests that social factors may have a stronger influence on the drinking behaviour of young people. Moreover, few studies have examined message framing effects in the context of alcohol consumption. This study investigated the effects of social and health consequence framing on college students' intentions to engage in heavy drinking. This study used a 2 × 2 experimental design with an appended control condition. One hundred and twenty-four college students (74 women; M(age) = 18.9) participated in this study for course credit. Participants read vignettes that were ostensibly written by a recent graduate from the university, who described an episode of drinking in which he or she experienced either social or health consequences. These consequences were framed as either a gain (i.e., positive consequences of not drinking heavily) or a loss (i.e., negative consequences of drinking heavily). After reading the vignette, participants completed a measure of heavy drinking intentions. Regression analyses revealed that social consequences were associated with lower heavy drinking intentions when framed as a loss and that health consequences were associated with lower heavy drinking intentions when framed as a gain. These effects were stronger among those who reported higher (vs. lower) levels of previous drinking. Results suggest that interventions that focus on the negative health effects of heavy drinking may be improved by instead emphasizing the negative social consequences of drinking heavily and the positive health consequences of avoiding this behaviour. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Previous studies have shown that gain frames are more effective than loss frames when highlighting the health consequences of health risk behaviours, such as heavy drinking. The heavy drinking behaviour of young

The X-ray to [Ne V]3426 flux ratio: discovering heavily obscured AGN in the distant Universe

Science.gov (United States)

Gilli, R.; Vignali, C.; Mignoli, M.; Iwasawa, K.; Comastri, A.; Zamorani, G.

2010-09-01

We investigate the possibility of using the ratio between the 2-10 keV flux and the [Ne V]3426 emission line flux (X/NeV) as a diagnostic diagram to discover heavily obscured, possibly Compton-thick active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the distant Universe. While it is on average about one order of magnitude fainter than the more commonly used [O III]5007 emission line, the [Ne V]3426 line can be observed with optical spectroscopy up to z~1.5, whereas the [O III]5007 line is redshifted out of the optical bands already at z~0.8. First, we calibrated a relation between X/NeV and the cold absorbing column density NH using a sample of 74 bright, nearby Seyferts with both X-ray and [Ne V] data available in the literature and for which the column density is determined unambiguously. Similar to what is found for the X-ray to [O III]5007 flux ratio (X/OIII), we found that the X/NeV ratio decreases towards high column densities, as expected if [Ne V]3426 emission is a good tracer of the AGN intrinsic power. Essentially all local Seyferts with X/NeV values below 15 are found to be Compton-thick objects. At X/NeV values below 100, the percentage of Compton-thick nuclei decreases to ~50%, but ~80% of the considered sample is still absorbed with NH > 1023 cm-2. Second, we applied this diagnostic diagram to different samples of distant obscured and unobscured QSOs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). SDSS blue, unobscured, type-1 QSOs in the redshift range z = [0.1-1.5] indeed show X/NeV values typical of unobscured Seyfert 1s in the local Universe. Conversely, SDSS type-2 QSOs at z~0.5 classified either as Compton-thick or Compton-thin on the basis of their X/OIII ratio, would have mostly been classified in the same way based on the X/NeV ratio. We applied the X/NeV diagnostic diagram to 9 SDSS obscured QSOs in the redshift range z = [0.85-1.31], selected by means of their prominent [Ne V]3426 line (rest EW > 4 Å) and observed with Chandra ACIS-S for 10ks each (8 of them as part

Exclusive radiation therapy for locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antognoni, P.; Bossi, A.; Molteni, M.; Richetti, A.; Tordiglione, M.

1990-01-01

The authors analyse a retrospective series of 90 consecutive patients (pts) affected with locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma (T3-4, N0-3 - TNM, UICC 1978) who were radically irradiated from November 1979 to December 1986 at the Radiotherapy Department of the General Hospital of Varese. All the patients were treated with 60 Co and two opposed parallel lateral fields and progressive shrinkage: 66 conventional fractionation (2 Gy once a day, 5 times a week), 24 with an accelerated hyperfractionated regimen (1.5 Gy twice a day, 5 times a week). The median total dose delivered to the tumor and clinically involved nodes was 64 Gy (1678 reu, CRE). Median follow-up was 21 months (range: 3-113). The 5-year overall survival (Kaplan-Meier) was 40.5%. The 5-year disease-free survival, for 47 patients in complete remission at the end of radiotherapy, was 51.9% after irradiation alone and 56.7% with salvage surgery. There were no statistically significant differences in survival according to local spread (T3 vs T4), nodal status (N0 vs N1-3) and dose fractionation regimen (conventional vs accelerated hyper-fractionated). Isoeffect (CRE) values above 1751 reu obtained a 3-year loco-regional control rate was 33.3%. Relevant late sequelae were not observed. Our findings suggest that primary radiotherapy with salvage surgery in reserve could be considered as an effective choice for locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma, at least in selected groups of patients

Mechanisms of vegetation removal by floods on bars of a heavily managed gravel bed river (The Isere River, France)

Science.gov (United States)

Jourdain, Camille; Belleudy, Philippe; Tal, Michal; Malavoi, Jean-René

2016-04-01

In natural alpine gravel bed rivers, floods and their associated bedload transport maintain channels active and free of mature woody vegetation. In managed rivers, where flood regime and sediment supply have been modified by hydroelectric infrastructures and sediment mining, river beds tend to stabilize. As a result, in the recent past, mature vegetation has established on gravel bars of many gravel bed rivers worldwide. This established vegetation increases the risk of flooding by decreasing flow velocity and increasing water levels. In addition, the associated reduction in availability of pioneer habitats characteristic of these environments typically degrades biodiversity. Managing hydrology in a way that would limit vegetation establishment on bars presents an interesting management option. In this context, our study aims at understanding the impacts of floods of varying magnitude on vegetation removal, and identifying and quantifying the underlying mechanisms. Our study site is the Isère River, a heavily managed gravel bed river flowing in the western part of the French Alps. We studied the impact of floods on sediment transport and vegetation survival at the bar scale through field monitoring from 2014 to 2015, focusing on young salicaceous vegetation (chains, and topographic surveys. Hourly water discharge was obtained from the national gauging network. The hydraulics of monitored floods was characterized using a combination of field measurements and 2D hydraulic modeling: water levels were measured with pressure sensors and Large Scale Particle Velocimetry was used to measure flow velocities. These data were used to calibrate 2D hydrodynamic model using TELEMAC2D. At the reach scale, removal of mature vegetation was assed using a series of historical aerial photographs between 2001 and 2015. Our monitoring period covered a series of floods with recurrence intervals of 2 to 4 times per year, as well as one large flood with a 10 year return period. Only the

Liming with powdered oil-shale ash in a heavily damaged forest ecosystem. 1.The effect on forest soil in a pine stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terasmaa, T.; Sepp, S.

1994-01-01

A fertilization and liming experiment with mineral fertilizers and powdered oil-shale ash was carried out in a heavily damaged 50-year-old Scots pine ecosystem in South Estonia. In Estonia, where electric power is produced mainly in big oil-shale-fired power plants, huge quantities of SO 2 are flying into the atmosphere through the chimneys of the plants. However, it is characteristic of Estonia that simultaneously with comparatively high SO 2 pollution the proton load has been quite low because of big amounts of alkali c ash emitted together with SO 2 into the atmosphere through the chimneys of the thermal power plants. Therefore, acid rains are not frequent in Estonia. Acid precipitation here is caused mainly by SO 2 released in the central part of Europe. In Estonia acid rains are most frequently registered in the southern area of the country. At times rains with pH values below 5.1 (even 4.0 and lower) have been registered there. This is also the region where quite severely damaged pine forests can be found. As a rule, these forests grow on acid sandy soils poor in nutrients and bases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility of using oil shale ash as a liming agent in a forest ecosystem for protecting forest soils from acidification and, together with some mineral fertilizers, for improving the health of injured pine stands. In Estonia the most easily available liming agent is powdered oil-shale ash, which has been widely used as a lime fertilizer for agricultural crops but so far has not been tested for liming forests on mineral soils. The comparison of the present study with the liming experiments carried out with limestone in Finland shows that the effect of oil-shale ash treatment of acid sandy soils to raise pH values and to reduce other characteristics of soil acidity was more effective than limestone liming of mineral soils in Finnish forests. The present study demonstrates that powdered oil-shale ash is highly effective in short

Real versus virtual phenotype to guide treatment in heavily pretreated patients: 48-week follow-up of the Genotipo-Fenotipo di Resistenza (GenPheRex) trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzotta, Francesco; Lo Caputo, Sergio; Torti, Carlo; Tinelli, Carmine; Pierotti, Piera; Castelli, Francesco; Lazzarin, Adriano; Angarano, Gioacchino; Maserati, Renato; Gianotti, Nicola; Ladisa, Nicoletta; Quiros-Roldan, Eugenia; Rinehart, Alex R; Carosi, Giampiero

2003-03-01

We compared viroimmunologic response after real phenotype (r-PHT) versus virtual phenotype (v-PHT) in patients failing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A total of 201 patients with >2 years of exposure, more than six experienced drugs, >1000 HIV RNA copies/mL, and on stable HAART for >6 months were randomized to the r-PHT or v-PHT arm. The primary end point was the proportion of HIV plasma viral load (pVL) 0.5 log(10) copies/mL, and absolute CD4 cell change. In the intention-to-treat-last observation carried forward analysis, study outcomes were not significantly different between arms over 48 weeks of follow-up: 20% and 24% pVL 0.5 log(10) copies/mL; -0.92 and -0.94(10) log copies/mL mean pVL decrease; and +41.6 and +94.4 cells/mm(3) mean absolute CD4 increase in the r-PHT and v-PHT arms, respectively. On-treatment analyses gave similar results. In the multivariate analysis of pVL <400 copies/mL, the following covariates were independent predictors at week 48: adherence (OR p= 0.25; p=.002), baseline CD4 (OR = 4.39; p=.007), intravenous drug use as risk factor for HIV acquisition (OR = 0.33; p=.024), and sensitivity score of the new regimens by biologic cut-offs (OR = 1.84; p=.029). Prescribed drugs for which patients were naive resulted in marginal prediction (OR = 1.93; p=.054). In conclusion, virologic and immunologic outcomes did not differ when r-PHT or v-PHT was used in this cohort of heavily pretreated patients. Several factors should be considered to take better advantage of resistance testing, including treatment history, clinical status, and patients' ability to adhere to treatment.

Emphasizing Language and Visualization in Teaching Linear Algebra

Science.gov (United States)

Hannah, John; Stewart, Sepideh; Thomas, Mike

2013-01-01

Linear algebra with its rich theoretical nature is a first step towards advanced mathematical thinking for many undergraduate students. In this paper, we consider the teaching approach of an experienced mathematician as he attempts to engage his students with the key ideas embedded in a second-year course in linear algebra. We describe his…

Persuading Investors: Emphasizing Communication in a Finance Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Yest, Michael T.; Grant, Kelly A.

2013-01-01

This paper introduces a unique project to faculty seeking an interdisciplinary activity that exposes students to the necessary art of persuasive communication in the field of finance. Specifically, we have designed a multi-stage simulation in which undergraduate business students apply both finance and communication skills, specifically…

Conventional tomographic hilar anatomy emphasizing the pulmonary veins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genereux, G.P.

1983-01-01

The pulmonary hili are a frequent site of interpretive uncertainty because of thir complex anatomy. The right hilar shadow relates primarily to the ascending and descending pulmonary arteries and the right superior pulmonary vein, whereas the left hilar density accrues from the left pulmonary artery, left descending pulmonary artery, and left superior pulmonary vein. The right and left superoir pulmonary veins are intimately associated with and inseparable from the arteries. Knowledge of the course of these veins facilitates their identification on conventional tomograms. The right and left inferior pulmonary veins lie behind the lower hili and contribute only a small increment to the normal hilar density; the horizontal course of these vessels readily distinguishes them from the vertically oriented lower lobe arteries. Prominence of both the right and left superior and inferior veins may cause hilar pseudotumors. Conventional tomograms are most helpful in understanding plain radiographs. A multiview approach in anteroposterior, 55 0 posterior oblique, and lateral projections is recommended for a complete assessment. Computed tomography in transaxial sections adds further understanding of spatial relations in the hili, including the contributions of the pulmonary veins

Emphasizing peer learning in a virtually flipped classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Peter

2017-01-01

in these programmes are often very motivated and they follow the flipped instructions and read the suggested material, but do they also use their study group and experience peer learning? This question is investigated in this paper using one semester in the 2-year part-time programme: Master in Problem Based Learning...

Using Ethnic Art to Emphasize Laws of Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Bapat, Madhuri

2009-11-01

The Kolam (Rangolee) art (Fig. 1) from Southern India and Sona drawings (Fig. 2) from Africa show the similarity of lines going around the dots. Kolam is usually drawn, with paste made up of rice powder, on the floor in front of a house. Typically girls draw these in India on occasions such as welcoming the spring season, weddings, or birthdays. Sona drawings are drawn in the sand using fingers. Typically young boys in Africa were taught to draw these as they went through puberty. They used to impress their masters by drawing these designs quickly in sand and erasing them afterwards. So Europeans never learned these designs. Due to slavery this art or knowledge has disappeared.

Risk management in electricity markets emphasizing transmission congestion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristiansen, Tarjei

2004-01-01

This thesis analyzes transmission pricing, transmission congestion risks and their associated hedging instruments as well as mechanisms for stimulating investments in transmission expansion. An example of risk management in the case of a hydropower producer is included. After liberalization and restructuring of electricity markets, risk management has become important. In particular the thesis analyzes risks due to transmission congestion both in the short- and long-term (investments) for market players such as generators, loads, traders, independent system operators and merchant investors. The work is focused on the northeastern United States electricity markets and the Nordic electricity markets. The first part of the thesis reviews the literature related to the eight research papers in the thesis. This describes the risks that are relevant for an electricity market player and how these can be managed. Next, the basic ingredients of a competitive electricity market are described including the design of the system operator. The transmission pricing method is decisive for hedging against transmission congestion risks and there is an overview of transmission pricing models considering their similarities and differences. Depending on the transmission pricing method used, locational or area (zonal) pricing, the electricity market players can use financial transmission rights or Contracts for Differences, respectively. In the long-term it is important to create mechanisms for investments in transmission expansion and the thesis describes one possible approach and its potential problems. The second part comprises eight research papers. It presents empirical analyses of existing markets for transmission congestion derivatives, theoretical analyses of transmission congestion derivatives, modeling of merchant long-term financial transmission rights, theoretical analysis of the risks of the independent system operator in providing financial transmission rights, an analysis of inefficiencies associated with ignoring losses when utilizing area (zonal) pricing, and an application of an integrated risk management model on the power system of Norway's second largest hydropower producer. The most important research findings include the following issues. First, Contracts for Differences in the Nordic market appear to be over-priced. Second, a merchant long-term financial transmission rights model is possible to realize in mathematical and economic terms. Third, by including the proceeds from a financial transmission right auction the independent system operator can issue a higher volume of rights because there is a relationship between the congestion rent, the proceeds from the auction and the payments to the financial transmission rights holders. Next, an integrated risk management model is applicable on large-scale power systems. Then, an overview is presented of different contractual arrangements that can be used to hedge transmission congestion risks. Finally, empirical data from existing financial transmission rights markets demonstrate how these markets work. (author)

Translational Geroscience: Emphasizing function to achieve optimal longevity

Science.gov (United States)

Seals, Douglas R.; Melov, Simon

2014-01-01

Among individuals, biological aging leads to cellular and organismal dysfunction and an increased risk of chronic degenerative diseases and disability. This sequence of events in combination with the projected increases in the number of older adults will result in a worldwide healthcare burden with dire consequences. Superimposed on this setting are the adults now reaching traditional retirement ages--the baby boomers--a group that wishes to remain active, productive and physically and cognitively fit as they grow older. Together, these conditions are producing an unprecedented demand for increased healthspan or what might be termed “optimal longevity”—to live long, but well. To meet this demand, investigators with interests in the biological aspects of aging from model organisms to human epidemiology (population aging) must work together within an interactive process that we describe as translational geroscience. An essential goal of this new investigational platform should be the optimization and preservation of physiological function throughout the lifespan, including integrative physical and cognitive function, which would serve to increase healthspan, compress morbidity and disability into a shorter period of late-life, and help achieve optimal longevity. To most effectively utilize this new approach, we must rethink how investigators and administrators working at different levels of the translational research continuum communicate and collaborate with each other, how best to train the next generation of scientists in this new field, and how contemporary biological-biomedical aging research should be organized and funded. PMID:25324468

Grading Homework to Emphasize Problem-Solving Process Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Kathleen A.

