Small Engine Component Technology (SECT)

A study of small gas turbine engines was conducted to identify high payoff technologies for year-2000 engines and to define companion technology plans. The study addressed engines in the 186 to 746 KW (250 to 1000 shp) or equivalent thrust range for rotorcraft, commuter (turboprop), cruise missile (turbojet), and APU applications. The results show that aggressive advancement of high payoff technologies can produce significant benefits, including reduced SFC, weight, and cost for year-2000 engines. Mission studies for these engines show potential fuel burn reductions of 22 to 71 percent. These engine benefits translate into reductions in rotorcraft and commuter aircraft direct operating costs (DOC) of 7 to 11 percent, and in APU-related DOCs of 37 to 47 percent. The study further shows that cruise missile range can be increased by as much as 200 percent (320 percent with slurry fuels) for a year-2000 missile-turbojet system compared to a current rocket-powered system. The high payoff technologies were identified and the benefits quantified. Based on this, technology plans were defined for each of the four engine applications as recommended guidelines for further NASA research and technology efforts to establish technological readiness for the year 2000

A semianalytical satellite theory for weak time-dependent perturbations

The modifications of the semianalytical satellite theory required to include these 'weak' time dependent perturbations are described. The new formulation results in additional terms in the short periodic variations but does not change the averaged equations of motion. Thus the m monthly terms are still included in the averaged equations of motion. This contrasts with the usual approach for the strongly time dependent perturbations in which the m monthly (or m daily, if tesseral harmonics are being considered) terms would be eliminated from the averaged equations of motion and included in the short periodics computation. Numerical test results for the GPS case obtained with a numerical averaging implementation of the new theory demonstrate the accuracy improvement

Usefulness of species traits in predicting range shifts

Information on species’ ecological traits might improve predictions of climate-driven range shifts. However, the usefulness of traits is usually assumed rather than quantified. We present a framework to identify the most informative traits, based on four key range-shift processes: (i) emigration of individuals or propagules away from the natal location, (ii) the distance a species can move, (iii) establishment of self-sustaining populations, and (iv) proliferation following establishment. We propose a framework that categorises traits according to their contribution to range-shift processes. We demonstrate how the framework enables the predictive value of traits to be evaluated empirically, how this categorisation can be used to better understand range shift processes, and illustrate how range shift estimates can be improved

Moving Beyond Lip Service: The Clinical Reasoning Behind Practicing Strengths

Social work has a long tradition of advocating for practice from the strengths perspective. However, it is unclear whether schools are truly preparing students for strengths based practice or whether they are simply teaching them to use the vocabulary of strengths without the clinical reasoning skills to switch paradigms from deficits to strengths, moving beyond lip service to real strengths-based practice. To explore this issue, data from an exercise in an MSW course was explored using qualitative methodology. The findings support that in addition to using a strengths vocabulary, other components are necessary for true implementation of a strengths approach. First, the data revealed a strengths-oriented structural model of an ideal process of clinical reasoning for approaching a client situation. Second, the process includes recognizing client strengths, reflecting on them with the client, and encouraging repetition and reinforcement of the client’s positive attitudes and actions. Finally, true strengths based understanding requires moving from social worker in the role of expert to social worker engaged in collaborative empowerment practice. These findings have implications for social work practice and education

Peran Mediasi Affective Commitment Pada Hubungan Procedural Justice, Perceived Organizational Support Dengan Employee Engagement

Organisasi yang memiliki karyawan yang engagement pada pekerjaan akan dapat meraih keunggulan kompetitif. Keadilan prosedural (procedural justice), persepsi atas dukungan yang diberikan organisasi (perceived organizational support) dan komitmen afektif (affective commitment) dapat sebagai variabel untuk membangun employee engagement.Penelitian ini dilakukan pada karyawan bagian produksi Perusahaan manufaktur di Surabaya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh procedural justice dan perceived organizational support terhadap employee engagement dengan affective commitment sebagai variabel mediasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantiatif. Sampel pada penelitian ini adalah karyawan tetap bagian produksi Perusahaan manufaktur di Surabaya sejumlah 182 sampel dengan menggunakan metode sensus. Teknik analisis yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teknik analisis Partial Least Square (PLS)Hasil pada penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa procedural justice dan perceived organizational support berpengaruh secara signifikan employee engagement dan affective commitment sebagai variabel mediasi karyawan bagian produksi Perusahaan manufaktur

Lincoln University entomological expedition to Pitt Island

The expedition had two objectives: 1. To search for the Pitt Island longhorn beetle, Xylotoles costatus and determine its distribution, abundance and conservation status. 2. To undertake general entomological survey work, particularly in the orders Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera by using trapping methods not previously used on Pitt Island

Cumulative and Differential Effects of Early Child Care and Middle Childhood Out-of-School Time on Adolescent Functioning.

