Sustaining Physics Teacher Education Coalition programs in physics teacher education

OpenAIRE

Rachel E. Scherr; Monica Plisch; Renee Michelle Goertzen

2017-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms of increasing the number of physics teachers educated per year at institutions with thriving physics teacher preparation programs may inspire and support other institutions in building thriving programs of their own. The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC), led by the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), has supported transformation of physics teacher preparation programs at a number of institutions aro...

The physical and theoretical basis of solar-terrestrial relationships 2. Non-equatorial locations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Njau, E.C.

1988-07-01

The basic formulations presented in Part 1 of this series (hereinafter simply referred to as ''Paper 1'') are modified in order to mathematically represent the expected solar-terrestrial influences in non-equatorial regions. Analysis and interpretation of these formulations lead to the establishment of several new periodicities as well as other features associated with the non-equatorial atmosphere. Besides, we show through suitable examples that the physical processes that cause and influence some previously observed climatic and upper atmospheric variations in temperate and polar regions are easily deduced from our formulations. (author). 35 refs

The circumpolar biodiversity monitoring program - Terrestrial plan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Tom; Payne, J.; Doyle, M.

, northern communities, and scientists to detect, understand and report on long-term change in Arctic terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity. This presentation will outline the key management questions the plan aims to address and the proposed nested, multi-scaled approach linking targeted, research based...... monitoring with survey-based monitoring and remotely sensed data. The CBMP Terrestrial Plan intends to build upon and expand existing monitoring networks, engaging participants across a range of capacity and interests. The presentation will summarize the recommended focal soil ecosystem components...... and attributes to monitor in the plan related to soil invertebrates. Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs) of the soil decomposer system include the soil living invertebrates such as microarthropods, enchytraeids and earthworms and the functions performed by microorganisms such as nitrification, decomposition...

Sustaining Physics Teacher Education Coalition Programs in Physics Teacher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Scherr, Rachel E.; Plisch, Monica; Goertzen, Renee Michelle

2017-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms of increasing the number of physics teachers educated per year at institutions with thriving physics teacher preparation programs may inspire and support other institutions in building thriving programs of their own. The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC), led by the American Physical Society (APS) and the…

SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY CURRICULA IN PHYSICAL THERAPIST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulligan, Edward P; DeVahl, Julie

2017-10-01

The specialty niche of sports physical therapy has grown at a significant rate over the past 40 years. Despite this growth there is little information or direction from the physical therapy education accreditation body or professional association to guide academic programs on the interest or necessity of this type of practice content in physical therapy professional degree programs. The purpose of this survey study is to report on the prevalence, attitudes, barriers, resources, and faculty expertise in providing required or elective sports physical therapy course work. Cross-sectional descriptive survey. A 57-item questionnaire with branching logic was distributed via a web-based electronic data capture tool to survey all Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited and candidate schools in the United States. Response data was analyzed to describe typical educational program profiles, faculty demographics, and correlational factors consistent with the presence or absence of specific sports physical therapy curricular content. Thirty one percent of the schools responded to the survey and the program demographics were consistent with all currently accredited schools in regards to their geography, Carnegie classification, and faculty and student size. Forty three percent of programs offered a required or elective course distinct to the practice of sports physical therapy. Descriptive information regarding the sequencing, curricular make-up, resources, and assessment of content competence is reported. The odds of providing this content nearly doubles for programs that have faculty with sports clinical specialist credentials, accredited sports residency curriculums, or state practice acts that allow sports venue coverage. This survey provides an initial overview of sports physical therapy educational efforts in professional physical therapy degree programs. The data can used to spur further discussion on the necessity, structure, and

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Recommendations for Physical Education Teacher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoxia; Gu, Xiangli; Zhang, Tao; Keller, Jean; Chen, Senlin

2018-01-01

Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) aim to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles among school-age children and adolescents. Physical educators are highly qualified individuals taking on the role of certified physical activity leaders. Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs should consider preparing…

HIRFL-CSR physics program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Hushan

2009-01-01

The research activities at HIRFL-CSR cover the fields of the radio-biology, material science, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. This talk will mainly concentrate on the program on nuclear physics with the existing and planned experimental setups at HIRFL-CSR. (author)

Terrestrial ecology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

The main effort of the Terrestrial Ecology Division has been redirected to a comprehensive study of the Espiritu Santo Drainage Basin located in northeastern Puerto Rico. The general objective are to provide baseline ecological data for future environmental assessment studies at the local and regional levels, and to provide through an ecosystem approach data for the development of management alternatives for the wise utilization of energy, water, and land resources. The interrelationships among climate, vegetation, soils, and man, and their combined influence upon the hydrologic cycle will be described and evaluated. Environmental management involves planning and decision making, and both require an adequate data base. At present, little is known about the interworkings of a complete, integrated system such as a drainage basin. A literature survey of the main research areas confirmed that, although many individual ecologically oriented studies have been carried out in a tropical environment, few if any provide the data base required for environmental management. In view of rapidly changing socio-economic conditions and natural resources limitations, management urgently requires data from these systems: physical (climatological), biological, and cultural. This integrated drainage basin study has been designed to provide such data. The scope of this program covers the hydrologic cycle as it is affected by the interactions of the physical, biological, and cultural systems

The ATLAS Forward Physics Program

OpenAIRE

Royon, C

2010-01-01

After a brief review of the approved ATLAS forward detector system we describe the main ATLAS forward physics program. This program currently includes such topics as soft and hard diffraction, double pomeron exchange, central exclusive production, rapidity gap survival, two photon physics, the determination of the total cross-section and the determination of the absolute luminosity A possible high luminosity upgrade program involving new forward proton detectors is also briefly reviewed. This...

Towards a global terrestrial species monitoring program

Science.gov (United States)

Schmeller, Dirk S.; Julliard, Romain; Bellingham, Peter J.; Böhm, Monika; Brummitt, Neil; Chiarucci, Alessandro; Couvet, Denis; Elmendorf, Sarah; Forsyth, David M.; Moreno, Jaime García; Gregory, Richard D.; Magnusson, William E.; Martin, Laura J.; McGeoch, Melodie A.; Mihoub, Jean-Baptiste; Pereira, Henrique M.; Proença, Vânia; van Swaay, Chris A.M.; Yahara, Tetsukazu; Belnap, Jayne

2015-01-01

Introduction: The Convention for Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 envisions that “By 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.” Although 193 parties have adopted these goals, there is little infrastructure in place to monitor global biodiversity trends. Recent international conservation policy requires such data to be up-to-date, reliable, comparable among sites, relevant, and understandable; as is becoming obvious from the work plan adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES: www.ipbes.net/; http://tinyurl.com/ohdnknq). In order to meet the five strategic goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its 20 accompanying Aichi Targets for 2020 (www.cbd.int/sp/targets/), advances need to be made in coordinating large-scale biodiversity monitoring and linking these with environmental data to develop a comprehensive Global Observation Network, as is the main idea behind GEOSS the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (Christian 2005)...Here we identify ten requirements important for the successful implementation of a global biodiversity monitoring network under the flag of GEO BON and especially a global terrestrial species monitoring program.

A Peer Mentor Tutor Program in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Nossal, S. M.; Jacob, A. T.; Buehlman, J. D.; Middlecamp, C. H.

2001-05-01

The Peer Mentor Tutor (PMT) program in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Physics Department matches upper level undergraduate physics majors in small groups with students potentially at-risk for having academic trouble with their gateway introductory non-calculus physics course or for feeling isolated at the University. The program enhances students'learning and confidence by providing an emphasis on problem solving, a supportive environment for asking questions, and opportunities for acquiring missing math skills. The students assisted include, among others, returning adults, students of color,students with English as a second language, and students who have never taken physics in high school. The tutors acquire teaching and leadership experience with ongoing training throughout the year. The Physics PMT program is run in collaboration with a similar program in Chemistry. The peer model is also being applied to other science courses at the University of Wisconsin. We will describe the structure of the Physics PMT program and our current efforts to expand the program into a broader Physics Learning Center that may serve multiple purposes and courses.

Promoting Success in the Physical Sciences: The University of Wisconsin's Physics Learning Program

Science.gov (United States)

Nossal, S. M.; Jacob, A. T.

2002-05-01

The Physics Learning Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides small group, academic and mentoring support for students enrolled in algebra-based introductory physics courses. Those students accepted into our program are potentially at-risk academically in their physics course or for feeling isolated at the University. They include, among others, students who have not taken high school physics, returning adults, minority students, students with disabilities, and students with English as a second language. A core component of the program is the peer-lead teaching and mentoring groups that match upper level undergraduate physics majors with students potentially at-risk in introductory physics. The tutors receive ongoing training and supervision throughout the year. The program has expanded over the years to include staff tutors, the majority of whom are scientists who seek additional teaching experience. The Physics Peer Mentor Tutor Program is run in collaboration with a similar chemistry program at the University of Wisconsin's Chemistry Learning Center. We will describe our Physics Learning Programs and discuss some of the challenges, successes, and strategies used to work with our tutors and students.

Terrestrial planet formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Righter, K; O'Brien, D P

2011-11-29

Advances in our understanding of terrestrial planet formation have come from a multidisciplinary approach. Studies of the ages and compositions of primitive meteorites with compositions similar to the Sun have helped to constrain the nature of the building blocks of planets. This information helps to guide numerical models for the three stages of planet formation from dust to planetesimals (~10(6) y), followed by planetesimals to embryos (lunar to Mars-sized objects; few 10(6) y), and finally embryos to planets (10(7)-10(8) y). Defining the role of turbulence in the early nebula is a key to understanding the growth of solids larger than meter size. The initiation of runaway growth of embryos from planetesimals ultimately leads to the growth of large terrestrial planets via large impacts. Dynamical models can produce inner Solar System configurations that closely resemble our Solar System, especially when the orbital effects of large planets (Jupiter and Saturn) and damping mechanisms, such as gas drag, are included. Experimental studies of terrestrial planet interiors provide additional constraints on the conditions of differentiation and, therefore, origin. A more complete understanding of terrestrial planet formation might be possible via a combination of chemical and physical modeling, as well as obtaining samples and new geophysical data from other planets (Venus, Mars, or Mercury) and asteroids.

tactusLogic: programming using physical objects

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Smith, Andrew C

2011-05-01

Full Text Available We describe a new programming language that is based on physical elements and especially developed to test the hypothesis that a physical computer programming language is possible. This imperative language is deliberately limited to a few operators...

Data base for terrestrial food pathways dose commitment calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, C.E.

1979-01-01

A computer program is under development to allow calculation of the dose-to-man in Georgia and South Carolina from ingestion of radionuclides in terrestrial foods resulting from deposition of airborne radionuclides. This program is based on models described in Regulatory Guide 1.109 (USNRC, 1977). The data base describes the movement of radionuclides through the terrestrial food chain, growth and consumption factors for a variety of radionuclides

Interactive Physics Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Philip

1973-01-01

Presents an annotated list of 13 programs which are used to discuss such physical aspects as trajectories, refraction indices, equipotential lines, force fields, computer plots, kinematics applications, Fermat's principle, and measurements of electricity and magnetism knowledge. (CC)

Activities and results of the terrestrial effects program: acid precipitation in Ontario study (Apios)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linzon, S N

1986-11-01

Studies on the terrestrial effects of acidic precipitation in Ontario involve determining the effects on soils, crops, forests, lichens, mosses and biogeochemical systems. In the soils program, a baseline study was started in 1980 to establish a reliable and uniform data base for soils across the province, in order to identify future trends. Soil sensitivity criteria are being derived for mapping purposes. Starting in 1982, a complex, sophisticated mobile rain exclusion canopy system was constructed outdoors for controlled acid rain studies to determine the dose-response relationships of field crops. In response to numerous complaints a program was designed to determine the role that acidic precipitation is playing in the decline of sugar maple trees in Ontario. At 8 sites, tree conditions were noted, samples of foliage, bark, roots and soil were collected for chemical analysis, and increment cores and discs (from felled trees) were taken for radial growth patterns. Results from this study indicated that acidic precipitation was an additional stress to insect outbreaks and spring droughts. Intensive surveys have been conducted in selected areas in Ontario to identify the current viability and distribution of common denominator lichens and mosses. Biogeochemical studies are being conducted at four watersheds in Ontario. The different watersheds are located in progressively decreasing atmospheric deposition loadings from east to west across the province. The studies are attempting to document the role of contrasting terrestrial ecosystems in the process of lake acidification by atmospheric deposition. 9 references.

Exploring Sun-Earth Connections: A Physical Science Program for (K-8)Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Michels, D. J.; Pickert, S. M.; Thompson, J. L.; Montrose, C. J.

2003-12-01

An experimental, inquiry-based physical science curriculum for undergraduate, pre-service K-8 teachers is under development at the Catholic University of America in collaboration with the Solar Physics Branch of the Naval Research Laboratory and NASA's Sun-Earth Connection missions. This is a progress report. The current, stunningly successful exploratory phase in Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) physics, sparked by SOHO, Yohkoh, TRACE, and other International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) and Living With a Star (LWS) programs, has provided dynamic, visually intuitive data that can be used for teaching basic physical concepts such as the properties of gravitational and electromagnetic fields which are manifest in beautiful imagery of the astrophysical plasmas of the solar atmosphere and Earth's auroras. Through a team approach capitalizing on the combined expertise of the Catholic University's departments of Education and Physics and of NRL solar researchers deeply involved in SEC missions we have laid out a program that will teach non-science-major undergraduates a very limited number of physical science concepts but in such a way as to develop for each one both a formal understanding and an intuitive grasp that will instill confidence, spark interest and scientific curiosity and, ideally, inspire a habit of lifetime inquiry and professional growth. A three-semester sequence is planned. The first semester will be required of incoming Education freshmen. The second and third semesters will be of such a level as to satisfy the one-year science requirement for non-science majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. The approach as adopted will integrate physics content and educational methods, with each concept introduced through inquiry-based, hands-on investigation using methods and materials directly applicable to K-8 teaching situations (Exploration Phase). The topic is further developed through discussion, demonstration and lecture, introducing such mathematical

Overview of Pre-Flight Physical Training, In-Flight Exercise Countermeasures and the Post-Flight Reconditioning Program for International Space Station Astronauts

Science.gov (United States)

Kerstman, Eric

2011-01-01

International Space Station (ISS) astronauts receive supervised physical training pre-flight, utilize exercise countermeasures in-flight, and participate in a structured reconditioning program post-flight. Despite recent advances in exercise hardware and prescribed exercise countermeasures, ISS crewmembers are still found to have variable levels of deconditioning post-flight. This presentation provides an overview of the astronaut medical certification requirements, pre-flight physical training, in-flight exercise countermeasures, and the post-flight reconditioning program. Astronauts must meet medical certification requirements on selection, annually, and prior to ISS missions. In addition, extensive physical fitness testing and standardized medical assessments are performed on long duration crewmembers pre-flight. Limited physical fitness assessments and medical examinations are performed in-flight to develop exercise countermeasure prescriptions, ensure that the crewmembers are physically capable of performing mission tasks, and monitor astronaut health. Upon mission completion, long duration astronauts must re-adapt to the 1 G environment, and be certified as fit to return to space flight training and active duty. A structured, supervised postflight reconditioning program has been developed to prevent injuries, facilitate re-adaptation to the 1 G environment, and subsequently return astronauts to training and space flight. The NASA reconditioning program is implemented by the Astronaut Strength, Conditioning, and Rehabilitation (ASCR) team and supervised by NASA flight surgeons. This program has evolved over the past 10 years of the International Space Station (ISS) program and has been successful in ensuring that long duration astronauts safely re-adapt to the 1 g environment and return to active duty. Lessons learned from this approach to managing deconditioning can be applied to terrestrial medicine and future exploration space flight missions.

Impacts on power reactor health physics programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, B.A.

1991-01-01

The impacts on power reactor health physics programs form implementing the revised 10 CFR Part 20 will be extensive and costly. Every policy, program, procedure and training lesson plan involving health physics will require changes and the subsequent retraining of personnel. At each power reactor facility, hundreds of procedures and thousands of people will be affected by these changes. Every area of a power reactor health physics program will be affected. These areas include; ALARA, Respiratory Protection, Exposure Control, Job Coverage, Dosimetry, Radwaste, Effluent Accountability, Emergency Planning and Radiation Worker Training. This paper presents how power reactor facilities will go about making these changes and gives possible examples of some of these changes and their impact on each area of power reactor health physics program

Computer Tutorial Programs in Physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Faughn, Jerry; Kuhn, Karl

1979-01-01

Describes a series of computer tutorial programs which are intended to help college students in introductory physics courses. Information about these programs, which are either calculus or algebra-trig based, is presented. (HM)

Soil Heat Flow. Physical Processes in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems, Transport Processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, James R.

These materials were designed to be used by life science students for instruction in the application of physical theory to ecosystem operation. Most modules contain computer programs which are built around a particular application of a physical process. Soil heat flow and the resulting soil temperature distributions have ecological consequences…

Physical Education Preservice Teachers' Perceptions About Preparation for Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Ja Youn; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; van der Mars, Hans; Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka; Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey; Norris, Jason

2018-06-01

Physical educators may be the responsible people for implementing comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) in schools. However, it is unclear whether physical education teacher education (PETE) programs provide the relevant learning opportunities to preservice teachers for CSPAP implementation. The purpose of this study was to understand preservice teachers' perspectives and experiences of CSPAP preparation in their PETE programs. Fourteen PETE students from 6 different universities participated and shared their experiences in PETE programs. Data were collected through a short survey, 1 formal interview, field images, document gathering, and an additional survey to follow up the interview. Descriptive statistics, constant comparison, and analytic induction techniques were used to analyze the data. Participants' familiarity with CSPAPs was related to positive opinions about the role of physical educators in CSPAPs. Three common themes were revealed: (a) introducing CSPAP via courses, (b) the lack of programwide hands-on experiences for CSPAP, and (c) limited preparation for social skills with stakeholders. Participants' perceptions of the role of physical educators as physical activity leaders had been expanded during their training. The participating PETE programs integrated CSPAP components in the existing courses to introduce CSPAP, while there was a lack of sufficient practical opportunities to learn how to implement (aspects of) a CSPAP. Participants felt they were insufficiently prepared to promote and implement expanded physical activity programming beyond physical education classes in schools. The majority of the PETE preservice teachers wanted more practical CSPAP experiences in their programs.

Can Programmed or Self-Selected Physical Activity Affect Physical Fitness of Adolescents?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neto Cláudio F.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to verify the effects of programmed and self-selected physical activities on the physical fitness of adolescents. High school adolescents, aged between 15 and 17 years, were divided into two experimental groups: a a self-selected physical activity group (PAS with 55 students (aged 15.7 ± 0.7 years, who performed physical activities with self-selected rhythm at the following sports: basketball, volleyball, handball, futsal and swimming; and b a physical fitness training group (PFT with 53 students (aged 16.0 ± 0.7 years, who performed programmed physical fitness exercises. Both types of activity were developed during 60 min classes. To assess physical fitness the PROESP-BR protocol was used. The statistical analysis was performed by repeated measures ANOVA. The measurements of pre and post-tests showed significantly different values after PFT in: 9 minute running test, medicine ball throw, horizontal jump, abdominal endurance, running speed and flexibility. After PAS differences were detected in abdominal endurance, agility, running speed and flexibility. The intervention with programmed physical activity promoted more changes in the physical abilities; however, in the self-selected program, agility was improved probably because of the practice of sports. Therefore, physical education teachers can use PFT to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and power of lower and upper limbs and PAS to improve agility of high school adolescents.

Can programmed or self-selected physical activity affect physical fitness of adolescents?

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Cláudio F; Neto, Gabriel R; Araújo, Adenilson T; Sousa, Maria S C; Sousa, Juliana B C; Batista, Gilmário R; Reis, Victor M M R

2014-09-29

The aim of this study was to verify the effects of programmed and self-selected physical activities on the physical fitness of adolescents. High school adolescents, aged between 15 and 17 years, were divided into two experimental groups: a) a self-selected physical activity group (PAS) with 55 students (aged 15.7 ± 0.7 years), who performed physical activities with self-selected rhythm at the following sports: basketball, volleyball, handball, futsal and swimming; and b) a physical fitness training group (PFT) with 53 students (aged 16.0 ± 0.7 years), who performed programmed physical fitness exercises. Both types of activity were developed during 60 min classes. To assess physical fitness the PROESP-BR protocol was used. The statistical analysis was performed by repeated measures ANOVA. The measurements of pre and post-tests showed significantly different values after PFT in: 9 minute running test, medicine ball throw, horizontal jump, abdominal endurance, running speed and flexibility. After PAS differences were detected in abdominal endurance, agility, running speed and flexibility. The intervention with programmed physical activity promoted more changes in the physical abilities; however, in the self-selected program, agility was improved probably because of the practice of sports. Therefore, physical education teachers can use PFT to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and power of lower and upper limbs and PAS to improve agility of high school adolescents.

Building an undergraduate physics program with Learning Assistants

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Edward

2013-04-01

In 2007, the CSUSM Physics Department began offering a B.S. in Applied Physics, its first physics bachelors degree program. The program has grown from 11 majors in 2008 to over 80 in 2012, due in part to recruiting students from local high schools and community colleges. More broadly, because most CSUSM students come from the local region, the longer-term health of the Department is coupled with the vitality and strength of local high school physics education. In addition, establishing a new physics degree required curriculum development and offered the opportunity to incorporate recent innovations in physics education when developing courses. A Learning Assistants (LA) Program, established by the Department in 2008, has been a critical component in these efforts to recruit students, build local educational networks, and implement innovative curricula. In an LA Program, undergraduate Learning Assistants assist faculty in class, meet regularly with the course instructor, and participate in a weekly seminar on teaching and learning, which provides guidance on effective instruction and an opportunity to reflect on their experiences in the classroom. The LA program promotes course transformation, improved student learning, and teacher recruitment. This talk will describe the CSUSM LA Program and its role in support of our growing applied physics degree program.

Highlights from the LHCb ion physics program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmelling, Michael

2017-01-01

Following the successful participation of LHCb in the 2013 proton-lead run of the LHC, in 2015 the collaboration decided to further extend its physics program to study also lead-lead collisions and fixed target interactions. These proceedings discuss the physics reach of the detector and the first results from the LHCb ion physics and fixed target program. (paper)

International Cooperation With Japan in the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics/GGS Program

Science.gov (United States)

Acuna, M. H.

1999-01-01

The origin of the Geotail Program and the collaboration with Japan traces back to the Origin of Plasmas in the Earth's Neighborhood (OPEN) Program, a fleet of four spacecraft studied at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in the early 1980s to conduct multipoint, coordinated measurements in the Earth's magnetosphere and the interplanetary medium. The OPEN program was the natural evolution of the early discovery missions, which although finding many new regions and plasmaphysical phenomena in the magnetosphere had problems separating cause-and effect relationships and resolving space-time ambiguities. The primary scientific objective was the coordinated study of the flow of energy, mass, and momentum from the Sun through the interplanetary medium and its eventual deposition in the Earth's atmosphere. This objective was to be achieved in a quantitative manner and to that extent theory, models, and ground-based observations were incorporated for the first time as an integral part of the project baseline. An ambitious ground system, capable of processing and visualizing the vast amounts of data generated by these spacecraft, was also conceived and incorporated in the OPEN concept.

Application of Terrestrial Environments in Orion Assessments

Science.gov (United States)

Barbre, Robert E.

2016-01-01

This presentation summarizes the Marshall Space Flight Center Natural Environments Terrestrial and Planetary Environments (TPE) Team support to the NASA Orion space vehicle. The TPE utilizes meteorological data to assess the sensitivities of the vehicle due to the terrestrial environment. The Orion vehicle, part of the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Program, is designed to carry astronauts beyond low-earth orbit and is currently undergoing a series of tests including Exploration Test Flight (EFT) - 1. The presentation describes examples of TPE support for vehicle design and several tests, as well as support for EFT-1 and planning for upcoming Exploration Missions while emphasizing the importance of accounting for the natural environment's impact to the vehicle early in the vehicle's program.

Nuclear physics program plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-11-01

The nuclear physics program objectives, resources, applications and implications of scientific opportunities are presented. The scope of projected research is discussed in conjunction with accelerator facilities and manpower. 25 figs., 2 tabs

Scientific study in solar and plasma physics relative to rocket and balloon projects

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, S. T.

1993-01-01

The goals of this research are to provide scientific and technical capabilities in the areas of solar and plasma physics contained in research programs and instrumentation development relative to current rocket and balloon projects; to develop flight instrumentation design, flight hardware, and flight program objectives and participate in peer reviews as appropriate; and to participate in solar-terrestrial physics modeling studies and analysis of flight data and provide theoretical investigations as required by these studies.

Microplastics as an emerging threat to terrestrial ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Machado, Anderson Abel; Kloas, Werner; Zarfl, Christiane; Hempel, Stefan; Rillig, Matthias C

2018-04-01

Microplastics (plastics plastic litter or from direct environmental emission. Their potential impacts in terrestrial ecosystems remain largely unexplored despite numerous reported effects on marine organisms. Most plastics arriving in the oceans were produced, used, and often disposed on land. Hence, it is within terrestrial systems that microplastics might first interact with biota eliciting ecologically relevant impacts. This article introduces the pervasive microplastic contamination as a potential agent of global change in terrestrial systems, highlights the physical and chemical nature of the respective observed effects, and discusses the broad toxicity of nanoplastics derived from plastic breakdown. Making relevant links to the fate of microplastics in aquatic continental systems, we here present new insights into the mechanisms of impacts on terrestrial geochemistry, the biophysical environment, and ecotoxicology. Broad changes in continental environments are possible even in particle-rich habitats such as soils. Furthermore, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that microplastics interact with terrestrial organisms that mediate essential ecosystem services and functions, such as soil dwelling invertebrates, terrestrial fungi, and plant-pollinators. Therefore, research is needed to clarify the terrestrial fate and effects of microplastics. We suggest that due to the widespread presence, environmental persistence, and various interactions with continental biota, microplastic pollution might represent an emerging global change threat to terrestrial ecosystems. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effectiveness of worksite physical activity programs on physical activity, physical fitness, and health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Proper, K.I.; Koning, M.; Beek, A.J. van der; Hildebrandt, V.H.; Bosscher, R.J.; Mechelen, W. van

2003-01-01

Objective: To critically review the literature with respect to the effectiveness of worksite physical activity programs on physical activity, physical fitness, and health. Data Sources: A search for relevant English-written papers published between 1980 and 2000 was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE,

High Energy Physics (HEP) benchmark program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasu, Yoshiji; Ichii, Shingo; Yashiro, Shigeo; Hirayama, Hideo; Kokufuda, Akihiro; Suzuki, Eishin.

1993-01-01

High Energy Physics (HEP) benchmark programs are indispensable tools to select suitable computer for HEP application system. Industry standard benchmark programs can not be used for this kind of particular selection. The CERN and the SSC benchmark suite are famous HEP benchmark programs for this purpose. The CERN suite includes event reconstruction and event generator programs, while the SSC one includes event generators. In this paper, we found that the results from these two suites are not consistent. And, the result from the industry benchmark does not agree with either of these two. Besides, we describe comparison of benchmark results using EGS4 Monte Carlo simulation program with ones from two HEP benchmark suites. Then, we found that the result from EGS4 in not consistent with the two ones. The industry standard of SPECmark values on various computer systems are not consistent with the EGS4 results either. Because of these inconsistencies, we point out the necessity of a standardization of HEP benchmark suites. Also, EGS4 benchmark suite should be developed for users of applications such as medical science, nuclear power plant, nuclear physics and high energy physics. (author)

Fusion programs in Applied Plasma Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-07-01

The Applied Plasma Physics (APP) program at General Atomics (GA) described here includes four major elements: (a) Applied Plasma Physics Theory Program, (b) Alpha Particle Diagnostic, (c) Edge and Current Density Diagnostic, and (d) Fusion User Service Center (USC). The objective of the APP theoretical plasma physics research at GA is to support the DIII-D and other tokamak experiments and to significantly advance our ability to design a commercially-attractive fusion reactor. We categorize our efforts in three areas: magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibria and stability; plasma transport with emphasis on H-mode, divertor, and boundary physics; and radio frequency (rf). The objective of the APP alpha particle diagnostic is to develop diagnostics of fast confined alpha particles using the interactions with the ablation cloud surrounding injected pellets and to develop diagnostic systems for reacting and ignited plasmas. The objective of the APP edge and current density diagnostic is to first develop a lithium beam diagnostic system for edge fluctuation studies on the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT). The objective of the Fusion USC is to continue to provide maintenance and programming support to computer users in the GA fusion community. The detailed progress of each separate program covered in this report period is described in the following sections

Programed Instruction in Health Education and Physical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayshark, Cyrus; Evaul, Thomas W.

This book contains eight chapters by several different authors, most of them professors of health or physical education. Focus is on applications and implications of programed instruction for professionals in the health and physical education fields. "Overview of Programed Instruction" defines programing, its development and implications for…

Successful Physical Activity Programming for Students with Autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultheis, Susan F.; Boswell, Boni B.; Decker, Jim

2000-01-01

This article describes Success in Physical Activity, a program for students with autism. The program, based on adaptations of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communications-Handicapped Children (TEACCH) recreational structure program, focuses on two areas: physical fitness and motor ability. (Contains seven references.)…

Physical Research Program: research contracts and statistical summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

The physical research program consists of fundamental theoretical and experimental investigations designed to support the objectives of ERDA. The program is directed toward discovery of natural laws and new knowledge, and to improved understanding of the physical sciences as related to the development, use, and control of energy. The ultimate goal is to develop a scientific underlay for the overall ERDA effort and the fundamental principles of natural phenomena so that these phenomena may be understood and new principles, formulated. The physical research program is organized into four functional subprograms, high-energy physics, nuclear sciences, materials sciences, and molecular sciences. Approximately four-fifths of the total physical research program costs are associated with research conducted in ERDA-owned, contractor-operated federally funded research and development centers. A little less than one-fifth of the costs are associated with the support of research conducted in other laboratories

Status and hadron physics program of J-PARC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozawa K.

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Current status and hadron physics programs of Japan Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC are reported. Several physics programs are proposed at the Hadron Hall of J-PARC. Strangeness and hyper nuclear physics is undertaken at K1.8 beam line. Study of meson nucleon bound system is underway at K1.8BR beam line. After the earthquake, all beam line components and experimental setups are reassembled. Protons are successfully accelerated in the last December and hadron physics experiments are resumed in this February. In this manuscript, status of on-going experiment and near future plans of such physics programs are reported. Especially, a new beam line for a primary protons and high momentum secondary particles is proposed to study meson properties in nucleus.

Effect of programmed physical activity on the physical fitness of adolescent students

OpenAIRE

Edson Dos Santos Farias; Wellington Roberto Gomes Carvalho; Ezequiel Moreira Gonçalves; Gil Guerra Guerra-Júnior

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of programmed physical activity on the physical fitness of adolescent students over one school year. The sample consisted of 383 students (age range: 10 to 14 years) divided into two groups: 186 cases (96 boys and 90 girls) and 197 controls (108 boys and 89 girls). An intervention study with pre- and post-tests was conducted, in which the intervention group was submitted to programmed physical activity, while the control group underwe...

A meteorological distribution system for high-resolution terrestrial modeling (MicroMet)

Science.gov (United States)

Glen E. Liston; Kelly Elder

2006-01-01

An intermediate-complexity, quasi-physically based, meteorological model (MicroMet) has been developed to produce high-resolution (e.g., 30-m to 1-km horizontal grid increment) atmospheric forcings required to run spatially distributed terrestrial models over a wide variety of landscapes. The following eight variables, required to run most terrestrial models, are...

Physics issues of a proposed program, SPIRIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Hantao; Yamada, Masaaki

2000-01-01

Physics issues of the proposed program, SPIRIT (Self-organized Plasma with Induction, Reconnection, and Induction Techniques) are discussed. The main purpose of this program is to explore the physics of global stability and sustainment of compact toroids, including FRC (field reversed configuration) as well as low-aspect-ratio RFP (reversed field pinch), spheromak and spherical torus. (author)

Digital terrestrial broadcasting receiver in the U.K; Eikoku chijoha digital hoso jushinki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Digital terrestrial broadcasting is broadcasted in parallel with existing UHF analog broadcasting, whereas each of allocated channel frequencies can transmit five to six programs simultaneously. Each home can receive a number of programs with the existing antenna without a need of installing a new satellite antenna or cable. Among the countries of the world running forward to digitization of broadcasting all at once, the U.K. develops advancing movements and leads the world by starting the digital terrestrial broadcasting. In addition to the digitized broadcasting of conventional analog broadcasting programs, the `Ondigitals` (broadcasting operators) have started newly the pay broadcasting. Toshiba has been selected as one of the six developers and manufacturers of digital terrestrial broadcasting receivers, and has developed the digital terrestrial broadcasting receiver DTB2000. For the modulation system, the orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) was chosen as a system being strong against ghost and most suitable for digital terrestrial broadcasting. In addition, the receiver is equipped with software download function by using the broadcasting waves, and the common interface being the communication specification specified in the DVB (digital video broadcasting) to provide future function expandability. (translated by NEDO)

A Thriving and Innovative Undergraduate Experiential Physics Program

Science.gov (United States)

Roughani, Bahram

2013-03-01

The thriving physics program at Kettering University has experienced a three-fold increase in the number of physics majors since 2002. Our unique physics program requires students alternate between on-campus academic terms and off-campus co-op work terms on a three months rotation format to complete their degree in 4.5 years that includes summer as either school or co-op term. Students complete a minimum of five terms (~15 months) of cooperative work terms, and two terms (~6 months) of senior thesis work. The IP of the thesis work done at a co-op site belongs to the company. This has attracted co-op sponsors for our program by removing the IP concerns. The cooperative and experiential education part of our program is required for graduation, without any credits assigned to it. At the end of every co-op term students' work performance is evaluated by their co-op supervisor, which should match expected performance standards. In addition to co-op and thesis, our programs include a senior capstone design project course, concentrations within physics (Acoustics, Optics, and Materials), a required technical sequence outside physics, as well as entrepreneurship across curriculum. The success of our student securing the highest paid jobs for undergraduate physics majors in the nation plus their success in graduate studies are the main ``Pull Factors'' that has lead to three fold increase the physics majors since 2002.

Hadron physics programs at J-PARC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naruki M.

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The J-PARC Hadron Facility is designed as a multipurpose experimental facility for a wide range of particle and nuclear physics programs, aiming to provide the world highest intensity secondary beams. Currently three secondary beam lines; K1.8, K1.8BR and KL together with the test beam line named K1.1BR come into operation. Various experimental programs are proposed at each beam line and some of them have been performed so far. As the first experiment at the J-PARC Hadron Facility, the Θ+ pentaquark was searched for via the pion-induced hadronic reaction in the autumn of 2010. Also experimental programs to search for new hadronic states such as K−pp have started to perform a physics run. The current status and near future programs are introduced.

The Solar-Terrestrial Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Hargreaves, John Keith

1995-05-01

The book begins with three introductory chapters that provide some basic physics and explain the principles of physical investigation. The principal material contained in the main part of the book covers the neutral and ionized upper atmosphere, the magnetosphere, and structures, dynamics, disturbances, and irregularities. The concluding chapter deals with technological applications. The account is introductory, at a level suitable for readers with a basic background in engineering or physics. The intent is to present basic concepts, and for that reason, the mathematical treatment is not complex. SI units are given throughout, with helpful notes on cgs units where these are likely to be encountered in the research literature. This book is suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are taking introductory courses on upper atmospheric, ionospheric, or magnetospheric physics. This is a successor to The Upper Atmosphere and Solar-Terrestrial Relations, published in 1979.

Best Practices in Physics Program Assessment: Should APS Provide Accreditation Standards for Physics?

Science.gov (United States)

Hodapp, Theodore

The Phys21 report, ``Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers,'' provides guidance for physics programs to improve their degree programs to make them more relevant for student career choices. Undertaking such changes and assessing impact varies widely by institution, with many departments inventing assessments with each periodic departmental or programmatic review. American Physical Society has embarked on a process to integrate information from Phys21, the results of other national studies, and educational research outcomes to generate a best-practices guide to help physics departments conduct program review, assessment, and improvement. It is anticipated that departments will be able to use this document to help with their role in university-level accreditation, and in making the case for improvements to departmental programs. Accreditation of physics programs could stem from such a document, and I will discuss some of the thinking of the APS Committee on Education in creating this guide, and how they are advising APS to move forward in the higher education landscape that is increasingly subject to standards-based evaluations. I will describe plans for the design, review, and dissemination of this guide, and how faculty can provide input into its development. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1540570. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the NSF.

NASA Astronaut Occupational Surveillance Program and Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health, LSAH, Astronaut Exposures and Risk in the Terrestrial and Spaceflight Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Keprta, Sean R.; Tarver, William; Van Baalen, Mary; McCoy, Torin

2015-01-01

United States Astronauts have a very unique occupational exposure profile. In order to understand these risks and properly address them, the National Aeronautics and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, originally created the Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health, LSAH. The first LSAH was designed to address a variety of needs regarding astronaut health and included a 3 to 1 terrestrial control population in order to compare United States "earth normal" disease and aging to that of a microgravity exposed astronaut. Over the years that program has been modified, now termed Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health, still LSAH. Astronaut spaceflight exposures have also changed, with the move from short duration shuttle flights to long duration stays on international space station and considerable terrestrial training activities. This new LSAH incorporates more of an occupational health and medicine model to the study of occupationally exposed astronauts. The presentation outlines the baseline exposures and monitoring of the astronaut population to exposures, both terrestrial, and in space.

High energy physics program at Texas A ampersand M University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-12-01

The Texas A ampersand M experimental high energy physics program has been supported since its inception by DOE Contract DE-AS05-81ER40039. During that period we established a viable experimental program at a university which before this time had no program in high energy physics. In 1990, the experimental program was augmented with a program in particle theory. In the accompanying final report, we outline the research work accomplished during the final year of this contract and the program being proposed for consideration by the Department of Energy for future grant support. Some of the particular areas covered are: Collider detector at Fermilab program; the TAMU MACRO program; SSC R ampersand D program; SSC experimental program; and theoretical physics program

The LEP physics program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davier, M.

1985-06-01

The physics program of LEP is reviewed in the context of recent developments from the SpantipS collider. LEP offers the unique possibility to unambiguously explore the particle spectrum up to a mass of 100 GeV i.e. over the mass range typical of the electroweak symmetry breaking. 31 refs.

An experimental high energy physics program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaidos, J.A.; Loeffler, F.J.; McIlwain, R.L.; Miller, D.H.; Palfrey, T.R.; Shibata, E.I.

1988-01-01

The theoretical and experimental high energy physics program is reviewed, including particle detectors. Topics discussed include τ and B physics, gamma-ray astronomy, neutrino oscillations in matter with three flavors applied to solar and supernova neutrinos, effective field theories, a possible fifth force, the dynamics of hadrons and superstrings, mathematics of grand unified theories, chiral symmetry breaking, physics at the Fermilab collider, and development of the TOPAZ detector

Working group 4: Terrestrial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

A working group at a Canada/USA symposium on climate change and the Arctic identified major concerns and issues related to terrestrial resources. The group examined the need for, and the means of, involving resource managers and users at local and territorial levels in the process of identifying and examining the impacts and consequences of climatic change. Climatic change will be important to the Arctic because of the magnitude of the change projected for northern latitudes; the apparent sensitivity of its terrestrial ecosystems, natural resources, and human support systems; and the dependence of the social, cultural, and economic welfare of Arctic communities, businesses, and industries on the health and quality of their environment. Impacts of climatic change on the physical, biological, and associated socio-economic environment are outlined. Gaps in knowledge needed to quantify these impacts are listed along with their relationships with resource management. Finally, potential actions for response and adaptation are presented

Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs: Implications for physics programs and why you should care

Science.gov (United States)

Hodapp, Theodore

2016-03-01

The content of undergraduate physics programs has not changed appreciably in 50 years, however, the jobs our students take have changed dramatically. Preparing students for careers they are likely to encounter requires physics programs to rethink and in some cases retool to provide an education that will not only educate an individual in the habits of mind and keen sense of how to solve complex technical problems, but also what related skills they will need to be effective in those careers. Do you teach your student how to read or create a budget? How about dealing with a low-performing member of an R&D team? This talk will explore driving forces behind this report, potential implications for physics departments, and practical steps faculty members can take to continue to consider improvements in experiences for our students. This work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF-1540570).

Terrestrial gamma radiation baseline mapping using ultra low density sampling methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleinschmidt, R.; Watson, D.

2016-01-01

Baseline terrestrial gamma radiation maps are indispensable for providing basic reference information that may be used in assessing the impact of a radiation related incident, performing epidemiological studies, remediating land contaminated with radioactive materials, assessment of land use applications and resource prospectivity. For a large land mass, such as Queensland, Australia (over 1.7 million km 2 ), it is prohibitively expensive and practically difficult to undertake detailed in-situ radiometric surveys of this scale. It is proposed that an existing, ultra-low density sampling program already undertaken for the purpose of a nationwide soil survey project be utilised to develop a baseline terrestrial gamma radiation map. Geoelement data derived from the National Geochemistry Survey of Australia (NGSA) was used to construct a baseline terrestrial gamma air kerma rate map, delineated by major drainage catchments, for Queensland. Three drainage catchments (sampled at the catchment outlet) spanning low, medium and high radioelement concentrations were selected for validation of the methodology using radiometric techniques including in-situ measurements and soil sampling for high resolution gamma spectrometry, and comparative non-radiometric analysis. A Queensland mean terrestrial air kerma rate, as calculated from the NGSA outlet sediment uranium, thorium and potassium concentrations, of 49 ± 69 nGy h −1 (n = 311, 3σ 99% confidence level) is proposed as being suitable for use as a generic terrestrial air kerma rate background range. Validation results indicate that catchment outlet measurements are representative of the range of results obtained across the catchment and that the NGSA geoelement data is suitable for calculation and mapping of terrestrial air kerma rate. - Highlights: • A baseline terrestrial air kerma map of Queensland, Australia was developed using geochemical data from a major drainage catchment ultra-low density sampling program

Health physics educational program in the Tennessee Valley Authority

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holley, Wesley L.

1978-01-01

In the spring of 1977, the Radiological Hygiene Branch of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) instituted a training program for health physics technicians to ensure availability of qualified personnel for the agency, which is rapidly becoming the world's largest nuclear utility. From this, a health physics education program is developing to also include health physics orientation and retraining for unescorted entry into nuclear power plants, health physics training for employees at other (non-TVA) nuclear plants, specialized health physics training, and possibly theoretical health physics courses to qualify technician-level personnel for professional status. Videotaped presentations are being used extensively, with innovations such as giving examinations by videotape of real-life, in-plant experiences and acted out scenarios of health physics procedures; and teaching health physics personnel to observe, detect, and act on procedural, equipment, and personnel deficiencies promptly. Video-taped lectures are being used for review and to complement live lectures. Also, a 35-mm slide and videotape library is being developed on all aspects of the operational health physics program for nuclear plants using pressurized and boiling water reactors. (author)

Particle Physics and Programming Languages

OpenAIRE

Watts, Gordon

2017-01-01

A SeaLang meetup - a presentation discussing various programming languages used in particle physics, from pushing common modern languages a bit past where they should be pushed, to an embedded DSL, to some full blown ones written.

The development and operation of the international solar-terrestrial physics central data handling facility

Science.gov (United States)

Lehtonen, Kenneth

1994-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) Program is committed to the development of a comprehensive, multi-mission ground data system which will support a variety of national and international scientific missions in an effort to study the flow of energy from the sun through the Earth-space environment, known as the geospace. A major component of the ISTP ground data system is an ISTP-dedicated Central Data Handling Facility (CDHF). Acquisition, development, and operation of the ISTP CDHF were delegated by the ISTP Project Office within the Flight Projects Directorate to the Information Processing Division (IPD) within the Mission Operations and Data Systems Directorate (MO&DSD). The ISTP CDHF supports the receipt, storage, and electronic access of the full complement of ISTP Level-zero science data; serves as the linchpin for the centralized processing and long-term storage of all key parameters generated either by the ISTP CDHF itself or received from external, ISTP Program approved sources; and provides the required networking and 'science-friendly' interfaces for the ISTP investigators. Once connected to the ISTP CDHF, the online catalog of key parameters can be browsed from their remote processing facilities for the immediate electronic receipt of selected key parameters using the NASA Science Internet (NSI), managed by NASA's Ames Research Center. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to describe how the ISTP CDHF was successfully implemented and operated to support initially the Japanese Geomagnetic Tail (GEOTAIL) mission and correlative science investigations, and (2) to describe how the ISTP CDHF has been enhanced to support ongoing as well as future ISTP missions. Emphasis will be placed on how various project management approaches were undertaken that proved to be highly effective in delivering an operational ISTP CDHF to the Project on schedule and

Packaging a successful NASA mission to reach a large audience within a small budget. Earth's Dynamic Space: Solar-Terrestrial Physics & NASA's Polar Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, N. J.; Goldberg, R.; Barnes, R. J.; Sigwarth, J. B.; Beisser, K. B.; Moore, T. E.; Hoffman, R. A.; Russell, C. T.; Scudder, J.; Spann, J. F.; Newell, P. T.; Hobson, L. J.; Gribben, S. P.; Obrien, J. E.; Menietti, J. D.; Germany, G. G.; Mobilia, J.; Schulz, M.