2012-01-01

This article describes a grading approach that encourages students to employ particular problem-solving skills. Some strengths of this method, called "process-based grading," are that it is easy to implement, requires minimal time to grade, and can be used in conjunction with either an online homework delivery system or paper-based homework.

Electron transport in heavily doped GdN

Science.gov (United States)

Maity, T.; Trodahl, H. J.; Natali, F.; Ruck, B. J.; Vézian, S.

2018-01-01

We report measurements of electron transport phenomena in the intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductor GdN doped with 1.3 ×1021cm-3 electrons. The conductivity, carrier concentration, and thermoelectric power are compared with expectations based on an LSDA+U band structure. In the ferromagnetic state the carriers fill the majority-spin conduction band pockets to the bottom of the minority-spin band. The resistance implies an electron mobility of 18 cm2V-1s-1 at zero temperature, and in turn a mean-free path of 10-30 nm. Spin disorder scattering rapidly reduces the mobility near the 70 K Curie temperature (TC). The thermoelectric power is negative in the paramagnetic phase, as expected for a n -type conductor, with a magnitude that is in agreement with the Fermi energy implied by the band structure. The thermopower reverses sign to be positive in the ferromagnetic phase, which correlates with a strongly temperature-dependent electron diffusion from spin-disorder scattering that increases rapidly as the temperature rises toward TC.

Gender discrimination weighs heavily down on babies.

Science.gov (United States)

Koshy, L M

1995-12-30

During a pediatric conference in New Delhi, India, physicians compared their experiences with various diseases to the body of knowledge contained in Western-oriented medical textbooks. One physician noted that the most important longterm intervention to prevent low birth weight babies and congenital malformations is social and involves reducing discrimination against women in India. Many childhood disorders, such as thalassemia, can be prevented by proper genetic screening. Children with thalassemia depend upon blood transfusions to survive, yet they can contract serious and life-threatening illness from an unsafe blood supply. Another physician implicated improper handling by parents in habit disorders such as thumb sucking. A report on childhood epilepsy noted that 20% of the cases are resistant to therapy. A session on nephrotic syndrome relayed the practical experiences of the pediatricians. The fact that this syndrome recurs until puberty and, thus, requires longterm management makes it an important pediatric topic. Asthma was described as a condition which is increasing and which parents are afraid to acknowledge. Another physician suggested adding childbirth to the list of medical emergencies in India, since 75% of them are attended by untrained personnel who may contribute to the incidence of death from neonatal tetanus.

RAINWATER RETENTION ON THE HEAVILY INDUSTRIALIZED AREAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bartosz Kaźmierczak

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the dimensioning of retention reservoirs indicator method regarding to the German DWA-A 117 guideline, recommended for small rainfall catchments (with an area of 200 ha. A comparative calculation of the retention reservoirs overflow useful volume were conducted for 4 variants of catchment development (degree sealing surface varied from 60% to 90%, under the assumed sewage outflow from the tank at the level of the urban basin natural runoff. At given conditions required unit volume of retention reservoirs, from 145.4 m3 to 206.7 m3 for each 1 ha of catchment area were determined. The obtained results confirmed the fact that useful volume of the tanks were decreased, when Blaszczyk’s pattern reliable rainwater streams were used for calculations. Because the DWA-A 117 guideline method should be applied to a small rainfall catchments, it is recommended to verify the hydraulic capacity of dimensioned channels and objects using hydrodynamic simulations at different load of rainfall catchment scenarios, variable in time and space.

Market Collapse Weighs Heavily on College Endowments

Science.gov (United States)

Bluemenstyk, Goldie

2009-01-01

College endowments earned an average return of minus-3 percent for the 2008 fiscal year and an estimated minus-22.5 percent in the five months after that, two new reports show. More than a quarter of all institutions said they plan to draw less money from their endowment this year than they had expected to spend. After a half-decade of soaring…

Isochrone Fittings for the Open Star Clusters NGC 3680 and Melotte 66

Science.gov (United States)

Guillemaud, Nikolas; Frinchaboy, P. M.; Thompson, B. A.

2013-01-01

I will be displaying the results from isochrone fittings on two open star clusters. The stellar evolution models used to generate the isochrones are from Dartmouth (Dotter et al. 2007) and Padova (Mango et al. 2008). Both of the models were applied to two star clusters: NGC 3680 and Melotte 66. The analysis is performed by utilizing infrared observations from the CPAPIR instrument; which is operated in conjunction with CTIO’s 1.5m telescope. This research was made possible by the NSF’s REU grant; award number 0851558.

A Summer Research Experience in Particle Physics Using Skype

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Curran; Alexander, Steven; Mahmood, A. K.

2012-10-01

This last summer I did research in particle physics as part of a ``remote REU.'' This poster will describe that experience and the results of my project which was to experimentally verify the mass ranges of the Z' boson. Data from the LHC's Atlas detector was filtered by computers to select for likely Z boson decays; my work was in noting all instances of Z or Z' boson decays in one thousand events and their masses, separating the Z from Z' bosons, and generating histograms of the masses.

Cost-Effectiveness of Management Activities Related to the Interaction between the California Sea Lion and the Southern California Shark Gill-Net Fishery.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-03-01

t:ar czly he mad=- after all ths eccnoa_-c a*:a social -- cot cn,c1:..nc State manaqpm=rnt hav-= cezn studie;cd. Such a analysis fc= all. th-, fishe...rsula- the pc-ul-- nn aze not known. To cope with these problems An procedure, :elferred :o as the= lyzamlc response me:thcd (DM) was %dev=eloped and is_...19E2 d(:llars amour :-s 7o $726. These reu..ssuccest : -:he tc-al estimaiand loss in 1932 was prxatlJ 16. 4. Valua cf Acous-,:al ?lavbac k -i:t

Radiation Templates of Spent Fuel in Casks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vanier, Peter

2018-05-07

BNL and INL propose to perform a scoping study, using heavily collimated gamma and fast neutron detectors, to obtain passive radiation templates of dry storage casks containing spent fuel. The goal is to demonstrate sufficient spatial resolution and sensitivity to detect a missing fuel assembly. Such measurements, combined with detailed modeling and decay corrections should provide confidence that the cask contents have not been altered, despite loss of continuity of knowledge (CoK). The concept relies on the leakage of high energy gammas and neutrons through the shielding of the casks. Tests will emphasize organic scintillators with pulse shape discrimination, but baseline comparisons will be made to high purity germanium (HPGe) and collimated moderated 3He detectors deployed in the same locations. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) detectors and data acquisition electronics will be used with custom-built collimators and shielding.

Morality in everyday life.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Wilhelm; Wisneski, Daniel C; Brandt, Mark J; Skitka, Linda J

2014-09-12

The science of morality has drawn heavily on well-controlled but artificial laboratory settings. To study everyday morality, we repeatedly assessed moral or immoral acts and experiences in a large (N = 1252) sample using ecological momentary assessment. Moral experiences were surprisingly frequent and manifold. Liberals and conservatives emphasized somewhat different moral dimensions. Religious and nonreligious participants did not differ in the likelihood or quality of committed moral and immoral acts. Being the target of moral or immoral deeds had the strongest impact on happiness, whereas committing moral or immoral deeds had the strongest impact on sense of purpose. Analyses of daily dynamics revealed evidence for both moral contagion and moral licensing. In sum, morality science may benefit from a closer look at the antecedents, dynamics, and consequences of everyday moral experience. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Squamous cell carcinoma in Hand – Case reportCarcinoma de células escamosas na mão - Estudo de caso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joaquim José de Lima Silva

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC is a type of skin malignancy that originates in the squamous layer of the epidermis.  A lower incidence than basal cell carcinomas is reported. There is a predominance of areas heavily exposed to sunlight Objectives: To report a case of squamous cell carcinoma in left hand compromising the hypothenar region. To carry out a literature review and emphasize the main methods of diagnosis and treatment. Methods: Information obtained from medical records, photographic record of pre and post-operative. Result: Histopathological diagnosis was made, confirming squamous cell carcinoma due to the evolution of metastatic basal cell carcinoma, with the removal of bones: 5th metacarpal and scaphoid. After relapse, requiring amputation of the left hand. Conclusion: To report a rare case of bone metastasis derived from a skin cancer.

‘Bahasa Rupa’ dalam Komik Perempuan Indonesia Tahun 2000 – 2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alvanov - Zpalanzani

2012-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT   Indonesia’s girls’ comics introduced in early 2000, mainly developed by girl comic artists, in- tended for girls readers and heavily emphasized girls’ romance as story theme. Girls’ comic is one of pop culture media that creates a unique visual language system through construction of its visual storytelling structure. This is an explanatory research that applies visual storytelling structure anal- ysis in order to depict its visual narrative elements and structure in girls’ comics. This research will extract the uniqueness of girls’ comics’ visual storytelling structure and visual language system. As the result, girls’ comics are amplification of characters, emotional visual backgrounds, and emotional transition which marked by establishing shots as sequence margin in its visual storytelling structure and visual language system.   Keywords: girls’ comics, structure analysis, visual storytelling, visual language.

A Review of Protist Grazing Below the Photic Zone Emphasizing Studies of Oxygen-Depleted Water Columns and Recent Applications of In situ Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginia P. Edgcomb

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Little is still known of the impacts of protist grazing on bacterioplankton communities in the dark ocean. Furthermore, the accuracy of assessments of in situ microbial activities, including protist grazing, can be affected by sampling artifacts introduced during sample retrieval and downstream manipulations. Potential artifacts may be increased when working with deep-sea samples or samples from chemically unique water columns such as oxygen minimum zones (OMZs. OMZs are oxygen-depleted regions in the ocean, where oxygen concentrations can drop to <20 μM. These regions are typically located near eastern boundary upwelling systems and currently occur in waters occupying below about 8% of total ocean surface area, representing ~1% of the ocean's volume. OMZs have a profound impact not only on the distribution of marine Metazoa, but also on the composition and activities of microbial communities at the base of marine food webs. Here we present an overview of current knowledge of protist phagotrophy below the photic zone, emphasizing studies of oxygen-depleted waters and presenting results of the first attempt to implement new technology for conducting these incubation studies completely in situ (the Microbial Sampling- Submersible Incubation Device, MS-SID. We performed 24-h incubation experiments in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP OMZ. This preliminary study shows that up to 28% of bacterial biomass may be consumed by protists in waters where oxygen concentrations were down to ~4.8 μM and up to 13% at a station with nitrite accumulation where oxygen concentrations were undetectable. Results also show that shipboard measurements of grazing rates were lower than rates measured from the same water using the MS-SID, suggesting that in situ experiments help to minimize artifacts that may be introduced when conducting incubation studies using waters collected from below the photic zone, particularly from oxygen-depleted regions of the water

Two-Decade Monitoring of MWC349 in Optical and Radio: New Results

Science.gov (United States)

Thomashow, Eydon; Jorgenson, Regina A.; Strelnitski, Vladimir; Walker, Gary; Maria Mitchell Observatory (MMO) Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) Interns, 2017

2018-01-01

Maria Mitchell Observatory (MMO) has completed the two-decade long monitoring of MWC 349 in the optical and radio domains. This poster presentation will be primarily devoted to the new results obtained by optical photometry with broad and narrow band filters and observations of the variability in the masing H30 radio line during the observational season of 2017. The H30 emission arises in the circumstellar disk of the MWC 349A component of the visual double star (with 2.4 arcsec separation between the A and B components). Variable optical emission is also believed to be due to star A. By combining our optical observations with earlier MMO observations, we not only confirmed the previously known quasi-period of ~230 days, but confirmed a second period of ~700 days. One of the most interesting results of radio monitoring is the long-term variability of the systemic radial velocity of star A, as determined through averaging the radial velocities of the two masing peaks arising in the circumstellar disk. This may be the first case where a possible hidden close companion of a star (a lower mass star or a massive protoplanet) is detected by monitoring the radial velocity of the star via the spectral line radiation from its disk. E.T. completed this project as a 2017 MMO NSF REU intern and would like to thank the other interns for their help in conducting the optical observations. This project was supported in part by the NSF REU grant AST-1358980 and by the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association.

Enhancing Parent Involvement in NC-CCSS for K-2 Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, D.

2014-12-01

Key Terms:Parent Involvement, Common Core State Standards, Homework, K - 2 Mathematics In this study, the 2014 REU math team developed and provided a workshop that assisted parents in understanding the North Carolina Common Core State Standards for K-2 Mathematics to assist with student homework assignments. Parent involvement is defined as parent participating in the educational processes and experiences of their children. A chi-square analysis was used to analyze data collected from the pre survey and the post survey administered to participants in the workshop. The study revealed all of the individual components of parent involvement were positively and significantly related to educational goals. The study identified various aspects of parent involvement that yielded statistically significant results in affirming that parent involvement attributed to urban student achievement. These findings were particularly helpful for indicating which kinds of parent involvement influenced academic success. Most notably, parent expectations and styles demonstrated a strong relationship with scholastic outcomes. Parent expectations and styles created an educationally oriented ambience that established an understanding of the certain level of support the child needed to succeed academically. The REU mathematics team focused on three essential questions in this study: (1) What practices will increase parent awareness of K-2 NC-CCSS for mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (2) What methods can be used to strengthen parent skills in assisting with mathematics homework assignments at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (3) What actions can be taken to motivate parent involvement in the school improvement process focusing on mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School?

Roughness Effects on the Formation of a Leading Edge Vortex

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Cassidy; Lang, Amy; Wahidi, Redha; Wilroy, Jacob

2017-11-01

Microscopic scales cover the wings of Monarch butterflies, creating a patterned surface that acts as a natural energy capture mechanism. This patterning is thought to delay the growth of the leading edge vortex (LEV) produced by the flapping motion of a wing. Increased skin friction caused by the scales leads to a weaker LEV being shed into the butterfly's wake, lessening drag and increasing flight efficiency. To test how this roughness effects LEV formation, a plate of random roughness was designed in SolidWorks and printed on the Objet 30 Pro 3D printer. A 2x3x5 cubic foot tow tank was used to test the rough plate at Reynold's numbers of 1500, 3000, and 6000 (velocities of 8, 16, and 32 mm/s) at an angle of attack of 45 degrees. Images were captured of the LEV generated when the plate was towed upwards through the particle-seeded flow. These images were used to determine the XY velocity of the particles using a technique called Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV). Codes written in MATLAB were used to track and measure the strength of the LEV. Circulation values for the randomly-rough plate were then compared to the same values generated in a previous experiment that used a smooth plate and a grooved plate to determine the effect of the patterning on vortex development. Funding for this research project was provided by the National Science Foundation under the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program (REU Supplement CBET 1628600 under CBET 1335848).

Biosphere 2, a nexus of partner networks that improve student experiences and outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Dontsova, K.; Bonine, K. E.; Batchelor, R. L.; Brinkworth, C.; Keller, J. M.; Hogan, D.; Treloar, D.

