An evaluation of the total quality management implementation strategy for the advanced solid rocket motor project at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

An evaluation of the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) strategy to implement Total Quality Management (TQM) in the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) Project is presented. The evaluation of the implementation strategy reflected the Civil Service personnel perspective at the project level. The external and internal environments at MSFC were analyzed for their effects on the ASRM TQM strategy. Organizational forms, cultures, management systems, problem solving techniques, and training were assessed for their influence on the implementation strategy. The influence of ASRM's effort was assessed relative to its impact on mature projects as well as future projects at MSFC

The Impact of the Electronic Medical Record on Health Information Management Staff in Two Southeastern States

Health information management (HIM) staffs in health care facilities have a long history of managing medical records in a paper format. Since 2009, with the passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), health care facilities have been rapidly changing from a paper medical record system to an electronic system. The adoption of electronic record systems has reduced or eliminated paper medical record forms which consequently changed many HIM staff’s jobs. A survey of HIM professionals was conducted in two southeastern states to determine any increase or decrease in HIM staff numbers and to identify any changes in required HIM skill levels. While the response rate of the survey was low, the survey results yielded much information about the actual changes HIM staffs are experiencing with the adoption of electronic record systems in their health care facilities. This information will be valuable to HIM professionals by aiding them in developing realistic strategic plans for the future of their HIM departments

Development of organic non-flammable spacecraft potting, encapsulating and conformal coating compounds

The overall program objective was to develop a flexible compound which not only functioned in a manned aerospace environment as an effective electrical insulation, but whose flammability characteristics in 16.5 psia, 60% oxygen/40% nitrogen were evidenced by rapid self-extinguishment and minimal thermal (pyrolysis) degradation. The following polymeric matrices were examined in depth: fluoroelastomers, modified fluoroelastomers, silicone RTV's, and modified silicone and fluorosilicone RTV's. Almost none of these systems burned in air, but all burned in 6.2 psia oxygen. Inorganic, organic, and inorganic/organic additives were evaluated in conjunction with these polymers in order to achieve the required survival in the 16.5 psia 60/40 environment. Depending upon formulations, it was possible to achieve nonflammable products when tested in the 1/4 in. x 1/4 in. x 1 in. configuration, even up to and including 16.5 psia oxygen. However, in order to assure this level of flame resistance, it was found necessary to heavily load the matrix with the additives. This resulted in a significant reduction in mechanical properties and large increases in viscosities. Optimization of formulations to obtain a suitable balance between these properties and flammability resistance led to the final selection of Formulation 387 as the primary system

The Politics of Intimacy: An Ethnography of Illegalized Migrant Women and Their Undocumented Children in Tel Aviv, Israel

This study of migrant women and their undocumented children in Tel Aviv, Israel is based on 13 months of ethnographic fieldwork spanning 2009 to 2011. It draws upon participant observation, as well as interviews and informal conversations, in order to describe and analyze the social and political patterns that emerged when migrant women from the Global South, who were employed as caregivers for the elderly through Israel's Foreign Worker Program, chose to become pregnant, give birth and settle in the city to which they migrated as so-called temporary workers. Using a public debate over the proposed deportation of 1,200 Israeli-born, but undocumented, children of migrant workers as a point of departure for this investigation, I asked how illegalized migrant women and their children were situated in political, economic and cultural terms in Tel Aviv despite the fact that they were never supposed to permanently live there. I found that far from existing on the margins of Israeli policies, laws, bureaucratic practices and social expectations, as may be assumed of people without legal status, illegalized migrant women and their undocumented children were, in fact, embedded in their very core. I use the term "politics of intimacy" to describe the daily interactions of illegalized women and their children with Israeli government offices, medical facilities, social and legal welfare institutions, employment agencies, popular media and individual citizens, arguing that intimacy is not just an interpersonal condition, but a socio-political one that encompasses the possibilities ofboth empowerment and exploitation. Following from Stoler's observation of the "tense and tender ties" (Stoler 2001) of colonial rule, I describe the paradoxical conditions that are generated when marginalized individuals are brought into an intimate relationship with the structures and ideologies of the place in which they live. Specifically, illegalized migrant women and their undocumented children in Tel Aviv live in states of "permanent temporariness", "visible invisibility'' and "inclusive exclusion" as they come to constitute a "privileged underclass" that is simultaneously dependent on, and vulnerable to, intimate engagements with Israeli society

