A constraint programming solution for the military unit path finding problem

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Leenen, L

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this chapter the authors present an algorithm to solve the Dynamic Military Unit Path Finding Problem (DMUPFP) which is based on Stentz’s well-known D* algorithm to solve dynamic path finding problems. The Military Unit Path Finding Problem...

Computer Use and Vision-Related Problems Among University Students In Ajman, United Arab Emirate

OpenAIRE

Shantakumari, N; Eldeeb, R; Sreedharan, J; Gopal, K

2014-01-01

Background: The extensive use of computers as medium of teaching and learning in universities necessitates introspection into the extent of computer related health disorders among student population. Aim: This study was undertaken to assess the pattern of computer usage and related visual problems, among University students in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 Students studying in Gulf Medical University, Ajman and Ajman University of Science and Technology we...

SI units in engineering and technology

CERN Document Server

Qasim, S H

2016-01-01

SI Units in Engineering and Technology focuses on the use of the International System of Units-Systeme International d'Unités (SI). The publication first elaborates on the SI, derivation of important engineering units, and derived SI units in science and engineering. Discussions focus on applied mechanics in mechanical engineering, electrical and magnetic units, stress and pressure, work and energy, power and force, and magnitude of SI units. The text then examines SI units conversion tables and engineering data in SI units. Tables include details on the sectional properties of metals in SI units, physical properties of important molded plastics, important physical constants expressed in SI units, and temperature, area, volume, and mass conversion. Tables that show the mathematical constants, standard values expressed in SI units, and Tex count conversion are also presented. The publication is a dependable source of data for researchers interested in the use of the International System of Units-Systeme Inter...

United States panel presentations[Nuclear power technology in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyea, J [National Audubon Society, New York, NY (United States)

1990-07-01

Before I begin I have to make a disclaimer. That is that I am going to be talking about public perception because I think that is very important. But I do not want to give the impression that I think the public is wrong. I happen to agree with the public's perception of nuclear power, and I want to make that clear. I do not like the current generation of nuclear plants as I have made clear in many statements that I have made. On the other hand, in the long term, I feel that we have only two choices on the supply side, and that is nuclear power and solar electricity. And although I think solar electricity has the best chance, I am realistic enough to know that technologies do not always work the way I want. And so I think it is necessary to have at least some kind of nuclear option available. On the other hand, I do not think just any kind of nuclear technology will do. I want to talk to you about the conditions that I think you have to take into account when you try to design reactors that are publicly acceptable. I look at this as an insurance policy. Again, I do not want to be misquoted: I think nuclear power should be considered as an insurance policy, not as our first line of defense. Having made those disclaimers, what we need to do is set out a problem statement. The problem statement I set out is, 'How could one design and demonstrate a nuclear reactor that would regain public confidence in the United States, if one chose to do that?' By regaining confidence, I mean regaining sufficient confidence to site reactors at a number of locations. It is a pretty heavy task because the public cannot judge the technical issues. They have to judge the players by their characters and their histories, just as the way we calibrate anyone that knows things that we do not. I have three theses that I think are crucial. The first is that people do not believe in the claims of advocates, of any point of view, not just nuclear power, once the advocates have been proved wrong on

Physics Problems Based on Up-to-Date Science and Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Folan, Lorcan M.; Tsifrinovich, Vladimir I.

2007-03-01

We observe a huge chasm between up-to-date science and undergraduate education. The result of this chasm is that current student interest in undergraduate science is low. Consequently, students who are graduating from college are often unable to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by science and technology. Cutting edge science and technology frequently use the methods learned in undergraduate courses, but up-to-date applications are not normally used as examples or for problems in undergraduate courses. There are many physics problems which contain information about the latest achievements in science and technology. But typically, the level of these problems is too advanced for undergraduates. We created physics problems for undergraduate science and engineering students, which are based on the latest achievements in science and technology. These problems have been successfully used in our courses at the Polytechnic University in New York. We believe that university faculty may suggest such problems in order to provide information about the frontiers of science and technological, demonstrate the importance of undergraduate physics in solving contemporary problems and raise the interest of talented students in science. From the other side, our approach may be considered an indirect way for advertising advanced technologies, which undergraduate students and, even more important, future college graduates could use in their working lives.

Development of innovative teaching materials: clinical pharmacology problem-solving (CPPS) units: comparison with patient-oriented problem-solving units and problem-based learning--a 10-year review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lathers, Claire M; Smith, Cedric M

2002-05-01

The First Teaching Clinic in Clinical Pharmacology, sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacology in September 1992, was designed for the preparation and development of new clinical pharmacology problem-solving (CPPS) units. CPPS units are case histories that illustrate pertinent principles in clinical pharmacology. Each unit consists of the following sections: introduction, learning objectives, pretest, four clinical pharmacology scenarios, posttest, answers to pre- and posttest questions, and selected references. The clinical pharmacology content of the CPPS units place greater emphasis on clinical information, drug selection, and risk/benefit analyses, and thus they complement the basic pharmacology presented in the patient-oriented problem-solving (POPS) units. In general, the CPPS units are intended for use by students more advanced in clinical pharmacology than first- and second-year medical students. The CPPS unit "Clinical Pharmacology of Antiepileptic Drug Use: Clinical Pearls about the Perils of Patty" was developed for use by third- and fourth-year medical students doing rotations in neurology or clinical pharmacology; advanced pharmacy students; residents in neurology, pediatrics, internal medicine, and family practice; fellows in clinical pharmacology, and those taking the board examination in clinical pharmacology. The CPPS unit titled "Geriatric Clinical Psychopharmacology" was written for third- and fourth-year medical students; residents in psychiatry, family practice, and internal medicine;fellows in clinical pharmacology; and those studying for boards in clinical pharmacology. The CPPS unit "Anisocoria and Glaucoma" was written for more advanced students of clinical pharmacology. The CPPS unit titled "Antiepileptic Drugs" was intended for second-year medical students. The second teaching clinic was held in November 1993 and focused on the development and editing of the CPPS units and their evaluations by faculty and students from

75 FR 20388 - International Business Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services Business Unit, Integrated...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-19

... Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services Business Unit, Integrated Technology Services, Cost and... Technology Services Business Unit, Integrated Technology Services, Cost and Expense Team working from various... Technology Services Business Unit. The company reports that workers leased from Datrose, Inc., were employed...

Security Problems of Mobile Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. G. Beltov

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The article provides an overview of security problems which exist in the mobile devices. The main technologies aimed to protect the phones from various types of attacks are considered. The authors justify the necessity of developing new improved tools and methods to ensure the safety of such devices.

Legitimation problems of participatory processes in technology assessment and technology policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Saretzki, Thomas

2012-11-01

Since James Carroll (1971) made a strong case for "participatory technology", scientists, engineers, policy-makers and the public at large have seen quite a number of different approaches to design and implement participatory processes in technology assessment and technology policy. As these participatory experiments and practices spread over the last two decades, one could easily get the impression that participation turned from a theoretical normative claim to a working practice that goes without saying. Looking beyond the well-known forerunners and considering the ambivalent experiences that have been made under different conditions in various places, however, the "if" and "how" of participation are still contested issues when questions of technology are on the agenda. Legitimation problems indicate that attempts to justify participation in a given case have not been entirely successful in the eyes of relevant groups among the sponsors, participants, organizers or observers. Legitimation problems of participatory processes in technology assessment and technology policy vary considerably, and they do so not only with the two domains and the ways of their interrelation or the specific features of the participatory processes. If we ask whether or not participation is seen as problematic in technology assessment and technology policy-making and in what sense it is being evaluated as problematic, then we find that the answer depends also on the approaches and criteria that have been used to legitimize or delegitimize the call for a specific design of participation.

Aviation safety and operation problems research and technology

Science.gov (United States)

Enders, J. H.; Strickle, J. W.

1977-01-01

Aircraft operating problems are described for aviation safety. It is shown that as aircraft technology improves, the knowledge and understanding of operating problems must also improve for economics, reliability and safety.

Assessing security technology's impact: old tools for new problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreissl, Reinhard

2014-09-01

The general idea developed in this paper from a sociological perspective is that some of the foundational categories on which the debate about privacy, security and technology rests are blurring. This process is a consequence of a blurring of physical and digital worlds. In order to define limits for legitimate use of intrusive digital technologies, one has to refer to binary distinctions such as private versus public, human versus technical, security versus insecurity to draw differences determining limits for the use of surveillance technologies. These distinctions developed in the physical world and are rooted in a cultural understanding of pre-digital culture. Attempts to capture the problems emerging with the implementation of security technologies using legal reasoning encounter a number of problems since law is by definition oriented backwards, adapting new developments to existing traditions, whereas the intrusion of new technologies in the physical world produces changes and creates fundamentally new problems.

Proposal for a United Nations Basic Space Technology Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Balogh, Werner

Putting space technology and its applications to work for sustainable economic and social development is the primary objective of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, launched in 1971. A specific goal for achieving this objective is to establish a sustainable national space capacity. The traditional line of thinking has supported a logical progression from building capacity in basic space science, to using space applications and finally - possibly - to establishing indigenous space technology capabilities. The experience in some countries suggests that such a strict line of progression does not necessarily hold true and that priority given to the establishment of early indigenous space technology capabilities may contribute to promoting the operational use of space applications in support of sustainable economic and social development. Based on these findings and on the experiences with the United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative (UNBSSI) as well as on a series of United Nations/International Academy of Astronautics Workshops on Small Satellites in the Service of Developing Countries, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is considering the launch of a dedicated United Nations Basic Space Technology Initiative (UNBSTI). The initiative would aim to contribute to capacity building in basic space technology and could include, among other relevant fields, activities related to the space and ground segments of small satellites and their applications. It would also provide an international framework for enhancing cooperation between all interested actors, facilitate the exchange of information on best practices, and contribute to standardization efforts. It is expected that these activities would advance the operational use of space technology and its applications in an increasing number of space-using countries and emerging space nations. The paper reports on these initial considerations and on the potential value-adding role

The radioactive waste debate in the United States and nuclear technology for peaceful purposes

Science.gov (United States)

Tehan, Terrence Norbert

Many ethical, cultural, and economic concerns have accompanied the rapid growth of Western technology. Nuclear technology in particular has experienced considerable opposition because of its perceived dangers, especially disposal of atomic waste. While this field of science remains in its infancy, many legal, political and ecological groups oppose any further application of nuclear technology--including the significant medical, environmental, and economic benefits possible from a safe and responsible application of nuclear energy. Complete and objective knowledge of this technology is needed to balance a healthy respect for the danger of atomic power with its many advantages. This study focuses on one aspect of nuclear technology that has particularly aroused political and social controversy: nuclear waste. Finding ways of disposing safely of nuclear waste has become an extremely volatile issue because of the popular misconception that there is no permanent solution to this problem. This investigation will demonstrate that the supposedly enduring waste problem has been resolved in several industrial countries that now outstrip the United States in safe commercial applications of nuclear science. This dissertation offers a reasoned and objective contribution to the continuing national debate on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. This debate becomes more crucial as the nation seeks a dependable substitute for the non-renewable sources of energy now rapidly being exhausted.

Technology and place: A geography of waste-to-energy in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Jordan Patterson

offer a review of relevant literature in the fields of geography, science and technology studies, and allied disciplines focusing especially on topics of solid waste, energy, and infrastructure. I then trace the historical geography of WTE around the world but focusing on the United States and the role of the federal government (especially the Office of Solid Waste at the US Environmental Protection Agency), engineering consulting firms, and professional solid waste management organizations in shaping understandings of both waste management problems and solutions to those problems. Next, I move into two case studies, employing a critical realist perspective to de-compose the arguments made for and against WTE: first, in an instance where WTE has been considered several times but never adopted (Maui, Hawaii), and second, where the technology was deployed amidst great controversy (Detroit, Michigan). In the final chapter, I summarize my main arguments and findings before examining a more limited case study of a site where WTE is accepted as an integral part of solid waste management, the `ecomaine' facility in Portland, Maine. The case studies pay close attention to the unique environmental, political, cultural, and economic contexts surrounding the decisions made. While representing a wide array of circumstances, from these case studies I offer some conclusions about the processes of technological and environmental decision-making that have impacted WTE before making some policy recommendations for solid waste management in the US.

Landmine research: technology solutions looking for problems

Science.gov (United States)

Trevelyan, James P.

2004-09-01

The global landmine problem came to the attention of researchers in the mid 1990's and by 1997 several advanced and expensive sensor research programs had started. Yet, by the end of 2003, there is little sign of a major advance in the technology available to humanitarian demining programs. Given the motivation and dedication of researchers, public goodwill to support such programs, and substantial research resources devoted to the problem, it is worth asking why these programs do not seem to have had an impact on demining costs or casualty rates. Perhaps there are factors that have been overlooked. This paper reviews several research programs to gain a deeper understanding of the problem. A possible explanation is that researchers have accepted mistaken ideas on the nature of the landmine problems that need to be solved. The paper provides several examples where the realities of minefield conditions are quite different to what researchers have been led to believe. Another explanation may lie in the political and economic realities that drive the worldwide effort to eliminate landmines. Most of the resources devoted to landmine clearance programs come from humanitarian aid budgets: landmine affected countries often contribute only a small proportion because they have different priorities based on realistic risk-based assessment of needs and political views of local people. Some aid projects have been driven by the need to find a market for demining technologies rather than by user needs. Finally, there is a common misperception that costs in less developed countries are intrinsically low, reflecting low rates paid for almost all classes of skilled labour. When actual productivity is taken into account, real costs can be higher than industrialized countries. The costs of implementing technological solutions (even using simple technologies) are often significantly under-estimated. Some political decisions may have discouraged thorough investigation of cost

Technology-Enhanced Problem-Based Learning Methodology in Geographically Dispersed Learners of Tshwane University of Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sibitse M. Tlhapane

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Improving teaching and learning methodologies is not just a wish but rather strife for most educational institutions globally. To attain this, the Adelaide Tambo School of Nursing Science implemented a Technology-enhanced Problem-Based Learning methodology in the programme B Tech Occupational Nursing, in 2006. This is a two-year post-basic nursing program. The students are geographically dispersed and the curriculum design is the typically student-centred outcomes-based education. The research question posed by this paper is: How does technology-enhanced problem-based learning enhance student-centred learning, thinking skills, social skills and social space for learners? To answer the above question, a case study with both qualitative and quantitative data was utilised. The participants consisted of all students registered for the subject Occupational Health level 4. The sample group was chosen from willing participants from the Pretoria, eMalahleni and Polokwane learning sites, using the snowball method. This method was seen as appropriate due to the timing of the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire with both open and closed-ended questions. An analyses of the students‟ end of year examination was also done, including a comparison of performances by students on technology enhanced problem-based learning and those on problem-based learning only. The findings revealed that with Technology-enhanced Problem Based Learning (PBL, students‟ critical thinking, problem solving, and social skills improved and that social space was enhanced. This was supported by improved grades in students‟ on Technology-enhanced PBL as compared to those on PBL only.

Legal problems brought about by technological progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

In almost all sectors of public or private life, advances in the natural sciences and the progress of technology provoke changes that have to be managed by society. Our legal system is far from being left untouched by such changes, and frequently has to cope with new and complex legal problems in all fields of law. The book in hand collects eleven lectures presented within the framework of the Studium Generale at Heidelberg University, dealing with significant developments and their effects on the law, as e.g.: Risk acceptance in the wake of new technologies, in vitro fertilisation, early diagnosis of embryonic malformation, protection of animals in the context of medical research, information technologies and data protection, accidents in space and liability problems, transfrontier air pollution, protection of the environment. The legal aspects and the social aspects are discussed in detail by the lectures. Three of the contributions have been separately analysed for the database. (orig./HSCH) [de

Some problems on domestic technology development from a point of fabricator of nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watamori, Tsutomu

1976-01-01

During past 20 years, the nuclear power industry in Japan has introduced foreign technology, digested them in short period, and continued to research and develop domestic technology. Now, 95% of the machinery and equipments for nuclear power generation with light water reactors can be produced domestically, and some technologies are going to be exported. However, the nuclear power industry is still in severe environment. The progress of the development of nuclear power plants passed the periods of organizational preparation, the construction of research reactors, the import of foreign technologies and reactors for practical use, and the construction of domestically produced reactors for practical use. The supplying capacity of the nuclear power industry in Japan reached 6 units of 1,000 MW yearly, but in order to meet the long term plan of nuclear power generation, this capacity must be further enhanced. The problems in the promotion of domestic production are the establishment of independent technologies, the promotion of standardization, the strengthening of business basis, the upbringing of relating enterprises, and the acceleration of national projects. Since the energy crisis, the trend of filling up energy demand with nuclear power generation became conspicuous, but for the expansion of export, the problems of safety guarantee, nuclear fuel cycle, and financial measures must be solved with government aid. (Kako, I.)

Robust technology and system for management of sucker rod pumping units in oil wells

Science.gov (United States)

Aliev, T. A.; Rzayev, A. H.; Guluyev, G. A.; Alizada, T. A.; Rzayeva, N. E.

2018-01-01

We propose a technology for calculating the robust, normalized correlation functions of the signal from the force sensor on the rod string attached to the hanger of the sucker rod pumping unit. The robust normalized correlation functions are used to form sets of informative attribute combinations, each of which corresponds to a technical condition of the sucker rod pumping unit. We demonstrate how these sets can be used to solve identification and management problems in the oil production process in real time using inexpensive controllers. The results obtained from using the system on real objects are also presented in this paper. It was determined that the energy saved and prolonged overhaul period substantially increased the cost-effectiveness.

Wicked problems in space technology development at NASA

Science.gov (United States)

Balint, Tibor S.; Stevens, John

2016-01-01

Technological innovation is key to enable future space exploration missions at NASA. Technology development, however, is not only driven by performance and resource considerations, but also by a broad range of directly or loosely interconnected factors. These include, among others, strategy, policy and politics at various levels, tactics and programmatics, interactions between stakeholders, resource requirements, performance goals from component to system level, mission infusion targets, portfolio execution and tracking, and technology push or mission pull. Furthermore, at NASA, these influences occur on varying timescales and at diverse geographic locations. Such a complex and interconnected system could impede space technology innovation in this examined segment of the government environment. Hence, understanding the process through NASA's Planning, Programming, Budget and Execution cycle could benefit strategic thinking, planning and execution. Insights could be gained through suitable models, for example assessing the key drivers against the framework of Wicked Problems. This paper discusses NASA specific space technology innovation and innovation barriers in the government environment through the characteristics of Wicked Problems; that is, they do not have right or wrong solutions, only improved outcomes that can be reached through authoritative, competitive, or collaborative means. We will also augment the Wicked Problems model to account for the temporally and spatially coupled, and cyclical nature of this NASA specific case, and propose how appropriate models could improve understanding of the key influencing factors. In turn, such understanding may subsequently lead to reducing innovation barriers, and stimulating technology innovation at NASA. Furthermore, our approach can be adopted for other government-directed environments to gain insights into their structures, hierarchies, operational flow, and interconnections to facilitate circular dialogs towards

Measuring relative efficiency of applied science and technology universities in province of Semnan, Iran and providing suggestions for merging units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abolfazl Danaei

2013-03-01

Full Text Available University of applied science and technology has been designed to create a platform for multilateral activities such as industrial, military and academic in developing countries to promote science and scientific research applications. These universities are responsible to promote practical training in quantitative and qualitative indicators and they provide appropriate infrastructure to implement theoretical graduates to solve practical problems to build necessary infrastructure to transfer modern technology into developing countries. During the past few years, there have been tremendous development on these units but some of them have not been efficient. In this paper, we present an empirical study to measure the relative efficiencies of various units of applied science and technology universities using data envelopment analysis. The proposed model of this paper uses two inputs including human resources as well as total assets and two outputs including the number of graduate students as well as operating profit. The results of the study have indicated that some of the units are inefficient and need to be merged with other units to increase the relative efficiency of these universities.

The Rationalization of Automatic Units for HPDC Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Herman

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with problem of optimal used automatic workplace for HPDC technology - mainly from aspects of operations sequence, efficiency of work cycle and planning of using and servicing of HPDC casting machine. Presented are possible ways to analyse automatic units for HPDC. The experimental part was focused on the rationalization of the current work cycle time for die casting of aluminium alloy. The working place was described in detail in the project. The measurements were carried out in detail with the help of charts and graphs mapped cycle of casting workplace. Other parameters and settings have been identified.The proposals for improvements were made after the first measurements and these improvements were subsequently verified. The main actions were mainly software modifications of casting center. It is for the reason that today's sophisticated workplaces have the option of a relatively wide range of modifications without any physical harm to machines themselves. It is possible to change settings or unlock some unsatisfactory parameters.

Coverage Range and Cost Comparison of Remote Antenna Unit Designs for Inbuilding Radio over Fiber Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Razali Ngah

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Future communication needs to be ubiquitous, broadband, convergent, and seamless. Radio over fiber (RoF technology is one of the most important enabler in access network for the technologies. Adoption of RoF faces bottleneck in optoelectronics, that they are still expensive, high power consumption, and limited in bandwidth. To solve the problem, transceiver in remote antenna unit (RAU is developed, i.e. electroabsorption transceiver (EAT and asymmetric FabryPerot modulator (AFPM. This paper compares their coverage range and cost in providing WCDMA and WLAN services. Needed gain of RF amplifier for supporting picocell is also discussed.

76 FR 5834 - International Business Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services Business Unit, Integrated...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-02

... Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services Business Unit, Integrated Technology Services, Cost and..., applicable to workers of International Business Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services Business... engaged in activities related to support for the Global Technology Services Business Unit. The company...

Why and How We Made a Problem Oriented AV Teaching Unit for Chemistry Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulder, T. H. M.; Verdonk, A. H.

1984-01-01

Describes an audiovisual teaching unit on the chemical laboratory technique of recrystallization which was developed along problem-solving lines and based on observation of student laboratory behavior. Discussion includes usual procedures for developing such units, how this unit solves problems typically associated with teaching, and its general…

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, USSR: Science & Technology Policy

Science.gov (United States)

1990-09-18

urgent and vital problems that faced the United States of America at that time. This discussion was of a completely free nature, and, although at...imeni M.O. Auezov, and the Sociology Center attached to the Institute of Eco- nomics, which took part in sociolinguistic studies of the language...development of advanced technologies. In the United States of America , for example, a special fund of these technologies was estab- lished. An

SELECTION OF KURAU FISHING TECHNOLOGY UNITS Eleutheronema tetradactylum WHICH COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Natsir Kholis

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Environmentally friendly fishing technology unit is needed in sustainable fisheries management. The purpose of this study was to determine the fishing technology unit of kurau competitive and sustainable. Data collection was carried out from July to September 2016 in the Coastal Pambang of Bengkalis District of Riau Province, by using the survey method. The analytical data method used is scoring the biological, technical and socioeconomic aspects the fishing technology unit of kurau. Results of research show that combined analysis of biological, technical and socioeconomic aspects have the value of the VA fishing line function (2.48 is higher than the other three fishing gear. Thus, the fishing line is a selected fishing technology unit of kurau competitive and sustainable in the Coastal Pambang Bengkalis District. Keywords: competitive,coastal pambang, fishing technology, kurau fish,sustainable fishing

Evaluation of a technology unit in a girls' primary school

Science.gov (United States)

Eke, Marion; Gardner, Paul L.

1991-12-01

Rapid advances in technology are changing the structure of the workforce. There are elite highly-paid hi-tech occupations and low status poorly-paid jobs. Women are unfortunately more likely to be found in the latter category. To allow them to qualify and compete for the higher-status positions, girls need to participate in the physical sciences and in technology studies. However, they are rarely attracted to them in secondary school, possibly because they are already alienated from them by the time they leave primary school. This paper reports some of the outcomes of a curriculum unit taught in two primary school classes in an independent school for girls. The unit was cross-curricular, involving technology, science and other fields of knowledge; it made extensive use of LEGO Technic materials. The evaluation of the unit, based on observations, a teacher journal and pupil questionnaires, focussed upon the issue of whether it assisted the girls to feel happier about working with unfamiliar technology and feel more capable of doing so. Implications for teaching technology are also discussed.

Mapping Students Use of Technologies in Problem Based Learning Environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rongbutsri, Nikorn; Khalid, Md. Saifuddin; Ryberg, Thomas

2011-01-01

This paper aims to understand how students use technology to enhance their learning in problem-based learning environments. The research methodology is based on both qualitative and quantitative studies. The results are based on students’ interviews, a survey and students’ reflections in course......-related blog posts; they show that students have positive perceptions toward using technologies in problem-based learning environments....

Benchmark Problems of the Geothermal Technologies Office Code Comparison Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, Mark D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Podgorney, Robert [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Kelkar, Sharad M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McClure, Mark W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Danko, George [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Ghassemi, Ahmad [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fu, Pengcheng [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bahrami, Davood [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Barbier, Charlotte [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Cheng, Qinglu [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Chiu, Kit-Kwan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Detournay, Christine [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Elsworth, Derek [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fang, Yi [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Furtney, Jason K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gan, Quan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gao, Qian [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Guo, Bin [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hao, Yue [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Horne, Roland N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Huang, Kai [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Im, Kyungjae [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Norbeck, Jack [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rutqvist, Jonny [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Safari, M. R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sesetty, Varahanaresh [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sonnenthal, Eric [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Tao, Qingfeng [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); White, Signe K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wong, Yang [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Xia, Yidong [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-12-02

A diverse suite of numerical simulators is currently being applied to predict or understand the performance of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). To build confidence and identify critical development needs for these analytical tools, the United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office has sponsored a Code Comparison Study (GTO-CCS), with participants from universities, industry, and national laboratories. A principal objective for the study was to create a community forum for improvement and verification of numerical simulators for EGS modeling. Teams participating in the study were those representing U.S. national laboratories, universities, and industries, and each team brought unique numerical simulation capabilities to bear on the problems. Two classes of problems were developed during the study, benchmark problems and challenge problems. The benchmark problems were structured to test the ability of the collection of numerical simulators to solve various combinations of coupled thermal, hydrologic, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. This class of problems was strictly defined in terms of properties, driving forces, initial conditions, and boundary conditions. Study participants submitted solutions to problems for which their simulation tools were deemed capable or nearly capable. Some participating codes were originally developed for EGS applications whereas some others were designed for different applications but can simulate processes similar to those in EGS. Solution submissions from both were encouraged. In some cases, participants made small incremental changes to their numerical simulation codes to address specific elements of the problem, and in other cases participants submitted solutions with existing simulation tools, acknowledging the limitations of the code. The challenge problems were based on the enhanced geothermal systems research conducted at Fenton Hill, near Los Alamos, New Mexico, between 1974 and 1995. The problems

A new three-stage method for solving unit commitment problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khanmohammadi, S.; Amiri, M.; Haque, M. Tarafdar [Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tabriz, P.O. Box 51665-343, Tabriz (Iran)

2010-07-15

This paper presents a new Three-Stage (THS) approach for solving Unit Commitment (UC) problem. The proposed method has a simple procedure to get at favorite solutions in a feasible duration of time by producing a primal schedule of status of units at the first step. In the second step the operating units take hourly values by doing Economic Dispatch (ED) on them via a hybrid serial algorithm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) including Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Nelder-Mead (NM) algorithms. In spite of the acceptable solutions obtained by these two stages, the presented method takes another step called the solution modification process (SMP) to reach a more suitable solution. The simulation results over some standard cases of UC problem confirm that this method produces robust solutions and generally gets appropriate near-optimal solutions. (author)

Some problems on domestic technology development from a point of fabricator of nuclear power plant. [Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watamori, T [Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1976-06-01

During past 20 years, the nuclear power industry in Japan has introduced foreign technology, digested it in a short period, and continued to research and develop domestic technology. Now, 95% of the machinery and equipments for nuclear power generation with light water reactors can be produced domestically, and some technologies are going to be exported. However, the nuclear power industry is still in a severe environment. The progress of the development of nuclear power plants passed the periods of organizational preparation, the construction of research reactors, the import of foreign technologies and reactors for practical use, and the construction of domestically produced reactors for practical use. The supplying capacity of the nuclear power industry in Japan reached 6 units of 1,000 MW yearly, but in order to meet the long term plan of nuclear power generation, this capacity must be further enhanced. The problems in the promotion of domestic production are the establishment of independent technologies, the promotion of standardization, the strengthening of business basis, the upbringing of relating enterprises, and the acceleration of national projects. Since the energy crisis, the trend of filling up energy demand with nuclear power generation became conspicuous, but for the expansion of export, the problems of safety guarantee, nuclear fuel cycle, and financial measures must be solved with government aid.

Low-level radioactive waste disposal technologies used outside the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Templeton, K.J.; Mitchell, S.J.; Molton, P.M.; Leigh, I.W.

1994-01-01

Low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal technologies are an integral part of the waste management process. In the United States, commercial LLW disposal is the responsibility of the State or groups of States (compact regions). The United States defines LLW as all radioactive waste that is not classified as spent nuclear fuel, high- level radioactive waste, transuranic waste, or by-product material as defined in Section II(e)(2) of the Atomic Energy Act. LLW may contain some long-lived components in very low concentrations. Countries outside the United States, however, may define LLW differently and may use different disposal technologies. This paper outlines the LLW disposal technologies that are planned or being used in Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom (UK)

Integration of problem-based learning and innovative technology into a self-care course.

Science.gov (United States)

McFalls, Marsha

2013-08-12

To assess the integration of problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course. Problem-based learning (PBL) activities were developed and implemented in place of lectures in a self-care course. Students used technology, such as computer-generated virtual patients and iPads, during the PBL sessions. Students' scores on post-case quizzes were higher than on pre-case quizzes used to assess baseline knowledge. Student satisfaction with problem-based learning and the use of technology in the course remained consistent throughout the semester. Integrating problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course enabled students to become active learners.

Science and technology related global problems: An international survey of science educators

Science.gov (United States)

Bybee, Rodger W.; Mau, Teri

This survey evaluated one aspect of the Science-Technology-Society theme, namely, the teaching of global problems related to science and technology. The survey was conducted during spring 1984. Two hundred sixty-two science educators representing 41 countries completed the survey. Response was 80%. Findings included a ranking of twelve global problems (the top six were: World Hunger and Food Resources, Population Growth, Air Quality and Atmosphere, Water Resources, War Technology, and Human Health and Disease). Science educators generally indicated the following: the science and technology related global problems would be worse by the year 2000; they were slightly or moderately knowledgeable about the problems; print, audio-visual media, and personal experiences were their primary sources of information; it is important to study global problems in schools; emphasis on global problems should increase with age/grade level; an integrated approach should be used to teach about global problems; courses including global problems should be required of all students; most countries are in the early stages of developing programs including global problems; there is a clear trend toward S-T-S; there is public support for including global problems; and, the most significant limitations to implementation of the S-T-S theme (in order of significance) are political, personnel, social, psychological, economic, pedagogical, and physical. Implications for research and development in science education are discussed.

Incorporating technology-based learning tools into teaching and learning of optimization problems

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Irene

2014-07-01

The traditional approach of teaching optimization problems in calculus emphasizes more on teaching the students using analytical approach through a series of procedural steps. However, optimization normally involves problem solving in real life problems and most students fail to translate the problems into mathematic models and have difficulties to visualize the concept underlying. As an educator, it is essential to embed technology in suitable content areas to engage students in construction of meaningful learning by creating a technology-based learning environment. This paper presents the applications of technology-based learning tool in designing optimization learning activities with illustrative examples, as well as to address the challenges in the implementation of using technology in teaching and learning optimization. The suggestion activities in this paper allow flexibility for educator to modify their teaching strategy and apply technology to accommodate different level of studies for the topic of optimization. Hence, this provides great potential for a wide range of learners to enhance their understanding of the concept of optimization.

A United Framework for Solving Multiagent Task Assignment Problems

Science.gov (United States)

2007-12-01

Presented to the Faculty Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command in...Member Date Date Accepted: 170-e<.. 01 DateM.V.THOMAS Dean, Graduate School of E,ngineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT...actions in two different problem groups: using shame [37] for autonomous robots navigating a minefield, and a waiter - refiller service environment [94

United States Japan Industry and Technology Management Training

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gercik, Patricia

2001-01-01

.... The intellectual focus of the Program is to integrate the research methodologies of the social sciences, the humanities, and technology to approach issues confronting the United States and Japan...

Decision making on the Breeder reactor in Britain and the United States: problems and solutions in the plutonium economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rydell, R.J.

1980-01-01

One objective of this study is to develop a framework of analysis that is useful for investigating the conditions shaping the respective roles of science and politics in decision making on technology policy. The analytical framework used focuses upon the interactive R and D process and specifies the factors affecting change in and of that process. The distinguishing feature of this new analytical framework is its utility for investigating how participants in and R and D process go about defining and solving a growing variety of problems that they encounter as the costs, impacts, and stakes of technological change become more readily apparent. The framework is then applied to a particularly complex and politically controversial technology, the nuclear breeder reactor. Britain and the United States, the original pioneers of technology utilizing plutonium to produce electricity, were singled out in order to test the utility of the analytical framework for the comparative study of the R and D decision-making process. Although the study does not purport to have exhausted all possible interpretations of this complex subject, the results of the study suggest that the interactive R and D process represents an improvement over conventional modes of conceptualizing how R and D policies are formulated and changed. Efforts to resolve major national and international problems relating to science and technology will ultimately succeed only to the extent that these efforts are grounded in a deeper understanding of the conditions affecting how these problems are defined and approached in actual decision-making environments

Enhancing the ecological and operational characteristics of water treatment units at TPPs based on baromembrane technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Chichirova, N. D.; Chichirov, A. A.; Filimonova, A. A.; Saitov, S. R.

2017-12-01

The innovative baromembrane technologies for water demineralization were introduced at Russian TPPs more than 25 years ago. While being used in the power engineering industry of Russia, these technologies demonstrated certain advantages over the traditional ion-exchange and thermal technologies of makeup water treatment for steam boilers. Water treatment units based on the baromembrane technology are compact, easy to operate, and highly automated. The experience gained from the use of these units shows that their reliability depends directly on preliminary water treatment. The popular water pretreatment technology with coagulation by aluminum oxychloride proved to be inefficient during the seasonal changes of source water quality that occurs at some stations. The use of aluminum coagulant at pH 8 and higher does not ensure the stable and qualitative pretreatment regime: soluble aluminum forms slip on membranes of the ultrafiltration unit, thereby causing pollution and intoxication as well as leading to structural damages or worsening of mechanical properties of the membranes. The problem of increased pH and seasonal changes of the source water quality can be solved by substitution of the traditional coagulant into a new one. To find the most successful coagulant for water pretreatment, experiments have been performed on both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the content of natural organic matters in the Volga water and their structure. We have developed a software program and measured the concentrations of soluble aluminum and iron salts at different pH values of the source water. The analysis of the obtained results has indicated that iron sulfate at pH 6.0-10.2, in contrast to aluminum oxychloride, is not characterized by increased solubility. Thus, the basic process diagrams of water pretreatment based on baromembrane technologies with pretreatment through coagulation by iron salts and wastewater amount reducing from 60-40 to 5-2% have been introduced for

Education and working life: VET adults' problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments

OpenAIRE

Hämäläinen, Raija; Wever, Bram De; Malin, Antero; Cincinnato, Sebastiano

2015-01-01

The rapidly-advancing technological landscape in the European workplace is challenging adults’ problem-solving skills. Workers with vocational education and training need flexible abilities to solve problems in technology-rich work settings. This study builds on Finnish PIAAC data to understand adults’ (N=4503) skills for solving problems in technology-rich environments. The results indicate the critical issue that more than two thirds of adults with vocational education and train...

INVESTIGATING AND COMMUNICATING TECHNOLOGY MATHEMATICS PROBLEM SOLVING EXPERIENCE OF TWO PRESERVICE TEACHERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Kuzle

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I report on preservice teachers’ reflections and perceptions on theirproblem-solving process in a technological context. The purpose of the study was to to investigatehow preservice teachers experience working individually in a dynamic geometry environment andhow these experiences affect their own mathematical activity when integrating content (nonroutineproblems and context (technology environment. Careful analysis of participants’ perceptionsregarding their thinking while engaged in problem solving, provided an opportunity to explorehow they explain the emergence of problem solving when working in a dynamic geometryenvironment. The two participants communicated their experience both through the lenses ofthemselves as problem solvers and as future mathematics educators. Moreover, the results of thestudy indicated that problem solving in a technology environment does not necessarily allow focuson decision-making, reflection, and problem solving processes as reported by previous research.

Impacts of reproductive technologies on beef production in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlen, Carl; Larson, Jamie; Lamb, G Cliff

2014-01-01

Estimations of world population growth indicate that by the year 2050 we will reach nine billion habitants on earth. These estimates impose a tremendous challenge in the current agricultural systems as food supply will need to increase by 100 % in the next 40 years (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2009). Beef will be a primary protein source that will assist in meeting the requirements for a portion of the protein in diets of this expanding global populace. Beef is a high-quality protein that contains all essential amino acids for the human body and also contains additional essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, B vitamins, riboflavin, selenium, choline, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Adopting reproductive technologies at greater rates than currently used is a viable method to dramatically enhance production efficiency of beef cattle enterprises.Artificial insemination (AI), estrous synchronization and fixed-time AI (TAI), semen and embryo cryopreservation, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), in vitro fertilization, sex determination of sperm or embryos, and nuclear transfer are technologies that are used to enhance the production efficiency of beef operations. In many cases, the development of these technologies is responsible for significant changes to traditional livestock production practices. However, adoption of these technologies appears to has not grown at the same rate in the United States as other formidable beef producing nations. For example, sales of beef semen for AI increased from 3.3 to 11.9 million units between 1993 and 2011 in Brazil, whereas that in the United States has increased from 2.9 to 3.8 million units during the same period. The significant increases in adoption of reproductive technologies in developing countries is likely as a result of the development of practical estrous synchronization and TAI systems that have allowed beef producers the opportunity to eliminate detection of estrus in their

THE EXT RACORPOREAL FERTILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE SINGULARITY PROBLEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. V. Denysenko

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The peculiarities of modern medicine development connected with the technological and informative singularity are analyzed. The risks of realization of extracorporeal fertilization are examined from positions of development of informative singularity. The warning problems of origin of singularity are discussed on t h e base of t h e newest technologies development.

East Carnduff Unit: corrosion problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banks, C D

1966-07-01

Waterflooding of the East Carnduff Unit began in late 1962. The first injection line leak was discovered April 29, 1965. The first 6 leaks in the East Carnduff Unit occurred within a period of less than one month--a very startling and serious warning of pending problems. Analysis of the pipe removed showed a deep pit covered by a severe scale in the piping fitting. Several remedial actions were tried in order to develop the present inhibition program. First, the lines were cleaned as well as possible utilizing rubber pig spheres with normal injection pressure. This proved very effective and 2 passes wiped out most of the scale in the lines. Only one line required acid. After the lines had been cleaned, a water treating rate of an organic amine corrosion inhibitor, 10 ppm of the scale inhibitor, and bactericide at the rate of 40 ppm slugs 2 days per month was initiated. The above treating program is in use at the present time and is maintaining a very low leak frequency. This experience has demonstrated 2 important points in waterflood operations: (1) a bare piping system in warm brine service requires constant attention to insure that it is being kept clean; and (2) reliance cannot be placed on any one method of checking corrosion rates.

The technology of the bearings used in the nuclear power generation system turbine generator units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vialettes, J.M.; Rossato, M.

1997-01-01

A bearing consists of all the stationary part which allow the relative motion in rotation or in translation, of a shaft line. Inside the bearing there is a journal bearing with a metallic anti-friction coating (the babbitt metal). The high power turbine generator unit rotors are supported by smooth transversal journal bearings fed with oil which fills the empty space and runs along the shaft. The technologies used for the bearings and the thrust bearings of the turbine generator units and the various shaft lines of the French CP0/CP1- and CP2/1300 MW-type nuclear power plants are described. The experience feedback is then discussed in terms of the dynamics of the shaft line, i.e. vibrational problems, the influence of the alignment and the babbitt metal incidents. (author)

Developing maintenance technologies for FBR's heat exchanger units by advanced laser processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Akihiko; Shimada, Yukihiro

2011-01-01

Laser processing technologies were developed for the purpose of maintenance of FBR's heat exchanger units. Ultrashort laser processing fabricated fiber Bragg grating sensor for seismic monitoring. Fiber laser welding with a newly developed robot system repair cracks on inner wall of heat exchanger tubes. Safety operation of the heat exchanger units will be improved by the advanced laser processing technologies. These technologies are expected to be applied to the maintenance for the next generation FBRs. (author)

Problematic Technology Use in a clinical sample of children and adolescents. Personality and behavioral problems associated.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, Cristina; Romero, Estrella

2017-03-01

In parallel to the rapid growth of access to new technologies (NT) there has been an increase in the problematic use of the same, especially among children and adolescents. Although research in this field is increasing, the studies have mainly been developed in the community, and the characteristics associated with the problematic use of NT are unknown in samples that require clinical care. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between problematic use of video games (UPV) and Internet (UPI) and personality traits and behavior problems in a clinical sample of children and adolescents. The sample consists of 88 patients who were examined in the clinical psychology consultation in the Mental Health Unit for Children and Adolescents of the University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela. Data were obtained from self-reports and rating scales filled out by parents. 31.8% of the participants present UPI and 18.2%, UPV. The children and adolescents with UPNT have lower levels of Openness to experience, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness and higher levels of Emotional instability, global Impulsivity and Externalizing behavior problems, as well as Attention and Thought problems. UPNT is a problem that emerges as an important issue in clinical care for children and adolescents, so its study in child and youth care units is needed. Understanding the psychopathological profile of children and adolescents with UPNT will allow for the development of differential and more specific interventions.

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PORTABLE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH ELECTRONIC SENSOR TECHNOLOGY MODEL 4100

Science.gov (United States)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. As part of this program, the...

Digital literacy and problem solving in technology-rich environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vesna Dolničar

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Rapid development and progress, as well as the growing presence of information and communications technologies dictate the need for more highly developed digital skills in individuals. The paper focuses on the concepts of digital skills and problem solving in technology-rich environments. It examines these on the basis of empirical data obtained in the international study PIAAC. The introductory part presents an overview of the literature and the results of previous research in the field of measurement of digital skills, and data on the use of information society services among the EU Member States. The second part of the article refers to the results obtained in the study PIAAC. The results, confirmed by the results of other studies, showed the impact of age and education level on the problem solving in technology-rich environments. Article concludes with suggestions for improving the current state of integration of all population groups in training programs in the field of digital skills.

Pedagogy and/or technology: Making difference in improving students' problem solving skills

Science.gov (United States)

Hrepic, Zdeslav; Lodder, Katherine; Shaw, Kimberly A.

2013-01-01

Pen input computers combined with interactive software may have substantial potential for promoting active instructional methodologies and for facilitating students' problem solving ability. An excellent example is a study in which introductory physics students improved retention, conceptual understanding and problem solving abilities when one of three weekly lectures was replaced with group problem solving sessions facilitated with Tablet PCs and DyKnow software [1,2]. The research goal of the present study was to isolate the effect of the methodology itself (using additional time to teach problem solving) from that of the involved technology. In Fall 2011 we compared the performance of students taking the same introductory physics lecture course while enrolled in two separate problem-solving sections. One section used pen-based computing to facilitate group problem solving while the other section used low-tech methods for one third of the semester (covering Kinematics), and then traded technologies for the middle third of the term (covering Dynamics). Analysis of quiz, exam and standardized pre-post test results indicated no significant difference in scores of the two groups. Combining this result with those of previous studies implies primacy of pedagogy (collaborative problem solving itself) over technology for student learning in problem solving recitations.