2017-12-01

University of Arizona (UA) Biosphere 2 co-convenes several internship opportunities for undergraduate students, including 1) NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site: "Biosphere 2 Earth Systems Research for Environmental Solutions", 2) NSF-funded INCLUDES program "Collaborative Research: Integrating Indigenous and Western Knowledge to Transform Learning and Discovery in the Geosciences" executed in collaboration with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), and 3) STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Fellows Program in partnership with California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. In addition, the B2 REU Site partners with several UA organizations linking research to stakeholders, such as UA Cooperative Extension, Institute of the Environment, and the Water Resources Research Center, and with the UA Graduate College's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC), which connects a diverse portfolio of summer research programs across the UA campus. Connections among these programs and organizations allow us to improve student experiences and outcomes by leveraging organizational, mentor, and peer diversity and expertise. Each partnership brings unique benefits for the students - from access to teaching experience and perspectives that STAR Fellows provide, to a multitude of professional development programs made possible by pooled resources of UROC participants, to access to networks and knowledge from our outreach partners, to opportunities for continued multi-year learning and support with INCLUDES and UCAR. Coming together allows all partners to better apply outside resources, expertise, and knowledge to bring more value to the students and to help students enrich themselves as well as partner organizations and program participants.

Characteristics and predictors for gastrointestinal hemorrhage among adult patients with dengue virus infection: Emphasizing the impact of existing comorbid disease(s.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Chi Huang

Full Text Available Gastrointestinal (GI bleeding is a leading cause of death in dengue. This study aims to identify predictors for GI bleeding in adult dengue patients, emphasizing the impact of existing comorbid disease(s.Of 1300 adults with dengue virus infection, 175 (mean age, 56.5±13.7 years patients with GI bleeding and 1,125 (mean age, 49.2±15.6 years without GI bleeding (controls were retrospectively analyzed.Among 175 patients with GI bleeding, dengue hemorrhagic fever was found in 119 (68% patients; the median duration from onset dengue illness to GI bleeding was 5 days. Gastric ulcer, erythematous gastritis, duodenal ulcer, erosive gastritis, and hemorrhagic gastritis were found in 52.3%, 33.3%, 28.6%, 28.6%, and 14.3% of 42 patients with GI bleeding who had undergone endoscopic examination, respectively. Overall, nine of the 175 patients with GI bleeding died, giving an in-hospital mortality rate of 5.1%. Multivariate analysis showed age ≥60 years (cases vs. controls: 48% vs. 28.3% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.663, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.128-2.453, end stage renal disease with additional comorbidities (cases vs. controls: 1.7% vs. 0.2% (OR: 9.405, 95% CI: 1.4-63.198, previous stroke with additional comorbidities (cases vs. controls: 7.4% vs. 0.6% (OR: 9.772, 95% CI: 3.302-28.918, gum bleeding (cases vs. controls: 27.4% vs. 11.5% (OR: 1.732, 95% CI: 1.1-2.727, petechiae (cases vs. controls: 56.6% vs. 29.1% (OR: 2.109, 95% CI: 1.411-3.153, and platelet count <50×109 cells/L (cases vs. controls: 53.1% vs. 25.8% (OR: 3.419, 95% CI: 2.103-5.558 were independent predictors of GI bleeding in patients with dengue virus infection.Our study is the first to disclose that end stage renal disease and previous stroke, with additional comorbidities, were strongly significant associated with the risk of GI bleeding in patients with dengue virus infection. Identification of these risk factors can be incorporated into the patient assessment and management protocol

ASEAN.

Science.gov (United States)

1989-03-01

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967 to strengthen regional cohesion and self-reliance while emphasizing social, economic, and cultural cooperation and development. Its member states include Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. ASEAN encompasses a population of 321.2 million, with an average annual growth rate of 2.1%. Its gross domestic product was US$196 billion in 1987, with a per capita GDP of $621 and an annual growth rate of 5.8%. A striking characteristic of ASEAN is its wide diversity in terms of race (Malay, Thai, Chinese, Indian), culture, languages, and religion. Although ASEAN has gradually developed a number of formal consultative meetings and committees, it has only a limited permanent structure. Decisions are made by consensus or through informal, ad hoc consultations. The periodic meetings of the 6 foreign ministers constitute the principal decision-making body. The ASEAN nations are mainly committed to market and export-oriented economic growth strategies. Except for Singapore, the ASEAN economies are heavily agricultural, producing primarily rice. In the modern sector, all of the economies (except for Singapore's) are heavily reliant on basic industries, but high-technology manufacturing (e.g., electronic components) is becoming more important. ASEAN has demonstrated a remarkable ability to put aside historical disputes and limited economic complementarity to concentrate on issues of common interest. All 6 member nations have made preservation and enhancement of regional cohesion through ASEAN a foreign policy priority.

PROPERTIES OF THE $omega$ MESON

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafer, J. B.; Murray, J. J.; Ferro-Luzzi, M.; Huwe, D. O.

1963-06-15

Properties of the omega meson were studied from the reaction K/sup -/ + p yields LAMBDA + omega in a 72-in. hydrogen bubble chamber. The momentum of the K/sup -/ mesons was 1.2 to 1.75 Bev/c. The mass of the omega meson is found to be 782 Mev with a width, predominated by three-meson( pi ) decay mode, estimated to be less than 4 Mev. Branching ratios for omega -meson decay into pi /sup +/ pi /sup -/ pi /sup o/, pi /sup o/ gamma , pi /sup +/ i/ sup -/, and e/sup +/e/sup -o/ were determined. (R.E.U.)

Desastres, desplazamiento interno y migración laboral en la Sierra de Chiapas

OpenAIRE

Germán MARTÍNEZ-VELASCO; María Sonia LOPEZ-OCHOA; Guadalupe ÁLVAREZ-GORDILLO; Birgit SCHMOOK

2016-01-01

Derivado de un escenario global de cambio climático, el huracán Stan (2005) impactó severa - mente a la región Sierra en el estado de Chiapas y devino en el mayor desplazamiento interno de personas de la entidad. Una parte de la población de la región sufrió una repentina pérdida de sus bienes y fue reubicada en lugares circunvecinos en medio de acciones improvisadas por parte de organismos públicos, sin atender los protocolos internacionales en la materia. Para analizar el proceso de reu...

La situación actual de Las Experiencias de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria en el Perú

OpenAIRE

Colonia Valenzuela, Nicanor Marcial

2003-01-01

La educación superior, particularmente la universitaria, en el mundo contemporáneo se encuentra sometida a una revisión bajo la óptica filosófica y teleológica, sin menoscabo de lo ontológico. Los países desarrollados y los que se encuentran en vías de desarrollo procuran por una educación universitaria dentro de unos parámetros o estándares de calidad. Entendida la calidad desde diferentes puntos concordante con la poli cultural mundial. La preocupación universal ha sido encaminada hacia reu...

Remediation of grey forest soils heavily polluted with heavy metals by means of their leaching at acidic pH followed by the soil reclamation by means of neutralization and bacterial manure addition

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Plamen; Groudev, Stoyan; Spasova, Irena; Nicolova, Marina

2014-05-01

Some grey forest soils in Western Bulgaria are heavily polluted with heavy metals (copper, lead, and zinc), arsenic, and uranium due to the infiltration of acid mine drainage generated at the abandoned uranium mine Curilo. This paper presents some results from a study about soil remediation based on the contaminants leaching from the topsoil by means of irrigation with solutions containing sulphuric acid or its in situ generation by means of sulphur-oxidizing chemolithotrophic bacteria in or without the presence of finely cut straw. These methods were tested in large scale zero suction lysimeters. The approaches based on S° and finely cut straw addition was the most efficient amongst the tested methods and for seven months of soil remediation the concentration of all soil contaminants were decreased below the relevant Maximum Admissible Concentration (MAC). Neutralization of the soil acidity was applied as a next stage of soil reclamation by adding CaCO3 and cow manure. As a result, soil pH increased from strongly acidic (2.36) to slightly acidic (6.15) which allowed subsequent addition of humic acids and bacterial manure to the topsoil. The soil habitat changed in this way facilitated the growth of microorganisms which restored the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and carbon to the levels typical for non-polluted grey forest soil.

A Case Study of URM Retention through IBP's Professional Development and Mentoring Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Ricciardi, L.; Detrick, L.; Siegfried, D.; Fauver, A.; Ithier-Guzman, W.; Thomas, S. H.; Valaitis, S.

2012-12-01

As a free-standing not for profit organization, the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) hosts a variety of initiatives designed to increase the retention of underrepresented minority (URM) students pursuing pathways in STEM. Successful initiatives include virtual and face-to-face components that bring together URM students with established URM and other scientists in academia, government and industry. These connections provide URM students with supportive mentoring, networking opportunities, and professional skill development contributing to an overall improved retention rate of URM students majoring in STEM degrees. IBP's initiatives include the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (NASA OSSI), Pathways to Ocean Science, Pathways to Engineering, and the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S) Professional Development program in Earth System Science (ESS). The NASA OSSI initiative recruits and facilitates student engagement in NASA student education and employment opportunities. Through IBP's virtual and person-to-person communications, students learn how to identify, apply to, and participate in NASA programs. Pathways to Ocean Science connects and supports URM students with REU programs in the Ocean Sciences while serving as a resource for REU program directors. As one of IBP's newest initiatives, Pathways to Engineering has synthesized mentoring resources into an online mentoring manual for URM STEM students that has been extensively vetted by mentoring experts throughout the country. The manual which is organized by user groups serves as an e-forum providing undergraduates, graduates, postdocs, faculty members and project directors with valuable resources to facilitate a positive REU experience. This mentoring initiative also provides a mechanism for submitting new resources and inviting feedback in mentoring best practices throughout the STEM community. MS PHD'S, one of IBP's longest running and most successful initiatives

On dark matter interactions with the Standard Model through an anomalous Z'

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Ahmed; Katz, Andrey; Racco, Davide

2017-10-01

We study electroweak scale Dark Matter (DM) whose interactions with baryonic matter are mediated by a heavy anomalous Z'. We emphasize that when the DM is a Majorana particle, its low-velocity annihilations are dominated by loop suppressed annihilations into the gauge bosons, rather than by p-wave or chirally suppressed annihilations into the SM fermions. Because the Z ' is anomalous, these kinds of DM models can be realized only as effective field theories (EFTs) with a well-defined cutoff, where heavy spectator fermions restore gauge invariance at high energies. We formulate these EFTs, estimate their cutoff and properly take into account the effect of the Chern-Simons terms one obtains after the spectator fermions are integrated out. We find that, while for light DM collider and direct detection experiments usually provide the strongest bounds, the bounds at higher masses are heavily dominated by indirect detection experiments, due to strong annihilation into W + W -, ZZ, Zγ and possibly into gg and γγ. We emphasize that these annihilation channels are generically significant because of the structure of the EFT, and therefore these models are prone to strong indirect detection constraints. Even though we focus on selected Z' models for illustrative purposes, our setup is completely generic and can be used for analyzing the predictions of any anomalous Z'-mediated DM model with arbitrary charges.

New Kronig-Penney equation emphasizing the band edge conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szmulowicz, Frank

2008-01-01

The Kronig-Penney problem is a textbook example for discussing band dispersions and band gap formation in periodic layered media. For example, in photonic crystals, the behaviour of bands next to the band edges is important for further discussions of such effects as inhibited light emission, slow light and negative index of refraction. However, the standard Kronig-Penney equation does not explicitly state the band edge conditions. This paper derives a new solution for the Kronig-Penney problem that explicitly displays the band edge conditions as well as contains all other essential physics of band formation. Therefore, the present exposition should show the student that the band edge conditions are not simply special cases of the familiar Kronig-Penney equation but, instead, are an integral part of the band theory. For the computationally minded student, the new equation is particularly convenient for calculating the positions of closely spaced band edges. The present results can be taught alongside the Kronig-Penney equation in advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate quantum mechanics, solid state theory and photonics courses dealing with wave propagation through periodic layered media

Energy and environmental (JSR) research emphasizing low-rank coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharp, L.L.

1994-12-01

The products of plastic thermal depolymerization can be used for the manufacture of new plastics or various other hydrocarbon-based products. One thermal depolymerization development effort is ongoing at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) of the University of North Dakota, under joint sponsorship of the American Plastics Council, the 3M corporation, and the Department of Energy. Thermal depolymerization process development began at the EERC with a benchscale program that ran from 9/92 to 6/93 (1). Testing was conducted in a 1-4-lb/hr continuous fluid-bed reactor (CFBR) unit using individual virgin resins and resin blends and was intended to determine rough operating parameters and product yields and to identify product stream components. Process variables examined included temperature and bed material, with a lesser emphasis on gas fluidization velocity and feed material mix. The following work was performed: (1) a short program to determine the suitability of using CaO in a postreactor, fixed bed for chlorine remediation, (2) thermal depolymerization of postconsumer plastics, and (3) testing of industrial (3M) products and wastes to determine their suitability as feed to a thermal depolymerization process. The involvement of DOE in the development of the plastics thermal depolymerization process has helped to facilitate the transfer of coal conversion technology to a new and growing technology area -- waste conversion. These two technology areas are complementary. The application of known coal conversion technology has accelerated the development of plastics conversion technology, and findings from the plastics depolymerization process development, such as the development of chlorine remediation techniques and procedures for measurement of organically associated chlorine, can be applied to new generations of coal conversion processes.

A Field Course in Ocean Sciences that Emphasizes Sustainabilty

Science.gov (United States)

Macko, S. A.; O'Connell, M. T.

2016-12-01

Sustainability awareness is increasingly a subject in educational settings. Marine science classes are perfect settings of establishing sustainability awareness owing to declining populations of organisms and perceived collapse in fisheries worldwide. Students in oceanography classes often request more direct exposure to actual ocean situations or field trips. During regular session (18 week) or shorter term (4 week) summer classes such long trips are logistically difficult owing to large numbers of students involved or timing. This approach, to use a field basis for a course supplement addresses the requests by utilizing local resources and trips for a limited number of students (20) to locations in which Ocean experiences are available, and are often supported through education and outreach components. The vision of the class was a mixture of classroom time, readings, along with paper and laboratories. In addition, short day-long trips to locations where the ocean was "captured" were also used to supplement the experience as well as speakers involved with aquaculture. Central Virginia is a fortunate location for such a class, with close access for travel to the Chesapeake Bay and numerous field stations, museums with ocean-based exhibits (the Smithsonian and NOAA) that address both extant and extinct Earth history, as well as national/state aquaria in Baltimore and Virginia Beach. Furthermore, visits to local seafood markets at local stores, or larger city markets in Washington, Baltimore and Virginia Beach and International distribution centers, enhanced the understanding of productivity in the ocean, and viability of the fisheries sustainability. The course could then address not only the particulars of the marine science, but also aspects of sustainability with discussions on ethics, including keeping animals in captivity or overfishing of particular species and the special difficulties that arise from captive or culturing ocean populations. In addition, the class was encouraged to post web-based journals of experiences in order to share opinions of observations in each of the settings, including the evaluation of the foods they were consuming during the class.

New Kronig-Penney Equation Emphasizing the Band Edge Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Szmulowicz, Frank

2008-01-01

The Kronig-Penney problem is a textbook example for discussing band dispersions and band gap formation in periodic layered media. For example, in photonic crystals, the behaviour of bands next to the band edges is important for further discussions of such effects as inhibited light emission, slow light and negative index of refraction. However,…

The Combination of Pixantrone, Etoposide, Bendamustine and, in CD20+ Tumors, Rituximab (PREBEN) Shows Promising Feasibility/Efficacy in Heavily Pre-Treated Aggressive Lymphomas of B- and T-Cell Phenotype - Results of the Pre-Trial Experience Leading to a Nordic Phase 1/2 Study (the PREBEN Trial)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Michael Roost; Leppa, Sirpa; Brown, Peter de Nully

2016-01-01

Background: Aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (aNHL) relapsing after high-dose therapy or, in not transplant-eligible patients, after 1st-line chemotherapy represents an unmet clinical need. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating a salvage combination regimen based on pixantrone, an aza-anthracenadione ......Background: Aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (aNHL) relapsing after high-dose therapy or, in not transplant-eligible patients, after 1st-line chemotherapy represents an unmet clinical need. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating a salvage combination regimen based on pixantrone, an aza......IND developed acute myeloid leukemia with therapy-related cytogenetic features.Conclusions: The PREBEN/PEBEN salvage regimen was feasible in a heavily pre-treated cohort of elderly patients with high-risk aNHL. In individual patients it elicited substantial and durable responses early in the course of therapy...