2004-12-01

To showcase the on-going and wide-ranging scope of the Polar science discoveries, the Polar science team has created a one-stop shop for a thorough introduction to geospace physics, in the form of a DVD with supporting website. The DVD, Earth's Dynamic Space: Solar-Terrestrial Physics & NASA's Polar Mission, can be viewed as an end-to-end product or split into individual segments and tailored to lesson plans. Capitalizing on the Polar mission and its amazing science return, the Polar team created an exciting multi-use DVD intended for audiences ranging from a traditional classroom and after school clubs, to museums and science centers. The DVD tackles subjects such as the aurora, the magnetosphere and space weather, whilst highlighting the science discoveries of the Polar mission. This platform introduces the learner to key team members as well as the science principles. Dramatic visualizations are used to illustrate the complex principles that describe Earth’s dynamic space. In order to produce such a wide-ranging product on a shoe-string budget, the team poured through existing NASA resources to package them into the Polar story, and visualizations were created using Polar data to complement the NASA stock footage. Scientists donated their time to create and review scripts in order to make this a real team effort, working closely with the award winning audio-visual group at JHU/Applied Physics Laboratory. The team was excited to be invited to join NASA’s Sun-Earth Day 2005 E/PO program and the DVD will be distributed as part of the supporting educational packages.

Differential Programming Needs of College Students Preferring Web-Based Versus In-Person Physical Activity Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Stephanie P; Forman, Evan M; Butryn, Meghan L; Herbert, James D

2017-09-21

College students report several barriers to exercise, highlighting a need for university-based programs that address these challenges. In contrast to in-person interventions, several web-based programs have been developed to enhance program engagement by increasing ease of access and lowering the necessary level of commitment to participate. Unfortunately, web-based programs continue to struggle with engagement and less-than-ideal outcomes. One explanation for this discrepancy is that different intervention modalities may attract students with distinctive activity patterns, motivators, barriers, and program needs. However, no studies have formally evaluated intervention modality preference (e.g., web-based or in-person) among college students. The current study sought to examine the relationship between intervention modality preference and physical activity programming needs. Undergraduate students (n = 157) enrolled in psychology courses at an urban university were asked to complete an online survey regarding current activity patterns and physical activity program preferences. Participants preferring web-based physical activity programs exercised less (p = .05), were less confident in their abilities to exercise (p = .01), were less likely to endorse the maintenance stage of change (p web-based programming may require programs that enhance self-efficacy by fostering goal-setting and problem-solving skills. A user-centered design approach may enhance the engagement (and therefore effectiveness) of physical activity promotion programs for college students.

The Physics Entrepreneurship Program at Case Western Reserve University

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Cyrus

2001-10-01

The Physics Entrepreneurship Program is a new, two-year Master's Program designed to empower physicists as entrepreneurs. Launched by the Dept. of Physics at Case Western Reserve University in close cooperation with the Weatherhead School of Management, the program is now in its second year. This innovative new program has already attracted important attention from the business community, including seed funding of a student launched venture, international press coverage, including an article in Business Week, and government interest, including an invitation to brief the Advisory Board of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation. This talk will discuss the structure and content of the program, the lessons we are learning, and early indicators of success including a student-launched new business venture that has already secured more than $ 250,000 in seed funding.

Effect of a Sport Education Program on Motivation for Physical Education and Leisure-Time Physical Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Wallhead, Tristan L.; Garn, Alex C.; Vidoni, Carla

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a high school sport education curriculum program on students' motivation for physical education and leisure-time physical activity. Method: Participants were 568 high school students enrolled in the required physical education programs at 2 schools, 1 taught using sport education and…

Effectiveness of School-Initiated Physical Activity Program on Secondary School Students' Physical Activity Participation

Science.gov (United States)

Gråstén, Arto; Yli-Piipari, Sami; Watt, Anthony; Jaakkola, Timo; Liukkonen, Jarmo

2015-01-01

Background: The promotion of physical activity and health has become a universal challenge. The Sotkamo Physical Activity as Civil Skill Program was implemented to increase students' physical activity by promoting supportive psychological and physical school environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the…

Recent Advances in Atmospheric, Solar-Terrestrial Physics and Space Weather From a North-South network of scientists [2006-2016] PART B : Results and Capacity Building

Science.gov (United States)

Amory-Mazaudier, C.; Fleury, R.; Petitdidier, M.; Soula, S.; Masson, F.; Davila, J.; Doherty, P.; Elias, A.; Gadimova, S.; Makela, J.; Nava, B.; Radicella, S.; Richardson, J.; Touzani, A.; Girgea Team

2017-12-01

This paper reviews scientific advances achieved by a North-South network between 2006 and 2016. These scientific advances concern solar terrestrial physics, atmospheric physics and space weather. This part B is devoted to the results and capacity building. Our network began in 1991, in solar terrestrial physics, by our participation in the two projects: International Equatorial Electrojet Year IEEY [1992-1993] and International Heliophysical Year IHY [2007-2009]. These two projects were mainly focused on the equatorial ionosphere in Africa. In Atmospheric physics our research focused on gravity waves in the framework of the African Multidisciplinary Monsoon Analysis project n°1 [2005-2009 ], on hydrology in the Congo river basin and on lightning in Central Africa, the most lightning part of the world. In Vietnam the study of a broad climate data base highlighted global warming. In space weather, our results essentially concern the impact of solar events on global navigation satellite system GNSS and on the effects of solar events on the circulation of electric currents in the earth (GIC). This research began in the framework of the international space weather initiative project ISWI [2010-2012]. Finally, all these scientific projects have enabled young scientists from the South to publish original results and to obtain positions in their countries. These projects have also crossed disciplinary boundaries and defined a more diversified education which led to the training of specialists in a specific field with knowledge of related scientific fields.

Ancient Terrestrial Carbon: Lost and Found

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, K. H.

2017-12-01

Carbon fluxes in terrestrial environments dominate the global carbon cycle. The fluxes of terrestrial carbon are strongly tied to regional climate due to the influences of temperature, water, and nutrient dynamics on plant productivity. However, climate also influences the destruction of terrestrial organic matter, through weathering, erosion, and biomass loss via fire and oxidative microbial processes. Organic geochemical methods enable us to interrogate past terrestrial carbon dynamics and learn how continental processes might accelerate, or mitigate carbon transfer to the atmosphere, and the associated greenhouse warming. Terrestrial soil systems represent the weathering rind of the continents, and are inherently non-depositional and erosive. The production, transport, and depositional processes affecting organics in continental settings each impart their own biases on the amount and characteristics of preserved carbon. Typically, the best archives for biomarker records are sediments in ancient lakes or subaqueous fans, which represents a preservation bias that tends to favor wetter environments. Paleosols, or ancient soils, formed under depositional conditions that, for one reason or another, truncated soil ablation, erosion, or other loss processes. In modern soils, widely ranging organic carbon abundances are almost always substantially greater than the trace amounts of carbon left behind in ancient soils. Even so, measureable amounts of organic biomarkers persist in paleosols. We have been investigating processes that preserve soil organic carbon on geologic timescales, and how these mechanisms may be sensitive to past climate change. Climate-linked changes in temperature, moisture, pH, and weathering processes can impact carbon preservation via organo-mineral sorption, soil biogeochemistry, and stability based on the physical and chemical properties of organic compounds. These will be discussed and illustrated with examples from our studies of Cenozoic

Case Study of an Institutionalized Urban Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program

Science.gov (United States)

Doolittle, Sarah A.; Rukavina, Paul B.

2014-01-01

This single case study (Yin, 2009) compares an established urban physical education/ sport/physical activity program with two models: Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program/CSPAP (AAHPERD, 2013; CDC, 2013); and Lawson's propositions (2005) for sport, exercise and physical education for empowerment and community development to determine…

Physical security technology base programs for physical security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, J.

1986-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories is the US Department of Energy's lead laboratory for physical security research and development (R and D). In support of this mission, Sandia has maintained for several years an R and D program in each of the following technology areas: Intrusion Detection, Entry Control, CCTV Assessment, Access Delay, Alarm Display, and Guard Equipment and Training. The purpose of the technology base programs is to maintain cognizance of the capabilities of the commercial market, identify improvements and transfer technology to industry and facilities. The output of these programs supports the development of new equipment and advanced system concepts, demonstrations of proof-of-principles and system implementation. This paper will review the status of current developments and discuss trends in new technologies which are being explored for future applications, i.e., artificial intelligence, expert systems, robotics, and more automated systems

Investigation on the toxic potential of Tribulus terrestris in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Abudayyak, M; Jannuzzi, A T; Özhan, G; Alpertunga, B

2015-04-01

Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae) has been commonly used to energize, vitalize, and improve sexual function and physical performance in men. This study investigates the potential cytotoxic and genotoxic, and endocrine disrupting activities of T. terrestris in vitro. The whole T. terrestris plant was extracted with water, methanol, and chloroform. The genotoxic potential of T. terrestris extracts at 3-2400 µg/mL was assessed by Comet assay in a rat kidney cell line (NRK-52E) and by Ames assay in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains. Endocrine disrupting effects of the extracts at concentrations of 0.22-25 000 µg/mL were assessed by YES/YAS assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cytotoxic activity of the extracts was determined by the MTT test in NRK-52E cells. The different exposure times were used for four tests (3-48 h). The methanol extract of T. terrestris IC50 value was 160 µg/mL. The other extracts did not show cytotoxic effects. In the Comet and Ames genotoxicity assays, none of the extracts possessed genotoxic activities at concentrations of 0-2400 µg/mL. Only the water extract of T. terrestris induced frame shift mutations after metabolic activation. The water extract also showed estrogenic activity by YES/YAS assay in S. cerevisiae at concentrations ≥27 µg/mL (≥2.6-fold), while the other T. terrestris extracts had anti-estrogenic properties. Tribulus terrestris had estrogenic and genotoxic activities. The study was useful in determining its toxicological effects and the precautions regarding consumption.

Terrestrial gamma ray flash production by lightning current pulses

OpenAIRE

İnan, Umran Savaş; Carlson, B. E.; Lehtinen, N. G.

2017-01-01

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are brief bursts of gamma rays observed by satellites, typically in coincidence with detectable lightning. We incorporate TGF observations and the key physics behind current TGF production theories with lightning physics to produce constraints on TGF production mechanisms. The combined constraints naturally suggest a mechanism for TGF production by current pulses in lightning leader channels. The mechanism involves local field enhancements due to charge re...

A half-century of terrestrial analog studies: From craters on the Moon to searching for life on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Léveillé, Richard

2010-03-01

Terrestrial analogs to the Moon and Mars have been used to advance knowledge in planetary science for over a half-century. They are useful in studies of comparative geology of the terrestrial planets and rocky moons, in astronaut training and testing of exploration technologies, and in developing hypotheses and exploration strategies in astrobiology. In fact, the use of terrestrial analogs can be traced back to the origins of comparative geology and astrobiology, and to the early phases of the Apollo astronaut program. Terrestrial analog studies feature prominently throughout the history of both NASA and the USGS' Astrogeology Research Program. In light of current international plans for a return missions to the Moon, and eventually to send sample return and manned missions to Mars, as well as the recent creation of various analog research and development programs, this historical perspective is timely.

Building Undergraduate Physics Programs for the 21st Century

Science.gov (United States)

Hilborn, Robert

2001-04-01

Undergraduate physics programs in the United States are under stress because of changes in the scientific and educational environment in which they operate. The number of undergraduate physics majors is declining nationwide; there is some evidence that the "best" undergraduate students are choosing majors other than physics, and funding agencies seem to be emphasizing K-12 education. How can physics departments respond creatively and constructively to these changes? After describing some of the details of the current environment, I will discuss the activities of the National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics, supported by the American Institute of Physics, the America Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers and the ExxonMobil Foundation. I will also present some analysis of Task Force site visits to departments that have thriving undergraduate physics programs, pointing out the key features that seem to be necessary for success. Among these features are department-wide recruitment and retention efforts that are the theme of this session.

Rapid Prototyping — A Tool for Presenting 3-Dimensional Digital Models Produced by Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juho-Pekka Virtanen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Rapid prototyping has received considerable interest with the introduction of affordable rapid prototyping machines. These machines can be used to manufacture physical models from three-dimensional digital mesh models. In this paper, we compare the results obtained with a new, affordable, rapid prototyping machine, and a traditional professional machine. Two separate data sets are used for this, both of which were acquired using terrestrial laser scanning. Both of the machines were able to produce complex and highly detailed geometries in plastic material from models based on terrestrial laser scanning. The dimensional accuracies and detail levels of the machines were comparable, and the physical artifacts caused by the fused deposition modeling (FDM technique used in the rapid prototyping machines could be found in both models. The accuracy of terrestrial laser scanning exceeded the requirements for manufacturing physical models of large statues and building segments at a 1:40 scale.

Biome-BGC: Terrestrial Ecosystem Process Model, Version 4.1.1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Biome-BGC is a computer program that estimates fluxes and storage of energy, water, carbon, and nitrogen for the vegetation and soil components of terrestrial...

A True Middle School Physical Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Tenoschok, Mike

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the various ways in which the developmental needs of middle school students can be met in a physical education program. The themes of exploration and individualization appear throughout the article to emphasize the importance of providing a variety of sports, games and physical activity options for middle…

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor: Physics issues, capabilities and physics program plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wesley, J.C.

1997-01-01

Present status and understanding of the principal plasma-performance determining physics issues that affect the physics design and operational capabilities of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) [ITER EDA Agreement and Protocol 2 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1994)] are presented. Emphasis is placed on the five major physics-basis issues emdash energy confinement, beta limit, density limit, impurity dilution and radiation loss, and the feasibility of obtaining partial-detached divertor operation emdash that directly affect projections of ITER fusion power and burn duration performance. A summary of these projections is presented and the effect of uncertainties in the physics-basis issues is examined. ITER capabilities for experimental flexibility and plasma-performance optimization are also described, and how these capabilities may enter into the ITER physics program plan is discussed. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Program and abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

Abstracts of the papers given at the conference are presented. The abstracts are arranged under sessions entitled: Theoretical Physics; Nuclear Physics; Solid State Physics; Spectroscopy; Plasma Physics; Solar-Terrestrial Physics; Astrophysics and Astronomy; Radioastronomy; General Physics; Applied Physics; Industrial Physics

Meteorology ans solar physics

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarz, Oliver

When in the second half of the 19th century both solar physics and astrophysics came into existence, various solar phenomena were described by analogies encountered in the terrestrial atmosphere. For a certain time, meteorology played a central role in research on solar processes. At first glance, this may appear as a curious and old-fashioned specialty. However, solar physics owes its first insights into solar structure to various analogies in terrestrial atmospheric studies. The present investigation intends to elucidate this fact, to present details of the historical development, and to demonstrate how our present knowledge in certain fields is based on considerations which were originally taken from the description of the terrestrial atmosphere.

The nuclear physics program at SIS/ESR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henning, W.

1991-01-01

The present workshop discusses the physics program to be addressed with the new photon spectrometer TAPS. Part of this program will be carried out at the new accelerator facility SIS/ESR at GSI Darmstadt. To put the TAPS activities at SIS into perspective, an overview is given in the following discussing the new GSI facility, the research program under consideration and the various experimental facilities besides TAPS to carry out these studies. (orig.)

Revisiting the Service Physical Education Program at the Tertiary Level: Basis For A Revitalized Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marilou M. Orlanda

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the service Physical Education Program at Batangas State University system based on the assessments of the administrators, faculty and students on its implementation in consideration of its program components and attitudes of PE teachers towards the subject with the proposed revitalized Physical Education program as an output. Using descriptive research design of research and statistical tools such as percentage, weighted mean, and f-test, the result showed a great extent of the implementation of the service Physical Education program at BSU system in terms of attainment of objectives, curriculum, teaching effectiveness of faculty, and adequacy of facilities, equipment, supplies, and instructional materials. Positive attitudes towards PE except on the concerns on reducing the time allocation for the subject and that it should be mainly sports and play were among the findings. In addition, the objectives of the PE program are believed to be the best indicators while the least indicator is the facilities, equipment and supplies.

Applications of the First Law to Ecological Systems. Physical Processes in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems, Thermodynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, R. D.

These materials were designed to be used by life science students for instruction in the application of physical theory to ecosystem operation. Most modules contain computer programs which are built around a particular application of a physical process. This report describes concepts presented in another module called "The First Law of…

Prevalence of Physical Disability and Accommodation Needs among Students in Physical Therapy Education Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Hinman, Martha R.; Peterson, Cathryn A.; Gibbs, Karen A.

2015-01-01

Most research on graduate students with disabilities (SWDs) has focused on medical education. The purposes of this study were to: (1) estimate the prevalence of students with physical disabilities (SWPDs) in physical therapy programs, (2) identify common types of physical disabilities, (3) document the types of accommodations requested by SWPDs,…

U. Mississippi program ups physics interests

CERN Multimedia

Carrington, E

2002-01-01

The University of Mississippi is one of the 44 national sites taking part in QuarkNet, a national program that provides high school teachers with the opportunity to work with university researchers on physics research (1/2 page).

UWALK: the development of a multi-strategy, community-wide physical activity program.

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, Cally A; Berry, Tanya R; Carson, Valerie; Culos-Reed, S Nicole; Duncan, Mitch J; Loitz, Christina C; McCormack, Gavin R; McHugh, Tara-Leigh F; Spence, John C; Vallance, Jeff K; Mummery, W Kerry

2017-03-01

UWALK is a multi-strategy, multi-sector, theory-informed, community-wide approach using e and mHealth to promote physical activity in Alberta, Canada. The aim of UWALK is to promote physical activity, primarily via the accumulation of steps and flights of stairs, through a single over-arching brand. This paper describes the development of the UWALK program. A social ecological model and the social cognitive theory guided the development of key strategies, including the marketing and communication activities, establishing partnerships with key stakeholders, and e and mHealth programs. The program promotes the use of physical activity monitoring devices to self-monitor physical activity. This includes pedometers, electronic devices, and smartphone applications. In addition to entering physical activity data manually, the e and mHealth program provides the function for objective data to be automatically uploaded from select electronic devices (Fitbit®, Garmin and the smartphone application Moves) The RE-AIM framework is used to guide the evaluation of UWALK. Funding for the program commenced in February 2013. The UWALK brand was introduced on April 12, 2013 with the official launch, including the UWALK website on September 20, 2013. This paper describes the development and evaluation framework of a physical activity promotion program. This program has the potential for population level dissemination and uptake of an ecologically valid physical activity promotion program that is evidence-based and theoretically framed.

Mercury in the Canadian Arctic terrestrial environment: an update.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamberg, Mary; Chételat, John; Poulain, Alexandre J; Zdanowicz, Christian; Zheng, Jiancheng

2015-03-15

Contaminants in the Canadian Arctic have been studied over the last twenty years under the guidance of the Northern Contaminants Program. This paper provides the current state of knowledge on mercury (Hg) in the Canadian Arctic terrestrial environment. Snow, ice, and soils on land are key reservoirs for atmospheric deposition and can become sources of Hg through the melting of terrestrial ice and snow and via soil erosion. In the Canadian Arctic, new data have been collected for snow and ice that provide more information on the net accumulation and storage of Hg in the cryosphere. Concentrations of total Hg (THg) in terrestrial snow are highly variable but on average, relatively low (Porcupine caribou herd vary among years but there has been no significant increase or decrease over the last two decades. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THE PREVENTION PROGRAMS OF PHYSICAL REHABILITATION FOR CHERNOBYL DISASTER SURVIVORS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.V. Korobeynikov

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study: approbation of the prevention program of physical rehabilitation for Chernobyl disaster survivors in lifestyle aspects. Sixty persons who were disaster survivors and workers of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant aged 32-60 have rehabilitation during 21 days. The complex of training prevention programs of physical and psycho-emotional rehabilitation methods was elaborated. The study of efficacy of training prevention programs among Chernobyl disaster survivors. The results showed the improvement of psycho-emotional status and normalization of cardiovascular vegetative regulation after training prevention programs in Chernobyl disasters survivors. The studies show that the preventive programs for Chernobyl disaster survivors in lifestyle aspects had the high effect. This displays the decrease of tempo of aging and the improving of physical and psychological health status of Chernobyl disaster survivors during preventive course.

Comparative Effectiveness of After-School Programs to Increase Physical Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina B. Gesell

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. We conducted a comparative effectiveness analysis to evaluate the difference in the amount of physical activity children engaged in when enrolled in a physical activity-enhanced after-school program based in a community recreation center versus a standard school-based after-school program. Methods. The study was a natural experiment with 54 elementary school children attending the community ASP and 37 attending the school-based ASP. Accelerometry was used to measure physical activity. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks, with 91% retention. Results. At baseline, 43% of the multiethnic sample was overweight/obese, and the mean age was 7.9 years (SD = 1.7. Linear latent growth models suggested that the average difference between the two groups of children at Week 12 was 14.7 percentage points in moderate-vigorous physical activity (P<.001. Cost analysis suggested that children attending traditional school-based ASPs—at an average cost of $17.67 per day—would need an additional daily investment of $1.59 per child for 12 weeks to increase their moderate-vigorous physical activity by a model-implied 14.7 percentage points. Conclusions. A low-cost, alternative after-school program featuring adult-led physical activities in a community recreation center was associated with increased physical activity compared to standard-of-care school-based after-school program.

THE PREVENTION PROGRAMS OF PHYSICAL REHABILITATION FOR CHERNOBYL DISASTER SURVIVORS

OpenAIRE

G.V. Korobeynikov; V.U. Drojjin

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study: approbation of the prevention program of physical rehabilitation for Chernobyl disaster survivors in lifestyle aspects. Sixty persons who were disaster survivors and workers of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant aged 32-60 have rehabilitation during 21 days. The complex of training prevention programs of physical and psycho-emotional rehabilitation methods was elaborated. The study of efficacy of training prevention programs among Chernobyl disaster survivors. The results...

Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility and its operational safety program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putnam, T.M.

1975-01-01

The Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory consists of/ (1) a medium-energy, high-intensity linear proton accelerator; (2) experimental areas designed to support a multidisciplined program of research and practical applications; and (3) support facilities for accelerator operations and the experimental program. The high-intensity primary and secondary beams at LAMPF and the varied research program create many interesting and challenging problems for the Health Physics staff. A brief overview of LAMPF is presented, and the Operational Safety Program is discussed, with emphasis on the radiological safety and health physics aspects

The role of physicality in rich programming environments

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Allison S.; Schunn, Christian D.; Flot, Jesse; Shoop, Robin

2013-12-01

Computer science proficiency continues to grow in importance, while the number of students entering computer science-related fields declines. Many rich programming environments have been created to motivate student interest and expertise in computer science. In the current study, we investigated whether a recently created environment, Robot Virtual Worlds (RVWs), can be used to teach computer science principles within a robotics context by examining its use in high-school classrooms. We also investigated whether the lack of physicality in these environments impacts student learning by comparing classrooms that used either virtual or physical robots for the RVW curriculum. Results suggest that the RVW environment leads to significant gains in computer science knowledge, that virtual robots lead to faster learning, and that physical robots may have some influence on algorithmic thinking. We discuss the implications of physicality in these programming environments for learning computer science.

Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets

Science.gov (United States)

Mackwell, Stephen J.; Simon-Miller, Amy A.; Harder, Jerald W.; Bullock, Mark A.

Public awareness of climate change on Earth is currently very high, promoting significant interest in atmospheric processes. We are fortunate to live in an era where it is possible to study the climates of many planets, including our own, using spacecraft and groundbased observations as well as advanced computational power that allows detailed modeling. Planetary atmospheric dynamics and structure are all governed by the same basic physics. Thus differences in the input variables (such as composition, internal structure, and solar radiation) among the known planets provide a broad suite of natural laboratory settings for gaining new understanding of these physical processes and their outcomes. Diverse planetary settings provide insightful comparisons to atmospheric processes and feedbacks on Earth, allowing a greater understanding of the driving forces and external influences on our own planetary climate. They also inform us in our search for habitable environments on planets orbiting distant stars, a topic that was a focus of Exoplanets, the preceding book in the University of Arizona Press Space Sciences Series. Quite naturally, and perhaps inevitably, our fascination with climate is largely driven toward investigating the interplay between the early development of life and the presence of a suitable planetary climate. Our understanding of how habitable planets come to be begins with the worlds closest to home. Venus, Earth, and Mars differ only modestly in their mass and distance from the Sun, yet their current climates could scarcely be more divergent. Our purpose for this book is to set forth the foundations for this emerging science and to bring to the forefront our current understanding of atmospheric formation and climate evolution. Although there is significant comparison to be made to atmospheric processes on nonterrestrial planets in our solar system — the gas and ice giants — here we focus on the terrestrial planets, leaving even broader comparisons

The REU Program in Solar Physics at Montana State University

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, Petrus C.; Canfield, R. C.; McKenzie, D. M.

2007-05-01

The Solar Physics group at Montana State University has organized an annual summer REU program in Solar Physics, Astronomy, and Space Physics since 1999, with NSF funding since 2003. The number of students applying and being admitted to the program has increased every year, and we have been very successful in attracting female participants. A great majority of our REU alumni have chosen career paths in the sciences, and, according to their testimonies, our REU program has played a significant role in their decisions. From the start our REU program has had an important international component through a close collaboration with the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. In our poster we will describe the goals, organization, scientific contents, international aspects, and results, and present statistics on applications, participants, gender balance, and diversity.

The Israel Physical Society 1997 Annual Meeting. Program and abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The book of program and abstracts of the 43rd meeting of the Israel physical society presents abstracts of presentations in various field of physics. Follow is the list of these fields. Astrophysics, condensed matter, laser and quantum optics, nuclear physics, particle and fields, physics in biology, physics in industry, plasma and space physics, statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics

The NASA Physics of the Cosmos Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bock, Jamie

2015-04-01

The NASA Physics of the Cosmos program is a portfolio of space-based investigations for studying fundamental processes in the universe. Areas of focus include: probing the physical process of inflation associated with the birth of the universe, studying the nature of the dark energy that dominates the mass-energy of the modern universe, advancing new ways to observe the universe through gravitational-wave astronomy, studying the universe in X-rays and gamma rays to probe energetic astrophysical processes and to study the formation and behavior of black holes in strong gravity, and determining the energetic origins and history of cosmic rays. The program is supported by an analysis group called the PhysPAG that serves as a forum for community input and analysis. Space offers unique advantages for these exciting investigations, and the program seeks to guide the development of future space missions through observations from current facilities, and by formulating new technologies and capabilities.

The Adopt-a-School Service-Learning Program: Igniting Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs through School and University Partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Linker, Jenny M.; Ford, Kristen M.; Knutson, Julie M.; Goplen, Hailey A.

2018-01-01

Physical educators have been identified as ideal school champions to lead comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) efforts within their schools. As such, they should be adequately prepared to take on this role. Faculty from three physical and health education teacher education programs have collaboratively developed the…

Terrestrial ecology. Comprehensive study of the grassland biome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1976-01-01

Terrestrial ecology and grassland biome studies are designed to characterize the biota of the Hanford Reservation, elucidate seasonal dynamics of plant productivity, decomposition and mineral behavior patterns of important plant communities, and, to study the response of these communities to important natural environmental stresses, such as weather, wildfire and man-induced alterations of communities (influenced by grazing cattle and severe mechanical disturbance of the soil, such as affected by plowing or burial of waste materials or construction activities). A detailed account of the important findings of a 5-yr study is currently being prepared by the terrestrial ecology section staff for publication as a contribution to the International Biological Program Grassland Biome project

Predicting daily physical activity in a lifestyle intervention program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Long, Xi; Pauws, S.C.; Pijl, M.; Lacroix, J.; Goris, A.H.C.; Aarts, R.M.; Gottfried, B.; Aghajan, H.

2011-01-01

The growing number of people adopting a sedentary lifestyle these days creates a serious need for effective physical activity promotion programs. Often, these programs monitor activity, provide feedback about activity and offer coaching to increase activity. Some programs rely on a human coach who

Monte Carlo programs and other utilities for high energy physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palounek, A.P.T.; Youssef, S.

1990-05-01

The Software Standards and Documentation Group of the Workshop on Physics and Detector Simulation for SSC Experiments has compiled a list of physics generators, detector simulations, and related programs. This is not meant to be an exhaustive compilation, nor is any judgment made about program quality; it is a starting point or a more complete bibliography. Where possible we have included an author and source for the code. References for most programs are in the final section

Climate and weather of the Sun-Earth system (CAWSES) highlights from a priority program

CERN Document Server

Lübken, Franz-Josef

2012-01-01

CAWSES (Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System) is the most important scientific program of SCOSTEP (Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics). CAWSES has triggered a scientific priority program within the German Research Foundation for a period of 6 years. Approximately 30 scientific institutes and 120 scientists were involved in Germany with strong links to international partners. The priority program focuses on solar influence on climate, atmospheric coupling processes, and space climatology. This book summarizes the most important results from this program covering some impor

Sustainability of a physical activity and nutrition program for seniors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasalich, M; Lee, A H; Jancey, J; Burke, L; Howat, P

2013-01-01

This prospective cohort study aimed to determine the impact of a low cost, home-based physical activity and nutrition program for older adults at 6 months follow-up. A follow-up survey was conducted 6 months after program completion via computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Fat and Fibre Barometer were used to measure physical activity levels and dietary behaviours, respectively. Self-reported height, weight, waist and hip circumferences were obtained. Changes over three time points of data collection (baseline, post-program, follow-up) and differences between the intervention and control groups were assessed. The use of program materials was also evaluated. Community and home-based. Insufficiently active 60 to 70 year olds (n = 176, intervention and n = 198, control) residing in suburbs within the Perth metropolitan area. A sustained improvement was observed for the intervention group in terms of fat avoidance behaviours (p interaction = .007). Significant improvements were found for strength exercises, fibre intake, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio at either post-program or follow-up, however the overall effect was not significant. At post-program, the intervention group increased time spent participating in moderate activity by 50 minutes (p > .05), which was followed by a significant decline at follow-up (p nutrition intervention resulted in a sustained improvement in fat avoidance behaviours and overall short-term gains in physical activity. Future studies for older adults are recommended to investigate gender-specific behavioural barriers as well as booster interventions which focus on physical activity.

Endogenous circadian regulation of carbon dioxide exchange in terrestrial ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

We tested the hypothesis that diurnal changes in terrestrial CO2 exchange are driven exclusively by the direct effect of the physical environment on plant physiology. We failed to corroborate this assumption, finding instead large diurnal fluctuations in whole ecosystem carbon assimilation across a ...

Impact of the Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Arion, Douglas

The Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs has worked diligently to develop recommendations for what physics programs could and should be doing to prepare graduates for 21st century careers. While the `traditional' physics curriculum has served for many years, the demands of the new workforce, and the recognition that only a few percent of physics students actually become faculty - the vast majority entering the workforce and applying their skills to a very diverse range of problems, projects, and products - implies that a review of the education undergraduates receives is in order. The outcomes of this study point to the need to provide greater connection between the education process and the actual skills, knowledge, and abilities that the workplace demands. This presentation will summarize these considerations, and show how entrepreneurship and innovation programs and curricula are a particularly effective means of bringing these elements to physics students.

Project Physics Programmed Instruction, Waves 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

This is the second of two programmed instruction booklets on the topic of waves, developed by Harvard Project Physics. It covers the relationships among the frequency, period, wavelength, and speed of a periodic wave. For the first booklet in this series, see SE 015 552. (DT)

Physical Disability on Children's Television Programming: A Content Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Bradley J.

2013-01-01

Research Findings: Media representations of physical disability can influence the attitudes of child audiences. In the current study, the depiction of physical disability was analyzed in more than 400 episodes of children's television programming to better understand how media depict physical disability to children and, in turn, how exposure may…

A prehabilitation program for physically frail community-living older persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Thomas M; Baker, Dorothy I; Gottschalk, Margaret; Gahbauer, Evelyne A; Charpentier, Peter A; de Regt, Paul T; Wallace, Sarah J

2003-03-01

To describe the development and implementation of a preventive, home-based physical therapy program (PREHAB) and to provide evidence for the safety and interrater reliability of the PREHAB protocol. Demonstration study. General community. Ninety-four physically frail, community-living persons, aged 75 years or older, who were randomized to the PREHAB program in a clinical trial. The PREHAB program built on the physical therapy component of 2 previous home-based protocols. A total of 223 assessment items were linked to 28 possible interventions, including progressive balance and conditioning exercises, by using detailed algorithms and decisions rules that were automated on notebook computers. The percentages of participants who were eligible for and who completed each intervention, the extent of progress noted in the balance and conditioning exercises, adherence to the training program, and adverse events. Participants who completed the PREHAB program and those who ended it prematurely received an average of 9.7 and 7.2 interventions during an average of 14.9 and 9.5 home visits, respectively. With few exceptions, the completion rate and interrater reliability for the specific interventions were high. Despite high self-reported adherence to the training program, the majority of participants did not advance beyond the initial Thera-Band level for the upper- and lower-extremity conditioning exercises, and only about a third advanced to the highest 2 levels of the balance exercises. Adverse events were no more common in the PREHAB group than in the educational control group. Our results support the feasibility and safety of the PREHAB program, but also show the special challenges and pitfalls of such a strategy when it is implemented among persons of advanced age and physical frailty. Copyright 2003 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Physical protection evaluation methodology program development and application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Janghoon; Yoo, Hosik

2015-01-01

It is essential to develop a reliable physical protection evaluation methodology for applying physical protection concept to the design stage. The methodology can be used to assess weak points and improve performance not only for the design stage but also for nuclear facilities in operation. Analyzing physical protection property of nuclear facilities is not a trivial work since there are many interconnected factors affecting overall performance. Therefore several international projects have been organized to develop a systematic physical protection evaluation methodology. INPRO (The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) and GIF PRPP (Generation IV International Forum Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection) methodology are among the most well-known evaluation methodologies. INPRO adopts a checklist type of questionnaire and has a strong point in analyzing overall characteristic of facilities in a qualitative way. COMPRE program has been developed to help general users apply COMPRE methodology to nuclear facilities. In this work, COMPRE program development and a case study of the hypothetical nuclear facility are presented. The development of COMPRE program and a case study for hypothetic facility is presented in this work. The case study shows that COMPRE PP methodology can be a useful tool to assess the overall physical protection performance of nuclear facilities. To obtain meaningful results from COMPRE PP methodology, detailed information and comprehensive analysis are required. Especially, it is not trivial to calculate reliable values for PPSE (Physical Protection System Effectiveness) and C (Consequence), while it is relatively straightforward to evaluate LI (Legislative and Institutional framework), MC (Material Control) and HR (Human Resources). To obtain a reliable PPSE value, comprehensive information about physical protection system, vital area analysis and realistic threat scenario assessment are required. Like

Physical protection evaluation methodology program development and application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Janghoon; Yoo, Hosik [Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

It is essential to develop a reliable physical protection evaluation methodology for applying physical protection concept to the design stage. The methodology can be used to assess weak points and improve performance not only for the design stage but also for nuclear facilities in operation. Analyzing physical protection property of nuclear facilities is not a trivial work since there are many interconnected factors affecting overall performance. Therefore several international projects have been organized to develop a systematic physical protection evaluation methodology. INPRO (The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) and GIF PRPP (Generation IV International Forum Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection) methodology are among the most well-known evaluation methodologies. INPRO adopts a checklist type of questionnaire and has a strong point in analyzing overall characteristic of facilities in a qualitative way. COMPRE program has been developed to help general users apply COMPRE methodology to nuclear facilities. In this work, COMPRE program development and a case study of the hypothetical nuclear facility are presented. The development of COMPRE program and a case study for hypothetic facility is presented in this work. The case study shows that COMPRE PP methodology can be a useful tool to assess the overall physical protection performance of nuclear facilities. To obtain meaningful results from COMPRE PP methodology, detailed information and comprehensive analysis are required. Especially, it is not trivial to calculate reliable values for PPSE (Physical Protection System Effectiveness) and C (Consequence), while it is relatively straightforward to evaluate LI (Legislative and Institutional framework), MC (Material Control) and HR (Human Resources). To obtain a reliable PPSE value, comprehensive information about physical protection system, vital area analysis and realistic threat scenario assessment are required. Like

Mission Impossible? Physical Activity Programming for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

Science.gov (United States)

Gregg, Melanie J.; Bedard, Andrea

2016-01-01

Purpose: A pilot study was conducted to describe the physical activity experiences and perceived benefits of and barriers to physical activity participation for patrons of a homeless shelter. The resulting pilot data may be used to inform the creation of and support for physical activity and sport programs for those experiencing homelessness.…

Contaminant exposure in terrestrial vertebrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Philip N.; Cobb, George P.; Godard-Codding, Celine; Hoff, Dale; McMurry, Scott T.; Rainwater, Thomas R.; Reynolds, Kevin D.

2007-01-01

Here we review mechanisms and factors influencing contaminant exposure among terrestrial vertebrate wildlife. There exists a complex mixture of biotic and abiotic factors that dictate potential for contaminant exposure among terrestrial and semi-terrestrial vertebrates. Chemical fate and transport in the environment determine contaminant bioaccessibility. Species-specific natural history characteristics and behavioral traits then play significant roles in the likelihood that exposure pathways, from source to receptor, are complete. Detailed knowledge of natural history traits of receptors considered in conjunction with the knowledge of contaminant behavior and distribution on a site are critical when assessing and quantifying exposure. We review limitations in our understanding of elements of exposure and the unique aspects of exposure associated with terrestrial and semi-terrestrial taxa. We provide insight on taxa-specific traits that contribute, or limit exposure to, transport phenomenon that influence exposure throughout terrestrial systems, novel contaminants, bioavailability, exposure data analysis, and uncertainty associated with exposure in wildlife risk assessments. Lastly, we identify areas related to exposure among terrestrial and semi-terrestrial organisms that warrant additional research. - Both biotic and abiotic factors determine chemical exposure for terrestrial vertebrates

Capacity Building in Space Weather in the context of the ISWI program

Science.gov (United States)

Vilmer, Nicole; Amory, Christine

2012-07-01

In the context of the International Space Weather Initiative program, we organized a school on solar-terrestrial physics for French- speaking professors and PhD students from African countries. The school was organized in Rabat (Morocco) in December 2011. We shall present here the goals of the school, our program and our funding. We shall also comment on the feedback of the school and on the potential organization of a similar school in Algeria in 2013.

Medicinal properties, phytochemistry and pharmacology of tribulus terrestris l. (zygophyllaceae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashim, S.; Bakht, T.

2014-01-01

Tribulus terrestris (puncture vine) belongs to family Zygophyllaceae and it is a herbaceous, mat forming plant in nature. It extensively grows in warm dry tropics all over the world and ecologically adaptated as a typical C4 xeromorphic plant. T. terrestris is a noxious weed along with its use in many countries as a folk medicine for different purposes from time immemorial. Ancient records describe various medicinal properties of T. terrestris as a popular source to cure variety of different disease conditions in China, India, and Greece. The plant is used directly as a herb or as a main component for production of a number of medicines and food supplements such as for physical rejuvenation, therapy for the conditions affecting liver, kidney, cardiovascular system and immune systems. Also it is used as a folk medicine for increased muscle strength, sexual potency and in treatments of urinary infections, heart diseases and cough. It is considered invigorating stimulant, aphrodisiac, and nutritive. This review discusses the most commonly recognized medicinal properties of this herb. The chemistry of T. terrestris extracts to establish the relationship between medicinal properties of this important plant will also be reviewed. (author)

An investigation of Martian and terrestrial dust devils

Science.gov (United States)

Ringrose, Timothy John

2004-10-01

It is the purpose of this work to provide an insight into the theoretical and practical dynamics of dust devils and how they are detected remotely from orbit or in situ on planetary surfaces. There is particular interest in the detection of convective vortices on Mars; this has been driven by involvement in the development of the Beagle 2 Environmental Sensor Suite. This suite of sensors is essentially a martian weather station and will be the first planetary lander experiment specifically looking for the presence of dust devils on Mars. Dust devils are characterised by their visible dusty core and intense rotation. The physics of particle motion, including dust lofting and the rotational dynamics within convective vortices are explained and modelled. This modelling has helped in identifying dust devils in meteorological data from both terrestrial and martian investigations. An automated technique for dust devil detection using meteorological data has been developed. This technique searches data looking for the specific vortex signature as well as detecting other transient events. This method has been tested on both terrestrial and martian data with surprising results. 38 possible convective vortices were detected in the first 60 sols of the Viking Lander 2 meteorological data. Tests were also carried out on data from a terrestrial dust devil campaign, which provided conclusive evidence from visual observations of the reliability of this technique. A considerable amount of this work does focus on terrestrial vortices. This is to aid in the understanding of dust devils, specifically how, why and when they form. Both laboratory and terrestrial fieldwork is investigated, providing useful data on the general structure of dust devils.

Ten years of CR physics with PAMELA

Science.gov (United States)

Galper, A.; Spillantini, P.

2017-09-01

The satellite borne Pamela instrument is dedicated to the precise and high statistics study of CR fluxes on a four decades energy range. Pamela experiment is the last step of the "Russian-Italian Mission" (RIM) program established in 1992 between several Italian and Russian institutes and with the participation of Sweden and Germany. Designed as a cosmic ray observatory at 1 AU, it extensive program is made possible thanks to the outstanding performance of the instrument, the low energy threshold, the quasi-polar orbit and the 10 years duration of the observation. The physics program pays particular attention to the study of particles and antiparticles fluxes and includes search for dark matter, primordial antimatter, new matter in the Universe, study of cosmic-ray propagation, solar physics and solar modulation, and terrestrial magnetosphere. Very important is the discovery of the anomalous increase of the positron flux at energies higher that 50 GeV (the so called "Pamela anomaly"), and the abrupt spectral hardening of H and He, challenging the current paradigm of cosmic-ray acceleration and propagation in the Galaxy.

Astrophysical and terrestrial neutrinos in Supernova detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagage, P.O.

1985-09-01

Supernova (SN) explosions are the place of very fundamental phenomena, whose privileged messengers are neutrinos. But such events are very rare. Then, SN detection has to be combined with other purposes. The recent developments of SN detectors have been associated with developments of underground particle physics (proton decay, monopoles ...). But here, I will restrict myself to discuss the possibilities for a supernova detector to be sensitive to other sources of neutrinos, astrophysical or terrestrial

Fermilab Physics Program for the 1990's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanfield, K.C.

1990-01-01

Following a brief introduction to Fermilab facilities and a review of the accelerator status and plans, the physics potential for the Fermilab III upgrade program is discussed for both the fixed target and collider modes

Physical exercise program for children with bronchial asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Szentágothai, K; Gyene, I; Szócska, M; Osváth, P

1987-01-01

A long-term physical exercise program was established for a large number of children with bronchial asthma. Asthmatic children were first taught to swim on their backs to prevent breathing problems customary for beginners using other strokes. They concurrently participated in gymnasium exercises, and the program was later completed with outdoor running. Program effectiveness was evaluated by monitoring asthmatic symptoms, changes in medication, and changes in the activity and physical fitness of the children. Data collected from 121 children showed that during the first year in the program the number of days with asthmatic symptoms decreased in a large majority of the patients while medication was decreased. School absenteeism and hospitalization dropped markedly. Parental evaluation of the children indicated much improvement in 51.2%, improvement in 40.5%, unchanged condition in 7.4%, and deterioration of general health was only reported in one child (0.8%). The same extent of improvement continued during the second year. The Cooper test was applied for the first time to such an exercise program and indicated that the participating asthmatic children performed as well as a control group of nonasthmatic children, and the cardiovascular efficiency of the asthmatics was actually better.

The cosmic gorilla effect or the problem of undetected non terrestrial intelligent signals

Science.gov (United States)

G. De la Torre, Gabriel; Garcia, Manuel A.

2018-05-01

This article points to a long lasting problem in space research and cosmology, the problem of undetected signs of non terrestrial life and civilizations. We intentionally avoid the term extraterrestrial as we consider other possibilities that may arise but not fall strictly within the extraterrestrial scope. We discuss the role of new physics including dark matter and string theory in the search for life and other non terrestrial intelligence. A new classification for non terrestrial civilizations with three types and five dimensions is also provided. We also explain how our own neurophysiology, psychology and consciousness can play a major role in this search of non terrestrial civilizations task and how they have been neglected up to this date. To test this, 137 adults were evaluated using the cognitive reflection test, an attention/awareness questionnaire and a visuospatial searching task with aerial view images to determine the presence of inattentional blindness.