The United States Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technology`s Technology Benefits Recording System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, K.R.; Moore, N.L.

1994-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Industrial Technology`s (OIT`s) Technology Benefits Recording System (TBRS) was developed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The TBRS is used to organize and maintain records of the benefits accrued from the use of technologies developed with the assistance of OIT. OIT has had a sustained emphasis on technology deployment. While individual program managers have specific technology deployment goals for each of their ongoing programs, the Office has also established a separate Technology Deployment Division whose mission is to assist program managers and research and development partners commercialize technologies. As part of this effort, the Technology Deployment Division developed an energy-tracking task which has been performed by PNL since 1977. The goal of the energy-tracking task is to accurately assess the energy savings impact of OIT-developed technologies. In previous years, information on OIT-sponsored technologies existed in a variety of forms--first as a hardcopy, then electronically in several spreadsheet formats that existed in multiple software programs. The TBRS was created in 1993 for OIT and was based on information collected in all previous years from numerous industrial contacts, vendors, and plants that have installed OIT-sponsored technologies. The TBRS contains information on technologies commercialized between 1977 and the present, as well as information on emerging technologies in the late development/early commercialization stage of the technology life cycle. For each technology, details on the number of units sold and the energy saved are available on a year-by-year basis. Information regarding environmental benefits, productivity and competitiveness benefits, or impact that the technology may have had on employment is also available.

Stimulating technological innovation : problem identification and intervention formulation with the technological innovation systems framework

OpenAIRE

Kieft, A.C.

2017-01-01

The technological innovation systems (TIS) framework provides a theory to understand under what conditions technological innovations are successfully developed and implemented. The objective of this dissertation is to further strengthen this TIS intervention framework, which is the part of the TIS theoretical framework that facilitates the identification of inhibiting problems and the formulation of interventions. Theoretical adaptations and extensions are proposed and their merits subsequent...

[Adolescents and new technologies: Behaviours pointing a possible addiction problem].

Science.gov (United States)

Labrador Encinas, Francisco Javier; Villadangos González, Silvia María

2010-05-01

The aim of this work is to evaluate adolescents' subjective risk perception derived from the use of the New Technologies (NT), and to identify behaviours or warning symptoms of possible addiction problems. A sample of 1,710 underage students of Madrid responded to the DENA questionnaire. Firstly, we found a positive correlation between the time of NT use and the perception of addiction problems. Also, age was positively correlated to these perception problems. Secondly, the results indicated that television is the technology that generates a major perception problem in underage students. Lastly, the NTs have produced behaviours that are similar to those produced by other established addictions. Among them are notable the relaxation caused by their use or discomfort if they cannot be used. In addition, the frequent presence of other behaviours exclusive to these instruments has been identified, such as constantly checking one's mobile phone screen. It is necessary to continue studying possible addictive behaviours specific to the NT.

The Factors Affecting Definition of Research Problems in Educational Technology Researches

Science.gov (United States)

Bahçekapili, Ekrem; Bahçekapili, Tugba; Fis Erümit, Semra; Göktas, Yüksel; Sözbilir, Mustafa

2013-01-01

Research problems in a scientific research are formed after a certain process. This process starts with defining a research topic and transforms into a specific research problem or hypothesis. The aim of this study was to examine the way educational technology researchers identify their research problems. To this end, sources that educational…

Building Science and Technology Solutions for National Problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, Alan R.

2012-01-01

The nation's investment in Los Alamos has fostered scientific capabilities for national security missions. As the premier national security science laboratory, Los Alamos tackles: (1) Multidisciplinary science, technology, and engineering challenges; (2) Problems demanding unique experimental and computational facilities; and (3) Highly complex national security issues requiring fundamental breakthroughs. Our mission as a DOE national security science laboratory is to develop and apply science, technology, and engineering solutions that: (1) ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the US nuclear deterrent; (2) protect against the nuclear threat; and (3) solve national security challenges.

The problem of valuing new energy technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awerbuch, Shimon.

1996-01-01

A brief editorial outlines the concepts and challenges facing the valuation of modular, renewable energy technologies which are covered in a special issue of ''Energy Policy''. The main problem is the narrowness of the traditional discounted cash flow analysis for valuing such projects when some of the benefits (e.g. flexibility, financial risk, reduction in overhead and indirect costs) are not fully recognized at the outset. (UK)

Problems of Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shcherbyin, V.M.

1998-01-01

The collection comprises the materials of working meeting 'The Development of Technologies of the 'Ukrytie' Radioactive Waste Management', held on May 20-21, 1997 in Chernobyl. The results of research work of the experts of Ukraine and other countries directed on solving problems, concerning removal of fuel containing materials and other radioactive waste from destroyed Unit 4 of Chernobyl NPP are given. The data on waste quantities, their location and classification, strategy of waste management and some technologies are described

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

Science.gov (United States)

Ghassemieh, Shakib M.

2014-01-01

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

Technology Policy and Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Bruce

1983-01-01

Current social and economic problems in the United Kingdom are placed in the context of long-term trends in labor economics and the impact of new technology. The relationship of technological change and economic recovery is analyzed. Policy implications and the university's role are discussed. (MSE)

An efficient chaos embedded hybrid approach for hydro-thermal unit commitment problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Xiaohui; Ji, Bin; Yuan, Yanbin; Ikram, Rana M.; Zhang, Xiaopan; Huang, Yuehua

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal unit commitment is considered in hydrothermal generation scheduling (SHTGS). • Two newly proposed promising optimization algorithms are combined to solving SHTGS. • The proposed method is enhanced by integrating a chaotic local search strategy. • Heuristic search strategies are applied to handle the constraints of the SHTGS. • The results verify the proposed method is feasible and efficient for handling SHTGS. - Abstract: This paper establishes a model to deal with the short-term hydrothermal generation scheduling (SHTGS) problem. The problem is composed of three interconnected parts: short-term hydrothermal coordination, thermal unit commitment and economic load dispatch. An efficient hybrid method composed of chaotic backtracking search optimization algorithm and binary charged system search algorithm (CBSA–BCSS) is proposed to solve this problem. In order to analyze the effect of the chaotic map on the performance of the method, three different chaotic maps are adopted to integrate into the proposed method and the corresponding consequences are achieved. Furthermore, efficient heuristic search strategies are adopted to handle with the complicated constraints of the SHTGS system. Finally, a hydrothermal unit commitment system is utilized to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the hybrid optimization method and the appropriation of the constraint handling strategies. The comparison of the solutions achieved by different methods shows that the proposed method has higher efficiency in terms of solving SHTGS problem

DESIGNING FEATURES OF POWER OPTICAL UNITS FOR TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Y. Afanasiev

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper considers the question of an optical unit designing for transmitting power laser radiation through an optical fiber. The aim of this work is designing a simple construction unit with minimized reflection losses. The source of radiation in the optical unit described below is an ultraviolet laser with diode pumping. We present the general functioning scheme and designing features for the three main parts: laser beam deflecting system, laser beam dump and optical unit control system. The described laser beam deflection system is composed of a moving flat mirror and a spherical scattering mirror. Comparative analysis of the production technology for such mirrors was carried out, and, as a result, the decision was made to produce both mirrors of 99.99 % pure molybdenum without coating. A moving mirror deflects laser emission from a source through a fiber or deflects it on a spherical mirror and into the laser beam dump, moreover, switching from one position to another occurs almost immediately. It is shown that a scattering mirror is necessary, otherwise, the absorbing surface of the beam dump is being worn out irregularly. The laser beam dump is an open conical cavity, in which the conical element with its spire turned to the emission source is placed. Special microgeometry of the internal surface of the beam dump is suggested for the better absorption effect. An optical unit control system consists of a laser beam deflection system, laser temperature sensor, deflection system solenoid temperature sensor, and deflection mirror position sensor. The signal processing algorithm for signals coming from the sensors to the controller is described. The optical unit will be used in special technological equipment.

Coal industry - problems and prospects. [United Kingdom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siddall, N

1984-01-01

Presidential Address by Sir Norman Siddall is presented which considers the problems and prospects facing the UK coal industry. The range of changes which business management is subject to are outlined together with the coal industry's response to these changes. Fluctuations in the energy market and the economy have resulted in a customer orientated approach to marketing, and improved efficiency throughout the industry. New technology has increased the efficiency of some aspects of operations but at the some time developments in the areas of industrial relations and public accountability have limited management's ability to respond to changes in the commercial environment.

Multipurpose units: combining of technological operations of a soil cultivating and seeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. A. Petukhov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The modern domestic market of technique for grain crops seeding differs variety of machines brands and types. The intensive type technologies combining technological operations of a soil cultivating and grain crops seeding in one pass are more widely used. The authors have established that one-operational units in new machine park have to be replaced multipurpose, universal and combined machines. Such approach will reduce number of machines in grain production from 20-30 to 5-6 name titles. Possibilities of multipurpose sowing units for simultaneous fertilizers application, soil cultivating and weeds destruction were analyzed. It was specified that nowadays there are several technologies types with two, four or six operations overlapping. Operational performance, technological and economical efficiency of the best multipurpose and also efficiency of technological operations overlapping at grain crops cultivating in the conditions of their real operation and at a trial establishment in the Kuban research institute of information and technical and economic studies of agro-industrial complex engineering and technical services were studied. Tit was defined that use of multipurpose sowing units and also studied efficiency of decreases operational costs by 48-71 percent, fuel consumption - by 41-76 percent and reduces labor input by 72-80 percent. Thus grain crops seeding is possible in optimal agrotime because of 4-6 technological operations overlapping in one pass.

Transmutation technologies to solve the problem of long-term spent nuclear fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosnedl, P.; Valenta, V.; Blahut, O.

2000-01-01

The paper gives a brief description of the transmutation process for actinides and long-lived fission products which are present in spent nuclear fuel. Transmutation technologies can solve the problem of long-term spent nuclear fuel storage and reduce the requirements for storage time and conditions. The basic data and requirements for the detailed design of the transmutor are summarized, and the views upon how to address the fuel purification and dry reprocessing issues are discussed. The results of activities of SKODA JS are highlighted; these include, for instance, the fluoride salt-resistant material MONICR, test loops, and electrowinners. The preliminary design of the transmutor is also outlined. Brief information regarding activities in the field of transmutation technologies in the Czech Republic and worldwide is also presented. The research and design activities to be developed for the whole design of the demonstration and basic units are summarized. It is emphasized that SKODA JS can join in international cooperation without constraints. The Attachment presents a simple assessment of how the radioactivity balance can be reduced, based on the actinide and long-lived fission product transmutation half-lives, is presented in the Attachment. (author)

Effects of Patient Care Unit Design and Technology on Nurse and Patient Care Technician Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Mary S; Doscher, Mindy

2018-04-01

The current study described RN and patient care technician (PCT) communication in centralized and hybrid decentralized workstation designs using hands-free communication technology and infrared locator badge technology to facilitate communication. New construction of an oncology unit provided the opportunity to compare staff communication in two different workstation designs. Observations and questionnaires compared nurse and PCT communication in the two-unit designs. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the differences. The hybrid decentralized unit had increased use of hands-free communication technology and hallway communication by nurses and PCTs, and increased patient room communication by nurses. Perceptions of communication between nurses and PCTs and congruency of priorities for care were similar for both units. The locator badge technology had limited adoption. Replacement of nurse workstations with new construction or remodeling impact staff communication patterns, necessitating that nurse leaders understand the impact of design and technology on communication. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(4), 17-22.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Analysis of Pending Problems for a Technology Demand of Domestic Operational Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Dae Seo; Park, Won Seok; Wi, Myung Hwan; Ha, Jae Joo

2008-01-15

Eleven technology fields were chosen, which have a relation with the solution of the pending problems of domestic operational nuclear power plants to manage an efficient operation and safe regulation for domestic nuclear power plants. The progressive background, requirements, and performance on the pending problems, 34, of an operation and regulation for domestic nuclear power plants were analyzed with regard to a risk information application, severe accident, PSR of structural materials, underwater monitoring, operation inspection and a fire protection, an instrument aging, metal integrity and steam generator, human technology and a digital I and C, quality assurance, secondary system and a user reliance and mass communications. KAERI's role is to provide a solution to these pending problems of domestic nuclear power plants. KAERI's technology is to be applicable to the pending problems for domestic nuclear power plants to raise an operational efficiency and an application frequency of nuclear power plants. In the future, a technology treaty between KAERI and KHNP is to be established to solve the pending problems for domestic nuclear power plants. Operation rate of nuclear power plants will also be raised and contribute to the supply of national energy due to this technology treaty.

Restriction techniques for the unit-commitment problem with total procurement costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaleta, Mariusz; Toczylowski, Eugeniusz

2008-01-01

Many discrete optimization problems may be solved much easier, if the solution space can be restricted in a convenient way. For a given specific problem, the restriction techniques can be helpful if an available optimization solver, perceived as a black box, is capable of solving quickly only reduced subproblems of a limited size. For the family of hard unit-commitment problems we investigate a hierarchical search algorithm, which is based on decomposition of the problem into two subproblems. The upper-level subproblem is a relatively small decision 'kernel' of the problem that can be solved approximately by a search algorithm. We define an appropriate restricted decision space for this subproblem. The lower-level subproblem is an appropriate restriction of the original problem that can be solved efficiently by a dedicated solver. Our approach was analyzed on a set of historical data from the Polish electrical balancing market and the best known solutions were improved by the average of about 2-5%

Problems of method of technology assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimmermann, V.

1993-03-01

The study undertakes to analyse the theoretical and methodological structure of Technology Assessment (TA). It is based on a survey of TA studies which provided an important condition for theoreticall sound statements on methodological aspects of TA. It was established that the main basic theoretical problems of TA are in the field of dealing with complexity. This is also apparent in the constitution of problems, the most elementary and central approach of TA. Scientifically founded constitution of problems and the corresponding construction of models call for interdisciplinary scientific work. Interdisciplinarity in the TA research process is achieved at the level of virtual networks, these networks being composed of individuals suited to teamwork. The emerging network structures have an objective-organizational and an ideational basis. The objective-organizational basis is mainly the result of team composition and the external affiliations of the team members. The ideational basis of the virtual network is represented by the team members' mode of thinking, which is individually located at a multidisciplinary level. The theoretical 'skeleton' of the TA knowledge system, which is represented by process knowledge based linkage structures, can be generated and also processed in connection with the knowledge on types of problems, areas of analysis and procedures to deal with complexity. Within this process, disciplinary knowledge is a necessary but not a sufficient condition. Metatheoretical and metadisciplinary knowledge and the correspondingly processes complexity of models are the basis for the necessary methodological awareness, that allows TA to become designable as a research procedure. (orig./HP) [de

Application of enhanced discrete differential evolution approach to unit commitment problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Xiaohui; Su Anjun; Nie Hao; Yuan Yanbin; Wang Liang

2009-01-01

This paper proposes a discrete binary differential evolution (DBDE) approach to solve the unit commitment problem (UCP). The proposed method is enhanced by priority list based on the unit characteristics and heuristic search strategies to handle constraints effectively. The implementation of the proposed method for UCP consists of three stages. Firstly, the DBDE based on priority list is applied for unit scheduling when neglecting the minimum up/down time constraints. Secondly, repairing strategies are used to handle the minimum up/down time constraints and decommit excess spinning reserve units. Finally, heuristic unit substitution search and gray zone modification algorithm are used to improve optimal solution further. Furthermore, the effects of two crucial parameters on performance of the DBDE for solving UCP are studied as well. To verify the advantages of the method, the proposed method is tested and compared to the other methods on the systems with the number of units in the range of 10-100. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to other methods reported in the literature.

Some problems in mechanics of growing solids with applications to AM technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Manzhirov, A. V.

2018-04-01

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are an exciting area of the modern industrial revolution and have applications in engineering, medicine, electronics, aerospace industry, etc. AM enables cost-effective production of customized geometry and parts by direct fabrication from 3D data and mathematical models. Despite much progress in AM technologies, problems of mechanical analysis for AM fabricated parts yet remain to be solved. This paper deals with three main mechanical problems: the onset of residual stresses, which occur in the AM process and can lead to failure of the parts, the distortion of the final shape of AM fabricated parts, and the development of technological solutions aimed at improving existing AM technologies and creating new ones. An approach proposed deals with the construction of adequate analytical model and effective methods for the simulation of AM processes for fabricated solid parts.

Prediction of shipboard electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems using artificial intelligence (AI) technology

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, David J.

1990-08-01

The electromagnetic interference prediction problem is characteristically ill-defined and complicated. Severe EMI problems are prevalent throughout the U.S. Navy, causing both expected and unexpected impacts on the operational performance of electronic combat systems onboard ships. This paper focuses on applying artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the prediction of ship related electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems.

Problems of use of preliminary information technology in maritime passes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena I. Antonova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The technology of preliminary informing is the priority direction of development of information technologies in the customs authorities. Russian model prior information on Maritime transport contains a number of features that distinguish it from world practice. The studied is the possibility of creating a unified information system of state regulatory bodies in the Maritime checkpoints. The article considers one of directions of automation of information interaction between Maritime stakeholders in the conduct of customs and other types of state control with the use of a single information space, based on the then-experimental solutions. Analysis of experience of implementation and operation of the software complex "Portal port" in the region of the Vladivostok customs have helped to identify problems in the application of the technology of preliminary information on Maritime transport. The proposed solutions to these problems provide an opportunity to work on improvement of this technology and to introduce mandatory preliminary notification in all sea checkpoints on the territory of the Russian Federation, will allow to optimize the performance of customs and other state Supervisory authorities at the seaport, us-blame the turnover and will contribute to the development of the far Eastern region as a whole.

An evolutionary programming based simulated annealing method for solving the unit commitment problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christober Asir Rajan, C. [Department of EEE, Pondicherry Engineering College, Pondicherry 605014 (India); Mohan, M.R. [Department of EEE, Anna University, Chennai 600 025 (India)

2007-09-15

This paper presents a new approach to solve the short-term unit commitment problem using an evolutionary programming based simulated annealing method. The objective of this paper is to find the generation scheduling such that the total operating cost can be minimized, when subjected to a variety of constraints. This also means that it is desirable to find the optimal generating unit commitment in the power system for the next H hours. Evolutionary programming, which happens to be a global optimisation technique for solving unit commitment Problem, operates on a system, which is designed to encode each unit's operating schedule with regard to its minimum up/down time. In this, the unit commitment schedule is coded as a string of symbols. An initial population of parent solutions is generated at random. Here, each schedule is formed by committing all the units according to their initial status (''flat start''). Here the parents are obtained from a pre-defined set of solution's, i.e. each and every solution is adjusted to meet the requirements. Then, a random recommitment is carried out with respect to the unit's minimum down times. And SA improves the status. The best population is selected by evolutionary strategy. The Neyveli Thermal Power Station (NTPS) Unit-II in India demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach; extensive studies have also been performed for different power systems consists of 10, 26, 34 generating units. Numerical results are shown comparing the cost solutions and computation time obtained by using the Evolutionary Programming method and other conventional methods like Dynamic Programming, Lagrangian Relaxation and Simulated Annealing and Tabu Search in reaching proper unit commitment. (author)

VET workers problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments: European approach

OpenAIRE

Hämäläinen, Raija

2014-01-01

The European workplace is challenging VET adults problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults skills to date. The present study (N=50 369) focuses on gaining insight into the problem-solving skills in TREs of adults with a VET background. When examining the similarities and differences in VET adults problem-solving sk...

VET workers’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments: European approach

OpenAIRE

Hämäläinen, Raija; Cincinnato, Sebastiano; Malin, Antero; De Wever, Bram

2014-01-01

The European workplace is challenging VET adults’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults’ skills to date. The present study (N=50 369) focuses on gaining insight into the problem-solving skills in TREs of adults with a VET background. When examining the similarities and differences in VET adults’ problem-solving...

Enabling Problem Based Learning through Web 2.0 Technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tambouris, Efthimios; Panopoulou, Eleni; Tarabanis, Konstantinos

2012-01-01

of modern educational systems. Established pedagogical strategies, such as Problem Based Learning (PBL), are being adapted for online use in conjunction with modern Web 2.0 technologies and tools. However, even though Web 2.0 and progressive social-networking technologies are automatically associated......Advances in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), particularly the so-called Web 2.0, are affecting all aspects of our life: how we communicate, how we shop, how we socialise, and how we learn. Facilitating learning through the use of ICT, also known as eLearning, is a vital part...... with ideals such as collaboration, sharing, and active learning, it is also possible to use them in a very conservative, teacher-centred way limiting thus their impact. In this paper, we present a PBL 2.0 framework, i.e., a framework combining PBL practices with Web 2.0 technologies. More specifically, we (a...

Crude incompatibility problems at heavy crude unit desalter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirmani, Z.; Khurshid, A.; Alam, N.; Gul, S.; Ahmed, N.

2009-01-01

Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) is based at Rawalpindi, Pakistan and operates a 40,000 Barrels per Stream Day (BPSD) refinery. The Heavy Crude Unit (HCU) of ARL is a fully integrated two-stage 10,000 BPSD Atmospheric and 5,700 BPSD Vacuum Distillation Unit. A 3-stage desalter designed to reduce salt and BS and W content from 2,000 parts per thousand barrels (PTB) and 2% to less than 5 PTB and 0.1% respectively, is part of HCU. The feedstock is a composite blend of 14 local Heavy Crudes received at the Refinery. Although in the past this desalter had been giving good performance, over the last one year, period since August 2005, at least nine shutdowns of the unit took place due to salt slippage and consequential tube leakages at the overhead Crude-Naphtha vapor Heat Exchanger where partial condensation of naphtha takes place. Final condensation is achieved in trim condenser. High salted water carry-over with the crude caused increased hydrolysis, formation of Hydrochloric acid and increase of tail water chlorides. Salt contents at the outlet of third desalter at times increased up to 400 PTB with 3.2% BS and W during the above mentioned upsets, as compared to normal 5-10 PTB. Fallout from this loss of desalter control was the creation of large quantities of slop due to draining of strong water oil emulsion from the desalters. Individual crudes of the blend were analyzed for affinity of water and emulsion stability. It was observed that 3 of the 14 crudes formed very strong while the remaining crudes formed weak oil water emulsion, which easily separated water from oil in desalter without any operational problem. Study was further narrowed down to one crude evaluation. Alkaline earth metallic naphthenate surfactants were detected and isolated as responsible for the strong water oil and sediments emulsion. The isolated crude was next withdrawn from the Heavy Crude blend. As soon as it was isolated and its ratio in heavy crude tank came down to 0.7 %, the problem began

Technology transfer—A growing problem

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Peter M.

A joint National Academy of Sciences (NAS)-Department of Defense (DOD) panel on the subject of technology transfer, which usually means giving away valuable industrial and perhaps unclassified military designs and information, set national guidelines in its recent report (Eos, October 5, p. 801). The results could affect the freedom of publication and public presentation of geophysical research.An aspect of the problem surfaced in mid-August of this year, when, at the 26th annual technical symposium of the Society of Photooptical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) DOD suddenly censored from presentation at the meeting something close to 100 papers, many of which were on applications of infrared technology and its transmission in the atmosphere. A number of the papers had apparent potential to the military, but none of the research was classified. Generally, research contracts with university professors contain nothing about obtaining clearance before presenting the results at professional meetings, but there are rules that apply, to wit the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Also, the Department of Commerce has export control regulations that could be invoked. The censorship at the San Diego meeting has caused considerable clamor within the scientific community, starting with a report about the SPIE events that was published in Science News (Sept. 4, 1982) as ‘Remote Censoring: DOD Blocks Symposium Papers.’

Addressing Cultural Diversity: Effects of a Problem-Based Intercultural Learning Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Busse, Vera; Krause, Ulrike-Marie

2015-01-01

This article explores to what extent a problem-based learning unit in combination with cooperative learning and affectively oriented teaching methods facilitates intercultural learning. As part of the study, students reflected on critical incidents, which display misunderstandings or conflicts that arise as a result of cultural differences. In…

China, the United States, and competition for resources that enable emerging technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Gulley, Andrew L.; Nassar, Nedal T.; Xun, Sean

2018-01-01

Historically, resource conflicts have often centered on fuel minerals (particularly oil). Future resource conflicts may, however, focus more on competition for nonfuel minerals that enable emerging technologies. Whether it is rhenium in jet engines, indium in flat panel displays, or gallium in smart phones, obscure elements empower smarter, smaller, and faster technologies, and nations seek stable supplies of these and other nonfuel minerals for their industries. No nation has all of the resources it needs domestically. International trade may lead to international competition for these resources if supplies are deemed at risk or insufficient to satisfy growing demand, especially for minerals used in technologies important to economic development and national security. Here, we compare the net import reliance of China and the United States to inform mineral resource competition and foreign supply risk. Our analysis indicates that China relies on imports for over half of its consumption for 19 of 42 nonfuel minerals, compared with 24 for the United States—11 of which are common to both. It is for these 11 nonfuel minerals that competition between the United States and China may become the most contentious, especially for those with highly concentrated production that prove irreplaceable in pivotal emerging technologies.

Technology Use for Diabetes Problem Solving in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Relationship to Glycemic Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumah-Crystal, Yaa A; Hood, Korey K; Ho, Yu-Xian; Lybarger, Cindy K; O'Connor, Brendan H; Rothman, Russell L; Mulvaney, Shelagh A

2015-07-01

This study examines technology use for problem solving in diabetes and its relationship to hemoglobin A1C (A1C). A sample of 112 adolescents with type 1 diabetes completed measures assessing use of technologies for diabetes problem solving, including mobile applications, social technologies, and glucose software. Hierarchical regression was performed to identify the contribution of a new nine-item Technology Use for Problem Solving in Type 1 Diabetes (TUPS) scale to A1C, considering known clinical contributors to A1C. Mean age for the sample was 14.5 (SD 1.7) years, mean A1C was 8.9% (SD 1.8%), 50% were female, and diabetes duration was 5.5 (SD 3.5) years. Cronbach's α reliability for TUPS was 0.78. In regression analyses, variables significantly associated with A1C were the socioeconomic status (β = -0.26, P Problem Solving Questionnaire (β = -0.26, P = 0.01), and TUPS (β = 0.26, P = 0.01). Aside from the Diabetes Self-Care Inventory--Revised, each block added significantly to the model R(2). The final model R(2) was 0.22 for modeling A1C (P problem solving and higher A1C. Adolescents with poorer glycemic control may use technology in a reactive, as opposed to preventive, manner. Better understanding of the nature of technology use for self-management over time is needed to guide the development of technology-mediated problem solving tools for youth with type 1 diabetes.

TECHNOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THERMAL CONVERSION OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Żogała

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Overview of the most common technological and environmental problems connected with thermal conversion of sewage sludge was presented in the article. Such issues as the influence of content of moisture and mineral matter on fuel properties of sludge, problem of emission of pollutants, problem of management of solid residue, risk of corrosion, were described. Besides, consolidated characteristic of the most important methods of thermal conversion of sewage sludge, with their advantages and disadvantages, was presented in the paper.

Innovative Technologies for the Solution of Environmental Problems in the World Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. K. Usmanova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: the purpose of the article is the disclosure of environmental problems and prospects commercialization of intellectual property within development of innovative information technologies in the conditions of integration of economies into the world economy, identification of opportunities of forming, organization, financing, management, ownership, commercialization and protection of innovative technologies and intellectual property. Relevance of the chosen subject is caused by the current state of ecology and problems of commercialization of intellectual property in development of innovative information technologies within the conditions of integration of economies into the world economy. The existing changes of the current legislation and tendencies of development of the industry of innovative information technologies in field of ecology in the Russian Federation require cardinal review because of its low competitiveness. Ensuring sustainable development of the country directly depends on implementation of innovative information technologies, not only within the sphere of ecology, but also in all industries of the national economy of Russia. Especially important direction of development of innovations is the field of information technologies with its further implementation in innovative productions and provision of services with a focus on protection of ecology and healthcare. Methods: the methodology of the solution of objectives is based on usage of a method of dialectic research, methods of the economic analysis, forecasting, the situational and systemic analysis, expert evaluations and the analysis of empirical data. Results: in the process of researching the direction of solving environmental problems, the author studied foreign and Russian programs based on innovative technologies in this field and identified current proposals regarding the practical implementation of partnerships in the form of Public Private Partnerships PPPs

Contributions to thermal and fluid dynamic problems in nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, U.; Krebs, L.; Rust, K.

1984-02-01

The majority of contributions compiled in this report deals with thermal and fluid dynamic problems in nuclear engineering. Especially problems of heat transfer and cooling are represented which may arise during and afer a loss-of-coolant accident both in light water reactors and in liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors. Papers on the mass transfer in pressurized water, tribological problems in sodium cooled reactors, the fluid dynamics of pulsed column, and fundamental investigations of convective flows supplement these contributions on problems connected with accidents. Furthermore, a keynote paper presents the individual activities relating to the reliability of reactor components, a field recently included in our research program. Technical solutions to special problems are closely connected to the investigations based on experiments. Therefore, several contributions deal with new developments in technology and measuring techniques. (orig.) [de

Designing Teaching Materials for Learning Problem Solving in Technology Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doornekamp, B.G.

In the process of designing teaching materials for learning problem solving in technology education, domain-specific design specifications are considered important elements to raise learning outcomes with these materials. Two domain-specific design specifications were drawn up using a four-step

An Efficient Robust Solution to the Two-Stage Stochastic Unit Commitment Problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blanco, Ignacio; Morales González, Juan Miguel

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a reformulation of the scenario-based two-stage unitcommitment problem under uncertainty that allows finding unit-commitment plansthat perform reasonably well both in expectation and for the worst caserealization of the uncertainties. The proposed reformulation is based onpart...

Students’ Views about the Problem Based Collaborative Learning Environment Supported By Dynamic Web Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erhan ÜNAL

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to design a problem based collaborative learning environment supported by dynamic web technologies and examine students’ views about this learning environment. The study was designed as a qualitative research. 36 students who took Object Oriented Programming I-II course from a public university at the department of computer programming participated in the study. During the research process, the Object Oriented Programming I-II course was designed with incorporating different dynamic web technologies (Edmodo, Google Services, and Mind42 and Nelson (1999’s collaborative problem solving method. At the end of the course, there were focus group interviews in regards to the students’ views on a learning environment supported by dynamic web technologies and collaborative problem solving method. At the end of the focus group interviews, 4 themes were obtained from the students’ views, including positive aspects of the learning environment, difficulties faced in the learning environment, advantages of the learning environment, and skills gained as a result of the project. The results suggest that problem based collaborative learning methods and dynamic web technologies can be used in learning environments in community colleges.

Decision-making and problem-solving methods in automation technology

Science.gov (United States)

Hankins, W. W.; Pennington, J. E.; Barker, L. K.

1983-01-01

The state of the art in the automation of decision making and problem solving is reviewed. The information upon which the report is based was derived from literature searches, visits to university and government laboratories performing basic research in the area, and a 1980 Langley Research Center sponsored conferences on the subject. It is the contention of the authors that the technology in this area is being generated by research primarily in the three disciplines of Artificial Intelligence, Control Theory, and Operations Research. Under the assumption that the state of the art in decision making and problem solving is reflected in the problems being solved, specific problems and methods of their solution are often discussed to elucidate particular aspects of the subject. Synopses of the following major topic areas comprise most of the report: (1) detection and recognition; (2) planning; and scheduling; (3) learning; (4) theorem proving; (5) distributed systems; (6) knowledge bases; (7) search; (8) heuristics; and (9) evolutionary programming.

Political construction of technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruheze, A.A.A. de la.

1992-01-01

In the 1970s radioactive waste disposal became a controversial scientific and social issue in the United States, after the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) charged with the development, regulation and promotion of nuclear technology, had tried to implement its disposal technology near Lyons, Kansas. This study traces the emergence of this controversy as part of the long-term development of the US radioactive waste disposal technology. Radioactive waste was not always considered a problem, and different meanings were attached to radwaste in the 1940s and early 1950s. Problem definitions and technical designs that underlaid this technology can be reconstructed, and its possible to show how some definitions received attention and others not, and how some became, and remained, dominant. During the process of problem definition, views compete, agendas are built, resources are allocated, and boundaries are created and maintained between 'inside' and 'outside world'. This is a political process, and by heuristically using concepts from political science and recent technology studies, the Political Construction of US radioactive waste disposal technologically can be reconstructed. (author). 301 refs.; 3 figs.; 15 tabs

Effects of Online Problem-Based Learning on Teachers' Technology Perceptions and Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Erik T.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the ways in which the experience of learning through an online problem-based learning (PBL) model affect teachers' perceptions of integrating technology. Participant reflections were collected and analyzed to identify the pros, cons, and challenges of learning technology integration through this…

Education Technologies in Addressing the Problem of Forming the Socially Active Individual

Science.gov (United States)

Popova, Irina N.

2016-01-01

The article is devoted to the analysis of technological support of the educational process in solving the problem of forming the socially active individual. The authors studied the value of the category "social activity" and analyzed educational technologies that have an impact on its formation. The obtained results gave the possibility…

The Problem of Neutralization of Reactionary Masses in the Russian Technologies of CWD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, V.

2007-01-01

11, 2006 at Conference of OPCW terms of destruction of the chemical weapon for Russia and USA were prolonged to 5 years, till April, 29, 2012. At all intentions to achieve these terms in the Russian technologies are available a number of technical problems which can complicate works on the CWD. One of them concerns the problems connected to neutralization of reactionary masses of the CWD. In the Russian Federation it is not constructed yet any enterprise for destruction with a full cycle. The question of neutralization of reactionary masses yet does not find the full decision. In this connection there is a threat of that the problem of reactionary masses can appear outside of works on destruction is direct of CW and beyond the framework of 2012. The technical analysis of possible technologies and directions of neutralization of reactionary masses of destruction of lewisite and POS in the Russian technologies of the CWD is carried out. (author)

The Problem of Neutralization of Reactionary Masses in the Russian Technologies of CWD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrov, V [Institute of Applied Mechanics UrB of the Russian Academy of Science, Izhevsk (Russian Federation)

2007-07-01

11, 2006 at Conference of OPCW terms of destruction of the chemical weapon for Russia and USA were prolonged to 5 years, till April, 29, 2012. At all intentions to achieve these terms in the Russian technologies are available a number of technical problems which can complicate works on the CWD. One of them concerns the problems connected to neutralization of reactionary masses of the CWD. In the Russian Federation it is not constructed yet any enterprise for destruction with a full cycle. The question of neutralization of reactionary masses yet does not find the full decision. In this connection there is a threat of that the problem of reactionary masses can appear outside of works on destruction is direct of CW and beyond the framework of 2012. The technical analysis of possible technologies and directions of neutralization of reactionary masses of destruction of lewisite and POS in the Russian technologies of the CWD is carried out. (author)

A Comparative Study of Three Different Mathematical Methods for Solving the Unit Commitment Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Kurban

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The unit commitment (UC problem which is an important subject in power system engineering is solved by using Lagragian relaxation (LR, penalty function (PF, and augmented Lagrangian penalty function (ALPF methods due to their higher solution quality and faster computational time than metaheuristic approaches. This problem is considered to be a nonlinear programming-(NP- hard problem because it is nonlinear, mixed-integer, and nonconvex. These three methods used for solving the problem are based on dual optimization techniques. ALPF method which combines the algorithmic aspects of both LR and PF methods is firstly used for solving the UC problem. These methods are compared to each other based on feasible schedule for each stage, feasible cost, dual cost, duality gap, duration time, and number of iterations. The numerical results show that the ALPF method gives the best duality gap, feasible and dual cost instead of worse duration time and the number of iterations. The four-unit Tuncbilek thermal plant which is located in Kutahya region in Turkey is chosen as a test system in this study. The programs used for all the analyses are coded and implemented using general algebraic modeling system (GAMS.

Employee problems and their consequences in the technology industry: evidence from surveys and counseling records.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ching-Wen; Lin, Po-Chang; Sha, Chyuan

2014-06-01

To support employees' work and health, organizations should help employees cope with common problems. Previous studies have focused primarily on work-related problems across multiple industries rather than on evaluating industry-specific issues. Here, two approaches identified common work and non-work employee problems in the technology industry with the strongest correlations with psychosomatic health and life satisfaction. Study 1 used questionnaires to identify the problems that were perceived as the most frequent by lower-level employees (N = 355) working in the technology industry. Study 2 evaluated employees' coping behaviors by analyzing (with permission) counseling records collected from an employee assistance service company (N = 276). Employees reported a variety of problems; work problems were the only problems (of the top 5 problems) reported in both studies. Several problems emerged in the counseling records (e.g., legal issues, career development, family and marriage problems, and emotional problems) but not in the surveys. Future research should apply these observations to develop scales for measuring employee stressors.

Educational Technologies in Problem-Based Learning in Health Sciences Education: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Jun

2014-01-01

Background As a modern pedagogical philosophy, problem-based learning (PBL) is increasingly being recognized as a major research area in student learning and pedagogical innovation in health sciences education. A new area of research interest has been the role of emerging educational technologies in PBL. Although this field is growing, no systematic reviews of studies of the usage and effects of educational technologies in PBL in health sciences education have been conducted to date. Objective The aim of this paper is to review new and emerging educational technologies in problem-based curricula, with a specific focus on 3 cognate clinical disciplines: medicine, dentistry, and speech and hearing sciences. Analysis of the studies reviewed focused on the effects of educational technologies in PBL contexts while addressing the particular issue of scaffolding of student learning. Methods A comprehensive computerized database search of full-text articles published in English from 1996 to 2014 was carried out using 3 databases: ProQuest, Scopus, and EBSCOhost. Eligibility criteria for selection of studies for review were also determined in light of the population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) guidelines. The population was limited to postsecondary education, specifically in dentistry, medicine, and speech and hearing sciences, in which PBL was the key educational pedagogy and curriculum design. Three types of educational technologies were identified as interventions used to support student inquiry: learning software and digital learning objects; interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and plasma screens; and learning management systems (LMSs). Results Of 470 studies, 28 were selected for analysis. Most studies examined the effects of learning software and digital learning objects (n=20) with integration of IWB (n=5) and LMS (n=3) for PBL receiving relatively less attention. The educational technologies examined in these studies were seen as potentially fit for

Educational technologies in problem-based learning in health sciences education: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Jun; Bridges, Susan M

2014-12-10

As a modern pedagogical philosophy, problem-based learning (PBL) is increasingly being recognized as a major research area in student learning and pedagogical innovation in health sciences education. A new area of research interest has been the role of emerging educational technologies in PBL. Although this field is growing, no systematic reviews of studies of the usage and effects of educational technologies in PBL in health sciences education have been conducted to date. The aim of this paper is to review new and emerging educational technologies in problem-based curricula, with a specific focus on 3 cognate clinical disciplines: medicine, dentistry, and speech and hearing sciences. Analysis of the studies reviewed focused on the effects of educational technologies in PBL contexts while addressing the particular issue of scaffolding of student learning. A comprehensive computerized database search of full-text articles published in English from 1996 to 2014 was carried out using 3 databases: ProQuest, Scopus, and EBSCOhost. Eligibility criteria for selection of studies for review were also determined in light of the population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) guidelines. The population was limited to postsecondary education, specifically in dentistry, medicine, and speech and hearing sciences, in which PBL was the key educational pedagogy and curriculum design. Three types of educational technologies were identified as interventions used to support student inquiry: learning software and digital learning objects; interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and plasma screens; and learning management systems (LMSs). Of 470 studies, 28 were selected for analysis. Most studies examined the effects of learning software and digital learning objects (n=20) with integration of IWB (n=5) and LMS (n=3) for PBL receiving relatively less attention. The educational technologies examined in these studies were seen as potentially fit for problem-based health sciences education

Symmetry Breaking in MILP Formulations for Unit Commitment Problems

KAUST Repository

Lima, Ricardo

2015-12-11

This paper addresses the study of symmetry in Unit Commitment (UC) problems solved by Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulations, and using Linear Programming based Branch & Bound MILP solvers. We propose three sets of symmetry breaking constraints for UC MILP formulations exhibiting symmetry, and its impact on three UC MILP models are studied. The case studies involve the solution of 24 instances by three widely used models in the literature, with and without symmetry breaking constraints. The results show that problems that could not be solved to optimality within hours can be solved with a relatively small computational burden if the symmetry breaking constraints are assumed. The proposed symmetry breaking constraints are also compared with the symmetry breaking methods included in two MILP solvers, and the symmetry breaking constraints derived in this work have a distinct advantage over the methods in the MILP solvers.

Symmetry Breaking in MILP Formulations for Unit Commitment Problems

KAUST Repository

Lima, Ricardo; Novais, Augusto Q.

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the study of symmetry in Unit Commitment (UC) problems solved by Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulations, and using Linear Programming based Branch & Bound MILP solvers. We propose three sets of symmetry breaking constraints for UC MILP formulations exhibiting symmetry, and its impact on three UC MILP models are studied. The case studies involve the solution of 24 instances by three widely used models in the literature, with and without symmetry breaking constraints. The results show that problems that could not be solved to optimality within hours can be solved with a relatively small computational burden if the symmetry breaking constraints are assumed. The proposed symmetry breaking constraints are also compared with the symmetry breaking methods included in two MILP solvers, and the symmetry breaking constraints derived in this work have a distinct advantage over the methods in the MILP solvers.

Problems forming innovative-technological image of russian regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Markovna Golova

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, actual problems of innovative-technological image as a key element of the mechanism of the healing sources of socioeconomic development of the Russian regionsare considered. The author gives an assessment of the level of differentiation of subjects of the Russian Federation on the potential for innovative development. Trends in spatial transformations of thescientific and technical and innovation capacities of the country are analyzedand reasons of low innovational activity of Russian enterprises are disclosed. Basic conditions for the success of actions to create an attractive image of innovative-technological territory are formulated. Special attention is paid to the position of regions as participants in the innovational processes, creating preconditions for creativity, harmonization of spatial priorities of innovation, technological and socio-economic development, support for the development of new high-tech industries, improvement of inter-budgetary relations. There are proved priority areas of state policy to reduce barriers to the realization of an innovative paradigm for development of Russian society and effective inclusion of local communities in the implementation of innovative changes.

Technology of solving multi-objective problems of control of systems with distributed parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Rapoport, E. Ya.; Pleshivtseva, Yu. E.

2017-07-01

A constructive technology of multi-objective optimization of control of distributed parameter plants is proposed. The technology is based on a single-criterion version in the form of the minimax convolution of normalized performance criteria. The approach under development is based on the transition to an equivalent form of the variational problem with constraints, with the problem solution being a priori Pareto-effective. Further procedures of preliminary parameterization of control actions and subsequent reduction to a special problem of semi-infinite programming make it possible to find the sought extremals with the use of their Chebyshev properties and fundamental laws of the subject domain. An example of multi-objective optimization of operation modes of an engineering thermophysics object is presented, which is of independent interest.

Consistent adoption of the International System of Units (SI) in nuclear science and technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klumpar, J; Kovar, Z [Ceskoslovenska Akademie Ved, Prague. Laborator Radiologicke Dozimetrie; Sacha, J [Slovenska Akademia Vied, Bratislava (Czechoslovakia). Fyzikalny Ustav

1975-11-01

The principles are stressed behind a consistent introduction of the International System of Units (SI) in Czechoslovakia complying with the latest edition of the Czechoslovak Standard CSN 01 1300 on the prescribed system of national and international units. The use of special and auxiliary units in nuclear physics and technology is discussed, particular attention being devoted to the units of activity and to the time units applied in radiology. Conversion graph and tables are annexed.