Stabilizing cinder gravels for heavily trafficked base course ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Investigation into the improvement of natural cinder gravels with the use of stabilization techniques was made using samples collected from quarry sites near Alemgena and Lake Chamo. Mechanical and cement stabilizations were investigated in two subsequent phases. In the first phase, optimum amount of fine soils that ...

Swelling and outgassing of heavily-irradiated lithium hydride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souers, P.C.; Ackerman, F.J.; Biel, T.J.; Bigwood, J.; Brite, V.; Christensen, L.D.; Folkers, C.L.; Gede, V.; Griffith, C.M.; Huss, E.B.; Lindahl, R.; McCreary, T.; Otsuki, H.H.; Pond, R.L.; Snider, G.D.; Stanhope, C.; Stump, R.K.; Vanderhoofven, F.; Tsugawa, R.T.; Anderson, J.L.; Carstens, D.W.H.; Drumhiller, W.L.; Lewis, W.B.; Nasise, J.E.; Pretzel, F.E.; Szklarz, E.G.; Vier, D.T.; Bowman, R.C. Jr.; Attalla, A.

1988-01-01

Twenty-two years worth of data on lithium deuteride-tritide (Li(D, T)) from three national laboratories is presented. The percent linear swelling and the outgassing of hydrogen isotopes and 3 He for samples stored at 243 to 438 K are presented in summary tables. In some cases, up to a full half-life of tritium (12 years) has been spent in the study. Initial tritium concentrations range from 2 to 98 at%. The precision of the swelling is considered, and the evidence is ambiguous as to whether temperature cycling and handling affects swelling. The early outgassing is all hydrogen, but it turns to helium at long lines. The outgassing levels out for each sample but the amount outgassed varies wildly from sample to sample. At linear swellings beyond 11%, behavior becomes erratic. A maximum linear swelling of 23% is seen for one sample at 5000 days. (orig.)

ELEVEN NEW HEAVILY REDDENED FIELD WOLF–RAYET STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J. D. T.; Cushing, Michael; Barletta, Anthony; McCarthy, Don; Kulesa, Craig; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.

2012-01-01

We report the results of a medium-narrowband 2 μm line survey covering 5.8 deg 2 near the Galactic plane. We confirm 11 new field Wolf-Rayet stars along three lines of sight probing the inner Galaxy, demonstrating the capability to uncover distant and highly reddened populations of Galactic wind-borne emission-line stars suffering extinction as high as A V ∼ 40 and as distant as 9 kpc down to modest magnitude limits of K s ∼ 12.5. All stars are of subtype WC7-8, with median distance d = 6 kpc and median extinction A K s = 2.5. Over the fields surveyed, the density of Wolf-Rayet stars to limiting magnitude K s ∼ 12.5 was found to be 1.9 deg –2 . We compare this to models which predict their distribution within the Galaxy and find that, even neglecting survey and subtype incompleteness, they consistently underpredict the number of newly discovered stars along the surveyed lines of sight.

Dynamic water accounting in heavily committed river basins

Science.gov (United States)

Tilmant, Amaury; Marques, Guilherme

2014-05-01

Many river basins throughout the world are increasingly under pressure as water demands keep rising due to population growth, industrialization, urbanization and rising living standards. In the past, the typical answer to meet those demands focused on the supply-side and involved the construction of hydraulic infrastructures to capture more water from surface water bodies and from aquifers. As river basins were being more and more developed, downstream water users and ecosystems have become increasingly dependant on the management actions taken by upstream users. The increased interconnectedness between water users, aquatic ecosystems and the built environment is further compounded by climate change and its impact on the water cycle. Those pressures mean that it has become increasingly important to measure and account for changes in water fluxes and their corresponding economic value as they progress throughout the river system. Such basin water accounting should provide policy makers with important information regarding the relative contribution of each water user, infrastructure and management decision to the overall economic value of the river basin. This paper presents a dynamic water accounting approach whereby the entire river basin is considered as a value chain with multiple services including production and storage. Water users and reservoirs operators are considered as economic agents who can exchange water with their hydraulic neighbors at a price corresponding to the marginal value of water. Effective water accounting is made possible by keeping track of all water fluxes and their corresponding transactions using the results of a hydro-economic model. The proposed approach is illustrated with the Eastern Nile River basin in Africa.

Activation and deactivation in heavily boron-doped silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Seung-Han; Ro, Jae-Sang

2003-01-01

A shallow p + /n junction was formed using a ultra-low-energy (ULE) implanter. Activation by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) exhibited both solid phase epitaxy, in which the sheet resistance dropped rapidly, and reverse annealing, in a manner similar to furnace annealing. The temperature ranges in which these phenomena were observed, however, were higher in the case of RTA processing than they were in the case of furnace annealing due to the low thermal budget associated with the former. Deactivation phenomena were investigated for the shallow source/drain junction based on measurements of the post-annealing time and temperature following the RTA treatments. We found that the deactivation kinetics was divided into two regions. In the first regions, the rate of deactivation increased exponentially with the annealing temperature up to 850 .deg. C. In the second regions, it was found to decrease linearly with the annealing temperature beyond 850 .deg. C. We believe that the first region is kinetically limited while the second is thermodynamically limited. We also observed 'transient enhanced deactivation' an anomalous increase in the sheet resistance during the early stage of annealing at temperatures higher than 800 .deg. C. The activation energy for transient enhanced deactivation was measured to be in the 1.75 ∼ 1.87 eV range while that for normal deactivation was found to be between 3.49 and 3.69 eV.

Defect formation in heavily doped Si upon irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gubskaya, V.I.; Kuchinskii, P.V.; Lomako, V.M.

1981-01-01

The rates of the carrier removal and radiation defect introduction into n- and p-Si in the concentration range of 10 14 to 10 17 cm -3 upon 7-MeV-electron irradiation have been studied. The spectrum of the vacancy-type defects, defining the carrier removal rate in lightly doped crystals has been found. With doping level increase the carrier removal rate grows irrespective of conductivity type, and at n 0 , p 0 > 10 17 cm -3 is close to the total displacement number. At the same time a decrease in the introduction rate of the known vacancy-type defects is observed. x It is shown that a considerable growth of the carrier removal rate is defined neither by introduction of shallow compensating centers, nor by change in the primary defect charge state. It is suggested that at high doping impurity concentrations compensation in Si is due to the introduction of complexes doping impurity-interstitial or (impurity atom-interstitial) + vacancy, which give deep levels. (author)

Development of X-ray tracer diagnostics for radiatively-driven ablator experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacFarlane, J.J.; Cohen, D.H.; Wang, P.; Moses, G.A.; Peterson, R.R.; Jaanimagi, P.A.; Langen, O.L.; Olson, R.E.; Murphy, T.J.; Magelssen, G.R.; Delamater, N.D.

1999-01-01

This report covers fiscal year 1998 of our ongoing project to develop tracer X-ray spectroscopic diagnostics for hohlraum environments. This effort focused on an experimental campaign carried out at OMEGA on 25--27 August 1998. This phase of the project heavily emphasized experimental design, diagnostic development, and target fabrication, as well as building up numerical models for the experiments. The spectral diagnostic under development involves using two thin (few 1000 Angstroem) mid-Z tracers in two witness plates mounted on the side of a hohlraum with the tracers' K a absorption features seen against an X-ray backlighter. The absorption data are used to sample the time-dependent, localized properties of each witness plate as a radiation wave ablates it. The experiments represented the first application of this diagnostic, in this case to side-by-side doped and undoped plastic to investigate the effects of capsule ablator dopants

The currency and tempo of extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Regan, H M; Lupia, R; Drinnan, A N; Burgman, M A

2001-01-01

This study examines estimates of extinction rates for the current purported biotic crisis and from the fossil record. Studies that compare current and geological extinctions sometimes use metrics that confound different sources of error and reflect different features of extinction processes. The per taxon extinction rate is a standard measure in paleontology that avoids some of the pitfalls of alternative approaches. Extinction rates reported in the conservation literature are rarely accompanied by measures of uncertainty, despite many elements of the calculations being subject to considerable error. We quantify some of the most important sources of uncertainty and carry them through the arithmetic of extinction rate calculations using fuzzy numbers. The results emphasize that estimates of current and future rates rely heavily on assumptions about the tempo of extinction and on extrapolations among taxa. Available data are unlikely to be useful in measuring magnitudes or trends in current extinction rates.

Chemical Strategies for the Covalent Modification of Filamentous Phage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew B Francis

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Historically filamentous bacteriophage have been known to be the workhorse of phage display due to their ability to link genotype to phenotype. More recently, the filamentous phage scaffold has proved to be powerful outside the realms of phage display technology in fields such as molecular imaging, cancer research and materials and vaccine development. The ability of the virion to serve as a platform for a variety of applications heavily relies on the functionalization of the phage coat proteins with a wide variety of functionalities. Genetic modification of the coat proteins has been the most widely used strategy for functionalizing the virion; however complementary chemical modification strategies can help to diversify the range of materials that can be developed. This review emphasizes the recent advances that have been made in the chemical modification of filamentous phage as well as some of the challenges that are involved functionalizing the virion.

Detection of trapped antihydrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hydomako, Richard [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

2013-02-01

A landmark thesis describing the first ever trapping of antihydrogen atoms in CERN's ALPHA apparatus. Opens the way to crucial tests of fundamental theories. Nominated as an outstanding contribution by the University of Calgary. In 2010, the ALPHA collaboration achieved a first for mankind: the stable, long-term storage of atomic antimatter, a project carried out a the Antiproton Decelerator facility at CERN. A crucial element of this observation was a dedicated silicon vertexing detector used to identify and analyze antihydrogen annihilations. This thesis reports the methods used to reconstruct the annihilation location. Specifically, the methods used to identify and extrapolate charged particle tracks and estimate the originating annihilation location are outlined. Finally, the experimental results demonstrating the first-ever magnetic confinement of antihydrogen atoms are presented. These results rely heavily on the silicon detector, and as such, the role of the annihilation vertex reconstruction is emphasized.

The empowerment of sustainable design in food packaging as designer responsibilities

Science.gov (United States)

Setiadi, V.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is emphasized on the empowerment of sustainable design in providing the dual function of a food packaging. Which can extend the life of paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum foil so as to reduce the contribution of waste on earth. The methodology used in this research is using qualitative research. With the main approach taken on the layout of the packaging design, the approach that relies heavily on the data in the form of packaging design. For the process of observation, the authors should compare with the forms of food packaging designs that are contained in the diversity of food packaging types from products outside Indonesia. The purpose of this study is also intended as a recommendation through observation of data interviews and survey related products. Conclusion through material exploration, packaging structure exploration, efficient exploration of ink usage and packaging usage patterns.

Spin dynamics in the metallic state of the high Tc superconducting system YBa2Cu3O6+x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourges, P.; Sidis, Y.; Regnault, L.P.; Henry, J.Y.; Burlet, P.

1994-01-01

The spin dynamics in single-crystals of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x has been successfully investigated, by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments, as a function of temperature in the metallic state over the whole doping range from the weakly-doped to the heavily-doped and the over-doped regimes. Dynamical AF-correlations persist in all the metallic states. The imaginary part of the magnetic susceptibility, χ '' , consists of two contributions which have different doping and temperature dependences. At low temperature, χ '' exhibits an energy gap in any superconducting samples which becomes much weaker close to the insulating-metallic transition. To emphasize the characteristic features of the spin dynamics in YBCO, INS results obtained elsewhere are compared with the experiments. Several theoretical approaches, which intend to describe the energy lineshape of the dynamical magnetic susceptibility, are also discussed. (authors). 6 figs., 51 refs

Improving Undergraduate Research Experiences With An Intentional Mentoring Program: Lessons Learned Through Assessment of Keck Geology Consortium Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Wirth, K. R.; Garver, J. I.; Greer, L.; Pollock, M.; Varga, R. J.; Davidson, C. M.; Frey, H. M.; Hubbard, D. K.; Peck, W. H.; Wobus, R. A.

2015-12-01

The Keck Geology Consortium, with support from the National Science Foundation (REU Program) and ExxonMobil, is a collaborative effort by 18 colleges to improve geoscience education through high-quality research experiences. Since its inception in 1987 more than 1350 undergraduate students and 145 faculty have been involved in 189 yearlong research projects. This non-traditional REU model offers exceptional opportunities for students to address research questions at a deep level, to learn and utilize sophisticated analytical methods, and to engage in authentic collaborative research that culminates in an undergraduate research symposium and published abstracts volume. The large numbers of student and faculty participants in Keck projects also affords a unique opportunity to study the impacts of program design on undergraduate research experiences in the geosciences. Students who participate in Keck projects generally report significant gains in personal and professional dimensions, as well as in clarification of educational and career goals. Survey data from student participants, project directors, and campus advisors identify mentoring as one of the most critical and challenging elements of successful undergraduate research experiences. Additional challenges arise from the distributed nature of Keck projects (i.e., participants, project directors, advisors, and other collaborators are at different institutions) and across the span of yearlong projects. In an endeavor to improve student learning about the nature and process of science, and to make mentoring practices more intentional, the Consortium has developed workshops and materials to support both project directors and campus research advisors (e.g., best practices for mentoring, teaching ethical professional conduct, benchmarks for progress, activities to support students during research process). The Consortium continues to evolve its practices to better support students from underrepresented groups.

The Open Cluster NGC 6811: An Eclipsing Binary, the Turnoff, and Age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandquist, Eric L.; Jessen-Hansen, Jens; Shetrone, Matthew D.

. The cluster's turnoff also falls completely within the instability strip, and the majority of the brightest main sequence stars have now been identified as δ Scuti pulsators. The eclipsing binary KIC 9777062/Sanders 195 is a cluster member slightly fainter than the turnoff, containing one star that falls...... stars to produce an improved age determination.We gratefully acknowledge support from the NSF to E.L.S. under grant AST-0908536 and for M.L. as part of the REU program at San Diego State University under grant AST-0850564, and from NASA under grants NNX12AC88G and NNX13AC19G....

An analysis of zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development

Science.gov (United States)

Kubarek-Sandor, Joy

Informal science institutions are a significant provider of science teacher professional development. As pressure continues to critically analyze the work of teachers and their effectiveness in the classroom, it is important to understand how informal science institutions contribute to effective change in teacher science content knowledge and pedagogy. This research study analyzed zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development to respond to the research questions: How do zoos and aquaria determine and assess their goals for teacher professional development? How do these goals align with effective teacher change for science content knowledge and pedagogy? Theoretical frameworks for high quality teacher professional development, effective evaluation of teacher professional development, and learning in informal science settings guided the research. The sample for the study was AZA accredited zoos and aquariums providing teacher professional development (N=107). Data collection consisted of an online questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and content analysis of teacher professional development artifacts. Analysis revealed that by and large zoos and aquariums are lacking in their provision of science teacher professional development. Most professional development focuses on content or resources, neglecting pedagogy. Assessments mismatch the goals and rely heavily on self-report and satisfaction measures. The results demonstrate a marked difference between those zoos and aquariums that are larger in capacity versus those that are medium to small in size. This may be an area of research for the future, as well as analyzing the education resources produced by zoos and aquariums as these were emphasized heavily as a way they serve teachers.