A Scoping Review of Inclusive Out-of-School Time Physical Activity Programs for Children and Youth With Physical Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P; Grassmann, Viviane; Orr, Krystn; McPherson, Amy C; Faulkner, Guy E; Wright, F Virginia

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate inclusive out-of-school time physical activity programs for children/youth with physical disabilities. A search of the published literature was conducted and augmented by international expertise. A quality appraisal was conducted; only studies with quality ratings ≥60% informed our best practice recommendations. Seventeen studies were included using qualitative (n = 9), quantitative (n = 5), or mixed (n = 3) designs. Programs had a diversity of age groups, group sizes, and durations. Most programs were recreational level, involving both genders. Rehabilitation staff were the most common leaders. Outcomes focused on social skills/relationships, physical skill development, and psychological well-being, with overall positive effects shown in these areas. The best practice recommendations are consistent with an abilities-based approach emphasizing common group goals and interests; cooperative activities; mastery-oriented, individualized instruction; and developmentally appropriate, challenging activities. Results indicate that inclusive out-of-school time physical activity programs are important for positive psychosocial and physical skill development of children/youth with physical disabilities.

Audit program for physical security systems at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minichino, C.

1982-01-01

Licensees of nuclear power plants conduct audits of their physical security systems to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 73, Physical Protection of Plants and Materials. Section 73.55, Requirements for physical Protection of Licensed Activities in Nuclear Power Reactors Against Radiological Sabotage, requires that the security programs be reviewed at least every 12 months, that the audit be conducted by individuals independent of both security management and security supervision, and that the audit program review all aspects of the physical security system: hardware, personnel, and operational and maintenance procedures. This report contains information for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and for the licensees of nuclear power reactors who carry out these comprehensive audits. Guidance on the overall management of the audit function includes organizational structure and issues concerning the auditors who perform the review: qualifications, independence, due professional care, and standards. Guidance in the audit program includes purpose and scope of the audit, planning, techniques, post-audit procedures, reporting, and follow-up

1984 Review of the Applied Plasma Physics Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-09-01

This report describes the present and planned programs of the Division of Applied Plasma Physics (APP), Office of Fusion Energy. The major activities of the division include fusion theory, experimental plasma research, advanced fusion concepts, and the magnetic fusion energy computer network. The planned APP program is consistent with the recently issued Comprehensive Program Management Plan for Magnetic Fusion Energy, which describes the overall objectives and strategy for the development of fusion energy

1992 HEPAP subpanel on the US Program of High Energy Physics Research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-04-01

High energy physics seeks an understanding of the fundamental structure of matter and the laws that govern all physical phenomena. The US high energy physics community has many scientific opportunities before it. Discovering the top quark, exploring the origin of particle-antiparticle asymmetry, and elucidating the Higgs mechanism, the source of mass, are some of the most notable. We were charged with laying out programs for US high energy physics through this decade that would accord with three specific budgetary guidelines for the period FY 1994--FY 1997. This report details the scientific, technical, and resource issues involved, recommends a program for each guideline, and discusses the implications of each program. In all our plans we consider construction of the SSC to have the highest priority in the US particle physics program and to be absolutely essential for continued progress in our field into the 21st century

Recent Advances in Atmospheric, Solar-Terrestrial Physics and Space Weather From a North-South network of scientists [2006-2016] PART A: TUTORIAL

Science.gov (United States)

Amory-Mazaudier, C.; Menvielle, M.; Curto, J-J.; Le Huy, M.

2017-12-01

This paper reviews scientific advances achieved by a North-South network between 2006 and 2016. These scientific advances concern Solar Terrestrial Physics, Atmospheric Physics and Space Weather. In this part A, we introduce knowledge on the Sun-Earth system. We consider the physical process of the dynamo which is present in the Sun, in the core of the Earth and also in the regions between the Sun and the Earth, the solar wind-magnetosphere and the ionosphere. Equations of plasma physics and Maxwell's equations will be recalled. In the Sun-Earth system there are permanent dynamos (Sun, Earth's core, solar wind - magnetosphere, neutral wind - ionosphere) and non-permanent dynamos that are activated during magnetic storms in the magnetosphere and in the ionosphere. All these dynamos have associated electric currents that affect the variations of the Earth's magnetic field which are easily measurable. That is why a part of the tutorial is also devoted to the magnetic indices which are indicators of the electric currents in the Sun-Earth system. In order to understand some results of the part B, we present some characteristics of the Equatorial region and of the electrodynamics coupling the Auroral and Equatorial regions.

Handbook of the Solar-Terrestrial Environment

CERN Document Server

Kamide, Y

2007-01-01

The Handbook of the Solar-Terrestrial Environment is a unique compendium. Recognized international leaders in their field contribute chapters on basic topics of solar physics, space plasmas and the Earth's magnetosphere, and on applied topics like the aurora, magnetospheric storms, space weather, space climatology and planetary science. This book will be of highest value as a reference for researchers working in the area of planetary and space science. However, it is also written in a style accessible to graduate students majoring in those fields.

The Harvard Project Physics Film Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bork, Alfred M.

1970-01-01

States the philosophy behind the Harvard Project Physics (HPP) film program. Describes the three long HPP films. Lists the 48 color film loops covering six broad topics, primarily motion and energy. The 8-mm silent loops are synchronized with the text materials. Explains some of the pedagogical possibilities of these film loops. (RR)

Extracurricular Physical Activity Programs in California Private Secondary Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahan, David; McKenzie, Thomas L

2017-12-01

Interscholastic, intramural, and club physical activity (PA) programs can be important contributors to student PA accrual at schools. Few studies have assessed factors related to the provision of these extracurricular PA programs, especially in private schools. We used a 16-item questionnaire to assess the associations and influences of selected factors relative to extracurricular PA program policies and practices in 450 private California secondary schools. Associations were evaluated using contingency table analyses (i.e., chi-squared, effect size, and post-hoc analyses). Six factors were associated with schools providing extracurricular PA programs: school location, level, enrollment, and religious classification and whether the physical education (PE) program met state PE time standards and was taught by PE specialists. Both static factors (e.g., school location, level, enrollment, and religious affiliation) and modifiable factors (e.g., meeting PE standards and employing specialists) affect the provision of extracurricular PA programs. As education is state-mandated, additional study is recommended to assess the generalizability of these findings to other states and to public schools.

A new two-Dimensional Physical Basis for the Complementary Relation Between Terrestrial and pan Evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Pettijohn, J. C.; Salvucci, G. D.

2008-12-01

Archived global measurements of water loss from evaporation pans constitute an important indirect measure of evaporative flux. Historical data from evaporation pans shows a decreasing trend over the last half century, but the relationship between pan evaporation and moisture-limited terrestrial evaporation is complex, leading to ambiguities in the interpretation of this data. Under energy-limited conditions, pan evaporation (Epan) and moisture-limited terrestrial evaporation (E) increase or decrease together, while in moisture- limited conditions these fluxes form a complementary relation in which increases in one rate accompany decreases in the other. This has lead to debate about the meaning of the observed trends in the context of changing climate. Here a two-dimensional numerical model of a wet pan in a drying landscape is used to demonstrate that, over a wide range of realistic atmospheric and surface conditions, the influence that changes in E have on Epan (1) are complementary and linear, (2) do not depend upon surface wind speed, and (3) are strikingly asymmetrical, in that a unit decrease in E causes approximately a five-fold increase in Epan, as found in a recent analysis of daily evaporation from US grasslands (Kahler and Brutsaert, 2006). Previous attempts to explain the CR have been based on one dimensional diffusion and energy balance arguments, leading to analytic solutions based on Penman-type bulk difference equations. But without acknowledging the spatially complex multidimensional humidity and temperature field around the pan, and specifically how these fields change as the contrast between the wet pan and the drying land surface increases, such integrated bulk difference equations are a priori incomplete (they ignore important divergence terms), and thus these explanations must be considered physically incomplete. Results of the present study improve the theoretical foundation of the CR, thus increasing the reliability with which it can be

Reflective Lesson Planning in Refresher Training Programs for Experienced Physics Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, C. M.; And Others

1995-01-01

Reports on a refresher training program that introduces experienced physics teachers to a reflective lesson-planning model and a more constructivist approach to physics teaching. Three instructional strategies developed by participants in the program and the corresponding suggestions made by their peers are presented and analyzed. (29 references)…

Physics program at SPEAR energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seiden, A.

1982-01-01

The author presents below a partial review of the physics program remaining to be completed over the SPEAR energy range along with examples of the running time needed for selected topics. The topics discussed are: meson spectroscopy from the psi; details of production and decay for the n/sub c/; charmed hadron spectroscopy; weak decays of D and F; and mechanism of e/sup +/e/sup -/ → qq-bar → Hadron States

An operational health physics quality assurance program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costigan, S.A.; McAtee, J.L. III; Somers, W.M.; Huchton, R.L.

1996-01-01

DOE Order 5700.6C, Quality Assurance, stipulates QA requirements for all DOE activities. This order is now codified as 10CFR830.120, Nuclear Safety Management, Quality Assurance Requirements, which is applicable to DOE nuclear facilities. A Quality Assurance Management Plan (QAMP) was developed by the Health Physics Operations Group (ESH-1) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The goal of the ESH-1 QAMP is to ensure that operational radiation protection activities meet the criteria outlined in DOE Order 5700.6C, DOE-ER-STD-6001-92 and 10CFR830.120. The ten required elements are QA Program, Personal Training and Qualifications, Quality Improvement, Documents and Records, Work Processes, Design, Procurement, Inspection and Acceptance Testing, Management Assessment and Independent Assessment. The QAMP has been useful for the development of QAMPs at nuclear facilities and has helped ensure uniformity of institutional requirements where Health Physics services are deployed to facilities. To implement a subset of QAMP requirements, a Quality Assurance Self-Evaluation Program (QASE) was established. This program provides a novel self-audit mechanism for the formal identification and correction of non-conforming items related to Operational Health Physics. Additionally, the QASE is a useful management tool for Radiological Control Technician Supervisors and staff and provides a tracking mechanism for ongoing problem areas. Data have been Collected for two calendar years on a number of concerns that fall into four general categories: radiological posting and labeling, instrumentation, monitoring requirements, and radiological documents/records

A 30-Minute Physical Education Program Improves Students' Executive Attention

Science.gov (United States)

Kubesch, Sabine; Walk, Laura; Spitzer, Manfred; Kammer, Thomas; Lainburg, Alyona; Heim, Rudiger; Hille, Katrin

2009-01-01

Physical activity is not only beneficial to physical health but also to cognitive functions. In particular, executive functions that are closely related to learning achievement can be improved by acute and recurring physical activity. We examined the effects of a single 30-min physical education program in contrast to a 5-min movement break on…

Physical and Social-Motivational Contextual Correlates of Youth Physical Activity in Underresourced Afterschool Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Zarrett, Nicole; Sorensen, Carl; Cook, Brittany Skiles

2015-01-01

Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth daily physical activity (PA) accrual. The purpose of the present study was to assess the physical and social-motivational climate characteristics of ASPs associated with youth PA, and variations in contextual correlates of PA by youth sex. Systematic…

Microplastics in the terrestrial ecosystem: Implications for Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huerta Lwanga, Esperanza; Gertsen, H.F.; Gooren, H.; Peters, P.D.; Salanki, T.E.; Ploeg, van der M.J.C.; Besseling, E.; Koelmans, A.A.; Geissen, V.

2016-01-01

Plastic debris is widespread in the environment, but information on the effects of microplastics on terrestrial fauna is completely lacking. Here, we studied the survival and fitness of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) exposed to microplastics (Polyethylene, <150 μm)

TEODOOR, a blueprint for distributed terrestrial observation data infrastructures

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkel, Ralf; Sorg, Jürgen; Abbrent, Martin; Borg, Erik; Gasche, Rainer; Kolditz, Olaf; Neidl, Frank; Priesack, Eckart; Stender, Vivien

2017-04-01

TERENO (TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories) is an initiative funded by the large research infrastructure program of the Helmholtz Association of Germany. Four observation platforms to facilitate the investigation of consequences of global change for terrestrial ecosys-tems and the socioeconomic implications of these have been implemented and equipped from 2007 until 2013. Data collection, however, is planned to be performed for at least 30 years. TERENO provides series of system variables (e.g. precipitation, runoff, groundwater level, soil moisture, water vapor and trace gases fluxes) for the analysis and prognosis of global change consequences using integrated model systems, which will be used to derive efficient prevention, mitigation and adaptation strategies. Each platform is operated by a different Helmholtz-Institution, which maintains its local data infrastructure. Within the individual observatories, areas with intensive measurement programs have been implemented. Different sensors provide information on various physical parameters like soil moisture, temperatures, ground water levels or gas fluxes. Sensor data from more than 900 stations are collected automatically with a frequency of 20 s-1 up to 2 h-1, summing up to about 2,500,000 data values per day. In addition, three weather radar devices create raster data with a frequency of 12 to 60 h-1. The data are automatically imported into local relational database systems using a common data quality assessment framework, used to handle processing and assessment of heterogeneous environmental observation data. Starting with the way data are imported into the data infrastructure, custom workflows are developed. Data levels implying the underlying data processing, stages of quality assessment and data ac-cessibility are defined. In order to facilitate the acquisition, provision, integration, management and exchange of heterogeneous geospatial resources within a scientific and non-scientific environment

Terrestrial water fluxes dominated by transpiration.

Science.gov (United States)

Jasechko, Scott; Sharp, Zachary D; Gibson, John J; Birks, S Jean; Yi, Yi; Fawcett, Peter J

2013-04-18

Renewable fresh water over continents has input from precipitation and losses to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration. Global-scale estimates of transpiration from climate models are poorly constrained owing to large uncertainties in stomatal conductance and the lack of catchment-scale measurements required for model calibration, resulting in a range of predictions spanning 20 to 65 per cent of total terrestrial evapotranspiration (14,000 to 41,000 km(3) per year) (refs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Here we use the distinct isotope effects of transpiration and evaporation to show that transpiration is by far the largest water flux from Earth's continents, representing 80 to 90 per cent of terrestrial evapotranspiration. On the basis of our analysis of a global data set of large lakes and rivers, we conclude that transpiration recycles 62,000 ± 8,000 km(3) of water per year to the atmosphere, using half of all solar energy absorbed by land surfaces in the process. We also calculate CO2 uptake by terrestrial vegetation by connecting transpiration losses to carbon assimilation using water-use efficiency ratios of plants, and show the global gross primary productivity to be 129 ± 32 gigatonnes of carbon per year, which agrees, within the uncertainty, with previous estimates. The dominance of transpiration water fluxes in continental evapotranspiration suggests that, from the point of view of water resource forecasting, climate model development should prioritize improvements in simulations of biological fluxes rather than physical (evaporation) fluxes.

Creative Funding Ideas for Your Physical Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bodie, Mark C.

2014-01-01

Physical educators often find it difficult to secure funding for their programs in these tough economic times. However, there is funding out there, if one knows where to look and how to ask for it. This article describes how physical education teachers can make a funding action plan, who to contact, where to write to, and how to get equipment for…

Library of problem-oriented programs for solving problems of atomic and nuclear physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharitonov, Yu.I.

1976-01-01

The Data Centre of the Leningrad Institute of Nuclear Physics (LIYaF) is working on the establishment of a library of problem-oriented computer programs for solving problems of atomic and nuclear physics. This paper lists and describes briefly the programs presently available to the Data Centre. The descriptions include the program code numbers, the program language, the translator for which the program is designed, and the program scope

Plasma physics program at TEXTOR-94

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samm, U.

1995-01-01

After upgrading the transformer of the tokamak TEXTOR in order to obtain an enhanced magnetic flux swing, the experimental potential of the device, now called TEXTOR-94, increased significantly and, together with other measures and achievements, opens now a wide field of research. For the physics program coherent concepts for energy- and particle exhaust provide a guideline

Summaries of physical research in the geosciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-10-01

The Department of Energy supports research in the geosciences in order to provide a sound foundation of fundamental knowledge in those areas of the geosciences which are germane to the Department of Energy's many missions. The Division of Engineering and Geosciences, part of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the Office of Energy Research, supports the Geosciences Research Program. The participants in this program include Department of Energy laboratories, industry, universities, and other governmental agencies. The summaries in this document, prepared by the investigators, briefly describe the scope of the individual programs. The Geosciences Research Program includes research in geology, petrology, geophysics, geochemistry, solar physics, solar-terrestrial relationships, aeronomy, seismology, and natural resource modeling and analysis, including their various subdivisions and interdisciplinary areas. All such research is related either directly or indirectly to the Department of Energy's long-range technological needs.

Implications of Climate Change for Northern Canada: Freshwater, Marine, and Terrestrial Ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prowse, Terry D.; Wrona, Fred J. (Water and Climate Impacts Research Centre, Environment Canada, Dept. of Geography, Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, BC (Canada)). e-mail: terry.prowse@ec.gc.caa; Furgal, Chris (Indigenous Environmental Studies Program, Trent Univ., Peterborough, ON (Canada)); Reist, James D. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 Univ. Crescent, Winnipeg, MB (Canada))

2009-07-15

Climate variability and change is projected to have significant effects on the physical, chemical, and biological components of northern Canadian marine, terrestrial, and freshwater systems. As the climate continues to change, there will be consequences for biodiversity shifts and for the ranges and distribution of many species with resulting effects on availability, accessibility, and quality of resources upon which human populations rely. This will have implications for the protection and management of wildlife, fish, and fisheries resources; protected areas; and forests. The northward migration of species and the disruption and competition from invading species are already occurring and will continue to affect marine, terrestrial, and freshwater communities. Shifting environmental conditions will likely introduce new animal-transmitted diseases and redistribute some existing diseases, affecting key economic resources and some human populations. Stress on populations of iconic wildlife species, such as the polar bear, ringed seals, and whales, will continue as a result of changes in critical sea-ice habitat interactions. Where these stresses affect economically and culturally important species, they will have significant effects on people and regional economies. Further integrated, field-based monitoring and research programs, and the development of predictive models are required to allow for more detailed and comprehensive projections of change to be made, and to inform the development and implementation of appropriate adaptation, wildlife, and habitat conservation and protection strategies

Effect of programmed physical activity on the physical fitness of adolescent students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edson Dos Santos Farias

2010-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the influence of programmed physical activity on the physical fitness of adolescent students over one school year. The sample consisted of 383 students (age range: 10 to 14 years divided into two groups: 186 cases (96 boys and 90 girls and 197 controls (108 boys and 89 girls. An intervention study with pre- and post-tests was conducted, in which the intervention group was submitted to programmed physical activity, while the control group underwent conventional classes of school physical education. Physical fitness was assessed by sit-and-reach (flexibility, muscle endurance (elbow flexion and extension and aerobic endurance (run/walk, 9 min tests. Motor performance observed in the three tests (flexibility, strength and endurance did not improve from pre-test to post-test in either group, but comparison of the intervention and control groups showed significant improvement in the strength and endurance tests for both genders in the intervention group. Boys of the two groups also showed dominance in the strength and endurance tests. In general, higher muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness and lower flexibility were observed for boys when compared to girls, and all parameters increased in the post-test and were higher in the intervention group compared to control A significant difference in flexibility was only observed between genders. With respect to muscle strength, a significant difference was observed between genders and between the intervention and control group after adjustment for age and socioeconomic level. Cardiorespiratory fitness differed significantly between genders and between the intervention and control group.

Physics of chewing in terrestrial mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Virot, Emmanuel; Ma, Grace; Clanet, Christophe; Jung, Sunghwan

2017-03-01

Previous studies on chewing frequency across animal species have focused on finding a single universal scaling law. Controversy between the different models has been aroused without elucidating the variations in chewing frequency. In the present study we show that vigorous chewing is limited by the maximum force of muscle, so that the upper chewing frequency scales as the -1/3 power of body mass for large animals and as a constant frequency for small animals. On the other hand, gentle chewing to mix food uniformly without excess of saliva describes the lower limit of chewing frequency, scaling approximately as the -1/6 power of body mass. These physical constraints frame the -1/4 power law classically inferred from allometry of animal metabolic rates. All of our experimental data stay within these physical boundaries over six orders of magnitude of body mass regardless of food types.

Efficiency of Physical Exercise Programs on Chronic Psychiatry Patients: A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sefa Lok

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Physical activity and exercise have recently been used as an effective method for the treatment of several mental disorders. In this systematic review, the objective is to evaluate the efficiency of the physical activity programs which are applied on the chronic psychiatric patients. The review is made in direction with the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination 2009 guide which is developed by the York University, National Health Care Research Institute. Seven studies are included within the scope of this research. The patients with chronic mental disorders who participate in the physical activity programs experience positive outcomes like that they feel themselves mentally better, they are more compatible with the medical treatment and therapeutic interventions, the programs diminish the anxiety, their perceptions of physical self are strengthened, the social functionality is increased, the duration of morning sleep is decreased and the quality of night sleep is increased. Accordingly, personalized, planned and continuous physical activity programs should be developed for all the psychiatric patients and these programs should be applied on such patients. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2016; 8(4.000: 354-366

Microplastics in the Terrestrial Ecosystem: Implications for Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Huerta Lwanga, Esperanza; Gertsen, Hennie; Gooren, Harm; Peters, Piet; Salánki, Tamás; van der Ploeg, Martine; Besseling, Ellen; Koelmans, Albert A; Geissen, Violette

2016-03-01

Plastic debris is widespread in the environment, but information on the effects of microplastics on terrestrial fauna is completely lacking. Here, we studied the survival and fitness of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) exposed to microplastics (Polyethylene, digestion of ingested organic matter, microplastic was concentrated in cast, especially at the lowest dose (i.e., 7% in litter) because that dose had the highest proportion of digestible organic matter. Whereas 50 percent of the microplastics had a size of earthworms. These concentration-transport and size-selection mechanisms may have important implications for fate and risk of microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems.

Georgia Tech video-based MS program in health physics/radiological engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Khalik, S.I.; Kahn, B.

1991-01-01

For the past several years, the health physics/radiation protection field has experienced a significant shortage of qualified professionals. The shortage is expected to continue for foreseeable future given the continued demand by both nuclear and medical facilities and the expected growth in the areas of waste management and environmental remediation. In response to such a shortage, beginning in the fall of 1984, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) established a video-based instruction program that enables professionals in the nuclear field to earn a master of science degree in health physics/radiological engineering while working at a distant nuclear facility. The admission criteria and curricular requirements for the program are identical to those for the resident (on-campus) students (except that weekly attendance at departmental seminars is excused). The program is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in health physics, engineering, or appropriate sciences such as physics, chemistry, or biology. A total of 50 quarter credit hours is required, so that a student who takes one course per quarter can complete the program in four years

75 FR 12522 - Carol M. White Physical Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-16

... project with the Coordinated School Health program, Team Nutrition Training Grant, Recovery Act... vision for (a) encouraging the development of lifelong healthy habits, and (b) improving nutrition and..., integrated physical activity and nutrition programs and policies that are reinforced in and by the community...

The solar-terrestrial environment. An introduction to geospace - the science of the terrestrial upper atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Hargreaves, J. K.

This textbook is a successor to "The upper atmosphere and solar-terrestrial relations" first published in 1979. It describes physical conditions in the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere of the Earth. This geospace environment begins 70 kilometres above the surface of the Earth and extends in near space to many times the Earth's radius. It is the region of near-Earth environment where the Space Shuttle flies, the aurora is generated, and the outer atmosphere meets particles streaming out of the sun. The account is introductory. The intent is to present basic concepts, and for that reason the mathematical treatment is not complex. There are three introductory chapters that give basic physics and explain the principles of physical investigation. The principal material contained in the main part of the book covers the neutral and ionized upper atmosphere, the magetosphere, and structures, dynamics, disturbances and irregularities. The concluding chapter deals with technological applications.

The UNAM M. Sc. program in Medical Physics enters its teen years

Science.gov (United States)

Brandan, María-Ester

2010-12-01

The M.Sc. (Medical Physics) program at the National Autonomous University of Mexico UNAM, created in 1997, has graduated a substantial number of medical physicists who constitute today about 30% of the medical physics clinical workforce in the country. Up to present date (May 2010) more than 60 students have graduated, 60% of them hold clinical jobs, 20% have completed or study a Ph.D., and 15% perform activities related to this specialization. In addition to strengthening the clinical practice of medical physics, the program has served as an incentive for medical physics research in UNAM and other centers. We report the circumstances of the program origin, the evolution of its curriculum, the main achievements, and the next challenges.

Initiating and Strengthening College and University Instructional Physical Activity Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Michelle M.

2011-01-01

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education supports the offering of strong college and university instructional physical activity programs (C/UIPAPs). With a rapid decline in physical activity levels, high stress levels, and unhealthy weight-loss practices among college-age students, it is apparent that C/UIPAPs embedded in the…

Effects of programmed physical activity on body composition in post-pubertal schoolchildren.

Science.gov (United States)

Farias, Edson Dos Santos; Gonçalves, Ezequiel Moreira; Morcillo, André Moreno; Guerra-Júnior, Gil; Amancio, Olga Maria Silverio

2015-01-01

To assess body composition modifications in post-pubertal schoolchildren after practice of a physical activity program during one school year. The sample consisted of 386 students aged between 15 and 17 years and divided into two groups: the study group (SG) comprised 195 students and the control group (CG), 191. The SG was submitted to a physical activity program and the CG attended conventional physical education classes. Body composition was assessed using body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (%BF), fat mass (FM), and lean mass (LM). A positive effect of the physical activity program on body composition in the SG (pgenders. A reduction in %BF (mean of differences = -5.58%) and waist circumference (-2.33 cm), as well as an increase in LM (+2.05 kg) were observed in the SG for both genders, whereas the opposite was observed in the CG. The practice of programmed physical activity promotes significant reduction of body fat in post-pubertal schoolchildren. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of physical activity programs in the Brazilian primary health care system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace Angélica de Oliveira Gomes

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of programs that promote physical activity in the public primary care system by region of Brazil, subject to the presence or absence of multidisciplinary primary care teams (NASF. We conducted a cross sectional and population-based telephone survey of the health unit coordinators from 1,251 health care units. Coordinators were asked about the presence and characteristics of physical activity programs. Four out of ten health units reported having a physical activity intervention program, the most common involving walking groups. Most of the activities were performed in the morning, once or twice a week, and in sessions of 30 minutes or more. Physical education professionals were primarily responsible for directing the activities. Interventions occurred in the health unit itself or in adjacent community spaces. In general, these characteristics were similar between units with or without NASF, but varied substantially across regions. These findings will guide future physical activity policies and programs within primary care in Brazil.

Health physics program for the Edgemont Uranium Mill decommissioning project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polehn, J.L.; Wallace, R.G.; Reed, R.P.; Wilson, G.T.

1986-01-01

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is actively involved in decommissioning a uranium mill located near the town of Edgemont, South Dakota. The Edgemont Mill Decommissioning Project, which is unique in many respects, will involve dismantlement of the old inactive mill building and excavation and transportation of several million tons of uranium mill tailings to a permanent disposal site. To ensure that workers are adequately protected from radiation exposure during decommissioning operations, a health physics program appropriate for the decommissioning situation was developed. The Edgemont Mill Decommissioning Project Health Physics Manual (HPM) gives the programmatic requirements for worker radiation protection. The requirements of the HPM are implemented by means of detailed onsite operating procedures. The Edgemont project health physics program was developed using currently available regulations and guidance for an operating uranium mill with appropriate modifications for decommissioning. This paper discusses the development, implementation, and documentation of that program

V. Terrestrial vertebrates

Science.gov (United States)

Dean Pearson; Deborah Finch

2011-01-01

Within the Interior West, terrestrial vertebrates do not represent a large number of invasive species relative to invasive weeds, aquatic vertebrates, and invertebrates. However, several invasive terrestrial vertebrate species do cause substantial economic and ecological damage in the U.S. and in this region (Pimental 2000, 2007; Bergman and others 2002; Finch and...

Physics Division Argonne National Laboratory description of the programs and facilities.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thayer, K.J. [ed.

1999-05-24

The ANL Physics Division traces its roots to nuclear physics research at the University of Chicago around the time of the second world war. Following the move from the University of Chicago out to the present Argonne site and the formation of Argonne National Laboratory: the Physics Division has had a tradition of research into fundamental aspects of nuclear and atomic physics. Initially, the emphasis was on areas such as neutron physics, mass spectrometry, and theoretical studies of the nuclear shell model. Maria Goeppert Maier was an employee in the Physics Division during the time she did her Nobel-Prize-winning work on the nuclear shell model. These interests diversified and at the present time the research addresses a wide range of current problems in nuclear and atomic physics. The major emphasis of the current experimental nuclear physics research is in heavy-ion physics, centered around the ATLAS facility (Argonne Tandem-Linac Accelerator System) with its new injector providing intense, energetic ion beams over the fill mass range up to uranium. ATLAS is a designated National User Facility and is based on superconducting radio-frequency technology developed in the Physics Division. A small program continues in accelerator development. In addition, the Division has a strong program in medium-energy nuclear physics carried out at a variety of major national and international facilities. The nuclear theory research in the Division spans a wide range of interests including nuclear dynamics with subnucleonic degrees of freedom, dynamics of many-nucleon systems, nuclear structure, and heavy-ion interactions. This research makes contact with experimental research programs in intermediate-energy and heavy-ion physics, both within the Division and on the national and international scale. The Physics Division traditionally has strong connections with the nation's universities. We have many visiting faculty members and we encourage students to participate in our

Parental perception on the efficacy of a physical activity program for preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellows, Laura; Silvernail, Sara; Caldwell, Lisa; Bryant, Angela; Kennedy, Cathy; Davies, Patricia; Anderson, Jennifer

2011-04-01

Childhood obesity is among the leading health concerns in the United States. The relationship between unmet physical activity needs in young children is of particular interest as the trend in childhood obesity continues to rise and unmet physical activity needs are identified. The preschool years are an influential time in promoting healthful lifestyle habits and early childhood interventions may help establish lifelong healthful behaviors which could help prevent obesity later in life. The Food Friends®: Get Movin' with Mighty Moves® is a preschool physical activity program which aims to improve children's gross motor skills and physical activity levels. The home environment and parental modeling are critical factors related to child physical activity in this population. The parent component, Mighty Moves®: Fun Ways to Keep Families Active and Healthy, was designed to address barriers in the home environment that lead to unmet physical activity needs in preschoolers and their families. The program and materials were designed based on Social Marketing tenets and Social Learning Theory principles. Four Colorado Head Start centers were assigned to an experimental group as part of the Mighty Moves® group randomized trial. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods were used to determine what messages and materials reached and motivated the target audience to increase physical activity levels. Results of the study indicated the program's materials helped families and children to be more physically active. Additionally, materials and material dissemination were revised to enhance program goals.

Computer programs in accelerator physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keil, E.

1984-01-01

Three areas of accelerator physics are discussed in which computer programs have been applied with much success: i) single-particle beam dynamics in circular machines, i.e. the design and matching of machine lattices; ii) computations of electromagnetic fields in RF cavities and similar objects, useful for the design of RF cavities and for the calculation of wake fields; iii) simulation of betatron and synchrotron oscillations in a machine with non-linear elements, e.g. sextupoles, and of bunch lengthening due to longitudinal wake fields. (orig.)

Basic physics program for a low energy antiproton source in North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonner, B.E.; Nieto, M.M.

1987-01-01

We summarize much of the important science that could be learned at a North American low energy antiproton source. It is striking that there is such a diverse and multidisciplinary program that would be amenable to exploration. Spanning the range from high energy particle physics to nuclear physics, atomic physics, and condensed matter physics, the program promises to offer many new insights into these disparate branches of science. It is abundantly clear that the scientific case for rapidly proceeding towards such a capability in North America is both alluring and strong. 38 refs., 2 tabs

Comparison of international guideline programs to evaluate and update the Dutch program for clinical guideline development in physical therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Wees, Philip J; Hendriks, Erik J M; Custers, Jan W H; Burgers, Jako S; Dekker, Joost; de Bie, Rob A

2007-11-23

Clinical guidelines are considered important instruments to improve quality in health care. Since 1998 the Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF) produced evidence-based clinical guidelines, based on a standardized program. New developments in the field of guideline research raised the need to evaluate and update the KNGF guideline program. Purpose of this study is to compare different guideline development programs and review the KNGF guideline program for physical therapy in the Netherlands, in order to update the program. Six international guideline development programs were selected, and the 23 criteria of the AGREE Instrument were used to evaluate the guideline programs. Information about the programs was retrieved from published handbooks of the organizations. Also, the Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy was evaluated using the AGREE criteria. Further comparison the six guideline programs was carried out using the following elements of the guideline development processes: Structure and organization; Preparation and initiation; Development; Validation; Dissemination and implementation; Evaluation and update. Compliance with the AGREE criteria of the guideline programs was high. Four programs addressed 22 AGREE criteria, and two programs addressed 20 AGREE criteria. The previous Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy lacked in compliance with the AGREE criteria, meeting only 13 criteria. Further comparison showed that all guideline programs perform systematic literature searches to identify the available evidence. Recommendations are formulated and graded, based on evidence and other relevant factors. It is not clear how decisions in the development process are made. In particular, the process of translating evidence into practice recommendations can be improved. As a result of international developments and consensus, the described processes for developing clinical practice guidelines have much in common

Effects of programmed physical activity on body composition in post-pubertal schoolchildren

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edson dos Santos Farias

2015-04-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess body composition modifications in post-pubertal schoolchildren after practice of a physical activity program during one school year. METHODS: The sample consisted of 386 students aged between 15 and 17 years and divided into two groups: the study group (SG comprised 195 students and the control group (CG, 191. The SG was submitted to a physical activity program and the CG attended conventional physical education classes. Body composition was assessed using body mass index (BMI, percentage of body fat (%BF, fat mass (FM, and lean mass (LM. RESULTS: A positive effect of the physical activity program on body composition in the SG (p < 0.001 was observed, as well as on the interaction time x group in all the variables analyzed in both genders. A reduction in %BF (mean of differences = -5.58% and waist circumference (-2.33 cm, as well as an increase in LM (+2.05 kg were observed in the SG for both genders, whereas the opposite was observed in the CG. CONCLUSION: The practice of programmed physical activity promotes significant reduction of body fat in post-pubertal schoolchildren.

Need to plan for a full-scale lns-physics program at the SSC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, A.R.

1984-03-01

Arguments for a full lns physics program at the SSC are enumerated and elaborated on. They are: first - the inadequacy of data from a minimal program, second - the potential fundamental significance of a high-energy soft physics collective phenomenon and third - the possible diffractive production of much of the interesting new physics that will be searched for

Adherence to a Videogame-Based Physical Activity Program for Older Adults with Schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Leutwyler, Heather; Hubbard, Erin M; Dowling, Glenna A

2014-08-01

Adults with schizophrenia are a growing segment of the older adult population. Evidence suggests that they engage in limited physical activity. Interventions are needed that are tailored around their unique limitations. An active videogame-based physical activity program that can be offered at a treatment facility can overcome these barriers and increase motivation to engage in physical activity. The purpose of this report is to describe the adherence to a videogame-based physical activity program using the Kinect(®) for Xbox(®) 360 game system (Microsoft(®), Redmond, WA) in older adults with schizophrenia. This was a descriptive longitudinal study among 34 older adults with schizophrenia to establish the adherence to an active videogame-based physical activity program. In our ongoing program, once a week for 6 weeks, participants played an active videogame, using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system, for 30 minutes. Adherence was measured with a count of sessions attended and with the total minutes attended out of the possible total minutes of attendance (180 minutes). Thirty-four adults with schizophrenia enrolled in the study. The mean number of groups attended was five out of six total (standard deviation=2), and the mean total minutes attended were 139 out of 180 possible (standard deviation=55). Fifty percent had perfect attendance. Older adults with schizophrenia need effective physical activity programs. Adherence to our program suggests that videogames that use the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system are an innovative way to make physical activity accessible to this population.

Adherence to a Videogame-Based Physical Activity Program for Older Adults with Schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbard, Erin M.; Dowling, Glenna A.

2014-01-01

Abstract Objectives: Adults with schizophrenia are a growing segment of the older adult population. Evidence suggests that they engage in limited physical activity. Interventions are needed that are tailored around their unique limitations. An active videogame-based physical activity program that can be offered at a treatment facility can overcome these barriers and increase motivation to engage in physical activity. The purpose of this report is to describe the adherence to a videogame-based physical activity program using the Kinect® for Xbox® 360 game system (Microsoft®, Redmond, WA) in older adults with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive longitudinal study among 34 older adults with schizophrenia to establish the adherence to an active videogame-based physical activity program. In our ongoing program, once a week for 6 weeks, participants played an active videogame, using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system, for 30 minutes. Adherence was measured with a count of sessions attended and with the total minutes attended out of the possible total minutes of attendance (180 minutes). Results: Thirty-four adults with schizophrenia enrolled in the study. The mean number of groups attended was five out of six total (standard deviation=2), and the mean total minutes attended were 139 out of 180 possible (standard deviation=55). Fifty percent had perfect attendance. Conclusions: Older adults with schizophrenia need effective physical activity programs. Adherence to our program suggests that videogames that use the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system are an innovative way to make physical activity accessible to this population. PMID:26192371

Assessing Program Learning Objectives to Improve Undergraduate Physics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Menke, Carrie

2014-03-01

Our physics undergraduate program has five program learning objectives (PLOs) focusing on (1) physical principles, (2) mathematical expertise, (3) experimental technique, (4) communication and teamwork, and (5) research proficiency. One PLO is assessed each year, with the results guiding modifications in our curriculum and future assessment practices; we have just completed our first cycle of assessing all PLOs. Our approach strives to maximize the ease and applicability of our assessment practices while maintaining faculty's flexibility in course design and delivery. Objectives are mapped onto our core curriculum with identified coursework collected as direct evidence. We've utilized mostly descriptive rubrics, applying them at the course and program levels as well as sharing them with the students. This has resulted in more efficient assessment that is also applicable to reaccreditation efforts, higher inter-rater reliability than with other rubric types, and higher quality capstone projects. We've also found that the varied quality of student writing can interfere with our assessment of other objectives. This poster outlines our processes, resources, and how we have used PLO assessment to strengthen our undergraduate program.

Terrestrial Analogs to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Farr, T. G.; Arcone, S.; Arvidson, R. W.; Baker, V.; Barlow, N. G.; Beaty, D.; Bell, M. S.; Blankenship, D. D.; Bridges, N.; Briggs, G.; Bulmer, M.; Carsey, F.; Clifford, S. M.; Craddock, R. A.; Dickerson, P. W.; Duxbury, N.; Galford, G. L.; Garvin, J.; Grant, J.; Green, J. R.; Gregg, T. K. P.; Guinness, E.; Hansen, V. L.; Hecht, M. H.; Holt, J.; Howard, A.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Lee, P.; Lanagan, P. D.; Lentz, R. C. F.; Leverington, D. W.; Marinangeli, L.; Moersch, J. E.; Morris-Smith, P. A.; Mouginis-Mark, P.; Olhoeft, G. R.; Ori, G. G.; Paillou, P.; Reilly, J. F., II; Rice, J. W., Jr.; Robinson, C. A.; Sheridan, M.; Snook, K.; Thomson, B. J.; Watson, K.; Williams, K.; Yoshikawa, K.

2002-08-01

It is well recognized that interpretations of Mars must begin with the Earth as a reference. The most successful comparisons have focused on understanding geologic processes on the Earth well enough to extrapolate to Mars' environment. Several facets of terrestrial analog studies have been pursued and are continuing. These studies include field workshops, characterization of terrestrial analog sites, instrument tests, laboratory measurements (including analysis of Martian meteorites), and computer and laboratory modeling. The combination of all these activities allows scientists to constrain the processes operating in specific terrestrial environments and extrapolate how similar processes could affect Mars. The Terrestrial Analogs for Mars Community Panel has considered the following two key questions: (1) How do terrestrial analog studies tie in to the Mars Exploration Payload Assessment Group science questions about life, past climate, and geologic evolution of Mars, and (2) How can future instrumentation be used to address these questions. The panel has considered the issues of data collection, value of field workshops, data archiving, laboratory measurements and modeling, human exploration issues, association with other areas of solar system exploration, and education and public outreach activities.

Impact of an After-School Physical Activity Program on Youth's Physical Activity Correlates and Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chaoqun; Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C.; Schultz, Barry; Newton, Maria; Jenson, William

2012-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of a sports-based, after-school physical activity (PA) program on youth's physical activity PA levels and PA correlates. After the pretest, 130 youth were assigned to the intervention group (i.e., after-school PA group) or the comparison (i.e., no after-school PA group) group.…

Progress report on reactor physics research program, January 1963 - February 1964

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1964-02-15

This progress report is a part of the annual report of the department of reactor physics prepared for the Boris Kidric Institute of nuclear sciences. It is a review of research activities in the field of theoretical and experimental reactor physics in the year 1973. A part of this program was included in the NPY Cooperative program in reactor physics. The topics covered by this report are as follows: Calculations of the thermal neutron distribution and reaction rate in a reactor cell and comparison with experiments; buckling measurements; thermalization and slowing down of neutrons; pulsed neutron source techniques; and reactor kinetics.

Progress report on reactor physics research program, January 1963 - February 1964

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1964-02-01

This progress report is a part of the annual report of the department of reactor physics prepared for the Boris Kidric Institute of nuclear sciences. It is a review of research activities in the field of theoretical and experimental reactor physics in the year 1973. A part of this program was included in the NPY Cooperative program in reactor physics. The topics covered by this report are as follows: Calculations of the thermal neutron distribution and reaction rate in a reactor cell and comparison with experiments; buckling measurements; thermalization and slowing down of neutrons; pulsed neutron source techniques; and reactor kinetics

Programs for low-energy nuclear physics data processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antuf'ev, Yu.P.; Dejneko, A.S.; Ekhichev, O.I.; Kuz'menko, V.A.; Mashkarov, Yu.G.; Nemashkalo, B.A.; Skakun, E.A.; Storizhko, V.E.; Shlyakhov, N.A.

1978-01-01

Purpose of six computer programs developed in KhPTI of AN USSR for the processing of the experimental data on low energy nuclear physics ia friendly described. The programs are written in Algol-60 language. They are applied to some types of nuclear reactions and permit to process differential cross sections and γ spectra, to compute statistical tensors and excitation functions as well as to analyze some processes by means of theoretical models

Introduction of computing in physics learning visual programing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Cheung Seop

1999-12-01

This book introduces physics and programing, foundation of visual basic, grammar of visual basic, visual programing, solution of equation, calculation of matrix, solution of simultaneous equation, differentiation, differential equation, simultaneous differential equation and second-order differential equation, integration and solution of partial differential equation. It also covers basic language, terms of visual basic, usage of method, graphic method, step by step method, fails-position method, Gauss elimination method, difference method and Euler method.

HEPAP Subpanel on the US High Energy Physics Research Program for the 1990's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-04-01

The entire community of high energy physicists looks expectantly to the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) era. The SSC is the highest priority in the US high energy physics (HEP) program, and physics at the SSC will increasingly become its focus. In this report, the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP) Subpanel on the US High Energy Physics Research Program for the 1990's examines how the National HEP program can go forward vigorously in the period of preparation for the SSC. The Subpanel concluded early that a viable and productive physics research program in the next decade on a range of promising fronts is essential for this field to continue to attract and educate scientists of great creativity. The Subpanel found that such a program requires both exploiting existing opportunities and undertaking some new initiatives. The recommendations are based on the ''constant budget scenario,'' which the Subpanel interprets as averaging the FY 1991 budget level over the next decade

Physical activity stimulation program for children with cerebral palsy did not improve physical activity: a randomised trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wely, L.; Balemans, A.C.J.; Becher, J.G.; Dallmeijer, A.J.

2014-01-01

Question: In children with cerebral palsy, does a 6-month physical activity stimulation program improve physical activity, mobility capacity, fitness, fatigue and attitude towards sports more than usual paediatric physiotherapy? Design: Multicentre randomised controlled trial with concealed

Impacting Children’s Health and Academic Performance through Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy A. BRUSSEAU

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Physical activity is associated with numerous academic and health benefits. Furthermore, schools have been identified as an ideal location to promote physical activity as most youth attend school regularly from ages 5-18. Unfortunately, in an effort to increase academic learning time, schools have been eliminating traditional activity opportunities including physical education and recess. To combat physical inactivity in you, numerous organizations are promoting a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program to encourage academic achievement and overall health. Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs include five components and should be centered around 1 quality physical education, 2 physical activity before and after school, 3 physical activity during school (both recess and classroom activity, 4 staff involvement, and 5 family and community engagement.

Physics of the sun

CERN Document Server

Holzer, Thomas; Mihalas, Dimitri; Ulrich, Roger

1986-01-01

This volume, together with its two companion volumes, originated in a study commis­ sioned by the United States National Academy of Sciences on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A committee composed of Tom Holzer, Dimitri Mihalas, Roger Ulrich and myself was asked to prepare a comprehensive review of current knowledge concerning the physics of the sun. We were fortunate in being able to persuade many distinguished scientists to gather their forces for the preparation of 21 separate chapters covering not only solar physics but also relevant areas of astrophysics and solar-terrestrial relations. It proved necessary to divide the chapters into three separate volumes that cover three different aspects of solar physics. Volumes 1 and 2 are concerned with 'The Solar Interior' and with 'The Solar Atmosphere'. This volume, devoted to 'Astrophysics and Solar-Terrestrial Relations', focuses on problems of solar physics from these two different but complementary perspectives. The emphasis thr...