Main problems experienced on diesel generators of French 900 MWe operating units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dredemis, Geoffroy; Jude, Francois [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, centre d' Etudes Nucleaires de Fontenay-aux-Roses, Institut de Protection et Surete Nucleaire, Departement d' Analyse de Surete, B.P. No. 6, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)

1986-02-15

Each unit of all the French nuclear power plant is equipped with two diesel emergency generator sets., For the totality of standards PWRs of 900 MWe, they are identical. We present in this communication the most significative failures met with diesel engines on operating units, such as rupture of fuel injection pipes, breaking of the connecting rods, and cylinder lubrication failures. All these incidents, which affected the emergency power sources of concerned units, had generic characteristics. In view of their potential consequences, it was proceeded in each case to an immediate control of the components concerned of all PWR 900 MWe diesel engines. At the same time, studies were started as to what modifications would permit to solve rapidly each one of the problems met with. (authors)

Problem structuring in Health Technology Assessment. An argumentative approach to increase its usefulness.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moret-Hartman, M.

2008-01-01

This thesis addresses the problem of the limited impact of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) research on health policy and clinical practice. HTA is a type of policy research that aims to provide information concerning medical technologies in order to support health care decision making. Although,

Design evaluation in technology assessment: Illustrated by auditory impedance and sound distribution problems

Science.gov (United States)

Halldane, J. F.

1972-01-01

Technology is considered as a culture for changing a physical world and technology assessment questions the inherent cultural capability to modify power and material in support of living organisms. A comprehensive goal-parameter-synthesis-criterion specification is presented as a basis for a rational assessment of technology. The thesis queries the purpose of the assessed problems, the factors considered, the relationships between factors, and the values assigned those factors to accomplish the appropriate purpose. Stationary and sequential evaluation of enviro-organismic systems are delegated to the responsible personalities involved in design; from promoter/designer through contractor to occupant. Discussion includes design goals derived from organismic factors, definitions of human responses which establish viable criteria and relevant correlation models, linking stimulus parameters, and parallel problem-discipline centered design organization. A consistent concept of impedance, as a degradation in the performance of a specified parameter, is introduced to overcome the arbitrary inoperative connotations of terms like noise, discomfort, and glare. Applications of the evaluative specification are illustrated through design problems related to auditory impedance and sound distribution.

Telecommunications technology and rural education in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Perrine, J. R.

1975-01-01

The rural sector of the US is examined from the point of view of whether telecommunications technology can augment the development of rural education. Migratory farm workers and American Indians were the target groups which were examined as examples of groups with special needs in rural areas. The general rural population and the target groups were examined to identify problems and to ascertain specific educational needs. Educational projects utilizing telecommunications technology in target group settings were discussed. Large scale regional ATS-6 satellite-based experimental educational telecommunications projects were described. Costs and organizational factors were also examined for large scale rural telecommunications projects.

[Methodological problems in the use of information technologies in physical education].

Science.gov (United States)

Martirosov, E G; Zaĭtseva, G A

2000-01-01

The paper considers methodological problems in the use of computer technologies in physical education by applying diagnostic and consulting systems, educational and educational-and-training process automation systems, and control and self-control programmes for athletes and others.

Music technology in music therapy - A study of the possibilities, potential and problems around the use of music technologies in music therapy with youths and adolescents

OpenAIRE

Misje, René

2013-01-01

Music technology in music therapy - A study of the possibilities, potential and problems around the use of music technologies in music therapy with youths and adolescents. This qualitative study explores the usefulness of music technology in music therapeutic practice with youth and adolescents. Four music therapist`s reflections on their use of music technologies and on the possibilities, potential and problems of this use are explored through semi-structured intervi...

Air pollution problem in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heimann, H

1964-10-01

Air pollution in the United States as a problem affecting health, as well as man's enjoyment of his property, was first noted in 1912 in the reports of the investigators at the Mellon Institute of the University of Pittsburgh. The Selby copper smelter incident in 1915 was among the first episodic air pollution events documented. The US Public Health Service studied carbon monoxide buildup in vehicular tunnels in 1928 and 1929. the Donora (Pennsylvania) pollution episode, where 17 people died, occurred in 1949. It and the onset of smog conditions in the Los Angeles area really initiated broad public awareness of air pollution as a public health hazard in the USA. The symptoms of air pollution-related injuries are discussed, the role of the US Public Health Service in dealing with air pollution, and the effect of the Clean Air Act of 1963 are discussed. 26 references.

Evaluating Russian space nuclear reactor technology for United States applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polansky, G.F.; Schmidt, G.L.; Voss, S.S.; Reynolds, E.L.

1994-01-01

Space nuclear power and nuclear electric propulsion are considered important technologies for planetary exploration, as well as selected earth orbit applications. The Nuclear Electric Propulsion Space Test Program (NEPSTP) was intended to provide an early flight demonstration of these technologies at relatively low cost through extensive use of existing Russian technology. The key element of Russian technology employed in the program was the Topaz II reactor. Refocusing of the activities of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), combined with budgetary pressures, forced the cancellation of the NEPSTP at the end of the 1993 fiscal year. The NEPSTP was faced with many unique flight qualification issues. In general, the launch of a spacecraft employing a nuclear reactor power system complicates many spacecraft qualification activities. However, the NEPSTP activities were further complicated because the reactor power system was a Russian design. Therefore, this program considered not only the unique flight qualification issues associated with space nuclear power, but also with differences between Russian and United States flight qualification procedures. This paper presents an overview of the NEPSTP. The program goals, the proposed mission, the spacecraft, and the Topaz II space nuclear power system are described. The subject of flight qualification is examined and the inherent difficulties of qualifying a space reactor are described. The differences between United States and Russian flight qualification procedures are explored. A plan is then described that was developed to determine an appropriate flight qualification program for the Topaz II reactor to support a possible NEPSTP launch

A Petri net-based modelling of replacement strategies under technological obsolescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clavareau, Julien [Universite Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Service de Metrologie Nucleaire, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 50 (CP165/84), Bruxelles B-1050 (Belgium)], E-mail: jclavare@ulb.ac.be; Labeau, Pierre-Etienne [Universite Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.), Service de Metrologie Nucleaire, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, 50 (CP165/84), Bruxelles B-1050 (Belgium)

2009-02-15

The technological obsolescence of a unit is characterised by the existence of challenger units displaying identical functionalities, but with higher performances. Though this issue is commonly encountered in practice, it has received little consideration in the literature. Previous exploratory works have treated the problem of replacing old-technology items by new ones, for identical components facing a unique new generation of items. This paper aims to define, in a realistic way, possible replacement policies when several types of challenger units are available and when the performances of these newly available units improve with time. Since no fully generic model can exist in maintenance optimisation, a modular modelling of the problem, allowing easy adaptations to features corresponding to specific applications is highly desirable. This work therefore proposes a modular Petri net model for this problem, underlying a Monte Carlo (MC) estimation of the costs incurred by the different possible replacement strategies under consideration.

Theoretical Investigation of Combined Use of PSO, Tabu Search and Lagrangian Relaxation methods to solve the Unit Commitment Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahbi Marrouchi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Solving the Unit Commitment problem (UCP optimizes the combination of production units operations and determines the appropriate operational scheduling of each production units to satisfy the expected consumption which varies from one day to one month. Besides, each production unit is conducted to constraints that render this problem complex, combinatorial and nonlinear. In this paper, we proposed a new strategy based on the combination three optimization methods: Tabu search, Particle swarm optimization and Lagrangian relaxation methods in order to develop a proper unit commitment scheduling of the production units while reducing the production cost during a definite period. The proposed strategy has been implemented on a the IEEE 9 bus test system containing 3 production unit and the results were promising compared to strategies based on meta-heuristic and deterministic methods.

Problems in implementing some of the new measurement unit definitions of the SI

Science.gov (United States)

Pavese, Franco

2013-09-01

The paper illustrates and discusses some problems that should be taken into account, should the proposed use of fundamental constants in the definition of measurement units of the SI be implemented: (a) more base units being multi-dimensional, instead of fixing the present problems in this respect; (b) the multidimensionality in the definitions; (c) the use of CODATA adjusted values of the constants for this specific purpose; (d) formal issues in stipulating algebraic expressions of the definitions, and in respect to the rounding or truncation of the numerical values in their transformation from uncertain to exact values; (e) formal issues with the use of the integer number NA; (f) limitations that can arise from the stipulation of the values of several constants for the CODATA Task Group to continue performing in future meaningful least squares adjustments of the fundamental constants taking into account future data.

Problems in implementing some of the new measurement unit definitions of the SI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavese, Franco

2013-01-01

The paper illustrates and discusses some problems that should be taken into account, should the proposed use of fundamental constants in the definition of measurement units of the SI be implemented: (a) more base units being multi-dimensional, instead of fixing the present problems in this respect; (b) the multidimensionality in the definitions; (c) the use of CODATA adjusted values of the constants for this specific purpose; (d) formal issues in stipulating algebraic expressions of the definitions, and in respect to the rounding or truncation of the numerical values in their transformation from uncertain to exact values; (e) formal issues with the use of the integer number N A ; (f) limitations that can arise from the stipulation of the values of several constants for the CODATA Task Group to continue performing in future meaningful least squares adjustments of the fundamental constants taking into account future data

CFC environmental problems and cooling technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hornung, M.O.

1991-08-01

The aim of the report is to provide a broad survey of the technological problems imposed on the production of cooling systems by the demands for reduction in the use of chlorofluorocarbons as refrigerants. With regard to industrial research in this area the present situation is clarified and possible future developments are discussed. The influence of CFC gasses on the global environment and international and national legislation within this field are explained. Alternative refrigerants and cooling processes, and ways of reducing refrigerant leakage, are described. It is concluded that currently the use of alternative refrigerants is the policy which is generally accepted, and intensive research is being carried out in this field. R134a should substitute R12 in the cases of household refrigerators and air conditioning, and will soon be commercially available. The use of R22 and ammonia will be extended. This is a practical policy to follow up commercially, whereas the policy of alternative processes presents more problems because they are not so developed and there is less available know-how in this area. The possibilities for hermetic sealing of cooling systems are unrealistic and should anyway be regarded only as a supplement to alternative refrigerants. Within the European Community it is intended to provide standards and regulations in relation to air pollution from refrigerants. (AB) (58 refs.)

International technology catalogue: Foreign technologies to support the environmental restoration and waste management needs of the DOE complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matalucci, R.V.

1995-07-01

This document represents a summary of 27 foreign-based environmental restoration and waste management technologies that have been screened and technically evaluated for application to the cleanup problems of the Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex. The evaluation of these technologies was initiated in 1992 and completed in 1995 under the DOE's International Technology Coordination Program of the Office of Technology Development. A methodology was developed for conducting a country-by-country survey of several regions of the world where specific environmental technology capabilities and market potential were investigated. The countries that were selected from a rank-ordering process for the survey included: then West Germany, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Taiwan, the Czech and Slovak Republics, and the Former Soviet Union. The notably innovative foreign technologies included in this document were screened initially from a list of several hundred, and then evaluated based on criteria that examined for level of maturity, suitability to the DOE needs, and for potential cost effective application at a DOE site. Each of the selected foreign technologies that were evaluated in this effort for DOE application were subsequently matched with site-specific environmental problem units across the DOE complex using the Technology Needs Assessment CROSSWALK Report. For ease of tracking these technologies to site problem units, and to facilitate their input into the DOE EnviroTRADE Information System, they were categorized into the following three areas: (1) characterization, monitoring and sensors, (2) waste treatment and separations, and (3) waste containment. Technical data profiles regarding these technologies include title and description, performance information, development status, key regulatory considerations, intellectual property rights, institute and contact personnel, and references

Problems of technology and corrosion in sodium coolant and cover gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuenstler, K.; Ullmann, H.

1977-07-01

The meeting encloses the following themes: (i) Reactions in the system sodium-steel-cover gas (ii) Corrosion behaviour of structural and cladding materials (iii) Determination of impurities in sodium and cover gas (iv) Technology of sodium and cover gas (v) Testing equipments (vi) Safety problems

EP BASED PSO METHOD FOR SOLVING PROFIT BASED MULTI AREA UNIT COMMITMENT PROBLEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. VENKATESAN

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new approach to solve the profit based multi area unit commitment problem (PBMAUCP using an evolutionary programming based particle swarm optimization (EPPSO method. The objective of this paper is to maximize the profit of generation companies (GENCOs with considering system social benefit. The proposed method helps GENCOs to make a decision, how much power and reserve should be sold in markets, and how to schedule generators in order to receive the maximum profit. Joint operation of generation resources can result in significant operational cost savings. Power transfer between the areas through the tie lines depends upon the operating cost of generation at each hour and tie line transfer limits. The tie line transfer limits were considered as a set of constraints during optimization process to ensure the system security and reliability. The overall algorithm can be implemented on an IBM PC, which can process a fairly large system in a reasonable period of time. Case study of four areas with different load pattern each containing 7 units (NTPS and 26 units connected via tie lines have been taken for analysis. Numerical results showed comparing the profit of evolutionary programming-based particle swarm optimization method (EPPSO with conventional dynamic programming (DP, evolutionary programming (EP, and particle swarm optimization (PSO method. Experimental results shows that the application of this evolutionary programming based particle swarm optimization method have the potential to solve profit based multi area unit commitment problem with lesser computation time.

Varying Interpretations of Technology as a Problem in Markets for Customised High-Tech Products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vendelø, Morten Thanning; Constantiou, Ioanna

2012-01-01

satisfaction and create problems in the efficiency of technology use within the firm. This study investigates the potential of the inquiring dialogue approach for improving information sharing about technology interpretations held by the different parties. An empirical case study of a customised high...

Computer use and vision-related problems among university students in ajman, United arab emirate.

Science.gov (United States)

Shantakumari, N; Eldeeb, R; Sreedharan, J; Gopal, K

2014-03-01

The extensive use of computers as medium of teaching and learning in universities necessitates introspection into the extent of computer related health disorders among student population. This study was undertaken to assess the pattern of computer usage and related visual problems, among University students in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. A total of 500 Students studying in Gulf Medical University, Ajman and Ajman University of Science and Technology were recruited into this study. Demographic characteristics, pattern of usage of computers and associated visual symptoms were recorded in a validated self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of the observed differences between the variables. The level of statistical significance was at P computer users were headache - 53.3% (251/471), burning sensation in the eyes - 54.8% (258/471) and tired eyes - 48% (226/471). Female students were found to be at a higher risk. Nearly 72% of students reported frequent interruption of computer work. Headache caused interruption of work in 43.85% (110/168) of the students while tired eyes caused interruption of work in 43.5% (98/168) of the students. When the screen was viewed at distance more than 50 cm, the prevalence of headaches decreased by 38% (50-100 cm - OR: 0.62, 95% of the confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-0.92). Prevalence of tired eyes increased by 89% when screen filters were not used (OR: 1.894, 95% CI: 1.065-3.368). High prevalence of vision related problems was noted among university students. Sustained periods of close screen work without screen filters were found to be associated with occurrence of the symptoms and increased interruptions of work of the students. There is a need to increase the ergonomic awareness among students and corrective measures need to be implemented to reduce the impact of computer related vision problems.

Policy drivers and barriers for coal-to-liquids (CtL) technologies in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallentin, Daniel

2008-01-01

Because of a growing dependence on oil imports, powerful industrial, political and societal stakeholders in the United States are trying to enhance national energy security through the conversion of domestic coal into synthetic hydrocarbon liquid fuels-so-called coal-to-liquids (CtL) processes. However, because of the technology's high costs and carbon intensity, its market deployment is strongly affected by the US energy, technology and climate policy setting. This paper analyses and discusses policy drivers and barriers for CtL technologies in the United States and reaches the conclusion that an increasing awareness of global warming among US policy-makers raises the requirements for the technology's environmental performance and, thus, limits its potential to regional niche markets in coal-producing states or strategic markets, such as the military, with specific security and fuel requirements

An approach to tackle visual display unit user health problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCallum, H.M.; Heaton, B.

1992-01-01

Reported health hazards from video display units (VDUs) vary from headaches to miscarriage and there is some concern that health problems experienced by VDU users could be associated with extra-low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic field emissions. While investigating an individual case of 'VDU Syndrome' a procedure was developed which could be used to investigate and evaluate other complaints of a similar type. A relationship between the number of hours monitor work and severity of symptoms was observed along with a cyclic nature to the operator's sensitivity to VDU work. (author)

Neural Based Tabu Search method for solving unit commitment problem with cooling-banking constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajan Asir Christober Gnanakkan Charles

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new approach to solve short-term unit commitment problem (UCP using Neural Based Tabu Search (NBTS with cooling and banking constraints. The objective of this paper is to find the generation scheduling such that the total operating cost can be minimized, when subjected to a variety of constraints. This also means that it is desirable to find the optimal generating unit commitment in the power system for next H hours. A 7-unit utility power system in India demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach; extensive studies have also been performed for different IEEE test systems consist of 10, 26 and 34 units. Numerical results are shown to compare the superiority of the cost solutions obtained using the Tabu Search (TS method, Dynamic Programming (DP and Lagrangian Relaxation (LR methods in reaching proper unit commitment.

Supporting Problem Solving with Case-Stories Learning Scenario and Video-based Collaborative Learning Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun Hu

2004-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we suggest that case-based resources, which are used for assisting cognition during problem solving, can be structured around the work of narratives in social cultural psychology. Theories and other research methods have proposed structures within narratives and stories which may be useful to the design of case-based resources. Moreover, embedded within cases are stories which are contextually rich, supporting the epistemological groundings of situated cognition. Therefore the purposes of this paper are to discuss possible frameworks of case-stories; derive design principles as to “what” constitutes a good case story or narrative; and suggest how technology can support story-based learning. We adopt video-based Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL technology to support problem solving with case-stories learning scenarios. Our hypothesis in this paper is that well-designed case-based resources are able to aid in the cognitive processes undergirding problem solving and meaning making. We also suggest the use of an emerging video-based collaborative learning technology to support such an instructional strategy.

The Journey towards Technological Literacy for All in the United States--Are We There Yet?

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Philip A.

2007-01-01

This article aims to examine if technology education is getting close to the destination of technological literacy for all in the United States. People now live at a point where all those interested in technological literacy must take a critical, unrelenting look at the profession's history, research base, and contemporary practice. Here, the…

Subsea technology 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-10-01

The conference focuses on Subsea problems and requirements and contains 18 presentation on the topics: Flow management, autonomous underwater vehicles, risers and other technologies, installation of offshore production and exploitation units, management and maintenance of Subsea installations, design, production and functionality aspects of the Subsea structures and equipment, simulation aspects and oil and gas exploitation and production. (tk)

Subsea technology 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

The conference focuses on Subsea problems and requirements and contains 18 presentation on the topics: Flow management, autonomous underwater vehicles, risers and other technologies, installation of offshore production and exploitation units, management and maintenance of Subsea installations, design, production and functionality aspects of the Subsea structures and equipment, simulation aspects and oil and gas exploitation and production. (tk)

Propulsion Control Technology Development in the United States A Historical Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Jaw, Link C.a; Garg, Sanjay

2005-01-01

This paper presents a historical perspective of the advancement of control technologies for aircraft gas turbine engines. The paper primarily covers technology advances in the United States in the last 60 years (1940 to approximately 2002). The paper emphasizes the pioneering technologies that have been tested or implemented during this period, assimilating knowledge and experience from industry experts, including personal interviews with both current and retired experts. Since the first United States-built aircraft gas turbine engine was flown in 1942, engine control technology has evolved from a simple hydro-mechanical fuel metering valve to a full-authority digital electronic control system (FADEC) that is common to all modern aircraft propulsion systems. At the same time, control systems have provided engine diagnostic functions. Engine diagnostic capabilities have also evolved from pilot observation of engine gauges to the automated on-board diagnostic system that uses mathematical models to assess engine health and assist in post-flight troubleshooting and maintenance. Using system complexity and capability as a measure, we can break the historical development of control systems down to four phases: (1) the start-up phase (1942 to 1949), (2) the growth phase (1950 to 1969), (3) the electronic phase (1970 to 1989), and (4) the integration phase (1990 to 2002). In each phase, the state-of-the-art control technology is described and the engines that have become historical landmarks, from the control and diagnostic standpoint, are identified. Finally, a historical perspective of engine controls in the last 60 years is presented in terms of control system complexity, number of sensors, number of lines of software (or embedded code), and other factors.

Technological capacity as an element of development strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weiss, C; Kamenetzky, M; Ramesh, J

1980-03-01

The idea that science and technology transfers would result in the development of indigenous infrastructures able to cope with social problems overlooked the costs and uncertainties of applying science and technology to modernizing industry. A local capacity to deal with development is not emerging in developing countries and the role of small-scale technology has been largely ignored. A technological capacity needs to be built from within the public and private sectors, with adequate financial and technical support for small production units and adequate sheltering for long-term problems. Public policies are needed which can assess the fitness of technological institutions and policies to develop a capacity for making technological decisions that are compatible with local supply. 12 references. (DCK)

Proliferating problems: US management of strategic technology after the Cold War

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, W.J.

1992-01-01

The end of the Cold War, political revolutions in Central and Eastern Europe, the globalization of commercial markets, and the proliferation of dangerous technologies to many unstable regions present new challenges for the management of strategic technology. Technology controls designed to enhance national security must address the economic costs of such restrictions. In relations with former Cold War adversaries, technology transfer policy must find innovative ways to encourage cooperative problem solving and pluralistic, democratic, and market-oriented reforms. Also, policy must respond to new threats posed by proliferation in a way that recognizes the limits of technology controls and the need to balance US control interests with demands for technologies with legitimate commercial purposes. Recently, US strategic technology policy has reduced barriers that have traditionally impeded the ability of US exporters to do business in the global marketplace, and US policy is evolving to play a cautious but constructive role in East-West relations. To address more effectively the challenge of proliferation, however, policy makers must better coordinate technology controls with US arms, aid, and diplomatic initiatives toward nations and regions of concern. The first steps toward more effective policy will involve breaking down inter-agency barriers domestically and strengthening emerging multilateral institutions. 23 refs

Making Choices in the Virtual World: The New Model at United Technologies Information Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulliford, Bradley

1998-01-01

Describes changes in services of the United Technologies Corporation Information Network from a traditional library system to a virtual system of World Wide Web sites, a document-delivery unit, telephone and e-mail reference, and desktop technical support to provide remote access. Staff time, security, and licensing issues are addressed.…

Criteria and indicators of the effective application of problem-based learning technologies in teaching at college

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shikhova A.T.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available this article deals with «the efficiency of the educational process» and «criterion» concepts and the term «indicators». The author designated the requirements for evaluating the criteria of the effectiveness of developed problem-based learning technology at college and showed the most important options of evaluating the effectiveness of problem-based learning technologies implementation in teaching at college, from his point of view. The list of indicated parameters can serve as a mean of evaluation the effectiveness of educational technology in general, and of a specific training session on the subject.

Support for Development of Electronics and Materials Technologies by the Governments of the United States, Japan, West Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

The governments of the United States, Japan, West Germany, France, and the United Kingdom each have large research and development efforts involving government agencies, universities and industry. This document provides a comparative overview of policies and programs which contribute to the development of technologies in the general area of…

Problems of flue gas desulphurization in the Matra power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szilagyi, I.

1999-07-01

Main parameters of the investment are summarized and the technology of desulphurization is outlined. The use of wet limestone in the process, the path of flue gases (sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride) from the place of burning to the dust separation unit are dealt with. Emission values are evaluated in annual average and corrosion problems related to the technology of flue gas desulphurization are discussed.

Cable-Based Water Leak Detection Technology

OpenAIRE

ECT Team, Purdue

2007-01-01

Water leaks can be considered as a serious problem from many sources such as water supply and return chains, air conditioning units, cold-water chillers, clogged drains, damaged skylights or windows, or even construction errors. The new water leak detection technologies can provide significant advantages in cost, reliability, and easy adoption have continued since the traditional technology mainly focusing on a spot detector revealed several limitations.

VET Workers' Problem-Solving Skills in Technology-Rich Environments: European Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Hämäläinen, Raija; Cincinnato, Sebastiano; Malin, Antero; De Wever, Bram

2014-01-01

The European workplace is challenging VET adults' problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults' skills to date. The present study (N = 50 369) focuses on gaining insight…

Development of binary technologies of radiotherapy of malignant neoplasms: condition and problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor N. Sheino

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The review is devoted to the problems of the development of binary technologies of radiation therapy - neutron and photon-capture therapy of malignant neoplasms. These technologies are based on the principle of “biological” targeting: irradiation of a tumor with pre-delivered special preparations increasing energy release and the relative biological efficiency of primary radiation. The basis of methods, characteristics of sources of external irradiation and used preparations, and stages of development of technologies are described. The development and implementation of binary technologies attract a great number of researchers but are restrained by the shortage of operating sources of epithermal neutrons (reactors, neutron generators based on accelerators and the lack of accurate radiation dosimetry planning systems that takes into account the dynamics and accumulation of drugs in tumors.

A Comparative Study of Fuzzy Logic, Genetic Algorithm, and Gradient-Genetic Algorithm Optimization Methods for Solving the Unit Commitment Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahbi Marrouchi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the continuous increase of the population and the perpetual progress of industry, the energy management presents nowadays a relevant topic that concerns researchers in electrical engineering. Indeed, in order to establish a good exploitation of the electrical grid, it is necessary to solve technical and economic problems. This can only be done through the resolution of the Unit Commitment Problem. Unit Commitment Problem allows optimizing the combination of the production units’ states and determining their production planning, in order to satisfy the expected consumption with minimal cost during a specified period which varies usually from 24 hours to one week. However, each production unit has some constraints that make this problem complex, combinatorial, and nonlinear. This paper presents a comparative study between a strategy based on hybrid gradient-genetic algorithm method and two strategies based on metaheuristic methods, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithm, in order to predict the combinations and the unit commitment scheduling of each production unit in one side and to minimize the total production cost in the other side. To test the performance of the optimization proposed strategies, strategies have been applied to the IEEE electrical network 14 busses and the obtained results are very promising.

Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology and assisted reproductive technology in the United States: a 2016 update.

Science.gov (United States)

Toner, James P; Coddington, Charles C; Doody, Kevin; Van Voorhis, Brad; Seifer, David B; Ball, G David; Luke, Barbara; Wantman, Ethan

2016-09-01

The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) was established within a few years of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the United States, and has not only reported on the evolution of infertility care, but also guided it toward improved success and safety. Moving beyond its initial role as a registry, SART has expanded its role to include quality assurance, data validation, practice and advertising guidelines, research, patient education and advocacy, and membership support. The success of ART in this country has greatly benefited from SART's role, as highlighted by a series of graphs. SART continues to set the standard and lead the way. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of problem solving support and cognitive style on idea generation: Implications for Technology-Enhanced-Learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stoyanov, Slavi; Kirschner, Paul A.

2008-01-01

Stoyanov, S., & Kirschner, P. (2007). Effect of problem solving support and cognitive style on idea generation: Implications for Technology-Enhanced-Learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 49-63.

A PSO based Artificial Neural Network approach for short term unit commitment problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AFTAB AHMAD

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Unit commitment (UC is a non-linear, large scale, complex, mixed-integer combinatorial constrained optimization problem. This paper proposes, a new hybrid approach for generating unit commitment schedules using swarm intelligence learning rule based neural network. The training data has been generated using dynamic programming for machines without valve point effects and using genetic algorithm for machines with valve point effects. A set of load patterns as inputs and the corresponding unit generation schedules as outputs are used to train the network. The neural network fine tunes the best results to the desired targets. The proposed approach has been validated for three thermal machines with valve point effects and without valve point effects. The results are compared with the approaches available in the literature. The PSO-ANN trained model gives better results which show the promise of the proposed methodology.

Can Pollution Problems Be Effectively Solved by Environmental Science and Technology? An Analysis of Critical Limitations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huesemann, Michael H.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB))

2000-12-01

It is currently believed that science and technology can provide effective solutions to most, if not all, environmental problems facing western industrial societies. The validity of this optimistic assumption is highly questionable for at least three reasons: First, current mechanistic, reductionist science is inherently incapable of providing the complete and accurate information which is required to successfully address environmental problems. Second, both the conservation of mass principle and the second law of thermodynamics dictate that most remediation technologies - while successful in solving specific pollution problems - cause unavoidable negative environmental impacts elsewhere or in the future. Third, it is intrinsically impossible to design industrial processes that have no negative environmental impacts. This follows not only from the entropy law but also from the fact that any generation of energy is impossible without negative environmental consequences. It can therefore be concluded that science and technology have only very limited potential in solving current and future environmental problems. Consequently, it will be necessary to address the root cause of environmental deterioration, namely the prevailing materialistic values that are the main driving force for both overpopulation and overconsumption. The long-term protection of the environment is therefore not primarily a technical problem but rather a social and moral problem that can only be solved by drastically reducing the strong influence of materialistic values.

Managerial Problems in the Use of Educational Technology in Primary Education Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Hosgorur, Vural

2013-01-01

Rapid progress in science and technology also changes understanding, wishes and expectations, processes, operations and organisational structures. Such developments positively affect the structure of educational systems as well as learning-teaching activities in instructional environments. The problem of this research is to define managerial…

The effectiveness of self help technologies for emotional problems in adolescents: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bower Peter

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adolescence is a transition period that involves physiological, psychological, and social changes. Emotional problems such as symptoms of anxiety and depression may develop due to these changes. Although many of these problems may not meet diagnostic thresholds, they may develop into more severe disorders and may impact on functioning. However, there are barriers that may make it difficult for adolescents to receive help from health professionals for such problems, one of which is the limited availability of formal psychological therapy. One way of increasing access to help for such problems is through self help technology (i.e. delivery of psychological help through information technology or paper based formats. Although there is a significant evidence base concerning self help in adults, the evidence base is much weaker in adolescents. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of self help technology for the treatment of emotional problems in adolescents by conducting a systematic review of randomized and quasi-experimental evidence. Methods Five major electronic databases were searched: Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and CINAHL. In addition, nine journals were handsearched and the reference lists of all studies were examined for any additional studies. Fourteen studies were identified. Effect sizes were calculated across 3 outcome measures: attitude towards self (e.g. self esteem; social cognition (e.g. self efficacy; and emotional symptoms (i.e. depression and anxiety symptoms. Results Meta analysis showed small, non-significant effect size for attitude towards self (ES = -0.14, 95% CI = -0.72 to 0.43, a medium, non-significant effect size for social cognition (ES = -0.49, 95% CI = -1.23 to 0.25 and a medium, non-significant effect size for emotional symptoms (ES = -0.47, 95% CI = -1.00 to 0.07. However, these findings must be considered preliminary, because of the small number of

Problems of teaching students to use the featured technologies in the area of semantic web

Science.gov (United States)

Klimov, V. V.; Chernyshov, A. A.; Balandina, A. I.; Kostkina, A. D.

2017-01-01

The following paper contains the description of up-to-date technologies in the area of web-services development, service-oriented architecture and the Semantic Web. The paper contains the analysis of the most popular and widespread technologies and methods in the semantic web area which are used in the developed educational course. In the paper, we also describe the problem of teaching students to use these technologies and specify conditions for the creation of the learning and development course. We also describe the main exercise for personal work and skills, which all the students learning this course have to gain. Moreover, in the paper we specify the problem with software which students are going to use while learning this course. In order to solve this problem, we introduce the developing system which will be used to support the laboratory works. For this moment this system supports only the fourth work execution, but our following plans contain the expansion of the system in order to support the leftover works.

Professional Problems Experienced by Information Technology Teachers and Suggested Solutions: Longitudinal Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hafize Keser

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to determine the opinions of teacher candidates in the fourth year of Computer Education & Instructional Technologies department (CEIT on the Problems Experienced by Information Technology (IT Teachers and Suggested Solutions and it has been designed in case study routine taking place within qualitative research tradition and in a longitudinal survey model. The final year IT teacher candidates receiving education in Ankara University Educational Sciences Faculty CEIT department in academic years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 have formed the study group of the research (N=123. The data obtained in the research by open-end questionnaire have been analysed and interpreted by inductive encoding technique, freuency analysis and descriptive content analysis. At the end of the study carried out, it has been determined that the IT teacher candidates have handled in two sub-dimensions the problems experienced by the IT teachers, these being, problems towards the courses the IT teachers attend and problems regarding the professional lives of IT teachers and suggested solutions in line with these. The leading problems towards the courses the IT teachers attend are that the courses are optional, the courses are grade-free, the course hours are few, the significance of IT not being comprehended very well by the executives, teachers, parents and students, inadequacy of physical means of IT classes and references of the course. And, the main problems regarding professional lives of IT course teachers are the duty, power and responsibility of IT teachers not made clear enough, difficulties in formative teacher practice, course hours which have to be completed by IT teachers not being able to be completed and problem of permanent staff, the courses that must be attended by IT teachers being taugth by teachers from other branches, lack of executives and experts trained from a field to supervise IT and formative teachers. And, the suggested leading

Technology meets tradition: The perceived impact of the introduction of information and communication technology on ward rounds in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Plumb, Jennifer J; Hains, Isla; Parr, Michael J; Milliss, David; Herkes, Robert; Westbrook, Johanna I

2017-09-01

Public policy in many health systems is currently dominated by the quest to find ways to 'do more with less'-to achieve better outcomes at a reduced cost. The success or failure of initiatives in support of this quest are often understood in terms of an adversarial dynamic or struggle between the professional logics of medicine and of management. Here, we use the case of the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) to a well-established ritual of medical autonomy (the medical ward round) to articulate a more nuanced explanation of how and why new ways of working with technology are accepted and adopted (or not). The study was conducted across four intensive care units (ICUs) in major teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Using interviews, we examined 48 doctors' perceptions of the impact of ICT on ward round practice. We applied the concept of institutional logics to frame our analysis. Interview transcripts were analysed using a hybrid of deductive and inductive thematic analysis. The doctors displayed a complex engagement with the technology that belies simplistic characterisations of medical rejection of managerial encroachment. In fact, they selectively welcomed into the ward round aspects of the technology which reinforced the doctor's place in the healthcare hierarchy and which augmented their role as scientists. At the same time, they guarded against allowing managerial logic embedded in ICT to de-emphasise their embodied subjectivity in relation to the patient as a person rather than as a collection of parameters. ICT can force the disruption of some aspects of existing routines, even where these are long-established rituals. Resistance arose when the new technology did not fit with the 'logic of care'. Incorporation of the logic of care into the design and customisation of clinical information systems is a challenge and potentially counterproductive, because it could attempt to apply a technological fix to what is essentially a

Radiation hygiene problems of radiopharmaceutical preparation at nuclear medicine units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pekarek, J.; Kukacka, R.

1977-01-01

The problems of magistral radiopharmaceuticals preparation are indicated and the layout of a unit for the magistral preparation of radiopharmaceuticals is described. The results are briefly reported of a study of radiation load of laboratory personnel preparing radiopharmaceuticals as against doctors actually applying them. It was found that the exposure of hands to ionizing radiation represents the highest hazard for the laboratory personnel. The most important radiation protection principles are pointed out, such as the use of protective clothing, regular preventive medical examinations, appropriately shielded radionuclides and radionuclide generators to be supplied by manufacturers, and a more frequent rotation of personnel working with active and nonactive preparations. (L.O.)

Criteria and indicators of the effective application of problem-based learning technologies in teaching at college

OpenAIRE

Shikhova A.T.

2017-01-01

this article deals with «the efficiency of the educational process» and «criterion» concepts and the term «indicators». The author designated the requirements for evaluating the criteria of the effectiveness of developed problem-based learning technology at college and showed the most important options of evaluating the effectiveness of problem-based learning technologies implementation in teaching at college, from his point of view. The list of indicated parameters can serve as a mean of eva...

U.S. Department of Energy national technology information exchange workshops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daub, G.J.; Earle, S.D.; Smibert, A.M.; Wight, E.H.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy National Technology Information Exchange (TIE) Workshops bring together environmental restoration and technology development personnel to exchange and share problems, needs, technological solutions, ideas, and successes and failures from lessons learned at DOE sites. The success of this forum is measured by the knowledge gained, contacts made, and program dollars saved by the people who actually do the work in the field. TIE is a unique opportunity to unite the DOE community and allow individuals to listen and to learn about each others' problems and solutions. By using today's technologies better, the National TIE Workshops help identify and implement cost-effective and appropriate technologies to meet the needs of the DOE environmental restoration program

Technological problems connected with execution of the protection sheets for nuclear power sets WWER-1000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajutin, J.G.; Kriczewskij, A.Z.

1977-01-01

The choice of the structure and the prestressing system of the R.C. protection sheet for nuclear power sets WWER-1000 is motivated. The technological problems arised during the execution stage, as well as the technological line producing the tendons to prestress the structure by up winding are presented. (author)

Application of Digital Technology for the Plant Protection System in Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Units 5 and 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deucksoo, Lee; Insik, Kim

2006-01-01

Since the completion of construction of Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 (UCN 3 and 4), the first units of the OPR (Optimized Power Reactor) series, various advanced design features have been incorporated to the following OPRs. The Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant Units 5 and 6(UCN 5 and 6) which started commercial operation in Korea from 2004 and 2005 respectively, are designed to provide improvements in safety, reliability and costs by applying both advanced proven technology and experiences gained from the construction and operation of the previous OPRs. Among those improvements, the digital plant protection system (DPPS) and the digital engineered safety feature actuation system (DESFAS) are the key elements to the UCN 5 and 6 designs. The DPPS and DESFAS utilizing the digital computer technology offer a solution to the obsolescence problem of analog system. These features also provide the potential for additional benefits such as ease of maintenance, increased performance, reduction of internal and external cross channel wiring, improvement of the surveillance testability and flexibility of control logic programming change. During the initial design stage, the Korean regulatory body had evaluated these design concepts intensively and concluded it to be acceptable for the safety point of view. Also, in-depth review on the detailed design and the special evaluation/audit for the software design process has been performed to secure the quality of the software. As a result, every issue raised during licensing review has been clarified and the operating licenses for the UCN 5 and 6 were issued in October, 2003 and October, 2004 respectively, by the government. In this paper, design characteristics of the UCN 5 and 6 are introduced, and advanced design features and implementation process are presented focused on the DPPS/DESFAS with some benefit analysis results. (authors)

The Supply and Demand of Technology and Engineering Teachers in the United States: Who Knows?

Science.gov (United States)

Moye, Johnny J.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the supply and demand of technology and engineering teachers in the United States. Once gathered, the resulting data (that was available) was compared to previous studies to determine trends. The researcher reviewed the 2010-11 through 2015-16 Technology & Engineering Teacher Education Directories. To…

Research on Key Technologies of Unit-Based CNC Machine Tool Assembly Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongqi Sheng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Assembly is the part that produces the maximum workload and consumed time during product design and manufacturing process. CNC machine tool is the key basic equipment in manufacturing industry and research on assembly design technologies of CNC machine tool has theoretical significance and practical value. This study established a simplified ASRG for CNC machine tool. The connection between parts, semantic information of transmission, and geometric constraint information were quantified to assembly connection strength to depict the assembling difficulty level. The transmissibility based on trust relationship was applied on the assembly connection strength. Assembly unit partition based on assembly connection strength was conducted, and interferential assembly units were identified and revised. The assembly sequence planning and optimization of parts in each assembly unit and between assembly units was conducted using genetic algorithm. With certain type of high speed CNC turning center, as an example, this paper explored into the assembly modeling, assembly unit partition, and assembly sequence planning and optimization and realized the optimized assembly sequence of headstock of CNC machine tool.

Meeting International Society for Technology in Education Competencies with a Problem-Based Learning Video Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Skoretz, Yvonne M.; Cottle, Amy E.

2011-01-01

Meeting International Society for Technology in Education competencies creates a challenge for teachers. The authors provide a problem-based video framework that guides teachers in enhancing 21st century skills to meet those competencies. To keep the focus on the content, the authors suggest teaching the technology skills only at the point the…

War, Education and State Formation: Problems of Territorial and Political Integration in the United States, 1848-1912

Science.gov (United States)

Beadie, Nancy

2016-01-01

After the Civil War (1861-1865), the United States faced a problem of "reconstruction" similar to that confronted by other nations at the time and familiar to the US since at least the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The problem was one of territorial and political (re)integration: how to take territories that had only recently been…

Research and technology strategy to help overcome the environmental problems in relation to transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwilliam, K.M.; Geerlings, H.

1992-04-01

This report has been prepared for the Strategic Analysis in Science and Technology Unit (SAST) of the Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development of the Commission of the European Communities. The background of the project to which this report contributes is a recognition of the growing impact of transportation on the environment, both as a function of growth in trade and as a leisure activity. The project is directed towards the elucidation of the many interactions between technology, transport and environment, in order to provide the Commission with (a) recommendations on the priorities for Community research and development in transport technology and other related areas of technology, and (b) an understanding of the implications of technological change on policy options, within the Community with regard to transport and environment and other related areas, such as energy and regional planning

Nuclear development in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brewer, S.

1983-01-01

The history of the nuclear development in the United States has been one of international cooperation relations so far. The United States is to offer the technical information on atomic energy utilization to foreign countries in exchange for the guarantee that they never attempt to have or develop nuclear weapons. Actually, the United States has supplied the technologies on nuclear fuel cycle and other related fields to enable other countries to achieve economical and social progress. The Department of Energy clarified the public promise of the United States regarding the idea of international energy community. The ratio of nuclear power generation to total electric power supply in the United States exceeded 12%, and will exceed 20% by 1990. Since 1978, new nuclear power station has not been ordered, and some of the contracted power stations were canceled. The atomic energy industry in the United States prospered at the beginning of 1970s, but lost the spirit now, mainly due to the institutional problems rather than the technical ones. As the policy of the government to eliminate the obstacles, the improvement of the procedure for the permission and approval, the establishment of waste disposal capability, the verification of fast breeder reactor technology and the promotion of commercial fuel reprocessing were proposed. The re-establishment of the United States as the reliable supplier of atomic energy service is the final aim. (Kako, I.)

Pharmacotherapeutic Problems and Pharmacist Interventions in a Medical Intensive Care Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae Yun Park

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Interest in pharmacist participation in the multidisciplinary intensive care team is increasing. However, studies examining pharmacist interventions in the medical intensive care unit (MICU are limited in Korea. The aim of this study was to describe the current status of pharmacist interventions and to identify common pharmacologic problems requiring pharmacist intervention in the MICU. Methods: Between September 2013 and August 2014, a retrospective, observational study was conducted in the 22-bed MICU at a university hospital. Data were obtained from two trained pharmacists who participated in MICU rounds three times a week. In addition to patient characteristics, data on the cause, type, related drug, and acceptance rate of interventions were collected. Results: In 340 patients, a total of 1211 pharmacologic interventions were performed. The majority of pharmacologic interventions were suggested by pharmacists at multidisciplinary rounds in the MICU. The most common pharmacologic interventions were adjustment of dosage and administration (n = 328, 26.0%, followed by parenteral/enteral nutritional support (n = 228, 18.1%, the provision of drug information (n = 228, 18.1%, and advice regarding pharmacokinetics (n = 118, 9.3%. Antimicrobial agents (n = 516, 42.6% were the most frequent type of drug associated with pharmacist interventions. The acceptance rate of interventions was 84.1% with most accepted by physicians within 24 hours (n = 602, 92.8%. Conclusions: Medication and nutritional problems are frequently encountered pharmacotherapeutic problems in the MICU. Pharmacist interventions play an important role in the management of these problems.

Summer Teacher Enhancement Institute for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Using the Problem-Based Learning Model

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Richard H.

1997-01-01

The objectives of the Institute were: (a) increase participants' content knowledge about aeronautics, science, mathematics, and technology, (b) model and promote the use of scientific inquiry through problem-based learning, (c) investigate the use of instructional technologies and their applications to curricula, and (d) encourage the dissemination of TEI experiences to colleagues, students, and parents.