Intercontinental and intracontinental biogeography of the eastern Asian - Eastern North American disjunct Panax (the ginseng genus, Araliaceae), emphasizing its diversification processes in eastern Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Yun-Juan; Wen, Jun; Zhou, Shi-Liang

2017-12-01

The intercontinental biogeography between eastern Asia and eastern North America has attracted much attention from evolutionary biologists. Further insights into understanding the evolution of the intercontinental disjunctions have been hampered by the lack of studies on the intracontinental biogeography in eastern Asia, a region with complex geology, geography, climates and habitats. Herein we studied the biogeographic history of the eastern Asian-eastern North American disjunct genus Panax with special emphasis on the investigation of its uneven diversification in Asia. This study reconstructs the diversification history of Panax and also emphasizes a large clade of Panax taxa, which has a wide distribution in eastern Asia, but was unresolved in previous studies. We examined the noncoding plastid DNA fragments of trnH-psbA, rps16, and psbM-trnD, the mitochondrial b/c intron of NAD1, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of 356 samples from 47 populations. The results revealed the subtropical Northern Hemisphere origin (Asia or Asia and North America) of Panax in the Paleocene. Intercontinental disjunctions between eastern Asia and eastern North America formed twice in Panax, once estimated in early Eocene for the split of P. trifolius and another in mid-Miocene for the divergence of P. quinquefolius. Intercontinental diversifications in Panax showed temporal correlation with the increase of global temperature. The evolutionary radiation of the P. bipinnatifidus species complex occurred around the boundary of Oligocene and Miocene. Strong genetic structure among populations of the species complex was detected and the populations may be isolated by distance. The backbone network and the Bayesian clustering analysis revealed a major evolutionary radiation centered in the Hengduan Mountains of western China. Our results suggested that the evolutionary radiation of Panax was promoted by geographic barriers, including mountain ranges

Individual Variability in Brain Activity: A Nuisance or an Opportunity?

Science.gov (United States)

Van Horn, John Darrell; Grafton, Scott T; Miller, Michael B

2008-12-01

Functional imaging research has been heavily influenced by results based on population-level inference. However, group average results may belie the unique patterns of activity present in the individual that ordinarily are considered random noise. Recent advances in the evolution of MRI hardware have led to significant improvements in the stability and reproducibility of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) measurements. These enhancements provide a unique opportunity for closer examination of individual patterns of brain activity. Three objectives can be accomplished by considering brain scans at the individual level; (1) Mapping functional anatomy at a fine grained analysis; (2) Determining if an individual scan is normative with respect to a reference population; and (3) Understanding the sources of intersubject variability in brain activity. In this review, we detail these objectives, briefly discuss their histories and present recent trends in the analyses of individual variability. Finally, we emphasize the unique opportunities and challenges for understanding individual differences through international collaboration among Pacific Rim investigators.

Humpback Dolphin (Genus Sousa) Behavioural Responses to Human Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Piwetz, Sarah; Lundquist, David; Würsig, Bernd

2015-01-01

Humpback dolphins (genus Sousa) use shallow, near-shore waters throughout their range. This coastal distribution makes them vulnerable to recreational and commercial disturbances, especially near heavily populated and industrialized areas. Most research focusing on Sousa and human activities has emphasized direct impacts and threats, involving injury and death, with relatively little focus on indirect effects on dolphins, such as changes in behaviour that may lead to deleterious effects. Understanding behaviour is important in resolving human-wildlife conflict and is an important component of conservation. This chapter gives an overview of animal behavioural responses to human activity with examples from diverse taxa; reviews the scientific literature on behavioural responses of humpback dolphins to human activity throughout their range, including marine vessel traffic, dolphin tourism, cetacean-fishery interactions, noise pollution, and habitat alteration; and highlights information and data gaps for future humpback dolphin research to better inform behaviour-based management decisions that contribute to conservation efforts. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Towards a theory of geometric graphs

CERN Document Server

Pach, Janos

2004-01-01

The early development of graph theory was heavily motivated and influenced by topological and geometric themes, such as the Konigsberg Bridge Problem, Euler's Polyhedral Formula, or Kuratowski's characterization of planar graphs. In 1936, when Denes Konig published his classical Theory of Finite and Infinite Graphs, the first book ever written on the subject, he stressed this connection by adding the subtitle Combinatorial Topology of Systems of Segments. He wanted to emphasize that the subject of his investigations was very concrete: planar figures consisting of points connected by straight-line segments. However, in the second half of the twentieth century, graph theoretical research took an interesting turn. In the most popular and most rapidly growing areas (the theory of random graphs, Ramsey theory, extremal graph theory, algebraic graph theory, etc.), graphs were considered as abstract binary relations rather than geometric objects. Many of the powerful techniques developed in these fields have been su...

The persistent sampling bias in developmental psychology: A call to action.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Mark; Haun, Daniel; Kärtner, Joscha; Legare, Cristine H

2017-10-01

Psychology must confront the bias in its broad literature toward the study of participants developing in environments unrepresentative of the vast majority of the world's population. Here, we focus on the implications of addressing this challenge, highlight the need to address overreliance on a narrow participant pool, and emphasize the value and necessity of conducting research with diverse populations. We show that high-impact-factor developmental journals are heavily skewed toward publishing articles with data from WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic) populations. Most critically, despite calls for change and supposed widespread awareness of this problem, there is a habitual dependence on convenience sampling and little evidence that the discipline is making any meaningful movement toward drawing from diverse samples. Failure to confront the possibility that culturally specific findings are being misattributed as universal traits has broad implications for the construction of scientifically defensible theories and for the reliable public dissemination of study findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smartphones in ecology and evolution: a guide for the app-rehensive.

Science.gov (United States)

Teacher, Amber G F; Griffiths, David J; Hodgson, David J; Inger, Richard

2013-12-01

Smartphones and their apps (application software) are now used by millions of people worldwide and represent a powerful combination of sensors, information transfer, and computing power that deserves better exploitation by ecological and evolutionary researchers. We outline the development process for research apps, provide contrasting case studies for two new research apps, and scan the research horizon to suggest how apps can contribute to the rapid collection, interpretation, and dissemination of data in ecology and evolutionary biology. We emphasize that the usefulness of an app relies heavily on the development process, recommend that app developers are engaged with the process at the earliest possible stage, and commend efforts to create open-source software scaffolds on which customized apps can be built by nonexperts. We conclude that smartphones and their apps could replace many traditional handheld sensors, calculators, and data storage devices in ecological and evolutionary research. We identify their potential use in the high-throughput collection, analysis, and storage of complex ecological information.

Summary Report for the Radiation Detection for Nuclear Security Summer School 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Runkle, Robert C.; Baciak, James E.; Stave, Jean A.

2012-08-22

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) hosted students from across the United States at the inaugural Radiation Detection for Nuclear Security Summer School from June 11 – 22, 2012. The summer school provided students with a unique understanding of nuclear security challenges faced in the field and exposed them to the technical foundations, analyses, and insight that will be required by future leaders in technology development and implementation. The course heavily emphasized laboratory and field demonstrations including direct measurements of special nuclear material. The first week of the summer school focused on the foundational knowledge required by technology practitioners; the second week focused on contemporary applications. Student evaluations and feedback from student advisors indicates that the summer school achieved its objectives of 1) exposing students to the range of nuclear security applications for which radiation detection is necessary, 2) articulating the relevance of student research into the broader context, and 3) exciting students about the possibility of future careers in nuclear security.

"When Does It Stop Being Peanut Butter?": FDA Food Standards of Identity, Ruth Desmond, and the Shifting Politics of Consumer Activism, 1960s-1970s.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyce, Angie M

This article uses a historical controversy over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's standard of identity for peanut butter as a site for investigating three topics of high importance for historians of technology, consumption, and food activism: how new industrial food-processing technologies have become regulatory problems; how government, industry, and consumer actors negotiate standards development; and how laypeople try to shape technological artifacts in spaces dominated by experts. It examines the trajectory of consumer activist Ruth Desmond, co-founder of the organization the Federation of Homemakers. By following Desmond's evolving strategies, the article shows how the broader currents of the 1960s-70s consumer movement played out in a particular case. Initially Desmond used a traditional style that heavily emphasized her gendered identity, working within a grassroots organization to promote legislative and regulatory reforms. Later, she moved to a more modern advocacy approach, using adversarial legal methods to fight for consumer protections.

Quantum decoherence of phonons in Bose-Einstein condensates

Science.gov (United States)

Howl, Richard; Sabín, Carlos; Hackermüller, Lucia; Fuentes, Ivette

2018-01-01

We apply modern techniques from quantum optics and quantum information science to Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in order to study, for the first time, the quantum decoherence of phonons of isolated BECs. In the last few years, major advances in the manipulation and control of phonons have highlighted their potential as carriers of quantum information in quantum technologies, particularly in quantum processing and quantum communication. Although most of these studies have focused on trapped ion and crystalline systems, another promising system that has remained relatively unexplored is BECs. The potential benefits in using this system have been emphasized recently with proposals of relativistic quantum devices that exploit quantum states of phonons in BECs to achieve, in principle, superior performance over standard non-relativistic devices. Quantum decoherence is often the limiting factor in the practical realization of quantum technologies, but here we show that quantum decoherence of phonons is not expected to heavily constrain the performance of these proposed relativistic quantum devices.

"Touching Triton": Building Student Understanding of Complex Disease Risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Loftin, Madelene; East, Kelly; Hott, Adam; Lamb, Neil

2016-01-01

Life science classrooms often emphasize the exception to the rule when it comes to teaching genetics, focusing heavily on rare single-gene and Mendelian traits. By contrast, the vast majority of human traits and diseases are caused by more complicated interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Research indicates that students have a deterministic view of genetics, generalize Mendelian inheritance patterns to all traits, and have unrealistic expectations of genetic technologies. The challenge lies in how to help students analyze complex disease risk with a lack of curriculum materials. Providing open access to both content resources and an engaging storyline can be achieved using a "serious game" model. "Touching Triton" was developed as a serious game in which students are asked to analyze data from a medical record, family history, and genomic report in order to develop an overall lifetime risk estimate of six common, complex diseases. Evaluation of student performance shows significant learning gains in key content areas along with a high level of engagement.

Changes over time in the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema in adolescents from Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil (2005-2012): Relationship with living near a heavily travelled highway.

Science.gov (United States)

Toledo, M F; Saraiva-Romanholo, B M; Oliveira, R C; Saldiva, P H N; Silva, L F F; Nascimento, L F C; Solé, D

2016-01-01

The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing. We evaluated temporal trends in the prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in adolescents (13-14 years) living in Taubaté, SP, Brazil (2005-2012) and assessed the relationship between these prevalences and the residential proximity to Presidente Dutra Highway (PDH, a heavily travelled highway). This cross-sectional study of adolescents (N=1039) from public and private schools was evaluated using the standard questionnaire of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) plus a question about their place of residence in relation to PDH. The data obtained were compared to the 2005 data using a chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. An analysis by groups consisting of two phases (two-step cluster) was used to evaluate the effect of living near PDH. There was a lifetime increase in the prevalence of active asthma (15.3% vs. 20.4%, p=0.005) and physician-diagnosed asthma (6.8% vs. 9.2%, p=0.06) and a decrease in the symptoms of active rhinitis (36.6% vs. 18.5%) between 2005 and 2012. A high frequency of asthma and rhinitis (18.1% vs. 23.2%, respectively) was observed among adolescents living close or very close to PDH; furthermore, 85.6% of the adolescents without symptoms of asthma or rhinitis lived far from PDH. An increase in the prevalence of asthma and a decrease in the prevalence of rhinitis were observed during the studied period. Living near PDH was associated with higher rates of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Rediscovery of an old article reporting that the area around the epicenter in Hiroshima was heavily contaminated with residual radiation, indicating that exposure doses of A-bomb survivors were largely underestimated

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutou, Shizuyo

2017-01-01

The A-bomb blast released a huge amount of energy: thermal radiation (35%), blast energy (50%), and nuclear radiation (15%). Of the 15%, 5% was initial radiation released within 30 s and 10% was residual radiation, the majority of which was fallout. Exposure doses of hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) were estimated solely on the basis of the initial radiation. The effects of the residual radiation on hibakusha have been considered controversial; some groups assert that the residual radiation was negligible, but others refute that assertion. I recently discovered a six-decade-old article written in Japanese by a medical doctor, Gensaku Obo, from Hiroshima City. This article clearly indicates that the area around the epicenter in Hiroshima was heavily contaminated with residual radiation. It reports that non-hibakusha who entered Hiroshima soon after the blast suffered from severe acute radiation sickness, including burns, external injuries, fever, diarrhea, skin bleeding, sore throat and loss of hair—as if they were real hibakusha. This means that (i) some of those who entered Hiroshima in the early days after the blast could be regarded as indirect hibakusha; (ii) ‘in-the-city-control’ people in the Life Span Study (LSS) must have been irradiated more or less from residual radiation and could not function properly as the negative control; (iii) exposure doses of hibakusha were largely underestimated; and (iv) cancer risk in the LSS was largely overestimated. Obo's article is very important to understand the health effects of A-bombs so that the essence of it is translated from Japanese to English with the permission of the publisher.

[Feeding disorders in infancy: feeding interaction concept in diagnosis and treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Keren, M; Tyano, S

1998-09-01

In infancy clinical manifestations of psychological distress are mainly somatic. Feeding disorders are one of the most common and nonspecific manifestations of different kinds of disturbed parent-child relationships. These disturbances may have their origins in the baby's constitution and physical status, in the parent's personality structure, or both, as has been conceptualized in the transactional model of normal and abnormal development. Among the daily interactions a baby has with parents, feeding has special inherent impact on the early parent-child relationship because of its psychological meanings. Therefore, feeding disorders, with or without failure to thrive, often reflect various disorders of infancy, still not well recognized in the medical community, such as regulatory disorders, attachment disorders, depression of infancy, disorders of separation-individuation, and post-traumatic eating disorder. 3 clinical cases are brought to increase awareness of psychological distress in the infant, and of feeding disorders as 1 of its manifestations. Each illustrates a different kind of feeding disorder in terms of etiology and pathogenesis. Through these cases we emphasize the need for a multi-disciplinary, integrative approach in diagnosis and treatment. Our conceptual background is based both on the transactional model of development (infant and parental factors impact on each other) in a very dynamic paradigm, and on psychodynamic premises. Intrapsychic conflicts and past representations impact heavily on the parenting characteristics. We emphasize the psychological significance of disturbed feeding interactions, with or without failure to thrive.

Building Opportunities for Environmental Education Through Student Development of Cyberinfrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Moysey, S. M.; Boyer, D. M.; Mobley, C.; Byrd, V. L.

2014-12-01

It is increasingly common to utilize simulations and games in the classroom, but learning opportunities can also be created by having students construct these cyberinfrastructure resources themselves. We outline two examples of such projects completed during the summer of 2014 within the NSF ACI sponsored REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Collaborative Data Visualization Applications at Clemson University (Award 1359223). The first project focuses on the development of immersive virtual reality field trips of geologic sites using the Oculus Rift headset. This project developed a platform which will allow users to navigate virtual terrains derived from real-world data obtained from the US Geological Survey and Google Earth. The system provides users with the ability to partake in an interactive first-person exploration of a region, such as the Grand Canyon, and thus makes an important educational contribution for students without access to these environmental assets in the real world. The second project focused on providing players visual feedback about the sustainability of their practices within the web-based, multiplayer watershed management game Naranpur Online. Identifying sustainability indicators that communicate meaningful information to players and finding an effective way to visualize these data were a primary challenge faced by the student researcher working on this project. To solve this problem the student translated findings from the literature to the context of the game to develop a hierarchical set of relative sustainability criteria to be accessed by players within a sustainability dashboard. Though the REU focused on visualization, both projects forced the students to transform their thinking to address higher-level questions regarding the utilization and communication of environmental data or concepts, thus enhancing the educational experience for themselves and future students.