Clinical Assessment of Tribulus terrestris Extract in the Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction

Science.gov (United States)

Gama, Carlos RB; Lasmar, Ricardo; Gama, Gustavo F; Abreu, Camila S; Nunes, Carlos P; Geller, Mauro; Oliveira, Lisa; Santos, Alessandra

2014-01-01

This is a qualitative–quantitative study based on hospital records of female patients of reproductive age, presenting sexual dysfunction, and treated with 250 mg Tribulus terrestris extract (1 tablet thrice daily for 90 days). Safety monitoring included vital signs, physical examination, laboratory tests, and occurrence of adverse events. Efficacy analysis included results of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels together with total and free testosterone, and the patient and physician assessments. There was a statistically significant improvement in total FSFI scores (P terrestris extract is safe and effective in the treatment of female sexual dysfunction. PMID:25574150

Clinical Assessment of Tribulus terrestris Extract in the Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gama, Carlos Rb; Lasmar, Ricardo; Gama, Gustavo F; Abreu, Camila S; Nunes, Carlos P; Geller, Mauro; Oliveira, Lisa; Santos, Alessandra

2014-01-01

This is a qualitative-quantitative study based on hospital records of female patients of reproductive age, presenting sexual dysfunction, and treated with 250 mg Tribulus terrestris extract (1 tablet thrice daily for 90 days). Safety monitoring included vital signs, physical examination, laboratory tests, and occurrence of adverse events. Efficacy analysis included results of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels together with total and free testosterone, and the patient and physician assessments. There was a statistically significant improvement in total FSFI scores (P terrestris extract is safe and effective in the treatment of female sexual dysfunction.

A Meteorological Distribution System for High Resolution Terrestrial Modeling (MicroMet)

Science.gov (United States)

Liston, G. E.; Elder, K.

2004-12-01

Spatially distributed terrestrial models generally require atmospheric forcing data on horizontal grids that are of higher resolution than available meteorological data. Furthermore, the meteorological data collected may not necessarily represent the area of interest's meteorological variability. To address these deficiencies, computationally efficient and physically realistic methods must be developed to take available meteorological data sets (e.g., meteorological tower observations) and generate high-resolution atmospheric-forcing distributions. This poster describes MicroMet, a quasi-physically-based, but simple meteorological distribution model designed to produce high-resolution (e.g., 5-m to 1-km horizontal grid increments) meteorological data distributions required to run spatially distributed terrestrial models over a wide variety of landscapes. The model produces distributions of the seven fundamental atmospheric forcing variables required to run most terrestrial models: air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, incoming solar radiation, incoming longwave radiation, and precipitation. MicroMet includes a preprocessor that analyzes meteorological station data and identifies and repairs potential data deficiencies. The model uses known relationships between meteorological variables and the surrounding area (primarily topography) to distribute those variables over any given landscape. MicroMet performs two kinds of adjustments to available meteorological data: 1) when there are data at more than one location, at a given time, the data are spatially interpolated over the domain using a Barnes objective analysis scheme, and 2) physical sub-models are applied to each MicroMet variable to improve its realism at a given point in space and time with respect to the terrain. The three, 25-km by 25-km, Cold Land Processes Experiment (CLPX) mesoscale study areas (MSAs: Fraser, North Park, and Rabbit Ears) will be used as example Micro

An intervention program to promote health-related physical fitness in nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Su-Chuan; Chou, Ming-Chih; Hwu, Lien-Jen; Chang, Yin-O; Hsu, Wen-Hsin; Kuo, Hsien-Wen

2009-05-01

To assess the effects of exercise intervention on nurses' health-related physical fitness. Regular exercise that includes gymnastics or aerobics has a positive effect on fitness. In Taiwan, there are not much data which assess the effects of exercise intervention on nurses' health-related physical fitness. Many studies have reported the high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in nurses However, there has been limited research on intervention programs that are designed to improve the general physical fitness of nurses. A quasi-experimental study was conducted at a medical centre in central Taiwan. Ninety nurses from five different units of a hospital volunteered to participate in this study and participated in an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group engaged in a three-month intervention program consisting of treadmill exercise. Indicators of the health-related physical fitness of both groups were established and assessed before and after the intervention. Before intervention, the control group had significantly better grasp strength, flexibility and durability of abdominal muscles than the experimental group (p work duration, regular exercise and workload and found that the experimental group performed significantly better (p flexibility, durability of abdominal and back muscles and cardiopulmonary function. This study demonstrates that the development and implementation of an intervention program can promote and improve the health-related physical fitness of nurses. It is suggested that nurses engage in an exercise program while in the workplace to lower the risk of MSDs and to promote working efficiency.

Physical Activity for Campus Employees: A University Worksite Wellness Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Carling E; Clark, B Ruth; Burlis, Tamara L; Castillo, Jacqueline C; Racette, Susan B

2015-04-01

Workplaces provide ideal environments for wellness programming. The purpose of this study was to explore exercise self-efficacy among university employees and the effects of a worksite wellness program on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Participants included 121 university employees (85% female). The worksite wellness program included cardiovascular health assessments, personal health reports, 8 weeks of pedometer-based walking and tracking activities, and weekly wellness sessions. Daily step count was assessed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8. Exercise self-efficacy and CVD risk factors were evaluated at baseline and follow-up. Daily step count increased from 6566 ± 258 (LSM ± SE) at baseline to 8605 ± 356 at Week 4 and 9107 ± 388 at Week 8 (P physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and CVD risk factors among university employees. Exercise barriers and outcome expectations were identified and have implications for future worksite wellness programming.

The effectiveness of the pilot program of differentiated correction of psycho-physical condition of students in physical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.V. Lukavenko

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Defined and justified the designing an algorithm for the formation and operation of the content of physical education students. The algorithm is aimed at correcting the mental and physical condition of students in the relevant classes in high school. In the experiment involved a group of boys and girls of 20 people 17-18 years of age.The program provides theoretical and methodological, practical training, and certain types of control. The basis of the program is a differentiated approach to students with the features of display, speakers, self-determination, the relationship between the change in indicators of mental and physical state in the first year of study. Project operations are focused on meeting the requirements of the principles of physical education, the provisions of the public education on maintaining a physically active lifestyle. It is recommended for theoretical and methodological training of the use of modern information tools. Showing the direction of correction of psycho-physical condition of students.

Magnetospheric Plasma Physics : the Impact of Jim Dungey’s Research

CERN Document Server

Southwood, David; Mitton, Simon

2015-01-01

This book makes good background reading for much of modern magnetospheric physics. Its origin was a Festspiel for Professor Jim Dungey, former professor in the Physics Department at Imperial College on the occasion of his 90th birthday, 30 January 2013. Remarkably, although he retired 30 years ago, his pioneering and, often, maverick work in the 50’s through to the 70’s on solar terrestrial physics is probably more widely appreciated today than when he retired. Dungey was a theoretical plasma physicist. The book covers how his reconnection model of the magnetosphere evolved to become the standard model of solar-terrestrial coupling. Dungey’s open magnetosphere model now underpins a holistic picture explaining not only the magnetic and plasma structure of the magnetosphere, but also its dynamics which can be monitored in real time. The book also shows how modern day simulation of solar terrestrial coupling can reproduce the real time evolution of the solar terrestrial system in ways undreamt of in 1961 w...

Open-Access Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults: A Pragmatic and Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Balis, Laura E; Strayer, Thomas; Ramalingam, NithyaPriya; Wilson, Meghan; Harden, Samantha M

2018-01-10

Open-access, community-based programs are recommended to assist older adults in meeting physical activity guidelines, but the characteristics, impact, and scalability of these programs is less understood. The Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension System, an organization providing education through county-based educators, functions as a delivery system for these programs. A systematic review was conducted to determine characteristics of effective older adult physical activity programs and the extent to which programs delivered in Extension employ these characteristics. A systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted from August 2016 to February 2017. The review was limited to open-access (available to all), community-based physical activity interventions for older adults (≥65 years of age). The peer-reviewed literature search was conducted in PubMed and EBSCOhost; the grey literature search for Extension interventions was conducted through Extension websites, Land-Grant Impacts, and the Journal of Extension. Sixteen peer-reviewed studies and 17 grey literature sources met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Peer-reviewed and Extension programs were similar in their limited use of behavioral theories and group-based strategies. Compared to Extension programs, those in the peer-reviewed literature were more likely to use a combination of physical activity components and be delivered by trained professionals. The results indicate notable differences between peer-reviewed literature and Extension programs and present an opportunity for Extension programs to more effectively use evidence-based program characteristics, including behavioral theories and group dynamics, a combination of physical activity components, and educator/agent-trained delivery agents. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prospects for Detecting Thermal Emission from Terrestrial Exoplanets with JWST

Science.gov (United States)

Kreidberg, Laura

2018-01-01

A plethora of nearby, terrestrial exoplanets has been discovered recently by ground-based surveys. Excitingly, some of these are in the habitable zones of their host stars, and may be hospitable for life. However, all the planets orbit small, cool stars and have considerably different irradiation environments from the Earth, making them vulnerable to atmospheric escape, erosion and collapse. Atmosphere characterization is therefore critical to assessing the planets' habitability. I will discuss possible JWST thermal emission measurements to determine the atmospheric properties of nearby terrestrial planets. I will focus on prospects for detecting physically motivated atmospheres for planets orbiting LHS 1140, GJ 1132, and TRAPPIST-1. I will also discuss the potential for using phase curve observations to determine whether an atmosphere has survived on the non-transiting planet Proxima b.

Radiological/Health physics program assessement at Rocky Flats, the process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Psomas, P.O.

1996-01-01

The Department of Energy, Rocky Flats Office, Safety and Health Group, Health Physics Team (HPT) is responsible for oversight of the Radiation Protection and Health Physics Program (RPHP) of the Integrating Management Contractor (IMC), Kaiser-Hill (K-H) operations at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). As of 1 January 1996 the Rocky Flats Plant employed 300 DOE and 4,300 contractor personnel (K-H and their subcontractors). WSI is a subcontractor and provides plant security. To accomplish the RPHP program oversight HPT personnel developed a systematic methodology for performing a functional RPHP Assessment. The initial process included development of a flow diagram identifying all programmatic elements and assessment criteria documents. Formulation of plans for conducting interviews and performance of assessments constituted the second major effort. The generation of assessment reports was the final step, based on the results of this process. This assessment will be a 6 person-year effort, over the next three years. This process is the most comprehensive assessment of any Radiation Protection and Health Physics (RPHP) Program ever performed at Rocky Flats. The results of these efforts will establish a baseline for future RPHP Program assessments at RFETS. This methodology has been well-received by contractor personnel and creates no Privacy Act violations or other misunderstandings

Neighborhood-based physical activity differences: Evaluation of the effect of health promotion program.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Cristina de Souza Andrade

Full Text Available The practice of physical activity is an important factor in the prevention of health problems. However, a small portion of the population is physically active. Recent reviews show that physical activity classes in community settings have the potential to increase population levels of physical activity and reduce health inequalities.To evaluate the effect of the Academias da Cidade Program in Belo Horizonte on the practice of physical activity in leisure time (PALT by non-users living near the program centers.We conducted a home-based health survey in Belo Horizonte (2008-2009 with 1,581 adults who were non-users of the program and who lived within a 1,500-meter radius of one active program center (exposed group and two nonoperational centers with sites reserved for their construction (unexposed group. We collected data on PALT levels (≥150 minutes/week, which was measured with the Physical Activity International Questionnaire and analyzed with binary logistic regression using the Generalized Estimating Equations method. The propensity score was used as an adjustment variable to control the potential confusion in the measures of effect of exposure studied.The overall prevalence of the PALT was 26.5% in the exposed group and 22.7% in the unexposed group. The exposed group was more likely to be active in leisure time (OR = 1.05; CI 95%: 1.01-1.10. When considering the interaction between exposed group and distance, individuals in the exposed group who lived less than 500 meters from the program center were more likely to be active in leisure time (OR = 1.18, CI 95%: 1.03-1.35 compared to their counterparts.Promoting physical activity in the community can favorably affect PALT levels among residents, especially those living closest to intervention centers. We believe the Academias da Cidade Program is a promising strategy to facilitate the access to appropriate spaces for the practice of physical activity and contribute to increase the levels

Comparison of international guideline programs to evaluate and update the Dutch program for clinical guideline development in physical therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burgers Jako S

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinical guidelines are considered important instruments to improve quality in health care. Since 1998 the Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF produced evidence-based clinical guidelines, based on a standardized program. New developments in the field of guideline research raised the need to evaluate and update the KNGF guideline program. Purpose of this study is to compare different guideline development programs and review the KNGF guideline program for physical therapy in the Netherlands, in order to update the program. Method Six international guideline development programs were selected, and the 23 criteria of the AGREE Instrument were used to evaluate the guideline programs. Information about the programs was retrieved from published handbooks of the organizations. Also, the Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy was evaluated using the AGREE criteria. Further comparison the six guideline programs was carried out using the following elements of the guideline development processes: Structure and organization; Preparation and initiation; Development; Validation; Dissemination and implementation; Evaluation and update. Results Compliance with the AGREE criteria of the guideline programs was high. Four programs addressed 22 AGREE criteria, and two programs addressed 20 AGREE criteria. The previous Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy lacked in compliance with the AGREE criteria, meeting only 13 criteria. Further comparison showed that all guideline programs perform systematic literature searches to identify the available evidence. Recommendations are formulated and graded, based on evidence and other relevant factors. It is not clear how decisions in the development process are made. In particular, the process of translating evidence into practice recommendations can be improved. Conclusion As a result of international developments and consensus, the described processes

Influence of a 12-year supervised physical activity program for the elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Rodrigo Pauli

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Aging is an inevitable process and is associated with declining physiological and functional capacity in humans. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-yearsupervised physical training program on functional fitness in the elderly. Ten women (mean age: 65 years participated in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups: a a trained group consisting of women who had been attending a supervised program including different types of physical activities of moderate intensity over the last 12 years; b an untrained group consisting of women who were not engaged in any supervised physical activity program over the last 12years. Functional fitness was assessed using the AAHPERD field-test battery which comprises five single motor tests: coordination, flexibility, strength endurance, agility and dynamic balance, and overall aerobic endurance. The results showed a better performance of elderly women whoparticipated in a physical activity program over the last 12 years. Thus, whereas elderly women who perform regular physical activities in a supervised program tend to show improvement of all functional fitness components even after a period of 12 years, a tendency towards a reduction in most of these components is observed in their non-active peers. These findings seem to predict an increasing gap in functional fitness between these two groups as they grow older, with opposite effects on the quality of life of these subjects.

Terrestrial gamma radiation baseline mapping using ultra low density sampling methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinschmidt, R; Watson, D

2016-01-01

Baseline terrestrial gamma radiation maps are indispensable for providing basic reference information that may be used in assessing the impact of a radiation related incident, performing epidemiological studies, remediating land contaminated with radioactive materials, assessment of land use applications and resource prospectivity. For a large land mass, such as Queensland, Australia (over 1.7 million km(2)), it is prohibitively expensive and practically difficult to undertake detailed in-situ radiometric surveys of this scale. It is proposed that an existing, ultra-low density sampling program already undertaken for the purpose of a nationwide soil survey project be utilised to develop a baseline terrestrial gamma radiation map. Geoelement data derived from the National Geochemistry Survey of Australia (NGSA) was used to construct a baseline terrestrial gamma air kerma rate map, delineated by major drainage catchments, for Queensland. Three drainage catchments (sampled at the catchment outlet) spanning low, medium and high radioelement concentrations were selected for validation of the methodology using radiometric techniques including in-situ measurements and soil sampling for high resolution gamma spectrometry, and comparative non-radiometric analysis. A Queensland mean terrestrial air kerma rate, as calculated from the NGSA outlet sediment uranium, thorium and potassium concentrations, of 49 ± 69 nGy h(-1) (n = 311, 3σ 99% confidence level) is proposed as being suitable for use as a generic terrestrial air kerma rate background range. Validation results indicate that catchment outlet measurements are representative of the range of results obtained across the catchment and that the NGSA geoelement data is suitable for calculation and mapping of terrestrial air kerma rate. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical fitness and health education program at NASA Headquarters

Science.gov (United States)

Angotti, Cathy

1993-01-01

The topics discussed include the following: policy procedures to enter the NASA Headquarters Physical Fitness and Health Program; eligibility; TDY eligibility; health promotions offered; and general facility management.

Ideas Exchange: What Is the Role of Dance in the Secondary Physical Education Program?

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzi, David G. (Comp.)

2010-01-01

This article presents ideas and views of educators regarding the role of dance in the secondary physical education program. One educator believes that dance education is an excellent complement to the traditional physical education program at the secondary level. Another educator defines physical education as the "art and science of human…

Guide to accelerator physics program SYNCH: VAX version 1987.2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parsa, Z.; Courant, E.

1987-01-01

This guide is written to accommodate users of Accelerator Physics Data Base BNLDAG::DUAO:[PARSA1]. It describes the contents of the on line Accelerator Physics data base DUAO:[PARSA1.SYNCH]. SYNCH is a computer program used for the design and analysis of synchrotrons, storage rings and beamlines

Physical Fitness Programs in the Workplace. WBGH Worksite Wellness Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Knadler, Gary F.; And Others

Because sedentary living creates health consequences that ultimately affect employees' productivity, many companies are sponsoring worksite physical fitness programs for their employees. The cost-effectiveness of such programs and the resulting reduction in employees' absenteeism rates and medical and health care costs have been well documented.…

Terrestrial service environments for selected geographic locations. Final report. [1965--1974 data; to define solar array environment to aid in encapsulation program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, R.E.; Carmichael, D.C.

1976-06-24

This report contains results obtained from analyses of climatic, precipitation, air pollution, and other environmental data for the years 1965 to 1974 at nine widely different geographic locations in the United States (Albuquerque, N.M.; Bismarck, N.D.; Boston, Mass.; Brownsville, TX.; Cleveland, OH; Fairbanks, AK; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; and Phoenix, AZ). In addition to descriptive and diurnal statistics for 24 individual climatic variables, ''environmental cell'' statistics were computed to obtain the frequencies, durations, and transitions for the simultaneous occurrence of various combinations of environmental variables. Results are presented for the simultaneous occurrence of specific levels of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and insolation, in addition to representative results obtained for other combinations of variables. The results characterize the environmental conditions to which terrestrial solar arrays would be exposed over a 20-year lifetime, and serve to identify environmental factors and levels that can be used in testing candidate encapsulation materials and systems for such terrestrial exposures. An innovative methodology was applied to obtain these results for combinations of environmental variables. Because of its generality and demonstrated feasibility, it is concluded that the methodology also has broad applications to other testing programs.

Computer programs of information processing of nuclear physical methods as a demonstration material in studying nuclear physics and numerical methods

Science.gov (United States)

Bateev, A. B.; Filippov, V. P.

2017-01-01

The principle possibility of using computer program Univem MS for Mössbauer spectra fitting as a demonstration material at studying such disciplines as atomic and nuclear physics and numerical methods by students is shown in the article. This program is associated with nuclear-physical parameters such as isomer (or chemical) shift of nuclear energy level, interaction of nuclear quadrupole moment with electric field and of magnetic moment with surrounded magnetic field. The basic processing algorithm in such programs is the Least Square Method. The deviation of values of experimental points on spectra from the value of theoretical dependence is defined on concrete examples. This value is characterized in numerical methods as mean square deviation. The shape of theoretical lines in the program is defined by Gaussian and Lorentzian distributions. The visualization of the studied material on atomic and nuclear physics can be improved by similar programs of the Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer or X-ray diffraction analysis.

Update on terrestrial ecological classification in the highlands of West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

James P. Vanderhorst

2010-01-01

The West Virginia Natural Heritage Program (WVNHP) maintains databases on the biological diversity of the state, including species and natural communities, to help focus conservation efforts by agencies and organizations. Information on terrestrial communities (also called vegetation, or habitat, depending on user or audience focus) is maintained in two databases. The...

Impact of trained champions of comprehensive school physical activity programs on school physical activity offerings, youth physical activity and sedentary behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, Russell L; Castelli, Darla M; Pulling Kuhn, Ann C; Moore, Justin B; Beets, Michael W; Beighle, Aaron; Aija, Rahma; Calvert, Hannah G; Glowacki, Elizabeth M

2014-12-01

A quasi-experimental cluster-controlled design was used to test the impact of comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) professional development on changes in school physical activity (PA) offerings, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behaviors of 9-14 year-old children during school. Two groups of Louisiana elementary and middle school physical education teachers (N=129) attended a CSPAP summer workshop (95 in 2012=intervention, 34 in 2013=control) and were assessed on school PA offerings (teacher-reported; pre, mid, and post). During the 2012-2013 school year, intervention teachers received CSPAP support while implementing new school PA programs. MVPA and sedentary behaviors were assessed (accelerometry; baseline and post) on a sample of 231 intervention, 120 control students from 16 different schools. Multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that intervention teachers reported significantly more PA offerings during school (3.35 vs. 2.37) and that involve staff (1.43 vs. 0.90). Three-level, mixed model regressions (stratified by sex) indicated that students overall spent less time in MVPA and more time being sedentary during school, but the effects were significantly blunted among intervention students, especially boys. This study provides preliminary evidence for CSPAP professional development programs to influence school-level PA offerings and offset student-level declines in MVPA and increases in sedentary behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The undergraduate physics tutorial program at CSU Los Angeles assessment of utility and areas of interest

Science.gov (United States)

Avetyan, Smbat

The Physics Education Research (PER) group at the University of Washington have researched traditional teaching methods and found that students in introductory physics are lacking a conceptual understanding of the physics material. The solution they put forth is an interactive tutorial program designed to meet the lack of conceptual understanding. Since the tutorial programs inception at CSU Los Angeles in Fall 2006 no evaluation has been successfully undertaken therefore the effect of the tutorial program in the physics 200 series is deeply obscure to the department. The research has shed light on the tutorial program and brought into context its effectiveness on the overall physics 200 series courses at CSU Los Angeles. The researcher has addressed the following research questions, what overall effect does the tutorial program have on the Physics 200 series curriculum? What is the size and significance of gains attributable to the undergraduate calculus based Physics 200 series tutorial program at CSU Los Angeles? What can we learn from gains about individual weekly lessons from the Physics 200 series tutorial courses? What is the correlation of tutorial gains with student final course grades? Are the gains from the tutorial program different for genders? Is there a difference in gains based on the different students' colleges?

Seminar Neutronika-2012. Neutron-physical problems of nuclear-power engineering. Program and abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

On October, 30 - November, 2 in State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation - Institute for Physics and Power Engineering named after A.I. Leypunsky a seminar Neutron-physical problems of nuclear power engineering - Neutronika-2012 took place. On the seminar the following problems were discussed: justification of neutron-physical characteristics of reactor facilities and innovation projects; constant support of neutron-physical calculations of nuclear power installations; numerical simulation during solving reactor physics problems; simulation of neutron-physical processes in reactor facilities by Monte Carlo method; development and verification of programs for reactor facilities neutron-physical calculations; algorithms and programs for solving nonstationary problems of neutron-physical calculation of nuclear reactors; analysis of integral and reactor experiments, experimental database; justification of nuclear and radiation safety of fuel cycle [ru

Terrestrial forest management plan for Palmyra Atoll

Science.gov (United States)

Hathaway, Stacie A.; McEachern, Kathryn; Fisher, Robert N.

2011-01-01

This 'Terrestrial Forest Management Plan for Palmyra Atoll' was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Palmyra Program to refine and expand goals and objectives developed through the Conservation Action Plan process. It is one in a series of adaptive management plans designed to achieve TNC's mission toward the protection and enhancement of native wildlife and habitat. The 'Terrestrial Forest Management Plan for Palmyra Atoll' focuses on ecosystem integrity and specifically identifies and addresses issues related to assessing the status and distribution of resources, as well as the pressures acting upon them, most specifically nonnative and potentially invasive species. The plan, which presents strategies for increasing ecosystem integrity, provides a framework to implement and track the progress of conservation and restoration goals related to terrestrial resources on Palmyra Atoll. The report in its present form is intended to be an overview of what is known about historical and current forest resources; it is not an exhaustive review of all available literature relevant to forest management but an attempt to assemble as much information specific to Palmyra Atoll as possible. Palmyra Atoll is one of the Northern Line Islands in the Pacific Ocean southwest of the Hawai`ian Islands. It consists of many heavily vegetated islets arranged in a horseshoe pattern around four lagoons and surrounded by a coral reef. The terrestrial ecosystem consists of three primary native vegetation types: Pisonia grandis forest, coastal strand forest, and grassland. Among these vegetation types, the health and extent of Pisonia grandis forest is of particular concern. Overall, the three vegetation types support 25 native plant species (two of which may be extirpated), 14 species of sea birds, six shore birds, at least one native reptile, at least seven native insects, and six native land crabs. Green and hawksbill turtles forage at Palmyra Atoll

A rule-learning program in high energy physics event classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clearwater, S.H.; Stern, E.G.

1991-01-01

We have applied a rule-learning program to the problem of event classification in high energy physics. The program searches for event classifications, i.e. rules, and effectively allows an exploration of many more possible classifications than is practical by a physicist. The program, RL4, is particularly useful because it can easily explore multi-dimensional rules as well as rules that may seem non-intuitive at first to the physicist. RL4 is also contrasted with other learning programs. (orig.)

Procedures and reasoning for skill proficiency testing in physical education teacher education programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Baghurst

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study sought to determine how the testing of skill proficiency is being conducted in physical education teacher education (PETE programs in the USA and how fitness or skill proficiencies, as attributes of a physical educator, are perceived. Participants were 312 college PETE program coordinators who completed an online survey about skill testing in their program. The eligible respondents yielded a 52.7% total response rate. Most participants believed that skill proficiency for PETE students was important, but only 46% of programs reported testing within their program. Many participants stated it was possible for their students to graduate without demonstrating proficiency in skill technique, yet were confident their students would pass an independent skill test. Only 46.2% of respondents indicated their students needed to demonstrate proper skill technique in order to graduate, and there was no consistent method of assessment. Responses were evenly split regarding the importance of a physical educator being able to demonstrate proper skill technique or be physically fit. The lack of skill testing in programs, combined with the variation in assessment, is concerning, and the development of a standardized skill-based test may provide more rigor to this important area of teacher credibility and effectiveness.

Curricular intersections of university extension and teaching in Physical Therapy programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shamyr Sulyvan de Castro

Full Text Available Introduction University extension can be a vehicle for social change and aid in the education of university students; however, it is important to study how it is inserted in university programs so that educational actions and policies can be planned more adequately. Objectives To study the insertion of extension activities in undergraduate physical therapy curricula in Brazilian federal universities. Method Documentary research conducted by accessing files available on the Internet. Data were analyzed quantitatively in the form of numbers and percentages. We examined documents from 22 of the 29 federal universities that offered physical therapy programs. Results University extension takes the form of complementary academic activities together with other options such as participating in conferences, specific training courses and working as a teaching assistant. Undergraduate physical therapy courses have a 4,000h to 4,925h course load, of which 0.72% to 8.9% are dedicated to extension activities. Conclusion The data indicate that the insertion of extension activities in undergraduate physical therapy programs offered by Brazilian federal universities needs to be reassessed according to recommended policies and guidelines.

Fuzzy preference based interactive fuzzy physical programming and its application in multi-objective optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xu; Huang, Hong Zhong; Yu, Lanfeng

2006-01-01

Interactive Fuzzy Physical Programming (IFPP) developed in this paper is a new efficient multi-objective optimization method, which retains the advantages of physical programming while considering the fuzziness of the designer's preferences. The fuzzy preference function is introduced based on the model of linear physical programming, which is used to guide the search for improved solutions by interactive decision analysis. The example of multi-objective optimization design of the spindle of internal grinder demonstrates that the improved preference conforms to the subjective desires of the designer

The reactor physics computer programs in PC's era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nainer, O.; Serghiuta, D.

1995-01-01

The main objective of reactor physics analysis is the evaluation of flux and power distribution over the reactor core. For CANDU reactors sophisticated computer programs, such as FMDP and RFSP, were developed 20 years ago for mainframe computers. These programs were adapted to work on workstations with UNIX or DOS, but they lack a feature that could improve their use and that is 'user friendly'. For using these programs the users need to deal with a great amount of information contained in sophisticated files. To modify a model is a great challenge. First of all, it is necessary to bear in mind all the geometrical dimensions and accordingly, to modify the core model to match the new requirements. All this must be done in a line input file. For a DOS platform, using an average performance PC system, could it be possible: to represent and modify all the geometrical and physical parameters in a meaningful way, on screen, using an intuitive graphic user interface; to reduce the real time elapsed in order to perform complex fuel-management analysis 'at home'; to avoid the rewrite of the mainframe version of the program? The author's answer is a fuel-management computer package operating on PC, 3 time faster than on a CDC-Cyber 830 mainframe one (486DX/33MHz/8MbRAM) or 20 time faster (Pentium-PC), respectively. (author). 5 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs

Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas – CETUP*2016 Summer Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szczerbinska, Barbara [Texas A& M University Corpus Christi, Madison, SD (United States)

2017-02-15

For last six years Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas (CETUP*) successfully provided a stimulating environment for creative thinking and open communication between researches of varying ages and nationalities in dynamic atmosphere of intense scientific interactions. Ongoing and proposed Neutrino and Dark Matter experiments are expected to unveil the answers to fundamental questions about the Universe. CETUP*2016 was focused exactly on these subjects bringing together experts in dark matter, neutrino physics, particle and nuclear physics, astrophysics and cosmology from around the world. Scientists invited to participate in the program not only provided theoretical support to the underground science, but they also examined core questions including: What is the nature of dark matter?, What is the origin of the neutrino masses?, How well do we know the neutrino parameters?, How have neutrinos shaped the evolution of the universe?, , What are the fundamental underlying symmetries of the Universe? Is there a Grand Unified Theory of the Universe? and many others. The 2016 CETUP* summer program consisted of three sessions (June 6 – July 16, 2016) covering various aspects of theoretical and experimental neutrino physics, unification and dark matter. The two week long session on Physics and Instrumentation of the Near Detector for the Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiments (June 6 – June 16) was followed by the two week long Neutrino Physics/Unification session: “From Grand Unification to String Theory and Back” (June 20 – July 2). The program ended with two week long session on Dark Matter Physics (July 4 – July 16). This six-week long program allowed for thorough discussions and an effective and comprehensive analysis of topics related to Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Neutrino Physics including astrophysical neutrinos, near and far detector physics, neutrino interactions, Higgs Boson, Inflation, Leptogenesis and many others that will advance

Challenges to Evaluating Physical Activity Programs in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Erica Blue; Butler, James; Green, Kerry M.

2018-01-01

Despite the importance of evaluation to successful programming, a lack of physical activity program (PAP) evaluation for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) programs exists, which is significant given the high rates of obesity and diabetes in this population. While evaluation barriers have been identified broadly among AI/AN programs, challenges…

The PANDA detector and its physics program at FAIR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brinkmann, K.

2005-01-01

The PANDA detector will make use of the antiprotons produced in the FAIR complex and stored in the High-Energy Storage Ring HESR for the study of strong interactions in antiproton collisions with protons and heavy targets. The detector features a 4π design for charged particles with a solenoidal magnetic field and full coverage of photons by means of an advanced electromagnetic calorimeter. In addition, a dipole spectrometer will allow high-resolution detection of leading particles characteristic for fixed-target experiments. The physics program of PANDA covers a wide range of topics which address central issues of QCD at low and moderate energies. Spectroscopy of hidden charm in the ccbar level scheme is still a very interesting issue, in particular when states are involved which cannot directly be formed in e + e - reactions. Open charm in the D meson section has recently received renewed interest when states were discovered that are not easily explained in conventional qqbar models. Exotic hadrons and glueballs have been predicted by theory within the energy range covered by PANDA. The search for these and the eventual study of their properties is central to the physics program. Using heavy targets, PANDA intends to study the properties of charm quarks in the hadronic medium. The copious production of baryon-antibaryon pairs at HESR will allow studies using secondary targets for the formation of hypernuclei. Each of these physics topics will be touched while the detector properties needed in order to cover the broad physics program are described. Technical developments and the status of the various detector components will be summarized

Consequences of simulating terrestrial N dynamics for projecting future terrestrial C storage

Science.gov (United States)

Zaehle, S.; Friend, A. D.; Friedlingstein, P.

2009-04-01

We present results of a new land surface model, O-CN, which includes a process-based coupling between the terrestrial cycling of energy, water, carbon, and nitrogen. The model represents the controls of the terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling on carbon (C) pools and fluxes through photosynthesis, respiration, changes in allocation patterns, as well as soil organic matter decomposition, and explicitly accounts for N leaching and gaseous losses. O-CN has been shown to give realistic results in comparison to observations at a wide range of scales, including in situ flux measurements, productivity databases, and atmospheric CO2 concentration data. Notably, O-CN simulates realistic responses of net primary productivity, foliage area, and foliage N content to elevated atmospheric [CO2] as evidenced at free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) sites (Duke, Oak Ridge). We re-examine earlier model-based assessments of the terrestrial C sequestration potential using a global transient O-CN simulation driven by increases in atmospheric [CO2], N deposition and climatic changes over the 21st century. We find that accounting for terrestrial N cycling about halves the potential to store C in response to increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations; mainly due to a reduction of the net C uptake in temperate and boreal forests. Nitrogen deposition partially alleviates the effect of N limitation, but is by far not sufficient to compensate for the effect completely. These findings underline the importance of an accurate representation of nutrient limitations in future projections of the terrestrial net CO2 exchanges and therefore land-climate feedback studies.

Training programs in medical physics in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanzl, L.H.

1977-01-01

The history of the field of medical physics in the United States is reviewed; the importance of the development of the nuclear reactor and particle accelerators to medical physics is pointed out. Conclusions and recommendations of an IAEA/WHO seminar on the training of medical physicists (in 1972) are given and compared with existing programs in the US. It is concluded that the recommendations of the IAEA are, for the most part, followed. 1 table

Zero-gravity cloud physics laboratory: Experiment program definition and preliminary laboratory concept studies

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, L. R.; Greco, E. V.

1973-01-01

The experiment program definition and preliminary laboratory concept studies on the zero G cloud physics laboratory are reported. This program involves the definition and development of an atmospheric cloud physics laboratory and the selection and delineations of a set of candidate experiments that must utilize the unique environment of zero gravity or near zero gravity.

Effectiveness of group-mediated lifestyle physical activity (glpa) program for health benefit in physical activity among elderly people at rural thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ethisan, P.; Chapman, R.

2015-01-01

Elderly population is considered as a vulnerable group and prone to develop multiple medical problems. This aging population is rapidly increasing in developing countries especially in Thailand. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity program on change health benefit in physical activity among elderly people by using validated and reliable Global Physical Activity Questionnaire-GPAQv2. The study was conducted in Phranakhonsiayutthaya district, Ayutthaya province due to its population being the second highest elderly in the Central Region of Thailand. A total of 102 persons of age 60 and over who could read and write Thai language were selected purposively. However, 52 elderly were enrolled in the intervention group and 50 were enrolled for the control group. General Linear Model repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity (GLPA) program on change health benefit in physical activity among elderly. Results: Overall health benefit at baseline were similar between intervention and control group and found statistically non-significant with p-value 0.638 (>0.05). However, the mean score of health benefit was 23.21 ± 29.23 in intervention group and 20.74 ± 23.18 in control group. One third of participants of intervention group had not found health benefit due to physical activity while in control group this number was more than half. After elderly received Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity program intervention for 6 month found significant statistical differences as compared with mean score at baseline (health benefit 6 month, intervention group =40.7 ± 34.28 and control group =4.56 ± 8.79). Conclusion: The effect of Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity program change intervention was statistically significant in health benefit after intervention program between intervention and control group. Our study

Laboratory for Nuclear Science. High Energy Physics Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milner, Richard [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2014-07-30

High energy and nuclear physics research at MIT is conducted within the Laboratory for Nuclear Science (LNS). Almost half of the faculty in the MIT Physics Department carry out research in LNS at the theoretical and experimental frontiers of subatomic physics. Since 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy has funded the high energy physics research program through grant DE-FG02-05ER41360 (other grants and cooperative agreements provided decades of support prior to 2004). The Director of LNS serves as PI. The grant supports the research of four groups within LNS as “tasks” within the umbrella grant. Brief descriptions of each group are given here. A more detailed report from each task follows in later sections. Although grant DE-FG02-05ER41360 has ended, DOE continues to fund LNS high energy physics research through five separate grants (a research grant for each of the four groups, as well as a grant for AMS Operations). We are pleased to continue this longstanding partnership.

Physics of the Space Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Vasyliünas, Vytenis M.

This book, one in the Cambridge Atmospheric and Space Science Series, joins a growing list of advanced-level textbooks in a field of study and research known under a variety of names: space plasma physics, solar-terrestrial or solar-planetary relations, space weather, or (the official name of the relevant AGU section) space physics and aeronomy. On the basis of graduate courses taught by the author in various departments at the University of Michigan, complete with problems and with appendices of physical constants and mathematical identities, this is indeed a textbook, systematic and severe in its approach. The book is divided into three parts, in length ratios of roughly 6:4:5. Part I, “Theoretical Description of Gases and Plasmas,” starts by writing down Maxwell's equations and the Lorentz transformation (no nonsense about any introductory material of a descriptive or historical nature) and proceeds through particle orbit theory, kinetics, and plasma physics with fluid and MHD approximations to waves, shocks, and energetic particle transport. Part II, “The Upper Atmosphere,” features chapters on the terrestrial upper atmosphere, airglow and aurora, and the ionosphere. Part III, “Sun-Earth Connection,” deals with the Sun, the solar wind, cosmic rays, and the terrestrial magnetosphere. The book thus covers, with two exceptions, just about all the topics of interest to Space Physics and Aeronomy scientists, and then some (the chapter on the Sun, for instance, briefly discusses also topics of the solar interior: thermonuclear energy generation, equilibrium structure, energy transfer, with a page or two on each). One exception reflects a strong geocentric bias: there is not one word in the main text on magnetospheres and ionospheres of other planets and their interaction with the solar wind (they are mentioned in a few problems). The other exception: the chapter on the terrestrial magnetosphere lacks a systematic exposition of the theory of

Physical activity programs for promoting bone mineralization and growth in preterm infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulzke, Sven M; Kaempfen, Siree; Trachsel, Daniel; Patole, Sanjay K

2014-04-22

Lack of physical stimulation may contribute to metabolic bone disease of preterm infants, resulting in poor bone mineralization and growth. Physical activity programs combined with adequate nutrition might help to promote bone mineralization and growth. The primary objective was to assess whether physical activity programs in preterm infants improve bone mineralization and growth and reduce the risk of fracture.The secondary objectives included other potential benefits in terms of length of hospital stay, skeletal deformities and neurodevelopmental outcomes, and adverse events.Subgroup analysis:• Given that the smallest infants are most vulnerable for developing osteopenia (Bishop 1999), a subgroup analysis was planned for infants with birth weight affect an infant's ability to increase bone mineral content (Kuschel 2004). Therefore, an additional subgroup analysis was planned for infants receiving different amounts of calcium and phosphorus, along with full enteral feeds as follows. ∘ Below 100 mg/60 mg calcium/phosphorus or equal to/above 100 mg/60 mg calcium/phosphorus per 100 mL milk. ∘ Supplementation of calcium without phosphorus. ∘ Supplementation of phosphorus without calcium. The standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group (CNRG) was used. The search included the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2012, Issue 9), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL (1966 to March 2013), and cross-references, as well as handsearching of abstracts of the Society for Pediatric Research and the International Journal of Sports Medicine. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials comparing physical activity programs (extension and flexion, range-of-motion exercises) versus no organized physical activity programs in preterm infants. Data collection, study selection, and data analysis were performed according to the methods of the CNRG. Eleven trials enrolling 324 preterm infants (gestational age 26 to 34 weeks) were included in this

The requirements and feasibility of business planning in the office of space and terrestrial applications

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, J. S.; Miller, B. P.

1979-01-01

The feasibility of applying strategic business planning techniques which are developed and used in the private sector to the planning of certain projects within the NASA Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications was assessed. The methods of strategic business planning that are currently in use in the private sector are examined. The typical contents of a private sector strategic business plan and the techniques commonly used to develop the contents of the plan are described, along with modifications needed to apply these concepts to public sector projects. The current long-range planning process in the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications is reviewed and program initiatives that might be candidates for the use of strategic business planning techniques are identified. In order to more fully illustrate the information requirements of a strategic business plan for a NASA program, a sample business plan is prepared for a hypothetical Operational Earth Resources Satellite program.

Terrestrial gravity data analysis for interim gravity model improvement

Science.gov (United States)

1987-01-01

This is the first status report for the Interim Gravity Model research effort that was started on June 30, 1986. The basic theme of this study is to develop appropriate models and adjustment procedures for estimating potential coefficients from terrestrial gravity data. The plan is to use the latest gravity data sets to produce coefficient estimates as well as to provide normal equations to NASA for use in the TOPEX/POSEIDON gravity field modeling program.

Application of Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring under the CAFF Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program: Designing and Implementing Terrestrial Monitoring to Establish the Canadian High Arctic Research Station as a Flagship Arctic Environmental Monitoring Site

Science.gov (United States)

McLennan, D.; Kehler, D.

2016-12-01

The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) is scheduled for completion in July 2017 and is the northern science component of Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR). A mandated goal for POLAR is to establish the adjacent Experimental and Reference Area (ERA) as an Arctic Flagship monitoring site that will track change in Arctic terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Situated in the community of Cambridge Bay, CHARS provides the opportunity to draw on the Indigenous Knowledge of local residents to help design and conduct the monitoring, and to operate 12 months a year. Monitoring at CHARS will be linked to networks nationally and internationally, and is being designed so that change in key indicators can be understood in terms of drivers and processes, modeled and scaled up regionally, and used to predict important changes in critical indicators. As a partner in the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP), the monitoring design for terrestrial ecosystems follows approaches outlined by the CBMP Terrestrial Expert Monitoring Group, who have listed key monitoring questions and identified a list of important Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs). To link drivers to FECs we are proposing a multi-scaled approach: 1) an Intensive Monitoring Area to establish replicated monitoring plots that track change in snow depth and condition, active layer depth, soil temperature, soil moisture, and soil solution chemistry that are spatially and temporally linked to changes in microbiological activity, CO2/CH4 net ecosystem flux, vegetation relative frequency, species composition, growth and foliar nutrient concentration, arthropod abundance, lemming abundance and health, and shorebird/songbird abundance and productivity. 2) These intensive observations are supported by watershed scale measures that will monitor, during the growing season, lemming winter nest abundance, songbird, shorebird and waterfowl staging and nesting, and other observations; in the winter we will

Aquatic and Terrestrial Environment 2004

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, J. M.; Boutrup, S.; Bijl, L. van der

This report presents the 2004 results of the Danish National Monitoring and Assess-ment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments (NOVANA). 2004 was the first year in which terrestrial nature was included in the monitoring pro-gramme. The report reviews the state of the groundwater......, watercourses, lakes and marine waters and the pressures upon them and reviews the monitoring of terrestrial natural habitats and selected plants and animals. The report is based on the annual reports prepared for each subprogramme by the Topic Centres. The latter reports are mainly based on data collected...

A program in medium-energy nuclear physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berman, B.L.; Dhuga, K.S.

1992-01-01

This report reviews progress on our nuclear-physics program for the last year, and includes as well copies of our publications and other reports for that time period. The structure of this report follows that of our 1991 Renewal Proposal and Progress Report: Sec. II outlines our research activities aimed at future experiments at CEBAF, NIKHEF, and Bates; Sec. III gives results of our recent research activities at NIKHEF, LAMPF, and elsewhere; Sec. IV provides an update of our laboratory activities at GWU, including the acquisition of our new Nuclear Detector Laboratory at our new Virginia Campus; and Sec. V is a list of our publications, proposals, and other reports. copies of those on medium-energy nuclear physics are reproduced in the Appendix

Anthropogenic transformation of the terrestrial biosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Erle C

2011-03-13

Human populations and their use of land have transformed most of the terrestrial biosphere into anthropogenic biomes (anthromes), causing a variety of novel ecological patterns and processes to emerge. To assess whether human populations and their use of land have directly altered the terrestrial biosphere sufficiently to indicate that the Earth system has entered a new geological epoch, spatially explicit global estimates of human populations and their use of land were analysed across the Holocene for their potential to induce irreversible novel transformation of the terrestrial biosphere. Human alteration of the terrestrial biosphere has been significant for more than 8000 years. However, only in the past century has the majority of the terrestrial biosphere been transformed into intensively used anthromes with predominantly novel anthropogenic ecological processes. At present, even were human populations to decline substantially or use of land become far more efficient, the current global extent, duration, type and intensity of human transformation of ecosystems have already irreversibly altered the terrestrial biosphere at levels sufficient to leave an unambiguous geological record differing substantially from that of the Holocene or any prior epoch. It remains to be seen whether the anthropogenic biosphere will be sustained and continue to evolve.