Technology Confidence, Competence and Problem Solving Strategies: Differences within Online and Face-to-Face Formats

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Sharon L.; Palmer, Louann Bierlein

2011-01-01

This study identified the problem solving strategies used by students within a university course designed to teach pre-service teachers educational technology, and whether those strategies were influenced by the format of the course (i.e., face-to-face computer lab vs. online). It also examined to what extent the type of problem solving strategies…

A survey on the wireless sensor network technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jae Hee; Jun, Hyeong Seop; Lee, Jae Cheol; Choi, Yoo Rak

2007-12-01

Wireless sensor technology is required in the safety inspection for safety-critical unit of nuclear power plant. This report describes wireless sensor technology related with the project named 'Development of a remote care system of NPP components based on the network and safety database'. This report includes contents of methodology and status of sensor network construction, status of zigbee sensor network, problem of security and sensor battery. Energy harvesting technology will be mentioned on the next report

Can nuclear power be enough for future technology?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serizawa, Akimi

2017-01-01

This paper focused on the report 'Can nuclear power be future technology?' published on September 28, 2008 by the Leading R and D Committee of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. It took up part of the discussions at the general discussion session, and those of two working groups mainly by young committee members, and summarized and compiled them. Regarding 'maturity of nuclear technology as future technology,' this paper summarized and discussed from the technical viewpoint the current situation and problems of nuclear power in consideration of the future. Major topics include (1) nuclear safety and disaster prevention, (2) decommissioning of rectors (normal reactors, and accident reactors), (3) back end, (4) effects of low-level radiation, (5) technology trends, (6) economic efficiency, and (7) human resource development. Regarding 'social acceptability of nuclear energy,' the following were discussed: (1) basic human rights such as 'moral rights' and nuclear technologies, (2) risk communication and its problems, and (3) measures to improve the reliability of stakeholders involved in nuclear power. Regarding 'nuclear accident responding team,' this paper covered the nuclear accident responding unit founded in France after the nuclear accident in Japan, and nuclear accident responding unit founded in Japan. (A.O.)

Needs assessment for remote systems technology at the Chornobyl Unit 4 shelter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carteret, B.A.; Holliday, M.A.; Jones, E.D.

1997-12-01

The accident at Chornobyl Unit 4 on April 26, 1986, resulted in a series of unprecedented scientific and technical challenges. The reactor building was damaged extensively. Following the accident, immediate action was needed to seal off the gaping crater created by the accident, which was a continuing source of airborne contamination. Under extreme conditions, a structure called the open-quotes Shelterclose quotes was built over the remains of the reactor building. The Shelter, which was quickly completed in November 1986, was meant to provide immediate but temporary containment. Now, 11 years later, there are significant concerns about its structural integrity and projected life expectancy. The United States and other participating G-7 countries are supporting nuclear safety upgrade efforts in Eastern Europe with a primary focus on placing the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Unit 4 Shelter in a stable and environmentally acceptable condition. Application of remote systems technologies will play an important part in achieving the goals of this program. The G-7 nations have agreed to support these efforts, including the identification and development of remote system technologies for fuel removal. However at this time they have taken a firm stance against funding actual fuel removal activities. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology requested that a needs assessment be performed to evaluate the requirements for applying remote systems, including robotics, at the Shelter. This document is intended to be used to identify remote systems needs and requirements at the Shelter and to provide general information on the conditions in the Shelter that could impact the use of remote systems. This document is intended as a source of information to assist those who will be implementing the Shelter Implementation Plan tasks. The document provides background information and general guidance on the application of remote systems

VET workers’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments: European approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raija Hämäläinen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The European workplace is challenging VET adults’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs. So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults’ skills to date. The present study (N=50 369 focuses on gaining insight into the problem-solving skills in TREs of adults with a VET background. When examining the similarities and differences in VET adults’ problem-solving skills in TREs across 11 European countries, two main trends can be observed. First, our results show that only a minority of VET adults perform at a high level. Second, there seems to be substantial variation between countries with respect to the proportion of VET adults that can be identified as “at-risk” or “weak” performers. For the future, our findings indicate the variations that can be used as a starting point to identify beneficial VET approaches.

Stages of Adoption Concern and Technology Acceptance in a Critical Care Nursing Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Gina M; LoCurto, Jamie; Lippoldt, Diana

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to examine the stages of concern (self, task, and impact) and usability (trust, perceived usefulness, and ease of use) shifts experienced by nurses adopting new technology. Patient care processes in critical care units can be disrupted with the incorporation of information technology. New users of technology typically transition through stages of concern and experience shifts in acceptance during assimilation. Critical care nurses (N = 41) were surveyed twice: (1) pre, immediately after training, and (2) post, 3 months after implementation of technology. From presurvey to postsurvey, self-concerns decreased 14%, whereas impact concerns increased 22%. Furthermore, there was a 30% increase in trust and a 17% increase in perceived usefulness, even with a 27% decrease in ease of use. Adoption of new technology requires critical care nurses to adapt current practices, which may improve trust and perceived usefulness yet decrease perceptions of ease of use.

Present status and problems of remote systems technology in nuclear industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-02-01

This reports the activities of Special Committee on Remote Systems Technology, Atomic Energy Society of Japan, during the period from Oct. 1984 to Sep. 1988. The Committee studied and reviewed the present status and problems of remote operation and maintenance in various fields of nuclear industry. Reported items are; reactor operation, reprocessing, nuclear fusion and decommissioning. It also reviews robotics and remote systems tehcnology applied to space and marine development.

Present status and problems of remote systems technology in nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This reports the activities of Special Committee on Remote Systems Technology, Atomic Energy Society of Japan, during the period from Oct. 1984 to Sep. 1988. The Committee studied and reviewed the present status and problems of remote operation and maintenance in various fields of nuclear industry. Reported items are; reactor operation, reprocessing, nuclear fusion and decommissioning. It also reviews robotics and remote systems tehcnology applied to space and marine development. (author)

Direct Problems and Inverse Problems in Biometric Systems

OpenAIRE

Mihailescu Marius Iulian

2013-01-01

The article purpose is to describe the two sides of biometrics technologies, direct problems and inverse problems. The advance that we face today in field of Information Technology makes Information Security an inseparable part. The authentication has a huge role when we deal about security. The problems that can appear in implementing and developing biometrics systems is raising many problems, and one of the goal of this article is to focus on direct and inverse problems which is a new and c...

Design and Test Plans for a Non-Nuclear Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Lee; Palac, Donald; Gibson, Marc; Houts, Michael; Warren, John; Werner, James; Poston, David; Qualls, Arthur Lou; Radel, Ross; Harlow, Scott

2012-01-01

A joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Energy (DOE) team is developing concepts and technologies for affordable nuclear Fission Power Systems (FPSs) to support future exploration missions. A key deliverable is the Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU). The TDU will assemble the major elements of a notional FPS with a non-nuclear reactor simulator (Rx Sim) and demonstrate system-level performance in thermal vacuum. The Rx Sim includes an electrical resistance heat source and a liquid metal heat transport loop that simulates the reactor thermal interface and expected dynamic response. A power conversion unit (PCU) generates electric power utilizing the liquid metal heat source and rejects waste heat to a heat rejection system (HRS). The HRS includes a pumped water heat removal loop coupled to radiator panels suspended in the thermal-vacuum facility. The basic test plan is to subject the system to realistic operating conditions and gather data to evaluate performance sensitivity, control stability, and response characteristics. Upon completion of the testing, the technology is expected to satisfy the requirements for Technology Readiness Level 6 (System Demonstration in an Operational and Relevant Environment) based on the use of high-fidelity hardware and prototypic software tested under realistic conditions and correlated with analytical predictions.

Examining Health Information Technology Implementation Success Factors in Critical Access Hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

Monkman, Blake D.

2016-01-01

As the role of information technology increases throughout the world, healthcare providers in the United States face industry and governmental pressures to implement health information technology (HIT) as a tool to improve healthcare costs, quality, and safety. The problem addressed in this study was the relatively low HIT implementation success…

Using Web 2.0 Technology to Enhance, Scaffold and Assess Problem-Based Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Hack

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Web 2.0 technologies, such as social networks, wikis, blogs, and virtual worlds provide a platform for collaborative working, facilitating sharing of resources and joint document production. They can act as a stimulus to promote active learning and provide an engaging and interactive environment for students, and as such align with the philosophy of Problem-based Learning. Furthermore, Web 2.0 technologies can provide the tutor or facilitator with an opportunity to scaffold and asses the PBL process. However, whilst it is recognised that technology has an important role in enhancing each step of a PBL exercise, academic staff can be reluctant to use it. This paper provides some illustrative examples of the technologies that have been used to enhance, scaffold and assess PBL and their evaluation by distance learning and on-campus students at the University of Ulster. The benefits and limitations of using technology for both staff and students to support PBL are discussed.

Unit Stratified Sampling as a Tool for Approximation of Stochastic Optimization Problems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šmíd, Martin

2012-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 30 (2012), s. 153-169 ISSN 1212-074X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP402/11/0150; GA ČR GAP402/10/0956; GA ČR GA402/09/0965 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : Stochastic programming * approximation * stratified sampling Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/E/smid-unit stratified sampling as a tool for approximation of stochastic optimization problems.pdf

Energy problems of the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertuzio, A.

2006-01-01

The united states are the third world producer of oil which accounts for 440% of world production and 20 million barrels/day of which 60% are imported. That dependence on imports is likely to increase in the next decades. Such supplies and their security are therefore a fundamental factor of the United States foreign policy in combination with their political, economic and strategic objectives in a world both unsure and dangerous

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

Pollution: Problems and Solutions. Grade Nine, Unit One, 9.1 Comprehensive Social Studies Curriculum for the Inner City.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamison, Sandra; Campbell, Bruce

The ninth grade unit of the FICSS series (Focus on Inner City Social Studies -- see SO 008 271) studies the economic and political realities of the inner city. This document, the first unit of the 9th grade section, deals with the ecological crises involving pollution and its causes. Specific problems include air pollution, pesticides, herbicides,…

Identifying Teacher Belief Systems Regarding Classroom Technology Use--Planning for Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Petty, Michael F.

2012-01-01

Across the United States, millions of taxpayer dollars are spent on the integration of technology into America's classrooms to increase student achievement and preparation for a 21st century global workforce. The problem is teachers are not using available technology to its fullest capacity. While several studies outlined in the literature review…

WWER-1000 unit reliability problems from the point of view of the main supplier of technological equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bursa, V.; Holousova, M.; Turnik, S.

1990-01-01

At Skoda Works in Plzen, data from the period of construction of nuclear power plants are processed on an ICL DRS 300 computer. The database systems DBASE II and DATAFLEX are available for creating reliability information systems. The information system that is being developed for WWER-1000 units is tested at the WWER-440 units of the Dukovany and Mochovce nuclear power plants. Activities in the field of evaluation of structure reliability of WWER-1000 nuclear power plants are aimed at two major goals, viz., developing a methodology for testing the reliability of the whole unit and its subsystems, and performing reliability analysis and calculations of reliability indices of the secondary circuit of a WWER-1000 nuclear power plant. The reason for the latter concern is the fact that in 1984-1986, secondary circuits contributed 46% to failures of Czechoslovak WWER-440 nuclear power plants. According to existing analyses, the time fluctuations of reliability indices obey no rule that could be employed for inferring indices expected in steady-state operating conditions from indices established in the starting stage of operation. (Z.M.). 10 refs

Development of tritium technology for the United States magnetic fusion energy program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, J.L.; Wilkes, W.R.

1980-01-01

Tritium technology development for the DOE fusion program is taking place principally at three laboratories, Mound Facility, Argonne National Laboratory and the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. This paper will review the major aspects of each of the three programs and look at aspects of the tritium technology being developed at other laboratories within the United States. Facilities and experiments to be discussed include the Tritium Effluent Control Laboratory and the Tritium Storage and Delivery System for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor at Mound Facility; the Lithium Processing Test Loop and the solid breeder blanket studies at Argonne; and the Tritium Systems Test Assembly at Los Alamos

Cauldrons: An Abstraction for Concurrent Problems Solving. Revision.

Science.gov (United States)

1986-09-01

PROGRAM ELEMENT. PROJECT. TASK Artificial Inteligence Laboratory ARtA G WORK UNIT NUMVERS S 545 Technology Square etJ Cambridge, MA 02139 TIM II...D-11194 12611 CAU1,LDRONS: AN ROSTRACTION FOR CONCURRENT PROBLEMS1/ RSOLVING REYISION(U) MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECHCANIRIDGE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE...is described, accompanied by cxanmple of their application to various domains. ’lhis report describes research done at both the MIT Artificial

Technology, attributions, and emotions in post-secondary education: An application of Weiner's attribution theory to academic computing problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Maymon, Rebecca; Hall, Nathan C; Goetz, Thomas; Chiarella, Andrew; Rahimi, Sonia

2018-01-01

As technology becomes increasingly integrated with education, research on the relationships between students' computing-related emotions and motivation following technological difficulties is critical to improving learning experiences. Following from Weiner's (2010) attribution theory of achievement motivation, the present research examined relationships between causal attributions and emotions concerning academic computing difficulties in two studies. Study samples consisted of North American university students enrolled in both traditional and online universities (total N = 559) who responded to either hypothetical scenarios or experimental manipulations involving technological challenges experienced in academic settings. Findings from Study 1 showed stable and external attributions to be emotionally maladaptive (more helplessness, boredom, guilt), particularly in response to unexpected computing problems. Additionally, Study 2 found stable attributions for unexpected problems to predict more anxiety for traditional students, with both external and personally controllable attributions for minor problems proving emotionally beneficial for students in online degree programs (more hope, less anxiety). Overall, hypothesized negative effects of stable attributions were observed across both studies, with mixed results for personally controllable attributions and unanticipated emotional benefits of external attributions for academic computing problems warranting further study.

Fission Surface Power Technology Demonstration Unit Test Results

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Maxwell H.; Gibson, Marc A.; Geng, Steven M.; Sanzi, James L.

2016-01-01

The Fission Surface Power (FSP) Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) is a system-level demonstration of fission power technology intended for use on manned missions to Mars. The Baseline FSP systems consists of a 190 kWt UO2 fast-spectrum reactor cooled by a primary pumped liquid metal loop. This liquid metal loop transfers heat to two intermediate liquid metal loops designed to isolate fission products in the primary loop from the balance of plant. The intermediate liquid metal loops transfer heat to four Stirling Power Conversion Units (PCU), each of which produce 12 kWe (48 kW total) and reject waste heat to two pumped water loops, which transfer the waste heat to titanium-water heat pipe radiators. The FSP TDU simulates a single leg of the baseline FSP system using an electrically heater core simulator, a single liquid metal loop, a single PCU, and a pumped water loop which rejects the waste heat to a Facility Cooling System (FCS). When operated at the nominal operating conditions (modified for low liquid metal flow) during TDU testing the PCU produced 8.9 kW of power at an efficiency of 21.7 percent resulting in a net system power of 8.1 kW and a system level efficiency of 17.2 percent. The reduction in PCU power from levels seen during electrically heated testing is the result of insufficient heat transfer from the NaK heater head to the Stirling acceptor, which could not be tested at Sunpower prior to delivery to the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The maximum PCU power of 10.4 kW was achieved at the maximum liquid metal temperature of 875 K, minimum water temperature of 350 K, 1.1 kg/s liquid metal flow, 0.39 kg/s water flow, and 15.0 mm amplitude at an efficiency of 23.3 percent. This resulted in a system net power of 9.7 kW and a system efficiency of 18.7 percent.

Development of interface technology between unit processes in E-Refining process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, S. H.; Lee, H. S.; Kim, J. G. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

The pyroprocessing is composed mainly four subprocesses, such as an electrolytic reduction, an electrorefining, an electrowinning, and waste salt regeneration/ solidification processes. The electrorefining process, one of main processes which are composed of pyroprocess to recover the useful elements from spent fuel, is under development by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute as a sub process of pyrochemical treatment of spent PWR fuel. The CERS(Continuous ElectroRefining System) is composed of some unit processes such as an electrorefiner, a salt distiller, a melting furnace for the U-ingot and U-chlorinator (UCl{sub 3} making equipment) as shown in Fig. 1. In this study, the interfaces technology between unit processes in E-Refining system is investigated and developed for the establishment of integrated E-Refining operation system as a part of integrated pyroprocessing

Whole Language, Computers and CD-ROM Technology: A Kindergarten Unit on "Benjamin Bunny."

Science.gov (United States)

Balajthy, Ernest

A kindergarten teacher, two preservice teachers, and a college consultant on educational computer technology designed and developed a 10-day whole-language integrated unit on the theme of Beatrix Potter's "Benjamin Bunny." The project was designed as a demonstration of the potential of integrating the CD-ROM-based version of…

The influence of mechatronic learning systems on creative problem solving of pupils participating in technology class A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai-Christian Tönnsen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Without being creative and finding solutions for various problems of life mankind wouldn’t be what it is today. Problem solving always has been a key ability for development, in the past, the present and it will also be a key for the future. Creative problem solving is one of the most important ways of technical thinking and acting. Therefore, the ability of finding solutions for problems and realizing them is a primary goal for technological education, especially if it is part of a comprehensive school education. It can be assumed that the available resources affect the possibilities and the result of problem solving processes. In terms of technology classes there are numerous resources that aim for the development of pupils’ creative problem solving skills like for instance mechatronic educational environments (MEEs. Unfortunately there is currently no test instrument for rating the influence of these MEEs on the outcome in terms of creative technical problem solving processes. Therefore, we designed a trial for such purpose and tested it in a pilot study: 33 students (9th grade, average age of 15.24 years of comprehensive schools were given a problem, which had to be solved using three different MEEs. Solutions found by the students have been documented and analyzed to identify system characteristics which enhance or inhibit the creative outcome.Key words: Creative problem solving, technology education, mechatronic educational environments, Festo MecLab, Fischertechnik RoboTX, Lego Mindstorms EV3

Quo vadis radiotherapy? Technological advances and the rising problems in cancer management.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Barry J; Bezak, Eva; Marcu, Loredana G

2013-01-01

Despite the latest technological advances in radiotherapy, cancer control is still challenging for several tumour sites. The survival rates for the most deadly cancers, such as ovarian and pancreatic, have not changed over the last decades. The solution to the problem lies in the change of focus: from local treatment to systemic therapy. The aim of this paper is to present the current status as well as the gaps in radiotherapy and, at the same time, to look into potential solutions to improve cancer control and survival. The currently available advanced radiotherapy treatment techniques have been analysed and their cost-effectiveness discussed. The problem of systemic disease management was specifically targeted. Clinical studies show limited benefit in cancer control from hadron therapy. However, targeted therapies together with molecular imaging could improve treatment outcome for several tumour sites while controlling the systemic disease. The advances in photon therapy continue to be competitive with the much more expensive hadron therapy. To justify the cost effectiveness of proton/heavy ion therapy, there is a need for phase III randomised clinical trials. Furthermore, the success of systemic disease management lies in the fusion between radiation oncology technology and microbiology.

Using Text Mining to Uncover Students' Technology-Related Problems in Live Video Streaming

Science.gov (United States)

Abdous, M'hammed; He, Wu

2011-01-01

Because of their capacity to sift through large amounts of data, text mining and data mining are enabling higher education institutions to reveal valuable patterns in students' learning behaviours without having to resort to traditional survey methods. In an effort to uncover live video streaming (LVS) students' technology related-problems and to…

Applying behavior analysis to school violence and discipline problems: Schoolwide positive behavior support

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Cynthia M.; Kincaid, Donald

2005-01-01

School discipline is a growing concern in the United States. Educators frequently are faced with discipline problems ranging from infrequent but extreme problems (e.g., shootings) to less severe problems that occur at high frequency (e.g., bullying, insubordination, tardiness, and fighting). Unfortunately, teachers report feeling ill prepared to deal effectively with discipline problems in schools. Further, research suggests that many commonly used strategies, such as suspension, expulsion, and other reactive strategies, are not effective for ameliorating discipline problems and may, in fact, make the situation worse. The principles and technology of behavior analysis have been demonstrated to be extremely effective for decreasing problem behavior and increasing social skills exhibited by school children. Recently, these principles and techniques have been applied at the level of the entire school, in a movement termed schoolwide positive behavior support. In this paper we review the tenets of schoolwide positive behavior support, demonstrating the relation between this technology and applied behavior analysis. PMID:22478439

ICEMENERG technologies of water treatment applied at Cernavoda NPP Unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanca, Angela; Bolma, Aurelia; Serbanescu, Agnes; Raducanu, Alice

2002-01-01

The paper presents the ICEMENERG technologies for water treatment applied at Cernavoda Unit 1, the treatment of the additional water for power steam generators and the chemical treatment of cooling system water. The requirements for quality of water totally demineralized as imposed by the AECL-ANSALDO consortium are as following: electrical conductivity, < 0.2 mS/cm; total silicon, <0.02 mg/L; ionic silicon, <0.01 mg/L; sodium, < 0.05 mg/L; TOC, <0.300 mg/L. These requirements raise rather difficult problems to be solved because the raw water source in case of Cernavoda NPP is Danube River which presents a raising trend of organic and inorganic contamination. Accordingly, experiments at laboratory scale reproducing the entire technological flow were conducted. The following operations were studied: pretreatment with limewash, ferric chloride (with and without coagulation additives); demineralization with ion exchangers of Purolite and Amberlite types. The system consisted of a cationic stage, formed of an strongly acid step with countercurrent recovery and an anionic stage formed of two steps, namely, a weakly basic step and a strongly basic step with recovery inserted; finishing on mixed bed. The paper presents also the chemical treatment/conditioning of the cooling loop of turbine condenser. The Cernavoda NPP cooling system is an open system with a single flow of cooling water comprising two systems, namely, the circulation water system ensuring the steam condenser cooling and the servicing water system ensuring the cooling of heat exchangers in the recirculated water circuit (RCWS), the turbine oil coolants, the coolants of auxiliary steam as well as the emergency core cooling system. Studies were conducted to ensure the chemical conditioning of the raw water from Danube River, particularly, to destroy and remove the shells, the algae and other components. Finally, the following four steps of conditioning the water of the cooling system are summarized: 1

The Description of Problems Relating to Analogies Used in Science and Technology Textbooks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahmi YAĞBASAN

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the problems concerning the use of analogies ingeneral and analogies used in primary school science and technology lessons inparticular. In this study, descriptive method was used. 4th, 5th, and 8th classes Scienceand Technology course books; 7 th, 8 th classes Science Books were used as a source.Analogies in the course books were classified according to the literature and theproblems found related to the analogies are pointed out in the study. In this study itwas seen that eighty-nine analogies were used in Science and Technology and inScience course books. These analogies were used in descending order as 8, 4, 6, 7, 5class groups. Also it was seen that these analogies were generally at simple andpictorial analogies.

HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY – POTENTIAL IMPACT ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROBLEM AND CLIMATE ACTION GOALS WITHIN UKRAINIAN ENERGY SECTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Ostapenko

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The increasing demand of energy sources for urban, household and industrial facilities requires strategies development for seeking new energy sources. In recent years an important problem is to have energy storage, energy production and energy consumption which fulfill the environment friendly expectations. A lot of attention is devoted to renewable energy sources. One of the most attracting among them is energy production form geothermal sources. At a few meters below the earth’s surface the underground maintains a constant temperature in an approximation through the year allowing to withdraw heat in winter for heating needs and to surrender heat during summer for air-conditioning purposes. Heat pump is a rapidly developing technology for heating and domestic hot water production. Using ground as a heat source, heat exchange is carried out with heat pumps compound to vertical ground heat exchanger tubes that allows the heating and cooling of the buildings utilizing a single unit installation. Heat pump unit provides a high degree of productivity with moderate electric power consumption. In this paper a theoretical performance study of a vapor compression heat pump system with various natural and synthetic refrigerants (HFCs is presented. Operation mode of the heat pump unit was chosen according to European Standard EN14511-2:2007 and EN255-2. An influence of discharge temperature on system performance was evaluated at different boiling temperatures. The comparison of mass flow rate and coefficient of performance for considered refrigerants at constant cooling capacity and condensation temperature was performed.

Over- and Undercontrolled Referral Problems among Children and Adolescents from Thailand and the United States: The "Wat" and "Wai" of Cultural Differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisz, John R.; And Others

1987-01-01

Compared Thailand to United States in regard to children's psychological problems and corresponding clinic referral patterns. Overcontrolled problems (somaticizing, fearfulness, nervous movements, worrying) were reported more often for Thai than for American youth. Undercontrolled problems (disobedience, fighting, lying, arguing) were reported…

Integration of advanced technologies to enhance problem-based learning over distance: Project TOUCH.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Joshua; Caudell, Thomas; Wilks, David; Keep, Marcus F; Mitchell, Steven; Buchanan, Holly; Saland, Linda; Rosenheimer, Julie; Lozanoff, Beth K; Lozanoff, Scott; Saiki, Stanley; Alverson, Dale

2003-01-01

Distance education delivery has increased dramatically in recent years as a result of the rapid advancement of communication technology. The National Computational Science Alliance's Access Grid represents a significant advancement in communication technology with potential for distance medical education. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the TOUCH project (Telehealth Outreach for Unified Community Health; http://hsc.unm.edu/touch) with special emphasis on the process of problem-based learning case development for distribution over the Access Grid. The objective of the TOUCH project is to use emerging Internet-based technology to overcome geographic barriers for delivery of tutorial sessions to medical students pursuing rotations at remote sites. The TOUCH project also is aimed at developing a patient simulation engine and an immersive virtual reality environment to achieve a realistic health care scenario enhancing the learning experience. A traumatic head injury case is developed and distributed over the Access Grid as a demonstration of the TOUCH system. Project TOUCH serves as an example of a computer-based learning system for developing and implementing problem-based learning cases within the medical curriculum, but this system should be easily applied to other educational environments and disciplines involving functional and clinical anatomy. Future phases will explore PC versions of the TOUCH cases for increased distribution. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Diagnosis and the technology for optimizing the medical support of a troop unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Korshever, N G; Polkovov, S V; Lavrinenko, O V; Krupnov, P A; Anastasov, K N

2000-05-01

The work is devoted to investigation of the system of military unit medical support with the use of principles and states of organizational diagnosis; development of the method allowing to assess its functional activity; and determination of optimization trends. Basing on the conducted organizational diagnosis and expert inquiry the informative criteria were determined which characterize the stages of functioning of the military unit medical support system. To evaluate the success of military unit medical support the complex multi-criteria pattern was developed and algorithm of this process optimization was substantiated. Using the results obtained, particularly realization of principles and states of decision taking theory in machine program it is possible to solve more complex problem of comparison between any number of military units: to dispose them according to priority decrease; to select the programmed number of the best and worst; to determine the trends of activity optimization in corresponding medical service personnel.

Wireless sensor and data transmission needs and technologies for patient monitoring in the operating room and intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Paksuniemi, M; Sorvoja, H; Alasaarela, E; Myllyla, R

2005-01-01

In the intensive care unit, or during anesthesia, patients are attached to monitors by cables. These cables obstruct nursing staff and hinder the patients from moving freely in the hospital. However, rapidly developing wireless technologies are expected to solve these problems. To this end, this study revealed problem areas in current patient monitoring and established the most important medical parameters to monitor. In addition, usable wireless techniques for short-range data transmission were explored and currently employed wireless applications in the hospital environment were studied. The most important parameters measured of the patient include blood pressures, electrocardiography, respiration rate, heart rate and temperature. Currently used wireless techniques in hospitals are based on the WMTS and WLAN standards. There are no viable solutions for short-range data transmission from patient sensors to patient monitors, but potentially usable techniques in the future are based on the WPAN standards. These techniques include Bluetooth, ZigBee and UWB. Other suitable techniques might be based on capacitive or inductive coupling. The establishing of wireless techniques depends on ensuring the reliability of data transmission, eliminating disturbance by other wireless devices, ensuring patient data security and patient safety, and lowering the power consumption and price.

The future of food irradiation in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durante, R W [Food Safeguards Council Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)

1997-12-01

According to statistics released by the U.S. Public Health Service, between 50 and 80 million cases of foodbome diseases will be contracted by American consumers every year and as many as 10,000 of those will die as a consequence. The World Health Organization and the Commission on World Hunger have estimated that 25 percent of the world`s food supply is lost to spoilage and infestation. The solution for the twin problems of foodbome disease and hunger is food irradiation. Many food when exposed to ionizing radiation produced by radionuclides or electron beam machines will not only experience extended shelf life but most of the harmful pathogens contained on those foods will be destroyed. Food irradiation has been researched and developed for more than 50 years and this technology has been approved by almost every major government agency, including the FDA, the American Medical Association, and the World Health Organization. Irradiated food has been consumed by military personnel, hospital patients and astronauts in space with absolutely no ill effects. Scientists from every technological discipline have endorsed the safety and reliability of this technology and it is currently being utilized in more than 37 countries. Yet it is not used in the United States and food producers who even think about using it are severely criticized and boycotted by anti-nuclear organizations. What do we see as the future of food irradiation in the United States? Will this technology ever be used here? Will there be a time when consumers can feel confident that all the data and facts have been carefully presented on this important and beneficial technology. This paper discusses some of the history of food irradiation and explores problems facing the food industry and the difficulty getting the right message to the public. It also looks at the industry`s efforts to promote food irradiation commerce in the United States, and examines the role government has played in the development of

The future of food irradiation in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durante, R.W.

1997-01-01

According to statistics released by the U.S. Public Health Service, between 50 and 80 million cases of foodbome diseases will be contracted by American consumers every year and as many as 10,000 of those will die as a consequence. The World Health Organization and the Commission on World Hunger have estimated that 25 percent of the world's food supply is lost to spoilage and infestation. The solution for the twin problems of foodbome disease and hunger is food irradiation. Many food when exposed to ionizing radiation produced by radionuclides or electron beam machines will not only experience extended shelf life but most of the harmful pathogens contained on those foods will be destroyed. Food irradiation has been researched and developed for more than 50 years and this technology has been approved by almost every major government agency, including the FDA, the American Medical Association, and the World Health Organization. Irradiated food has been consumed by military personnel, hospital patients and astronauts in space with absolutely no ill effects. Scientists from every technological discipline have endorsed the safety and reliability of this technology and it is currently being utilized in more than 37 countries. Yet it is not used in the United States and food producers who even think about using it are severely criticized and boycotted by anti-nuclear organizations. What do we see as the future of food irradiation in the United States? Will this technology ever be used here? Will there be a time when consumers can feel confident that all the data and facts have been carefully presented on this important and beneficial technology. This paper discusses some of the history of food irradiation and explores problems facing the food industry and the difficulty getting the right message to the public. It also looks at the industry's efforts to promote food irradiation commerce in the United States, and examines the role government has played in the development of

The "Second Place" Problem: Assistive Technology in Sports and (Re) Constructing Normal.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, D A

2016-02-01

Objections to the use of assistive technologies (such as prostheses) in elite sports are generally raised when the technology in question is perceived to afford the user a potentially "unfair advantage," when it is perceived as a threat to the purity of the sport, and/or when it is perceived as a precursor to a slippery slope toward undesirable changes in the sport. These objections rely on being able to quantify standards of "normal" within a sport so that changes attributed to the use of assistive technology can be judged as causing a significant deviation from some baseline standard. This holds athletes using assistive technologies accountable to standards that restrict their opportunities to achieve greatness, while athletes who do not use assistive technologies are able to push beyond the boundaries of these standards without moral scrutiny. This paper explores how constructions of fairness and "normality" impact athletes who use assistive technology to compete in a sporting venue traditionally populated with "able-bodied" competitors. It argues that the dynamic and obfuscated construction of "normal" standards in elite sports should move away from using body performance as the measuring stick of "normal," toward alternate forms of constructing norms such as defining, quantifying, and regulating the mechanical actions that constitute the critical components of a sport. Though framed within the context of elite sports, this paper can be interpreted more broadly to consider problems with defining "normal" bodies in a society in which technologies are constantly changing our abilities and expectations of what normal means.

Problems of method of technology assessment. A methodological analysis; Methodenprobleme des Technology Assessment; Eine methodologische Analyse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmermann, V

1993-03-01

The study undertakes to analyse the theoretical and methodological structure of Technology Assessment (TA). It is based on a survey of TA studies which provided an important condition for theoreticall sound statements on methodological aspects of TA. It was established that the main basic theoretical problems of TA are in the field of dealing with complexity. This is also apparent in the constitution of problems, the most elementary and central approach of TA. Scientifically founded constitution of problems and the corresponding construction of models call for interdisciplinary scientific work. Interdisciplinarity in the TA research process is achieved at the level of virtual networks, these networks being composed of individuals suited to teamwork. The emerging network structures have an objective-organizational and an ideational basis. The objective-organizational basis is mainly the result of team composition and the external affiliations of the team members. The ideational basis of the virtual network is represented by the team members` mode of thinking, which is individually located at a multidisciplinary level. The theoretical `skeleton` of the TA knowledge system, which is represented by process knowledge based linkage structures, can be generated and also processed in connection with the knowledge on types of problems, areas of analysis and procedures to deal with complexity. Within this process, disciplinary knowledge is a necessary but not a sufficient condition. Metatheoretical and metadisciplinary knowledge and the correspondingly processes complexity of models are the basis for the necessary methodological awareness, that allows TA to become designable as a research procedure. (orig./HP) [Deutsch] Die Studie stellt sich die Aufgabe, die theoretische und methodische Struktur des Technology Assessment (TA) zu analysieren. Sie fusst auf Erhebungen, die bei Technology-Assessment-Studien vorgenommen wurden und die wesentliche Voraussetzungen fuer

Actual problems of physics and technology. III International youth scientific school-conference. Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The third International youth scientific school-conference took place 10-13 April 2014 year in Moscow on the basis National Research Nuclear University MEPhI and RAS Lebedev P.N. Physical Institute. The actual scientific problems of current fundamental and applied physics as well as nuclear and physical technologies were discussed. This book of abstracts contains many interesting items devoted problems of theoretical physics and astrophysics, nuclear physics, nanotecnology, laser physics and plasma physics [ru

Network models for solving the problem of multicriterial adaptive optimization of investment projects control with several acceptable technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Shorikov, A. F.; Butsenko, E. V.

2017-10-01

This paper discusses the problem of multicriterial adaptive optimization the control of investment projects in the presence of several technologies. On the basis of network modeling proposed a new economic and mathematical model and a method for solving the problem of multicriterial adaptive optimization the control of investment projects in the presence of several technologies. Network economic and mathematical modeling allows you to determine the optimal time and calendar schedule for the implementation of the investment project and serves as an instrument to increase the economic potential and competitiveness of the enterprise. On a meaningful practical example, the processes of forming network models are shown, including the definition of the sequence of actions of a particular investment projecting process, the network-based work schedules are constructed. The calculation of the parameters of network models is carried out. Optimal (critical) paths have been formed and the optimal time for implementing the chosen technologies of the investment project has been calculated. It also shows the selection of the optimal technology from a set of possible technologies for project implementation, taking into account the time and cost of the work. The proposed model and method for solving the problem of managing investment projects can serve as a basis for the development, creation and application of appropriate computer information systems to support the adoption of managerial decisions by business people.

Functional unit, technological dynamics, and scaling properties for the life cycle energy of residences.

Science.gov (United States)

Frijia, Stephane; Guhathakurta, Subhrajit; Williams, Eric

2012-02-07

Prior LCA studies take the operational phase to include all energy use within a residence, implying a functional unit of all household activities, but then exclude related supply chains such as production of food, appliances, and household chemicals. We argue that bounding the functional unit to provision of a climate controlled space better focuses the LCA on the building, rather than activities that occur within a building. The second issue explored in this article is how technological change in the operational phase affects life cycle energy. Heating and cooling equipment is replaced at least several times over the lifetime of a residence; improved efficiency of newer equipment affects life cycle energy use. The third objective is to construct parametric models to describe LCA results for a family of related products. We explore these three issues through a case study of energy use of residences: one-story and two-story detached homes, 1,500-3,500 square feet in area, located in Phoenix, Arizona, built in 2002 and retired in 2051. With a restricted functional unit and accounting for technological progress, approximately 30% of a building's life cycle energy can be attributed to materials and construction, compared to 0.4-11% in previous studies.

Beyond Science and Technology: The need to incorporate Environmental Ethics to solve Environmental Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fesseha Mulu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The emergence and development of science and technology has been critical in improving the lives of mankind. It helps mankind to cope with a number of manmade and natural challenges and disasters. Science cannot totally diminish the level of human dependency on nature; but, with the existing availability of natural resources, science has increased our productivity. However, science and technology can also have its own negative impacts on the natural environment. For the purpose of increasing productivity and satisfying human needs, humans have been egoistically exploiting nature but disregarding the effects of their activities on nature. Science has also been trying its level best to mitigate the negative effects that results from mankind’s exploitation of nature. However, science alone is incapable of solving all environmental problems. This desk research employs secondary sources of data, and argues that environmental ethics should come to the fore in order to address the gap left by science with regard to resolving environmental problems that mankind faces today.

Institutional aspects of siting nuclear waste disposal facilities in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, John Cameron.; Prichard, Clark. W.

1987-01-01

This chapter deals with the institutional issues associated with the disposal of nuclear waste in the United States of America. These include socio-economic, financial, land use and especially, political factors. Institutional issues must, however, be resolved, as well as the technological problems of engineering and geology. The general issues are first examined, then the organisation and financing, land use, community acceptance, transport problems and finally, local economic impacts. (UK)

Solving unit commitment and economic load dispatch problems ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) and Unit Commitment (UC) are very important applications to predict the optimized cost of load in a power system. UC determines working states for existing generating units under some operational constraints and then optimizing the operation cost for all running units w.r.t. load demand ...

Technological and economical problems in exploitation of coal stripe mines in Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khristov, Stoyan; Borisov, Bogomil

1997-01-01

Taking into consideration the restructure of the mining-energetic industry into the new economic conditions, financial, technical and technological problems are analysed, as well as their influence on the economic effects of the coal production in Bulgaria. Ecological standards for environmental policy are noticed. Perspectives for development of the coal production industry are pointed out, especially in the mining/power complex Maritsa East, one of the most important region for power generation in Bulgaria

The provision of assistive technology products and services for people with dementia in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Grant; Newton, Lisa; Pritchard, Gary; Finch, Tracy; Brittain, Katie; Robinson, Louise

2016-07-01

In this review we explore the provision of assistive technology products and services currently available for people with dementia within the United Kingdom. A scoping review of assistive technology products and services currently available highlighted 171 products or product types and 331 services. In addition, we assimilated data on the amount and quality of information provided by assistive technology services alongside assistive technology costs. We identify a range of products available across three areas: assistive technology used 'by', 'with' and 'on' people with dementia. Assistive technology provision is dominated by 'telecare' provided by local authorities, with services being subject to major variations in pricing and information provision; few currently used available resources for assistive technology in dementia. We argue that greater attention should be paid to information provision about assistive technology services across an increasingly mixed economy of dementia care providers, including primary care, local authorities, private companies and local/national assistive technology resources. © The Author(s) 2014.

Identification of Promising Remediation Technologies for Iodine in the UP-1 Operable Unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strickland, Christopher E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Johnson, Christian D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lee, Brady D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Qafoku, Nikolla [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Szecsody, James E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Truex, Michael J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Vermeul, Vincent R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2017-09-01

Iodine-129 (129I) generated at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site during plutonium production was released to the subsurface, resulting in several large, though dilute, plumes in the groundwater, including the plume in the 200-UP-1 operable unit (OU). Because 129I is an uncommon contaminant, relevant remediation experience and scientific literature are limited, though work is under way to better understand the fate and transport of 129I in the environment and the effectiveness of potential remediation technologies. The recent UP-1 Evaluation Plan for Iodine and report on the Conceptual Model of Iodine Behavior in the Subsurface at the Hanford Site provide information on the history of contamination in the 200-UP-1 OU, relevant controlling processes (biological and geochemical), risk, the conceptual site model, and potential remedial options, which provided a foundation for this study. In this study, available information was compiled and used to categorize potential remediation technologies, culminating in a recommendation of promising technologies for further evaluation. Approaches to improve the technical information about promising technologies are also recommended in this study so that a subsequent evaluation of potential remediation alternatives can assess these technologies.

Solution of relativistic quantum optics problems using clusters of graphical processing units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gordon, D.F., E-mail: daviel.gordon@nrl.navy.mil; Hafizi, B.; Helle, M.H.

2014-06-15

Numerical solution of relativistic quantum optics problems requires high performance computing due to the rapid oscillations in a relativistic wavefunction. Clusters of graphical processing units are used to accelerate the computation of a time dependent relativistic wavefunction in an arbitrary external potential. The stationary states in a Coulomb potential and uniform magnetic field are determined analytically and numerically, so that they can used as initial conditions in fully time dependent calculations. Relativistic energy levels in extreme magnetic fields are recovered as a means of validation. The relativistic ionization rate is computed for an ion illuminated by a laser field near the usual barrier suppression threshold, and the ionizing wavefunction is displayed.

Groundwater Monitoring Plan for the Reactor Technology Complex Operable Unit 2-13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard P. Wells

2007-01-01

This Groundwater Monitoring Plan describes the objectives, activities, and assessments that will be performed to support the on-going groundwater monitoring requirements at the Reactor Technology Complex, formerly the Test Reactor Area (TRA). The requirements for groundwater monitoring were stipulated in the Final Record of Decision for Test Reactor Area, Operable Unit 2-13, signed in December 1997. The monitoring requirements were modified by the First Five-Year Review Report for the Test Reactor Area, Operable Unit 2-13, at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to focus on those contaminants of concern that warrant continued surveillance, including chromium, tritium, strontium-90, and cobalt-60. Based upon recommendations provided in the Annual Groundwater Monitoring Status Report for 2006, the groundwater monitoring frequency was reduced to annually from twice a year

STATEMENT OF THE OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM OF CARBON PRODUCTS PRODUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. A. Zhuchenko

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The paper formulated optimization problem formulation production of carbon products. The analysis of technical and economic parameters that can be used to optimize the production of carbonaceous products had been done by the author. To evaluate the efficiency of the energy-intensive production uses several technical and economic indicators. In particular, the specific cost, productivity, income and profitability of production. Based on a detailed analysis had been formulated optimality criterion that takes into account the technological components of profitability. The components in detail the criteria and the proposed method of calculating non-trivial, one of them - the production cost of each product. When solving the optimization problem of technological modes of production into account constraints on the variables are optimized. Thus, restrictions may be expressed on the number of each product produced. Have been formulated the method of calculating the cost per unit of product. Attention is paid to the quality indices of finished products as an additional constraint in the optimization problem. As a result have been formulated the general problem of optimizing the production of carbon products, which includes the optimality criterion and restrictions.

Problems of power plant capital demands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slechta, V.; Bohal, L.