Attracting Students Into Science: Insights From a Summer Research Internship Program for Community College Students in Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, S. P.; Smith, L. K.; Gold, A. U.; Batchelor, R. L.; Monday, B.

2014-12-01

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs commonly serve students already committed to careers in science. To spark student interest in the sciences early in their college career, the CIRES diversity initiative teamed with the Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory to build an REU for Colorado community college students. A group of 7 students was selected from consideration of diversity, prior training, and personal statements. Each student was paired with a research science mentor. Field excursions and team-building exercises filled the first week of the 8-week program. Students received weekly training in science communication, responsible conduct of research, use of spreadsheet and graphing software, and statistical analysis. Each student presented their research in a poster session, an oral presentation, and a written report. Several aspects of this pilot program worked well. The students formed a very supportive cohort, despite the fact that they were not in residence. Cohesion grew out of the immersion in field trips, and was reinforced with weekly check-ins. The trainings were essential for seeing projects through to written and oral presentations. Teaming students for fieldwork was an effective strategy to build support, and reduce mentor fatigue. Each student produced useful data. In the future, we would include a workshop on personal finances to address a clear need. Transportation support will be provided. A residential program might attract some but could preclude participation of students with families or other life-issues. Personal tutoring tailored to research projects would address low math skills. All 7 students completed the program; several elected to submit to the undergraduate virtual poster session at Fall AGU. Students all reported enormous personal and academic growth. Some are discussing transfer and graduate school opportunities with their mentors. The enthusiasm and appreciation of the students was unparalleled.

The SARA Consortium: Providing Undergraduate Access to a 0.9-m Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, M. A.

2003-12-01

The Southeastern Research for Astronomy (SARA) operates a 0.9-m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO). The member institutions are Florida Institute of Technology, East Tennessee State University, Florida International University, The University of Georgia at Athens, Valdosta State University, and Clemson University. The NSF awarded the KPNO #1 0.9-m telescope to the SARA Consortium in 1990. We built a new facility and began routine on-site observations in 1995. We began routine remote observations in 1999 using VNC to export the telescope and CCD control screens, and a web-cam in the dome to provide critical visual feedback on the status of the telescope and dome. The mission of the SARA Consortium is to foster astronomical research and education in the Southeastern United States. Although only two of the member institutions have no graduate programs, all six have a strong emphasis on undergraduate research and education. By pooling our resources, we are able to operate a research-grade facility that none of the individual schools could manage by itself, and in the process we can offer our undergraduate students the opportunity to assist in our research projects as well as to complete their own independent research projects using a facility at a premier site. The SARA Consortium also hosts a NSF REU Summer Intern Program in Astronomy, in which we support 11-12 students that work one-on-one with a SARA faculty mentor. Most of these interns are selected from primarily undergraduate institutions, and have not had significant previous research experience. As part of the program, interns and mentors travel to KPNO for a 4-5 night observing run at the telescope. The SARA NSF REU Program is funded through NSF grant AST-0097616.

Coronal Seismology: The Search for Propagating Waves in Coronal Loops

Science.gov (United States)

Schad, Thomas A.; Seeley, D.; Keil, S. L.; Tomczyk, S.

2007-05-01

We report on Doppler observations of the solar corona obtained in the Fe XeXIII 1074.7nm coronal emission line with the HAO Coronal Multi-Channel Polarimeter (CoMP) mounted on the NSO Coronal One Shot coronagraph located in the Hilltop Facility of NSO/Sacramento Peak. The COMP is a tunable filtergraph instrument that records the entire corona from the edge of the occulting disk at approximately 1.03 Rsun out to 1.4 Rsun with a spatial resolution of about 4” x 4”. COMP can be rapidly scanned through the spectral line while recording orthogonal states of linear and circular polarization. The two dimensional spatial resolution allows us to correlate temporal fluctuations observed in one part of the corona with those seen at other locations, in particular along coronal loops. Using cross spectral analysis we find that the observations reveal upward propagating waves that are characterized by Doppler shifts with rms velocities of 0.3 km/s, peak wave power in the 3-5 mHz frequency range, and phase speeds 1-3 Mm/s. The wave trajectories are consistent with the direction of the magnetic field inferred from the linear polarization measurements. We discuss the phase and coherence of these waves as a function of height in the corona and relate our findings to previous observations. The observed waves appear to be Alfvenic in character. "Thomas Schad was supported through the National Solar Observatory Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) site program, which is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the National Science Foundation REU Program." Daniel Seeley was supported through the National Solar Observatory Research Experience for Teachers (RET) site program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation RET program.

The Relationship Between Infrared Dark Cloud and Stellar Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Calahan, Jenny; Hora, Joseph L.

2018-01-01

Massive stars are known to form within infrared dark clouds (IRDCs), but many details about how molecular clouds collapse and form stars remain poorly understood.We determine the relationship between the dark cloud mass and the population of young stellar objects (YSOs) associated with the cloud to shed light on the physical processes occurring within these star forming regions. We chose to use a sample of IRDCs and YSOs within the Cygnus-X region, a close-by giant star formation complex that has every stage of star formation represented. Using observations from IRAC, MIPS, PACS, and SPIRE on Spitzer and Herschel we identified a sample of 30,903 YSOs and 167 IRDCs. We derived the class of each YSO as well as the mass of YSO and IRDCs from the flux information. Using these parameters, as well as their locations in the cloud, we were sorted IRDC fragments into larger filaments and associate a set of YSOs with each IRDC. By measuring and comparing parameters such as YSO total mass, number of YSOs, Class 0, Class I, and Class II populations, distance from host filament, and filament mass we tested for correlations between the YSO and IRDC parameters. Using this treasure trove of information, we find that Class 0 and I objects are located more closely to their host IRDC than their Class II counterparts. We also find that high-density IRDCs are better environments for star formation than low-density IRDCs. However, we find no correlation between the total mass of the IRDC and the largest YSO mass in the IRDC, suggesting that IRDCs of any mass can have massive YSOs associated with them.The SAO REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant AST-1659473, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

The C-MORE Scholars Program: Engaging minority students in STEM through undergraduate research

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, B. A.; Bruno, B. C.

2010-12-01

There have been several studies that show how undergraduate research experiences (REU) have a positive impact on a student’s academic studies and career path, including being a positive influence toward improving the student's lab skills and ability to work independently. Moreover, minority students appear to relate to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts better when they are linked with (1) a service learning component, and (2) STEM courses that include a cultural and social aspect that engages the student in a way that does not distract from the student’s technical learning. It is also known that a “place-based” approach that incorporates traditional (indigenous) knowledge can help engage underrepresented minority groups in STEM disciplines and increase science literacy. Based on the methods and best practices used by other minority serving programs and described in the literature, the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) has successfully developed an academic-year REU to engage and train the next generation of scientists. The C-MORE Scholars Program provides undergraduate students majoring in an ocean or earth science-related field, especially underrepresented students such as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, the opportunity to participate in unique and cutting edge hands-on research experiences. The program appoints awardees at one of three levels based on previous research and academic experience, and students can progress through the various tiers as their skills and STEM content knowledge develop. All awardees receive guidance on a research project from a mentor who is a scientist at the university and/or industry. A key component of the program is the inclusion of professional development activities to help the student continue towards post graduation education or prepare for career opportunities after they receive their undergraduate STEM degree.

Genome characterization of sugarcane yellow leaf virus from China reveals a novel recombinant genotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yi-Hua; Gao, San-Ji; Damaj, Mona B; Fu, Hua-Ying; Chen, Ru-Kai; Mirkov, T Erik

2014-06-01

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV; genus Polerovirus, family Luteoviridae) is a recombinant virus associated with yellow leaf disease, a serious threat to sugarcane in China and worldwide. Among the nine known SCYLV genotypes existing worldwide, COL, HAW, REU, IND, CHN1, CHN2, BRA, CUB and PER, the last five have been reported in China. In this study, the complete genome sequences (5,880 nt) of GZ-GZ18 and HN-CP502 isolates from the Chinese provinces of Guizhou and Hainan, respectively, were cloned, sequenced and characterized. Phylogenetic analysis showed that, among 29 SCYLV isolates described worldwide, the two Chinese isolates clustered together into an independent clade based on the near-complete genome nucleotide (ORF0-ORF5) or amino acid sequences of individual genes, except for the MP protein (ORF4). We propose that the two isolates represent a novel genotype, CHN3, diverging from other genotypes by 1.7-13.6 % nucleotide differences in ORF0-ORF5, and 2.7-28.1 %, 1.8-20.4 %, 0.5-5.1 % and 2.7-15.9 % amino acid differences in P0 (ORF0), RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) (ORF1+2), CP (coat protein) (ORF3) and RT (readthrough protein) (ORF3+5), respectively. CHN3 was closely related to the BRA, HAW and PER genotypes, differing by 1.7-3.8 % in the near-complete genome nucleotide sequence. Recombination analysis further identified CHN3 as a new recombinant strain, arising from the major parent CHN-HN1 and the minor parent CHN-GD-WY19. Recombination breakpoints were distributed mostly within the RdRp region in CHN3 and the four significant recombinant genotypes, IND, REU, CUB and BRA. Recombination is considered to contribute significantly to the evolution and emergence of such new SCYLV variants.

MOBILE COMPUTING USING ANDROID WITH AN EMPHASIZES ON ECONOMIC APPLICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magnolia TILCA

2016-12-01

Full Text Available As result of the convergence of computers and mobile phones, Android comes with the great opportunity of implementing personal mobile applications in a Java language environment. The paper presents two main aspects concerning the new age of programming. The first aspect refers to the existing library of applications in economic domain. The paper extracts the most useful financial and business apps that run on Android smart-phones. The second aspect presents an example of building an economic application using one of Android’s various IDEs (Integrated Development Environments: Android Studio. The developed app calculates the prognosis of a business size starting from known statistic data sets and evaluates the effort of the business implementation, using the linear regression method. The app differs from other Android applications by the explicit answers that result from the regression calculus

Building a strong geoscience department by emphasizing curriculum and pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Lea, P. D.; Beane, R. J.; Laine, E. P.

2005-12-01

About a decade ago the Bowdoin College Geology Department recognized a need for a new curriculum that more fully engaged majors and non-majors as active learners. To accomplish this curricular change the faculty have adopted differing pedagogies that all engage students in real projects. Research project-based learning, community-based learning, and problem-based service-learning form the core of our teaching efforts. The emphasis on problem-solving and inquiry in our courses has greatly strengthened our department's contributions to research, education, and service at the college. These courses have an added benefit of acquainting students with various aspects of their local and global environment. Geology majors leave Bowdoin equipped with tools and experiences they need for employment or graduate school as well life-long learners. To support the integration of research into our teaching we have successfully sought funding from NSF's CCLI and MRI programs. As a consequence, even first year students work with an SEM/EDAX/EBSD, with instrumented watersheds, and soon with an ocean observatory adjacent to our Coastal Studies Center, as well as taking greater advantage of local field opportunities. Our intense focus on improving curriculum and pedagogy organized and energized us within the department and helped us to present ourselves and our goals to the college.

Teaching about Psychosocial Aspects of Disability: Emphasizing Person-Environment Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Dana S.

2016-01-01

This article presents some psychosocial aspects of disability linked to the person--environment relation that teachers should share in the psychology classroom. Disability is an often-overlooked form of diversity, one that teachers should discuss alongside race, gender, sexual orientation, social class/socioeconomic status (SES), religiosity, and…

Risk analysis of critical infrastructures emphasizing electricity supply and interdependencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kjølle, G.H.; Utne, I.B.; Gjerde, O.

2012-01-01

Failures in critical infrastructures can cause major damage to society. Wide-area interruptions (blackouts) in the electricity supply system have severe impacts on societal critical functions and other critical infrastructures, but there is no agreed-upon framework on how to analyze and predict the reliability of electricity supply. Thus, there is a need for an approach to cross-sector risk analyses, which facilitates risk analysis of outages in the electricity supply system and enables investigation of cascading failures and consequences in other infrastructures. This paper presents such an approach, which includes contingency analysis (power flow) and reliability analysis of power systems, as well as use of a cascade diagram for investigating interdependencies. A case study was carried out together with the Emergency Preparedness Group in the city of Oslo, Norway and the network company Hafslund Nett. The case study results highlight the need for cross-sector analyses by showing that the total estimated societal costs are substantially higher when cascading effects and consequences to other infrastructures are taken into account compared to only considering the costs of electricity interruptions as seen by the network company. The approach is a promising starting point for cross-sector risk analysis of electricity supply interruptions and consequences for dependent infrastructures.

INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF CHROMOLAENA ODORATA EMPHASIZING THE CLASSICAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SOEKISMAN TJITROSEMITO

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Chromolaena odorata, Siam weed, a very important weed of Java Island (Indonesia is native to Central and South America. In the laboratory it showed rapid growth (1.15 g/g/week in the first 8 weeks of its growth. The biomass was mainly as leaves (LAR : 317.50 cm'/g total weight. It slowed down in the following month as the biomass was utilized for stem and branch formation. This behavior supported the growth of C. odorata into a very dense stand. It flowered, fruited during the dry season, and senesced following maturation of seeds from inflorescence branches. These branches dried out, but soon the stem resumed aggressive growth following the wet season. Leaf biomass was affected by the size of the stem in its early phase of regrowth, but later on it was more affected by the number of branches. The introduction of Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata to Indonesia, was successful only in North Sumatera. In Java it has not been reported to establish succesfully. The introduction of another biological control agent, Procecidochares conneca to Indonesia was shown to be sp ecific and upon release in West Java it established immediately. It spread exponentia lly in the first 6 months of its release. Field monitoring continues to eval uate the impact of the agents. Other biocontrol agents (Actmole anteas and Conotrachelus wilt be introduced to Indonesia in 1997 through ACIAR Project on the Biological Control of Chromolaena odorata in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Clefting of the Alveolus: Emphasizing the Distinction from Cleft Palate.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirtz, Nicholas; Sidman, James; Block, William

2016-05-01

Oral clefting is one of the most common significant fetal abnormalities. Cleft lip and cleft palate have drastically different clinical ramifications and management from one another. A cleft of the alveolus (with or without cleft lip) can confuse the diagnostic picture and lead to a false assumption of cleft palate. The cleft alveolus should be viewed on the spectrum of cleft lip rather than be associated with cleft palate. This is made evident by understanding the embryological development of the midface and relevant terminology. Cleft alveolus carries significantly different clinical implications and treatment options than that of cleft palate. Accurately distinguishing cleft alveolus from cleft palate is crucial for appropriate discussions regarding the patient's care. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Advocacy: Emphasizing the Uncommon about the Common Core State Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Sandra N.

2014-01-01

The author describes key issues and uncommon concerns about the Common Core State Standards that fit within two categories: philosophical and pedagogical. Philosophically, Common Core State K-12 Standards should not be expected to be mastered at a specific grade level but based on developmental readiness. Pedagogically, Common Core State Standards…

Emphasizing the process of science using demonstrations in conceptual chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Courtney A.

The purpose of this project was to teach students a method for employing the process of science in a conceptual chemistry classroom when observing a demonstration of a discrepant event. Students observed six demonstrations throughout a trimester study of chemistry and responded to each demonstration by asking as many questions as they could think of, choosing one testable question to answer by making as many hypotheses as possible, and choosing one hypothesis to make predictions about observed results of this hypothesis when tested. Students were evaluated on their curiosity, confidence, knowledge of the process of science, and knowledge of the nature of science before and after the six demonstrations. Many students showed improvement in using or mastery of the process of science within the context of conceptual chemistry after six intensive experiences with it. Results of the study also showed students gained confidence in their scientific abilities after completing one trimester of conceptual chemistry. Curiosity and knowledge of the nature of science did not show statistically significant improvement according to the assessment tool. This may have been due to the scope of the demonstration and response activities, which focused on the process of science methodology instead of knowledge of the nature of science or the constraints of the assessment tool.