Histories of terrestrial planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benes, K.

1981-01-01

The uneven historical development of terrestrial planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon and Mars - is probably due to the differences in their size, weight and rotational dynamics in association with the internal planet structure, their distance from the Sun, etc. A systematic study of extraterrestrial planets showed that the time span of internal activity was not the same for all bodies. It is assumed that the initial history of all terrestrial planets was marked with catastrophic events connected with the overall dynamic development of the solar system. In view of the fact that the cores of small terrestrial bodies cooled quicker, their geological development almost stagnated after two or three thousand million years. This is what probably happened to the Mercury and the Moon as well as the Mars. Therefore, traces of previous catastrophic events were preserved on the surface of the planets. On the other hand, the Earth is the most metamorphosed terrestrial planet and compared to the other planets appears to be atypical. Its biosphere is significantly developed as well as the other shell components, its hydrosphere and atmosphere, and its crust is considerably differentiated. (J.P.)

Fusion programs in applied plasma physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-07-01

This report summarizes the progress made in theoretical and experimental research funded by US Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG03-92ER54150, during the period July 11, 1992 through May 31, 1993. Four main tasks are reported: applied plasma physics theory, alpha particle diagnostic, edge and current density diagnostic, and plasma rotation drive. The report also discusses the research plans for the theory and experimental programs for the next grant year. Reports and publications supported by the grant during this period are listed in the final section

Energy-Efficient Optimal Power Allocation in Integrated Wireless Sensor and Cognitive Satellite Terrestrial Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Shengchao; Li, Guangxia; An, Kang; Gao, Bin; Zheng, Gan

2017-09-04

This paper proposes novel satellite-based wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which integrate the WSN with the cognitive satellite terrestrial network. Having the ability to provide seamless network access and alleviate the spectrum scarcity, cognitive satellite terrestrial networks are considered as a promising candidate for future wireless networks with emerging requirements of ubiquitous broadband applications and increasing demand for spectral resources. With the emerging environmental and energy cost concerns in communication systems, explicit concerns on energy efficient resource allocation in satellite networks have also recently received considerable attention. In this regard, this paper proposes energy-efficient optimal power allocation schemes in the cognitive satellite terrestrial networks for non-real-time and real-time applications, respectively, which maximize the energy efficiency (EE) of the cognitive satellite user while guaranteeing the interference at the primary terrestrial user below an acceptable level. Specifically, average interference power (AIP) constraint is employed to protect the communication quality of the primary terrestrial user while average transmit power (ATP) or peak transmit power (PTP) constraint is adopted to regulate the transmit power of the satellite user. Since the energy-efficient power allocation optimization problem belongs to the nonlinear concave fractional programming problem, we solve it by combining Dinkelbach's method with Lagrange duality method. Simulation results demonstrate that the fading severity of the terrestrial interference link is favorable to the satellite user who can achieve EE gain under the ATP constraint comparing to the PTP constraint.

Nuclear engineering, health physics, and radioactive waste management fellowship program: Summary of program activities: Nuclear engineering and health physics fellowship, 1985-1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

Progress is reported in the nuclear engineering and health physics elements of the fellowship program. Statistics are given on numbers of student applications and new appointments, the degree areas of applicants, GPA and GRE score averages of the fellows, and employment of completed fellows

The Development and Assessment of Particle Physics Summer Program for High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Prefontaine, Brean; Kurahashi Neilson, Naoko, , Dr.; Love, Christina, , Dr.

2017-01-01

A four week immersive summer program for high school students was developed and implemented to promote awareness of university level research. The program was completely directed by an undergraduate physics major and included a hands-on and student-led capstone project for the high school students. The goal was to create an adaptive and shareable curriculum in order to influence high school students' views of university level research and what it means to be a scientist. The program was assessed through various methods including a survey developed for this program, a scientific attitudes survey, weekly blog posts, and an oral exit interview. The curriculum included visits to local laboratories, an introduction to particle physics and the IceCube collaboration, an introduction to electronics and computer programming, and their capstone project: planning and building a scale model of the IceCube detector. At the conclusion of the program, the students participated an informal outreach event for the general public and gave an oral presentation to the Department of Physics at Drexel University. Assessment results and details concerning the curriculum and its development will be discussed.

Summaries of physical research in the geosciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

The Department of Energy supports research in the geosciences in order to provide a sound foundation of fundamental knowledge in those areas of earth, atmospheric, and solar-terrestrial sciences that are germane to the Department of Energy's many missions. The summaries describe the scope of the individual programs and detail the research performed during 1980 to 1981. The Geosciences Research Program includes research in geology, petrology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology, solar-terrestrial relationships, aeronomy, seismology, and natural resource analysis, including the various subdivisions and interdisciplinary areas

Summaries of physical research in the geosciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-10-01

The Department of Energy supports research in the geosciences in order to provide a sound foundation of fundamental knowledge in those areas of earth, atmospheric, and solar-terrestrial sciences that are germane to the Department of Energy's many missions. The summaries describe the scope of the individual programs and detail the research performed during 1980 to 1981. The Geosciences Research Program includes research in geology, petrology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology, solar-terrestrial relationships, aeronomy, seismology, and natural resource analysis, including the various subdivisions and interdisciplinary areas.

Riparian vegetation in the alpine connectome: Terrestrial-aquatic and terrestrial-terrestrial interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaharescu, Dragos G; Palanca-Soler, Antonio; Hooda, Peter S; Tanase, Catalin; Burghelea, Carmen I; Lester, Richard N

2017-12-01

Alpine regions are under increased attention worldwide for their critical role in early biogeochemical cycles, their high sensitivity to environmental change, and as repositories of natural resources of high quality. Their riparian ecosystems, at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial environments, play important geochemical functions in the watershed and are biodiversity hotspots, despite a harsh climate and topographic setting. With climate change rapidly affecting the alpine biome, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the extent of interactions between riparian surface, lake and catchment environments. A total of 189 glacial - origin lakes were surveyed in the Central Pyrenees to test how key elements of the lake and terrestrial environments interact at different scales to shape riparian plant composition. Secondly, we evaluated how underlying ecotope features drive the formation of natural communities potentially sensitive to environmental change and assessed their habitat distribution. At the macroscale, vegetation composition responded to pan-climatic gradients altitude and latitude, which captured in a narrow geographic area the transition between large European climatic zones. Hydrodynamics was the main catchment-scale factor connecting riparian vegetation with major water fluxes, followed by topography and geomorphology. Lake sediment Mg and Pb, and water Mn and Fe contents reflected local influences from mafic bedrock and soil water saturation. Community analysis identified four keystone ecosystems: (i) damp ecotone, (ii) snow bed-silicate bedrock, (iii) wet heath, and (iv) calcareous substrate. These communities and their connections with ecotope elements could be at risk from a number of environmental change factors including warmer seasons, snow line and lowland species advancement, increased nutrient/metal input and water level fluctuations. The results imply important natural terrestrial-aquatic linkages in the riparian environment

Programming of employments physical exercises for the improvement of bodily condition of children of midchildhood.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sljusarchuk V.V.

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Approaches are considered on forming and realization of maintenance of physical education of students of initial school. The algorithm of programming of maintenance of lessons of physical culture is developed. The program foresees implementation of requirements of general and methodical principles of physical education, positions of theory of adaptation, requirements of the operating program. It is marked that employments must provide for: differentiated going near students, account of interests and to the wishes, motivation to independent employments by physical exercises, to providing of motor high-density. It is recommended to take into account the features of dynamics of indexes of bodily condition of children of different somatotype.

A Million Steps: Developing a Health Promotion Program at the Workplace to Enhance Physical Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Dominguez, María Eugenia; Romero-Sánchez, José Manuel; Ares-Camerino, Antonio; Marchena-Aparicio, Jose Carlos; Flores-Muñoz, Manuel; Infantes-Guzmán, Inés; León-Asuero, José Manuel; Casals-Martín, Fernando

2017-11-01

The workplace is a key setting for the prevention of occupational risks and for promoting healthy activities such as physical activity. Developing a physically active lifestyle results in many health benefits, improving both well-being and quality of life. This article details the experience of two Spanish companies that implemented a program to promote physical exercise in the workplace, called "A Million Steps." This program aimed to increase the physical activity of participants, challenging them to reach at least a million steps in a month through group walks. Participant workers reached the set goal and highlighted the motivational and interpersonal functions of the program.

High energy physics program at Texas A&M University. Final report, April 1, 1990--March 31, 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-12-01

The Texas A&M experimental high energy physics program has been supported since its inception by DOE Contract DE-AS05-81ER40039. During that period we established a viable experimental program at a university which before this time had no program in high energy physics. In 1990, the experimental program was augmented with a program in particle theory. In the accompanying final report, we outline the research work accomplished during the final year of this contract and the program being proposed for consideration by the Department of Energy for future grant support. Some of the particular areas covered are: Collider detector at Fermilab program; the TAMU MACRO program; SSC R&D program; SSC experimental program; and theoretical physics program.

'Physical activity at home (PAAH)', evaluation of a group versus home based physical activity program in community dwelling middle aged adults: rationale and study design.

Science.gov (United States)

Freene, Nicole; Waddington, Gordon; Chesworth, Wendy; Davey, Rachel; Goss, John

2011-11-24

It is well recognised that the adoption and longer term adherence to physical activity by adults to reduce the risk of chronic disease is a challenge. Interventions, such as group and home based physical activity programs, have been widely reported upon. However few studies have directly compared these interventions over the longer term to determine their adherence and effectiveness. Participant preference for home based or group interventions is important. Some evidence suggests that home based physical activity programs are preferred by middle aged adults and provide better long term physical activity adherence. Physiotherapists may also be useful in increasing physical activity adherence, with limited research on their impact. 'Physical Activity at Home' is a 2 year pragmatic randomised control trial, with a non-randomised comparison to group exercise. Middle-aged adults not interested in, or unable to attend, a group exercise program will be targeted. Sedentary community dwelling 50-65 year olds with no serious medical conditions or functional impairments will be recruited via two mail outs using the Australian federal electoral roll. The first mail out will invite participants to a 6 month community group exercise program. The second mail out will be sent to those not interested in the group exercise program inviting them to take part in a home based intervention. Eligible home based participants will be randomised into a 6 month physiotherapy-led home based physical activity program or usual care. Outcome measures will be taken at baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The primary outcome is physical activity adherence via exercise diaries. Secondary outcomes include the Active Australia Survey, accelerometry, aerobic capacity (step test), quality of life (SF-12v2), blood pressure, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index. Costs will be recorded prospectively and qualitative data will be collected. The planned 18 month follow-up post

Isotopic power supplies for space and terrestrial systems: quality assurance by Sandia National Laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hannigan, R.L.; Harnar, R.R.

1981-09-01

The Sandia National Laboratories participation in Quality Assurance (QA) programs for Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators which have been used in space and terrestrial systems over the past 15 years is summarized. Basic elements of the program are briefly described and recognition of assistance from other Sandia organizations is included. Descriptions of the various systems for which Sandia has had the QA responsibility are also presented. In addition, the outlook for Sandia participation in RTG programs for the next several years is noted

Report of the 1985 High Energy Physics Advisory Panel Study of the US High Energy Physics Program, 1985-1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-09-01

The present study was motivated by the desire to examine the US High Energy Physics Program in depth, to reassess the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) goal in light of recent scientific and technical developments, and to understand how this project would affect and interact with the US high energy program in the period before it becomes operational. It is recommended that the SSC research and development be given highest priority in the US High Energy Physics Program so that the project can proceed to an early construction start and rapid completion. A limited number of programs are identified as ''forefront programs'' - those which enter a new experimental regime in such a way as to have clear promise for new fundamental discoveries - and it is recommended that these proceed with priority. Research opportunities available during the next ten years are explored, including proton-antiproton colliders, electron-proton collider, electron-positron colliders, fixed-target experiments, and non-accelerator experiments

Identifying Strategies Programs Adopt to Meet Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards in Afterschool Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Robert G; Moore, Justin B; Turner-McGrievy, Brie; Saunders, Ruth; Beighle, Aaron; Khan, M Mahmud; Chandler, Jessica; Brazendale, Keith; Randell, Allison; Webster, Collin; Beets, Michael W

2017-08-01

The YMCA of USA has adopted Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards for its afterschool programs (ASPs). Little is known about strategies YMCA ASPs are implementing to achieve Standards and these strategies' effectiveness. (1) Identify strategies implemented in YMCA ASPs and (2) evaluate the relationship between strategy implementation and meeting Standards. HEPA was measured via accelerometer (moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity [MVPA]) and direct observation (snacks served) in 20 ASPs. Strategies were identified and mapped onto a capacity building framework ( Strategies To Enhance Practice [STEPs]). Mixed-effects regression estimated increases in HEPA outcomes as implementation increased. Model-implied estimates were calculated for high (i.e., highest implementation score achieved), moderate (median implementation score across programs), and low (lowest implementation score achieved) implementation for both HEPA separately. Programs implemented a variety of strategies identified in STEPs. For every 1-point increase in implementation score 1.45% (95% confidence interval = 0.33% to 2.55%, p ≤ .001) more girls accumulated 30 min/day of MVPA and fruits and/or vegetables were served on 0.11 more days (95% confidence interval = 0.11-0.45, p ≤ .01). Relationships between implementation and other HEPA outcomes did not reach statistical significance. Still regression estimates indicated that desserts are served on 1.94 fewer days (i.e., 0.40 vs. 2.34) in the highest implementing program than the lowest implementing program and water is served 0.73 more days (i.e., 2.37 vs. 1.64). Adopting HEPA Standards at the national level does not lead to changes in routine practice in all programs. Practical strategies that programs could adopt to more fully comply with the HEPA Standards are identified.

Organizational aspects of an experimental program for physical education with a strengthened course in professional and applied physical training of future electrical engineers in the railway sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anzhelika Yefremova

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to develop an optimized program for physical education with a strengthened course in professional and applied physical training (PAPT for students of railway universities. Material & Methods: analysis and generalization of scientific sources and program-normative documentation on physical education of the higher educational institution of railway transport, survey. Results: the results of the survey of railroad specialists are given. Pilot studies have determined the nature and conditions of professional activity of electrical engineers of railway transport. The experimental program on physical education with the strengthened course of the PAPT of students of railway universities was developed and theoretically justified. Conclusion: structure of the experimental program on physical education with the strengthened course of the PAPT included a theoretical section (8 hours, methodical and practical exercises (6 hours, a practical section (114 hours and a control section (12 hours. The program focuses on improving professionally important physical and psycho-physiological qualities and functions, psychomotor skills and physical performance. The basis of the practical section was the physical exercises from different sections of the current basic curriculum.

Research on effectiveness assessment programs for physical protection system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Janghoon; Yoo, Hosik; Ham, Taekyu [Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

PPS (Physical Protection System) is an integrated set of procedures, installation and human resources to protect valuable assets from physical attack of potential adversaries. Since nuclear facilities or radioactive materials can be attractive targets for terrorists, PPS should be installed and maintained throughout the entire lifecycle of nuclear energy systems. One of key ingredients for effective protection is a reliable assessment procedure of the PPS capability. Due to complexity of possible threat categories and pathways, several pathway analysis programs have been developed to ease analysis or visualization. ASSESS using ASD approach runs fast and adopts a relatively simple modeling process for facility elements. But uncertainty due to assumptions used in modeling might complicate the interpretation of results. On the other hand, 2D pathway program such as TESS can utilize more self-consistent detection probability and delay time since actual pathway on 2D map is available. Also, this pathway visualization helps users understand analysis result more intuitively. But, in general, 2D pathway programs require strong computational power and careful optimization. Another possible difference between two approaches is response force deployment and RFT.

Research on effectiveness assessment programs for physical protection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Janghoon; Yoo, Hosik; Ham, Taekyu

2015-01-01

PPS (Physical Protection System) is an integrated set of procedures, installation and human resources to protect valuable assets from physical attack of potential adversaries. Since nuclear facilities or radioactive materials can be attractive targets for terrorists, PPS should be installed and maintained throughout the entire lifecycle of nuclear energy systems. One of key ingredients for effective protection is a reliable assessment procedure of the PPS capability. Due to complexity of possible threat categories and pathways, several pathway analysis programs have been developed to ease analysis or visualization. ASSESS using ASD approach runs fast and adopts a relatively simple modeling process for facility elements. But uncertainty due to assumptions used in modeling might complicate the interpretation of results. On the other hand, 2D pathway program such as TESS can utilize more self-consistent detection probability and delay time since actual pathway on 2D map is available. Also, this pathway visualization helps users understand analysis result more intuitively. But, in general, 2D pathway programs require strong computational power and careful optimization. Another possible difference between two approaches is response force deployment and RFT

The origin of methane and biomolecules from a CO2 cycle on terrestrial planets

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Civiš, Svatopluk; Knížek, Antonín; Ivanek, Ondřej; Kubelík, Petr; Zukalová, Markéta; Kavan, Ladislav; Ferus, Martin

2017-01-01

Roč. 1, č. 10 (2017), s. 721-726 E-ISSN 2397-3366 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA17-05076S; GA ČR GA13-07724S Grant - others:Akademie věd - GA AV ČR(CZ) R200401721; Akademie věd - GA AV ČR(CZ) R200401521 Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : biomolecules * CO2 cycle on terrestrial planets * Mars Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry OBOR OECD: Physical chemistry

Solar activity and terrestrial climate: an analysis of some purported correlations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laut, Peter

2003-01-01

claimed to support solar hypotheses. My analyses show that the apparent strong correlations displayed on these graphs have been obtained by an incorrect handling of the physical data. Since the graphs are still widely referred to in the literature and their misleading character has not yet been generally......The last decade has seen a revival of various hypotheses claiming a strong correlation between solar activity and a number of terrestrial climate parameters: Links between cosmic rays and cloud cover, first total cloud cover and then only low clouds, and between solar cycle lengths and Northern...... the existence of important links between solar activity and terrestrial climate. Such links have over the years been demonstrated by many authors. The sole objective of the present analysis is to draw attention to the fact that some of the widely publicized, apparent correlations do not properly reflect...

Perceptions about exercise and intrinsic motivation of students attending a health-related physical education program.

Science.gov (United States)

Papacharisis, Vassilios; Goudas, Marios

2003-12-01

The present study examined effects of sex, attitude towards physical activity, perceived barriers for participation in physical activity, and students' perception of their parents' participation in physical activity on the intrinsic motivation of students participating in a health related program in physical education. 643 students (303 boys and 340 girls) responded to questionnaires measuring intrinsic motivation, attitudes towards physical activity, perceived barriers to exercise and perceived parents' participation in physical activity. Mean age was 12.9 yr. (SD=1.2, range 11-14 years). Analysis indicated that students' intrinsic motivation towards the program was influenced by perceived barriers to exercise. Sex, attitudes towards physical activity, and perceived parents' participation in physical activity seem to be less important.

Does terrestrial epidemiology apply to marine systems?

Science.gov (United States)

McCallum, Hamish I.; Kuris, Armand M.; Harvell, C. Drew; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Smith, Garriet W.; Porter, James

2004-01-01

Most of epidemiological theory has been developed for terrestrial systems, but the significance of disease in the ocean is now being recognized. However, the extent to which terrestrial epidemiology can be directly transferred to marine systems is uncertain. Many broad types of disease-causing organism occur both on land and in the sea, and it is clear that some emergent disease problems in marine environments are caused by pathogens moving from terrestrial to marine systems. However, marine systems are qualitatively different from terrestrial environments, and these differences affect the application of modelling and management approaches that have been developed for terrestrial systems. Phyla and body plans are more diverse in marine environments and marine organisms have different life histories and probably different disease transmission modes than many of their terrestrial counterparts. Marine populations are typically more open than terrestrial ones, with the potential for long-distance dispersal of larvae. Potentially, this might enable unusually rapid propagation of epidemics in marine systems, and there are several examples of this. Taken together, these differences will require the development of new approaches to modelling and control of infectious disease in the ocean.

Development of a residency program in radiation oncology physics: an inverse planning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Rao F H; Dunscombe, Peter B

2016-03-08

Over the last two decades, there has been a concerted effort in North America to organize medical physicists' clinical training programs along more structured and formal lines. This effort has been prompted by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) which has now accredited about 90 residency programs. Initially the accreditation focused on standardized and higher quality clinical physics training; the development of rounded professionals who can function at a high level in a multidisciplinary environment was recognized as a priority of a radiation oncology physics residency only lately. In this report, we identify and discuss the implementation of, and the essential components of, a radiation oncology physics residency designed to produce knowledgeable and effective clinical physicists for today's safety-conscious and collaborative work environment. Our approach is that of inverse planning, by now familiar to all radiation oncology physicists, in which objectives and constraints are identified prior to the design of the program. Our inverse planning objectives not only include those associated with traditional residencies (i.e., clinical physics knowledge and critical clinical skills), but also encompass those other attributes essential for success in a modern radiation therapy clinic. These attributes include formal training in management skills and leadership, teaching and communication skills, and knowledge of error management techniques and patient safety. The constraints in our optimization exercise are associated with the limited duration of a residency and the training resources available. Without compromising the knowledge and skills needed for clinical tasks, we have successfully applied the model to the University of Calgary's two-year residency program. The program requires 3840 hours of overall commitment from the trainee, of which 7%-10% is spent in obtaining formal training in nontechnical "soft skills".

Replicating the EnhanceFitness physical activity program in Hawai`i's multicultural population, 2007-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomioka, Michiyo; Sugihara, Naomi; Braun, Kathryn L

2012-01-01

Despite evidence of the benefits of regular physical activity, many older adults are not physically active. Health professionals are challenged to replicate evidence-based programs to address low levels of physical activity among members of their communities. EnhanceFitness is an evidence-based group exercise program developed in Seattle to increase the strength, flexibility, and balance of older adults. Hawai`i's Healthy Aging Partnership supported the rural island of Kaua`i to select, adapt, implement, and evaluate EnhanceFitness to increase physical activity among older adult residents (75% Asian/Pacific Islander [API]). Evaluation measures of the replication of EnhanceFitness included fidelity of EnhanceFitness delivery and participants' attendance, satisfaction with the program, confidence to exercise regularly, and pre-post fitness check measures of physical performance (chair stands, arm curls, and the up-and-go test). Between July 2007 and December 2010, 223 Kaua`i residents enrolled in EnhanceFitness; 178 (80%) participated at least 4 months and completed the 4-month fitness checks. EnhanceFitness classes were offered with a high degree of fidelity, and both API and white participants significantly improved their physical performance (chair stands, t = -11.06, P program and instructors and high confidence to continue to exercise regularly. EnhanceFitness is replicable in Hawai`i and increased physical performance among API and white older adults. This case study outlines a replication process that other communities can follow.

Perceived barriers, benefits, and motives for physical activity: two primary-care physical activity prescription programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Asmita; Schofield, Grant M; Kolt, Gregory S; Keogh J, W L

2013-01-01

This study examined whether perceived barriers, benefits, and motives for physical activity differed based on allocation to 2 different types of primary-care activity-prescription programs (pedometer-based vs. time-based Green Prescription). Eighty participants from the Healthy Steps study completed a questionnaire that assessed their perceived barriers, benefits, and motives for physical activity. Factor analysis was carried out to identify common themes of barriers, benefits, and motives for physical activity. Factor scores were then used to explore between-groups differences for perceived barriers, benefits, and motives based on group allocation and demographic variables. No significant differences were found in factor scores based on allocation. Demographic variables relating to the existence of chronic health conditions, weight status, and older age were found to significantly influence perceived barriers, benefits, and motives for physical activity. Findings suggest that the addition of a pedometer to the standard Green Prescription does not appear to increase perceived motives or benefits or decrease perceived barriers for physical activity in low-active older adults.

Relationship between Physical Inactivity and Health Characteristics among Participants in an Employee Wellness Program

Science.gov (United States)

Birdee, Gurjeet S.; Byrne, Daniel W.; McGown, Paula W.; Rothman, Russell L.; Rolando, Lori A.; Holmes, Marilyn C.; Yarbrough, Mary I.

2013-01-01

Objective To characterize factors associated with physical inactivity among employees with access to workplace wellness program. Methods We examined data on physical inactivity, defined as exercise less than once a week, from the 2010 health risk assessment (HRA) completed by employees at a major academic institution (n=16,976). Results Among employees, 18% individuals reported physical activity less than once a week. Individuals who were physically inactive as compared with physically active reported higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (AOR 1.36 [1.23–1.51], fair or poor health status (AOR 3.52 [2.97–4.17]) and absenteeism from work (AOR 1.59 [1.41–1.79]). Overall, physically inactive employees as compared to physically active employees reported more interest in health education programs. Conclusions Future research is needed to address barriers to physical inactivity to improve employee wellness and potentially lower health utility costs. PMID:23618884

Status of Instructional Physical Education Programs in Ohio Senior High Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Schraibman, Carl

High school level instructional physical education programs in the state of Ohio are examined to determine the quality of their organizational structure and curricula offerings. Data collected from a 74.3 percent questionnaire response from 70 Ohio school systems describes the functional arrangement of the school programs based on the sex of the…

Comparing marine and terrestrial ecosystems: Implications for the design of coastal marine reserves

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, M.H.; Neigel, J.E.; Estes, J.A.; Andelman, S.; Warner, R.R.; Largier, J. L.

2003-01-01

Concepts and theory for the design and application of terrestrial reserves is based on our understanding of environmental, ecological, and evolutionary processes responsible for biological diversity and sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems and how humans have influenced these processes. How well this terrestrial-based theory can be applied toward the design and application of reserves in the coastal marine environment depends, in part, on the degree of similarity between these systems. Several marked differences in ecological and evolutionary processes exist between marine and terrestrial ecosystems as ramifications of fundamental differences in their physical environments (i.e., the relative prevalence of air and water) and contemporary patterns of human impacts. Most notably, the great extent and rate of dispersal of nutrients, materials, holoplanktonic organisms, and reproductive propagules of benthic organisms expand scales of connectivity among near-shore communities and ecosystems. Consequently, the "openness" of marine populations, communities, and ecosystems probably has marked influences on their spatial, genetic, and trophic structures and dynamics in ways experienced by only some terrestrial species. Such differences appear to be particularly significant for the kinds of organisms most exploited and targeted for protection in coastal marine ecosystems (fishes and macroinvertebrates). These and other differences imply some unique design criteria and application of reserves in the marine environment. In explaining the implications of these differences for marine reserve design and application, we identify many of the environmental and ecological processes and design criteria necessary for consideration in the development of the analytical approaches developed elsewhere in this Special Issue.

Terrestrial Steering Group. 2014. Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aastrup, Peter; Aronsson, Mora; Barry, Tom

capacity and information may be currently available and (b) to outline near-term required steps to begin implementing the plan and reporting on an initial set of Arctic terrestrial biodiversity focal ecosystem component attributes. The specific objectives of the workshop were to: Identify key products...... for TSG for the next two years. Identify key components of a pan-Arctic status report for priority focal ecosystem components (FEC) attributes for policy and decision makers. Develop a prioritized set of activities to meet reporting objectives. Identify key milestones and timelines for the successful...... implementation of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan for the next two years. Identify expert networks required for successful implementation of the plan. Identify key gaps and opportunities for the TSG related to plan implementation and identify near-term next steps to address gaps....

MODIS-derived terrestrial primary production [chapter 28

Science.gov (United States)

Maosheng Zhao; Steven Running; Faith Ann Heinsch; Ramakrishna Nemani

2011-01-01

Temporal and spatial changes in terrestrial biological productivity have a large impact on humankind because terrestrial ecosystems not only create environments suitable for human habitation, but also provide materials essential for survival, such as food, fiber and fuel. A recent study estimated that consumption of terrestrial net primary production (NPP; a list of...

The impact of a videogame-based pilot physical activity program in older adults with schizophrenia on subjectively and objectively measured physical activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather eLeutwyler

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this report is to describe the impact of a videogame-based pilot physical activity program using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system (Microsoft, Redmond, WA on physical activity in older adults with schizophrenia. Methods: In this one group pretest posttest pilot study, twenty participants played an active videogame for 30 minutes, once a week for 6 weeks. Physical activity was measured by self-report with the Yale Physical Activity Survey and objectively with the Sensewear Pro armband at enrollment and at the end of the 6-week program. Results: There was a significant increase in frequency of self-reported vigorous physical activity. We did not detect a statistically significant difference in objectively measured physical activity although increase in number of steps and sedentary activity were in the desired direction. Conclusions: These results suggest participants’ perception of physical activity intensity differs from the intensity objectively captured with a valid and reliable physical activity monitor.

The Impact of a Videogame-Based Pilot Physical Activity Program in Older Adults with Schizophrenia on Subjectively and Objectively Measured Physical Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Leutwyler, Heather; Hubbard, Erin; Cooper, Bruce; Dowling, Glenna

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report is to describe the impact of a videogame-based pilot physical activity program using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) on physical activity in older adults with schizophrenia. In this one group pre-test, post-test pilot study, 20 participants played an active videogame for 30 min, once a week for 6 weeks. Physical activity was measured by self-report with the Yale Physical Activity Survey and objectively with the Sensewear Pro armband at enrollment and at the end of the 6-week program. There was a significant increase in frequency of self-reported vigorous physical activity. We did not detect a statistically significant difference in objectively measured physical activity although increase in number of steps and sedentary activity were in the desired direction. These results suggest participants' perception of physical activity intensity differs from the intensity objectively captured with a valid and reliable physical activity monitor.

Impact of a workplace physical activity tracking program on biometric health outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jiani; Abraham, Jean M; Dowd, Bryan; Higuera, Lucas F; Nyman, John A

2017-12-01

Wellness programs are a popular strategy utilized by large U.S. employers. As mobile health applications and wearable tracking devices increase in prevalence, many employers now offer physical activity tracking applications. This longitudinal study evaluates the impact of engagement with a web-based, physical activity tracking program on changes in individuals' biometric outcomes in an employer population. The study population includes active employees and adult dependents continuously enrolled in an eligible health plan and who have completed at least two biometric screenings (n=36,882 person-years with 11,436 unique persons) between 2011 and 2014. Using difference-in-differences (DID) regression, we estimate the effect of participation in the physical activity tracking application on BMI, total cholesterol, and blood pressure. Participation was significantly associated with a reduction of 0.275 in BMI in the post-period, relative to the comparison group, representing a 1% change from baseline BMI. The program did not have a statistically significant impact on cholesterol or blood pressure. Sensitivity checks revealed slightly larger BMI reductions among participants with higher intensity of tracking activity and in the period following the employer's shift to an outcomes-based incentive design. Results are broadly consistent with the existing literature on changes in biometric outcomes from workplace initiatives promoting increased physical activity. Employers should have modest expectations about the potential health benefits of such programs, given current designs and implementation in real-world settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Planetary Terrestrial Analogues Library (PTAL)

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, S. C.; Dypvik, H.; Poulet, F.; Rull Perez, F.; Bibring, J.-P.; Bultel, B.; Casanova Roque, C.; Carter, J.; Cousin, A.; Guzman, A.; Hamm, V.; Hellevang, H.; Lantz, C.; Lopez-Reyes, G.; Manrique, J. A.; Maurice, S.; Medina Garcia, J.; Navarro, R.; Negro, J. I.; Neumann, E. R.; Pilorget, C.; Riu, L.; Sætre, C.; Sansano Caramazana, A.; Sanz Arranz, A.; Sobron Grañón, F.; Veneranda, M.; Viennet, J.-C.; PTAL Team

2018-04-01

The Planetary Terrestrial Analogues Library project aims to build and exploit a spectral data base for the characterisation of the mineralogical and geological evolution of terrestrial planets and small solar system bodies.

Understanding space weather with new physical, mathematical and philosophical approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Mateev, Lachezar; Velinov, Peter; Tassev, Yordan

2016-07-01

physical one, in our case. The corresponding mathematical relations are needed for the application of this analogy in the solar-terrestrial physics and space weather. For this purpose in the contemporary categories theory in the algebra a whole field for it exists - the theory of monads (M. Barr, Ch. Wells, 1985, Toposes, Triples and Theories, Springer-Verlag, 278, p. 82). This theory is generated by analogous elements as in the Leibniz's Monadology. As it is known the categories theory and in particular the monad theory (also named triple or triad theory) tends to make axioms in mathematics. This approach would be very useful for such complex systems and processes as these in the solar-terrestrial physics and space weather. Here some methods for algebraic data structures could be introduced. Or some imperative programs can be embedded in a purely functional program for modeling, respectively. All these problems are principally considered in the proposed report.

Environmental testing of terrestrial flat plate photovoltaic modules

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, A.; Griffith, J.

1979-01-01

The Low-Cost Solar Array (LSA) Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has as one objective: the development and implementation of environmental tests for flat plate photovoltaic modules as part of the Department of Energy's terrestrial photovoltaic program. Modules procured under this program have been subjected to a variety of laboratory tests intended to simulate service environments, and the results of these tests have been compared to available data from actual field service. This comparison indicates that certain tests (notably temperature cycling, humidity cycling, and cyclic pressure loading) are effective indicators of some forms of field failures. Other tests have yielded results useful in formulating module design guidelines. Not all effects noted in field service have been successfully reproduced in the laboratory, however, and work is continuing in order to improve the value of the test program as a tool for evaluating module design and workmanship. This paper contains a review of these ongoing efforts and an assessment of significant test results to date.

Developmental programming of energy balance regulation: is physical activity more 'programmable' than food intake?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shaoyu; Eclarinal, Jesse; Baker, Maria S; Li, Ge; Waterland, Robert A

2016-02-01

Extensive human and animal model data show that environmental influences during critical periods of prenatal and early postnatal development can cause persistent alterations in energy balance regulation. Although a potentially important factor in the worldwide obesity epidemic, the fundamental mechanisms underlying such developmental programming of energy balance are poorly understood, limiting our ability to intervene. Most studies of developmental programming of energy balance have focused on persistent alterations in the regulation of energy intake; energy expenditure has been relatively underemphasised. In particular, very few studies have evaluated developmental programming of physical activity. The aim of this review is to summarise recent evidence that early environment may have a profound impact on establishment of individual propensity for physical activity. Recently, we characterised two different mouse models of developmental programming of obesity; one models fetal growth restriction followed by catch-up growth, and the other models early postnatal overnutrition. In both studies, we observed alterations in body-weight regulation that persisted to adulthood, but no group differences in food intake. Rather, in both cases, programming of energy balance appeared to be due to persistent alterations in energy expenditure and spontaneous physical activity (SPA). These effects were stronger in female offspring. We are currently exploring the hypothesis that developmental programming of SPA occurs via induced sex-specific alterations in epigenetic regulation in the hypothalamus and other regions of the central nervous system. We will summarise the current progress towards testing this hypothesis. Early environmental influences on establishment of physical activity are likely an important factor in developmental programming of energy balance. Understanding the fundamental underlying mechanisms in appropriate animal models will help determine whether early life

High energy physics program at Texas A&M University

Science.gov (United States)

1990-10-01

The Texas A&M high energy physics program has achieved significant mile-stones in each of its research initiatives. We are participating in two major operating experiments, CDF and MACRO; the development of two new detector technologies, liquid scintillating fiber calorimetry and knife-edge chambers; and two SSC detector proposals, SDC and TEXAS/EMPACT. We have developed prototypes of a liquid-scintillator fiber calorimeter system, in which internally reflecting channels are imbedded in a lead matrix and filled with liquid scintillator. This approach combines the performance features of fiber calorimetry and the radiation hardness of liquid scintillator, and is being developed for forward calorimetry in TEXAS/EMPACT. A new element in this program is the inclusion of a theoretical high energy physics research program being carried out by D. Nanopoulos and C. Pope. D. Nanopoulos has succeeded in building a string-derived model that unifies all known interactions: flipped SU(5), which is the leading candidate for a TOE. The impact of this work on string phenomenology certainly has far reaching consequences. C. Pope is currently working on some generalizations of the symmetries of string theory, known as W algebras. These are expected to have applications in two- dimensional conformal field theory, two-dimensional extensions of gravity and topological gravity, and W-string theory. The following report presents details of the accomplishments of the Texas A&M program over the past year and the proposed plan of research for the coming year.

Terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Davis-Reddy, Claire

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Ecoregions Terrestrial Biomes Protected Areas Climate Risk and Vulnerability: A Handbook for Southern Africa | 75 7.2. Non-climatic drivers of ecosystem change 7.2.1. Land-use change, habitat loss and fragmentation Land-use change and landscape... concentrations of endemic plant and animal species, but these mainly occur in areas that are most threatened by human activity. Diverse terrestrial ecosystems in the region include tropical and sub-tropical forests, deserts, savannas, grasslands, mangroves...

Effects of a School-Based Sports Program on Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, and Cardiometabolic Health in Youth With Physical Disabilities : Data From the Sport-2-Stay-Fit Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwinkels, Maremka; Verschuren, Olaf; Balemans, Astrid; Lankhorst, Kristel; Te Velde, Saskia; van Gaalen, Leendert; de Groot, Janke; Meilij, JMA; Takken, Tim

2018-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effects of a school-based once-a-week sports program on physical fitness, physical activity, and cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents with a physical disability. Methods: This controlled clinical trial included 71 children and adolescents from four schools

The Computational Physics Program of the national MFE Computer Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirin, A.A.

1989-01-01

Since June 1974, the MFE Computer Center has been engaged in a significant computational physics effort. The principal objective of the Computational Physics Group is to develop advanced numerical models for the investigation of plasma phenomena and the simulation of present and future magnetic confinement devices. Another major objective of the group is to develop efficient algorithms and programming techniques for current and future generations of supercomputers. The Computational Physics Group has been involved in several areas of fusion research. One main area is the application of Fokker-Planck/quasilinear codes to tokamaks. Another major area is the investigation of resistive magnetohydrodynamics in three dimensions, with applications to tokamaks and compact toroids. A third area is the investigation of kinetic instabilities using a 3-D particle code; this work is often coupled with the task of numerically generating equilibria which model experimental devices. Ways to apply statistical closure approximations to study tokamak-edge plasma turbulence have been under examination, with the hope of being able to explain anomalous transport. Also, we are collaborating in an international effort to evaluate fully three-dimensional linear stability of toroidal devices. In addition to these computational physics studies, the group has developed a number of linear systems solvers for general classes of physics problems and has been making a major effort at ascertaining how to efficiently utilize multiprocessor computers. A summary of these programs are included in this paper. 6 tabs

Changes in physical functioning in the Active Living Every Day program of the Active for Life Initiative®.

Science.gov (United States)

Baruth, Meghan; Wilcox, Sara; Wegley, Stacy; Buchner, David M; Ory, Marcia G; Phillips, Alisa; Schwamberger, Karen; Bazzarre, Terry L

2011-09-01

Physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of physical functional limitations in older adults. There are limited data that evidence-based physical activity interventions can be successfully translated into community programs and result in similar benefits for physical functioning. The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of the Active Living Every Day program on physical functioning and physical functional limitations in a diverse sample of older adults. As a part of the Active for Life initiative, the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio implemented Active Living Every Day (ALED), a group-based lifestyle behavior change program designed to increase physical activity. Performance-based physical functioning tests (30-s Chair Stand Test, eight Foot Up-and-Go Test, Chair Sit-and-Reach Test, 30-Foot Walk Test) were administered to participants at baseline and posttest. Baseline to post-program changes in physical functioning and impairment status were examined with repeated measures analysis of covariance. Interactions tested whether change over time differed according to race/ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), and baseline impairment status. Participants significantly increased their performance in all four physical functioning tests. The percentage of participants classified as "impaired" according to normative data significantly decreased over time. Physical functioning improved regardless of BMI, race/ethnicity, or baseline impairment status. ALED is an example of an evidenced-based physical activity program that can be successfully translated into community programs and result in significant and clinically meaningful improvements in performance-based measures of physical functioning.

A program of physical activity improves gait impairment in people with Alzheimer's disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Orcioli-Silva

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract AIM This study aimed to identify the effects of aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD on gait parameters after a four-month period and to investigate the effects of a four-month program of physical activity, with emphasis on the cognitive components of gait during single and dual task, in people with AD. METHODS Twenty-three people with AD, divided into the Training Group (TG; n=12; aged 79.17±7.62 years and the Control Group (CG; n=11; aged 77.00±5.57 years, and eleven healthy older adults (Healthy Group - HG; aged 75.82±4.83 years were included in this study. TG participated in a physical activity program for four months. The CG and HG were instructed not to participate in any kind of regular physical activity in this period. The physical activity program includes motor activities and cognitive tasks simultaneously. The participants attended a 1-h session three times a week. The kinematic parameters of gait were analyzed under two conditions, before and after a physical activity program: single and dual task. Deltas for all dependent variables between pre and post training were calculated. The deltas were compared using two-way ANOVAs with group (TG x CG and CG x HG and task (single x dual task as factors, with repeated measures for task. RESULTS After the training period, the TG improved stride length, duration, velocity and cadence compared to the CG. CONCLUSION Physical activity with emphasis on cognitive components promotes better reallocation of attention while walking in people with AD, improving attentional focus on the gait and thus resulting in a safer locomotive pattern.

Bridging Public Health and Education: Results of a School-Based Physical Activity Program to Increase Student Fitness.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett-Williams, Shannon L; Franks, Padra; Kay, Christi; Meyer, Adria; Cornett, Kelly; Mosier, Brian

Power Up for 30 (PU30) is a schoolwide intervention that encourages schools to provide an additional 30 minutes of physical activity during the school day, beyond physical education. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of PU30 on Georgia public elementary schools and their students. A total of 719 of 1320 public elementary schools in Georgia that were sent a baseline survey about school physical activity during October 2013 to September 2014 completed the survey, 160 of which were asked to complete a second survey. In the interim (March to June 2015), half (80) of these schools implemented the PU30 program. The interim surveys, which were completed during March to June 2015, assessed opportunities for student physical activity and staff member professional development focused on student physical activity. Compared with schools that had not implemented the program, more schools using the PU30 program reported offering before- and after-school physical activity programs. Forty-four of 78 (57%) PU30 schools compared with 20 of 53 (38%) non-PU30 schools offered before-school physical activity programs. Likewise, more PU30 schools than non-PU30 schools offered after-school physical activity programs (35% vs 16%), and a greater proportion of students at PU30 schools compared with non-PU30 schools met fitness benchmarks: recess 5 days per week (91% [288 of 323] vs 80% [273 of 341]), offering ≥11 minutes per day of classroom-based physical activity (39% [53 of 136] vs 25% [47 of 189] for kindergarten through second grade; 20% [37 of 187] vs 6% [9 of 152] for grades 3 through 5), and receiving physical activity-related professional development time (42% [136 of 323] vs 14% [48 of 341]). The surveys provided a statewide picture of the physical activity opportunities offered to students and staff members in Georgia elementary schools and demonstrated the effective use of a comprehensive, multicomponent program to offer more school-based physical activity

Impacts of Environmental Nanoparticles on Chemical, Biological and Hydrological Processes in Terrestrial Ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qafoku, Nikolla

2012-01-01

This chapter provides insights on nanoparticle (NP) influence or control on the extent and timescales of single or coupled physical, chemical, biological and hydrological reactions and processes that occur in terrestrial ecosystems. Examples taken from the literature that show how terrestrial NPs may determine the fate of the aqueous and sorbed (adsorbed or precipitated) chemical species of nutrients and contaminants, are also included in this chapter. Specifically, in the first section, chapter objectives, term definitions and discussions on size-dependent properties, the origin and occurrence of NP in terrestrial ecosystems and NP toxicity, are included. In the second section, the topic of the binary interactions of NPs of different sizes, shapes, concentrations and ages with the soil solution chemical species is covered, focusing on NP formation, stability, aggregation, ability to serve as sorbents, or surface-mediated precipitation catalysts, or electron donors and acceptors. In the third section, aspects of the interactions in the ternary systems composed of environmental NP, nutrient/contaminant chemical species, and the soil/sediment matrix are discussed, focusing on the inhibitory and catalytic effects of environmental NP on nutrient/contaminant advective mobility and mass transfer, adsorption and desorption, dissolution and precipitation and redox reactions that occur in terrestrial ecosystems. These three review sections are followed by a short summary of future research needs and directions, the acknowledgements, the list of the references, and the figures.

The PANDA physics program: Strangeness and more

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iazzi, Felice, E-mail: felice.iazzi@polito.it [INFN-Sezione di Torino, Turin (Italy); Politecnico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Collaboration: PANDA Collaboration

2016-06-21

The physics program of the PANDA experiment at FAIR is illustrated, with a particular attention to the planned activity in the field of the doubly strange systems. The investigation of these systems can help, among others, to shed light on the role of the hyperons in the composition of the neutron stars. The great advantages that can be reached in the field of the charmed systems and nucleon structure by using high quality and intense antiproton beams are also recalled.