1986-01-01

The problems are discussed of requirements for investment for power plants in Czechoslovakia. Since the construction was finished of coal-burning 110 MW power plants with six power units, specific capital cost has steadily been growing. The growth amounts to 6 to 8% per year while the principle has been observed that specific capital cost decreases with increased unit power. Attention is paid to the cost of the subcontractors of the building and technological parts of a power plant and to the development of productivity of labour. A comparison is tabulated of cost for coal-burning power plants with 100 MW and 200 MW units and for nuclear power plants with WWER-440 reactors. Steps are suggested leading to a reduction of the capital cost of nuclear power plants. It is stated that should not these steps be taken, the envisaged development of nuclear power would be unbearable for the Czechoslovak national economy. (Z.M.). 8 tabs., 3 refs

Technology, attributions, and emotions in post-secondary education: An application of Weiner’s attribution theory to academic computing problems

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Nathan C.; Goetz, Thomas; Chiarella, Andrew; Rahimi, Sonia

2018-01-01

As technology becomes increasingly integrated with education, research on the relationships between students’ computing-related emotions and motivation following technological difficulties is critical to improving learning experiences. Following from Weiner’s (2010) attribution theory of achievement motivation, the present research examined relationships between causal attributions and emotions concerning academic computing difficulties in two studies. Study samples consisted of North American university students enrolled in both traditional and online universities (total N = 559) who responded to either hypothetical scenarios or experimental manipulations involving technological challenges experienced in academic settings. Findings from Study 1 showed stable and external attributions to be emotionally maladaptive (more helplessness, boredom, guilt), particularly in response to unexpected computing problems. Additionally, Study 2 found stable attributions for unexpected problems to predict more anxiety for traditional students, with both external and personally controllable attributions for minor problems proving emotionally beneficial for students in online degree programs (more hope, less anxiety). Overall, hypothesized negative effects of stable attributions were observed across both studies, with mixed results for personally controllable attributions and unanticipated emotional benefits of external attributions for academic computing problems warranting further study. PMID:29529039

Students' Views about the Problem Based Collaborative Learning Environment Supported by Dynamic Web Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Ünal, Erhan; Çakir, Hasan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to design a problem based collaborative learning environment supported by dynamic web technologies and to examine students' views about this learning environment. The study was designed as a qualitative research. Some 36 students who took an Object Oriented Programming I-II course at the department of computer…

Regional characteristics of individual housing units in Serbia from the aspect of applied building technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovanović-Popović Milica

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Individual housing units in Serbia have been studied from the aspect of applied technical solutions. Analyzed data have been collected during a field research in accordance with the current administrative regional division, and they represent a basis for definition of regional typology of individual housing units. Characteristic types of objects of each region’s typology have been further analyzed. Upon these analyses regional characteristics of individual housing units regarding applied construction types, building technologies and materials have been defined and presented. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 36034: Investigation and Systematization of Serbian Housing in Context of Globalization and European Integration in the Framework of Quality and Living-Standard Improvement

The Chemical Technology Division at Argonne National Laboratory: Applying chemical innovation to environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The Chemical Technology Division is one of the largest technical divisions at Argonne National Laboratory, a leading center for research and development related to energy and environmental issues. Since its inception in 1948, the Division has pioneered in developing separations processes for the nuclear industry. The current scope of activities includes R ampersand D on methods for disposing of radioactive and hazardous wastes and on energy conversion processes with improved efficiencies, lower costs, and reduced environmental impact. Many of the technologies developed by CMT can be applied to solve manufacturing as well as environmental problems of industry

Analysis of an Interactive Technology Supported Problem-Based Learning STEM Project Using Selected Learning Sciences Interest Areas (SLSIA)

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, David Devraj

2017-01-01

This paper reports an analysis of an interactive technology-supported, problem-based learning (PBL) project in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from a Learning Sciences perspective using the Selected Learning Sciences Interest Areas (SLSIA). The SLSIA was adapted from the "What kinds of topics do ISLS [International…

Application Technology Research Unit

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — To conduct fundamental and developmental research on new and improved application technologies to protect floricultural, nursery, landscape, turf, horticultural, and...

NDVI, scale invariance and the modifiable areal unit problem : An assessment of vegetation in the Adelaide Parklands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nouri, Hamideh; Anderson, Sharolyn; Sutton, Paul; Beecham, Simon; Nagler, Pamela; Jarchow, Christopher J.; Roberts, Dar A.

2017-01-01

This research addresses the question as to whether or not the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is scale invariant (i.e. constant over spatial aggregation) for pure pixels of urban vegetation. It has been long recognized that there are issues related to the modifiable areal unit problem

Continuous grasp algorithm applied to economic dispatch problem of thermal units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vianna Neto, Julio Xavier [Pontifical Catholic University of Parana - PUCPR, Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Undergraduate Program at Mechatronics Engineering; Bernert, Diego Luis de Andrade; Coelho, Leandro dos Santos [Pontifical Catholic University of Parana - PUCPR, Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, LAS/PPGEPS], e-mail: leandro.coelho@pucpr.br

2010-07-01

The economic dispatch problem (EDP) is one of the fundamental issues in power systems to obtain benefits with the stability, reliability and security. Its objective is to allocate the power demand among committed generators in the most economical manner, while all physical and operational constraints are satisfied. The cost of power generation, particularly in fossil fuel plants, is very high and economic dispatch helps in saving a significant amount of revenue. Recently, as an alternative to the conventional mathematical approaches, modern heuristic optimization techniques such as simulated annealing, evolutionary algorithms, neural networks, ant colony, and tabu search have been given much attention by many researchers due to their ability to find an almost global optimal solution in EDPs. On other hand, continuous GRASP (C-GRASP) is a stochastic local search meta-heuristic for finding cost-efficient solutions to continuous global optimization problems subject to box constraints. Like a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP), a C-GRASP is a multi-start procedure where a starting solution for local improvement is constructed in a greedy randomized fashion. The C-GRASP algorithm is validated for a test system consisting of fifteen units, test system that takes into account spinning reserve and prohibited operating zones constrains. (author)

Technology in the Classroom: Teachers and Technology--A Technological Divide

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Gregory, Sr.; Zagarell, Jesse

2012-01-01

The education system in the United States continues to grapple with adapting to change, especially when it comes to integrating technology in the curriculum. The United States needs to use its resources to stay competitive in the increasingly technological world, particularly in the classroom. Lefebvre, Deaudelin, and Loiselle (2006) posit that…

Problem Solving and the Use of Digital Technologies within the Mathematical Working Space Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Trigo, Manuel; Moreno-Armella, Luis; Camacho-Machín, Matías

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze and document the extent to which high school teachers rely on a set of technology affordances to articulate epistemological and cognitive actions in problem solving approaches. Participants were encouraged to construct dynamic representations of tasks and always to look for different ways to identify and support…

The Computer Industry. High Technology Industries: Profiles and Outlooks.

Science.gov (United States)

International Trade Administration (DOC), Washington, DC.

A series of meetings was held to assess future problems in United States high technology, particularly in the fields of robotics, computers, semiconductors, and telecommunications. This report, which focuses on the computer industry, includes a profile of this industry and the papers presented by industry speakers during the meetings. The profile…

An Examination of Information Technology and Its Perceived Quality Issues in Single System Hospitals in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Byrd, Linda W.

2009-01-01

The safety and quality of healthcare is of great concern in the United States. The positive effects of information technology reported in past research, especially case studies, has encouraged expectations that information technology may increase the quality of healthcare while reducing costs of healthcare. The goals of this study was to examine…

Technology Addiction among Treatment Seekers for Psychological Problems: Implication for Screening in Mental Health Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Aswathy; Sharma, Manoj Kumar; Thamilselvan, P; Marimuthu, P

2017-01-01

Technology usage has seen an increase among users. The usage varies from social, personal, and psychological reasons. Users are frequently using to overcome mood states as well as to manage the other psychological states. This work is going to explore the information technology use among subjects with a psychiatric disorder. A total of 75 subjects were assessed using background data sheet, internet addiction impairment index, video game use pattern, pornography addiction screening tool and screening for mobile phone use, from in-patient and out-patient setting of tertiary mental health setting. It showed the presence of addiction to mobile, internet, video game, and pornography. Age was found to be negatively correlated with this addiction. Average usage time had been associated with management of mood states. The addiction to information technology had been associated with a delay in initiation of sleep. This work has implication for screening technology addiction among subjects seeking treatment for psychological problems and motivate them to develop the healthy use of technology.

Precious Metals in Automotive Technology: An Unsolvable Depletion Problem?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ugo Bardi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Since the second half of the 20th century, various devices have been developed in order to reduce the emissions of harmful substances at the exhaust pipe of combustion engines. In the automotive field, the most diffuse and best known device of this kind is the “three way” catalytic converter for engines using the Otto cycle designed to abate the emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and unburnt hydrocarbons. These catalytic converters can function only by means of precious metals (mainly platinum, rhodium and palladium which exist in a limited supply in economically exploitable ores. The recent increase in prices of all mineral commodities is already making these converters significantly expensive and it is not impossible that the progressive depletion of precious metals will make them too expensive for the market of private cars. The present paper examines how this potential scarcity could affect the technology of road transportation worldwide. We argue that the supply of precious metals for automotive converters is not at risk in the short term, but that in the future it will not be possible to continue using this technology as a result of increasing prices generated by progressive depletion. Mitigation methods such as reducing the amounts of precious metals in catalysts, or recycling them can help but cannot be considered as a definitive solution. We argue that precious metal scarcity is a critical factor that may determine the future development of road transportation in the world. As the problem is basically unsolvable in the long run, we must explore new technologies for road transportation and we conclude that it is likely that the clean engine of the future will be electric and powered by batteries.

High temperature heat exchanger application in power engineering and energy-technological processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shpilrain, E.E.

1986-01-01

The possibilities for intensification of various processes in metallurgy and chemical technology, the prospects for enhancing power plant efficiency are often linked with temperature increase of reagents, heat carriers and working fluids. In some cases elevated temperatures give the opportunity to use new and principally different technologies, enhance capacities of power production units and technological apparatuses, improve their economical performance. The variety of problems where high temperature heat exchangers are or can be used are extremely wide. It is therefore impossible to overview all of them in one lecture. Therefore the author tries to consider only some examples which are typical and gives an impression of what kind of problems arise in these cases

THE PROSPECT OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM: THE WAY TO OVERCOME OVERWEIGHT PROBLEMS IN IRAQ

OpenAIRE

Fathil Bakir Allami; Mohdsofian Omar-Fauzee; Ishak Sin

2016-01-01

The overweight problem in Iraq has been a great issue that needs to be solved by government to ensure a better well-being. The purpose of this paper is to explore the need of the modern technology in physical education in order to overcome the issues of overweight in Iraq. The methodology used in this paper is through library research which focuses on issues of overweight and modern technology application in physical education programs. It can be concluded that the use of modern technology in...

Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education Affiliated to the United Nations

Science.gov (United States)

Aquino, A. J. A.; Haubold, H. J.

2010-05-01

Based on resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, Regional Centres for space science and technology education were established in India, Morocco, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico. Simultaneously, education curricula were developed for the core disciplines of remote sensing, satellite communications, satellite meteorology, and space and atmospheric science. This paper provides a brief report on the status of the operation of the Regional Centres and draws attention to their educational activities.

A comparison of the information technology knowledge of United States and German auditors

OpenAIRE

Greenstein-Prosch, Marilyn; McKee, Thomas E.; Quick, Reiner

2008-01-01

The International Federation of Accountants has stated that competence in information technology is imperative for the professional accountant due to its pervasive use in the business world. Auditors would normally be expected to have higher knowledge than the average accountant since they must audit the work of many different clients with diverse information systems. We surveyed 2,500 United States and German auditing professionals to determine their self-reported knowledge le...

[Complex technology for water and wastewater disinfection and its industrial realization in prototype unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Arakcheev, E N; Brunman, V E; Brunman, M V; Konyashin, A V; Dyachenko, V A; Petkova, A P

Usage of complex automated electrolysis unit for drinking water disinfection and wastewater oxidation and coagulation is scoped, its ecological and energy efficiency is shown. Properties of technological process of anolyte production using membrane electrolysis of brine for water disinfection in municipal pipelines and potassium ferrate production using electrochemical dissolution of iron anode in NaOH solution for usage in purification plants are listed. Construction of modules of industrial prototype for anolyte and ferrate production and applied aspects of automation of complex electrolysis unit are proved. Results of approbation of electrolytic potassium ferrate for drinking water disinfection and wastewater, rain water and environmental water oxidation and coagulation are shown.

The uncertain geographic context problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwan, M.P.

2012-01-01

Any study that examines the effects of area-based attributes on individual behaviors or outcomes faces another fundamental methodological problem besides the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP). It is the problem that results about these effects can be affected by how contextual units or

Engineering-Based Problem Solving in the Middle School: Design and Construction with Simple Machines

Science.gov (United States)

English, Lyn D.; Hudson, Peter; Dawes, Les

2013-01-01

Incorporating engineering concepts into middle school curriculum is seen as an effective way to improve students' problem-solving skills. A selection of findings is reported from a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-based unit in which students in the second year (grade 8) of a three-year longitudinal study explored…

Infections in an inpatient rheumatology unit: how big is the problem?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romana Vieira

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Patients with rheumatic diseases are at high risk of infections. As quantification and characterization of infections in daily practice is a crucial exercise to delineate strategies to overcome this problem, we aimed to describe the prevalence of infections in an inpatient rheumatology unit. A cross-sectional analysis of all patients admitted at the São João Hospital Centre Rheumatology Unit between January 1st 2012 and December 31st 2013 was performed. We found a 31.7% (n=79 period prevalence of infection and a total number of infections of 97 (1.23 infections per patient. They were the admission reason in 17.6% (n=44 and hospital acquired in 19.0% (n=15 of the cases. The urinary tract was the most commonly affected (32.0%; n=31 and Escherichia coli (17.5%; n=17 the most frequently identified infectious agent. Infection prolonged the hospital length of stay in 34.2% (n=27 of the cases but any death occurred as a direct consequence of it. Patients with infection were older, had longer rheumatic disease duration and longer hospital length of stay than those without infection. We conclude that the prevalence of infection in our inpatient population is high but most cases were non complicated, easily treated with common antibiotics and, importantly, not associated with higher lethality.

Army Science & Technology: Problems and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

Boundary Conditions: Who: Small Units is COIN/Stability Operations What: Provide affordable real-time translations and d t di f b h i f l i th t i...Soldiers, Leaders and Units in complex tactical operations exceeds the Army’s current capability for home-station Challenge: Formulate a S& T program...Formulate a S& T program to capture, process and electronically a vance rauma managemen . disseminate near-real-time medical information on Soldier

Used Furan Sand Reclamation in REGMAS Vibratory Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dańko J.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The paper, especially dealt with problems of reclamation of used furan sand, carried out in new, vibratory sand reclamation unit REGMAS developed by researches from AGH-University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Foundry Engineering in Cracow (Poland. Functional characteristics of reclamation unit as well as the results of reclamation of used sand with furfuryl resin are discussed in the paper. The quality of reclaim was tested by means of the LOI and pH value, dust content in the reclaim and at least by the the quality of the castings produced in moulds prepared with the use of reclaimed matrix.

[Problems of dental services in closed administrative units assessed by a survey of dentists].

Science.gov (United States)

Ujba, V V; Olesova, V N; Khavkina, E Yu; Novozemtseva, T N; Shmakov, A N; Chuyanova, E Yu

2015-01-01

The article presents the results of the survey of 150 dentists from 10 closed administrative units of FMBA health care system of Russia in connection with the dynamics of dental staff withdrawal and reduce of volume of preventive work in schools and factories. These problems were found to be associated with the lack of regulations on mandatory preventive dental examinations of workers with occupational hazards, low tariffs for dental services in obligatory medical insurance program, poor wages an lack of apartments for young dentists.

Second unit scheduling concerns on a dual-unit nuclear project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1978-01-01

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

Study of a new hydraulic pumping unit based on the offshore platform

OpenAIRE

Yu, Yanqun; Chang, Zongyu; Qi, Yaoguang; Xue, Xin; Zhao, Jiannan

2017-01-01

This article introduces a new technology about a rod pumping in the offshore platform according to the demand of offshore heavy oil thermal recovery and the production of stripper well, analyzes the research status of hydraulic pumping unit at home and abroad, and designs a new kind of miniature hydraulic pumping unit with long-stroke, low pumping speed and compact structure to resolve the problem of space limitation. The article also describes the whole structure and the working principle of...

The feasibility of using conversational agent technology to improve problem-solving and coping skills of young adults with cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

von Friederichs-Fitzwater M

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Marlene M von Friederichs-Fitzwater1, Frederick J Meyers21Division of Hematology/Oncology, Internal Medicine, 2School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USAObjective: Young adults with cancer have unique psychosocial needs and often lack the problem-solving and coping skills for effective resolution. We conducted a study to clarify these needs and then developed and tested an educational intervention to coach young adults with cancer in problem-solving and coping skills using a new conversational agent technology that uses a multi-media format to simulate face-to-face encounters.Methods: We qualitatively assessed online focus groups and chat rooms with 45 young adults with cancer and used the results to develop and test an online 15-minute educational prototype using a new conversational agent technology with 49 young adults (18–35 years of age with cancer.Results: Young adults with cancer are most concerned about reproductive issues, emotional issues, communicating with healthcare providers, and the risks and benefits of treatments. The study participants found the I-COPE prototype to be useful, easy to use, and worth recommending to others. They wanted to have more video segments about the experiences of other young adults with cancer; more video segments of actual procedures and treatments; more Internet links to information and resources; and more opportunities to interact with the conversational agent.Conclusion: New conversational agent technology is useful in coaching problem-solving and coping skills to empower young adults with cancer.Practice implications: New conversational agent technology is a useful tool in patient education and skill development, particularly among young adults.Keywords: young adult cancer patients, conversational agent technology, problem-solving, coping, self-efficacy, survivorship

Development of radiation protection technology for application of the retired steam generator, Kori Unit no. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, J. H.; Jang, D. C.; Song, K. S.; Lee, S. J.; Ahn, C. S.; Kim, D. H.; Im, Y. K.; Kim, H. D. [Hanil Nuclear Co., Ltd., Anyang (Korea, Republic of)

2005-04-15

It is a field study to develop and verify maintenance technologies such as verification and technology development of ECT (Eddy current test) using failure, heat tube excavation and field pressure test regarding the utilization of retired steam generator using 2 units of Retired Steam Generator in Kori 1 that was replaced for the first time in Korea in 1998. Since May, 2003, our team has investigated Retired Steam Generator which was stored in Radioactive waste warehouse in Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Kori unit no.1 Branch, in order to study natural fault ECT signal acquisition, maintenance technology verification, small tubes/samples abstraction. A temporal task zone was made focusing on 'Man Way at the bottom of Chamber 'A'.' The purpose of the study is to establish Radiological Protection and Radioactive Waste Treatment Plan by setting ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) goal systematically, which is the basic concept of Radiological Protection and reduction in exposure of radiological workers to radioactive materials with proper Radiological Protection countermeasures according to the changes in radioactivity, to prevent expansion from contamination and to manage 'Radioactive Waste Reduction Activities' effectively.

Size matters: Installed maximal unit size predicts market life cycles of electricity generation technologies and systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, N.

2008-01-01

The electricity generation technologies and systems are complex and change in very dynamic fashions, with a multitude of energy sources and prime movers. Since an important concept in generator design is the 'economies of scale', we discover that the installed maximal unit size (capacity) of the generators is a key 'envelope-pushing' characteristic with logistical behaviors. The logistical wavelet analysis of the max unit sizes for different fuels and prime movers, and the cumulative capacities, reveals universal quantitative features in the aggregate evolution of the power industry. We extract the transition times of the max sizes (spanning 10-90% of the saturation limits) for different technologies and systems, and discover that the max size saturation in the 90-99% range precedes the saturation of cumulative capacities of the corresponding systems in the US. While these universal laws are still empirical, they give us a simple yet elegant framework to examine the evolution of the power industry and markets in predictive, not just descriptive, terms. Such laws give us a quantitative tool to spot trends and predict future development, invaluable in planning and resource allocation based on intrinsic technology and system market life cycles

Status of the fluidized bed unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, P.M.; Wade, J.F.

1994-01-01

Rocky Flats has a serious mixed waste problem. No technology or company has a license and available facilities to remedy this dilemma. One solution under study is to use a catalytic fluidized bed unit to destroy the combustible portion of the mixed waste. The fluidized bed thermal treatment program at Rocky Flats is building on knowledge gained over twenty years of successful development activity. The FBU has numerous technical advantages over other thermal technologies to treat Rocky Flats' mixed waste, the largest being the lower temperature (700 degrees C versus 1000 degrees C) which reduces acid corrosion and mechanical failures and obviates the need for ceramic lining. Successful demonstrations have taken place on bench, pilot, and full-scale tests using radioactive mixed wastes. The program is approaching implementation and licensing of a production-scale fluidized bed system for the safe treatment of mixed waste. The measure for success on this project is the ability to work closely with the community to jointly solve problems and respond to concerns of mixed waste treatment at Rocky Flats

Improving patient care by making small sustainable changes: a cardiac telemetry unit's experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Braaten, Jane S; Bellhouse, Dorothy E

2007-01-01

With the introduction of each new drug, technology, and regulation, the processes of care become more complicated, creating an elaborate set of procedures connecting various hospital units and departments. Using methods of Adaptive Design and the Toyota Production System, a nursing unit redesigned work systems to achieve sustainable improvements in productivity, staff and patient satisfaction, and quality outcomes. The first hurdle of redesign was identifying problems, to which staff had become so accustomed with various work arounds that they had trouble seeing the process bottlenecks. Once the staff identified problems, they assumed they could solve the problem because they assumed they knew the causes. Utilizing root cause analysis, asking, "why, why, why," was essential to unearthing the true cause of a problem. Similarly, identifying solutions that were simple and low cost was an essential step in problem solving. Adopting new procedures and sustaining the commitment to identify and signal problems was a last and critical step toward realizing improvement, requiring a manager to function as "teacher/coach" rather than "fixer/firefighter".

Stocking the genetic supermarket: reproductive genetic technologies and collective action problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyngell, Chris; Douglas, Thomas

2015-05-01

Reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs) allow parents to decide whether their future children will have or lack certain genetic predispositions. A popular model that has been proposed for regulating access to RGTs is the 'genetic supermarket'. In the genetic supermarket, parents are free to make decisions about which genes to select for their children with little state interference. One possible consequence of the genetic supermarket is that collective action problems will arise: if rational individuals use the genetic supermarket in isolation from one another, this may have a negative effect on society as a whole, including future generations. In this article we argue that RGTs targeting height, innate immunity, and certain cognitive traits could lead to collective action problems. We then discuss whether this risk could in principle justify state intervention in the genetic supermarket. We argue that there is a plausible prima facie case for the view that such state intervention would be justified and respond to a number of arguments that might be adduced against that view. © 2014 The Authors. Bioethics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Problems of Forecast

OpenAIRE

Kucharavy , Dmitry; De Guio , Roland

2005-01-01

International audience; The ability to foresee future technology is a key task of Innovative Design. The paper focuses on the obstacles to reliable prediction of technological evolution for the purpose of Innovative Design. First, a brief analysis of problems for existing forecasting methods is presented. The causes for the complexity of technology prediction are discussed in the context of reduction of the forecast errors. Second, using a contradiction analysis, a set of problems related to ...

Science, technology and poverty. Five ways to mobilize development in low-income countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sachs, J.

2002-01-01

The problems of underdevelopment, particularly the problems of the lowest income countries in the world, extend far beyond the issues of economic strategy alone. What we find in many parts of the world is that there is a dearth of the needed science and technology to address critical problems of health, food supply, nutrition, environmental management, climate change, that impose enormous barriers to economic development. This article emphasises the role of international research organizations such as CGIAR (the Council to the Group for International Agricultural Research) in conducting research and development and United Nations agencies such as the IAEA, FAO, the WMO, UNEP and the WHO in the transfer of technology to developing countries

Epistemic beliefs of middle and high school students in a problem-based, scientific inquiry unit: An exploratory, mixed methods study

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jiangyue

Epistemic beliefs are individuals' beliefs about the nature of knowledge, how knowledge is constructed, and how knowledge can be justified. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine: (a) middle and high school students' self-reported epistemic beliefs (quantitative) and epistemic beliefs revealed from practice (qualitative) during a problem-based, scientific inquiry unit, (b) How do middle and high school students' epistemic beliefs contribute to the construction of students' problem solving processes, and (c) how and why do students' epistemic beliefs change by engaging in PBL. Twenty-one middle and high school students participated in a summer science class to investigate local water quality in a 2-week long problem-based learning (PBL) unit. The students worked in small groups to conduct water quality tests at in their local watershed and visited several stakeholders for their investigation. Pretest and posttest versions of the Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire were conducted to assess students' self-reported epistemic beliefs before and after the unit. I videotaped and interviewed three groups of students during the unit and conducted discourse analysis to examine their epistemic beliefs revealed from scientific inquiry activities and triangulate with their self-reported data. There are three main findings from this study. First, students in this study self-reported relatively sophisticated epistemic beliefs on the pretest. However, the comparison between their self-reported beliefs and beliefs revealed from practice indicated that some students were able to apply sophisticated beliefs during the unit while others failed to do so. The inconsistency between these two types of epistemic beliefs may due to students' inadequate cognitive ability, low validity of self-report measure, and the influence of contextual factors. Second, qualitative analysis indicated that students' epistemic beliefs of the nature of knowing influenced their problem

Flightdeck Automation Problems (FLAP) Model for Safety Technology Portfolio Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Ancel, Ersin; Shih, Ann T.

2014-01-01

NASA's Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) develops and advances methodologies and technologies to improve air transportation safety. The Safety Analysis and Integration Team (SAIT) conducts a safety technology portfolio assessment (PA) to analyze the program content, to examine the benefits and risks of products with respect to program goals, and to support programmatic decision making. The PA process includes systematic identification of current and future safety risks as well as tracking several quantitative and qualitative metrics to ensure the program goals are addressing prominent safety risks accurately and effectively. One of the metrics within the PA process involves using quantitative aviation safety models to gauge the impact of the safety products. This paper demonstrates the role of aviation safety modeling by providing model outputs and evaluating a sample of portfolio elements using the Flightdeck Automation Problems (FLAP) model. The model enables not only ranking of the quantitative relative risk reduction impact of all portfolio elements, but also highlighting the areas with high potential impact via sensitivity and gap analyses in support of the program office. Although the model outputs are preliminary and products are notional, the process shown in this paper is essential to a comprehensive PA of NASA's safety products in the current program and future programs/projects.

Technological Solutions to Social and Citizen Problems. The Case of Civic and Public Challenges in Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Adalberto TENA-ESPINOZA-DE-LOS-MONTEROS

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the process of civic innovation that, based on technological solutions and open initiatives, the civic society’s organization Codeando México suggests for the attention and solution of social and civic problems in Mexico. The Retos Cívicos (Civic Challenges and Retos Públicos (Public Challenges initiatives are addressed and described as experiences of innovation in the implementation of technological strategies for the solution of social and civic problems. A reflection is made on the civic appropriation of the ICTs and its irruption in the processes of innovation, as well as on the impact that the ICTs have in the conformation of a new civic ecosystem. Last, the strategies of Hacking cívico (Civic Hacking and Comunidades Cívicas (Civic Communities that the Codeando México organization promotes as a model for the linkage and civic participation within the frame of civic innovation, are mentioned.

The Problem of Citizens: E-Democracy for Actually Existing Democracy

OpenAIRE

Daniel Kreiss

2015-01-01

This article argues that many contemporary e-democracy projects, particularly in the United States, have at their heart a model of atomistic, independent, rational, and general-interest citizens. As such, these projects, variously grouped under the labels of e-governance, online deliberation, open government, and civic technology, often assume a broad shared consensus about collective definitions of “public problems” that both does not exist and sidesteps debates over what these problems are ...

Undocumented Immigration, Drug Problems, and Driving Under the Influence in the United States, 1990-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Light, Michael T; Miller, Ty; Kelly, Brian C

2017-09-01

To examine the influence of undocumented immigration in the United States on 4 different metrics of drug and alcohol problems: drug arrests, drug overdose fatalities, driving under the influence (DUI) arrests, and DUI deaths. We combined newly developed state-level estimates of the undocumented population between 1990 and 2014 from the Center for Migration Studies with arrest data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports and fatality information from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Underlying Cause of Death database. We used fixed-effects regression models to examine the longitudinal association between increased undocumented immigration and drug problems and drunk driving. Increased undocumented immigration was significantly associated with reductions in drug arrests, drug overdose deaths, and DUI arrests, net of other factors. There was no significant relationship between increased undocumented immigration and DUI deaths. This study provides evidence that undocumented immigration has not increased the prevalence of drug or alcohol problems, but may be associated with reductions in these public health concerns.

High-level waste vitrification off-gas cleanup technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, M.S.

1980-01-01

This brief overview is intended to be a basis for discussion of needs and problems existing in the off-gas clean-up technology. A variety of types of waste form and processes are being developed in the United States and abroad. A description of many of the processes can be found in the Technical Alternative Documents (TAD). Concurrently, off-gas processing systems are being developed with most of the processes. An extensive review of methodology as well as decontamination factors can be found in the literature. Since it is generally agreed that the most advanced solidification process is vitrification, discussion here centers about the off-gas problems related to vitrification. With a number of waste soldification facilities around the world in operation, it can be shown that present technology can satisfy the present requirement for off-gas control. However, a number of areas within the technology base show potential for improvement. Fundamental as well as verification studies are needed to obtain the improvements

Managing the Organizational Culture: A Technological Issue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takhir U. Bazarov

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Organizational culture presents an interest for research and practice of social psychology. This article is intended to discuss the problem of managing the organizational structure on two levels that contain most topical problems: general methodological level and technological level. Organizational culture is a system with its distinct features that consists of units and sub-systems with their specific features. An organizational-culture system comprises several levels: leader's personality level (as well as the personality level in general, level of executive team (as well as of a small group in general, level of organization in general (level of a large group.

Environmental issues in planning building energy technologies R ampersand D in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhar, B.C.; Abel, F.H.; Nicholls, A.K.; Millhone, J.P.

1991-08-01

The US Department of Energy's Office of Building Technologies (OBT) has begun studies on the relationship and impact of buildings energy use on the environment, particularly with respect to global climate change, acid rain, stratospheric ozone depletion, and indoor air quality. The paper presents an overview of international and US federal activity in global change to set OBT's activities in context. The paper then reviews briefly the contribution of buildings to atmospheric problems through building energy use. OBT's program primarily supports projects with indirect environmental impacts through energy efficiency (e.g., thermally activated heat pumps use natural gas instead of electricity) and the use of renewables in buildings. The paper briefly describes the OBT program and covers an inventory of projects that OBT has funded on environmental/building problems. Analyses have included three kinds of topics: (1) CFC substitutes for refrigeration equipment, (2) incorporating the cost of externalities into utility electricity generation, and (3) indoor air quality. The paper shows how environmental issues are being taken into account in planning the US R ampersand D program in building energy technologies. 27 refs

Barriers and Benefits in Telemedicine Arising Between a High-Technology Hospital Service Provider and Remote Public Healthcare Units: A Qualitative Study in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza, Carlos Henrique Amaral; Morbeck, Renata Albaladejo; Steinman, Milton; Hors, Cora Pereira; Bracco, Mario Maia; Kozasa, Elisa H; Leão, Eliseth Ribeiro

2017-06-01

In Brazil, the Program for Institutional Development of the Unified Healthcare System (PROADI-SUS) has implemented a telemedicine service for urgent situations and emergencies. It is delivered by a high-technology (HT) hospital to 15 remote healthcare units (RUs) in 11 different Brazilian states. The aim of this study was to investigate possible barriers and benefits in telemedicine service among these units. We performed a qualitative study on the perceptions of physicians involved in telemedicine service in their role as providers and consultants. An individual, semistructured recorded interview was conducted with 28 physicians (17 HT; 11 RU) encompassing telemedicine resources and interaction among HT and RU physicians. Data analysis was performed by Discourse of Collective Subject. We identified the following barriers in the telemedicine service: (1) lack of experience in the use of technology or the quality of the internet signal; (2) the multiplicity of different telemedicine platforms; (3) the quality of the image sent to the HT hospital; (4) the misunderstanding that telemedicine is a time-consuming technology instead of a resource that may help to save lives; (5) not feeling comfortable exposing doubts to other HT colleagues; (6) problems in the management of telemedicine use in the RUs; and (7) political and legal issues. However, important benefits in telemedicine service were also described. The structural barriers should be the target of hospital managers. Development of standard remote care protocols may increase the use of telemedicine and create new work routines. Given the relationship difficulties among the RU and HT doctors during telemedicine consultations, other meetings should be organized to allow more interpersonal interactions. These meetings may also have the goal of sharing outcome indicators of their joint activity in telemedicine to stimulate and make them aware of the benefits of their interaction.

The SI-Gap: How British Units Are Impeding Advances in STEM

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, M. P.; Cook, Courtney J.

2017-11-01

The United States is one of only three countries in the world that remain uncommitted to the metric system. Perhaps to policymakers the decision to hang on to miles, pounds, and gallons is one of tradition. However, as a physics teacher I have seen firsthand how growing up with U.S. Customary Units (commonly called by the pseudonym "British Units") has negatively impacted my students. Sure, they can convert between "British" and SI units; and they can effectively toggle between SI prefixes. However, they typically lack intuition regarding the values they express in SI. This is a major problem, but is by no means a criticism against them. Their disadvantage is the result of a unique learning gap that exists in the United States. I call it the SI(sī)-gap. The SI-gap not only impedes our ability as teachers to inspire students when it comes to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); it also prevents our students from properly assessing the validity of their own results. As we shall soon see, the SI-gap carries consequences beyond the classroom. If we are to solve the problems that relate to the SI-gap, we need to reform the way we introduce SI units to the current generation of students.

Composite risers for deep-water offshore technology: Problems and prospects. 1. Metal-composite riser

Science.gov (United States)

Beyle, A. I.; Gustafson, C. G.; Kulakov, V. L.; Tarnopol'skii, Yu. M.

1997-09-01

Prospects for the application of advanced composites in the offshore technology of oil production are considered. The use of composites in vertical pipelines-risers seems to be the most efficient. The operating loads are studied and the attendant problems are formulated. A comparative analysis of the characteristics of metal, composite, and metal-composite deep-water risers is presented. A technique is developed for designing multilayered risers, taking into account the action of internal and external pressures, gravity, and the axial tensile force created by tensioners, as well as the residual technological stresses due to the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion, physical-chemical shrinkage, and force winding. Numerical estimations are given for a two-layered riser with an inner metal layer of steel, titanium, or aluminum alloys and a composite layer of glass- or carbon-fiber plastics formed by circumferential winding. It is shown that the technological stresses substantially affect the characteristics of the riser.

The Systemic Approach to Technological Education: Effects of Transferred Learning in Resolving a Physics Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Andreucci, Colette; Chatoney, Marjolaine; Ginestie, Jacques

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to verify whether pupils (15-16 years old) who have received technology education on a systemic approach of industrial systems, are better than other pupils (of the same age but from other academic domains such as literary ones or ones that are economics-based) at solving physical science problems which involve…

A fast method for the unit scheduling problem with significant renewable power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osório, G.J.; Lujano-Rojas, J.M.; Matias, J.C.O.; Catalão, J.P.S.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A model to the scheduling of power systems with significant renewable power generation is provided. • A new methodology that takes information from the analysis of each scenario separately is proposed. • Based on a probabilistic analysis, unit scheduling and corresponding economic dispatch are estimated. • A comparison with others methodologies is in favour of the proposed approach. - Abstract: Optimal operation of power systems with high integration of renewable power sources has become difficult as a consequence of the random nature of some sources like wind energy and photovoltaic energy. Nowadays, this problem is solved using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) approach, which allows considering important statistical characteristics of wind and solar power production such as the correlation between consecutive observations, the diurnal profile of the forecasted power production, and the forecasting error. However, MCS method requires the analysis of a representative amount of trials, which is an intensive calculation task that increases considerably with the number of scenarios considered. In this paper, a model to the scheduling of power systems with significant renewable power generation based on scenario generation/reduction method, which establishes a proportional relationship between the number of scenarios and the computational time required to analyse them, is proposed. The methodology takes information from the analysis of each scenario separately to determine the probabilistic behaviour of each generator at each hour in the scheduling problem. Then, considering a determined significance level, the units to be committed are selected and the load dispatch is determined. The proposed technique was illustrated through a case study and the comparison with stochastic programming approach was carried out, concluding that the proposed methodology can provide an acceptable solution in a reduced computational time

Demonstration of robust micromachined jet technology and its application to realistic flow control problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Sung Pil

2006-01-01

This paper describes the demonstration of successful fabrication and initial characterization of micromachined pressure sensors and micromachined jets (microjets) fabricated for use in macro flow control and other applications. In this work, the microfabrication technology was investigated to create a micromachined fluidic control system with a goal of application in practical fluids problems, such as UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)-scale aerodynamic control. Approaches of this work include : (1) the development of suitable micromachined synthetic jets (microjets) as actuators, which obviate the need to physically extend micromachined structures into an external flow ; and (2) a non-silicon alternative micromachining fabrication technology based on metallic substrates and lamination (in addition to traditional MEMS technologies) which will allow the realization of larger scale, more robust structures and larger array active areas for fluidic systems. As an initial study, an array of MEMS pressure sensors and an array of MEMS modulators for orifice-based control of microjets have been fabricated, and characterized. Both pressure sensors and modulators have been built using stainless steel as a substrate and a combination of lamination and traditional micromachining processes as fabrication technologies

Demonstration of robust micromachined jet technology and its application to realistic flow control problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Sung Pil [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-04-15

This paper describes the demonstration of successful fabrication and initial characterization of micromachined pressure sensors and micromachined jets (microjets) fabricated for use in macro flow control and other applications. In this work, the microfabrication technology was investigated to create a micromachined fluidic control system with a goal of application in practical fluids problems, such as UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)-scale aerodynamic control. Approaches of this work include : (1) the development of suitable micromachined synthetic jets (microjets) as actuators, which obviate the need to physically extend micromachined structures into an external flow ; and (2) a non-silicon alternative micromachining fabrication technology based on metallic substrates and lamination (in addition to traditional MEMS technologies) which will allow the realization of larger scale, more robust structures and larger array active areas for fluidic systems. As an initial study, an array of MEMS pressure sensors and an array of MEMS modulators for orifice-based control of microjets have been fabricated, and characterized. Both pressure sensors and modulators have been built using stainless steel as a substrate and a combination of lamination and traditional micromachining processes as fabrication technologies.

The Status of Technology and Engineering Education in the United States: A Fourth Report of the Findings from the States (2011-12)

Science.gov (United States)

Moye, Johnny J.; Dugger, William E., Jr.; Starkweather, Kendall N.

2012-01-01

Technology and engineering education continues to evolve as it becomes more apparent that students need this information to become more successful in college and careers. The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA ) has tracked the status of technology education in the United States in three separate studies over the…

Discussion on application of water source heat pump technology to uranium mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Qiang

2011-01-01

Application of water source heat pump units in recovering waste heat from uranium mines is discussed, and several forms of waste heat recovery are introduced. The problems in the application of water source heat pump technology are analyzed. Analysis results show that the water source heat pump technology has broad application prospects in uranium mines, and it is a way to exchange existing structure of heat and cold sources in uranium mines. (authors)

A logical and structural thinking development tool (LST to enhance fundamental problem-solving skills of learners of information technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annelie Jordaan

2005-05-01

Full Text Available The role of information technology in modern education has increased significantly over the past two decades [14]. The opportunity to develop an interactive software system with the aim of enhancing fundamental problem-solving skills of learners enrolled for the Computer Science, Information Technology and Mathematics programs at tertiary institutions is possible with object-oriented programming techniques and multi-dimensional graphic design. The definition of fundamental problem-solving skills includes cognitive functional skills such as logical thinking, conceptualism with prior knowledge, relationship forming and objective analysis. Experiments done for this research indicate that given the right educational tools, cognitive functional skills of learners can be stimulated, developed and enhanced. This, in turn, may lead to an increase in the graduation rates of learners enrolled for the Computer Science, Information Technology and Mathematics program and ultimately contribute to the reshaping of the educational experience.

Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance - United States, 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunderam, Saswati; Kissin, Dmitry M; Crawford, Sara B; Folger, Suzanne G; Boulet, Sheree L; Warner, Lee; Barfield, Wanda D

2018-02-16

Since the first U.S. infant conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) was born in 1981, both the use of ART and the number of fertility clinics providing ART services have increased steadily in the United States. ART includes fertility treatments in which eggs or embryos are handled in the laboratory (i.e., in vitro fertilization [IVF] and related procedures). Although the majority of infants conceived through ART are singletons, women who undergo ART procedures are more likely than women who conceive naturally to deliver multiple-birth infants. Multiple births pose substantial risks for both mothers and infants, including obstetric complications, preterm delivery (state-specific information for the United States (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) on ART procedures performed in 2015 and compares birth outcomes that occurred in 2015 (resulting from ART procedures performed in 2014 and 2015) with outcomes for all infants born in the United States in 2015. 2015. In 1995, CDC began collecting data on ART procedures performed in fertility clinics in the United States as mandated by the Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act of 1992 (FCSRCA) (Public Law 102-493 [October 24, 1992]). Data are collected through the National ART Surveillance System, a web-based data collection system developed by CDC. This report includes data from 52 reporting areas (the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico). In 2015, a total of 182,111 ART procedures (range: 135 in Alaska to 23,198 in California) with the intent to transfer at least one embryo were performed in 464 U.S. fertility clinics and reported to CDC. These procedures resulted in 59,334 live-birth deliveries (range: 55 in Wyoming to 7,802 in California) and 71,152 infants born (range: 68 in Wyoming to 9,176 in California). Nationally, the number of ART procedures performed per 1 million women of reproductive age (15-44 years), a proxy measure of the ART utilization rate, was

Case Study of Multi-Unit Risk: Multi-Unit Station Black-Out

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Kyemin; Jang, Seung-cheol [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Gyunyoung [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

After Fukushima Daiichi Accident, importance and public concern for Multi-Unit Risk (MUR) or Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) have been increased. Most of nuclear power plant sites in the world have more than two units. These sites have been facing the problems of MUR or accident such as Fukushima. In case of South Korea, there are generally more than four units on the same site and even more than ten units are also expected. In other words, sites in South Korea also have been facing same problems. Considering number of units on the same site, potential of these problems may be larger than other countries. The purpose of this paper is to perform case study based on another paper submitted in the conference. MUR is depended on various site features such as design, shared systems/structures, layout, environmental condition, and so on. Considering various dependencies, we assessed Multi-Unit Station Black-out (MSBO) accident based on Hanul Unit 3 and 4 model. In this paper, case study for multi-unit risk or PSA had been performed. Our result was incomplete to assess total multi-unit risk because of two challenging issues. First, economic impact had not been evaluated to estimate multi-unit risk. Second, large uncertainties were included in our result because of various assumptions. These issues must be resolved in the future.