Effects associated with early child care and out-of-school time (OST) during middle childhood were examined in a large sample of U.S. adolescents (N = 958). Both higher quality early child care AND more epochs of organized activities (afterschool programs and extracurricular activities) during middle childhood were linked to higher academic achievement at age 15. Differential associations were found in the behavioral domain. Higher quality early child care was associated with fewer externalizing problems, whereas more hours of early child care was linked to greater impulsivity. More epochs of organized activities was associated with greater social confidence. Relations between early child care and adolescent outcomes were not mediated or moderated by OST arrangements in middle childhood, consistent with independent, additive relations of these nonfamilial settings

Mars climate engineering using orbiting solar reflectors

The manned mission is seen as a first step towards a Mars surface exploration base-station and, later, establishing permanent settlement. The location and use of Mars's natural resources is vital to enable cost-effective long-duration human exploration and exploitation missions as well as subsequent human colonization. Planet resources include various crust-lodged materials, a low-pressure natural atmosphere, assorted forms of utilizable energy, lower gravity than Earth's, and ground placement advantages relative to human operability and living standards. Power resources may include using solar and wind energy, importation of nuclear reactors and the harvesting of geothermal potential. In fact, a new branch of human civilization could be established permanently on Mars in the next century. But, meantime, an inventory and proper social assessment of Mars's prospective energy and material resources is required. This book investigates the possibilities and limitations of various systems supplying manned bases on Mars with energy and other vital resources. The book collects together recent proposals and innovative options and solutions. It is a useful source of condensed information for specialists involved in current and impending Mars-related activities and a good starting point for young researchers

A case series of an off-the-shelf online health resource with integrated nurse coaching to support self-management in COPD

Background: COPD has significant psychosocial impact. Self-management support improves quality of life, but programs are not universally available. IT-based self-management interventions can provide home-based support, but have mixed results. We conducted a case series of an off-the-shelf Internet-based health-promotion program, The Preventive Plan (TPP), coupled with nurse-coach support, which aimed to increase patient activation and provide self-management benefits. Materials and methods: A total of 19 COPD patients were recruited, and 14 completed 3-month follow-up in two groups: groups 1 and 2 with more and less advanced COPD, respectively. Change in patient activation was determined with paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Benefits and user experience were explored in semistructured interviews, analyzed thematically. Results: Only group 1 improved significantly in activation, from a lower baseline than group 2; group 1 also improved significantly in mastery and anxiety. Both groups felt significantly more informed about COPD and reported physical functioning improvements. Group 1 reported improvements in mood and confidence. Overall, group 2 reported fewer benefits than group 1. Both groups valued nurse-coach support; for group 1, it was more important than TPP in building confidence to self-manage. The design of TPP and lack of motivation to use IT were barriers to use, but disease severity and poor IT skills were not. Discussion: Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of combining nurse-coach support aligned to an Internet-based health resource, TPP, in COPD and provide learning about the challenges of such an approach and the importance of the nurse-coach role

Is early center-based child care associated with tantrums and unmanageable behavior over time up to school entry?

Background. Existing research suggests that there is a relationship between greater exposure to center-based child care and child behavioral problems though the mechanism for the impact is unclear. However the measure used to document child care has usually been average hours, which may be particularly unreliable in the early months when fewer children are in center care. In addition individual trajectories for behavior difficulties have not been studied. Objective. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether the extent of exposure to center-based child care before two years predicted the trajectory of children’s difficult behavior (i.e., tantrums and unmanageable behavior) from 30 to 51 months controlling for child and maternal characteristics. Method. Data were drawn from UK-based Families, Children and Child Care (FCCC) study (n=1201). Individual growth models were fitted to test the relation between early center-based child care experiences and subsequent difficult behavior. Results. Children with more exposure to center-based care before two had less difficult behavior at 30 months, but more increase over time. Initial levels were predicted by higher difficult temperament and lower verbal ability. Higher difficult temperament and lower family socio-economic status predicted its change over time. Conclusion. Findings suggest that early exposure to center-based care before two years old is a risk factor for subsequent behavior problems especially when children have a longer period of exposure. A possible explanatory process is that child coping strategies to manage frustration are less well developed in a group context, especially when they lag behind in expressive language