The PANDA physics program: Strangeness and more

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iazzi, Felice

2016-01-01

The physics program of the PANDA experiment at FAIR is illustrated, with a particular attention to the planned activity in the field of the doubly strange systems. The investigation of these systems can help, among others, to shed light on the role of the hyperons in the composition of the neutron stars. The great advantages that can be reached in the field of the charmed systems and nucleon structure by using high quality and intense antiproton beams are also recalled.

Utilization of the terrestrial cyanobacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Katoh, Hiroshi; Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Furukawa, Jun; Kimura, Shunta; Yokoshima, Mika; Yamaguchi, Yuji; Takenaka, Hiroyuki

The terrestrial, N _{2}-fixing cyanobacterium, Nostoc commune has expected to utilize for agriculture, food and terraforming cause of its extracellular polysaccharide, desiccation tolerance and nitrogen fixation. Previously, the first author indicated that desiccation related genes were analyzed and the suggested that the genes were related to nitrogen fixation and metabolisms. In this report, we suggest possibility of agriculture, using the cyanobacterium. Further, we also found radioactive compounds accumulated N. commune (cyanobacterium) in Fukushima, Japan after nuclear accident. Thus, it is investigated to decontaminate radioactive compounds from the surface soil by the cyanobacterium and showed to accumulate radioactive compounds using the cyanobacterium. We will discuss utilization of terrestrial cyanobacteria under closed environment. Keyword: Desiccation, terrestrial cyanobacteria, bioremediation, agriculture

Feasibility, physical capacity, and health benefits of a multidimensional exercise program for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adamsen, Lis; Midtgaard, Julie; Rorth, Mikael

2003-01-01

Cancer patients frequently experience considerable loss of physical capacity and general wellbeing when diagnosed and treated for their disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, physical capacity, and health benefits of a multidimensional exercise program for cancer patients...... during advanced stages of disease who are undergoing adjuvant or high-dose chemotherapy. The supervised program included high- and low-intensity activities (physical exercise, relaxation, massage, and body-awareness training). A total of 23 patients between 18 and 65 years of age (median 40 years...... significance. It is concluded that an exercise program, which combines high- and low-intensity physical activities, may be used to prevent and/or minimize physical inactivity, fatigue, muscle wasting and energy loss in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy....

Physical Education Experimental Program to Test the Effect on Perceived Competence

OpenAIRE

Edin Brankovic; Muriz Hadzikadunic

2017-01-01

The first purpose of this study was to test effect of multidisciplinary and holistic experimental program (EP) in physical education program effect on the soul need perceived competence. The second purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between attitudes of perceived competence in the experimental group before and after the application of program, mostly due the theoretical reason that perceived competence is predictor of Flow. The data was collected from 74 students of the 8th...

Status and Conservation Possibilities of Papua New Guinea’s Terrestrial Mammals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Lopez Cornelio

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The status of Papua New Guinea’s terrestrial mammals is revised according to their geographical distribution,life history characteristics, and current conservation plans and legislation. Considering their uniqueness andthreatening factors, their appropriate management is critical to achieve sustainable development in the country.Concerning marsupial species no one has been yet domesticated, there is no organized breeding and theirnatural productivity is generally lower than ruminants. Their conservation status is related to their size assmaller species are usually more prolific, less conspicuous, and less preferred by hunters. Differences onevolutionary ecology between families are discussed, and recommendations are given for the assessment andfurther conservation of vulnerable species. Conservation programs must go alongside with rural livelihoodsimprovement through ecotourism, food security, and marketing of non timber forest products.Keywords: terrestrial mammal, marsupial spesies, conservation status, Papua New Guinea

Terrestrial and extraterrestrial fullerenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heymann, D.; Jenneskens, L.W.; Jehlicka, J; Koper, C.; Vlietstra, E. [Rice Univ, Houston, TX (United States). Dept. of Earth Science

2003-07-01

This paper reviews reports of occurrences of fullerenes in circumstellar media, interstellar media, meteorites, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), lunar rocks, hard terrestrial rocks from Shunga (Russia), Sudbury (Canada) and Mitov (Czech Republic), coal, terrestrial sediments from the Cretaceous-Tertiary-Boundary and Pennian-Triassic-Boundary, fulgurite, ink sticks, dinosaur eggs, and a tree char. The occurrences are discussed in the context of known and postulated processes of fullerene formation, including the suggestion that some natural fullerenes might have formed from biological (algal) remains.

Principles of developing a well-rounded program of physical rehabilitation for female students in the special medical group with consideration of physical activity impairment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. R. Golod

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose : to highlight the main provisions of a comprehensive physical rehabilitation program for students of special medical group based on violations of the motor capacity. Material : testing 24 students of special medical group and the same number of their healthy peers on standardized tests of physical qualities. To reflect the movement disorders applied functional movement screen. Results : a program of rehabilitation of the students included: lifestyle modification; morning hygienic gymnastics; kinesitherapy (using yoga fitness, functional training; aerobic exercise (swimming, Nordic Walking, jogging, aerobics wellness; massage. First presented a unified approach to working with students of special medical groups - selection based on load capacity motor disorders according to the results of tests of functional movement screen. The complexity of the impact of the program involves the impact on the physical, social and mental health components. Conclusions : the author's program of physical rehabilitation of students of special medical group is complex.

Can space ties on board GNSS satellites replace terrestrial ties in the implementation of Terrestrial Reference Frames?

Science.gov (United States)

Bruni, Sara; Zerbini, Susanna; Altamimi, Zuheir; Rebischung, Paul; Errico, Maddalena; Santi, Efisio

2016-04-01

The realization of Terrestrial Reference Frames (TRFs) must be periodically updated in order to account for newly acquired observations and for upgrades in data analysis procedures and/or combination techniques. Any innovative computation strategy should ameliorate the definition of the frame physical parameters, upon which a number of scientific applications critically rely. On the basis of the requirements of scientific cutting edge studies, the geodetic community has estimated that the present day challenge in the determination of TRFs is to provide a frame that is accurate and long-term stable at the level of 1 mm and 0.1 mm/y respectively. This work aims at characterizing the frame realized by a combination of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) observations via their co-location on board GNSS spacecrafts. In particular, it is established how such a frame compares to the traditional ITRF computation and what is the impact on the realization of the frame origin and scale. Four years of data from a global network encompassing about one hundred GNSS stations and all SLR sites have been analyzed. In order to ensure the highest possible consistency, the raw data of both techniques are treated with the same analysis Software (Bernese GNSS Software 5.2) following IERS2010 Conventions. Both weekly and long term solutions are carried out exploiting either the Bernese or the Combination and Analysis of Terrestrial Reference Frames (CATREF) Software packages. We present the results of a combination study involving GNSS data and SLR observations to the two LAGEOS and to the GNSS satellites equipped with retroreflector arrays. The latter type of measurements is currently not included in the computation of the official ITRF solutions. The assessment of the benefit that they could provide to the definition of the origin and scale of the ITRF is however worth investigating, as such data provide the potential for linking the GNSS and

Physical rehabilitation following polytrauma. The Canadian Forces Physical Rehabilitation Program 2008-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Besemann, Markus

2011-12-01

As a consequence of Canada's involvement in the war in Afghanistan, many members of the Canadian Forces have experienced debilitating injuries. Despite the Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) having outstanding relationships with many civilian care providers for the rehabilitation of injured soldiers, it became apparent early on that the high-level goals and aspirations of these returning soldiers were sometimes beyond the capability of these centres to facilitate. From this reality grew the need to develop a Physical Rehabilitation Program within the CFHS. This article describes the lessons learned since the creation of the program and outlines the future vision in terms of unique challenges and opportunities. The primary purpose of this article is to describe a hybrid model of civilian-military rehabilitation for injured soldiers and discuss the benefits and challenges of such a model of care.

Parallel Computing for Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Dali; Post, Wilfred M.; Ricciuto, Daniel M.; Berry, Michael

2011-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems are a primary component of research on global environmental change. Observational and modeling research on terrestrial ecosystems at the global scale, however, has lagged behind their counterparts for oceanic and atmospheric systems, largely because the unique challenges associated with the tremendous diversity and complexity of terrestrial ecosystems. There are 8 major types of terrestrial ecosystem: tropical rain forest, savannas, deserts, temperate grassland, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, tundra, and chaparral. The carbon cycle is an important mechanism in the coupling of terrestrial ecosystems with climate through biological fluxes of CO 2 . The influence of terrestrial ecosystems on atmospheric CO 2 can be modeled via several means at different timescales. Important processes include plant dynamics, change in land use, as well as ecosystem biogeography. Over the past several decades, many terrestrial ecosystem models (see the 'Model developments' section) have been developed to understand the interactions between terrestrial carbon storage and CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere, as well as the consequences of these interactions. Early TECMs generally adapted simple box-flow exchange models, in which photosynthetic CO 2 uptake and respiratory CO 2 release are simulated in an empirical manner with a small number of vegetation and soil carbon pools. Demands on kinds and amount of information required from global TECMs have grown. Recently, along with the rapid development of parallel computing, spatially explicit TECMs with detailed process based representations of carbon dynamics become attractive, because those models can readily incorporate a variety of additional ecosystem processes (such as dispersal, establishment, growth, mortality etc.) and environmental factors (such as landscape position, pest populations, disturbances, resource manipulations, etc.), and provide information to frame policy options for climate change

Health Physics Society program for accreditation of calibration laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, L.; Masse, F.X.; Swinth, K.L.

1988-01-01

The Health Physics Society has instituted a new program for accreditation of organizations that calibrate radiation survey instruments. The purpose of the program is to provide radiation protection professionals with an expanded means of direct and indirect access to national standards, thus introducing a means for improving the uniformity, accuracy, and quality of ionizing radiation field measurements. Secondary accredited laboratories are expected to provide a regional support basis. Tertiary accredited laboratories are expected to operate on a more local basis and provide readily available expertise to end users. The accreditation process is an effort to provide better measurement assurance for surveys of radiation fields. The status of the accreditation program, general criteria, gamma-ray calibration criteria, and x-ray calibration criteria are reviewed

Mechanistic controls on diverse fates of terrestrial organic components in the East China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Chun; Wagner, Thomas; Talbot, Helen M.; Weijers, Johan W. H.; Pan, Jian-Ming; Pancost, Richard D.

2013-09-01

Terrestrial carbon transferred from the land to sea is a critical component of the global carbon cycle. A range of geochemical proxies has been developed to fingerprint the fate of terrestrial organic matter (TOM) in marine sediments. However, discrepancies among different proxies limit our ability to quantify and interpret the terrestrial signals in marine sediments, with consequences for the investigation of both the modern carbon cycle and past environmental change. To mechanistically understand these discrepancies, we examined the distributions of a range of terrestrial proxies and their aquatic counterparts (i.e. marine proxies) in the Yangtze river-East China Sea (YR-ECS) shelf system, where TOM experiences extensive modification during transport and burial. TOM proxies in the YR-ECS system collectively fit a power-law model but with distinct attenuation rates (the a∗ values) for individual molecular proxy groups. Among a range of TOM proxies, the modeled a∗ values decrease in the order: soil-marker BHPs > triterpenols > lignin > HMW n-alkanols > branched GDGTs > HMW n-alkanes for biomarkers; and Rsoil > BIT > %TOMiso for proxies tracing %TOM. Rapid loss of TOM components through dissociation in the narrow estuary, followed by oxidation over the wide open shelf, are best described by power curves. Inherent chemical reactivity (i.e. the number of functional groups), responses to hydraulic sorting, and in situ production regulate the individual attenuation rates. Of them, chemical reactivity plays the most important role on proxy behavior, supported by a strong correlation between a∗ values and standard molal Gibbs energies. Both, physical protection and chemical reactivity fundamentally control the overall behavior of TOM components, with the relative importance being setting-dependant: The former is relatively important in the estuary, whereas the later is the primary control over the open shelf. Moreover, regional variation of different marine

NikeGO: a Corporate-Sponsored Program to Increase Physical Activity and Foster Youth Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Levin Martin

2007-06-01

Full Text Available NikeGO was initiated in 2002 by the Nike US Community Affairs Division to address a growing need: to provide youth a safe environment in which to be physically active. Nike collaborated with several organizations across the country and offered an array of programs to foster developmentally appropriate physical activity among youth through their influencers (e.g., teachers, coaches. These programs reached youth in underserved areas ranging from urban inner cities to rural Native lands through various channels and settings including schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA’s, youth sports organizations, and others. Objective and subjective measures were used to determine the reach of the program, the dose of physical activity, the “fun” level of the activities, changes in youths’ self-esteem and self-concept, and the likelihood of continued participation. Many older youth gained leadership skills in the process. Overall, the programs have been successful in reaching “hard to reach” youth and engaging them in the positive, developmentally sensitive, health behaviors.

Motivational and evolutionary aspects of a physical exercise training program: a longitudinal study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Paulo Pereira Rosa

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Several studies have indicated that motivational level and prior expectations are relevant aspects to increase commitment to physical activity. Moreover, these aspects are not properly described in terms of proximal (Self Determination Theory and distal (evolutionary explanations in the literature. This paper aims to verify if level of motivation (BREQ-2 and expectations regarding regular physical exercise (IMPRAF-54 before starting a one-year exercise program could determine likelihood of completion. Ninety-four volunteers (53 women included a completed protocol group (CPG n=21 and drop-out group (DG n=73. The IMPRAF-54 scale was used to assess six different expectations associated with physical activity, and the BREQ-2 inventory was used to assess the level of motivation in five steps (from amotivation to intrinsic motivation. Both questionnaires were assessed before the regular exercise program. The CPG group presented higher sociability and lower pleasure scores according to IMPRAF-54 domains. A logistic regression showed that a one-point increment on sociability score increased the chance of completing the program by 10%, and the same one-point increment on pleasure score reduced the chance of completing the protocol by 16%. ROC curves were also calculated to establish IMPRAF-54 cutoffs for adherence (Sociability - 18.5 points – 81% sensibility/50% specificity and dropout (Pleasure – 25.5 points – 86% sensibility/20% specificity of the exercise protocol. Our results indicate that an expectation of social interaction was a positive factor in predicting adherence to exercise. Grounded in SDT and its innate needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness, physical exercise is not an end; it is a means to achieve autonomy and self-cohesion. The association of physical activity with social practices, like in hunter-gathering groups, can engage people to be physically active and can provide better results in adherence exercise programs for the

Physical education in early education: An intervention program for reducing aggressive and social insecure behavior

OpenAIRE

Mouratidou, Katerina

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the effect of a physical education program on the reduction of aggressive and social insecure behavior of young children. The sample comprised of 194 children, aged 4-5 years. The experimental group consisted of 99 children, while the rest 95 children formed the control group. The experimental group participated in an 8-week physical education program, based on physical activities and kinetic theatrical playing, while the control group was engaged in free-pl...

Effects of a Physical Exercise Program (PEP-Aut on Autistic Children’s Stereotyped Behavior, Metabolic and Physical Activity Profiles, Physical Fitness, and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Study Protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Pedro Ferreira

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Physical exercise has shown positive effects on symptomatology and on the reduction of comorbidities in population with autism spectrum disorder (ASD. However, there is still no consensus about the most appropriate exercise intervention model for children with ASD. The physical exercise program for children with autism (PEP-Aut protocol designed allow us to (i examine the multivariate associations between ASD symptoms, metabolic profile, physical activity level, physical fitness, and health-related quality of life of children with ASD; (ii assess the effects of a 40-week exercise program on all these aspects of children with ASD. The impact of the exercise program will be assessed based on the sequence of the two phases. Phase 1 is a 12-week cross-sectional study assessing the symptomatology, metabolic profile, physical fitness and physical activity levels, socioeconomic status profile, and health-related quality of life of participants. This phase is the baseline of the following phase. Phase 2 is a 48-week intervention study with a 40-week intervention with exercise that will take place in a specialized center for children with ASD in the city of Maceió-Alagoas, Brazil. The primary outcomes will be change in the symptomatic profile and the level of physical activity of children. Secondary outcomes will be anthropometric and metabolic profiles, aerobic function, grip strength, socioeconomic status, and health-related quality of life. The study will provide critical information on the efficacy of exercise for children with ASD and help guide design and delivery of future programs.

Characterizing Terrestrial Exoplanets

Science.gov (United States)

Meadows, V. S.; Lustig-Yaeger, J.; Lincowski, A.; Arney, G. N.; Robinson, T. D.; Schwieterman, E. W.; Deming, L. D.; Tovar, G.

2017-11-01

We will provide an overview of the measurements, techniques, and upcoming missions required to characterize terrestrial planet environments and evolution, and search for signs of habitability and life.

Transuranic elements in terrestrial animals and the environment: an introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, G.D.

1977-01-01

This discussion provides background information to the session on the ''Transuranic Elements in Terrestrial Animals.'' Briefly outlined are some of the historical events leading to the introduction and dispersion of the transuranic elements into the biosphere, to the establishment of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG), and to the studies conducted by the Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory (EMSL-LV) and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas involving the transuranics distributed by the ''safety shots'' and the nuclear weapons testing program at the Nevada Test Site and the Tonopah Test Range. These studies are described in relation to the overall objectives of the NAEG program. Other potential sources of the transuranic radionuclides are also discussed

Student Use of Physics to Make Sense of Incomplete but Functional VPython Programs in a Lab Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Weatherford, Shawn A.

2011-12-01

Computational activities in Matter & Interactions, an introductory calculus-based physics course, have the instructional goal of providing students with the experience of applying the same set of a small number of fundamental principles to model a wide range of physical systems. However there are significant instructional challenges for students to build computer programs under limited time constraints, especially for students who are unfamiliar with programming languages and concepts. Prior attempts at designing effective computational activities were successful at having students ultimately build working VPython programs under the tutelage of experienced teaching assistants in a studio lab setting. A pilot study revealed that students who completed these computational activities had significant difficultly repeating the exact same tasks and further, had difficulty predicting the animation that would be produced by the example program after interpreting the program code. This study explores the interpretation and prediction tasks as part of an instructional sequence where students are asked to read and comprehend a functional, but incomplete program. Rather than asking students to begin their computational tasks with modifying program code, we explicitly ask students to interpret an existing program that is missing key lines of code. The missing lines of code correspond to the algebraic form of fundamental physics principles or the calculation of forces which would exist between analogous physical objects in the natural world. Students are then asked to draw a prediction of what they would see in the simulation produced by the VPython program and ultimately run the program to evaluate the students' prediction. This study specifically looks at how the participants use physics while interpreting the program code and creating a whiteboard prediction. This study also examines how students evaluate their understanding of the program and modification goals at the

The Agita São Paulo Program as a model for using physical activity to promote health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Mahecha Matsudo

2003-10-01

Full Text Available The "Agita São Paulo" Program applies a multilevel intervention approach to promoting physical activity among the 37 million inhabitants of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The verb "agita" means to move the body, but the term also suggests changing the way of thinking and becoming a more active citizen. Since being launched in 1996, the Program has been widely copied throughout Brazil and in other countries of Latin America, and the World Health Organization has characterized it as a model for other developing countries. The Program aims to disseminate a clear and simple message to the community as well as establish partnerships with governmental and nongovernmental organizations and other entities. The Agita São Paulo message encourages people to adopt an active lifestyle by accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day, on most days of the week. The Program has three main target groups: students, workers, and the elderly. The Program organizes "mega-events" that simultaneously reach and involve large numbers of people, and it also conducts ongoing activities with institutions that become partners of the Program. Intervention studies that the Program has carried out on specific, small groups have found both changes in behavior and an increasing awareness of the Program's name and message. In addition, surveys have found that a growing number of persons in the state of São Paulo have become aware of the Program and its message and have changed their physical activity level. A number of the special features of and lessons learned from the Agita São Paulo Program may have contributed to its success, including: a multisectorial approach; broad use of partnerships; the inclusion principle (avoiding messages or attitudes that might exclude any social group; the scientific basis for all the Program activities; the extensive free media coverage that the Program has received; a "two-hats" approach, using either governmental

The Agita São Paulo Program as a model for using physical activity to promote health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matsudo Sandra Mahecha

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The "Agita São Paulo" Program applies a multilevel intervention approach to promoting physical activity among the 37 million inhabitants of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The verb "agita" means to move the body, but the term also suggests changing the way of thinking and becoming a more active citizen. Since being launched in 1996, the Program has been widely copied throughout Brazil and in other countries of Latin America, and the World Health Organization has characterized it as a model for other developing countries. The Program aims to disseminate a clear and simple message to the community as well as establish partnerships with governmental and nongovernmental organizations and other entities. The Agita São Paulo message encourages people to adopt an active lifestyle by accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day, on most days of the week. The Program has three main target groups: students, workers, and the elderly. The Program organizes "mega-events" that simultaneously reach and involve large numbers of people, and it also conducts ongoing activities with institutions that become partners of the Program. Intervention studies that the Program has carried out on specific, small groups have found both changes in behavior and an increasing awareness of the Program's name and message. In addition, surveys have found that a growing number of persons in the state of São Paulo have become aware of the Program and its message and have changed their physical activity level. A number of the special features of and lessons learned from the Agita São Paulo Program may have contributed to its success, including: a multisectorial approach; broad use of partnerships; the inclusion principle (avoiding messages or attitudes that might exclude any social group; the scientific basis for all the Program activities; the extensive free media coverage that the Program has received; a "two-hats" approach, using either governmental

Heart Rates of Elementary Physical Education Students during the Dancing Classrooms Program

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Larry; Evans, Melissa; Guess, Wendy; Morris, Mary; Olson, Terry; Buckwalter, John

2011-01-01

We examined how different types of dance activities, along with their duration, influenced heart rate responses among fifth-grade physical education students (N = 96) who participated in the Dancing Classrooms program. Results indicated that the overall Dancing Classrooms program elicits a moderate cardiovascular heart rate response (M = 124.4…

Effect of a 5-Month Worksite Physical Activity Program on Tertiary Employees Overall Health and Fitness.

Science.gov (United States)

Genin, Pauline Manon; Degoutte, Fabrice; Finaud, Julien; Pereira, Bruno; Thivel, David; Duclos, Martine

2017-02-01

This pilot study questions the effects of a worksite physical activity program on health and fitness in tertiary employees. Ninety-five employees were randomly assigned to Control (CON); Novice (NOV); Experienced group (EXP). The NOV and EXP groups followed a 5-month worksite physical activity program (at least two sessions/week). Body composition, physical activity level and physical fitness, eating habits, health perception, sleep quality, pain, and quality of life were assessed. Fat mass decreased in NOV and EXP; the distance covered during the 6-minute walking test, push-ups, squat jump increased for NOV and EXP group. Physical activity level, health perception, quality of sleep, and eating habits were improved in NOV. This study underlines for the first time the beneficial effects of such worksite programs among tertiary employees on overall health and the feasibility of its design.

Effectiveness of a school-based physical activity injury prevention program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Collard, D.C.M.; Verhagen, E.A.L.M.; Chin A Paw, M.J.M.; Knol, D.L.; van Mechelen, W.

2010-01-01

Objective: To study the effects of a school-based injury prevention program on physical activity injury incidence and severity. Design: Cluster randomized controlled trial performed from January 1, 2006, through July 31, 2007. Setting: Forty Dutch primary schools. Participants: Atotal of 2210

Physical Training Program Guidelines for U.S. Navy Recruits: Preparing Recruits for Battle Stations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Trone, D

1999-01-01

...) a directive instructing RDCs to ensure that the physical conditioning program for women is sufficient to prepare them for successful completion of the final physical readiness test and Battle Stations...

Computational Physics Program of the National MFE Computer Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirin, A.A.

1984-12-01

The principal objective of the computational physics group is to develop advanced numerical models for the investigation of plasma phenomena and the simulation of present and future magnetic confinement devices. A summary of the groups activities is presented, including computational studies in MHD equilibria and stability, plasma transport, Fokker-Planck, and efficient numerical and programming algorithms. References are included

The Landau school and the American Institute of Physics translation program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambegaokar, Vinay

2008-01-01

In the late 1950s and early 1960s several American scientists recognized the importance of results appearing in Russian language journals. Their efforts, aided by 'Cold War' considerations, culminated in the launch of the AIP program of translations into English of the then Soviet Union's leading physics journals. The present brief review gives a personal perspective on the history of that development. (from the history of physics)

Site vegetation report: Terrestrial vegetation survey (1993--1995) for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The Ecological Monitoring Program (EcMP) was designed to investigate the long-term ecological trends in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the US Department of energy's (DOE's) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) (DOE 1993). Field sampling was conducted during 1993, 1994, and 1995, until the program was terminated in late 1995. This report presents the terrestrial vegetation data that were gathered by the EcMP. The site is located on the Colorado Piedmont, east of the Front Range, between Boulder and Golden, approximately 25 km (16 miles) northwest of Denver. The topography and proximity of the Site to the mountain front result in an interesting mixture of prairie and mountain plant species. The Site is one of the few large, relatively undisturbed areas of its kind that remains along the Colorado Piedmont. Until 1989, the primary mission of the Site was the production of nuclear weapons components (DOE 1993). After production ceased, Site personnel shifted their focus to cleanup and closure

Site vegetation report: Terrestrial vegetation survey (1993--1995) for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The Ecological Monitoring Program (EcMP) was designed to investigate the long-term ecological trends in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the US Department of energy`s (DOE`s) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) (DOE 1993). Field sampling was conducted during 1993, 1994, and 1995, until the program was terminated in late 1995. This report presents the terrestrial vegetation data that were gathered by the EcMP. The site is located on the Colorado Piedmont, east of the Front Range, between Boulder and Golden, approximately 25 km (16 miles) northwest of Denver. The topography and proximity of the Site to the mountain front result in an interesting mixture of prairie and mountain plant species. The Site is one of the few large, relatively undisturbed areas of its kind that remains along the Colorado Piedmont. Until 1989, the primary mission of the Site was the production of nuclear weapons components (DOE 1993). After production ceased, Site personnel shifted their focus to cleanup and closure.

[DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IN PHYSICAL CONDITION BETWEEN SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS OF TWO PUBLIC CURRICULUM PROGRAMS IN BOGOTA, COLOMBIA].

Science.gov (United States)

Carrillo Cubides, Raúl; Aldana Alarcón, Luis Gonzalo; Gutiérrez Galvis, Adriana Rocío

2015-11-01

During the past five decades there has been an increased in the prevalence of obesity and over weight, also in physical inactivity and /or low cardiorespiratory fitness within the population in school age from diverse regions of the planet, including Bogota-Colombia. The general objective of this study was to compare the physical condition and the levels of physical activity from students who belonged to two curriculum programs of the Public Schools Network from Bogota, one of which includes two sessions per week, each session of 90 minutes of physical activity. We developed a research of unlike cross-sectional groups. There were 178 children evaluated from the regular curriculum and 170 kids belonging to the program 40 x 40. The physical condition was evaluated applying the protocol of high priority from the ALPHA -Fitness test Battery. The weight, height, body mass index, the waist circumference, the standing long jump, the handgrip in both hands and the motor fitness 20 meter shuttle run test were developed under standardized conditions. The Global School Health Survey (GSHS) was used to evaluate the levels of AF. No significant statistical differences were founded between P-40x40 and the regular curriculum regarding: weight, height, the body mass index, the waist circumference, the handgrip in both hands and the explosive strength in lower limbs. Nevertheless the cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly lower within de P-40x40. In conclusion the participation in the curricular program 40 x 40 was not associated with better levels of physical condition. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Confronting Physical Activity Programming Barriers for People with Disabilities: The Empowerment Model

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Thomas Eugene; Taliaferro, Andrea R.; Pate, Joshua R.

2014-01-01

Community-based physical activity programs for people with disabilities have barriers that are unique to their program leader qualifications and the population they serve. Moran and Block (2010) argued that there is a need for practical strategies that are easy for communities to implement, maximize resources, and minimize the impact of barriers…

How Does The Universe Work? The Physics Of The Cosmos Program (PCOS)

Science.gov (United States)

Sambruna, Rita M.

2011-09-01

The Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) program incorporates cosmology, high-energy astrophysics, and fundamental physics projects aimed at addressing central questions about the nature of complex astrophysical phenomena such as black holes, neutron stars, dark energy, and gravitational waves. Its overarching theme is, How does the Universe work? PCOS includes a suite of operating (Chandra, Fermi, Planck, XMM-Newton, INTEGRAL) and future missions across the electromagnetic spectrum and beyond, which are in concept development and/or formulation. The PCOS program directly supports development of intermediate TRL (4-6) technology relevant to future missions through the Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program, as well as data analysis, theory, and experimental astrophysics via other R&A avenues (e.g., ADAP, ATP). The Einstein Fellowship is a vital and vibrant PCOS component funded by the program. PCOS receives community input via its Program Analysis Group, the PhysPAG (www.pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/physpag.php), whose membership and meetings are open to the community at large. In this poster, we describe the detailed science questions addressed within PCOS, with special emphasis on future opportunities. Details about the PhysPAG operations and functions will be provided, as well as an update on future meetings.

Taking into account the indicators of physical health and physical readiness of students in the development of the program of sectional classes in Thai boxing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Chuyko

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: assess the level of physical health and physical preparedness of students 17–19 years to develop a program of sectional classes in Thai boxing. Material & Methods: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical observation, pedagogical experiment, anthropometric, physiological methods of research, pedagogical testing of physical preparedness, express assessment of physical health by the method of G. L. Apanasenko, methods of mathematical statistics. The study involved 77 young students aged 17–19 years. Results: obtained data during the experiment showed a predominantly low and below average level of physical health, as well as the lag of some physical qualities from age standards. Conclusion: the evaluation of physical health and physical preparedness indicators of 17–19 years old boys testifies to the need to develop and implement training programs aimed at increasing the level of physical health and the development of physical qualities.

Commercialization of terrestrial applications of aerospace power technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landsberg, D.R.

1992-01-01

The potential for commercialization of terrestrial energy systems based upon aerospace power technology's explored. Threats to the aerospace power technology industry, caused by the end of the cold war and weak world economy are described. There are also new opportunities caused by increasing terrestrial energy needs and world-wide concern for the environment. In this paper, the strengths and weaknesses of the aerospace power industry in commercializing terrestrial energy technologies are reviewed. Finally, actions which will enable the aerospace power technology industry to commercialize products into terrestrial energy markets are described

Terrestrial carbohydrates support freshwater zooplankton during phytoplankton deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Taipale, Sami J; Galloway, Aaron W E; Aalto, Sanni L; Kahilainen, Kimmo K; Strandberg, Ursula; Kankaala, Paula

2016-08-11

Freshwater food webs can be partly supported by terrestrial primary production, often deriving from plant litter of surrounding catchment vegetation. Although consisting mainly of poorly bioavailable lignin, with low protein and lipid content, the carbohydrates from fallen tree leaves and shoreline vegetation may be utilized by aquatic consumers. Here we show that during phytoplankton deficiency, zooplankton (Daphnia magna) can benefit from terrestrial particulate organic matter by using terrestrial-origin carbohydrates for energy and sparing essential fatty acids and amino acids for somatic growth and reproduction. Assimilated terrestrial-origin fatty acids from shoreline reed particles exceeded available diet, indicating that Daphnia may convert a part of their dietary carbohydrates to saturated fatty acids. This conversion was not observed with birch leaf diets, which had lower carbohydrate content. Subsequent analysis of 21 boreal and subarctic lakes showed that diet of herbivorous zooplankton is mainly based on high-quality phytoplankton rich in essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. The proportion of low-quality diets (bacteria and terrestrial particulate organic matter) was <28% of the assimilated carbon. Taken collectively, the incorporation of terrestrial carbon into zooplankton was not directly related to the concentration of terrestrial organic matter in experiments or lakes, but rather to the low availability of phytoplankton.

The Young Women's Program: A health and wellness model to empower adolescents with physical disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Xenakis, Nancy; Goldberg, Judith

2010-04-01

This article introduces a comprehensive health and wellness program that serves young women, ages 14 to 21, with physical disabilities. The program is a component of the Initiative for Women with Disabilities (IWD), a hospital-based center serving women with physical disabilities/conditions that offers accessible gynecology, primary care, physical therapy, nutrition consultations, exercise and fitness classes, and wellness and social work services. Recent literature has shown that young women with physical disabilities often face physical and emotional barriers to their own health and wellness. This group of adolescents often has difficulty developing a healthy image of their bodies, especially compared with their able-bodied peers. Unhealthy attitudes regarding the body image and sexuality of those with physical differences are often perpetuated by the media, peers, and parents. People with disabilities have become increasingly able to live fulfilling lives in recent decades. This is due largely to studies that have confirmed that once barriers are addressed and minimized, young women with physical disabilities lead active and productive lives and have much to contribute to society. The goal of the Young Women's Program (YWP), established in 2006, is to help young women adopt healthy lifestyles by exposing them to a carefully planned curriculum. The program provides a variety of classes and workshops, expert instruction, and access to resources and a network of peers and mentors. The ultimate goal is for the participants to apply the concepts learned in the group sessions to identify and evaluate their personal goals and develop health and wellness plans for achieving these goals. Data were obtained from several sources: a self-administered program evaluation, program recruitment and retention statistics, and an assessment of whether individual health and wellness goals were achieved. All of these measures indicate a favorable response to the program structure and

The health physics program at the National Bureau of Standards LINAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hobbs, T.G.

1981-01-01

A three-person Accelerator Health Physics team provides continuous radiation safety service for the National Bureau of Standards 150-MeV linear electron accelerator (Linac), which operates on a five days per week, 24 hours per day schedule, with one day per month downtime scheduled for maintenance. This team also serves the synchrotron ultraviolet light radiation facility (SURF), two Van de Graaffs, some other electrostatic accelerators, and several high-energy x-ray generators. Although the Linac is not licensed by a safety-regulating agency, as is the NBS Research Reactor, Health Physics makes no distinction between the two sources in providing coverage. Various regulations do impact on operations, e.g., the NRC dose totals and effluent releases and the OSHA requirements. Film, thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD), and direct-reading pocket dosimeters are used for personnel dosimetry. The usual array of portable and fixed radiation survey meters and activation devices and some of the high-energy multi-particle activation techniques are used for area monitoring. Environmental surveillance is performed with TLD's, tissue-equivalent ion chamber, and a grass and soil assay program. Integrated Health Physics programs for all the NBS radiation facilities do instrument calibrations, training for Health Physics and operating staffs, administrative control of radioactive materials, waste management, and data compilations

Louisiana ESI: T_MAMMAL (Terrestrial Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for terrestrial mammals in Louisiana. Vector polygons in this data set represent terrestrial mammal...

Physiological adaptation after a 12-week physical activity program for patients with Prader-Willi syndrome: two case reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Amaro, Alexandre Slowetzky; Teixeira, Maria Cristina Triguero Veloz; de Mesquita, Maria Luiza Guedes; Rodrigues, Graciele Massoli; Rubin, Daniela Andrea; Carreiro, Luiz Renato Rodrigues

2016-06-23

Physical activity programs are a powerful tool against several diseases including obesity and their comorbidities. Prader-Willi syndrome is the most common genetic disease associated with obesity, and brings with it behavioral and emotional problems that need complex management. Research into the effect of physical activity programs on Prader-Willi syndrome is limited and it is frequently argued that if a physical activity program is too complex, the participants are more likely to drop out. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the physiological adaptation effect of a physical activity program with increasing complexity and load, in a boy and a girl with Prader-Willi syndrome by assessing changes in lipid profile, body composition, and physical fitness parameters. Case 1 was an 11-year-old girl, mixed race (brown), with an intelligence quotient of 68, 52.0 % body fat, and a body mass index of 45.3 kg/m(2). The Prader-Willi syndrome diagnosis was made when she was 5-years old and was found to be due to an imprinting genomic defect. Case 2 was a 14-year-old boy, mixed race (brown), with an intelligence quotient of 74, 48.8 % body fat, and a body mass index of 37.3 kg/m(2). The diagnosis was made when he was 10-years old and was found to be caused by gene deletion. Both participants presented physical characteristics and behavior problems typical of Prader-Willi syndrome. Case 2 presented high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea and had to use continuous positive airway pressure to sleep. Both participants were assessed for 12 weeks (three times a week) using a physical activity program designed to improve strength and muscle hypertrophy. The work load was progressively adjusted as necessary and new exercises were added to the program. Prior to the program, the participants' parents received instructions about managing problem behavior and advice about nutrition. After physical activity program several health markers assessed by biological tests and

Patients' mental models and adherence to outpatient physical therapy home exercise programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzo, Jon

2015-05-01

Within physical therapy, patient adherence usually relates to attending appointments, following advice, and/or undertaking prescribed exercise. Similar to findings for general medical adherence, patient adherence to physical therapy home exercise programs (HEP) is estimated between 35 and 72%. Adherence to HEPs is a multifactorial and poorly understood phenomenon, with no consensus regarding a common theoretical framework that best guides empirical or clinical efforts. Mental models, a construct used to explain behavior and decision-making in the social sciences, may serve as this framework. Mental models comprise an individual's tacit thoughts about how the world works. They include assumptions about new experiences and expectations for the future based on implicit comparisons between current and past experiences. Mental models play an important role in decision-making and guiding actions. This professional theoretical article discusses empirical research demonstrating relationships among mental models, prior experience, and adherence decisions in medical and physical therapy contexts. Specific issues related to mental models and physical therapy patient adherence are discussed, including the importance of articulation of patients' mental models, assessment of patients' mental models that relate to exercise program adherence, discrepancy between patient and provider mental models, and revision of patients' mental models in ways that enhance adherence. The article concludes with practical implications for physical therapists and recommendations for further research to better understand the role of mental models in physical therapy patient adherence behavior.

Linking animals aloft with the terrestrial landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Buler, Jeffrey J.; Barrow, Wylie; Boone, Matthew; Dawson, Deanna K.; Diehl, Robert H.; Moore, Frank R.; Randall, Lori A.; Schreckengost, Timothy; Smolinsky, Jaclyn A.

2018-01-01

Despite using the aerosphere for many facets of their life, most flying animals (i.e., birds, bats, some insects) are still bound to terrestrial habitats for resting, feeding, and reproduction. Comprehensive broad-scale observations by weather surveillance radars of animals as they leave terrestrial habitats for migration or feeding flights can be used to map their terrestrial distributions either as point locations (e.g., communal roosts) or as continuous surface layers (e.g., animal densities in habitats across a landscape). We discuss some of the technical challenges to reducing measurement biases related to how radars sample the aerosphere and the flight behavior of animals. We highlight a recently developed methodological approach that precisely and quantitatively links the horizontal spatial structure of birds aloft to their terrestrial distributions and provides novel insights into avian ecology and conservation across broad landscapes. Specifically, we present case studies that (1) elucidate how migrating birds contend with crossing ecological barriers and extreme weather events, (2) identify important stopover areas and habitat use patterns of birds along their migration routes, and (3) assess waterfowl response to wetland habitat management and restoration. These studies aid our understanding of how anthropogenic modification of the terrestrial landscape (e.g., urbanization, habitat management), natural geographic features, and weather (e.g., hurricanes) can affect the terrestrial distributions of flying animals.

Broadening of nuclear engineering programs: An engineering physics approach at Rensselaer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malaviya, B.K.

1990-01-01

With the maturing of nuclear engineering as an academic discipline and the uncertainty surrounding the nuclear industry, attention is being increasingly turned to ways in which the base of traditional nuclear engineering programs in universities can be broadened to make them more attractively useful to a wider class of potential students and employers while maintaining the strengths in mainstream areas of nuclear technology. An approach that seems to provide a natural evolution combining the existing programmatic strengths, infrastructure, and resources with the trending needs of a broad segment of diversified industries is the development and initiation of an engineering physics degree program as an adjunct to an established nuclear engineering curriculum. In line with these developments, a new comprehensive academic program offering baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees in engineering physics has been developed and formally instituted at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). It provides a valuable opportunity for students to pursue education and research that cuts across traditional disciplinary lines, leading to a wide variety of career opportunities in industry, government, national research and defense laboratories, and academia

Promoting Well-Being in Old Age: The Psychological Benefits of Two Training Programs of Adapted Physical Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonella Delle Fave

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In the last few decades, the relationship between physical conditions and mental health has increasingly attracted the interest of researchers and professionals across disciplines. This relationship is especially relevant in old age, as the challenges posed by aging at various levels represent crucial concerns for policy makers. Due to the remarkable increase in life expectancy across countries, sustainable prevention strategies are needed to help individuals preserve psychophysical well-being in old age. In particular, the regular practice of a moderately intense physical activity is recommended by the World Health Organization to enhance balance, prevent falls, strengthen muscles, and promote psychophysical well-being. Daily physical exercise represents a beneficial and low-cost strategy, easily accessible to the general population and potentially customizable to specific needs through brief training programs. Based on these premises, the present research aimed at longitudinally evaluating mental well-being among 58 Italian people aged 67–85, who were involved in two Adapted Physical Activity (APA training programs. Inclusion criteria for participation comprised high autonomy levels in daily activities, no cognitive impairment, sedentary habits or only occasional performance of moderate physical activity. Based on physical and functional assessment, 39 participants joined a program of adapted motor activity (PoliFit; Study 1, while 19 participants attended a variant program specifically designed for people with osteoporosis (OsteoFit; Study 2. Well-being dimensions were assessed through the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Physical functioning were evaluated before and after the programs through the Short Physical Performance Battery and the Handgrip Dynamometer Jamar Test. Findings highlighted that, besides physical benefits, participants reported significantly

Program content of teaching physical education in order to prevent violence in educational institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sretenović Zoran

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The primary goal of this paper is to show the capacity of the program content of physical education in the implementation of the third specific objective of the Framework Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence in Educational Institutions. Ministry of Education brought this plan in January 2009. The third specific objective of the Framework Action Plan: Provide preventive and protective role of school sport and sporting activities of students. This paper examines the extent to which this goal is achieved, trough regular classes, after-school and extracurricular activities of physical education; indicates the capacity of the teaching field in the creation and development of a safe and supportive environment in the institution; sees level of participation by experts, council and teams in the design and implementation of sports activities in school and the extent to which these activities are implemented in the institution documents, plans and programs of experts, and larger teams; it is the sustainability of these activities achieved in school practices and also to strengthen the competence of teachers in supporting the development of students personality, communication and collaboration. In order to complete document association of council, experts and teams in the institution, there has been an insight into the school curriculum, the development plan, annual plan of the institution, protection program community of students, the curriculum of a school parliament, council of parents, higher vocational and physical education teachers and report on the implementation of the protection program. In order to document by empirical data the capacity of the teaching areas in the function of preventing violence, a sample of 46 primary schools in Sumadija area, evaluation of the implementation of sports and sports activities students in programming classes of physical education, was executed. By these results, it can be concluded that in teaching methods

The decadal state of the terrestrial carbon cycle : Global retrievals of terrestrial carbon allocation, pools, and residence times

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloom, A Anthony; Exbrayat, Jean-François; van der Velde, Ivar R; Feng, Liang; Williams, Mathew

2016-01-01

The terrestrial carbon cycle is currently the least constrained component of the global carbon budget. Large uncertainties stem from a poor understanding of plant carbon allocation, stocks, residence times, and carbon use efficiency. Imposing observational constraints on the terrestrial carbon cycle

High energy physics program at Texas A ampersand M University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-10-01

The Texas A ampersand M high energy physics program has achieved significant mile-stones in each of its research initiatives. We are participating in two major operating experiments, CDF and MACRO; the development of two new detector technologies, liquid scintillating fiber calorimetry and knife-edge chambers; and two SSC detector proposals, SDC and TEXAS/EMPACT. We have developed prototypes of a liquid-scintillator fiber calorimeter system, in which internally reflecting channels are imbedded in a lead matrix and filled with liquid scintillator. This approach combines the performance features of fiber calorimetry and the radiation hardness of liquid scintillator, and is being developed for forward calorimetry in TEXAS/EMPACT. A new element in this program is the inclusion of a theoretical high energy physics research program being carried out by D. Nanopoulos and C. Pope. D. Nanopoulos has succeeded in building a string-derived model that unifies all known interactions: flipped SU(5), which is the leading candidate for a TOE. The impact of this work on string phenomenology certainly has far reaching consequences. C. Pope is currently working on some generalizations of the symmetries of string theory, known as W algebras. These are expected to have applications in two- dimensional conformal field theory, two-dimensional extensions of gravity and topological gravity, and W-string theory. The following report presents details of the accomplishments of the Texas A ampersand M program over the past year and the proposed plan of research for the coming year

Assessing participation in community-based physical activity programs in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Rodrigo S; Yan, Yan; Parra, Diana C; Brownson, Ross C

2014-01-01

This study aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction model to examine the characteristics that are associated with participation in community-based physical activity programs in Brazil. We used pooled data from three surveys conducted from 2007 to 2009 in state capitals of Brazil with 6166 adults. A risk prediction model was built considering program participation as an outcome. The predictive accuracy of the model was quantified through discrimination (C statistic) and calibration (Brier score) properties. Bootstrapping methods were used to validate the predictive accuracy of the final model. The final model showed sex (women: odds ratio [OR] = 3.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.14-4.71), having less than high school degree (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.16-2.53), reporting a good health (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.02-2.24) or very good/excellent health (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05-2.51), having any comorbidity (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.26-2.39), and perceiving the environment as safe to walk at night (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.18-2.15) as predictors of participation in physical activity programs. Accuracy indices were adequate (C index = 0.778, Brier score = 0.031) and similar to those obtained from bootstrapping (C index = 0.792, Brier score = 0.030). Sociodemographic and health characteristics as well as perceptions of the environment are strong predictors of participation in community-based programs in selected cities of Brazil.