Case Study of Multi-Unit Risk: Multi-Unit Station Black-Out

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Kyemin; Jang, Seung-cheol; Heo, Gyunyoung

2015-01-01

After Fukushima Daiichi Accident, importance and public concern for Multi-Unit Risk (MUR) or Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) have been increased. Most of nuclear power plant sites in the world have more than two units. These sites have been facing the problems of MUR or accident such as Fukushima. In case of South Korea, there are generally more than four units on the same site and even more than ten units are also expected. In other words, sites in South Korea also have been facing same problems. Considering number of units on the same site, potential of these problems may be larger than other countries. The purpose of this paper is to perform case study based on another paper submitted in the conference. MUR is depended on various site features such as design, shared systems/structures, layout, environmental condition, and so on. Considering various dependencies, we assessed Multi-Unit Station Black-out (MSBO) accident based on Hanul Unit 3 and 4 model. In this paper, case study for multi-unit risk or PSA had been performed. Our result was incomplete to assess total multi-unit risk because of two challenging issues. First, economic impact had not been evaluated to estimate multi-unit risk. Second, large uncertainties were included in our result because of various assumptions. These issues must be resolved in the future

A report from the second US/Japan workshop on global change research: Environmental response technologies (mitigation and adaptation). United States-Japan Science and Technology Agreement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edgerton, S. [comp.] [National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States). Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences; Mizuno, Tateki [comp.] [National Inst. for Resources and Environment, MITI (Japan)

1993-12-31

The Second US - Japan Workshop on Global Change: Environmental Response Technologies for Global Change was hosted by the Program on Resources at the East-West Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 1--3, 1993, on behalf of the United States Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES) of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET). This workshop brought together over fifty leading scientists from the two countries to review existing technologies and to identify needed research on the development of new technologies for mitigation and adaptation of global change. The Workshop was organized around three areas of research: (1) capture, fixation/utilization, and disposal of CO{sub 2} (e.g. CO{sub 2}, separation and capture technologies, ocean and land disposal of CO{sub 2}; (2) energy production and conservation technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. combustion efficiency, non-carbon based energy technologies, energy conservation technologies); and (3) adaptation technologies and practices related to global climate change (e.g., adaptation responses of crops to climate change, adapting urban infrastructure for climate change). Priorities for joint research in each of these areas were discussed. Selected papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Technological developments in real-time operational hydrologic forecasting in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Hudlow, Michael D.

1988-09-01

The hydrologic forecasting service of the United States spans applications and scales ranging from those associated with the issuance of flood and flash warnings to those pertaining to seasonal water supply forecasts. New technological developments (underway in or planned by the National Weather Service (NWS) in support of the Hydrologic Program) are carried out as combined efforts by NWS headquarters and field personnel in cooperation with other organizations. These developments fall into two categories: hardware and software systems technology, and hydrometeorological analysis and prediction technology. Research, development, and operational implementation in progress in both of these areas are discussed. Cornerstones of an overall NWS modernization effort include implementation of state-of-the-art data acquisition systems (including the Next Generation Weather Radar) and communications and computer processing systems. The NWS Hydrologic Service will capitalize on these systems and will incorporate results from specific hydrologic projects including collection and processing of multivariate data sets, conceptual hydrologic modeling systems, integrated hydrologic modeling systems with meteorological interfaces and automatic updating of model states, and extended streamflow prediction techniques. The salient aspects of ongoing work in these areas are highlighted in this paper, providing some perspective on the future U.S. hydrologic forecasting service and its transitional period into the 1990s.

Government financial support for civil aircraft research, technology and development in four European countries and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Chandler, B.; Golaszewski, R.; Patten, C.; Rudman, B.; Scott, R.

1980-01-01

Data on the levels of government financial support for civil aircraft airframe and engine (CAAE) research and technology (R&T) in the United States and Europe (United Kingdom, West Germany, France and The Netherlands) and means of comparing these levels are provided. Data are presented for the years 1974-1977. European R&T expenditure data were obtained through visits to each of the four European countries, to the Washington office of the European Communities, and by a search of applicable literature. CAAE R&T expenditure data for the United States were obtained from NASA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The transition of new technology to solve today`s problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamin, R.A. [Naval Air Warfare Center, Trenton, NJ (United States); Martin, C.J.; Turner, L.M. [Defense Fuel Supply Center, Alexandria, VA (United States)

1995-05-01

Extensive research has been conducted in the development of methods to predict the degradation of F-44 in storage. The Low Pressure Reactor (LPR) has greatly enhanced the stability prediction capabilities necessary to make informed decisions concerning aviation fuel in storage. This technique has in the past been primarily used for research purposes. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Trenton, NJ, has used this technique successfully to assist the Defense Fuel Supply Center, Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA, in stability assessments of F-44. The High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrochemical Detector (HPLC/EC) antioxidant determination technique has also aided in making stability predictions by establishing the amount of inhibitor currently in the product. This paper will address two case studies in which the above new technology was used to insure the rapid detection and diagnosis of today`s field and logistic problems.

A review of the United Kingdom fast reactor program - March 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.D.

1983-01-01

A review of the United Kingdom Fast Reactor Programme was given in March 1983. Operational experience with the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) is briefly summarized. The design concept of the Commercial Demonstration Fast Reactor (CDFR), including design codes, engineering components, materials and fuels development, chemical engineering/sodium technology, safety and reactor performance, is reviewed. The problems of PFR and CDFR fuel reprocessing are also discussed

United States Offshoring of Information Technology: An Empirical Investigation of Factors Inhibiting Sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Omoregie, Harry O.

2012-01-01

In the last decade, the global information technology offshoring (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services have grown significantly, especially in Asia. The increased demand for offshore services in Asia has presented a difficult problem for U.S. organizations because countries such as India are now experiencing saturation of labor…

Technology Transfer: Marketing Tomorrow's Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Tcheng, Erene

1995-01-01

The globalization of the economy and the end of the Cold War have triggered many changes in the traditional practices of U.S. industry. To effectively apply the resources available to the United States, the federal government has firmly advocated a policy of technology transfer between private industry and government labs, in this case the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin is a strong proponent of this policy and has organized technology transfer or commercialization programs at each of the NASA field centers. Here at Langley Research Center, the Technology Applications Group (TAG) is responsible for facilitating the transfer of Langley developed research and technology to U.S. industry. Entering the program, I had many objectives for my summer research with TAG. Certainly, I wanted to gain a more thorough understanding of the concept of technology transfer and Langley's implementation of a system to promote it to both the Langley community and the community at large. Also, I hoped to become more familiar with Langley's research capabilities and technology inventory available to the public. More specifically, I wanted to learn about the technology transfer process at Langley. Because my mentor is a member of Materials and Manufacturing marketing sector of the Technology Transfer Team, another overriding objective for my research was to take advantage of his work and experience in materials research to learn about the Advanced Materials Research agency wide and help market these developments to private industry. Through the various projects I have been assigned to work on in TAG, I have successfully satisfied the majority of these objectives. Work on the Problem Statement Process for TAG as well as the development of the Advanced Materials Research Brochure have provided me with the opportunity to learn about the technology transfer process from the outside looking in and the inside looking out. Because TAG covers

Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving to Middle School Students in Math, Technology Education, and Special Education Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Bottge, Brian A.; Heinrichs, Mary; Mehta, Zara Dee; Rueda, Enrique; Hung, Ya-Hui; Danneker, Jeanne

2004-01-01

This study compared two approaches for teaching sixth-grade middle school students to solve math problems in math, technology education, and special education classrooms. A total of 17 students with disabilities and 76 students without disabilities were taught using either enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) or text-based instruction coupled with…

Atomic policies: history, problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galvan, Cesare Giuseppe.

1993-01-01

Two kinds of problems follow from the development of nuclear technology: its use in (diversion to) armaments, and its dangers for the population. Both arise as social phenomena: technology can be diverted to military aims; and installations require specific measures in order not to expose human life to danger. The diffusion of this technology required a series of tentative solutions for such problems. Its history constitutes our first part. The second part aims at understanding the dynamics, which led to the diffusion of such a technology in the capitalist world. The concept of subsumption (especially of its realization) is suited to interpret the meanings of the social interests, which led content ro this diffusion. Subsumption is found between labor and capital, but also between society and state. At both levels, it shows that there was some social meaning in the diffusion of nuclear technology notwithstanding its problems. 590 refs

Mixed Waste Integrated Program -- Problem-oriented technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hart, P.W.; Wolf, S.W.; Berry, J.B.

1994-01-01

The Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP) is responding to the need for DOE mixed waste treatment technologies that meet these dual regulatory requirements. MWIP is developing emerging and innovative treatment technologies to determine process feasibility. Technology demonstrations will be used to determine whether processes are superior to existing technologies in reducing risk, minimizing life-cycle cost, and improving process performance. Technology development is ongoing in technical areas required to process mixed waste: materials handling, chemical/physical treatment, waste destruction, off-gas treatment, final forms, and process monitoring/control. MWIP is currently developing a suite of technologies to process heterogeneous waste. One robust process is the fixed-hearth plasma-arc process that is being developed to treat a wide variety of contaminated materials with minimal characterization. Additional processes encompass steam reforming, including treatment of waste under the debris rule. Advanced off-gas systems are also being developed. Vitrification technologies are being demonstrated for the treatment of homogeneous wastes such as incinerator ash and sludge. An alternative to conventional evaporation for liquid removal--freeze crystallization--is being investigated. Since mercury is present in numerous waste streams, mercury removal technologies are being developed

Technological significances to reduce the material problems. Feasibility of heat flux reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamazaki, Seiichiro; Shimada, Michiya.

1994-01-01

For a divertor plate in a fusion power reactor, a high temperature coolant must be used for heat removal to keep thermal efficiency high. It makes the temperature and thermal stress of wall materials higher than the design limits. Issues of the coolant itself, e.g. burnout of high temperature water, will also become a serious problem. Sputtering erosion of the surface material will be a great concern of its lifetime. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the heat and particle loads to the divertor plate technologically. The feasibility of some technological methods of heat reduction, such as separatrix sweeping, is discussed. As one of the most promising ideas, the methods of radiative cooling of the divertor plasma are summarized based on the recent results of large tokamaks. The feasibility of remote radiative cooling and gas divertor is discussed. The ideas are considered in recent design studies of tokamak power reactors and experimental reactors. By way of example, conceptual designs of divertor plate for the steady state tokamak power reactor are described. (author)

Reflections on Students’ Projects with Motion Sensor Technologies in a Problem-Based Learning Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga; Triantafyllidis, George

2014-01-01

Game-based learning (GBL) has been applied in many fields to enhance learning motivations. In recent years, motion sensor technologies have been also introduced in GBL with the aim of using active, physical modalities to facilitate the learning process, while fostering social development...... and collaboration (when these activities involve more than one student at a time). The approaches described in literature, which used motion sensors in GBL, cover a broad spectrum of educational fields. These approaches investigated the effect of learning games using motion sensors on the development of specific...... skills or on the learning experience. This paper presents our experiences on the educational use of motion sensor technologies. Our research was conducted at the department of Medialogy in Aalborg University Copenhagen. Aalborg University applies a problem-based, project-organized model of teaching...

Ordered Effects of Technology Education Units on Higher-Order Critical Thinking Skills of Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Mojica, Kern D.

2010-01-01

In this quasi-experimental quantitative study, 105 eighth grade students at a suburban middle school in New York State participated in a seven month-long project involving the ordered effects of the technology education units of Lego[R] Mindstorms(TM) NXT Robotics System, Digital Storytelling with Microsoft Windows Movie Maker, and the Marble Maze…

Analyzing the Curricula of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Technology-Related Programs in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Almaden, Abdullah; Ku, Heng-Yu

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze on-campus and online PhD programs in educational technology-related fields in the United States. In particular, it sought to evaluate the most common program titles; core, elective, and research courses based on program curricula. The research design was quantitative content analysis and data were collected…

Water chemistry regimes for VVER-440 units: water chemistry influence on fuel cladding behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zmitko, M.

1999-01-01

In this lecture next problems of water chemistry influence on fuel cladding behaviour for VVER-440 units are presented: primary coolant technologies; water chemistry specification and control; fuel integrity considerations; zirconium alloys cladding corrosion (corrosion versus burn-up; water chemistry effect; crud deposition; hydrogen absorption; axial offset anomaly); alternatives for the primary coolant regimes

Integrating technology education concepts into China's educational system

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Faxian

The problem of this study was to develop a strategy for integrating technology education concepts within the Chinese mathematics and science curricula. The researcher used a case study as the basic methodology. It included three methods for collecting data: literature review, field study in junior and senior secondary schools in America and China, and interviews with experienced educators who were familiar with the status of technology education programs in the selected countries. The data came from the following areas: Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, China, and five states in the United States: Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York. The researcher summarized each state and country's educational data, identified the advantages and disadvantages of their current technology education program, and identified the major concepts within each program. The process determined that identified concepts would be readily acceptable into the current Chinese educational system. Modernization of, industry, agriculture, science and technology, and defense have been recent objectives of the Chinese government. Therefore, Chinese understanding of technology, or technology education, became important for the country. However, traditional thought and culture curb the implementation of technology education within China's current education system. The proposed solution was to integrate technology education concepts into China's mathematics and science curricula. The purpose of the integration was to put new thoughts and methods into the current educational structure. It was concluded that the proposed model and interventions would allow Chinese educators to carry out the integration into China's education system.

Technology and human purpose: the problem of solids transport on the Earth's surface

Science.gov (United States)

Haff, P. K.

2012-11-01

Displacement of mass of limited deformability ("solids") on the Earth's surface is opposed by friction and (the analog of) form resistance - impediments relaxed by rotational motion, self-powering of mass units, and transport infrastructure. These features of solids transport first evolved in the biosphere prior to the emergence of technology, allowing slope-independent, diffusion-like motion of discrete objects as massive as several tons, as illustrated by animal foraging and movement along game trails. However, high-energy-consumption technology powered by fossil fuels required a mechanism that could support fast advective transport of solids, i.e., long-distance, high-volume, high-speed, unidirectional, slope-independent transport across the land surface of materials like coal, containerized fluids, minerals, and economic goods. Pre-technology nature was able to sustain regional- and global-scale advection only in the limited form of piggybacking on geophysical flows of water (river sediment) and air (dust). The appearance of a mechanism for sustained advection of solids independent of fluid flows and gravity appeared only upon the emergence of human purpose. Purpose enables solids advection by, in effect, simulating a continuous potential gradient, otherwise lacking, between discrete and widely separated fossil-fuel energy sources and sinks. Invoking purpose as a mechanism in solids advection is an example of the need to import anthropic principles and concepts into the language and methodology of modern Earth system dynamics. As part of the emergence of a generalized solids advection mechanism, several additional transport requirements necessary to the function of modern large-scale technological systems were also satisfied. These include spatially accurate delivery of advected payload, targetability to essentially arbitrarily located destinations (such as cities), and independence of structure of advected payload from transport mechanism. The latter property

Solving the problems we face: the United States Environmental Protection Agency, sustainability, and the challenges of the twenty-first century

Science.gov (United States)

Addressing the problems of the twenty-first century will require new initiatives that complement traditional regulatory activities. Existing regulations, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are important safety nets in the United States for protecting human health and t...

Technology in the curriculum: A vehicle for the development of children's understanding of science concepts through problem solving

Science.gov (United States)

Jane, Beverley; Smith, Leanne

1992-12-01

This research was carried out over a period of ten months with children in Grades 2 and 3 (aged 7 and 8) who were participating in a sequence of technology activities. Since the introduction into Victorian primary schools of The Technology Studies Framework P-10 (Crawford, 1988), more teachers are including technology studies in their classrooms and by so doing may assist children's understanding of science concepts. Children are being exposed to science phenomena related to the technology activities and Technology Studies may be a way of providing children with science experiences. ‘Technology Studies’ in this context refers to children carrying out practical problem solving tasks which can be completed without any particular scientific knowledge. Participation in the technology activities may encourage children to become actively involved, thereby facilitating an exploration of the related science concepts. The project identified the importance of challenge in relation to the children's involvement in the technology activities and the conference paper (available from the first author) discusses particular topics in terms of the balance between cognitive/metacognitive and affective influences (Baird et al., 1990)

Computer-aided design system for a complex of problems on calculation and analysis of engineering and economical indexes of NPP power units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepanov, V.I.; Koryagin, A.V.; Ruzankov, V.N.

1988-01-01

Computer-aided design system for a complex of problems concerning calculation and analysis of engineering and economical indices of NPP power units is described. In the system there are means for automated preparation and debugging of data base software complex, which realizes th plotted algorithm in the power unit control system. Besides, in the system there are devices for automated preparation and registration of technical documentation

Using Technology and Assessment to Personalize Instruction: Preventing Reading Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Connor, Carol McDonald

2017-09-15

Children who fail to learn to read proficiently are at serious risk of referral to special education, grade retention, dropping out of high school, and entering the juvenile justice system. Accumulating research suggests that instruction regimes that rely on assessment to inform instruction are effective in improving the implementation of personalized instruction and, in turn, student learning. However, teachers find it difficult to interpret assessment results in a way that optimizes learning opportunities for all of the students in their classrooms. This article focuses on the use of language, decoding, and comprehension assessments to develop personalized plans of literacy instruction for students from kindergarten through third grade, and A2i technology designed to support teachers' use of assessment to guide instruction. Results of seven randomized controlled trials demonstrate that personalized literacy instruction is more effective than traditional instruction, and that sustained implementation of personalized literacy instruction first through third grade may prevent the development of serious reading problems. We found effect sizes from .2 to .4 per school year, which translates into about a 2-month advantage. These effects accumulated from first through third grade with a large effect size (d = .7) equivalent to a full grade-equivalent advantage on standardize tests of literacy. These results demonstrate the efficacy of technology-supported personalized data-driven literacy instruction to prevent serious reading difficulties. Implications for translational prevention research in education and healthcare are discussed.

Solving real-life problems: future mobile technology sophistication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shafiq, F.; Ahsan, K.; Nadeem, A.

2016-01-01

Almost all the human being real life concerned domains are taking advantage of latest technologies for enhancing their process, procedures and operations. This integration of technological innovations provides ease of access, flexibility, transparency, reliability and speed for the concerned process and procedures. Rapid growth of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and MT (Mobile Technology) provides opportunity to redesign and re-engineered the human routines life activities process and procedures. Technology integration and adoption in routine life activities may serves compensatory mechanism to assist the population in different manner such as monitoring older adults and children at homes, provides security assistance, monitoring and recording patients vital signs automatically, controlling and monitoring equipments and devices, providing assistance in shopping, banking and education as well. Disasters happened suddenly, destroy everything indiscriminately. Adoption and integration of latest technologies including ICT and MT can enhance the current disaster management process, procedures and operations. This research study focuses the impacts of latest and emerging technology trends in routine life activities and surrounds their potential strength to improve and enhance disaster management activities. MT is providing a promising platform for facilitating people to enhance their routine life activities. This research argue that integration and adoption of mobile computing in disaster management domain can enhance disaster management activities with promising minimizing error, quick information assembling, quick response based on technology manipulation and prioritizing action. (author)

Solving Real-Life Problems: Future Mobile Technology Sophistication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FARHAN SHAFIQ

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Almost all the human being real life concerned domains are taking advantage of latest technologies for enhancing their process, procedures and operations. This integration of technological innovations provides ease of access, flexibility, transparency, reliability and speed for the concerned process and procedures. Rapid growth of ICT (Information and Communication Technology and MT (Mobile Technology provides opportunity to redesign and reengineered the human routines? life activities process and procedures. Technology integration and adoption in routine life activities may serves compensatory mechanism to assist the population in different manner such as monitoring older adults and children at homes, provides security assistance, monitoring and recording patients vital signs automatically, controlling and monitoring equipments and devices, providing assistance in shopping, banking and education as well. Disasters happened suddenly, destroy everything indiscriminately. Adoption and integration of latest technologies including ICT and MT can enhance the current disaster management process, procedures and operations. This research study focuses the impacts of latest and emerging technology trends in routine life activities and surrounds their potential strength to improve and enhance disaster management activities. MT is providing a promising platform for facilitating people to enhance their routine life activities. This research argue that integration and adoption of mobile computing in disaster management domain can enhance disaster management activities with promising minimizing error, quick information assembling, quick response based on technology manipulation and prioritizing action.

A case study of secondary teachers facilitating a historical problem-based learning instructional unit

Science.gov (United States)

Pecore, John L.

Current curriculum trends promote inquiry-based student-centered strategies as a way to foster critical thinking and learning. Problem-based learning (PBL), a type of inquiry focusing on an issue or "problem," is an instructional approach taught on the basis that science reform efforts increase scientific literacy. PBL is a constructivist approach to learning real life problems where understanding is a function of content, context, experiences, and learner goals; historical PBL situates the lesson in a historical context and provides opportunities for teaching NOS concepts. While much research exists on the benefits of historical PBL to student learning in general, more research is warranted on how teachers implement PBL in the secondary science curriculum. The purpose of this study was to examine the classroom-learning environment of four science teachers implementing a historical PBL instructional unit to identify the teachers' understandings, successes and obstacles. By identifying teachers' possible achievements and barriers with implementing a constructivist philosophy when executing historical PBL, educators and curriculum designers may improve alignment of the learning environment to constructivist principles. A qualitative interpretive case study guided this research study. The four participants of this study were purposefully and conveniently selected from biology teachers with at least three years of teaching experience, degrees in education, State Licensure, and completion of a PBL workshop. Data collection consisted of pre and post questionnaires, structured interviews, a card sort activity in which participants categorized instructional outcomes, and participant observations. Results indicated that the four teachers assimilated reform-based constructivist practices to fit within their preexisting routines and highlighted the importance of incorporating teachers' current systems into reform-based teacher instruction. While participating teachers

According to Candidate Teachers Views Classroom Management Problems of Teachers in Traditional and Technology-Supported Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Tas, Said

2017-01-01

In this research, it is aimed to investigate classroom management problems of middle school 6th and 7th grade teachers in traditional and technology-supported classrooms and differences between them. For this purpose the opinions of the students in the 4th grade of Primary Education Department in Faculty of Education of Süleyman Demirel University…

The new framework for resolving the energy problem and its application to the utilization of nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurata, Kenji

2002-01-01

Until recently, the energy problem in Japan had been the problem of how enough energy could be supplied to various sectors in society under Japan's conditions of only a few energy resources existing within its territory. However, recently new environmental and social conditions are arising. These new conditions strongly affect not only concrete measures for solving the energy problem but also the characteristics of the energy problem itself. Nowadays, it seems to be impossible to resolve the energy problem without taking these conditions into consideration. For this reason, a new framework, which enables various social values to be reflected in concrete measures, is urgently needed to resolve the energy problem. This thesis uses the ISO14001 framework to consider a possible solution over the energy problem. In the first part of this thesis, an examination shows that the ISO14001 framework should be generalized beyond the original objective of dealing with environmental problems to accommodate any kind of problems caused by newly arising social values. This generalized framework is defined as a 'Social measure' and expected to enhance the resolution of the problem in socially appropriate manner. In the second part, this paper uses the idea of the Social measure to consider a possible solution to recover public trust on the utilization of nuclear technology, which is regarded as a typical energy problem under the social condition. (author)

Recent Weather Technologies Delivered to America's Space Program by the Applied Meteorology Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Bauman, WIlliam, H., III; Crawford, Winifred

2009-01-01

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) is a unique joint venture of NASA, the Air Force and the National Weather Service (NWS) and has been supporting the Space Program for nearly two decades. The AMU acts as a bridge between the meteorological research community and operational forecasters by developing, evaluating and transitioning new technology and techniques to improve weather support to spaceport operations at the Eastern Range (ER) and Kennedy Space Center. Its primary customers are the 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), the Spaceflight Meteorology Group at Johnson Space Center and the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne, FL. Its products are used to support NASA's Shuttle and ELV programs as well as Department of Defense and commercial launches from the ER. Shuttle support includes landing sites beyond the ER. The AMU is co-located with the Air Force operational forecasters at CCAFS to facilitate continuous two-way interaction between the AMU and its operational customers. It is operated under a NASA, Air Force, and NWS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by a competitively-selected contractor. The contract, which is funded and managed by NASA, provides five full time professionals with degrees in meteorology or related fields, some of whom also have operational experience. NASA provides a Ph.D.- level NASA civil service scientist as Chief of the AMU. The AMU is tasked by its customers through a unique, nationally recognized process. The tasks are limited to development, evaluation and operational transition of technology to improve weather support to spaceport operations and providing expert advice to the customers. The MOU expressly forbids using the AMU resources to conduct operations or do basic research. The presentation will provide a brief overview of the AMU and how it is tasked by its customers to provide high priority products and services. The balance of the presentation will cover a sampling of products

Unit operation in food manufacturing and processing. Shokuhin seizo/kako ni okeru tan'i sosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuno, R. (Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan). Faculty of Aguriculture)

1993-09-05

Processed foods must be produced in mass, cheap and safe and should be suitable for the delicate taste of human being. Food tastes are effected by an outlook on human attitude, and the surrounding environment. And these factors are reflected to unit operation in food manufacturing and processing and it is clarified that there are many technical difficulties. The characteristics of unit operation for food manufacturing and processing are that the food materials are a multicomponent system, moreover, a very small amount of aroma components, taste components, vitamin, physiologically activation materials and so on are more important than the main components, and also inapplicable of the model centering to the most quantitative component. The purpose of unit operation in food manufacturing and processing is to produce the properties of matter matching to human sense, and therefore there are many problems left unsolved. The development of analytical technology also has an influence on manufacturing and processing technology. Consequently, food manufacturing and processing technology must be based on general science. It is necessary to develop unit operation with an understanding of mutual effect between food and human body.

A Comparison of Problems at the Grassroots Level in India Identified by Adults and Children: Implications for Design and Technology Education

Science.gov (United States)

Datt, Sachin; Chunawala, Sugra

2018-01-01

The focus of Design and Technology (D&T) education (Wilson & Harris, 2004) has been on designing and making activities and in developing technological capabilities amongst students. Innovation is an important aspect of D&T that helps in creating new products and artefacts to overcome the limitations of existing ones. Problem solving…

Clothing industry: development problems, regional dislocation and modern management technologies for small enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Hristoforova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article discusses issues related to the problems of development of light industry in the territory of the former Soviet Union, systematize industry regions and analyzes modern management technologies used by small businesses garment industry. The aim of the article is the analysis of the organizational and economic aspects of light industry on the example of clothing companies. The objectives of the article: to sistematize the major regions of the dislocation of light industry: textile, footwear, clothing; to characterize the current state of the apparel industry enterprises; to show the value of small clothing companies; to study the need for the introduction of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS on small sewing factories; to analyze the range of the scientific development of national universities in the study of flexible manufacturing systems and give them a brief description.Methodology. The methodological basis of the paper is the following scientific methods: deduction, comparative and group analysis, desk research. The Results. The result of the study is to identify the main issues and trends in the development of light industry, ordering the placement of the industry in the territory of the former Soviet Union, the definition of the most popular management techniques used in small businesses garment industry.Conclusions / significance. The above article analyzes the development of light industry has allowed to identify the main trends and formulate problems for the enterprises. New conditions require the development of small enterprises and the introduction of modern technologies in production processes and management.

HTTR workshop (workshop on hydrogen production technology)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiina, Yasuaki; Takizuka, Takakazu

2004-12-01

Various research and development efforts have been performed to solve the global energy and environmental problems caused by large consumption of fossil fuels. Research activities on advanced hydrogen production technology by the use of nuclear heat from high temperature gas cooled reactors, for example, have been flourished in universities, research institutes and companies in many countries. The Department of HTTR Project and the Department of Advanced Nuclear Heat Technology of JAERI held the HTTR Workshop (Workshop on Hydrogen Production Technology) on July 5 and 6, 2004 to grasp the present status of R and D about the technology of HTGR and the nuclear hydrogen production in the world and to discuss about necessity of the nuclear hydrogen production and technical problems for the future development of the technology. More than 110 participants attended the Workshop including foreign participants from USA, France, Korea, Germany, Canada and United Kingdom. In the Workshop, the presentations were made on such topics as R and D programs for nuclear energy and hydrogen production technologies by thermo-chemical or other processes. Also, the possibility of the nuclear hydrogen production in the future society was discussed. The workshop showed that the R and D for the hydrogen production by the thermo-chemical process has been performed in many countries. The workshop affirmed that nuclear hydrogen production could be one of the competitive supplier of hydrogen in the future. The second HTTR Workshop will be held in the autumn next year. (author)

Error Correcting Codes I. Applications of Elementary Algebra to Information Theory. Modules and Monographs in Undergraduate Mathematics and Its Applications Project. UMAP Unit 346.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Bart F.; Wilde, Carroll O.

It is noted that with the prominence of computers in today's technological society, digital communication systems have become widely used in a variety of applications. Some of the problems that arise in digital communications systems are described. This unit presents the problem of correcting errors in such systems. Error correcting codes are…

Uranium in situ leaching: its advantages, practice, problems and computer simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hancock, B.A.

1977-01-01

In situ leaching for the recovery of uranium from low grade sandstone deposits is one of the newest technological advances in the mineral industry. It is rapidly developing into a commercially feasible mining system which has economic, environmental, and social advantages over conventional mining systems. Because of the current uranium shortage, development of in situ leaching into a sophisticated system has gained new impetus. In situ leaching will become an important mining technique in the future, which will greatly help to supply uranium for the United States' energy needs. In this paper, the author gives an overview of the merits of the system, as well as the technology problems, and research in solution mining of uranium. 17 references

Applying Digital Sensor Technology: A Problem-Solving Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Seedhouse, Paul; Knight, Dawn

2016-01-01

There is currently an explosion in the number and range of new devices coming onto the technology market that use digital sensor technology to track aspects of human behaviour. In this article, we present and exemplify a three-stage model for the application of digital sensor technology in applied linguistics that we have developed, namely,…

Teaching a Second Core Course in Information Technology: A West Point Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Wolfe

2004-02-01

Full Text Available The United States Military Academy (USMA at West Point has the mission to produce officers for the U.S. Army. As part of the curriculum, the Academy requires all non-ABET major cadets (students to take two courses on information technology (IT with both courses focused on problem solving with technology. The first course is an introductory course offered in the freshman year while the second course is a more detailed course offered in the junior year. The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department uses an expanded definition of information technology; that is, any technology that acquires, transmits, processes, or displays information. Information technology is becoming increasingly important in the Army with the development and use of sensors, command and control systems, and other technologies to achieve information dominance. The course is divided into six modules: acquisition of data and sensors, transmission of data and networks, processing of data into information, display of information, legal and ethical issues of IT, and information dominance and operations. Cadets use a four-step problem solving methodology to develop and implement the components of an Information System to solve a real-world problem. The short-term impact of the course on the cadets has been very positive, and we are confident that the long-term impact will be substantial on the cadets and the Army. Cadets are exposed to a number of different technologies, gaining an understanding of how these technologies are used to acquire data, transmit data, process data into information, and display information to support decision making. In addition, the course projects help enforce the problem solving methodology where cadets analyze, design, implement, and test their solutions.

Revisiting Mathematical Problem Solving and Posing in the Digital Era: Toward Pedagogically Sound Uses of Modern Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Abramovich, S.

2014-01-01

The availability of sophisticated computer programs such as "Wolfram Alpha" has made many problems found in the secondary mathematics curriculum somewhat obsolete for they can be easily solved by the software. Against this background, an interplay between the power of a modern tool of technology and educational constraints it presents is…

Nuclear Systems (NS): Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Nuclear Systems Project demonstrates nuclear power technology readiness to support the goals of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. To this end, the...

Materials problems associated with fusion reactor technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutton, R.

This paper outlines the principles of design and operation of conceptual fusion reactors, indicates the level of research funding and activity being proposed at major centres and reviews the major materials problems which have been identified, together with an outline of the experimental techniques which have been suggested for investigating these problems. (author)

Complex multidisciplinary systems decomposition for aerospace vehicle conceptual design and technology acquisition

Science.gov (United States)

Omoragbon, Amen

Although, the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industry is a significant contributor to the United States' economy, national prestige and national security, it experiences significant cost and schedule overruns. This problem is related to the differences between technology acquisition assessments and aerospace vehicle conceptual design. Acquisition assessments evaluate broad sets of alternatives with mostly qualitative techniques, while conceptual design tools evaluate narrow set of alternatives with multidisciplinary tools. In order for these two fields to communicate effectively, a common platform for both concerns is desired. This research is an original contribution to a three-part solution to this problem. It discusses the decomposition step of an innovation technology and sizing tool generation framework. It identifies complex multidisciplinary system definitions as a bridge between acquisition and conceptual design. It establishes complex multidisciplinary building blocks that can be used to build synthesis systems as well as technology portfolios. It also describes a Graphical User Interface Designed to aid in decomposition process. Finally, it demonstrates an application of the methodology to a relevant acquisition and conceptual design problem posed by the US Air Force.

4+D TechnologyTM for nuclear systems soft solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suh, Kune Y.

2010-10-01

The signature in the proposal lies with the NSSS (Nuclear Systems Soft Solutions). NSSS proposed in the 3-dimensional space and time plus cost coordinates, i.e. 4 + dimensional technology, is the backbone of digital engineering in the nuclear system design and management. The NSSS is empowered by Janus (Junctional Analysis Neo dynamic Unit Soft Power), NOTUS (Neo systemic Optimization Technical Unit Soft Power), Venus (Virtual Engineering Neo cybernetic Unit Soft Power), EURUS (Engineering Utilities Research Unit Soft Power) and INUUS (Informative Neo graphic Utilities Unit Soft Power). Janus extracts the geometric data directly from the computer-aided design CAD files to import to multidimensional computational fluid and structural dynamics codes. Janus uses the joint-CAD analysis methods to eliminate the necessity of any pre- and post- processors. Starting from the 3-dimensional CAD, NOTUS contributes to reducing the construction cost of the nuclear power plants by optimizing the component manufacturing procedure and the plant construction process. Planning and scheduling construction projects can thus benefit greatly by integrating traditional management techniques with digital process simulation visualization. The 3-dimensional visualization of construction processes and resulting products intrinsically afford most of the advantages realized by the 4 + D technology. Problems with equipment positioning and manpower congestion in certain areas can readily be visualized prior to the actual operation, thus preventing accidents and safety problems such as collision between two machines and losses in productivity. Venus applied the virtual reality technology in nuclear industry. Virtual reality provides an interactive real time motion with sound and tactile and other forms of feedback. The management and workers can thus comprehend the work process crystal clear by visualizing precisely how activities relate to one another, whereby reducing conflicting

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN PROJECTS OF NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION AMONG UNITS OF A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Jugend

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Although the topic of integration in product development is widely debated in the literature, there are few studies that address the participation by subsidiaries of multinational and R & D centers around the world in development projects of new products. Focusing on the perception of the Brazilian unit, this paper aims to present and analyze integration practices among subsidiaries, headquarters and R&D centers in product development projects in a multinational high tech company. For this purpose, was conducted an exploratory and qualitative researched operationalized by case study. Among the main results, it was noted collaboration between locals marketing and engineering with the R & D centers, important role of senior management in the Brazilian unit to communicate outcomes of the strategic planning of products and technologies established by the headquarters to the subsidiary, the adoption of technological and information mechanisms and the application of methods such as technology roadmap.

Centrifugal Compressor Unit-based Heat Energy Recovery at Compressor Stations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. S. Shadrin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available About 95% of the electricity consumed by air compressor stations around the world, is transformed into thermal energy, which is making its considerable contribution to global warming. The present article dwells on the re-use (recovery of energy expended for air compression.The article presents the energy analysis of the process of compressing air from the point of view of compressor drive energy conversion into heat energy. The temperature level of excess heat energy has been estimated in terms of a potential to find the ways of recovery of generated heat. It is shown that the temperature level formed by thermal energy depends on the degree of air compression and the number of stages of the compressor.Analysis of technical characteristics of modern equipment from leading manufacturers, as well as projects of the latest air compressor stations have shown that there are two directions for the recovery of heat energy arising from the air compression: Resolving technological problems of compressor units. The use of the excess heat generation to meet the technology objectives of the enterprise. This article examines the schematic diagrams of compressor units to implement the idea of heat recovery compression to solve technological problems: Heating of the air in the suction line during operation of the compressor station in winter conditions. Using compression heat to regenerate the adsorbent in the dryer of compressed air.The article gives an equity assessment of considered solutions in the total amount of heat energy of compressor station. Presented in the present work, the analysis aims to outline the main vectors of technological solutions that reduce negative impacts of heat generation of compressor stations on the environment and creating the potential for reuse of energy, i.e. its recovery.

Decontamination technology of contaminated water with flocculating and settling technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aritomi, Masanori; Adachi, Toshihiro; Watanabe, Noriyuki; Hosobuchi, Shigeki

2012-01-01

In the joint research and development of treatment systems of cooling water for cutting asphalt pavement surface with our authors' group, the liquid-solid separation technology by flocculating and settling technology, and the flocculants for the use of systems were developed. In this paper, the developed flocculating and settling technology and the flocculants are discussed first. Next, the demonstration tests of decontamination technology on the contaminated water in swimming pools in an elementary school located at Motomiya City, Fukushima Prefecture had been conducted by use of the stationary purification system of contaminated water and the flocculants compounding with or without iron ferrocianide developed by the preliminary test. It was clarified from the results that ionized cesium (Cs) rarely exists in the stagnant water in pools, ponds, lakes and so on at the time when nine months have passed since Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accidents. Further, it is necessary to use the flocculants compounding iron ferrocianide in the case where ionized Cs exists in water. From the above-mentioned results, the following problems were pointed out: One problem was cyanide dissolution in the purified water and the other one was the dissolution from the dehydration sludge. Finally, the high-performance mobile purification units of contaminated water which is capable for carrying with trucks have been developed, and the demonstration test was performed in Minami-soma City, Fukushima Prefecture to purify the contaminated water in a pond and generated by the high-pressure water washing in a Public Hall. From the test results, it was made clear that the dehydration sludge separated by liquid-solid settling of the contaminated water of around 1,000Bq/l became a high radiation dose of about 185,000Bq/l. (author)

New energy technology cope with global environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchimoto, Tatsuya

1991-01-01

At present, the national and private storage of oil is the quantity for about 140 days in total, and it can cope with the temporary fear of oil supply, but if the Gulf War was prolonged, the large effect should be exerted to the energy supply. The reduction of the degree of oil dependence and the increase of the dependence on nonfossil fuel are taken up as the basic idea of the long term energy demand and supply in Japan. Also in the action plan for preventing global warming, the further promotion of energy conservation and the adoption of clean energy were decided to be carried out for decreasing carbon dioxide. In this report, among clean energies, the technology of electric power generation by sun beam, wind force and geotherm is described. The power generation by sun beam has many features, but the energy density is low, and the area for installation becomes large. The cost of power generation is relatively high. The power generation by wind force is superior in its environmental characteristics, and has been already put in practical use in USA and Europe. The problem is the reliability of the system. The geothermal power generation is available also in Japan, and is important for the energy security. The plants of about 270 MW are installed in Japan. (K.I.)

Solving optimum operation of single pump unit problem with ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Y; Liu, C

2012-01-01

For pumping stations, the effective scheduling of daily pump operations from solutions to the optimum design operation problem is one of the greatest potential areas for energy cost-savings, there are some difficulties in solving this problem with traditional optimization methods due to the multimodality of the solution region. In this case, an ACO model for optimum operation of pumping unit is proposed and the solution method by ants searching is presented by rationally setting the object function and constrained conditions. A weighted directed graph was constructed and feasible solutions may be found by iteratively searching of artificial ants, and then the optimal solution can be obtained by applying the rule of state transition and the pheromone updating. An example calculation was conducted and the minimum cost was found as 4.9979. The result of ant colony algorithm was compared with the result from dynamic programming or evolutionary solving method in commercial software under the same discrete condition. The result of ACO is better and the computing time is shorter which indicates that ACO algorithm can provide a high application value to the field of optimal operation of pumping stations and related fields.

Scientific and technical conference. Problems and horizons of development of chemical and radiochemical control in nuclear energetics. Collection of summaries of reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

During scientific and technical conference on problems of development of chemical and radiochemical control in nuclear energetics following themes were considered: the problems of methodological and instrumental assurance of chemical and radiochemical control at working nuclear power plants and nuclear energetic units; modern conceptions of automation systems construction of chemical and radiochemical control on the basis of intellectual measuring channels; the ways of decision of generally system problems of organization and management of chemical and radiochemical control using computed technologies; the problems of certification of chemical and radiochemical methods of measuring in nuclear energetics [ru

Stage-related behavioural problems in the 1-4 year old child: parental expectations in a child development unit referral group compared with a control group.

Science.gov (United States)

Ticehurst, R L; Henry, R L

1989-02-01

Behavioural problems in preschool (1-4 years) children are a common cause of referral to health services. Parents of children presenting to the child development unit with behavioural problems (n = 18) were compared with a control group (n = 45). A questionnaire was utilized to examine the parents' expectations of the children's behaviours. As might be expected, the parents of children presenting to the Unit rated their children as having more difficult behaviours. These parents had unrealistic expectations, particularly for the 'negative' behaviours (disobedience, temper tantrums, defiance and whinging). However, they were able to anticipate normal age-related difficulties in some problem areas (dawdling during mealtimes, masturbating, not sharing toys and being jealous of one's siblings). Counselling should address the issue of matching the expectations of parents with the individual rates of development of their children.

A United Framework for Solving Multiagent Task Assignment Problems

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cousin, Kevin

2007-01-01

.... The CMTS descriptor represents a wide range of classical and modern problems, such as job shop scheduling, the traveling salesman problem, vehicle routing, and cooperative multi-object tracking...

Technology transfer and radioactive waste management at TMI-2 [Three Mile Island Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saunders, J.R.

1988-01-01

The accident that occurred on March 28, 1979, at the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) nuclear generating station caused extensive damage to the reactor core and created high radiation contamination levels throughout the facility. The electric power industry, regulators, and government agencies were faced with one of the most technically challenging recovery situations ever encountered in this country. But it was also realized that this adversity presented opportunities for the advancement of state-of-the-art technologies as well as the potential to produce information that could enhance nuclear power plant safety and reliability. Perhaps one of the more significant aspects of the TMI-2 recovery has been the advancement of radioactive waste management technology. The high levels and unusual nature of the TMI-2 radioactive waste necessitated the development of innovative techniques for processing, packaging, shipping, and disposal. The investment in research was rewarded with large volume reductions and associated cost savings. It is anticipated that the TMI-2 radioactive waste management technology will make major contributions to the design of new systems to meet this growing need. The following areas appear particularly suited for this purpose: volume reduction, high-integrity containers, and selective isotope removal

Environmental regulation and technological innovation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farrell, A.E. [Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, Pittsburg, PA (United States)

2002-07-01

Government policies are a major factor in the determination of structural conditions of competition. The innovative activity comprises the following: invention, adoption, and diffusion. Invention involves research and development activities such as patenting, research and development budgets. The adoption phase is concerned with deployment. As for the diffusion phase, it involves commercialization, and scale-economies. The process of introducing new technologies that are adopted by small numbers of customers in a niche market was explained. Once costs are lowered through experience gained in designing, manufacturing and servicing the new technology, mew applications generally lead to larger markets. Environmental technologies have no early adopters, implying that governments have an important role to play. However, commercial processes are not normally as well known to government as it is to the private sector. The electoral cycle also interferes with long term research and development efforts for technological clusters. A look at sulphur dioxide control at United States power plants illustrated the problem. The author then explained the reasons behind low allowance prices. Low-sulphur western coal was rendered economic in large areas of the United States by rail deregulation. Electricity restructuring was also a factor. The author indicated that binding government regulation must come before adoption and diffusion of emission controls. A summary of recent research was provided, in which the author stated that no single policy instrument was likely to properly stimulate innovative activity. In those cases where both supply and demand are stimulated by government, the technological innovation is greatest. Stringent regulations induce innovation, as do greater flexibility and greater regulatory certainty. Knowledge transfer within the industry is vital. 8 refs., 3 figs.

Information needs of health technology assessment units and agencies in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Galnares-Cordero, Lorea; Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea, Iñaki

2010-10-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the information needs of Spanish health technology assessment (HTA) agencies and units to facilitate access to the resources they require to substantiate their reports. A questionnaire was designed and distributed among HTA bodies to ascertain the actual situation of subscriptions to information resources and what information specialists from these bodies considered would be the ideal subscription situation. Their information needs were then studied, and the resources that best met these needs were put forward. Following this definition, a subscriptions policy was adopted with suppliers and publishers. The survey showed that HTA bodies share a minimum of core subscriptions that includes open sources (MEDLINE, DARE) and sources that the government subscribes to for the health community (ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Library Plus). There was no common approach to determining which databases to subscribe to (UpToDate, EMBASE, Ovid EBMR, CINAHL, or ECRI). After identifying the information needs, a list of resources was proposed that would best cover these needs and, of these, subscription to the following was proposed: Scopus, Ovid EBMR, Clinical Evidence, DynaMed, ECRI, and Hayes. There are differences in the way that HTA agencies and units access the different resources of biomedical information. Combined subscription to several resources for documentation services was suggested as a way of resolving these differences.