Community Survey Q2: What to emphasize in Q1

Data.gov (United States)

Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina — This question is from the 2015 Chapel Hill Community Survey.Which THREE of these items do you think should receive the most emphasis from Town leaders over the next...

Young engineers and scientists - a mentorship program emphasizing space education

Science.gov (United States)

Boice, Daniel; Asbell, Elaine; Reiff, Patricia

Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) is a community partnership between Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), and local high schools in San Antonio, Texas (USA) during the past 16 years. The YES program provides talented high school juniors and seniors a bridge between classroom instruction and real world, research experiences in physical sciences (including space science) and engineering. The first component of YES is an intensive three-week summer workshop held at SwRI where students experience the research environment first-hand; develop skills and acquire tools for solving scientific problems, attend mini-courses and seminars on electronics, computers and the Internet, careers, science ethics, and other topics; and select individual research projects to be completed during the academic year. Afterwards, students complete individual research projects under the guidance of their mentors during the academic year and earn honors credit. At the end of the school year, students publicly present and display their work, acknowledging their accomplishments and spreading career awareness to other students and teachers. During these years, YES has developed a website for topics in space science from the perspective of high school students, including NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) (http://yesserver.space.swri.edu). High school science teachers participate in the workshop and develop space-related lessons for classroom presentation in the academic year. Student evaluations indicate the effectiveness of YES on their academic preparation and choice of college majors. Over the past 16 years, all YES graduates have entered college, several have worked for SwRI, one business has started, and three scientific publications have resulted. Acknowledgements. We acknowledge funding and support from the NASA MMS Mission, Texas Space Grant Consortium, Northside Independent School District, SwRI, and several local charitable foundations.

A Laboratory Course in Clinical Biochemistry Emphasizing Interest and Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Peter L.

1975-01-01

Ten laboratory experiments are described which are used in a successful clinical biochemistry laboratory course (e.g. blood alcohol, glucose tolerance, plasma triglycerides, coronary risk index, gastric analysis, vitamin C and E). Most of the experiments are performed on the students themselves using simple equipment with emphasis on useful…

A Conceptual Framework of Immersive Shared Environments Emphasizing Social Interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi Jeong Kim

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness of visual displays has often been linked to the sense of presence embodied by immersive visualization. However, efforts analyzing how presence is associated with multi-users’ quality of communication, including visualization capabilities to assist in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC, are still unfolding. This research is an exploratory study on social interaction, which aims to improve the presentation and communication of complex data through immersive simulation techniques. This paper reviews key concepts such as presence and immersion to identify factors that influence communication in the representative literature. It then introduces the Hub for Immersive Visualization and eResearch (HIVE with a focus on the technological components. Finally it presents a conceptual framework of immersive shared environment, which enables multi-users to understand how to implement social interaction in a system efficiently or to determine whether a visualization system could support communication effectively. Future studies to validate the proposed framework are discussed, particularly in the context of cognitive factors in a shared environment.

Poster project to emphasize public health in the pharmacy curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsch, Michael P; Werremeyer, Amy B

2011-02-10

To implement and assess a required public health poster project in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Third-year PharmD students collaborated in pairs to research a public health topic relating to pharmacy practice. Each student group prepared an informational poster, while receiving feedback from a faculty mentor at each stage of the project. The students presented their completed posters at a statewide pharmacy conference. Faculty members evaluated the posters with a grading rubric, and students completed a survey instrument that assessed the overall experience. In general, faculty members rated the class highly across all domains of the grading rubric. The class generally agreed that the poster project increased their awareness of public health issues related to pharmacy practice, overall knowledge of public health, and presentation skills. The implementation of a poster project was well received by students and faculty members as an effective method for enhancing public health instruction in the PharmD program at North Dakota State University.

EMPHASIZING SOCIAL ISSUES TOWARD SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN: A BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minelle Enéas da Silva

2015-06-01

Full Text Available From sustainability perspective, the supply chain management strategy can use different indicators related to Triple Bottom Line to improve its practices. Some studies in the topic have focused only environmental issues; however in some cases the social issues should be considered as a core of the sustainable strategies. Considering this view, the paper aims to highlight the relevance of social issues in the Brazilian context toward sustainable supply chain. Therefore, a theoretical essay was conducted using the literature about sustainable supply chain in relation to the Brazilian perspective to understand how it is possible to use new approaches for a more emphasis on social issues. The discussions indicates that to re-conceptualize the social relations in supply chains, it's necessary to use corporate social responsibility and social capital approaches to create a better discussion about sustainable supply chain. The proposal starts a discussion in the Brazilian context to stimulate new scholars to study this topic.

Managerial Challenges Within Networks - Emphasizing the Paradox of Network Participation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Morten

2003-01-01

Flexibility and access to numerous resources are essential benefits associated with network participation. An important aspect of managing the network participation of a company is to maintain a dynamic portfolio of partners, and thereby keep up the strategic opportunities for development. However......, maintaining the dynamics within a network seems to be a complex challenge. There is a risk that the network ends up in The Paradox of Network Participation. The desired renewal and flexibility are not utilised because the involved parties preserve the existing networks structure consisting of the same...... and thereby sort out the paradox of network participation. Trust and information are mechanisms employed to absorb uncertainty. The relationship between trust and the requirement for information depends on the maturity of the relationship. When trust becomes too important as uncertainty absorption mechanism...

Managerial challenges within networks: emphasizing the paradox of network participation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Morten

Flexibility and access to numerous resources are essential benefits associated with network participation. An important aspect of managing the network participation of a company is to maintain a dynamic portfolio of partners, and thereby keep up the strategic opportunities for development. However......, maintaining the dynamics within a network seems to be a complex challenge. There is a risk that the network ends up in The Paradox of Network Participation. The desired renewal and flexibility are not utilised because the involved parties preserve the existing networks structure consisting of the same...... and thereby sort out the paradox of network participation. Trust and information are mechanisms employed to absorb uncertainty. The relationship between trust and the requirement for information depends on the maturity of the relationship. When trust becomes too important as uncertainty absorption mechanism...

Thyroid disease in the pediatric patient: emphasizing imaging with sonography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Babcock, Diane S. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2006-04-15

Thyroid disease does occur in the pediatric patient, and imaging plays an important role in its evaluation. A review is presented of normal development of the thyroid gland, the technique and indications for thyroid sonography, and key imaging features of congenital thyroid disorders (ectopic or absent thyroid, infantile goiter, thyroglossal duct remnants), benign thyroid masses (follicular adenoma, degenerative nodules, colloid and thyroid cysts), malignant masses (follicular, papillary and medullary carcinoma) and diffuse thyroid disease (acute bacterial thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Grave's disease). (orig.)

Thyroid disease in the pediatric patient: emphasizing imaging with sonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babcock, Diane S.

2006-01-01

Thyroid disease does occur in the pediatric patient, and imaging plays an important role in its evaluation. A review is presented of normal development of the thyroid gland, the technique and indications for thyroid sonography, and key imaging features of congenital thyroid disorders (ectopic or absent thyroid, infantile goiter, thyroglossal duct remnants), benign thyroid masses (follicular adenoma, degenerative nodules, colloid and thyroid cysts), malignant masses (follicular, papillary and medullary carcinoma) and diffuse thyroid disease (acute bacterial thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Grave's disease). (orig.)

A COMBINED TREATMENT APPROACH EMPHASIZING IMPAIRMENT-BASED MANUAL THERAPY AND EXERCISE FOR HIP-RELATED COMPENSATORY INJURY IN ELITE ATHLETES: A CASE SERIES.

Science.gov (United States)

Short, Steve; Short, Gretchen; Strack, Donald; Anloague, Philip; Brewster, Brian

2017-11-01

Athletes experiencing hip, groin, and low back pain often exhibit similar clinical characteristics. Individuals with hip, groin and low back pain may have the presence of multiple concurrent pathoanatomical diagnoses. Regardless, similar regional characteristics and dysfunction may contribute to the patient's chief complaint, potentially creating a sub-group of individuals that may be defined by lumbopelvic and hip mobility limitations, motor control impairments, and other shared clinical findings. The purpose of this case series is to describe the conservative management of elite athletes, within the identified aforementioned sub-group, that emphasized regional manual therapy interventions, and therapeutic exercise designed to improve lumbopelvic and hip mobility, stability and motor control. Five elite athletes were clinically diagnosed by a physical therapist with primary pathologies including adductor-related groin pain (ARGP), femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) with acetabular labral lesion and acute, mechanical low back pain (LBP). Similar subjective, objective findings and overall clinical profiles were identified among all subjects. Common findings aside from the chief complaint included, but were not limited to, decreased hip range of motion (ROM), impaired lumbopelvic motor control and strength, lumbar hypomobility in at least one segment, and a positive hip flexion-adduction-internal rotation (FADIR) special test. A three-phase impairment-based physical therapy program was implemented to resolve the primary complaints and return the subjects to their desired level of function. Acute phase rehabilitation consisted of manual therapy and fundamental motor control exercises. Progression to the sub-acute and terminal phases was based on improved subjective pain reports and progress with functional impairments. As the subjects progress through the rehabilitation phases, the delivery of physical therapy interventions were defined by decreased manual therapies

Implementing the correlated fermi gas nuclear model for quasielastic neutrino-nucleus scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Tockstein, Jameson

2017-09-01

When studying neutrino oscillations an understanding of charged current quasielastic (CCQE) neutrino-nucleus scattering is imperative. This interaction depends on a nuclear model as well as knowledge of form factors. Neutrino experiments, such as MiniBooNE, often use the Relativistic Fermi Gas (RFG) nuclear model. Recently, the Correlated Fermi Gas (CFG) nuclear model was suggested in, based on inclusive and exclusive scattering experiments at JLab. We implement the CFG model for CCQE scattering. In particular, we provide analytic expressions for this implementation that can be used to analyze current and future neutrino CCQE data. This project was supported through the Wayne State University REU program under NSF Grant PHY-1460853 and by the DOE Grant DE-SC0007983.

Preprint of the results of `the publicly applied proposal type and hi-tech (emphasized) field research and development in fiscal 1995`; `1995 nendo teian kobogata saisentan (juten) bun`ya kenkyu kaihatsu` seika hokokukai yokoshu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-02-01

The preprint was prepared of a report meeting for the results of `the publicly applied proposal type and hi-tech (emphasized) field research and development in fiscal 1995` to be held in Tokyo during February 12 to 14, 1997. In the meeting, a lecture titled `The system of fundamental researches and its execution` is to be given as a special lecture and the following are as general lectures: `Energy/environmental technology and next generation catalysts,` ` The present and outlook of surgery in the 21st century - computer surgery,` The present situation of education and research related to the design of digital integrated systems,` and `The present and future of research and development of a new carbon material, fullerene.` Research reports were prepared by field as follows: 73 papers in the new material technology field, 46 in the bio-technology field, 36 in the electronics/information technology field, 8 in the mechanical system technology field, 8 in the human life engineering technology field, 23 in the medical/welfare equipment technology field, 5 in the resource technology field, 17 in the energy/environment technology field.

Surface photovoltage in heavily doped GaN:Si,Zn

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, J. D.; Behrends, A.; Mohajerani, M. S.; Bakin, A.; Waag, A.; Baski, A. A.; Reshchikov, M. A.

2014-02-01

In n-type GaN, an upward band bending of about 1 eV is caused by negative charge at the surface. UV light reduces the band bending by creating a surface photovoltage (SPV), which can be measured by a Kelvin probe. Previously, we reported a fast SPV signal of about 0.6 eV in undoped and moderately doped GaN. In this work, we have studied degenerate GaN co-doped with Zn and Si, with a Si concentration of about 1019 cm-3 and a Zn concentration of 6×1017 cm-3. At room temperature, a fast component of about 0.6 eV was observed. However, after preheating the sample at 600 K for one hour and subsequently cooling the sample to 300 K (all steps performed in vacuum), the fast component disappeared. Instead, a very slow (minutes) and logarithmic in time rise of the SPV was observed with UV illumination. The total change in SPV was about 0.4 eV. This slow SPV transient can be reversibly converted into the "normal" fast (subsecond) rise by letting air or dry oxygen in at room temperature. Possible explanations of the observed unusual SPV transients are discussed.

Mechanisms of catalytic activity in heavily coated hydrocracking catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Millan, M.; Adell, C.; Hinojosa, C.; Herod, A.A.; Kandiyoti, R. [University of London Imperial College Science Technology & Medicine, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

2008-01-15

Catalyst deactivation by coke deposition has a direct impact on the economic viability of heavy hydrocarbon upgrading processes, such as coal liquefaction and oil residue hydroprocessing. Coke deposition is responsible for rapid loss of catalytic activity and it mostly takes place in the early stages of hydrocracking. The effect of carbonaceous deposition on the catalytic activity of a chromium pillared montmorillonite has been studied in the present work. Its catalytic activity in hydrocracking a coal extract was evaluated based on the boiling point distributions of feed and products obtained by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and their characterisation by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and UV-Fluorescence spectroscopy (UV-F). A large deposition on the catalyst was observed after two successive 2-hour long runs in which the catalyst recovered from the first run was reused in the second. The pillared clay retained its activity even though it showed high carbon loading, a large drop in surface area and complete apparent pore blockage. Some observations may contribute to explain this persistent catalytic activity. First, there is evidence suggesting the dynamic nature of the carbonaceous deposits, which continuously exchange material with the liquid, allowing catalytic activity to continue. Secondly, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) on the used Cr montmorillonite has shown preferential deposition on some regions of the catalyst, which leaves a fraction of the surface relatively exposed. Finally, evidence from SEM coupled to X-ray microanalysis also suggest that deposits are thinner in areas where the active phase of the catalyst is present in higher concentrations. Hydrogenation on the active sites would make the deposits more soluble in the liquid cleaning of surrounding area from deposits.

Charge collection properties of heavily irradiated epitaxial silicon detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramberger, G.; Cindro, V.; Dolenc, I.; Fretwurst, E.; Lindstroem, G.; Mandic, I.; Mikuz, M.; Zavrtanik, M.

2005-01-01

Detectors processed on epitaxial silicon seem to be a viable solution for the extreme radiation levels in the innermost layers of tracking detectors at upgraded LHC (SLHC). A set of epitaxial pad detectors of 50 and 75μm thicknesses (ρ=50Ωcm) was irradiated with 24GeV/c protons and reactor neutrons up to equivalent fluences of 10 16 cm -2 . Charge collection for minimum ionizing electrons from a 90 Sr source was measured using a charge sensitive preamplifier and a 25ns shaping circuit. The dependence of collected charge on annealing time and operation temperature was studied. Results were used to predict the performance of fine pitch pixel detectors proposed for SLHC

Charge collection properties of heavily irradiated epitaxial silicon detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kramberger, G. [Institute Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39, SI-1111 Ljubljana (Slovenia)]. E-mail: Gregor.Kramberger@ijs.si; Cindro, V. [Institute Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39, SI-1111 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Dolenc, I. [Institute Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39, SI-1111 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Fretwurst, E. [University of Hamburg, Institut fuer Experimentalphysik, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg (Germany); Lindstroem, G. [University of Hamburg, Institut fuer Experimentalphysik, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761 Hamburg (Germany); Mandic, I. [Institute Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39, SI-1111 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Mikuz, M. [Institute Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39, SI-1111 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Zavrtanik, M. [Institute Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39, SI-1111 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

2005-12-01

Detectors processed on epitaxial silicon seem to be a viable solution for the extreme radiation levels in the innermost layers of tracking detectors at upgraded LHC (SLHC). A set of epitaxial pad detectors of 50 and 75{mu}m thicknesses ({rho}=50{omega}cm) was irradiated with 24GeV/c protons and reactor neutrons up to equivalent fluences of 10{sup 16}cm{sup -2}. Charge collection for minimum ionizing electrons from a {sup 90}Sr source was measured using a charge sensitive preamplifier and a 25ns shaping circuit. The dependence of collected charge on annealing time and operation temperature was studied. Results were used to predict the performance of fine pitch pixel detectors proposed for SLHC.