Motivational and evolutionary aspects of a physical exercise training program: a longitudinal study

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, João P. P.; de Souza, Altay A. L.; de Lima, Giscard H. O.; Rodrigues, Dayane F.; de Aquino Lemos, Valdir; da Silva Alves, Eduardo; Tufik, Sergio; de Mello, Marco T.

2015-01-01

Several studies have indicated that motivational level and prior expectations influence one’s commitment to physical activity. Moreover, these aspects are not properly described in terms of proximal (SDT, Self Determination Theory) and distal (evolutionary) explanations in the literature. This paper aims to verify if level of motivation (BREQ-2, Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2) and expectations regarding regular physical exercise (IMPRAF-54) before starting a 1-year exercise program could determine likelihood of completion. Ninety-four volunteers (53 women) included a completed protocol group (CPG; n = 21) and drop-out group (n = 73). The IMPRAF-54 scale was used to assess six different expectations associated with physical activity, and the BREQ-2 inventory was used to assess the level of motivation in five steps (from amotivation to intrinsic motivation). Both questionnaires were assessed before starting a regular exercise program. The CPG group presented higher sociability and lower pleasure scores according to IMPRAF-54 domains. A logistic regression analysis showed that a one-point increment on sociability score increased the chance of completing the program by 10%, and the same one-point increment on pleasure score reduced the chance of completing the protocol by 16%. ROC curves were also calculated to establish IMPRAF-54 cutoffs for adherence (Sociability – 18.5 points – 81% sensibility/50% specificity) and dropout (Pleasure – 25.5 points – 86% sensibility/20% specificity) of the exercise protocol. Our results indicate that an expectation of social interaction was a positive factor in predicting adherence to exercise. Grounded in SDT and its innate needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness), physical exercise is not an end; it is a means to achieve autonomy and self-cohesion. The association of physical activity with social practices, as occurs in hunter-gathering groups, can engage people to be physically active and can provide

The weak force and SETH: The search for Extra-Terrestrial Homochirality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDermott, A.J.

1996-01-01

We propose that a search for extra-terrestrial life can be approached as a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Homochirality emdash SETH. Homochirality is probably a pre-condition for life, so a chiral influence may be required to get life started. We explain how the weak force mediated by the Z 0 boson gives rise to a small parity-violating energy difference (PVED) between enantiomers, and discuss how the resulting small excess of the more stable enantiomer may be amplified to homochirality. Titan and comets are good places to test for emerging pre-biotic homochirality, while on Mars there may be traces of homochirality as a relic of extinct life. Our calculations of the PVED show that the natural L-amino acids are indeed more stable than their enantiomers, as are several key D-sugars and right-hand helical DNA. Thiosubstituted DNA analogues show particularly large PVEDs. L-quartz is also more stable than D-quartz, and we believe that further crystal counts should be carried out to establish whether reported excesses of L quartz are real. Finding extra-terrestrial molecules of the same hand as on Earth would lend support to the universal chiral influence of the weak force. We describe a novel miniaturized space polarimeter, called the SETH Cigar, which we hope to use to detect optical rotation on other planets. Moving parts are avoided by replacing the normal rotating polarizer by multiple fixed polarizers at different angles as in the eye of the bee. Even if we do not find the same hand as on Earth, finding extra-terrestrial optical rotation would be of enormous importance as it would still be the homochiral signature of life. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

[Physical activity and healthy eating in Brazilian students: a review of intervention programs].

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Evanice Avelino de; Barbosa Filho, Valter Cordeiro; Nogueira, Júlia Aparecida Devidé; Azevedo Júnior, Mario Renato de

2011-08-01

This article provides a systematic literature review on physical activity and/or healthy eating interventions among Brazilian students. Complete articles published from 2004 to 2009 were searched in the SciELO, MEDLINE, and CAPES electronic databases, in the articles' references, and through contacts with authors. Six studies covered nutritional interventions, another six analyzed nutrition and physical activity, and one discussed changes in body composition. Interventions produced different results according to their objectives: increase in weekly physical activity; improvement in eating habits and knowledge on nutrition; and decrease in overweight and obesity. School health promotion programs are essential for raising awareness on the relevance of health promotion and the adoption of healthy habits. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to produce evidence on sustainability of programs and healthy habits.

Elderly’s Physical-Functional Fitness and Perceived Functional Capacity and Health after Participation in a Hydrotherapy Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elsa Cristina Sacramento Pereira

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Several studies have demonstrated how physical activity in older people benefits their physical fitness, health and well-being. The relation between physical activity and perceived functional capacity and health is yet to be considered. This study is a quantitative research design that investigated the improvement of the physical-functional fitness and the perception of the functional capacity and health of an elderly group participating in a waterbased exercise program (hydrotherapy. The data was collected in three different moments of the exercise program through a battery of tests of physical-functional fitness established by Batista and Sardinha (2005 and a questionnaire adapted from SABE project (Lebrão and Duarte, 2003. Twenty-six elderly persons (23 women and 3 men aged between 60 and 84 years old participated in a 31-week hydrotherapy program (twice a week; 45 minutes by session. Friedman test was used for assessing statistical differences between the physical-functional fitness and the questionnaire responses in each of the three evaluation moments. Results revealed that this program was enough to improve the physical-functional fitness of the elderly, as well as the perception they had about their health and ability to perform activities of daily living.

Strongwomen® Program Evaluation: Effect of Strength Training Exercises on Physical Fitness of Participants

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhary, Anil Kumar; Van Horn, Beth; Corbin, Marilyn

2015-01-01

The Strongwomen® Program (SWP) is a nationally disseminated group strength-training exercise and nutrition education program delivered by Extension. The study reported here examined the effect of strength training exercises in SWP on improvement in physical fitness of program participants. Senior Fitness Test was used to collect data. Upon…

Changes in physical activity, physical fitness, self-perception and quality of life following a 6-month physical activity counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy program in outpatients with binge eating disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Vancampfort, Davy; Probst, Michel; Adriaens, An; Pieters, Guido; De Hert, Marc; Stubbs, Brendon; Soundy, Andy; Vanderlinden, Johan

2014-10-30

The aim of the current study was to explore the associations between changes in the number of binges, physical activity participation, physical fitness, physical self-perception and quality of life following a 6-month physical activity counseling and cognitive behavioral program in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). In total 34 (31 women) outpatients with BED (38.5±10.7 years) completed a 6-month 1-day per week group-based program. Participants completed the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, the Baecke Physical Activity questionnaire, the Physical Self Perception Profile and performed a 6-min walk test (6MWT) at baseline, after 3 and 6 months. Except for physical activity at work, physical strength and self-worth perception, all parameters significantly improved after 6 months. The effect sizes ranged from -0.33 for the number of binges to 1.67 for participation in sports activities. Significant increases in leisure time physical activity were associated with significant improvements in physical health related quality of life, perceived sports competence and physical fitness and in perceived body attractiveness. The significant reduction in the number of binges was associated with significant improvements in physical health related quality of life. Future research should focus on detailing which techniques can stimulate physical activity participation in patients with BED. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical and Social-Motivational Contextual Correlates of Youth Physical Activity in Underresourced Afterschool Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarrett, Nicole; Sorensen, Carl; Cook, Brittany Skiles

2015-08-01

Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth daily physical activity (PA) accrual. The purpose of the present study was to assess the physical and social-motivational climate characteristics of ASPs associated with youth PA, and variations in contextual correlates of PA by youth sex. Systematic observations of 7 ASPs serving underserved youth (minority, low income) was conducted using the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth and a social-motivational climate observation tool founded on self-determination theory. For five program days at each site, teams of two coders conducted continuous observations of youth PA (sedentary, moderate, vigorous), five physical features (e.g., equipment availability), eight staff interactions (e.g., encourage PA), and seven motivational climate components (e.g., inclusive). Aligned with previous research, regressions controlling for variations by site indicated that organized PA, provision of portable equipment, and staff PA participation and supervision are key correlates of youth PA. Moreover, as the first study to systematically observe motivational-context characteristics of ASPs, we identified several key modifiable motivational features that are necessary to address in order to increase youth engagement in PA during the out-of-school hours. Among motivational features assessed, "relatedness" components (positive peer relations, inclusive/cooperative activities) were primary correlates of girls' PA. In contrast, all three motivational features specified by self-determination theory (support for autonomy, mastery/competence, and inclusion/relatedness) were correlated with boys' PA. Findings are discussed in terms of policy and practice for understanding strengths and needs of ASPs to effectively engage youth in PA. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

The potential role of earthworms in toxicity assessment of terrestrial hazardous waste sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goven, A.J.; Fitzpatrick, L.C. [Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX (United States); Venables, B.J. [TRAC Labs., Inc., Denton, TX (United States)

1994-12-31

Understanding the toxic potential and mechanisms of action of environmental xenobiotics is fundamental for assessing risk to public and environmental health. Current established protocols with earthworms focus primarily on defining the lethal effects of chemicals associated with soil contamination. Development of sublethal assays, until recently, has been largely ignored. Here the authors develop rationale for use of earthworms as a model organism for comprehensive assessment of risks to higher wildlife from contaminated soils and hazardous waste sites. They present a panel of lethal (LC/LD50`s) and sublethal measurement endpoint biomarkers, developed within the framework of the National Toxicology Program`s tiered immunotoxicity protocol for mice and according to published criteria for good measurement endpoints, that represent sensitive phylogenetically-conserved processes. Specifically the authors discuss immunosuppressive effects of terrestrial heavy metal and organic contamination on the innate, nonspecific and specific immune responses of earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris, coelomocytes in terms of total and differential cell counts, lysozyme activity, nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction, phagocytic activity and secretary rosette formation. Findings indicate that sensitive phylogenetically conserved immune responses present in invertebrates can be used to assess or predict risk to wildlife from contaminated soils.

Physical protection educational program - information security aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolstoy, A.

2002-01-01

Full text: Conceptual approaches for designing an expert training program on object physical protection taking into account information security aspects are examined. A special educational course does not only address the immediate needs for an educational support but also ensures that new professionals include new concepts and knowledge in their practice and encourages current practitioners towards such practice. Features of the modern physical protection systems (PPS) and classification of information circulating at them are pointed out. The requirements to the PPS information protection subsystem are discussed. During the PPS expert training on information security (IS) aspects they should receive certain knowledge, on the basis of which they could competently define and carry out the PPS IS policy for a certain object. Thus, it is important to consider minimally necessary volume of knowledge taught to the PPS experts for independent and competent implementation of the above listed tasks. For the graduate PPS IS expert training it is also necessary to examine the normative and legal acts devoted to IS as a whole and the PPS IS in particular. It is caused by necessity of conformity of methods and information protection tools implemented on a certain object to the federal and departmental IS requirements. The departmental normative IS requirements define an orientation of the PPS expert training. By curriculum development it is necessary to precisely determine for whom the PPS experts are taught. The curriculum should reflect common features of the PPS functioning of the certain object type, i.e. it should be adapted to a certain customer of the experts. The specified features were taken into account by development of an educational course 'Information security of the nuclear facility physical protection systems', taught at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (State University) according to the Russian-American educational program 'Master in Physical

Implementation of the G8GP program on physical protection - experiences and results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagemann, A.

2006-01-01

At the Kananaskis Summit in June 2002, G8 Leaders launched the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction committing to support projects to issues of non-proliferation, disarmament, counter terrorism and nuclear safety in Russia. Since then progress has been made in implementing projects. The German Federal Foreign Office contracted GRS to implement a program for improving the physical protection of nuclear or highly radioactive materials of relevance at facilities in the Russian Federation. This paper reports about this G8GP Program on physical protection, its implementation, gained experiences, current achievements and results. (author)

Proceedings of the Workshop on Program Options in Intermediate-Energy Physics. Keynote address: New directions in intermediate-energy nuclear physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, G.E.

1980-05-01

This report presents the keynote address given by G.E. Brown at a LASL colloquium on August 21, 1979, for the Workshop on Program Options in Intermediate-Energy Physics. Professor Brown reviewed major topics of interest in intermediate-energy nuclear physics and suggested experimental approaches that might be most productive in the near future. 22 figures

Sex ratio variation in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duchateau, Marie José; Velthuis, Hayo H. W.; Boomsma, Jacobus Jan

2004-01-01

Bombus terrestris, bumblebees, colony development, queen control, reproductive strategies, sex allocation......Bombus terrestris, bumblebees, colony development, queen control, reproductive strategies, sex allocation...

NASA's Commercial Communication Technology Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bagwell, James W.

1998-01-01

Various issues associated with "NASA's Commercial Communication Technology Program" are presented in viewgraph form. Specific topics include: 1) Coordination/Integration of government program; 2) Achievement of seamless interoperable satellite and terrestrial networks; 3) Establishment of program to enhance Satcom professional and technical workforce; 4) Precompetitive technology development; and 5) Effective utilization of spectrum and orbit assets.

Modifiable variables in physical therapy education programs associated with first-time and three-year National Physical Therapy Examination pass rates in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chad Cook

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study aimed to examine the modifiable programmatic characteristics reflected in the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE Annual Accreditation Report for all accredited programs that reported pass rates on the National Physical Therapist Examination, and to build a predictive model for first-time and three-year ultimate pass rates. Methods: This observational study analyzed programmatic information from the 185 CAPTE-accredited physical therapy programs in the United States and Puerto Rico out of a total of 193 programs that provided the first-time and three-year ultimate pass rates in 2011. Fourteen predictive variables representing student selection and composition, clinical education length and design, and general program length and design were analyzed against first-time pass rates and ultimate pass rates on the NPTE. Univariate and multivariate multinomial regression analysis for first-time pass rates and logistic regression analysis for three-year ultimate pass rates were performed. Results: The variables associated with the first-time pass rate in the multivariate analysis were the mean undergraduate grade point average (GPA and the average age of the cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that mean undergraduate GPA was associated with the three-year ultimate pass rate. Conclusions: Mean undergraduate GPA was found to be the only modifiable predictor for both first-time and three-year pass rates among CAPTE-accredited physical therapy programs.

RAMS Model for Terrestrial Pathways Version 3. 0 (for microcomputers). Model-Simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niebla, E.

1989-01-01

The RAMS Model for Terrestrial Pathways is a computer program for calculation of numeric criteria for land application and distribution and marketing of sludges under the sewage-sludge regulations at 40 CFR Part 503. The risk-assessment models covered assume that municipal sludge with specified characteristics is spread across a defined area of ground at a known rate once each year for a given number of years. Risks associated with direct land application of sludge applied after distribution and marketing are both calculated. The computer program calculates the maximum annual loading of contaminants that can be land applied and still meet the risk criteria specified as input. Software Description: The program is written in the Turbo/Basic programming language for implementation on IBM PC/AT or compatible machines using DOS 3.0 or higher operating system. Minimum core storage is 512K.

Increasing physical activity for veterans in the Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program: A community-based intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrold, S Akeya; Libet, Julian; Pope, Charlene; Lauerer, Joy A; Johnson, Emily; Edlund, Barbara J

2018-04-01

Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI), experience increased mortality-20 years greater disparity for men and 15 years greater disparity for women-compared to the general population (Thornicroft G. Physical health disparities and mental illness: The scandal of premature mortality. Br J Psychiatr. 2011;199:441-442). Numerous factors contribute to premature mortality in persons with SMI, including suicide and accidental death (Richardson RC, Faulkner G, McDevitt J, Skrinar GS, Hutchinson D, Piette JD. Integrating physical activity into mental health services for persons with serious mental illness. Psychiatr Serv. 2005;56(3):324-331; Thornicroft G. Physical health disparities and mental illness: The scandal of premature mortality. Br J Psychiatr. 2011;199:441-442), but research has shown that adverse health behaviors-including smoking, low rate of physical activity, poor diet, and high alcohol consumption-also significantly contribute to premature deaths (Jones J. Life expectancy in mental illness. Psychiatry Services. 2010. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/07/13/life-expectancy-in-mental-illness). This quality improvement (QI) project sought to improve health and wellness for veterans in the Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program (MHICM), which is a community-based intensive program for veterans with SMI at risk for decompensation and frequent hospitalizations. At the time of this QI project, the program had 69 veterans who were assessed and treated weekly in their homes. The project introduced a pedometer steps intervention adapted from the VA MOVE! Program-a physical activity and weight management program-with the addition of personalized assistance from trained mental health professionals in the veteran's home environment. Because a large percentage of the veterans in the MHICM program had high blood pressure and increased weight, these outcomes were the focus of this project. Through mental health case management involvement and

An internet survey of the characteristics and physical activity of community-dwelling Australian adults with acquired brain injury: Exploring interest in an internet-delivered self-management program focused on physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Taryn M; Dean, Catherine M; Dear, Blake F; Hush, Julia M; Titov, Nickolai

2016-01-01

Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) are more likely to be physically inactive and experience barriers to accessing services to address inactivity. This study was designed to guide the development of an internet-delivered self-management program to increase physical activity after ABI. The aims of this study were to examine the current physical activity status of community-dwelling Australian adults with ABI, the barriers to physical activity they experience and to explore interest an internet-delivered self-management program aimed at increasing physical activity. An online survey of Australian adults with ABI was used to collect information about demographic characteristics; general health; emotional well-being; mobility and physical activity status, and satisfaction; barriers to physical activity; confidence in overcoming barriers, and; interest in an internet self-management program. Data were analyzed descriptively and correlational analyses examined relationships between variables. Data were analyzed from 59 respondents. Over half were not satisfied with their current physical activity status. The most frequently reported barriers were pain/discomfort, fatigue and fear, and confidence to overcome these barriers was very low. Interest in an internet-delivered self-management program was high (74%) and not related to the amount of physical activity, satisfaction with physical activity and mobility status or total number of barriers. Australian adults with ABI are not satisfied with their activity levels and experience barriers in maintaining their physical activity levels. Participants were interested in accessing an internet-delivered self-management program aimed at improving physical activity levels. Therefore such a program warrants development and evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Terrestrial nitrogen-carbon cycle interactions at the global scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaehle, S

2013-07-05

Interactions between the terrestrial nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycles shape the response of ecosystems to global change. However, the global distribution of nitrogen availability and its importance in global biogeochemistry and biogeochemical interactions with the climate system remain uncertain. Based on projections of a terrestrial biosphere model scaling ecological understanding of nitrogen-carbon cycle interactions to global scales, anthropogenic nitrogen additions since 1860 are estimated to have enriched the terrestrial biosphere by 1.3 Pg N, supporting the sequestration of 11.2 Pg C. Over the same time period, CO2 fertilization has increased terrestrial carbon storage by 134.0 Pg C, increasing the terrestrial nitrogen stock by 1.2 Pg N. In 2001-2010, terrestrial ecosystems sequestered an estimated total of 27 Tg N yr(-1) (1.9 Pg C yr(-1)), of which 10 Tg N yr(-1) (0.2 Pg C yr(-1)) are due to anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. Nitrogen availability already limits terrestrial carbon sequestration in the boreal and temperate zone, and will constrain future carbon sequestration in response to CO2 fertilization (regionally by up to 70% compared with an estimate without considering nitrogen-carbon interactions). This reduced terrestrial carbon uptake will probably dominate the role of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle in the climate system, as it accelerates the accumulation of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere. However, increases of N2O emissions owing to anthropogenic nitrogen and climate change (at a rate of approx. 0.5 Tg N yr(-1) per 1°C degree climate warming) will add an important long-term climate forcing.

The effects of a self-esteem program incorporated into health and physical education classes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Hsiang-Ru; Lu, Chang-Ming; Jwo, Jiunn-Chern; Lee, Pi-Hsia; Chou, Wei-Lun; Wen, Wan-Yu

2009-12-01

Self-esteem, a key construct of personality, influences thoughts, actions, and feelings. Adolescence is a critical stage to the development of self-esteem. Taiwan currently offers no self-esteem building curriculum in the public education system. Therefore, incorporating self-esteem-related teaching activities into the existing curriculum represents a feasible approach to enhance self-esteem in middle school students. This study aimed to explore the effects on junior high school students' self-esteem of a self-esteem program incorporated into the general health and physical education curriculum. A quasi-experimental research design was used, and 184 seventh-grade students at two junior high schools in Taipei City were randomly selected and separated into two groups. The experimental group received one 32-week self-esteem program incorporated into their regular health and physical education curriculum, which was administered in three 45-minute-session classes each week. The control group received the regular health and physical education with no specially designed elements. During the week before the intervention began and the week after its conclusion, each participant's global and academic, physical, social, and family self-esteem was assessed. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. For all participants, the experimental group was significantly superior to the control group in respect to physical self-esteem (p = .02). For girls, the experimental group was significantly superior to the control group in family self-esteem (p = .02). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of global self-esteem. This study provides preliminary evidence that incorporating self-esteem activities into the regular school health and physical education curriculum can result in minor effects in students' physical self-esteem and family self-esteem. Findings may provide teachers and school administrators with information to help them design

Ontogenetic shifts in terrestrial reliance of stream-dwelling brown trout

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Sánchez-Hernández

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on terrestrial reliance of brown trout (Salmo trutta and compared it to the potential prey available (macrozoobenthos and drifting invertebrates in three temperate rivers (Galicia, NW Spain, with special emphasis on variations in terrestrial energy intake through the ontogeny of brown trout. Additionally, we paid particular attention to individual variation of terrestrial resource use within and between age classes. Prey items were grouped in four categories: i aquatic invertebrates; ii imagoes of aquatic invertebrates; iii terrestrial invertebrates; and iv fish prey. Next, energy composition was measured according to dry weight-energy equations for each individual in line with above-mentioned prey categories. Our findings illustrate that terrestrial invertebrates appeared to be scarce in the environment, whereas aquatic food resources were rather abundant and accessible. The use of terrestrial invertebrates tended to increase with age, but with a high degree of inter-individual variation in resource use. In fact, the individual reliance of brown trout on terrestrial invertebrates may vary considerably (between 0% and 76.9%. Besides, the frequency of terrestrial foragers, i.e., individuals with terrestrial invertebrates in their stomachs, increased with age, except in one population which had the maximum value in the age-2 class. The acquisition of terrestrial invertebrates thus appears to be a process strongly dependent upon the actual food availability in the environment, but with a high degree of individual variance in resource use within the same age class. Finally, we discuss that terrestrial invertebrates may largely contribute to cover the energy intake of the species, highlighting the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and thereby the importance of riparian canopy cover as a key factor for food supply of stream-dwelling salmonids species.

Priapism caused by 'Tribulus terrestris'.

Science.gov (United States)

Campanelli, M; De Thomasis, R; Tenaglia, R L

2016-01-01

A 36-year-old Caucasian man was diagnosed with a 72-h-lasting priapism that occurred after the assumption of a Herbal supplement based on Tribulus terrestris, which is becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. The patient underwent a cavernoglandular shunt (Ebbehoj shunt) in order to obtain complete detumescence, from which derived negative post-episode outcomes on sexual function. All patients consuming non-FDA-approved alternative supplements such as Tribulus terrestris should be warned about the possible serious side effects.

Photovoltaics. [research and development of terrestrial electric power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, J. L.

1981-01-01

The federal government has sponsored a program of research and development on terrestrial photovoltaic systems that is designed to reduce the costs of such systems through technological advances. There are many potential paths to lower system costs, and successful developments have led to increased private investment in photovoltaics. The prices for photovoltaic collectors and systems that appear to be achievable within this decade offer hope that the systems will soon be attractive in utility applications within the United States. Most of the advances achieved will also be directly applicable to the remote markets in which photovoltaic systems are now commercially successful

How Prospective Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Trainees Rank Residency Training Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Auriemma, Michael J; Whitehair, Curtis L

2018-03-01

Since the inception of the National Resident Matching Program, multiple studies have investigated the factors applicants consider important to ranking prospective residency programs. However, only 2 previous studies focused on prospective physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) trainees, and the most recent of these studies was published in 1993. It is unknown whether these previous studies are reflective of current prospective PM&R residents. To assess various factors that contribute to prospective PM&R residents' decision making in choosing a residency program and compare these findings with previous studies. An anonymous, voluntary questionnaire. A single PM&R residency program. All applicants to a single PM&R residency program. All applicants to our PM&R residency program were invited to participate in a 44-item, 5-point Likert-based questionnaire. Applicants were asked to rate the importance of various factors as they related to constructing their residency rank list. Means and standard deviations were calculated for items included in the survey. A response rate of 26% was obtained, with the responses of 98 applicants (20%) ultimately analyzed. The highest rated factors included "perceived happiness of current residents," "opportunities for hands-on procedure training," "perceived camaraderie among current residents," "perceived camaraderie among faculty and current residents," "perceived quality of current residents," and "perceived work/life balance among current residents." Although male and female respondents demonstrated similar ranking preferences, an apparent difference was detected between how genders rated the importance of "whether the program projects a favorable environment for women" and "whether the program projects a favorable environment for minorities." As compared with previous PM&R applicants, current prospective trainees seem to place greater importance on skill acquisition over didactic teaching. Prospective PM&R residents highly value

Changes in sport and physical activity behavior after participation in easily accessible sporting programs.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ooms, L.; Veenhof, C.

2014-01-01

Introduction: The Dutch government stimulates sport and physical activity opportunities in the neighborhood to make it easier for people to adopt a physically active lifestyle. Seven National Sports Federations (NSFs) were funded to develop easily accessible sporting programs, targeted at groups

Summaries of physical research in the geosciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1986-09-01

The summaries in this document describe the scope of the individual programs and detail the research performed during 1984-1985. The Geosciences Research Program includes research in geology, petrology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology, solar-terrestrial relationships, aeronomy, seismology, and natural resource analysis, including their various subdivisions and interdisciplinary areas.

Resource subsidies between stream and terrestrial ecosystems under global change

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Stefano; Muehlbauer, Jeffrey D.; Marti Roca, Maria Eugenia

2016-01-01

Streams and adjacent terrestrial ecosystems are characterized by permeable boundaries that are crossed by resource subsidies. Although the importance of these subsidies for riverine ecosystems is increasingly recognized, little is known about how they may be influenced by global environmental change. Drawing from available evidence, in this review we propose a conceptual framework to evaluate the effects of global change on the quality and spatiotemporal dynamics of stream–terrestrial subsidies. We illustrate how changes to hydrological and temperature regimes, atmospheric CO2 concentration, land use and the distribution of nonindigenous species can influence subsidy fluxes by affecting the biology and ecology of donor and recipient systems and the physical characteristics of stream–riparian boundaries. Climate-driven changes in the physiology and phenology of organisms with complex life cycles will influence their development time, body size and emergence patterns, with consequences for adjacent terrestrial consumers. Also, novel species interactions can modify subsidy dynamics via complex bottom-up and top-down effects. Given the seasonality and pulsed nature of subsidies, alterations of the temporal and spatial synchrony of resource availability to consumers across ecosystems are likely to result in ecological mismatches that can scale up from individual responses, to communities, to ecosystems. Similarly, altered hydrology, temperature, CO2 concentration and land use will modify the recruitment and quality of riparian vegetation, the timing of leaf abscission and the establishment of invasive riparian species. Along with morphological changes to stream–terrestrial boundaries, these will alter the use and fluxes of allochthonous subsidies associated with stream ecosystems. Future research should aim to understand how subsidy dynamics will be affected by key drivers of global change, including agricultural intensification, increasing water use and biotic

Evaluation of a Peer-Led, Low-Intensity Physical Activity Program for Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Danilea; Teufel, James; Brown, Stephen L.

2014-01-01

Background: Physical inactivity is a primary contributor to decreasing functional physical fitness and increasing chronic disease in older adults. Purpose: This study assessed the health-related benefits of ExerStart for Lay Leaders, a 20-week, community based, peer-led, low-impact exercise program for older adults. ExerStart focuses on aerobic…

Potential Applications of Gosat Based Carbon Budget Products to Refine Terrestrial Ecosystem Model

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, M.; Ichii, K.

2011-12-01

Estimation of carbon exchange in terrestrial ecosystem associates with difficulties due to complex entanglement of physical and biological processes: thus, the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) estimated from simulation often differs among process-based terrestrial ecosystem models. In addition to complexity of the system, validation can only be conducted in a point scale since reliable observation is only available from ground observations. With a lack of large spatial data, extension of model simulation to a global scale results in significant uncertainty in the future carbon balance and climate change. Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), launched by the Japanese space agency (JAXA) in January, 2009, is the 1st operational satellite promised to deliver the net land-atmosphere carbon budget to the terrestrial biosphere research community. Using that information, the model reproducibility of carbon budget is expected to improve: hence, gives a better estimation of the future climate change. This initial analysis is to seek and evaluate the potential applications of GOSAT observation toward the sophistication of terrestrial ecosystem model. The present study was conducted in two processes: site-based analysis using eddy covariance observation data to assess the potential use of terrestrial carbon fluxes (GPP, RE, and NEP) to refine the model, and extension of the point scale analysis to spatial using Carbon Tracker product as a prototype of GOSAT product. In the first phase of the experiment, it was verified that an optimization routine adapted to a terrestrial model, Biome-BGC, yielded the improved result with respect to eddy covariance observation data from AsiaFlux Network. Spatial data sets used in the second phase were consists of GPP from empirical algorithm (e.g. support vector machine), NEP from Carbon Tracker, and RE from the combination of these. These spatial carbon flux estimations was used to refine the model applying the exactly same

New insights in the bacterial spore resistance to extreme terrestrial and extraterrestrial factors

Science.gov (United States)

Moeller, Ralf; Horneck, Gerda; Reitz, Guenther

Based on their unique resistance to various space parameters, Bacillus endospores are one of the model systems used for astrobiological studies. The extremely high resistance of bacterial endospores to environmental stress factors has intrigued researchers since long time and many characteristic spore features, especially those involved in the protection of spore DNA, have already been uncovered. The disclosure of the complete genomic sequence of Bacillus subtilis 168, one of the often used astrobiological model system, and the rapid development of tran-scriptional microarray techniques have opened new opportunities of gaining further insights in the enigma of spore resistance. Spores of B. subtilis were exposed to various extreme ter-restrial and extraterrestrial stressors to reach a better understanding of the DNA protection and repair strategies, which them to cope with the induced DNA damage. Following physical stress factors of environmental importance -either on Earth or in space -were selected for this thesis: (i) mono-and polychromatic UV radiation, (ii) ionizing radiation, (iii) exposure to ultrahigh vacuum; and (iv) high shock pressures simulating meteorite impacts. To reach a most comprehensive understanding of spore resistance to those harsh terrestrial or simulated extraterrestrial conditions, a standardized experimental protocol of the preparation and ana-lyzing methods was established including the determination of the following spore responses: (i) survival, (ii) induced mutations, (iii) DNA damage, (iv) role of different repair pathways by use of a set of repair deficient mutants, and (v) transcriptional responses during spore germi-nation by use of genome-wide transcriptome analyses and confirmation by RT-PCR. From this comprehensive set of data on spore resistance to a variety of environmental stress parameters a model of a "built-in" transcriptional program of bacterial spores in response to DNA damaging treatments to ensure DNA restoration

Some calculator programs for particle physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wohl, C.G.

1982-01-01

Seven calculator programs that do simple chores that arise in elementary particle physics are given. LEGENDRE evaluates the Legendre polynomial series Σa/sub n/P/sub n/(x) at a series of values of x. ASSOCIATED LEGENDRE evaluates the first-associated Legendre polynomial series Σb/sub n/P/sub n/ 1 (x) at a series of values of x. CONFIDENCE calculates confidence levels for chi 2 , Gaussian, or Poisson probability distributions. TWO BODY calculates the c.m. energy, the initial- and final-state c.m. momenta, and the extreme values of t and u for a 2-body reaction. ELLIPSE calculates coordinates of points for drawing an ellipse plot showing the kinematics of a 2-body reaction or decay. DALITZ RECTANGULAR calculates coordinates of points on the boundary of a rectangular Dalitz plot. DALITZ TRIANGULAR calculates coordinates of points on the boundary of a triangular Dalitz plot. There are short versions of CONFIDENCE (EVEN N and POISSON) that calculate confidence levels for the even-degree-of-freedom-chi 2 and the Poisson cases, and there is a short version of TWO BODY (CM) that calculates just the c.m. energy and initial-state momentum. The programs are written for the HP-97 calculator

Durable terrestrial bedrock predicts submarine canyon formation

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Elliot; Finnegan, Noah J.; Mueller, Erich R.; Best, Rebecca J.

2017-01-01

Though submarine canyons are first-order topographic features of Earth, the processes responsible for their occurrence remain poorly understood. Potentially analogous studies of terrestrial rivers show that the flux and caliber of transported bedload are significant controls on bedrock incision. Here we hypothesize that coarse sediment load could exert a similar role in the formation of submarine canyons. We conducted a comprehensive empirical analysis of canyon occurrence along the West Coast of the contiguous United States which indicates that submarine canyon occurrence is best predicted by the occurrence of durable crystalline bedrock in adjacent terrestrial catchments. Canyon occurrence is also predicted by the flux of bed sediment to shore from terrestrial streams. Surprisingly, no significant correlation was observed between canyon occurrence and the slope or width of the continental shelf. These findings suggest that canyon incision is promoted by greater yields of durable terrestrial clasts to the shore.

Shared use of school facilities with community organizations and afterschool physical activity program participation: a cost-benefit assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanters, Michael A; Bocarro, Jason N; Filardo, Mary; Edwards, Michael B; McKenzie, Thomas L; Floyd, Myron F

2014-05-01

Partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations to share school facilities during afterschool hours can be an effective strategy for increasing physical activity. However, the perceived cost of shared use has been noted as an important reason for restricting community access to schools. This study examined shared use of middle school facilities, the amount and type of afterschool physical activity programs provided at middle schools together with the costs of operating the facilities. Afterschool programs were assessed for frequency, duration, and type of structured physical activity programs provided and the number of boys and girls in each program. School operating costs were used to calculate a cost per student and cost per building square foot measure. Data were collected at all 30 middle schools in a large school district over 12 months in 2010-2011. Policies that permitted more use of school facilities for community-sponsored programs increased participation in afterschool programs without a significant increase in operating expenses. These results suggest partnerships between schools and other community agencies to share facilities and create new opportunities for afterschool physical activity programs are a promising health promotion strategy. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Changes in Men's Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Knowledge and Behavior as a Result of Program Exposure: Findings From the Workplace POWERPLAY Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Caperchione, Cristina M; Stolp, Sean; Bottorff, Joan L; Oliffe, John L; Johnson, Steven T; Seaton, Cherisse; Sharp, Paul; Jones-Bricker, Margaret; Lamont, Sonia; Errey, Sally; Healy, Theresa; Medhurst, Kerensa; Christian, Holly; Klitch, Megan

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in physical activity and healthy eating knowledge and behaviors associated with the level of exposure to POWERPLAY, a men-centered workplace health promotion program. This study is based on a quasi-experimental prepost design. Using a computer assisted telephone interview survey, data regarding program exposure and physical activity and health eating knowledge and behaviors were collected from men (N = 103) in 4 workplaces. Exposure scores were calculated and participants were categorized as having low (n = 54) or high exposure (n = 49) to POWERPLAY. Compared with the low exposure group, those reporting high exposure scored significantly higher on physical activity knowledge (F (1, 99) =14.17, P workplace health promotion approach and may have an even greater impact when program exposure is augmented with environmental and policy changes.

Tribulus terrestris Extract Improves Human Sperm Parameters In Vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Khaleghi, Sara; Bakhtiari, Mitra; Asadmobini, Atefeh; Esmaeili, Farzane

2016-01-01

Objective. The object of present study was to investigate the effects of direct addition of Tribulus terrestris extract on human sperm parameters. Design. Semen specimens from 40 healthy men volunteers were divided into 4 groups: one group received no treatment (control group) while the others were incubated with 20, 40, and 50 µg/mL of T terrestris extract (experimental groups). Motility, viability, and DNA fragmentation were assessed in all groups. Results. The incubation of human semen with 40 and 50 μg/mL of T terrestris extract significantly enhanced total sperm motility, number of progressive motile spermatozoa, and curvilinear velocity over 60 to 120 minutes’ holding time (P terrestris extract (P terrestris extract to human sperm could affect male fertility capacity. PMID:27694560

Tribulus terrestris Extract Improves Human Sperm Parameters In Vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Khaleghi, Sara; Bakhtiari, Mitra; Asadmobini, Atefeh; Esmaeili, Farzane

2016-09-30

The object of present study was to investigate the effects of direct addition of Tribulus terrestris extract on human sperm parameters. Semen specimens from 40 healthy men volunteers were divided into 4 groups: one group received no treatment (control group) while the others were incubated with 20, 40, and 50 µg/mL of T terrestris extract (experimental groups). Motility, viability, and DNA fragmentation were assessed in all groups. The incubation of human semen with 40 and 50 μg/mL of T terrestris extract significantly enhanced total sperm motility, number of progressive motile spermatozoa, and curvilinear velocity over 60 to 120 minutes' holding time (P terrestris extract (P terrestris extract to human sperm could affect male fertility capacity. © The Author(s) 2016.

Utilization of ISS to Develop and Test Operational Concepts and Hardware for Low-Gravity Terrestrial EVA

Science.gov (United States)

Gast, Matthew A.

2010-01-01

NASA has considerable experience in two areas of Extravehicular Activities (EVA). The first can be defined as microgravity, orbital EVAs. This consists of everything done in low Earth orbit (LEO), from the early, proof of concept EVAs conducted during the Gemini program of the 1960s, to the complex International Space Station (ISS) assembly tasks of the first decade of the 21st century. The second area of expertise is comprised of those EVAs conducted on the lunar surface, under a gravitational force one-sixth that of Earth. This EVA expertise encapsulates two extremes - microgravity and Earthlike gravitation - but is insufficient as humans expand their exploration purview, most notably with respect to spacewalks conducted on very low-gravity bodies, such as near- Earth objects (NEO) and the moons of Mars. The operational and technical challenges of this category of EVA have yet to be significantly examined, and as such, only a small number of operational concepts have been proposed thus far. To ensure mission success, however, EVA techniques must be developed and vetted to allow the selection of operational concepts that can be utilized across an assortment of destinations whose physical characteristics vary. This paper examines the utilization of ISS-based EVAs to test operational concepts and hardware in preparation for a low-gravity terrestrial EVA. While the ISS cannot mimic some of the fundamental challenges of a low-gravity terrestrial EVA - such as rotation rate and surface composition - it may be the most effective test bed available.

General design methodology applied to the research domain of physical programming for computer illiterate

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Smith, Andrew C

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The authors discuss the application of the 'general design methodology‘ in the context of a physical computing project. The aim of the project was to design and develop physical objects that could serve as metaphors for computer programming elements...

The D0 Upgrade Program and its physics potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rijssenbeek, M.

1992-10-01

The Fermilab Collider will be upgraded in a series of steps over the coming five years, with a 50-fold luminosity increase and shortening of the bunch crossing time from 3.5 μs to 400 ns. These changes in environment necessitate changes in several of the D0 detectors, their electronics and the triggers. In addition, we expect that with the large increase in accumulated luminosity and based upon the analysis of data from the first few runs, new physics opportunities shall be available. This evolution of the physics program in the era preceeding the SSC also affects the choices for the D0 upgrade. The upgraded detector which has been proposed and partially approved will be motivated and described

Fluid Physical and Transport Phenomena Studies aboard the International Space Station: Planned Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bhim S.

1999-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the microgravity fluid physics and transport phenomena experiments planned for the International Spare Station. NASA's Office of Life and Microgravity Science and Applications has established a world-class research program in fluid physics and transport phenomena. This program combines the vast expertise of the world research community with NASA's unique microgravity facilities with the objectives of gaining new insight into fluid phenomena by removing the confounding effect of gravity. Due to its criticality to many terrestrial and space-based processes and phenomena, fluid physics and transport phenomena play a central role in the NASA's Microgravity Program. Through widely publicized research announcement and well established peer-reviews, the program has been able to attract a number of world-class researchers and acquired a critical mass of investigations that is now adding rapidly to this field. Currently there arc a total of 106 ground-based and 20 candidate flight principal investigators conducting research in four major thrust areas in the program: complex flows, multiphase flow and phase change, interfacial phenomena, and dynamics and instabilities. The International Space Station (ISS) to be launched in 1998, provides the microgravity research community with a unprecedented opportunity to conduct long-duration microgravity experiments which can be controlled and operated from the Principal Investigators' own laboratory. Frequent planned shuttle flights to the Station will provide opportunities to conduct many more experiments than were previously possible. NASA Lewis Research Center is in the process of designing a Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) to be located in the Laboratory Module of the ISS that will not only accommodate multiple users but, allow a broad range of fluid physics and transport phenomena experiments to be conducted in a cost effective manner.

Study of author’s applied physical training program for military officers-graduates of reserve officers’ departments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.I. Yavorskyy

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to test effectiveness of applied physical training program for military officers, called up to military service after graduation from reserve officers’ departments. Material: the research was conducted on the base of Educational center 184 from June 2014 to December 2015. In the research 80 military officers participated (n=30 - graduates of military higher educational establishments; n=26, n=24 - graduates of reserve officers’ departments of 22-27 years’ age. Results: we fulfilled analysis of military officers’ physical fitness by exercises, which characterize general physical fitness and military applied skills (100 meters’ run, chin ups, 3000 meters’ run, passing obstacles course, grenade throws for distance and for accuracy, 5 km march-rush. We worked out the program, the essence of which implies ensuring of physical fitness and acceleration of reserve officers-graduates’ adaptation to professional (combat functioning. Conclusions: it was proved that implementation of the author’s program influenced positively on perfection of general physical qualities and military applied skills of military officers-graduated of reserve officers’ departments (р-0.05-0.001.

Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of Tribulus Terrestris

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harraz, Fathalla M; Ghazy, Nabila M; Hammoda, Hala M; Nafeaa, Abeer A.; Abdallah, Ingy I.

2015-01-01

Tribulus terrestris L. has been used in folk medicine throughout history. The present study examined the acute toxicity of the total ethanolic extract of T. Terrestris followed by investigation of the hepatoprotective activity of the total ethanolic extract and different fractions of the aerial

Debris disks as signposts of terrestrial planet formation

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, S. N.; Armitage, P. J.; Moro-Martín, A.; Booth, M.; Wyatt, M. C.; Armstrong, J. C.; Mandell, A. M.; Selsis, F.; West, A. A.

2011-06-01

There exists strong circumstantial evidence from their eccentric orbits that most of the known extra-solar planetary systems are the survivors of violent dynamical instabilities. Here we explore the effect of giant planet instabilities on the formation and survival of terrestrial planets. We numerically simulate the evolution of planetary systems around Sun-like stars that include three components: (i) an inner disk of planetesimals and planetary embryos; (ii) three giant planets at Jupiter-Saturn distances; and (iii) an outer disk of planetesimals comparable to estimates of the primitive Kuiper belt. We calculate the dust production and spectral energy distribution of each system by assuming that each planetesimal particle represents an ensemble of smaller bodies in collisional equilibrium. Our main result is a strong correlation between the evolution of the inner and outer parts of planetary systems, i.e. between the presence of terrestrial planets and debris disks. Strong giant planet instabilities - that produce very eccentric surviving planets - destroy all rocky material in the system, including fully-formed terrestrial planets if the instabilities occur late, and also destroy the icy planetesimal population. Stable or weakly unstable systems allow terrestrial planets to accrete in their inner regions and significant dust to be produced in their outer regions, detectable at mid-infrared wavelengths as debris disks. Stars older than ~100 Myr with bright cold dust emission (in particular at λ ~ 70 μm) signpost dynamically calm environments that were conducive to efficient terrestrial accretion. Such emission is present around ~16% of billion-year old Solar-type stars. Our simulations yield numerous secondary results: 1) the typical eccentricities of as-yet undetected terrestrial planets are ~0.1 but there exists a novel class of terrestrial planet system whose single planet undergoes large amplitude oscillations in orbital eccentricity and inclination; 2) by

Marine modification of terrestrial influences on Gulf hypoxia: Part II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This study examines potential marine modification of two classes of terrestrial influence on Gulf hypoxia: (1 the flow of nutrient-rich water from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin and (2 the massive physical, hydrological, chemical and biological change associated with the Atchafalaya’s partial capture of the Mississippi River. The latter involves repartitioning of a total flow of about 20 000 m3 sec−1, equal to that of 13 Nile Rivers, and a sediment load of 210 million metric tonnes yr−1,nearly 20 times that delivered by all of the rivers of the East Coast of the USA. Also involved is the loss of hundreds-to-thousands of years of stored nutrients and organic matter to the Gulf from enormous coastal wetland loss. This study found that the oceanography of the Gulf minimises the impact of both classes of terrestrial influence from the Mississippi River and its nearby estuaries on Gulf hypoxia. Oceanographic conditions give events associated with the Atchafalaya River a disproportionately large influence on Gulf hypoxia. A truly holistic environmental approach which includes the full effects of this highly dynamic coastal area is recommended to better understand and control Gulf hypoxia.