78 FR 31571 - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for the “Technology-based Products to Prevent High...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-24

... used by colleges and universities using their existing communication systems (20 points); and... university campuses across the United States, which often result in life-altering consequences such as death... this problem through cost-effective, portable, technology-based products that effectively reach a...

En-Vac Robotic Wall Scabbler. Innovative Technology Summary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continually seeks safer and more cost-effective technologies for use in decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) of nuclear facilities. To this end, the Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area (DDFA) of the DOE's Office of Science and Technology (OST) sponsors Large-Scale Demonstration and Deployment Projects (LSDDP). At these LSDDPs, developers and vendors of improved or innovative technologies showcase products that are potentially beneficial to DOE's projects and to others in the D and D community. Benefits sought include decreased health and safety risks to personnel and the environment, increased productivity, and decreased cost of operation. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) LSDDP generated a list of statements defining specific needs or problems where improved technology could be incorporated into ongoing D and D tasks. One of the stated needs was for a Robotic Wall Scabbler that would reduce costs and shorten schedules in DOE's Decommissioning Project. This demonstration investigated the associated costs and time required to remove paint from the Test Area North (TAN-607) Decontamination Shop walls by comparing the En-vac Robotic Wall Scabbler against the baseline technology. The baseline technologies consist of the Pentek Vac Pac System with the Pentek Rotopeen and Needle Gun hand-held attachments. This system only removes paint from the surface of concrete. Innovative Technology The En-vac Robotic Wall Scabbler is a remote-controlled scabbling unit with individually motor-controlled wheels that moves horizontally and vertically along floors, walls, and ceilings, adhering to the surface with the help of a high-vacuum suction created at its base (see Figures 1 and 2). The complete En-vac Blasting System consists of the En-vac robot, a recycling unit, a filter, and a vacuum unit, and uses an abrasive, steel-grit blasting technology for the scabbling process. By comparison, this

Fiscal 1999 project for research and development of industrial and scientific technologies. Report on the achievements on research and development of a technology to structure accelerated type living organism functions (Unit zone combination technology and the advancement experimental system structuring technology); 1999 nendo kasokugata seibutsu kino kochiku gijutsu no kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Tan'i ryoiki kumiawase gijutsu oyobi shinka jikkenkei system kochiku gijutsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

With an aim at structuring an advancement experimental system that can introduce high-level functions efficiently, research was performed on the unit zone combination technology and the advancement experimental system structuring technology. This paper summarizes the achievements in fiscal 1999. In the research of the unit zone combination technology, analysis was made on the structures and functions of barnase mutants replaced with modules and secondary structure units, in order to investigate how much of plasticity is possessed by the amino acid array constituting natural proteins. In addition, establishment was implemented on the random multi-recombination PCR that can link randomly the DNAs having arbitrary arrangement. Furthermore, the STABLE method was developed successfully to put proteins and DNAs coding thereof into direct correspondence. The research on the optimal advancement experimental system structuring technology using model enzymes placed the importance on the mutation generating technology, or the random peptide library fabricating technology. Research was carried out with an intention of structuring a system to discover quickly an optimal method. (NEDO)

The application of irradiation to phyto sanitary problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, R T [USDA/APHIS/PPQ. Department of Agriculture, Room 1630 Soagribg, 1400 Independence Ave. Sw. Mail Code Stop 3438, 20250 Washington D.C. (United States)

1998-12-31

The first formally adopted regulatory policy for irradiation as a phyto sanitary treatment in the United States was issued in 1989 and was based on Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations authorized irradiation as a quarantine treatment for papayas intended for movement from the State of Hawaii to the continental United States (U.S.), Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This authorization was specific for commodity, place of origin, and program, but was designed for a complex of three fruit flies rather than a single pest. Routine commercial shipments were never realized under this regulation due to the lack of a treatment facility in Hawaii. However, the authorization has proven useful from the standpoint of beginning to establish policies for irradiation as a phyto sanitary treatment in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) remains dedicated to using the most up-to-date, appropriate and least intrusive technology to provide quarantine security. The need for alternative treatments for pests mitigation systems is greater than ever. Global trade pressures and the possible loss of methyl bromide make it imperative that all practical treatment options be explored. Since 1989 irradiation treatment concepts have matured significantly. Technological advances, greater experience, and an increasingly larger body of research indicate that irradiation has important potential as a treatment for quarantine pest problems. It is in this light that PPQ is expanding its regulatory framework, is addressing irradiation treatment options, and is developing comprehensive policy statements intended to facilitate the development and formalization of new treatments for phyto sanitary applications. (Author)

The application of irradiation to phyto sanitary problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, R.T.

1997-01-01

The first formally adopted regulatory policy for irradiation as a phyto sanitary treatment in the United States was issued in 1989 and was based on Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations authorized irradiation as a quarantine treatment for papayas intended for movement from the State of Hawaii to the continental United States (U.S.), Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This authorization was specific for commodity, place of origin, and program, but was designed for a complex of three fruit flies rather than a single pest. Routine commercial shipments were never realized under this regulation due to the lack of a treatment facility in Hawaii. However, the authorization has proven useful from the standpoint of beginning to establish policies for irradiation as a phyto sanitary treatment in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) remains dedicated to using the most up-to-date, appropriate and least intrusive technology to provide quarantine security. The need for alternative treatments for pests mitigation systems is greater than ever. Global trade pressures and the possible loss of methyl bromide make it imperative that all practical treatment options be explored. Since 1989 irradiation treatment concepts have matured significantly. Technological advances, greater experience, and an increasingly larger body of research indicate that irradiation has important potential as a treatment for quarantine pest problems. It is in this light that PPQ is expanding its regulatory framework, is addressing irradiation treatment options, and is developing comprehensive policy statements intended to facilitate the development and formalization of new treatments for phyto sanitary applications. (Author)

The application of irradiation to phyto sanitary problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, R.T. [USDA/APHIS/PPQ. Department of Agriculture, Room 1630 Soagribg, 1400 Independence Ave. Sw. Mail Code Stop 3438, 20250 Washington D.C. (United States)

1997-12-31

The first formally adopted regulatory policy for irradiation as a phyto sanitary treatment in the United States was issued in 1989 and was based on Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations authorized irradiation as a quarantine treatment for papayas intended for movement from the State of Hawaii to the continental United States (U.S.), Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This authorization was specific for commodity, place of origin, and program, but was designed for a complex of three fruit flies rather than a single pest. Routine commercial shipments were never realized under this regulation due to the lack of a treatment facility in Hawaii. However, the authorization has proven useful from the standpoint of beginning to establish policies for irradiation as a phyto sanitary treatment in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) remains dedicated to using the most up-to-date, appropriate and least intrusive technology to provide quarantine security. The need for alternative treatments for pests mitigation systems is greater than ever. Global trade pressures and the possible loss of methyl bromide make it imperative that all practical treatment options be explored. Since 1989 irradiation treatment concepts have matured significantly. Technological advances, greater experience, and an increasingly larger body of research indicate that irradiation has important potential as a treatment for quarantine pest problems. It is in this light that PPQ is expanding its regulatory framework, is addressing irradiation treatment options, and is developing comprehensive policy statements intended to facilitate the development and formalization of new treatments for phyto sanitary applications. (Author)

Technology for site remediation: availability, needs and opportunities for R and D at SCK/CEN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collard, G

1996-09-18

Considerable experience has been gained over the past years in the use of control and treatment technologies, applied to contaminated sites and environments. Although available technologies are adequate in many cases, it is recognized that many technologies are too costly or inadequate to address the multitude of contaminant problems. This insight has led national and international organizations as well as private organizations and universities to sponsor environment technology programmes to address technology needs. The United States Department of Energy for example has initiated an aggressive environmental technology development programme and the Commission of the European Union is sponsoring environmental technology development. An overview is given of innovative and emerging technologies that may become important. Opportunities for SCK/CEN in research, development, and demonstration programmes are outlined.

Metal recycling technology and related issues in the United States, a BNFL perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradbury, P.; Dam, S.; Starke, W.

1995-01-01

Radioactively contaminated metallic materials comprise a large part of the potential waste products which result from nuclear facility repair, refurbishment, and decommissioning. United States Government (Departments of Energy and Defense) facilities, U.S. nuclear power plants, and other commercial nuclear fuel cycle facilities have large inventories of radioactive scrap metal which could be decontaminated and recycled into useful radioactive and non-radioactive products. Residual radioactivity and recycling criteria is needed to avoid the high cost of disposal and the waste of natural resources. In the United Kingdom, BNFL has decommissioned the gaseous diffusion plant at Capenhurst and has recycled a large fraction of the metallic scrap into the metals market. Other structural materials have also been released as uncontaminated scrap. U.K. release criteria for residual radionuclide contamination have been applied to these operations. A variety of techniques were utilized to size reduce large components, to remove radioactivity, and to survey and release these materials. These methods and the application of release criteria has a direct relationship to methods which would be applicable in the U.S. and in other countries. This paper will describe the specific U.K. technology and experience in the decontamination, recycle, and release of scrap metal. It will also describe the U.S. environment for metal recycle, including the volumes and levels of contamination, and the current and proposed release criteria. Comparisons will be presented between the U.S. and U.K., both in technology and methodology for recycle and in regulatory criteria for residual radioactivity and material release and for ultimate decommissioning. The paper will then provide suggested approaches and criteria for U.S. recycling and decommissioning. (author)

Dual Comb Unit High-g Accelerometer Based on CMOS-MEMS Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrdad Mottaghi

2009-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper a capacitive based high-g accelerometer with superior level of sensitivity is presented. It takes advantage of dual comb unit configuration and surface micromachining fabrication process. All aspects of mechanical design such as sensor structure, modal analysis, energy dissipations, dynamic response and stresses in moving structure as well as anchors are described. Electrical circuit based on CMOS technology and its output signal is presented. Fabrication process and packaging are also discussed. The proposed sensor can endure impact loads up to 120,000 g (g = 9.81 m.s-2 and achieves 16.75 µV.g-1 sensitivity with 5 V bridge excitation voltage. Main resonant frequency of structure is found to be 42.4 kHz. Intended applications of suggested sensor include military and aerospace industries as well as field of impact engineering.

Advanced spent fuel processing technologies for the United States GNEP programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laidler, J.J.

2007-01-01

Spent fuel processing technologies for future advanced nuclear fuel cycles are being developed under the scope of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). This effort seeks to make available for future deployment a fissile material recycling system that does not involve the separation of pure plutonium from spent fuel. In the nuclear system proposed by the United States under the GNEP initiative, light water reactor spent fuel is treated by means of a solvent extraction process that involves a group extraction of transuranic elements. The recovered transuranics are recycled as fuel material for advanced burner reactors, which can lead in the long term to fast reactors with conversion ratios greater than unity, helping to assure the sustainability of nuclear power systems. Both aqueous and pyrochemical methods are being considered for fast reactor spent fuel processing in the current US development programme. (author)

Development of radioisotope tracer technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Joon Ha; Lee, Myun Joo; Jung, Sung Hee; Park, Soon Chul; Lim, Dong Soon; Kim, Jae Ho; Lee, Jae Choon; Lee, Doo Sung; Cho, Yong Suk; Shin, Sung Kuan

2000-04-01

The purpose of this study is to develop the radioisotope tracer technology, which can be used in solving industrial and environmental problems and to build a strong tracer group to support the local industries. In relation to the tracer technology in 1999, experiments to estimate the efficiencies of a sludge digester of a waste water treatment plant and a submerged biological reactor of a dye industry were conducted. As a result, the tracer technology for optimization of facilities related to wastewater treatment has been developed and is believed to contribute to improve their operation efficiency. The quantification of the experimental result was attempted to improve the confidence of tracer technology by ECRIN program which basically uses the MCNP simulation principle. Using thin layer activation technique, wear of tappet shim was estimated. Thin layer surface of a tappet shim was irradiated by proton beam and the correlation between the measured activity loss and the amount of wear was established. The equipment was developed to adjust the energy of proton which collides with the surface of tappet. The tracer project team has participated into the tracer test for estimating the efficiency of RFCC system in SK cooperation. From the experiment the tracer team has obtained the primary elements to be considered for judging the efficiency of RFCC unit. By developing the tracer techniques to test huge industrial units like RFCC, the tracer team will be able to support the local industries that require technical services to solve any urgent trouble. (author)

ALTERNATIVE REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGY STUDY FOR GROUNDWATER TREATMENT AT 200-PO-1 OPERABLE UNIT AT HANFORD SITE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DADO MA

2008-07-31

This study focuses on the remediation methods and technologies applicable for use at 200-PO-I Groundwater Operable Unit (OU) at the Hanford Site. The 200-PO-I Groundwater au requires groundwater remediation because of the existence of contaminants of potential concern (COPC). A screening was conducted on alternative technologies and methods of remediation to determine which show the most potential for remediation of groundwater contaminants. The possible technologies were screened to determine which would be suggested for further study and which were not applicable for groundwater remediation. COPCs determined by the Hanford Site groundwater monitoring were grouped into categories based on properties linking them by remediation methods applicable to each COPC group. The screening considered the following criteria. (1) Determine if the suggested method or technology can be used for the specific contaminants found in groundwater and if the technology can be applied at the 200-PO-I Groundwater au, based on physical characteristics such as geology and depth to groundwater. (2) Evaluate screened technologies based on testing and development stages, effectiveness, implementability, cost, and time. This report documents the results of an intern research project conducted by Mathew Dado for Central Plateau Remediation in the Soil and Groundwater Remediation Project. The study was conducted under the technical supervision of Gloria Cummins and management supervision of Theresa Bergman and Becky Austin.

Uniting Legislation with RFID Privacy-Enhancing Technologies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rieback, M.R.; Crispo, B.; Tanenbaum, A.S.

2005-01-01

RFID is a popular identification and automation technology with serious security and privacy threats. Legislation expounds upon the actual security and privacy needs of people in RFID-enabled environments, while technology helps to ensure legal compliance. This paper examines the main aims of RFID

Copper Cable Recycling Technology. Innovative Technology Summary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) continually seeks safer and more cost-effective technologies for use in deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) of nuclear facilities. The Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area (DDFA) of the DOE's Office of Science and Technology (OST) sponsors large-scale demonstration and deployment projects (LSDDPs). At these LSDDPs, developers and vendors of improved or innovative technologies showcase products that are potentially beneficial to the DOE's projects and to others in the D and D community. Benefits sought include decreased health and safety risks to personnel and the environment, increased productivity, and decreased costs of operation. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) generated a list of statements defining specific needs and problems where improved technology could be incorporated into ongoing D and D tasks. One such need is to reduce the volume of waste copper wire and cable generated by D and D. Deactivation and decommissioning activities of nuclear facilities generates hundreds of tons of contaminated copper cable, which are sent to radioactive waste disposal sites. The Copper Cable Recycling Technology separates the clean copper from contaminated insulation and dust materials in these cables. The recovered copper can then be reclaimed and, more importantly, landfill disposal volumes can be reduced. The existing baseline technology for disposing radioactively contaminated cables is to package the cables in wooden storage boxes and dispose of the cables in radioactive waste disposal sites. The Copper Cable Recycling Technology is applicable to facility decommissioning projects at many Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities and commercial nuclear power plants undergoing decommissioning activities. The INEEL Copper Cable Recycling Technology Demonstration investigated the effectiveness and efficiency to recycle 13.5 tons of copper cable. To determine the effectiveness

Japan's electronic packaging technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Tummala, Rao R.; Pecht, Michael

1995-02-01

The JTEC panel found Japan to have significant leadership over the United States in the strategic area of electronic packaging. Many technologies and products once considered the 'heart and soul' of U.S. industry have been lost over the past decades to Japan and other Asian countries. The loss of consumer electronics technologies and products is the most notable of these losses, because electronics is the United States' largest employment sector and is critical for growth businesses in consumer products, computers, automobiles, aerospace, and telecommunications. In the past there was a distinction between consumer and industrial product technologies. While Japan concentrated on the consumer market, the United States dominated the industrial sector. No such distinction is anticipated in the future; the consumer-oriented technologies Japan has dominated are expected to characterize both domains. The future of U.S. competitiveness will, therefore, depend on the ability of the United States to rebuild its technological capabilities in the area of portable electronic packaging.

Quality and productivity drive innovation and improvement at United Technologies Aerospace Operations, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamar, L. G.

1986-01-01

Quality and innovation are the hallmarks of the national space program. In programs that preceded the Shuttle Program the emphasis was on meeting the risks and technical challenges of space with safety, quality, reliability, and success. At United Technologies Aerospace Operations, Inc. (UTAO), the battle has developed along four primary fronts. These fronts include programs to motivate and reward people, development and construction of optimized processes and facilities, implementation of specifically tailored management systems, and the application of appropriate measurement and control systems. Each of these initiatives is described. However, to put this quality and productivity program in perspective, UTAO and its role in the Shuttle Program are described first.

Technical assistance and the transfer of remote sensing technology. [for economic development

Science.gov (United States)

Chipman, R.

1977-01-01

The transfer of technology from industrialized countries to the third world is a very complicated process and one that requires a great deal of research and development. The political and social obstacles to this transfer are generally greater than the technical obstacles, but technical assistance programs have neither the competence nor the inclination to deal with these factors adequately. Funding for technical assistance in remote sensing is now expanding rapidly, and there is a growing need for institutions to study and promote the effective use of this technology for economic development. The United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and the Canadian technical assistance agencies take different approaches to the problem and deal with the political pressures in different ways.

Encouraging Sixth-Grade Students' Problem-Solving Performance by Teaching through Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Bostic, Jonathan D.; Pape, Stephen J.; Jacobbe, Tim

2016-01-01

This teaching experiment provided students with continuous engagement in a problem-solving based instructional approach during one mathematics unit. Three sections of sixth-grade mathematics were sampled from a school in Florida, U.S.A. and one section was randomly assigned to experience teaching through problem solving. Students' problem-solving…

New technologies shaping the biomass industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, Jessica

2015-01-01

Technology is becoming an increasing important piece of the biomass burning industry, as emission regulations and standards become tighter. New, smart technology available to the industry improves combustion efficiency and decreases emissions. Features such as variable speed pumps, blowers, and motors for fuel and air delivery and ash removal, oxygen sensors for feedback to fine-tune the air to fuel ratio and apps to offer remote control and alerts sent to smartphones and tablets are now available in the US. With smarter controls, the unit can run independently, adjust for a variety of conditions including fuel quality, and notify the user ahead of time of situations before they become a problem, such as adding more fuel. Furthermore, diagnostics aid in quick and efficient solutions, saving consumers and manufacturers’ time and money. (full text)

A mathematical approach to research problems of science and technology theoretical basis and developments in mathematical modeling

CERN Document Server

Ei, Shin-ichiro; Koiso, Miyuki; Ochiai, Hiroyuki; Okada, Kanzo; Saito, Shingo; Shirai, Tomoyuki

2014-01-01

This book deals with one of the most novel advances in mathematical modeling for applied scientific technology, including computer graphics, public-key encryption, data visualization, statistical data analysis, symbolic calculation, encryption, error correcting codes, and risk management. It also shows that mathematics can be used to solve problems from nature, e.g., slime mold algorithms. One of the unique features of this book is that it shows readers how to use pure and applied mathematics, especially those mathematical theory/techniques developed in the twentieth century, and developing now, to solve applied problems in several fields of industry. Each chapter includes clues on how to use "mathematics" to solve concrete problems faced in industry as well as practical applications. The target audience is not limited to researchers working in applied mathematics and includes those in engineering, material sciences, economics, and life sciences.

United States, Europe and Poland Different Stages of Antitrust Tying War in the New Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariusz SWORA

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Microsoft’s case has led to heated debates, both in Europe and the United States of America, on the abuse of the dominant position and on the prohibition of tying. This discussion, both in Europe and the United States, is not finished. In this article the author presents legal implications of tying products in Europe and Poland and confronts them with the American approach to tying. In Poland, a country with a fast developing economy, with the growing level of foreign investments, discussion on monopolist practices under the conditions of a fast technological development1 has not really commenced yet. The problems of innovation and development of New Economy undertakings has gained new impetus following Poland’s accession to the European Union. It is a matter of time when the anti-trust law begins to show interest in them. There are some indications that this has already taken place. In the first part of this article the author briefly presents the discussion related to Microsoft III case in the United States insofar as it pertains to New Economy issues. The second and third parts address legal and political aspects of the Microsoft case in the European Union. In the fourth part legal aspects related to tying practices in Poland are presented. The article aims to show that instrumental and mechanical treatment of tying practices used by firms having the market power under conditions of technological progress is not proper. The problem of antitrust analysis of such practices is universal, as universal as these practices are. However, the problem is solved differently in the United States and in Europe and the reasons for such a different approach are rooted in the legal system and policy enforcement. Microsoft antitrust is global. After US and European cases, Korean competition authority has found Microsoft guilty of tying practices2. Regarding Microsoft problems with tying it is necessary to ask the question whether tying practices are

Safety R and D Needs in Multi-Unit PSA from a Regulatory Viewpoint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heo, Gyunyoung; Yoon, Ji Woong [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Man Cheol [Chung-Ang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) NSSC’s recent approval of the construction permits and operation licenses of Shin Kori units 3 to 6 has brought attention to the multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). The disaster in Fukushima revealed the risks associated with the use of spent fuel pools (SFPs), and the linear (or non-linear) consequences of radiation leaks from multi-units in particular, has raised concerns. The number of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation will increase to ten at the Kori and Shin Kori sites when the construction of Units 5 and 6 is complete - the highest concentration of power reactors in one region in world history. Nuclear disasters do not happen frequently, but when one does happen, its cascading effects can inflict massive human and environmental loss. Proper safety measures are needed as more nuclear installations are put in place. Nuclear regulators are forced to promptly produce a sufficient degree of realistic and objective risk assessment results to meet the rapidly-increasing demand for multi-unit PSA, while striving to achieve matching levels of technological development. The issues with the technological aspects of PSA would still be inherent even after a few years of research, and ensuring the safety of multi-units would still prove challenging. Experts are however relieved that the general public is now much more familiar with the concept of PSA than in the past, which indicates a rise in the degree of public understanding of technology. More studies should be done on multi-unit regulation and safety so as to steer the government in the proper direction for enacting policies aimed to ensure the health of local residents. In conclusion, the technical problems associated with multi-unit PSA that were not mentioned in this paper are essentially similar to their single-unit counterparts, therefore, reinforcing the base infrastructure of PSAs in general will work towards resolving such technical

Introduction to global energetic problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gicquel, R.

1992-01-01

This book gives a view on global energetic problems and proposes a thorough economic analysis on principle aspects taken into account: energy supply, depending energy sources and available technologic channels, relationships between macro-economy and energy demand, new size of energy problems (environmental effects, overcosts of renewable energy sources, necessity of an high technologic development...). 38 refs

The U.S. program for fusion nuclear technology development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, J.F.; Haas, G.M.

1989-01-01

The Fusion Nuclear Technology (FNT) research and development program in the United States is shaped by a hierarchy of documents and by the environment for nuclear energy existing in the United States. The fission nuclear industry in the United States has suffered problems with public perception of safety, waste disposal issues, and economics as influenced by safety and environmental issues. For fusion to be a viable energy alternative, it must offer significant improvements in these areas. The hierarchy of documents defining objectives, plans, and strategy of the U.S. FNT program consists of the Magnetic Fusion Program Plan (MFPP) (February 1985), the Technical Planning Activity Final Report (January 1987), the Finesse Program Report (January 1987), and the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study Final Report (September 1984). In addition, two other documents are also significant in shaping FNT policy. These are the IEA report on Material for Fusion (December 1986) and the Summary of the Report of the Senior Committee on Environmental, Safety, and Economic Aspects of Magnetic Fusion Energy (September 1987). The U.S. Magnetic Fusion Program Plan defines four key technical issues (magnetic confinement systems, properties of burning plasmas, fusion nuclear technology, and fusion materials). (orig./KP)

Emergency Preparedness technology support to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Kula, K.R.

1994-03-01

The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the United Kingdom (UK) suggested the use of an accident progression logic model method developed by Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for K Reactor to predict the magnitude and timing of radioactivity releases (the source term) based on an advanced logic model methodology. Predicted releases are output from the personal computer-based model in a level-of-confidence format. Additional technical discussions eventually led to a request from the NII to develop a proposal for assembling a similar technology to predict source terms for the UK's advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) type. To respond to this request, WSRC is submitting a proposal to provide contractual assistance as specified in the Scope of Work. The work will produce, document, and transfer technology associated with a Decision-Oriented Source Term Estimator for Emergency Preparedness (DOSE-EP) for the NII to apply to AGRs in the United Kingdom. This document, Appendix A is a part of this proposal

Survey on problems in developing technologies for the global environment issues (Version II); Chikyu kankyo mondai gijutsu kaihatsu kadai chosa. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1990-07-01

This paper describes a survey on problems in developing technologies for the global environment issues. Technological development of means to reduce generation of environmental issues and substitutive means for non-generation thereof is being moved forward specifically in the Sunshine Project and the Moonlight Project. The Chemical Technology Research Institute assumes that it has a responsibility to positively contribute to developing a technological system that matches the substance circulation mechanism of the earth from the fields of chemistry. Therefore, the Institute has organized working groups that have been identifying problems from their expertise standpoints and have been extracting study assignments. Subsequent to the Version I, the Version II has been compiled. The Version II takes up the simulation of global warming mechanisms, behavior of gases dissolved in oceans, and possibility of fixing CO2 in oceans. With respect to fluorocarbons, the Version II describes development of substitutive substances, their stability, combustion method as a destruction technique, and destruction by means of super criticality. Regarding CO2, the version introduces technologies to re-use CO2 as a resource by means of membrane separation, storage, and contact hydrogenation. The volume also dwells on CO2 reduction by using photo-chemical and electrochemical reactions, CO2 reduction and photo-synthesis by using semiconductors as photo catalysts and electrodes. (NEDO)

Tightening water quality regulations produces an innovative separation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welther, P.B.; Broussard, P.C.

1994-01-01

The impact of the recent proposed changes in the water quality standards for offshore producing platforms is having a far reaching effect on the oil and gas industry. At a time when oil companies are cutting back their work forces and reducing capital outlays in order to stay competitive in the market, water treatment equipment manufacturing companies are aggressively seeking innovative and cost effective solutions to meet the environmental requirements. Necessity drives advancements in technology, so Monosep Corporation has accepted the challenge to improve induced gas flotation technology and to develop enhanced gravity separation. This system of improved gas flotation and enhanced gravity separation can be used to consistently meet the proposed new guideline of an ''oil and grease'' maximum monthly average of 29 mg/l (milligrams per liter) in the discharged water from offshore platforms. The results demonstrated in the field suggest that adding enhanced gravity separation upstream of existing gas flotation units can improve performance sufficient to meet the Proposed stricter discharge limits. For platforms that do not have efficient gas flotation units, the old units can be replaced or modified to include the new features improved gas flotation technology like the Veirsep. For those few platforms are having difficulty meeting the current discharge requirements, both a new improved gas flotation unit, as well as a more sophisticated upstream gravity separator like the Cyclosep, may need to be installed. Chemical additives are sometimes a required necessity, but must be used sparingly due to the potential for creating soluble oil problems

Renovation of the 'old' NPP units as an economically effective way of nuclear power development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zrodnikov, A.V.; Toshinsky, G.I.; Komlev, O.G.; Dragunov, Yu.G.; Stepanov, V.S.; Klimov, N.N.; Kopytov, I.I.; Krushelnitsky, V.N.

2005-01-01

In the process of nuclear power development there comes a phase when the old' power-units, which reactor installations have expired the designed and extended service lifetime are withdrawn from operating. At this phase in the case of the same annual investments into nuclear power, the increase of the total set up capacity of the nuclear power will be terminated because introduction of capacities due to construction of 'new' power-units only compensates for the reduction of capacities caused by withdrawing from operating the 'old' power-units. Along with this, taking into account a sizeable difference in the service lifetime of the nuclear steam supplying systems and the rest infrastructure of the nuclear power plants, it is an opportunity to find the solution to the problem of compensating for the withdrawn capacities without considerable increasing the annual investments. This opportunity is connected with use of the innovative nuclear power technology based on multipurpose small power modular fast reactors with lead-bismuth coolant for replacement of the withdrawn capacities (renovation of power-units). The features of the innovative nuclear power technology based on the SVBR-76/100 reactor installations, the results of the technical and economical investigations that demonstrate the high economical efficiency of use of the renovation technology using the SVBR-75/100 reactor modules are presented in the Paper. (author)

Review of the nuclear waste disposal problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poch, L.A.; Wolsko, T.D.

1979-10-01

Regardless of future nuclear policy, a nuclear waste disposal problem does exist and must be dealt with. Even a moratorium on new nuclear plants leaves us with the wastes already in existence and wastes yet to be generated by reactors in operation. Thus, technologies to effectively dispose of our current waste problem must be researched and identified and, then, disposal facilities built. The magnitude of the waste disposal problem is a function of future nuclear policy. There are some waste disposal technologies that are suitable for both forms of HLW (spent fuel and reprocessing wastes), whereas others can be used with only reprocessed wastes. Therefore, the sooner a decision on the future of nuclear power is made the more accurately the magnitude of the waste problem will be known, thereby identifying those technologies that deserve more attention and funding. It is shown that there are risks associated with every disposal technology. One technology may afford a higher isolation potential at the expense of increased transportation risks in comparison to a second technology. Establishing the types of risks we are willing to live with must be resolved before any waste disposal technology can be instituted for widespread commercial use

Gas process technology for fuel cells. Desulfurization and other key problems; Gasprozesstechnik fuer Brennstoffzellen. Entschwefelung und andere Kernfragen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinzel, A.; Kalk, T.; Kvasnicka, A.; Roes, J.; Steffen, M.; Witzany, R. [Duisburg-Essen Univ., (Germany). ZBT Duisburg

2008-07-01

Fuel cells as Micro-CHP units for residential energy supply are one important technology option to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Starting from natural gas as energy carrier, hydrogen is generated by catalytic processes. Prototypes are operated in field test in the meanwhile, but there are still important technical and scientific questions to deal with, as there are e.g. the desulfurisation of natural gas, the optimisation of heat integration in order to improve the efficiency of the complete system, the realisation of a closed water loop and last but not least the formation and impact of ammonia. At the same time, cost aspects and production technology have to be considered. (orig.)

Replacing textbook problems with lab experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Register, Trevor

2017-10-01

End-of-the-chapter textbook problems are often the bread and butter of any traditional physics classroom. However, research strongly suggests that students be given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in multiple contexts as well as be provided with opportunities to do the process of science through laboratory experiences. Little correlation has been shown linking the number of textbook problems solved with conceptual understanding of topics in mechanics. Furthermore, textbook problems as the primary source of practice for students robs them of the joy and productive struggle of learning how to think like an experimental physicist. Methods such as Modeling Instruction tackle this problem head-on by starting each instructional unit with an inquiry-based lab aimed at establishing the important concepts and equations for the unit, and this article will discuss ideas and experiences for how to carry that philosophy throughout a unit.

The Use of Space Technology for Environmental Security, Disaster Rehabilitation and Sustainable Development in Afghanistan and Iraq

Science.gov (United States)

Lovett, Kian

Since the dawn of time, humans have engaged in war. In the last 5,600 years of recorded history 14,600 wars have been waged1. The United Nations has sought to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to foster peace. Wars have recently taken place in Afghanistan and Iraq. Both countries are now faced with a range of complex problems. In-depth country assessments reveal significant shortcomings in the areas of water, sanitation, health, security and natural resource management. These are key factors when examining environmental security, sustainable development and trans-boundary problems, all of which are issues relevant to the Middle East and Central Asian states. Space technology can be applied to support the reconstruction and development plans for Afghanistan and Iraq; however, there needs to be an investigation and open discussion of how these resources can best be used. Already, agencies within the United Nations possess considerable expertise in the use of space technologies in the area of disaster management. If this capability is to be used, there will need to be inter-agency coordination, not to mention a further expansion and development of the United Nations role in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

Problems of Technology of Energy-Saving Buildings and Their Impact on Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Kwasnowski, Pawel; Fedorczak-Cisak, Malgorzata; Knap, Katarzyna

2017-10-01

Introduction of EPBD in legislation of the EU member states caused that buildings must meet very stringent requirements of thermal protection and energy efficiency. On the basis of EPBD provisions, EU Member States introduce standard of NZEB (Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings). Such activities cause a need for new, innovative materials and technologies, and new approaches to design, construction and retrofitting of buildings. Indispensable is the precise coordination of the design of structure and technical installations of building, which may be provided in an integrated design process in the system BIM. Good coordination and cooperation of all contractors during the construction phase is also necessary. The article presents the problems and the new methodology for the design, construction and use of energy efficient buildings in terms of energy saving technologies, including discussion of the significant impact of the automation of technical installations on the building energy efficiency.

Deconstructing Technological Literacy: Opening a Window to Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Brandt

2015-01-01

In an environment of rapid and unpredictable change determined and directed by technologies that are constantly changing, the assumption that being technologically literate is the key to being a sustained, contributing life-long learner is well founded. However, technological literacy is seldom referred to or considered in academic arguments as a…

A survey of low-level radioactive waste treatment methods and problem areas associated with commercial nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jolley, R.L.; Rodgers, B.R.

1987-01-01

A survey was made (June 1985) of technologies that were currently being used, those that had been discontinued, and those that were under consideration for treatment of low-level radioactive waste from the commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. The survey results included information concerning problems areas, areas needing research and development, and the use of mobile treatment facilities

CONVERGENT (NBIC TECHNOLOGIES: PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFORMATIONAL POTENTIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

И В Данилин

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Modern innovation policy is formed under strong influence of disruptive technologies con-cepts, which help mobilize support for Science and Technology (S&T policy, structure international S&T cooperation and system, etc. They are also important for the global processes, promising changes in leading powers cohort. This is why disruptive technology concepts are accented by the emerging economics, especially by BRIC nations. A concept of converging (or nano-bio-info-cognitive, also known as NBIC technologies is very illustrative. Being originally a part of the USA nanotechnology policy and transhumanistic discourse, it gradually evolved globally with focus on “Grand Challenges”. But, despite successes of technology convergence since 2000s, concept itself proved to be not fully operational, being mostly a metaphor for rising interdisciplinarity and discipline convergence. Nonetheless its revolutionary potential was meaningful, but linked not to technological, but institu-tional and socio-cultural dimensions. Among them were human capital development, changing logic of S&T organization, reforming S&T policies, formation of new culture and ethics of research and development, systemic development of national innovation systems. These ideas, implicitly present in the NBIC concept, were of a special importance for the emerging economies as key factors for their enforced growth and rising quality of development processes. But these issues were surprisingly weak articulated in NBIC concept. Partly that was the influence of transhumanist discourse with its escape from solving societal challenges by technological change of human self. Not less important was that NBIC were seen by elites as a mean to bypass deep reforms and buildup of innovation institutions. I.e., concepts of disruptive technologies represent a psychological sub-stitute for a really intense development. Uniqueness of NBIC is that it makes this contradiction very visible. As shown in

Technology assessment and technology policy in Europe : New concepts, new goals, new infrastructures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, R.; Leyten, J.; Hertog, P. den

1995-01-01

Starting from the observation that the technological potentials are underutilized in economic and in social tems, this article raises the question of what role technology assessment (TA) can play in technology policy to address this problem. The causes of the problem of underutilization are analyzed

A comparative study on export control systems of nuclear technology in ROK and USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tae, Jae Woong; Shin, Dong Hoon [Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

Perfect removal of transferred technology is impossible because it is impossible to find all copies of technologies such as files and documents. International community concerns about Terrorists' acquirement of nuclear technologies related to nuclear reactors, enrichment and reprocessing Facilities and heavy water production facilities, which can be used for production of nuclear weapons. Non-state actors as well as concerning countries have tried to possess nuclear technology for developing nuclear weapons. Non-state actors' activities threaten global nuclear security. Korea exported four nuclear power plants to UAE and a research reactor to Jordan. Non-state actors may try to procure nuclear equipment and technology from Korean nuclear industries. Therefore, the export control system should be enhanced for national nuclear security and safety. In this study, the export control system of Korea and the United States were compared concerning to nuclear technology. In summary, controlled activities related to nuclear technology are treated more variously and more diverse activities are controlled in the United States than In Korea. Catch-all control will lose its effectiveness without this. Related to the control of ITT (Intangible Technology Transfer), Korea and the United States are trying to amend the export control regulation. Both of them are trying to control intangible technology transfers effectively. Revised Foreign Trade Act in Korea is expected to introduce a more rigorous system of nuclear technology controls. It focuses on nationality rather than residence. The revised law may face into other problems such as dual nationals like as the United States. However, this satisfies legislative requirements for control of a deemed export. The revised law will enter into force in 2014. Accurate meanings of technology and export will be defined soon in the enforcement decree and the public notice before 2014. However, it is hard to revise the definition

A comparative study on export control systems of nuclear technology in ROK and USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tae, Jae Woong; Shin, Dong Hoon

2013-01-01

Perfect removal of transferred technology is impossible because it is impossible to find all copies of technologies such as files and documents. International community concerns about Terrorists' acquirement of nuclear technologies related to nuclear reactors, enrichment and reprocessing Facilities and heavy water production facilities, which can be used for production of nuclear weapons. Non-state actors as well as concerning countries have tried to possess nuclear technology for developing nuclear weapons. Non-state actors' activities threaten global nuclear security. Korea exported four nuclear power plants to UAE and a research reactor to Jordan. Non-state actors may try to procure nuclear equipment and technology from Korean nuclear industries. Therefore, the export control system should be enhanced for national nuclear security and safety. In this study, the export control system of Korea and the United States were compared concerning to nuclear technology. In summary, controlled activities related to nuclear technology are treated more variously and more diverse activities are controlled in the United States than In Korea. Catch-all control will lose its effectiveness without this. Related to the control of ITT (Intangible Technology Transfer), Korea and the United States are trying to amend the export control regulation. Both of them are trying to control intangible technology transfers effectively. Revised Foreign Trade Act in Korea is expected to introduce a more rigorous system of nuclear technology controls. It focuses on nationality rather than residence. The revised law may face into other problems such as dual nationals like as the United States. However, this satisfies legislative requirements for control of a deemed export. The revised law will enter into force in 2014. Accurate meanings of technology and export will be defined soon in the enforcement decree and the public notice before 2014. However, it is hard to revise the definition of export

ANALISIS KEPUASAN PEGAWAI TERHADAP LAYANAN UNIT SISTEM INFORMASI MENGGUNAKAN TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL DI PT KERETA API INDONESIA (PERSERO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuda Yuliana

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Satisfaction in work is an individual thing. Each individual will have a level of satisfaction varies according to the system of values prevailing in him. This study was conducted to determine the level of employee satisfaction with the services in the information systems unit PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero in order to get results that can make service information systems unit to be better again. Based on the analysis of Multiple Linear Regression method Technology Acceptance Model , obtained the result that the employees satisfied with the usability factor ( Perceived Usefulness the variable Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use influencing variable Attitude Toward Using With his existing results of scientific research , the expected improvement in the quality of services provided to the employee information systems unit.   Keywords: Employee Satisfaction, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude Toward Using.

PEOPLE RETRIEVAL BY MEANS OF COMPOSITE PICTURES: PROBLEM STATE-OF-THE-ART AND TECHNOLOGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgy A. Kukharev

2014-11-01

Full Text Available We discuss the problem of people retrieval by means of composite pictures constructed according to descriptive portrait. An overview of the problem state-of-the-art is provided beginning from the basic concepts and terminology to a modern technology for composite picture creation, real-world scenarios and search results. The development history of systems for forming composite portraits (photo robots and sketches and the ideas implemented in these systems are provided. The problem of automatic comparison of composite pictures with the original ones is discussed, and the reasons for unattainability of stable retrieval of originals by a composite picture in real-world scenarios are revealed. Requirements to composite pictures databases in addition to the existing benchmark databases of facial images and also methods for implementation of such databases are formulated. Approaches for generation of sketches population from an initial one that increase effectiveness of identikit-based photo image retrieval systems are proposed. The method of similarity index increasing in the couple identikit-photograph based on computation of an average identikit from the created population is provided. It is shown that such composite pictures are more similar to original portraits and their use in the discussed search problem can lead to good results. Thus the created identikits meet the requirements of the truthful scenario as take into account the possibility of incomplete information in descriptions. Results of experiments on CUHK Face Sketch and CUHK Face Sketch FERET databases and also open access identikits and corresponding photos are discussed.

GREECE--SELECTED PROBLEMS.

Science.gov (United States)

MARTONFFY, ANDREA PONTECORVO; AND OTHERS

A CURRICULUM GUIDE IS PRESENTED FOR A 10-WEEK STUDY OF ANCIENT GREEK CIVILIZATION AT THE 10TH-GRADE LEVEL. TEACHING MATERIALS FOR THE UNIT INCLUDE (1) PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES DEALING WITH THE PERIOD FROM THE BRONZE AGE THROUGH THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD, (2) GEOGRAPHY PROBLEMS, AND (3) CULTURAL MODEL PROBLEM EXERCISES. THOSE CONCEPTS WITH WHICH…

Modeling nurses' attitude toward using automated unit-based medication storage and distribution systems: an extension of the technology acceptance model.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar-Rodríguez, Tomás; Romero-Alonso, María Mercedes

2013-05-01

This article analyzes the attitude of nurses toward the use of automated unit-based medication storage and distribution systems and identifies influencing factors. Understanding these factors provides an opportunity to explore actions that might be taken to boost adoption by potential users. The theoretical grounding for this research is the Technology Acceptance Model. The Technology Acceptance Model specifies the causal relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward using, and actual usage behavior. The research model has six constructs, and nine hypotheses were generated from connections between these six constructs. These constructs include perceived risks, experience level, and training. The findings indicate that these three external variables are related to the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of automated unit-based medication storage and distribution systems, and therefore, they have a significant influence on attitude toward the use of these systems.

The application of nuclear science technology to understanding and solving environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuk, W.M.

1997-01-01

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has for many years been involved in applying nuclear science-based and related technologies to the understanding of environmental processes and to the development and implementation of practical and effective solutions to site specific problems, for a broad spectrum of industry, government regulatory agencies, and other organisations in Australia, Europe, North and South America and South East Asia. ANSTO's environmental science program arose out of the need for research to predict, measure, evaluate and monitor the environmental impacts associated with : uranium mining and processing in Australia; the operation of the research reactor at Lucas Heights; and the safe treatment and disposal of radioactive and conventional wastes associated with these activities. The expertise developed in these activities, has found application to a much broader range of environmental concerns. This paper will present an overview of ANSTO's application of nuclear science-based techniques to, inter alia: coastal and marine studies; minesite rehabilitation; transport and geochemical modelling of radionuclides, heavy metals and organic chemicals in the geosphere; the application of naturally-occurring radionuclides and radioactive tracers to corrosion and sedimentation studies in the coastal environment; dating sediments, fish corals and archaeological samples; the understanding of the kinetics and the physiological responses of aquatic organisms to radionuclides and metals in the environment: and the use of aquatic organism as archival and 'realtime' monitors of pollutants

History of technology in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Puri, Nitin; Puri, Vinod; Dellinger, R P

2009-01-01

Critical care medicine is a young specialty and since its inception has been heavily reliant upon technology. Invasive monitoring has its humble beginnings in the continuous monitoring of heart rate and rhythm. From the development of right heart catheterization to the adaption of the echocardiogram for use in shock, intensivists have used technology to monitor hemodynamics. The care of the critically ill has been buoyed by investigators who sought to offer renal replacement therapy to unstable patients and worked to improve the monitoring of oxygen saturation. The evolution of mechanical ventilation for the critically ill embodies innumerable technological advances. More recently, critical care has insisted upon rigorous testing and cost-benefit analysis of technological advances.