Color centers in heavily irradiated CsI(Tl) crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakovlev, V.; Meleshko, A.; Trefilova, L.

2008-01-01

The absorption and luminescence properties of CsI(Tl) crystals colored by irradiation are studied by the method of the time-resolved spectroscopy. The scheme of the electron transitions in CsI(Tl) crystal is suggested to explain the appearance of the color centers under exposure to the near-UV light. It is established that either of the two types activator color centers holds the charge carrier with opposite sign. The model of the hole Tl 2+ v c - activator color center is suggested. According to the model the positive charge of Tl 2+ ion is compensated by the negative charge of a close cation vacancy v c - . The color center emission reveals in the cathode-luminescence spectrum of the colored CsI(Tl) crystal. The high-dose irradiation of CsI(Tl) crystal results in the reduction of the decay time of the near-thallium self-trapped excitons (STE) emission. The decay kinetics of Tl 2+ v c - emission contains the time components typical for the decay kinetics of near-thallium STE emission. The reason of the observed effects is the energy transfer from the near-thallium STE excitons to the color centers via the inductive-resonant mechanism

Density of trapped gas in heavily-irradiated lithium hydride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowman, R.C. Jr.; Attalla, A.; Souers, P.C.; Folkers, C.L.; McCreary, T.; Snider, G.D.; Vanderhoofven, F.; Tsugawa, R.T.

1988-01-01

We review old gamma-irradiated lithium hydride data and also display much new bulk and gas-displacement density and nuclear magnetic resonance data on Li(D, T) and LiT at 296 to 373 K. We find that: (1) Li(D, T) swells because of the formation of internal D-T and 3 He gas bubbles, but probably not because of the precipitation of lithium metal; (2) the gas bubbles are at densities of at least 3 to 4x10 4 mol/m 3 , i.e. thousands of atmospheres; (3) outgassing may be largely the result of bubbles rupturing, although diffusion of 3 He as atoms may occur at long times. (orig.)

Regeneration of cilia in heavily irradiated sea urchin embryos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rustad, R.C.

1981-01-01

Cilia were removed from blastulae, gastrulae, and plutei of the sea urchins Arbacia punctulata and Lytechinus variegatus by shaking the embryos in hypertonic media. Exposure to 50 krad (and in some experiments 100 krad) of γ radiation either before or after deciliation had no effect on the time of appearance of regenerating cilia. There were no visually obvious differences in the rate of growth of the cilia in control and irradiated embryos. The cilia commenced beating at the same time, but the initial beating sometimes seemed less vigorous following irradiation. The data support the hypothesis that radiation has no major effect on the assembly from mature basal bodies of the microtubules of cilia

Short-channel drain current model for asymmetric heavily / lightly ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

PRADIPTA DUTTA

2017-07-29

Jul 29, 2017 ... (2017) 89:33 ... MS received 25 August 2015; revised 6 March 2017; accepted 6 April 2017; published ..... [18] J P Colinge, J W Park and W Xiong, IEEE Electron. ... devices(Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998).

The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative Fund Micro ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Since Ghana opted for the HIPC debt relief initiative and reached the completion point in June 2004 the country has received several billions of money into the HIPC account at the Bank of Ghana. Part of the funds has been given out in the form of micro-credit to poor households to help reduce their poverty situation.

Short-channel drain current model for asymmetric heavily/lightly ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The paper presents a drain current model for double gate metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (DG MOSFETs) based on a new velocity saturation model that accounts for short-channel velocity saturation effect independently in the front and the back gate controlled channels under asymmetric front and back ...

Intermediate band mobility in heavily titanium-doped silicon layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez-Diaz, G.; Olea, J.; Martil, I.; Pastor, D. [Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada III (Electricidad y Electronica), Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Marti, A.; Antolin, E.; Luque, A [Instituto de Energia Solar, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicacion, Ciudad Universitaria sn, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2009-09-15

The sheet resistance and the Hall mobility of high-purity Si wafers, in whose surface Ti atoms are implanted and laser annealed reaching concentrations above 10{sup 21} cm{sup -3}, are measured in the 90-370 K range. Below 240 K, an unconventional behavior is observed that is well explained on the basis of the appearance of an intermediate band (IB) region able to form a blocking junction with the substrate and of the appearance of an IB conduction. Explanations based on ordinary device physics fail to justify all the unconventional behavior of the characteristics observed. (author)

Rediscovery of an old article reporting that the area around the epicenter in Hiroshima was heavily contaminated with residual radiation, indicating that exposure doses of A-bomb survivors were largely underestimated.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutou, Shizuyo

2017-09-01

The A-bomb blast released a huge amount of energy: thermal radiation (35%), blast energy (50%), and nuclear radiation (15%). Of the 15%, 5% was initial radiation released within 30 s and 10% was residual radiation, the majority of which was fallout. Exposure doses of hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) were estimated solely on the basis of the initial radiation. The effects of the residual radiation on hibakusha have been considered controversial; some groups assert that the residual radiation was negligible, but others refute that assertion. I recently discovered a six-decade-old article written in Japanese by a medical doctor, Gensaku Obo, from Hiroshima City. This article clearly indicates that the area around the epicenter in Hiroshima was heavily contaminated with residual radiation. It reports that non-hibakusha who entered Hiroshima soon after the blast suffered from severe acute radiation sickness, including burns, external injuries, fever, diarrhea, skin bleeding, sore throat and loss of hair-as if they were real hibakusha. This means that (i) some of those who entered Hiroshima in the early days after the blast could be regarded as indirect hibakusha; (ii) 'in-the-city-control' people in the Life Span Study (LSS) must have been irradiated more or less from residual radiation and could not function properly as the negative control; (iii) exposure doses of hibakusha were largely underestimated; and (iv) cancer risk in the LSS was largely overestimated. Obo's article is very important to understand the health effects of A-bombs so that the essence of it is translated from Japanese to English with the permission of the publisher. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Mass lead intoxication from informal used lead-acid battery recycling in dakar, senegal.

Science.gov (United States)

Haefliger, Pascal; Mathieu-Nolf, Monique; Lociciro, Stephanie; Ndiaye, Cheikh; Coly, Malang; Diouf, Amadou; Faye, Absa Lam; Sow, Aminata; Tempowski, Joanna; Pronczuk, Jenny; Filipe Junior, Antonio Pedro; Bertollini, Roberto; Neira, Maria

2009-10-01

Between November 2007 and March 2008, 18 children died from a rapidly progressive central nervous system disease of unexplained origin in a community involved in the recycling of used lead-acid batteries (ULAB) in the suburbs of Dakar, Senegal. We investigated the cause of these deaths. Because autopsies were not possible, the investigation centered on clinical and laboratory assessments performed on 32 siblings of deceased children and 23 mothers and on 18 children and 8 adults living in the same area, complemented by environmental health investigations. All 81 individuals investigated were poisoned with lead, some of them severely. The blood lead level of the 50 children tested ranged from 39.8 to 613.9 microg/dL with a mean of 129.5 microg/dL. Seventeen children showed severe neurologic features of toxicity. Homes and soil in surrounding areas were heavily contaminated with lead (indoors, up to 14,000 mg/kg; outdoors, up to 302,000 mg/kg) as a result of informal ULAB recycling. Our investigations revealed a mass lead intoxication that occurred through inhalation and ingestion of soil and dust heavily contaminated with lead as a result of informal and unsafe ULAB recycling. Circumstantial evidence suggested that most or all of the 18 deaths were due to encephalopathy resulting from severe lead intoxication. Findings also suggest that most habitants of the contaminated area, estimated at 950, are also likely to be poisoned. This highlights the severe health risks posed by informal ULAB recycling, in particular in developing countries, and emphasizes the need to strengthen national and international efforts to address this global public health problem.

The third-year medical student "grapevine": managing transitions between third-year clerkships using peer-to-peer handoffs.

Science.gov (United States)

Masters, Dylan E; O'Brien, Bridget C; Chou, Calvin L

2013-10-01

As third-year medical students rotate between clerkships, they experience multiple transitions across workplace cultures and shifting learning expectations. The authors explored clerkship transitions from the students' perspective by examining the advice they passed on to their peers in preparation for new clerkships. Seventy-one students from three Veterans Affairs-based clerkship rotations at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine participated in a peer-to-peer handoff session from 2008 to 2011. In the handoff session, they gave tips for optimizing performance to students starting the clerkship they had just completed. The authors transcribed student comments from four handoff sessions and used qualitative content analysis to identify and compare advice across clerkships. Students shared advice about workplace culture, content learning, logistics, and work-life balance. Common themes included expectations of the rotation, workplace norms, specific tasks, learning opportunities, and learning strategies. Comments about patient care and work-life balance were rare. Students emphasized different themes for each clerkship; for example, for some clerkships, students commented heavily on tasks and content learning, while in another students focused on workplace culture and exam preparation. These findings characterize the transitions that third-year students undergo as they rotate into new clinical training environments. Students emphasized different aspects of each clerkship in the advice they passed to their peers, and their comments often describe informal norms or opportunities that official clerkship orientations may not address. Peer-to-peer handoffs may help ease transitions between clerkships with dissimilar cultures and expectations.

Accuracy of intuition in clinical decision-making among novice clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Amanda; Zulkosky, Kristen; White, Krista; Pretz, Jean

2017-05-01

To assess the reliance on intuitive and analytical approaches during clinical decision-making among novice clinicians and whether that reliance is associated with accurate decision-making. Nurse educators and managers tend to emphasize analysis over intuition during clinical decision-making though nurses typically report some reliance on intuition in their practice. We hypothesized that under certain conditions, reliance on intuition would support accurate decision-making, even among novices. This study utilized an experimental design with clinical complication (familiar vs. novel) and decision phase (cue acquisition, diagnosis and action) as within-subjects' factors, and simulation role (observer, family, auxiliary nurse and primary nurse) as between-subjects' factor. We examined clinical decision-making accuracy among final semester pre-licensure nursing students in a simulation experience. Students recorded their reasoning about emerging clinical complications with their patient during two distinct points in the simulation; one point involved a familiar complication and the other a relatively novel complication. All data were collected during Spring 2015. Although most participants relied more heavily on analysis than on intuition, use of intuition during the familiar complication was associated with more accurate decision-making, particularly in guiding attention to relevant cues. With the novel complication, use of intuition appeared to hamper decision-making, particularly for those in an observer role. Novice clinicians should be supported by educators and nurse managers to note when their intuitions are likely to be valid. Our findings emphasize the integrated nature of intuition and analysis in clinical decision-making. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Perceptual learning and human expertise.

Science.gov (United States)

Kellman, Philip J; Garrigan, Patrick

2009-06-01

We consider perceptual learning: experience-induced changes in the way perceivers extract information. Often neglected in scientific accounts of learning and in instruction, perceptual learning is a fundamental contributor to human expertise and is crucial in domains where humans show remarkable levels of attainment, such as language, chess, music, and mathematics. In Section 2, we give a brief history and discuss the relation of perceptual learning to other forms of learning. We consider in Section 3 several specific phenomena, illustrating the scope and characteristics of perceptual learning, including both discovery and fluency effects. We describe abstract perceptual learning, in which structural relationships are discovered and recognized in novel instances that do not share constituent elements or basic features. In Section 4, we consider primary concepts that have been used to explain and model perceptual learning, including receptive field change, selection, and relational recoding. In Section 5, we consider the scope of perceptual learning, contrasting recent research, focused on simple sensory discriminations, with earlier work that emphasized extraction of invariance from varied instances in more complex tasks. Contrary to some recent views, we argue that perceptual learning should not be confined to changes in early sensory analyzers. Phenomena at various levels, we suggest, can be unified by models that emphasize discovery and selection of relevant information. In a final section, we consider the potential role of perceptual learning in educational settings. Most instruction emphasizes facts and procedures that can be verbalized, whereas expertise depends heavily on implicit pattern recognition and selective extraction skills acquired through perceptual learning. We consider reasons why perceptual learning has not been systematically addressed in traditional instruction, and we describe recent successful efforts to create a technology of perceptual

Perceptual learning and human expertise

Science.gov (United States)

Kellman, Philip J.; Garrigan, Patrick

2009-06-01

We consider perceptual learning: experience-induced changes in the way perceivers extract information. Often neglected in scientific accounts of learning and in instruction, perceptual learning is a fundamental contributor to human expertise and is crucial in domains where humans show remarkable levels of attainment, such as language, chess, music, and mathematics. In Section 2, we give a brief history and discuss the relation of perceptual learning to other forms of learning. We consider in Section 3 several specific phenomena, illustrating the scope and characteristics of perceptual learning, including both discovery and fluency effects. We describe abstract perceptual learning, in which structural relationships are discovered and recognized in novel instances that do not share constituent elements or basic features. In Section 4, we consider primary concepts that have been used to explain and model perceptual learning, including receptive field change, selection, and relational recoding. In Section 5, we consider the scope of perceptual learning, contrasting recent research, focused on simple sensory discriminations, with earlier work that emphasized extraction of invariance from varied instances in more complex tasks. Contrary to some recent views, we argue that perceptual learning should not be confined to changes in early sensory analyzers. Phenomena at various levels, we suggest, can be unified by models that emphasize discovery and selection of relevant information. In a final section, we consider the potential role of perceptual learning in educational settings. Most instruction emphasizes facts and procedures that can be verbalized, whereas expertise depends heavily on implicit pattern recognition and selective extraction skills acquired through perceptual learning. We consider reasons why perceptual learning has not been systematically addressed in traditional instruction, and we describe recent successful efforts to create a technology of perceptual

Distributed-memory matrix computations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balle, Susanne Mølleskov

1995-01-01

The main goal of this project is to investigate, develop, and implement algorithms for numerical linear algebra on parallel computers in order to acquire expertise in methods for parallel computations. An important motivation for analyzaing and investigating the potential for parallelism in these......The main goal of this project is to investigate, develop, and implement algorithms for numerical linear algebra on parallel computers in order to acquire expertise in methods for parallel computations. An important motivation for analyzaing and investigating the potential for parallelism...... in these algorithms is that many scientific applications rely heavily on the performance of the involved dense linear algebra building blocks. Even though we consider the distributed-memory as well as the shared-memory programming paradigm, the major part of the thesis is dedicated to distributed-memory architectures....... We emphasize distributed-memory massively parallel computers - such as the Connection Machines model CM-200 and model CM-5/CM-5E - available to us at UNI-C and at Thinking Machines Corporation. The CM-200 was at the time this project started one of the few existing massively parallel computers...

The transformative power of story for healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Profeit-LeBlanc, Louise

2003-01-01

One of our goals in this session was, not just to talk about the healing power of narrative, but to experience it as well. Louise Profeit-LeBlanc is one of the presenters we invited specifically because of her skills as a storyteller. She has been heavily involved for several years as both an organizer and a participant in the Yukon Storytelling Festival, held every year in late May in Whitehorse. Woven into her presentation is a useful framework for differentiating various kinds of stories. As she tells us a series of stories, she takes us through a wide range of emotions from grief and loss to laughter and awe. For each of her stories, she gives us some personal contextual information that adds to the story’s meaning and helps us appreciate its significance. Her final story, in particular, is the kind of traditional story that has probably existed for a very long time. Such stories may be told with slightly different emphases, depending on the occasion, but they carry wisdom and value for every generation that hears them.