Improved physical fitness among older female participants in a nationally disseminated, community-based exercise program.

Science.gov (United States)

Seguin, Rebecca A; Heidkamp-Young, Eleanor; Kuder, Julia; Nelson, Miriam E

2012-04-01

Strength training (ST) is an important health behavior for aging women; it helps maintain strength and function and reduces risk for chronic diseases. This study assessed change in physical fitness following participation in a ST program implemented and evaluated by community leaders. The StrongWomen Program is a nationally disseminated, research-based, community ST program active in 40 states. The Senior Fitness Test is used to assess upper and lower body strength, upper and lower body flexibility, aerobic fitness, and agility; data are collected prior to and following program participation. For these analyses, five states provided deidentified data for 367 female participants, mean age 63 (±11) years. Attendance in approximately 10 weeks of twice-weekly classes was 69.4%. Paired t tests were used to analyze pre-post change. Significant improvements were observed (p age-group and compared with published, age-based norms. This study demonstrates that it is feasible for community leaders to conduct pre-post physical fitness evaluations with participants and that participants experienced improvements across several important domains of physical fitness.

Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) Technology Development Program Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, B. Thai; Clampin, M.; Werneth, R. L.

2014-01-01

The Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) Program Office was established in FY11 and resides at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The office serves as the implementation arm for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters for PCOS Program related matters. We present an overview of the Program’s technology management activities and the Program’s technology development portfolio. We discuss the process for addressing community-provided technology needs and the Technology Management Board (TMB)-vetted prioritization and investment recommendations. This process improves the transparency and relevance of technology investments, provides the community a voice in the process, and leverages the technology investments of external organizations by defining a need and a customer. Goals for the PCOS Program envisioned by the National Research Council’s (NRC) “New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics” (NWNH) Decadal Survey report include science missions and technology development for dark energy, gravitational waves, X-ray, and inflation probe science.

Enhancement of daily physical activity increases physical fitness of outclinic COPD patients : Results of an exercise counseling program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hospes, Gieneke; Bossenbroek, Linda; ten Hacken, Nick H. T.; van Hengel, Peter; de Greef, Mathieu H. G.

Objective: To investigate whether a 12-week pedometer-based exercise counseling strategy is feasible and effectively enhances daily physical activity in outclinic Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients who do not participate in a rehabilitation program in a controlled way. Methods: 35

The fragmentation of Pangaea and Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Vavrek, Matthew J

2016-09-01

During the Mesozoic (242-66 million years ago), terrestrial regions underwent a massive shift in their size, position and connectivity. At the beginning of the era, the land masses were joined into a single supercontinent called Pangaea. However, by the end of the Mesozoic, terrestrial regions had become highly fragmented, both owing to the drifting apart of the continental plates and the extremely high sea levels that flooded and divided many regions. How terrestrial biodiversity was affected by this fragmentation and large-scale flooding of the Earth's landmasses is uncertain. Based on a model using the species-area relationship (SAR), terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity would be expected to nearly double through the Mesozoic owing to continental fragmentation, despite a decrease of 24% in total terrestrial area. Previous studies of Mesozoic vertebrates have generally found increases in terrestrial diversity towards the end of the era, although these increases are often attributed to intrinsic or climatic factors. Instead, continental fragmentation over this time may largely explain any observed increase in terrestrial biodiversity. This study demonstrates the importance that non-intrinsic effects can have on the taxonomic success of a group, and the importance of geography to understanding past biodiversity. © 2016 The Author(s).

Long-term student outcomes of the Integrated Nutrition and Physical Activity Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Puma, Jini; Romaniello, Catherine; Crane, Lori; Scarbro, Sharon; Belansky, Elaine; Marshall, Julie A

2013-01-01

To examine the long-term effects of the Integrated Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (INPAP), a school-based nutrition education program. Quasi-experimental design comparing intervention and comparison cohorts at 3-6 years after delivery of the INPAP intervention on nutrition- and physical activity-related outcomes. This study was conducted in 1 school district in a low-income rural county of ∼15,000 residents in south-central Colorado. In second grade, intervention and comparison cohorts included 173 (fall 2000) and 190 (fall 1999) students, respectively. Approximately 60% of these students completed assessments in eighth grade. INPAP is an experiential school-based nutrition education program, grounded in social cognitive theory and Piaget's cognitive development theory and adapted for use in a rural setting. Nutrition and physical activity knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes and behaviors, body mass index. Wilcoxon signed rank test, chi-square test for proportions, and t test for means. Long-term effects were observed in nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes but not self-efficacy or behavior change. The effects that did occur were attenuated over time. This study found that INPAP implemented in elementary school had limited lasting effects by the end of middle school, a time when students have increased autonomy to make food choices. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accelerator mass analyses of meteorites - carbon-14 terrestrial ages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Y.; Rucklidge, J.; Beukens, R.; Fireman, E.

1988-01-01

Carbon-14 terrestrial ages of ten Antarctic meteorites have been measured by the IsoTrace accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The 14 C terrestrial age of 1 gram sample was determined from 14 C concentrations collected at melt and re-melt temperatures, compared with the 14 C concentration of the known Bruderheim chondrite. Yamato-790448 (LL3) chondrite was found to be the oldest terrestrial age of 3x10 4 years in the nine Yamato chondrites, whereas Yamato-791630 (L4) chondrite is considered to be the youngest chondrites less than thousand years. Allan Hills chondrite of ALH-77231 (L6) shows older terrestrial age than the nine Yamato chondrites. New accelerator data of the terrestrial age show higher accuracy with smaller sample than the previous counting method. (author)

Subject-3: Study on migration of radionuclides released into terrestrial and aquatic environment after nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amano, H.; Matsunaga, T.; Ueno, T.; Nagao, S.; Yanase, N.; Tkachenko, Yu.

2001-01-01

Subject-3 has been focused on the migration behavior of long-lived radionuclides in the terrestrial surface environment, especially in connection with their chemical and physical forms. Migration behavior of radionuclides is strongly affected with their chemical and physical forms (for example; Gunten and Benes 1995). One of the two categories in Subject-3 consists of migration from surface soils including aging effects of hot particles, plant uptake from contaminated soils, and resuspension of radionuclides. The other is run off by river system, considering the role of organic materials. (author)

Subject-3: Study on migration of radionuclides released into terrestrial and aquatic environment after nuclear accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amano, H.; Matsunaga, T.; Ueno, T.; Nagao, S.; Yanase, N. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Arkhipov, A.N. [Chernobyl Scientific and Technical Center for International Research (Ukraine); Tkachenko, Yu. [The State Enterprise Regional Monitoring and Domestic Control (RADEC) (Unknown)

2001-03-01

Subject-3 has been focused on the migration behavior of long-lived radionuclides in the terrestrial surface environment, especially in connection with their chemical and physical forms. Migration behavior of radionuclides is strongly affected with their chemical and physical forms (for example; Gunten and Benes 1995). One of the two categories in Subject-3 consists of migration from surface soils including aging effects of hot particles, plant uptake from contaminated soils, and resuspension of radionuclides. The other is run off by river system, considering the role of organic materials. (author)

Structure of the terrestrial planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyttleton, R.A.

1977-01-01

Recent reviews (cf. Runcorn, 1968; or Cook, 1972, 1975) on the structure of the planets omit reference to the phase-change hypothesis for the nature of the terrestrial core, despite that numerous prior predictions of the theory based on this hypothesis have subsequently been borne out as correct. These reviews also ignore the existence of theoretical calculations of the internal structure of Venus which can be computed with high accuracy by use of the terrestrial seismic data. Several examples of numerous mistakes committed in these reviews are pointed out. (Auth.)

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: a process evaluation of a female youth-driven physical activity-based life skills program.

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, Corliss N; Forneris, Tanya; Halsall, Tanya

2014-01-01

Integrating a positive youth development framework into physical activity programming has become popular as it is believed that this integration can create the development of both physical and psychosocial skills. However, there has been a lack of intervention fidelity research within the field of positive youth development. The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun program was designed in response to increased calls for physical activity programs for female youth and is a theoretically-grounded physical activity-based life skills program that aims to empower female youth. The purpose of this paper was to provide a detailed description of the program and a process evaluation of the first year of program implementation. From interviews with youth and leaders, as well as documentation from the leaders' weekly online log of each implemented session, themes emerged regarding the successes. Findings from this study indicated that program goals were attained and it appears that the program was implemented, for the most part, as designed. The themes related to successes included using activities to facilitate relational time, providing intentional opportunities for leadership, having communicative program leaders who supported one another, and engaging youth in different types of physical activity. The themes related to challenges included difficulties with facility and transportation, some activities being too much like schoolwork, and social distractions and cliques. Included in the paper is a discussion of practical implications and recommendations for community programmers, as well as future directions for the program. Overall, this process evaluation represents an important step in responding to calls for increased evaluation in community-based programs and aids in understanding the process in which positive youth development programs can be effectively implemented.

Fusion programs in applied plasma physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-02-01

The objectives of the theoretical science program are: To support the interpretation of present experiments and predict the outcome of future planned experiments; to improve on existing models and codes and validate against experimental results; and to conduct theoretical physics development of advanced concepts with applications for DIII-D and future devices. Major accomplishments in FY91 include the corroboration between theory and experiment on MHD behavior in the second stable regime of operation on DIII-D, and the frequency and mode structure of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes in high beta, shaped plasmas. We have made significant advances in the development of the gyro-Landau fluid approach to turbulence simulation which more accurately models kinetic drive and damping mechanisms. Several theoretical models to explain the bifurcation phenomenon in L- to H-mode transition were proposed providing the theoretical basis for future experimental verification. The capabilities of new rf codes have been upgraded in response to the expanding needs of the rf experiments. Codes are being employed to plan for a fully non-inductive current drive experiment in a high beta, enhanced confinement regime. GA's experimental effort in Applied Physics encompasses two advanced diagnostics essential for the operation of future fusion experiments: Alpha particle diagnostic, and current and density profile diagnostics. This paper discusses research in all these topics

Community Decadal Panel for Terrestrial Analogs to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, N. G.; Farr, T.; Baker, V. R.; Bridges, N.; Carsey, F.; Duxbury, N.; Gilmore, M. S.; Green, J. R.; Grin, E.; Hansen, V.; Keszthelyi, L.; Lanagan, P.; Lentz, R.; Marinangeli, L.; Morris, P. A.; Ori, G. G.; Paillou, P.; Robinson, C.; Thomson, B.

2001-11-01

It is well recognized that interpretations of Mars must begin with the Earth as a reference. The most successful comparisons have focused on understanding geologic processes on the Earth well enough to extrapolate to Mars' environment. Several facets of terrestrial analog studies have been pursued and are continuing. These studies include field workshops, characterization of terrestrial analog sites for Mars, instrument tests, laboratory measurements (including analysis of martian meteorites), and computer and laboratory modeling. The combination of all these activities allows scientists to constrain the processes operating in specific terrestrial environments and extrapolate how similar processes could affect Mars. The Terrestrial Analogs for Mars Community Panel is considering the following two key questions: (1) How do terrestrial analog studies tie in to the MEPAG science questions about life, past climate, and geologic evolution of Mars, and (2) How can future instrumentation be used to address these questions. The panel is considering the issues of data collection, value of field workshops, data archiving, laboratory measurements and modeling, human exploration issues, association with other areas of solar system exploration, and education and public outreach activities.

Assessment of the possible contribution of space ties on-board GNSS satellites to the terrestrial reference frame

Science.gov (United States)

Bruni, Sara; Rebischung, Paul; Zerbini, Susanna; Altamimi, Zuheir; Errico, Maddalena; Santi, Efisio

2018-04-01

The realization of the international terrestrial reference frame (ITRF) is currently based on the data provided by four space geodetic techniques. The accuracy of the different technique-dependent materializations of the frame physical parameters (origin and scale) varies according to the nature of the relevant observables and to the impact of technique-specific errors. A reliable computation of the ITRF requires combining the different inputs, so that the strengths of each technique can compensate for the weaknesses of the others. This combination, however, can only be performed providing some additional information which allows tying together the independent technique networks. At present, the links used for that purpose are topometric surveys (local/terrestrial ties) available at ITRF sites hosting instruments of different techniques. In principle, a possible alternative could be offered by spacecrafts accommodating the positioning payloads of multiple geodetic techniques realizing their co-location in orbit (space ties). In this paper, the GNSS-SLR space ties on-board GPS and GLONASS satellites are thoroughly examined in the framework of global reference frame computations. The investigation focuses on the quality of the realized physical frame parameters. According to the achieved results, the space ties on-board GNSS satellites cannot, at present, substitute terrestrial ties in the computation of the ITRF. The study is completed by a series of synthetic simulations investigating the impact that substantial improvements in the volume and quality of SLR observations to GNSS satellites would have on the precision of the GNSS frame parameters.

AFRL’s ALREST Physics-Based Combustion Stability Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-08

enduring challenge because of the inherent complexities in the physics of multiphase turbulent flames. The present paper provides the Air Force...Combustor F i d e l i t y URANS LES Steady RANS HLES Current SOA Capability with 2000 cores Capability at Program End in 2015 (2,000 cores+GPUs) Capability...Unlimited ALREST Validation Cases “Final Exam ” Hydrogen Stable Single Element (PSU) Stable Single Element Methane (Singla) Supercritical Non

Fear of falling and self-perception of health in older participants and non-participants of physical activity programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Kruleske da Silva

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Fear of falling, self-perception of health, and participation in physical activity programs have been associated with several variables related to health and performance in older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate self-perception of health and fear of falling in older adult participants and non-participants of physical activity programs, and to verify the relationship between these variables. A total of 40 healthy but sedentary older adults, and 45 physically active older adults were assessed through the Falls Efficacy Scale International-Brazil (FES-I and a questionnaire that measured their self-perception of health. The older adults that did not participate in regular physical activity programs presented higher scores of fear of falling, which, in turn, is associated with an increase of risk for falls. Moreover, older adults, participants in regular physical activity programs exhibited a more positive health perception than did the non-participants. Also, non-participants of physical activity programs perceived their health status as being poor or very poor as well as expressing great concern about falling compared to those who considered their health as excellent, good or regular. The results of this study have important implications for making clinical decisions in prevention or rehabilitation of older people, and they justify recommendations to the public health system.

The California active aging community grant program: translating science into practice to promote physical activity in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooker, Steven P; Seavey, William; Weidmer, Curtiss E; Harvey, Danielle J; Stewart, Anita L; Gillis, Dawn E; Nicholl, Katrina Lennea; King, Abby C

2005-06-01

Attempts to study the translation of evidence-based physical activity interventions in community settings are scarce. This project was an investigation of whether 13 diverse local lead agencies could effectively implement a choice-based, telephone-assisted physical activity promotion program for older adults based on intervention models proven efficacious in research settings. At baseline, participants developed their own physical activity programs through an individualized planning session based on preference, health status, readiness to change, and available community resources. Thereafter, participants received regular telephone calls over a 1-year period from a trained staff member or volunteer support buddy. Additional program components consisted of health education workshops, newsletters, and group-based physical activities. Self-report data on caloric expenditure due to all and moderate or greater intensity physical activities were collected from 447 participants (M age = 68 +/- 8.6 years). A significant increase (p activity duration and frequency. These changes were observed in participants across all sites. The increases in weekly caloric expenditure were commensurate with findings from several previous randomized clinical trials. The utilization of community agency staff and volunteers receiving basic training to implement essential program components proved feasible. Very favorable levels of program satisfaction expressed by community staff, volunteer support buddies, and participants, combined with the significant increases in physical activity, warrant further dissemination of the intervention model.

Terrestrial magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pande, D.C.; Agarwal, D.C.

1982-01-01

This paper presents a review about terrestrial magnetosphere. During the last few years considerable investigation have been carried out about the properties of Solar Wind and its interaction with planetary magnetic fields. It is therefore of high importance to accumulate all the investigations in a comprehensive form. The paper reviews the property of earth's magnetosphere, magnetosheath, magneto pause, polar cusps, bow shook and plasma sheath. (author)

The effectiveness of a peer-mentored older adult fitness program on perceived physical, mental, and social function.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorgo, Sandor; Robinson, Kristynia M; Bader, Julia

2009-02-01

The purpose of this research was to compare changes in perceived physical, mental, and social function measured by the Short Form-36 (SF36vr2) in a group of older adults who were trained by peer mentors (PMs) versus a similar group trained by qualified kinesiology student mentors (SMs). We conducted a two-arm repeated measures longitudinal intervention and collected data for 87 PM and 44 SM participants. Pre- and post-training subscale scores were computed for all eight subscales and the two summary physical and mental component scores. The percentage differences in the 10 scores were used as the response variables. After a 14-week physical fitness intervention, perceived physical, mental, and social functioning improved significantly (p .06). Thus, older adults who participated in a physical fitness program with peer support perceived (a) overall improvement in physical and mental well-being; (b) better social functioning, (c) enhanced ability to carry out physical and emotional roles, (d) improved general health, and (e) increased level of vitality. Thus, we conclude that peer-mentored exercise programs for older adults are superior to programs mentored by young professionals and may lead to increased adherence. Nurse practitioners routinely prescribe exercise while educating older adults about the benefits of an active lifestyle; however, older adults often remain sedentary and exhibit poor adherence to exercise. One potential solution is to use peer support. Two factors that can improve adherence are availability of structured exercise programs for the older adult and peer mentoring.

Introduced Terrestrial Species (Future)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — These data represent predicted future potential distributions of terrestrial plants, animals, and pathogens non-native to the Middle-Atlantic region. These data are...

TERRESTRIAL, HABITABLE-ZONE EXOPLANET FREQUENCY FROM KEPLER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Traub, Wesley A.

2012-01-01

Data from Kepler's first 136 days of operation are analyzed to determine the distribution of exoplanets with respect to radius, period, and host-star spectral type. The analysis is extrapolated to estimate the percentage of terrestrial, habitable-zone (HZ) exoplanets. The Kepler census is assumed to be complete for bright stars (magnitude 0.5 Earth radius and periods β–1 , with β ≅ 0.71 ± 0.08; and an extrapolation to longer periods gives the frequency of terrestrial planets in the HZs of FGK stars as η ⊕ ≅ (34 ± 14)%. Thus about one-third of FGK stars are predicted to have at least one terrestrial, HZ planet.

Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas - CETUP*2013 Summer Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szczerbinska, Barbara [Dakota State Univ., Madison, SD (United States)

2014-06-01

In response to an increasing interest in experiments conducted at deep underground facilities around the world, in 2010 the theory community has proposed a new initiative - a Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas (CETUP*). The main goal of CETUP* is to bring together people with different talents and skills to address the most exciting questions in particle and nuclear physics, astrophysics, geosciences, and geomicrobiology. Scientists invited to participate in the program do not only provide theoretical support to the underground science, they also examine underlying universal questions of the 21^st century including: What is dark matter?, What are the masses of neutrinos?, How have neutrinos shaped the evolution of the universe?, How were the elements from iron to uranium made?, What is the origin and thermal history of the Earth? The mission of the CETUP* is to promote an organized research in physics, astrophysics, geoscience, geomicrobiology and other fields related to the underground science via individual and collaborative research in dynamic atmosphere of intense scientific interactions. Our main goal is to bring together scientists scattered around the world, promote the deep underground science and provide a stimulating environment for creative thinking and open communication between researches of varying ages and nationalities. CETUP*2014 included 5 week long program (June 24 – July 26, 2013) covering various theoretical and experimental aspects of Dark Matter, Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics. Two week long session focused on Dark Matter (June 24-July 6) was followed by two week long program on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics (July 15-26). The VII^th International Conference on Interconnections between Particle Physics and Cosmology (PPC) was sandwiched between these sessions (July 8-13) covering the subjects of dark matter, neutrino physics, gravitational waves, collider physics and other from both

The Stoplight Program: A Proactive Physical Therapy Intervention for Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, Lynn; Sencer, Susan; Hooke, Mary C

Chemotherapy may cause neuromuscular impairments that can have life-long effects. The Stoplight Program (SLP) was developed as a proactive physical therapy (PT) intervention directed at impairments in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In this program evaluation, we assessed the feasibility of the SLP delivered as part of standard care and identified body function and activity patterns in patients who received the intervention. Children ages 1 to 22 years, diagnosed with ALL, received an assessment by a physical therapist as part of usual care. The SLP intervention used 3 levels to categorize the impairment levels and intensity of PT. Of the children (n = 135) screened, 46% completed 5 intervention visits and 32% completed the program and met discharge criteria. At initial assessment, 46% of children ages 1 to 5 years and 67% of children ages 6 to 22 years had abnormal motor function. Those completing the program tested within the healthy norms. Research is needed on variables that influence adherence to a PT program and the range of functional impairment and activity limitations in this population.

The computational physics program of the National MFE Computer Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirin, A.A.

1988-01-01

The principal objective of the Computational Physics Group is to develop advanced numerical models for the investigation of plasma phenomena and the simulation of present and future magnetic confinement devices. Another major objective of the group is to develop efficient algorithms and programming techniques for current and future generation of supercomputers. The computational physics group is involved in several areas of fusion research. One main area is the application of Fokker-Planck/quasilinear codes to tokamaks. Another major area is the investigation of resistive magnetohydrodynamics in three dimensions, with applications to compact toroids. Another major area is the investigation of kinetic instabilities using a 3-D particle code. This work is often coupled with the task of numerically generating equilibria which model experimental devices. Ways to apply statistical closure approximations to study tokamak-edge plasma turbulence are being examined. In addition to these computational physics studies, the group has developed a number of linear systems solvers for general classes of physics problems and has been making a major effort at ascertaining how to efficiently utilize multiprocessor computers

Spatial vision in Bombus terrestris

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aravin eChakravarthi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Bombus terrestris is one of the most commonly used insect models to investigate visually guided behavior and spatial vision in particular. Two fundamental measures of spatial vision are spatial resolution and contrast sensitivity. In this study, we report the threshold of spatial resolution in B. terrestris and characterize the contrast sensitivity function of the bumblebee visual system for a dual choice discrimination task. We trained bumblebees in a Y-maze experimental set-up to associate a vertical sinusoidal grating with a sucrose reward, and a horizontal grating with absence of a reward. Using a logistic psychometric function, we estimated a resolution threshold of 0.21 cycles deg-1 of visual angle. This resolution is in the same range but slightly lower than that found in honeybees (Apis mellifera and A. cerana and another bumblebee species (B. impatiens. We also found that the contrast sensitivity of B. terrestris was 1.57 for the spatial frequency 0.09 cycles deg-1 and 1.26. for 0.18 cycles deg-1.

Body image in obese children: Effects produced by physical exercise program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Romero

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Body image self-perception in obese children is important since it can encourage behaviors leading to social isolation and cause an increase in food intake. The objective of this study was to determine the changes produced in the level of body image satisfaction and the variation in anthropometric indicators of young children in the State of Sonora, Mexico after participating in a program of 40 sessions of physical exercise with an average caloric expenditure of 267 Kcal per session. 119 children were enrolled in the program; they were between the ages of 8 and 11 with a body mass index (BMI of 26.59 ± 4.2 (kg/m2. They were evaluated before and after the physical activity intervention by means of a Body Image Satisfaction (BIS Test. The results with significant changes (p ≤ 0.05 between the pre-test and post-test are in weight and height. There are also significant changes observed in self-image in 15 parts of evaluated body segments, mainly in the abdomen, chest, thighs, buttocks, waist, and hips in all children from the experimental group. The results conclude that physical exercise, in spite of not producing significant changes in BMI, can positively modify body image perception.

Effects of a School-Based Sports Program on Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, and Cardiometabolic Health in Youth With Physical Disabilities: Data From the Sport-2-Stay-Fit Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zwinkels, Maremka; Verschuren, Olaf; Balemans, Astrid; Lankhorst, Kristel; Te Velde, Saskia; van Gaalen, Leendert; de Groot, Janke; Visser-Meily, Anne; Takken, Tim

2018-01-01

To investigate the effects of a school-based once-a-week sports program on physical fitness, physical activity, and cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents with a physical disability. This controlled clinical trial included 71 children and adolescents from four schools for special education [mean age 13.7 (2.9) years, range 8-19, 55% boys]. Participants had various chronic health conditions including cerebral palsy (37%), other neuromuscular (44%), metabolic (8%), musculoskeletal (7%), and cardiovascular (4%) disorders. Before recruitment and based on the presence of school-based sports, schools were assigned as sport or control group. School-based sports were initiated and provided by motivated experienced physical educators. The sport group ( n  = 31) participated in a once-a-week school-based sports program for 6 months, which included team sports. The control group ( n  = 40) followed the regular curriculum. Anaerobic performance was assessed by the Muscle Power Sprint Test. Secondary outcome measures included aerobic performance, VO 2 peak, strength, physical activity, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, body composition, and the metabolic profile. A significant improvement of 16% in favor of the sport group was found for anaerobic performance ( p  = 0.003). In addition, the sport group lost 2.8% more fat mass compared to the control group ( p  = 0.007). No changes were found for aerobic performance, VO 2 peak, physical activity, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and the metabolic profile. Anaerobic performance and fat mass improved following a school-based sports program. These effects are promising for long-term fitness and health promotion, because sports sessions at school eliminate certain barriers for sports participation and adding a once-a-week sports session showed already positive effects for 6 months. This trial was registered with the Dutch Trial Registry (NTR4698).

Effects of a School-Based Sports Program on Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, and Cardiometabolic Health in Youth With Physical Disabilities: Data From the Sport-2-Stay-Fit Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maremka Zwinkels

2018-03-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of a school-based once-a-week sports program on physical fitness, physical activity, and cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents with a physical disability.MethodsThis controlled clinical trial included 71 children and adolescents from four schools for special education [mean age 13.7 (2.9 years, range 8–19, 55% boys]. Participants had various chronic health conditions including cerebral palsy (37%, other neuromuscular (44%, metabolic (8%, musculoskeletal (7%, and cardiovascular (4% disorders. Before recruitment and based on the presence of school-based sports, schools were assigned as sport or control group. School-based sports were initiated and provided by motivated experienced physical educators. The sport group (n = 31 participated in a once-a-week school-based sports program for 6 months, which included team sports. The control group (n = 40 followed the regular curriculum. Anaerobic performance was assessed by the Muscle Power Sprint Test. Secondary outcome measures included aerobic performance, VO2 peak, strength, physical activity, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, body composition, and the metabolic profile.ResultsA significant improvement of 16% in favor of the sport group was found for anaerobic performance (p = 0.003. In addition, the sport group lost 2.8% more fat mass compared to the control group (p = 0.007. No changes were found for aerobic performance, VO2 peak, physical activity, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and the metabolic profile.ConclusionAnaerobic performance and fat mass improved following a school-based sports program. These effects are promising for long-term fitness and health promotion, because sports sessions at school eliminate certain barriers for sports participation and adding a once-a-week sports session showed already positive effects for 6 months.Clinical Trial RegistrationThis trial was registered with the Dutch Trial Registry (NTR

Can plastic bag derived-microplastics act as vectors for metal exposure in terrestrial invertebrates?

Science.gov (United States)

E Hodson, Mark; Duffus-Hodson, Calum A.; Prendergast-Miller, Miranda; Thorpe, Karen

2017-04-01

Microplastics are widely reported contaminants in marine and freshwater ecosystems and studies have shown that they can be ingested by aquatic organisms and lead to potential negative effects on health. The effects can arise from the physical effects of the plastics (e.g. food displacement and blockages of the digestive tract) and from their potential to adsorb contaminants, primarily organic compounds, resulting in an increased exposure of the organism to toxic contaminants. Studies are beginning to emerge that also show a high abundance of microplastics in the terrestrial environment but there remains a lack of data on the impacts of these terrestrial microplastics or their interaction with other terrestrial pollutants. We conducted Zn adsorption experiments using HDPE microplastics, derived from plastic bags. Zinc adsorption to microplastics was similar to that observed in soils, but in the presence of both soil and microplastics, preferential adsorption onto the soil was observed. In desorption experiments, desorption of Zn from microplastics and soils was minimal (soils. In earthworm exposure experiments Lumbricus terrestris earthworms cultivated in soils containing 0.35% by mass of Zn-bearing plastic (236 - 4505 mg kg-1) ingested the microplastics with no evidence for either preferential feeding or avoidance. There was no evidence for an accumulation of the microplastics in the earthworm gut or for signs of toxicity. Our experiments demonstrate that earthworms will ingest microplastics and that microplastics can adsorb metals and act as vectors for metal exposure in soil invertebrates. However, for Zn, the risk associated with this exposure appears to be minimal.

Best Practices in University-Community Partnerships: Lessons Learned from a Physical-Activity-Based Program

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, David

2006-01-01

Universities have the potential to make significant contributions to their neighboring schools and youth agencies through university-community partnerships and the programs they spawn. However, even with proven goals, trained staff, and eager students, collaborative physical-activity-based youth development programs can fail despite the best…

A quantitative study of a physics-first pilot program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pasero, Spencer Lee; /Northern Illinois U.

2008-09-01

Hundreds of high schools around the United States have inverted the traditional core sequence of high school science courses, putting physics first, followed by chemistry, and then biology. A quarter-century of theory, opinion, and anecdote are available, but the literature lacks empirical evidence of the effects of the program. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of the program on science achievement gain, growth in attitude toward science, and growth in understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge. One hundred eighty-five honor students participated in this quasi-experiment, self-selecting into either the traditional or inverted sequence. Students took the Explore test as freshmen, and the Plan test as sophomores. Gain scores were calculated for the composite scores and for the science and mathematics subscale scores. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) on course sequence and cohort showed significantly greater composite score gains by students taking the inverted sequence. Participants were administered surveys measuring attitude toward science and understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge twice per year. A multilevel growth model, compared across program groups, did not show any significant effect of the inverted sequence on either attitude or understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge. The sole significant parameter showed a decline in student attitude independent of course sequence toward science over the first two years of high school. The results of this study support the theory that moving physics to the front of the science sequence can improve achievement. The importance of the composite gain score on tests vertically aligned with the high-stakes ACT is discussed, and several ideas for extensions of the current study are offered.

The γγ Physics Program at BESIII

Science.gov (United States)

Redmer, C. F.

2018-01-01

A key motivation for the two-photon physics program of the BESIII collaboration is the need of high precision data on electromagnetic transition form factors as input to the calculations of the contribution of hadronic Light-by-light scattering to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. The data collected with the BESIII detector allow to study the momentum dependence of the form factors at small momentum transfers, which is of special relevance for αμ. In this presentation the ongoing measurements of the transition form factors of π0,η and η' mesons, as well as pion pairs, are discussed, and the potential for first double-tagged measurements at BESIII are pointed out.

Physical activity and nutrition program for seniors (PANS: protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Andy

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Along with reduced levels of physical activity, older Australian's mean energy consumption has increased. Now over 60% of older Australians are considered overweight or obese. This study aims to confirm if a low-cost, accessible physical activity and nutrition program can improve levels of physical activity and diet of insufficiently active 60-70 year-olds. Methods/Design This 12-month home-based randomised controlled trial (RCT will consist of a nutrition and physical activity intervention for insufficiently active people aged 60 to 70 years from low to medium socio-economic areas. Six-hundred participants will be recruited from the Australian Federal Electoral Role and randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 300 and control (n = 300 groups. The study is based on the Social Cognitive Theory and Precede-Proceed Model, incorporating voluntary cooperation and self-efficacy. The intervention includes a specially designed booklet that provides participants with information and encourages dietary and physical activity goal setting. The booklet will be supported by an exercise chart, calendar, bi-monthly newsletters, resistance bands and pedometers, along with phone and email contact. Data will be collected over three time points: pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and 6-months post-study. Discussion This trial will provide valuable information for community-based strategies to improve older adults' physical activity and dietary intake. The project will provide guidelines for appropriate sample recruitment, and the development, implementation and evaluation of a minimal intervention program, as well as information on minimising barriers to participation in similar programs. Trial Registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12609000735257

Use of a radiation therapy treatment planning computer in a hospital health physics program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addison, S.J.

1984-01-01

An onsite treatment planning computer has become state of the art in the care of radiation therapy patients, but in most installations the computer is used for therapy planning a diminutive amount of the day. At St. Mary's Hospital, arrangements have been negotiated for part time use of the treatment planning computer for health physics purposes. Computerized Medical Systems, Inc. (CMS) produces the Modulex radiotherapy planning system which is programmed in MUMPS, a user oriented language specially adapted for handling text string information. St. Mary's Hospital's CMS computer has currently been programmed to assist in data collection and write-up of diagnostic x-ray surveys, meter calibrations, and wipe/leak tests. The computer is setup to provide timely reminders of tests and surveys, and billing for consultation work. Programs are currently being developed for radionuclide inventories. Use of a therapy planning computer for health physics purposes can enhance the radiation safety program and provide additional grounds for the acquisition of such a computer system

Towson University's Professional Science Master's Program in Applied Physics: The first 5 years

Science.gov (United States)

Kolagani, Rajeswari

It is a well-established fact that the scientific knowledge and skills acquired in the process of obtaining a degree in physics meet the needs of a variety of positions in multiple science and technology sectors. However, in addition to scientific competence, challenging careers often call for skills in advanced communication, leadership and team functions. The professional science master's degree, which has been nick-named as the `Science MBA', aims at providing science graduates an edge both in terms of employability and earning levels by imparting such skills. Our Professional Science Master's Program in Applied Physics is designed to develop these `plus' skills through multiple avenues. In addition to advanced courses in Applied Physics, the curriculum includes graduate courses in project management, business and technical writing, together with research and internship components. I will discuss our experience and lessons learned over the 5 years since the inception of the program in 2010. The author acknowledges support from the Elkins Professorship of the University System of Maryland.

Fresno State joins CERN-related program to explore cutting edge physics

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

California State University, Fresno has joined a collaboration of top physicists to work with what scientists believe will be the driving force behind high-energy physics for the foreseeable future. The program is the ATLAS (an acronym for A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) experiment, which makes use of the Large Hadron Collider under construction at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland. Fresno State says it is the only one of the 23 California State University system schools participating in the LHC program and CERN.

UWALK: the development of a multi-strategy, community-wide physical activity program

OpenAIRE

Jennings, Cally A.; Berry, Tanya R.; Carson, Valerie; Culos-Reed, S. Nicole; Duncan, Mitch J.; Loitz, Christina C.; McCormack, Gavin R.; McHugh, Tara-Leigh F.; Spence, John C.; Vallance, Jeff K.; Mummery, W. Kerry

2016-01-01

UWALK is a multi-strategy, multi-sector, theory-informed, community-wide approach using e and mHealth to promote physical activity in Alberta, Canada. The aim of UWALK is to promote physical activity, primarily via the accumulation of steps and flights of stairs, through a single over-arching brand. This paper describes the development of the UWALK program. A social ecological model and the social cognitive theory guided the development of key strategies, including the marketing and communica...

Physical activity and unplanned illness-related work absenteeism: Data from an employee wellness program.

Science.gov (United States)

Losina, Elena; Yang, Heidi Y; Deshpande, Bhushan R; Katz, Jeffrey N; Collins, Jamie E

2017-01-01

Illness-related absenteeism is a major threat to work productivity. Our objective was to assess the relationship between physical activity and unplanned illness-related absenteeism from work. We implemented physical activity program for sedentary non-clinician employees of a tertiary medical center. Financial rewards were available for reaching accelerometer-measured ambulatory physical activity goals over a 24-week period. We categorized participants into three groups based on mean levels of physical activity: low (0-74 min/week), medium (75-149 min/week) and meeting CDC guidelines (≥150 min/week). We built a multivariable Poisson regression model to evaluate the relationship between physical activity and rates of unplanned illness-related absenteeism. The sample consisted of 292 employees who participated in the program. Their mean age was 38 years (SD 11), 83% were female, and 38% were obese. Over the 24 intervention weeks, participants engaged in a mean of 90 min/week (SD 74) of physical activity and missed a mean of 14 hours of work (SD 38) due to illness. Unplanned absenteeism due to illness was associated with physical activity. As compared to the group meeting CDC guidelines, in multivariable analyses those in the medium physical activity group had a 2.4 (95% CI 1.3-4.5) fold higher rate of illness-related absenteeism and those in the lowest physical activity group had a 3.5 (95% CI 1.7-7.2) fold higher rate of illness-related absenteeism. Less physical activity was associated with more illness-related absenteeism. Workforce-based interventions to increase physical activity may thus be a promising vehicle to reduce unplanned illness-related absenteeism.

Physical activity and unplanned illness-related work absenteeism: Data from an employee wellness program.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Losina

Full Text Available Illness-related absenteeism is a major threat to work productivity. Our objective was to assess the relationship between physical activity and unplanned illness-related absenteeism from work.We implemented physical activity program for sedentary non-clinician employees of a tertiary medical center. Financial rewards were available for reaching accelerometer-measured ambulatory physical activity goals over a 24-week period. We categorized participants into three groups based on mean levels of physical activity: low (0-74 min/week, medium (75-149 min/week and meeting CDC guidelines (≥150 min/week. We built a multivariable Poisson regression model to evaluate the relationship between physical activity and rates of unplanned illness-related absenteeism.The sample consisted of 292 employees who participated in the program. Their mean age was 38 years (SD 11, 83% were female, and 38% were obese. Over the 24 intervention weeks, participants engaged in a mean of 90 min/week (SD 74 of physical activity and missed a mean of 14 hours of work (SD 38 due to illness. Unplanned absenteeism due to illness was associated with physical activity. As compared to the group meeting CDC guidelines, in multivariable analyses those in the medium physical activity group had a 2.4 (95% CI 1.3-4.5 fold higher rate of illness-related absenteeism and those in the lowest physical activity group had a 3.5 (95% CI 1.7-7.2 fold higher rate of illness-related absenteeism.Less physical activity was associated with more illness-related absenteeism. Workforce-based interventions to increase physical activity may thus be a promising vehicle to reduce unplanned illness-related absenteeism.

Physical activity and unplanned illness-related work absenteeism: Data from an employee wellness program

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Heidi Y.; Katz, Jeffrey N.; Collins, Jamie E.

2017-01-01

Background Illness-related absenteeism is a major threat to work productivity. Our objective was to assess the relationship between physical activity and unplanned illness-related absenteeism from work. Methods We implemented physical activity program for sedentary non-clinician employees of a tertiary medical center. Financial rewards were available for reaching accelerometer-measured ambulatory physical activity goals over a 24-week period. We categorized participants into three groups based on mean levels of physical activity: low (0–74 min/week), medium (75–149 min/week) and meeting CDC guidelines (≥150 min/week). We built a multivariable Poisson regression model to evaluate the relationship between physical activity and rates of unplanned illness-related absenteeism. Results The sample consisted of 292 employees who participated in the program. Their mean age was 38 years (SD 11), 83% were female, and 38% were obese. Over the 24 intervention weeks, participants engaged in a mean of 90 min/week (SD 74) of physical activity and missed a mean of 14 hours of work (SD 38) due to illness. Unplanned absenteeism due to illness was associated with physical activity. As compared to the group meeting CDC guidelines, in multivariable analyses those in the medium physical activity group had a 2.4 (95% CI 1.3–4.5) fold higher rate of illness-related absenteeism and those in the lowest physical activity group had a 3.5 (95% CI 1.7–7.2) fold higher rate of illness-related absenteeism. Discussion Less physical activity was associated with more illness-related absenteeism. Workforce-based interventions to increase physical activity may thus be a promising vehicle to reduce unplanned illness-related absenteeism. PMID:28472084

Soil and terrestrial biology studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1976-01-01

Soil and terrestrial biology studies focused on developing an understanding of the uptake of gaseous substances from the atmosphere by plants, biodegradation of oil, and the movement of Pu in the terrestrial ecosystems of the southeastern United States. Mathematical models were developed for SO 2 and tritium uptake from the atmosphere by plants; the uptake of tritium by soil microorganisms was measured; and the relationships among the Pu content of soil, plants, and animals of the Savannah River Plant area were studied. Preliminary results are reported for studies on the biodegradation of waste oil on soil surfaces

Physical activity associate low back pain and intervention program: Review

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Muhamad Aizat Mat; Hasbollah, Hasif Rafidee; Ibrahim, Mohd Asrul Hery; Marican, Nor Dalila; Halim, Muhd Hafzal Abdul; Rashid, Ahmad Faezi Ab.; Yasin, Nurul Hafizah Mohd

2017-10-01

The person who have low back pain often report impaired disability to performance daily activities which passive movement of daily life. The effects of low back pain on daily function of patients can describe as a patients level of disability or reduction in physical function it interferes with the movement of patients for running a daily lives. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a review to examine the relationship between physical activity and low back pain. Besides that, the suggestion prevention program to patient who has low back pain. This systematic review study was used internet to find databases and search engines. Data were collected using Wiley online library, Bioline International, SAGE, Science Direct, NCBI, ProQuest, Biomed central, American Diabetes Association, PLOS One and Springer. The search was performed using keywords of "physical activity", "low back pain", "back pain", "activity level" and "intervention". The study was reviewed the resources and the results were classified in different section The results were classified based on several sections including years of reporting, who were reporting, the origins of articles and their health criteria about physical activity and low back pain. There are positive associate physical activity and low back pain from the systematic review. Future intervention treatment can reduce associate physical activity to low back pain.

The early evolution of the atmospheres of terrestrial planets

CERN Document Server

Raulin, François; Muller, Christian; Nixon, Conor; Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings : Volume 35

2013-01-01

“The Early Evolution of the Atmospheres of Terrestrial Planets” presents the main processes participating in the atmospheric evolution of terrestrial planets. A group of experts in the different fields provide an update of our current knowledge on this topic. Several papers in this book discuss the key role of nitrogen in the atmospheric evolution of terrestrial planets. The earliest setting and evolution of planetary atmospheres of terrestrial planets is directly associated with accretion, chemical differentiation, outgassing, stochastic impacts, and extremely high energy fluxes from their host stars. This book provides an overview of the present knowledge of the initial atmospheric composition of the terrestrial planets. Additionally it includes some papers about the current exoplanet discoveries and provides additional clues to our understanding of Earth’s transition from a hot accretionary phase into a habitable world. All papers included were reviewed by experts in their respective fields. We are ...

Development and Testing of a Nutrition, Food Safety, and Physical Activity Checklist for EFNEP and FSNE Adult Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Bradford, Traliece; Serrano, Elena L.; Cox, Ruby H.; Lambur, Michael

2010-01-01

Objective: To develop and assess reliability and validity of the Nutrition, Food Safety, and Physical Activity Checklist to measure nutrition, food safety, and physical activity practices among adult Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and Food Stamp Nutrition Education program (FSNE) participants. Methods: Test-retest…

Proceedings of RIKEN BNL Research Center Workshop: Brookhaven Summer Program on Nucleon Spin Physics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aschenauer, A.; Qiu, Jianwei; Vogelsang, W.; Yuan, F.

2011-08-02

Understanding the structure of the nucleon is of fundamental importance in sub-atomic physics. Already the experimental studies on the electro-magnetic form factors in the 1950s showed that the nucleon has a nontrivial internal structure, and the deep inelastic scattering experiments in the 1970s revealed the partonic substructure of the nucleon. Modern research focuses in particular on the spin and the gluonic structure of the nucleon. Experiments using deep inelastic scattering or polarized p-p collisions are carried out in the US at the CEBAF and RHIC facilities, respectively, and there are other experimental facilities around the world. More than twenty years ago, the European Muon Collaboration published their first experimental results on the proton spin structure as revealed in polarized deep inelastic lepton-nucleon scattering, and concluded that quarks contribute very little to the proton's spin. With additional experimental and theoretical investigations and progress in the following years, it is now established that, contrary to naive quark model expectations, quarks and anti-quarks carry only about 30% of the total spin of the proton. Twenty years later, the discovery from the polarized hadron collider at RHIC was equally surprising. For the phase space probed by existing RHIC experiments, gluons do not seem to contribute any to the proton's spin. To find out what carries the remaining part of proton's spin is a key focus in current hadronic physics and also a major driving force for the new generation of spin experiments at RHIC and Jefferson Lab and at a future Electron Ion Collider. It is therefore very important and timely to organize a series of annual spin physics meetings to summarize the status of proton spin physics, to focus the effort, and to layout the future perspectives. This summer program on 'Nucleon Spin Physics' held at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) on July 14-27, 2010 [http://www.bnl.gov/spnsp/] is the

Summaries of physical research in the geosciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)