A Political, Economic, Social, Technology, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) Approach for Risk Identification of the Tidal Industry in the United Kingdom

OpenAIRE

Kolios, Athanasios J.; Read, G.

2013-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of renewable and especially tidal energy through a political, economic, social, technology, legal and environmental (PESTLE) analysis approach and by reviewing the most up to date relevant literature. The study focuses on the United Kingdom given the favourable environmental resources for such technologies; the number of different design concepts that are currently under development as well as the research funding that has been invested over the la...

Use of solidification/stabilization treatment technology for environmental remediation in the United States and Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilk, C.M.

2002-01-01

In the United States (U.S.) Solidification/Stabilization (S/S) treatment is used to treat hazardous wastes for disposal, and in the remediation/site restoration of contaminated land. S/S is also an increasingly popular technology for Brownfields (industrial property) redevelopment since treated wastes can often be left on-site and to actually improve the site's soil for subsequent construction. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers S/S to be an established treatment technology. EPA has identified S/S treatment as Best Demonstrated Available Treatment Technology (BDAT) for at least 57 commonly produced industrial wastes (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-listed hazardous wastes) and has selected S/S treatment for 25% of its Superfund (abandoned or uncontrolled) site remediation projects. S/S treatment involves mixing a binding reagent into the contaminated media or waste. Successful treatment is accomplished through physical changes to the waste form, and often, chemical changes to the hazardous constituents themselves. Commonly used S/S binding reagents in include portland cement, cement kiln dust, lime, lime kiln dust and fly ash. These materials are used alone or in combination. Proprietary reagents are also beginning to be marketed and used in the U.S. and Canada. This paper will discuss: (a) applicability of the technology to various wastes, (b) basic cement chemistry relating to S/S, (c) tests used to design treatability studies and to verify treatment, (d) basics on implementation of the technology in the field, and (e) examples of actual projects. (author)

Aircraft Loss of Control: Problem Analysis for the Development and Validation of Technology Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Belcastro, Christine M.; Newman, Richard L.; Crider, Dennis A.; Klyde, David H.; Foster, John V.; Groff, Loren

2016-01-01

Aircraft loss of control (LOC) is a leading cause of fatal accidents across all transport airplane and operational classes. LOC can result from a wide spectrum of precursors (or hazards), often occurring in combination. Technologies developed for LOC prevention and recovery must therefore be effective under a wide variety of conditions and uncertainties, including multiple hazards, and the validation process must provide a means of assessing system effectiveness and coverage of these hazards. This paper provides a detailed description of a methodology for analyzing LOC as a dynamics and control problem for the purpose of developing effective technology solutions. The paper includes a definition of LOC based on several recent publications, a detailed description of a refined LOC accident analysis process that is illustrated via selected example cases, and a description of planned follow-on activities for identifying future potential LOC risks and the development of LOC test scenarios. Some preliminary considerations for LOC of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and for their safe integration into the National Airspace System (NAS) are also discussed.

Accelerator technology in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kustom, R.L.

1977-01-01

This article presents the similarities in the technology required for high energy accelerators and tokamak fusion devices. The tokamak devices and R and D programs described in the text represent only a fraction of the total fusion program. The technological barriers to producing successful, economical tokamak fusion power plants are as many as the plasma physics problems to be overcome. With the present emphasis on energy problems in this country and elsewhere, it is very likely that fusion technology related R and D programs will vigorously continue; and since high energy accelerator technology has so much in common with fusion technology, more scientists from the accelerator community are likely to be attracted to fusion problems

IT PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT: MODULARITY PROBLEMS IN A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lars Kristian; Mengiste, Shegaw Anagaw

2012-01-01

As today’s public and private sector organizations heavily rely on Information Technology (IT) to provide faster cycle times and better services, IT Project Portfolio Management (IT PPM) has become a high priority issue. This research adopts engaged scholarship to investigate IT PPM practices...... within a large local government. The investigation applies Modularity theory to analyze rich data from the local government covering several units with quite diverse functions to address the following two questions (1) which modularity problems does a public organization have in its IT PPM practices...... suggest a model addressing the identified problems by organizing IT PPM in three modules connected by three gateways. These results may be used to inform further research into IT PPM and to help managers improve IT PPM practices in public organizations. Keywords: IT Project Portfolio Management (IT PPM...

Understanding Technology Literacy: A Framework for Evaluating Educational Technology Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Randall S.

2011-01-01

Federal legislation in the United States currently mandates that technology be integrated into school curricula because of the popular belief that learning is enhanced through the use of technology. The challenge for educators is to understand how best to teach with technology while developing the technological expertise of their students. This…

A General Discussion of Problems Related to the Determination of Concrete Armour Unit Stresses Including Specific Results related to Static and Dynamic Stresses in Dolosse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, H. F.; Liu, Zhou

1989-01-01

Recent breakwater failures revealed the shortcomings of the traditional design procedures for concrete armour units. This paper deals with one of them, which can be expressed as the "lack of balance between the hydraulic stability of the armour layer and the mechanical strength or integrity...... of the units". This problem is related mainly to the slender types of armour units. The paper discusses the various types of loads, and the practical determination of the wave and gravity induced loads and stresses, especially the model test technique and its restrictions. Examples related to Dolosse...

Interdisciplinary Navigation Unit for Mathematics and Earth Science Using Geospatial Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Smaglik, S. M.; Harris, V.

2006-12-01

Central Wyoming College (CWC) is located northeast of the Wind River Mountains. Although many people find recreation in the wilderness and remote areas surrounding the area, people still lose their lives because they become lost or disoriented. Creating an interdisciplinary field-based curriculum unit within mathematics (MATH 1000) and earth science (GEOL 1070) courses for non-science and education majors, provides students an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and quantitative literacy. It also provides some necessary skills for survival and an understanding of landscape formation and wilderness navigation using geoscience. A brief history of navigation, including the importance of finding latitude and longitude, and the fairly recent implementation of the Global Positioning System, precedes activities in which students learn to use a basic compass. In addition to learning how to adjust for magnetic declination they read topographic maps, specifically USGS quadrangles, and learn how to use the scale in the legend to verify calculations using the Pythagorean Theorem. Students learn how to estimate distance and time required for traveling a pre- determined distance while using dimensional analysis to convert from the English system to metric. They learn how to read and measure latitude and longitude, as well as universal transverse Mercator projection measurements (UTM's), to find their position. The basic mathematical skills are assessed through hands-on activities such as finding their location on a map using a compass, a GPS unit, and Google Earth, and using a combination of maps, compasses, and GPS units to navigate through a course. Our goal is to provide life-saving information to students while incorporating necessary core curriculum from both mathematics and earth science classes. We work to create field-based activities, as well as assessments, to insure that students who complete the course are prepared to safely enjoy the outdoors and are

Nursing management and organizational ethics in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Wlody, Ginger Schafer

2007-02-01

This article describes organizational ethics issues involved in nursing management of an intensive care unit. The intensive care team and medical center management have the dual responsibility to create an ethical environment in which to provide optimum patient care. Addressing organizational ethics is key to creating that ethical environment in the intensive care unit. During the past 15-20 yrs, increasing costs in health care, competitive markets, the effect of high technology, and global business changes have set the stage for business and healthcare organizational conflicts that affect the ethical environment. Studies show that critical care nurses experience moral distress and are affected by the ethical climate of both the intensive care unit and the larger organization. Thus, nursing moral distress may result in problems related to recruitment and retention of staff. Other issues with organizational ethics ramifications that may occur in the intensive care unit include patient safety issues (including those related to disruptive behavior), intensive care unit leadership style, research ethics, allocation of resources, triage, and other economic issues. Current organizational ethics conflicts are discussed, a professional practice model is described, and multidisciplinary recommendations are put forth.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Technology Logic Diagram. Volume 2, Technology Logic Diagram: Part B, Remedial Action

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-09-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Technology Logic Diagram (TLD) was developed to provide a decision support tool that relates environmental restoration (ER) and waste management (WM) problems at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to potential technologies that can remediate these problems. The TLD identifies the research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation needed to develop these technologies to a state that allows technology transfer and application to decontamination and decommissioning (D&D), remedial action (RA), and WM activities. The TLD consists of three fundamentally separate volumes: Vol. 1 (Technology Evaluation), Vol. 2 (Technology Logic Diagram), and Vol. 3 (Technology Evaluation Data Sheets). Part A of Vols. 1. and 2 focuses on D&D. Part B of Vols. 1 and 2 focuses on the RA of contaminated facilities. Part C of Vols. 1 and 2 focuses on WM. Each part of Vol. 1 contains an overview of the TLD, an explanation of the program-specific responsibilities, a review of identified technologies, and the rankings of remedial technologies. Volume 2 (Pts. A, B, and C) contains the logic linkages among EM goals, environmental problems, and the various technologies that have the potential to solve these problems. Volume 3 (Pts. A, B, and C) contains the TLD data sheets. Remedial action is the focus of Vol. 2, Pt. B, which has been divided into the three necessary subelements of the RA: characterization, RA, and robotics and automation. Each of these sections address general ORNL problems, which are then broken down by problem area/constituents and linked to potential remedial technologies. The diagrams also contain summary information about a technology`s status, its science and technology needs, and its implementation needs.

United States Superconducting MHD Magnet Technology Development Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawson, A.M.; Marston, P.G.; Thome, R.J.; Iwasa, Y.; Tarrh, J.M.

1981-01-01

A three-faceted program supported by the U.S. Dep of Energy is described. These facets include basic technology development, technology transfer and construction by industry of magnets for the national MHD program. The program includes the maintenance of a large component test facility; investigation of superconductor stability and structural behavior; measurements of materials' properties at low temperatures; structural design optimization; analytical code development; cryogenic systems and power supply design. The technology transfer program is designed to bring results of technology development and design and construction effort to the entire superconducting magnet community. The magnet procurement program is responsible for developing conceptual designs of magnets needed for the national MHD program, for issuing requests for quotation, selecting vendors and supervising design, construction, installation and test of these systems. 9 refs

Characterization of a clinical unit for digital radiography based on irradiation side sampling technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivetti, Stefano [Fisica Medica, Ospedale di Sassuolo S.p.A., 41049 Sassuolo (Italy); Lanconelli, Nico [Alma Mater Studiorum, Physics Department, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna (Italy); Bertolini, Marco; Nitrosi, Andrea [Medical Physics Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, 42123 Reggio Emilia (Italy); Burani, Aldo [Ospedale di Sassuolo S.p.A., 41049 Sassuolo (Italy)

2013-10-15

Purpose: A characterization of a clinical unit for digital radiography (FUJIFILM FDR D-EVO) is presented. This system is based on the irradiation side sampling (ISS) technology and can be equipped with two different scintillators: one traditional gadolinium-oxysulphide phosphor (GOS) and a needle structured cesium iodide (CsI) phosphor panel.Methods: The characterization was achieved in terms of response curve, modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectra (NPS), detective quantum efficiency (DQE), and psychophysical parameters (contrast-detail analysis with an automatic reading of CDRAD images). For both scintillation screens the authors accomplished the measurements with four standard beam conditions: RAQ3, RQA5, RQA7, and RQA9.Results: At the Nyquist frequency (3.33 lp/mm) the MTF is about 35% and 25% for CsI and GOS detectors, respectively. The CsI scintillator has better noise properties than the GOS screen in almost all the conditions. This is particularly true for low-energy beams, where the noise for the GOS system can go up to a factor 2 greater than that found for CsI. The DQE of the CsI detector reaches a peak of 60%, 60%, 58%, and 50% for the RQA3, RQA5, RQA7, and RQA9 beams, respectively, whereas for the GOS screen the maximum DQE is 40%, 44%, 44%, and 35%. The contrast-detail analysis confirms that in the majority of cases the CsI scintillator is able to provide improved outcomes to those obtained with the GOS screen.Conclusions: The limited diffusion of light produced by the ISS reading makes possible the achievement of very good spatial resolution. In fact, the MTF of the unit with the CsI panel is only slightly lower to that achieved with direct conversion detectors. The combination of very good spatial resolution, together with the good noise properties reached with the CsI screen, allows achieving DQE on average about 1.5 times greater than that obtained with GOS. In fact, the DQE of unit equipped with CsI is comparable to the best

Future Low Temperature Plasma Science and Technology: Attacking Major Societal Problems by Building on a Tradition of Scientific Rigor

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, David

2014-10-01

Low temperature plasma (LTP) science is unequivocally one of the most prolific areas for varied applications in modern technology. For example, plasma etching technology is essential for reliably and rapidly patterning nanometer scale features over areas approaching one square meter with relatively inexpensive equipment. This technology enabled the telecommunication and information processing revolution that has transformed human society. I explore two concepts in this talk. The first is that the firm scientific understanding of LTP is and has been the enabling feature of these established technological applications. And the second is that LTP technology is poised to contribute to several emerging societal challenges. Beyond the important, ongoing applications of LTP science to problems of materials processing related to energy generation (e.g. thin film solar cell manufacture), there are novel and less well known potential applications in food and agriculture, infection control and medicine. In some cases, the potentially low cost nature of the applications in so compelling that they can be thought of as examples of frugal innovation. Supported in part by NSF and DoE.

Graphics processing unit based computation for NDE applications

Science.gov (United States)

Nahas, C. A.; Rajagopal, Prabhu; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan; Krishnamurthy, C. V.

2012-05-01

Advances in parallel processing in recent years are helping to improve the cost of numerical simulation. Breakthroughs in Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) based computation now offer the prospect of further drastic improvements. The introduction of 'compute unified device architecture' (CUDA) by NVIDIA (the global technology company based in Santa Clara, California, USA) has made programming GPUs for general purpose computing accessible to the average programmer. Here we use CUDA to develop parallel finite difference schemes as applicable to two problems of interest to NDE community, namely heat diffusion and elastic wave propagation. The implementations are for two-dimensions. Performance improvement of the GPU implementation against serial CPU implementation is then discussed.

X-231B technology demonstration for in situ treatment of contaminated soil: Technology evaluation and screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegrist, R.L.; Morris, M.I.; Donaldson, T.L.; Palumbo, A.V.; Herbes, S.E.; Jenkins, R.A.; Morrissey, C.M.; Harris, M.T.

1993-08-01

The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (Ports) is located approximately 70 miles south of Columbus in southern Ohio. Among the several waste management units on the facility, the X-231B unit consists of two adjacent oil biodegradation plots. The plots encompass ∼ 0.8 acres and were reportedly used from 1976 to 1983 for the treatment and disposal of waste oils and degreasing solvents, some containing uranium-235 and technetium-99. The X-231B unit is a regulated solid waste management unit (SWMU) under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The X-231B unit is also a designated SWMU located within Quadrant I of the site as defined in an ongoing RCRA Facilities Investigation and Corrective Measures Study (RFI/CMS). Before implementing one or more Technology Demonstration Project must be completed. The principal goal of this project was to elect and successfully demonstrate one ore more technologies for effective treatment of the contaminated soils associated with the X-231B unit at PORTS. The project was divided into two major phases. Phase 1 involved a technology evaluation and screening process. The second phase (i.e., Phase 2) was to involve field demonstration, testing and evaluation of the technology(s) selected during Phase 1. This report presents the methods, results, and conclusions of the technology evaluation and screening portion of the project

A Science-Technology-Society Paradigm and Cross River State Secondary School Students' Scientific Literacy: Problem Solving and Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Umoren, Grace

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Science-Technology-Society (STS) curriculum on students' scientific literacy, problem solving and decision making. Four hundred and eighty (480) Senior Secondary two science and non-science students were randomly selected from intact classes in six secondary schools in Calabar Municipality of…

Design, System, Value: The Role of Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Capabilities in Technology Education, as Perceived by Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Schooner, Patrick; Nordlöf, Charlotta; Klasander, Claes; Hallström, Jonas

2017-01-01

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2013) defines its views on necessary skills for 21st century citizenship and life-long learning, advocating a generic skillset of literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving in technology-rich environments. Other sources also include critical thinking as a vital 21st Century skill.…

Expert system for operational personnel support during power unit operation control in regulation range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanitskij, V.A.

1992-01-01

The problems met when developing the systems for NPP operator support in the process of power unit operation are considered. The expert system for NPP personnel intelligent support combining the properties belonging to the artificial intelligence systems including selection of the analysis method taking into account the concrete technological situation and capability of application of algothmic calculations of the equipment characteristics using the information accumulated during the system development, erection and operation is described

Technology in the policy process - controlling nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collingridge, D.

1983-01-01

The discussion in this book is built around nuclear power. The technology of nuclear power is shown to have features which make it inflexible in the sense that, once built, it is difficult and expensive to control. If inflexible technology is to be avoided, it is crucially important to be able to identify this failing at an early stage in the technology's development, before it has acquired an immunity to political control. Again, this problem is approached through the example of nuclear power, in particular the breeder reactor. The breeder is shown to be even less flexible than today's nuclear technology, because it will have higher capital costs, be of greater capital intensity, longer lead time, larger unit size, and will require more infrastructure for its operation. If this is developed, the breeder will be even less open to political control than the nuclear plant of the present. To put it another way, its planning will be even more open to errors and whatever errors are made will be even more costly than for existing nuclear technology. It is therefore even less of a socially and economically acceptable technology than today's nuclear power. (author)

Staking solutions to tube vibration problems (developed by Technos et Compagnie - FRANCE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hewitt, E.W.; Bizard, A.; Horn, M.J.

1989-01-01

Electric generating plant steam surface condensers have been prone to vibration induced tube failures. One common and effective method for stopping this vibration has been to insert stakes into the bundle to provide additional support. Stakes have been fabricated of a variety of rigid and semi-rigid materials of fixed dimensions. Installation difficulties and problems of incomplete tube support have been associated with this approach. New developments in the application of plastic technology has offered another approach. Stakes made of plastic tubes which are flattened, by evacuation, at the time of manufacture may now be easily inserted into the tube bundle. After insertion, the vacuum is released and the memory of the plastic causes the stakes to expand and assume their original form. The spring force of the plastic cradles the adjacent condenser tubes and stops the vibration. Developed for Electricite de France (EDF), the stakes are currently installed in 19 units of the French utility system, and two units in the United States

Electron beam facilities and technologies developed in the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chmielewski, A.G.; Walis, L.; Zimek, Z.

1992-01-01

The operation of the first electron accelerator has been started at Institute /former Institute for Nuclear Research/ in 1971. This LAE-13/9 accelerator is a two-section lineac with adjustable energy of electrons: 5 to 13 MeV and the beam power up to 9 kW. The main technologies developed on the basis of LAE-13/9 are: sterilization, manufacturing of thermoshrinkable materials and modification of semiconductors. The accelerator is operated 4000 hours per year and used for small scale production and services in these fields. The other problems investigated in laboratory scale are: food preservation and hygenization, hygenization of municipal sewage sludge, and bio-conversion of pig-farm wastes into animal fodder. The laboratory experiments are basis for pilot construction and other industrial applications. The mentioned technology of thermoshrinkable tube production was implemented in industrial scale at ZWUT Czluchow which factory is equipped in the accelerator ILU-6 /20 kW, 2 MeV/. On the basis of similar unit a technological installation was built at Institute. The plant is furnished with a conveyer and the rewinding machines for tubes and tapes manufacturing. This allows continuous production of these materials. The plant will start operation next year and linear accelerator /10 MeV, 15 kW/ for this purpose is already delivered. The pilot plant for food preservation and hygenization has been built. It is equipped in small pilot accelerator 10 MeV, 1 kW and will be furnished with 10 MeV, 10 kW lineac this year. Beside of this technological lines Institute is furnished in Van de Graff accelerator /2, MeV, 100 μA/ and another laboratory unit LAE-10 /10 MeV, 10-100 ns 2 us/ is under construction. (J.P.N.)

Technology monitoring in the CIEMAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez-Martinez, M.; Cuesta, M. J.; Crespi, S. N.; Cabrera, J. A.

2008-01-01

The CIEMAT Foresight and Technology Monitoring Unit focuses its activities on obtaining strategic information on future developments in the area of energy and environment that can be used for decision making by the centers management. In addition, it provides services to CIEMAT researchers and other external customers. In May 2007, the Asociacion Espanola de Normalizacion y Certificacion AENOR delivered to the CIEMAT the first Technology Monitoring System certificate granted in Spain as per standard UNE 166006:2006. This article describes the Units experience in the implementation process of the Technology Monitoring System and provides several examples of the way in which the Unit graphically represents the information analyzed in its Technology Monitoring Reports. (Author)

Open science, e-science and the new technologies: Challenges and old problems in qualitative research in the social sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ercilia García-Álvarez

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: As well as introducing the articles in the special issue titled "Qualitative Research in the Social Sciences", this article reviews the challenges, problems and main advances made by the qualitative paradigm in the context of the new European science policy based on open science and e-Science and analysis alternative technologies freely available in the 2.0 environment and their application to fieldwork and data analysis. Design/methodology: Theoretical review. Practical implications: The article identifies open access technologies with applications in qualitative research such as applications for smartphones and tablets, web platforms and specific qualitative data analysis software, all developed in both the e-Science context and the 2.0 environment. Social implications: The article discusses the possible role to be played by qualitative research in the open science and e-Science context and considers the impact of this new context on the size and structure of research groups, the development of truly collaborative research, the emergence of new ethical problems and quality assessment in review processes in an open environment. Originality/value: The article describes the characteristics that define the new scientific environment and the challenges posed for qualitative research, reviews the latest open access technologies available to researchers in terms of their main features and proposes specific applications suitable for fieldwork and data analysis.

Investigating the Influences of a LEAPS Model on Preservice Teachers' Problem Solving, Metacognition, and Motivation in an Educational Technology Course

Science.gov (United States)

Lubin, Ian A.; Ge, Xun

2012-01-01

This paper discusses a qualitative study which examined students' problem-solving, metacognition, and motivation in a learning environment designed for teaching educational technology to pre-service teachers. The researchers converted a linear and didactic learning environment into a new open learning environment by contextualizing domain-related…

30 CFR 7.72 - New technology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New technology. 7.72 Section 7.72 Mineral... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Multiple-Shot Blasting Units § 7.72 New technology. MSHA may approve a blasting unit that incorporates technology for which the requirements of this...

United States Department of Energy solar receiver technology development

Science.gov (United States)

Klimas, P. C.; Diver, R. B.; Chavez, J. M.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE), through Sandia National Laboratories, has been conducting a Solar Thermal Receiver Technology Development Program, which maintains a balance between analytical modeling, bench and small scale testing, and experimentation conducted at scales representative of commercially-sized equipment. Central receiver activities emphasize molten salt-based systems on large scales and volumetric devices in the modeling and small scale testing. These receivers are expected to be utilized in solar power plants rated between 100 and 200 MW. Distributed receiver research focuses on liquid metal refluxing devices. These are intended to mate parabolic dish concentrators with Stirling cycle engines in the 5 to 25 kW(sub e) power range. The effort in the area of volumetric receivers is less intensive and highly cooperative in nature. A ceramic foam absorber of Sandia design was successfully tested on the 200 kW(sub t) test bed at Plataforma Solar during 1989. Material integrity during the approximately 90-test series was excellent. Significant progress has been made with parabolic dish concentrator-mounted receivers using liquid metals (sodium or a potassium/sodium mixture) as heat transport media. Sandia has successfully solar-tested a pool boiling reflux receiver sized to power a 25 kW Stirling engine. Boiling stability and transient operation were both excellent. This document describes these activities in detail and will outline plans for future development.

Macrofoundation for Strategic Technology Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jørgen Lindgaard

1995-01-01

Neoclassical mainstream economics has no perspective on strategic technology management issues. Market failure economics (externalities etc.)can be of some use to analyze problems of relevance in strategic management problems with technology as a part. Environment, inequality and democratic...... deficits are important problems today...

Pharmacovigilance in Intensive Care Unit - An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bimla Sharma

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The drug related complications are on the rise warranting special attention towards patient safety in Intensive Care Unit (ICU setup. Pharmacovigilance is the science about the detection, assessment and prevention of drug related problems. This review is aimed to highlight significant problems arising from medication errors with emphasis on special drugs used in ICU (oxygen, antibiotics, sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blocking drugs and their risk reduction strategies in ICU utilizing practice of pharmacovigilance. Human error, lack of communication among various health providers, inadequate knowledge about drugs, failure to follow protocols or recommended guidelines are important causes of drug related problems in ICU. It is imperative that ICU administrators and medical directors of hospitals consider adverse drug events (ADEs as system failures. Pharmacovigilance, an observational science is the need of the hour for patients admitted in ICUs. We need to give more emphasis on prevention rather than treating the potentially fatal complications arising from ADEs. Eternal vigilance is the key. Protocol based management, improvement of medication system, frequent audits, improved communication, good team work, a blame free environ-ment, inclusion of a pharmacist, leadership involvement and use of information technology in the ICU are possible solutions.

Three-M in Word Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Hajra, Sayonita Ghosh; Kofman, Victoria

2018-01-01

We describe three activities that help undergraduates (pre-service teachers) to develop scientific vocabulary on measurable attributes and units of measurement. Measurable attributes are important features in understanding a word problem and solving the problem. These activities help students comprehend word problems better by identifying…

Current status and trends of cooperation on radiotracer and NCS technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thereska, J. [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). Industrial Applications and Chemistry Section

1997-10-01

Relevant target areas for radiotracer and neutronic control system (NCS) applications are defined. The petroleum and petrochemical industries, mineral processing and waste-water treatment sectors are identified as the most appropriate beneficiaries. The new CRP on `Radiotracer technology for engineering unit operations studies and unit process optimisation` aims to improve the radiotracer methodology, including new radiotracers, development of expert systems, new software for data processing with finite element techniques for flow structure visualisation, as well as to formulate guidelines for problem solving of complex processes. The organisation of a CRP on `Multibeam radiogauging for multi-phase systems studies` to further develop and refine nucleonic gauge methodology and technology, including development of expert systems for optimal design and calibration, quality control according to ISO standards, emerging new applications, and formulation of guidelines and software for on line measurement of multi-phase system parameters of complex processes will be discussed in the near future

Current status and trends of cooperation on radiotracer and NCS technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thereska, J.

1997-01-01

Relevant target areas for radiotracer and neutronic control system (NCS) applications are defined. The petroleum and petrochemical industries, mineral processing and waste-water treatment sectors are identified as the most appropriate beneficiaries. The new CRP on 'Radiotracer technology for engineering unit operations studies and unit process optimisation' aims to improve the radiotracer methodology, including new radiotracers, development of expert systems, new software for data processing with finite element techniques for flow structure visualisation, as well as to formulate guidelines for problem solving of complex processes. The organisation of a CRP on 'Multibeam radiogauging for multi-phase systems studies' to further develop and refine nucleonic gauge methodology and technology, including development of expert systems for optimal design and calibration, quality control according to ISO standards, emerging new applications, and formulation of guidelines and software for on line measurement of multi-phase system parameters of complex processes will be discussed in the near future

Distracted driving: prevalence, problems, and prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Overton, Tiffany L; Rives, Terry E; Hecht, Carrie; Shafi, Shahid; Gandhi, Rajesh R

2015-01-01

While the number of motor vehicle crashes has declined over the years, crashes resulting from distracted driving are increasing in the United States resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The national public seems to be aware of the dangers associated with using technology while driving, but continues to engage in this dangerous behaviour, and may be unaware of or underestimate the impact of cell phone use on their own driving performance. Problems associated with distracted driving are not limited to novice or teenage drivers; multifaceted universal prevention efforts aimed at impacting large segments of the population may have the greatest impact. Legislation limiting drivers' cell phone use has had little impact, possibly due to low regulation and enforcement. Behaviour change programmes, improved vehicle safety, and public awareness campaigns have been developed as potential preventive efforts to reduce accidents caused by distracted drivers.

Workshop on power conditioning for alternative energy technologies. Executive summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, D. R.

1979-01-01

As various alternative energy technologies such as photovoltaics, wind, fuel cells, and batteries are emerging as potential sources of energy for the future, the need arises for development of suitable power-conditioning systems to interface these sources to their respective loads. Since most of these sources produce dc electricity and most electrical loads require ac, an important component of the required power-conditioning units is a dc-to-ac inverter. The discussions deal with the development of power conditioners for each alternative energy technology. Discussion topics include assessments of current technology, identification of operational requirements with a comparison of requirements for each source technology, the identification of future technology trends, the determination of mass production and marketing requirements, and recommendations for program direction. Specifically, one working group dealt with source technology: photovoltaics, fuel cells and batteries, and wind followed by sessions discussing system size and application: large grid-connected systems, small grid-connected systems, and stand alone and dc applications. A combined group session provided an opportunity to discuss problems common to power conditioning development.

Educational technology and the new technologies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhagen, Pleunes Willem; Plomp, T.

1989-01-01

Like everywhere in our culture, new technologies gradually penetrate the field of education. This may be seen as a problem area, which asks for appropriate, actions by teachers, curriculum experts, instructional designers and others. As "technology" seems to be the main issue,one may quation whether

Enrichment situation outside the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1979-01-01

Different enrichment technologies are briefly characterized which include gaseous diffusion, which is presently the production mainstay of the United States and France; the gaseous centrifuge which is the production plant for Urenco and the technology for future United States enrichment expansion; the aero-dynamic processes which include the jet nozzle (also known as the Becker process) and the fixed-wall centrifuge (also known as the Helikon process); chemical processes; laser isotope separation processes (also referred to in the literature as LIS); and plasma technology

Component simulation in problems of calculated model formation of automatic machine mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Telegin Igor

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the problems of the component simulation method application in the problems of the automation of the mechanical system model formation with the further possibility of their CAD-realization. The purpose of the investigations mentioned consists in the automation of the CAD-model formation of high-speed mechanisms in automatic machines and in the analysis of dynamic processes occurred in their units taking into account their elasto-inertial properties, power dissipation, gaps in kinematic pairs, friction forces, design and technological loads. As an example in the paper there are considered a formalization of stages in the computer model formation of the cutting mechanism in cold stamping automatic machine AV1818 and methods of for the computation of their parameters on the basis of its solid-state model.

Internode or stem unit: a problem of terminology

Science.gov (United States)

William B. Critchfield

1985-01-01

In recent years the term stem unit (SU) has increasingly supplanted internode in the literature of conifer shoot growth, especially since the adoption of SU in a collection of papers titled "Tree Physiology and Yield Improvement" (Cannell and Last 1976). In standard botanical terminology, a node is the point on a stem where one or more lateral appendages (...

Multi-objective unit commitment problem using Cuckoo search ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Many solution strategies are available to solve the highly non-smooth problem. ... So, artificial intelligence techniques like, neural ..... For instance, let us assume that the Ton and Toff for a hypothetical thermal power ...... Energy Convers, Vol.

Stimulating technological innovation : problem identification and intervention formulation with the technological innovation systems framework

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kieft, A.C.

2017-01-01

The technological innovation systems (TIS) framework provides a theory to understand under what conditions technological innovations are successfully developed and implemented. The objective of this dissertation is to further strengthen this TIS intervention framework, which is the part of the TIS

Educational Effects and Problems on Cooperative Education for Training Practical Engineer at Anan National College of Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Harano, Tomoki; Yoshimura, Hiroshi; Yasuno, Emiko; Uehara, Nobutomo

The first author has devised the new cooperative education program to adopt the curricula at Colleges of Technology in Japan. The program consists of the practical work programs at manufacturing industries for three weeks and two weeks in every summer and spring vacation at third to fourth grade year, to enhance the communication skill, and to acquire the practical manufacturing technology and so on. In addition, the program has the practical design project of the manufacturing industry to cultivate the problem-solving skill for the fifth grade students at last. The program has many participants that are forty industry companies and seventy students in successfully. It is found that the program is to enhance the communication skill, writing skill and self-confident as a practical engineer by the iterative work.

Optimal maintenance policy incorporating system level and unit level for mechanical systems

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Chaoqun; Deng, Chao; Wang, Bingran

2018-04-01

The study works on a multi-level maintenance policy combining system level and unit level under soft and hard failure modes. The system experiences system-level preventive maintenance (SLPM) when the conditional reliability of entire system exceeds SLPM threshold, and also undergoes a two-level maintenance for each single unit, which is initiated when a single unit exceeds its preventive maintenance (PM) threshold, and the other is performed simultaneously the moment when any unit is going for maintenance. The units experience both periodic inspections and aperiodic inspections provided by failures of hard-type units. To model the practical situations, two types of economic dependence have been taken into account, which are set-up cost dependence and maintenance expertise dependence due to the same technology and tool/equipment can be utilised. The optimisation problem is formulated and solved in a semi-Markov decision process framework. The objective is to find the optimal system-level threshold and unit-level thresholds by minimising the long-run expected average cost per unit time. A formula for the mean residual life is derived for the proposed multi-level maintenance policy. The method is illustrated by a real case study of feed subsystem from a boring machine, and a comparison with other policies demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach.

Geospatial technology and the "exposome": new perspectives on addiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Stahler, Gerald J; Mennis, Jeremy; Baron, David A

2013-08-01

Addiction represents one of the greatest public health problems facing the United States. Advances in addiction research have focused on the neurobiology of this disease. We discuss potential new breakthroughs in understanding the other side of gene-environment interactions-the environmental context or "exposome" of addiction. Such research has recently been made possible by advances in geospatial technologies together with new mobile and sensor computing platforms. These advances have fostered interdisciplinary collaborations focusing on the intersection of environment and behavior in addiction research. Although issues of privacy protection for study participants remain, these advances could potentially improve our understanding of initiation of drug use and relapse and help develop innovative technology-based interventions to improve treatment and continuing care services.

Supercritical fluid technology: concepts and pharmaceutical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Deshpande, Praful Balavant; Kumar, G Aravind; Kumar, Averineni Ranjith; Shavi, Gopal Venkatesh; Karthik, Arumugam; Reddy, Meka Sreenivasa; Udupa, Nayanabhirama

2011-01-01

In light of environmental apprehension, supercritical fluid technology (SFT) exhibits excellent opportunities to accomplish key objectives in the drug delivery sector. Supercritical fluid extraction using carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been recognized as a green technology. It is a clean and versatile solvent with gas-like diffusivity and liquid-like density in the supercritical phase, which has provided an excellent alternative to the use of chemical solvents. The present commentary provides an overview of different techniques using supercritical fluids and their future opportunity for the drug delivery industry. Some of the emerging applications of SFT in pharmaceuticals, such as particle design, drug solubilization, inclusion complex, polymer impregnation, polymorphism, drug extraction process, and analysis, are also covered in this review. The data collection methods are based on the recent literature related to drug delivery systems using SFT platforms. SFT has become a much more versatile and environmentally attractive technology that can handle a variety of complicated problems in pharmaceuticals. This cutting-edge technology is growing predominantly to surrogate conventional unit operations in relevance to the pharmaceutical production process. Supercritical fluid technology has recently drawn attention in the field of pharmaceuticals. It is a distinct conception that utilizes the solvent properties of supercritical fluids above their critical temperature and pressure, where they exhibit both liquid-like and gas-like properties, which can enable many pharmaceutical applications. For example, the liquid-like properties provide benefits in extraction processes of organic solvents or impurities, drug solubilization, and polymer plasticization, and the gas-like features facilitate mass transfer processes. It has become a much more versatile and environmentally attractive technology that can handle a variety of complicated problems in pharmaceuticals. This review is

Study progression in application of process analytical technologies on film coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tingting Peng

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Film coating is an important unit operation to produce solid dosage forms, thereby, the monitoring of this process is helpful to find problems in time and improve the quality of coated products. Traditional methods adopted to monitor this process include measurement of coating weight gain, performance of disintegration and dissolution test, etc. However, not only do these methods cause destruction to the samples, but also consume time and energy. There have recently emerged the applications of process analytical technologies (PAT on film coating, especially some novel spectroscopic and imaging technologies, which have the potential to real-time track the progress in film coating and optimize production efficiency. This article gives an overview on the application of such technologies for film coating, with the goal to provide a reference for the further researches.

Geothermal Energy: Prospects and Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Ritter, William W.

1973-01-01

An examination of geothermal energy as a means of increasing the United States power resources with minimal pollution problems. Developed and planned geothermal-electric power installations around the world, capacities, installation dates, etc., are reviewed. Environmental impact, problems, etc. are discussed. (LK)

Women Entrepreneurs: Their Success and Problems. Hearing before the Committee on Small Business, United States Senate, Ninety-Eighth Congress, Second Session (Eugene, Oregon).

Science.gov (United States)

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Small Business.

This is a congressional hearing to acquire testimony and information about women in business or about unusual problems that have been found. Testimony includes statements from individuals representing Big Bear Shopper, Inc.; United States Business and Professional Women (BPW/USA); Rural Small Business Programs, Lane Community College;…

South Asian and Middle Eastern patients' perspectives on medicine-related problems in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhomoud, Faten; Dhillon, Soraya; Aslanpour, Zoe; Smith, Felicity

2015-08-01

There has been little research which specifically examines medicine use among South Asian (SA) and Middle Eastern (ME) groups, although evidence suggests that medicine-related needs may be poorly met for these groups. To describe medicine-related problems (MRPs) experienced by SA and ME patients from their perspectives and identify possible contributory factors that may be specific to their cultures. The data were collected in seven pharmacies in London, United Kingdom (UK). The study was a qualitative study. Patients were from SA and ME origins, aged over 18 and prescribed three or more regular medicines. Patients were identified when presenting with a prescription. The data were collected in 80 face-to-face semi-structured interviews using Gordon's MRPs tool. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using Gordon's coding frame and Nvivo 10 software. Describing MRPs experienced by SA and ME patients from their perspectives and identifying possible contributory factors that may be specific to their cultures. Results Eighty participants (61 % male) had mean (SD) age 58 (13.4) years and a mean (SD) of 8 (4) medicines. Interviews revealed that several factors contributed to the development of MRPs; some appeared to be specific to SA and ME cultures and others were similar to the general population. The factors that were reported to be specific to SA and ME groups comprised religious practices and beliefs, use of non-prescription medicines, extent of family support, and travelling abroad--to patient's homeland or to take religious journeys. Illiteracy, language and communication barriers, lack of translated resources, perceptions of healthcare providers, and difficulty consulting a doctor of the same gender may also contribute to the problems. Many of these factors could be expected to influence patient's safety, adherence, and informed decision-making. This study demonstrated that SA and ME patients have their own problems and needs

Africa's search for communication technologies for education: a reflection on problems and prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofori-ansa, K

1983-09-01

In postindependence Africa new and more efficient strategies were required to support educational expansion. Political independence was accompanied by an increased demand for education to meet the growing labor force needs of the emerging countries in Africa. It was considered that education, as a means for human resource development, was a viable capital investment necessary to support both social and economic development, yet in many African nations, the educational systems and the traditional teaching methods inherited from colonial rule were not adequate to satisfy the increased demand for trained personnel. In response to the need for educational reforms and expansion, governments of many African countries invested heavily in the development of their education systems. During the 1970s it is estimated that Africa spent between 15-20% of the national budget on education. That high level of expenditure was justified by the increased demand for education. The educational expansion efforts also increased shortages of qualified and competent teachers, shortages of adequate equipment, and physical facilities. New strategies and resources with required to solve these increasing problems. Many African countries began to experiment with the use of mass communication technologies to support their educational reform efforts. There was generally consensus that the mass media, particularly radio and television, had certain qualities that could be exploited either to replace or improve conventional methods of teaching. By the late 1960s at least 16 African countries were using educational broadcasting of 1 form or another. International aid agencies, govermental donor agencies, and private foundations in the industrially advanced countries provided the support base for many African countries in their efforts to use radio and television for educational improvement. Most of these efforts failed to make any significant impact on educational development in Africa. Educational

An overview of enabling technology research in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, Charles C.

2002-01-01

The mission of the US Fusion Energy Sciences Program is to advance plasma science, fusion science, and fusion technology--the knowledge base needed for an economically and environmentally attractive fusion energy source. In support of this overall mission, the Enabling Technology Program in the US incorporates both near and long term R and D, contributes to material and engineering sciences as well as technology development, contributes to spin-off applications, and performs global systems assessments and focused design studies. This work supports both magnetic and inertial fusion energy (IFE) concepts. The Enabling Technology research mission is to contribute to the national science and technology base by developing the enabling technology for existing and next-step experimental devices, by exploring and understanding key materials and technology feasibility issues for attractive fusion power sources, by conducting advanced design studies that integrate the wealth of our understanding to guide R and D priorities and by developing design solutions for next-step and future devices. The Enabling Technology Program Plan is organized around five elements: plasma technologies, fusion (chamber) technologies, materials sciences, advanced design, and IFE chamber and target technologies. The principal technical features and research objectives are described for each element

Present situation, current problems and countermeasures to solve them by the material technology group in chemical companies; Kagaku shakai ni okeru sochi zairyo gijutsu no genjo to kadai oyobi sore eno taio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakahara, Masao. [Asahi Chemical Industry Corp., Tokyo (Japan). Production Technology Center

1999-05-15

A questionnaire investigation about the present situation, current problems and countermeasure to be discussed with by material technology groups in the eight chemical companies was carried out. It has become clear from the analysis of answers obtained that the roll of material group has been changing under the diminishing construction of new plant and the increased needs of stable and sustainable plant operation. The present major subjects of material groups, which are pointed out in the answers, are such new technological problems as the plant life estimation, the dissemination and handing down of material technology and the upbringing of technology successors. The countermeasures to meet those requirements made clear are such technology developments as a new monitoring system, preparation of database on material technology and closer cooperation with relatied associations. It is hoped for that the findings of this study would lead to further and more detailed indentification of common problems to be solved and development of practical countermeasures therefor. (author)

Transferring aviation human factors technology to the nuclear power industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montemerlo, M.D.

1981-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the availability of aviation safety technology and research on problems which are sufficiently similar to those faced by the nuclear power industry that an agressive effort to adapt and transfer that technology and research is warranted. Because of time and space constraints, the scope of this paper is reduced from a discussion of all of aviation safety technology to the human factors of air carrier safety. This area was selected not only because of similarities in the human factors challenges shared by both industries (e.g. selection, training, evaluation, certification, etc.) but because experience in aviation has clearly demonstrated that human error contributes to a substantially greater proportion of accidents and incidents than does equipment failure. The Congress of the United States has placed a great deal of emphasis on investigating and solving human factors problems in aviation. A number of recent examples of this interest and of the resulting actions are described. The opinions of prominent aviation organizations as to the human factors problems most in need of research are presented, along with indications of where technology transfer to the nuclear power industry may be viable. The areas covered include: fatigue, crew size, information transfer, resource management, safety data-bases, the role of automation, voice and data recording systems, crew distractions, the management of safety regulatory agencies, equipment recertification, team training, crew work-load, behavioural factors, human factors of equipment design, medical problems, toxicological factors, the use of simulators for training and certification, determining the causes of human errors, the politics of systems improvement, and importance of both safety and public perception of safety if the industry is to be viable. (author)

JUPITER PROJECT - MERGING INVERSE PROBLEM FORMULATION TECHNOLOGIES