The politics of intimacy: an ethnography of illegalized migrant women and their undocumented children in tel a viv, israel

"This study of migrant women and their undocumented children in Tel Aviv, Israel is based on 13 months of ethnographic fieldwork spanning 2009 to 2011. It draws upon participant observation, as well as interviews and informal conversations, in order to describe and analyze the social and political patterns that emerged when migrant women from the Global South, who were employed as caregivers for the elderly through Israel's Foreign Worker Program, chose to become pregnant, give birth and settle in the city to which they migrated as so-called temporary workers. Using a public debate over the proposed deportation of 1,200 Israeli-born, but undocumented, children of migrant workers as a point of departure for this investigation, I asked how illegalized migrant women and their children were situated in political, economic and cultural terms in Tel Aviv despite the fact that they were never supposed to permanently live there. I found that far from existing on the margins of Israeli policies, laws, bureaucratic practices and social expectations, as may be assumed of people without legal status, illegalized migrant women and their undocumented children were, in fact, embedded in their very core. I use the term ""politics of intimacy"" to describe the daily interactions of illegalized women and their children with Israeli government offices, medical facilities, social and legal welfare institutions, employment agencies, popular media and individual citizens, arguing that intimacy is not just an interpersonal condition, but a socio-political one that encompasses the possibilities ofboth empowerment and exploitation. Following from Stoler's observation of the ""tense and tender ties"" (Stoler 2001) of colonial rule, I describe the paradoxical conditions that are generated when marginalized individuals are brought into an intimate relationship with the structures and ideologies of the place in which they live. Specifically, illegalized migrant women and their undocumented children in Tel Aviv live in states of ""permanent temporariness"", ""visible invisibility'' and ""inclusive exclusion"" as they come to constitute a ""privileged underclass"" that is simultaneously dependent on, and vulnerable to, intimate engagements with Israeli society.

Biopolymers from Natural Resources

This work covers all aspects related to the obtainment, production, design, and processing of biopolymers obtained from natural resources. Moreover, it studies characteristics related to the improvement of their performance to increase their potential application at an industrial level, in line with the concept of a global circular economy. Thus, this work firstly classifies biopolymers obtained from natural resources (e.g., biobased building blocks and biopolymers extracted directly from plants and biomass), and then summarizes several cutting-edge research works focused on enhancing the performance of biopolymers from natural resources to extend their application in the industrial sector, and contribute to the transition to more sustainable plastics

Formulation and Characterization of an Antimicrobial Coating Containing Nisin for Large Scale Food Package Converting Processes

This research consisted of formulating an antimicrobial coating containing Nisaplin® intended for large scale production and inhibition of spoilage microorganisms. Secondly, the coating formulated was applied to a flexible film surface using two trials (gravure and flexography) commonly used in large scale food package coating or printing processes. In addition, diffusion and mass transfer theory was applied to discuss the many complications of predicting nisin diffusion or release from a coated material for antimicrobial food packaging applications. Previous work conducted by predecessors, produced an antimicrobial coating formulation using a 70/30 Methylcellulose/Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose base (MC/HPMC). Some disadvantages of this coating included haze, lack of sealability and percent solids content too low for large-scale gravure and/or flexographic coating application processes (which require 15-50% solids). Due to the characteristics, it was then determined that the coating would need to be re-formulated to maintain these qualities in addition to the ability to be up-scaled to large scale gravure and/or flexographic coating processes and lastly, maintain antimicrobial activity against desired microorganisms. Multiple materials were tested to determine the antimicrobial coating formulation including four grades of polyvinyl alcohol, plasticizers, emulsifiers and antimicrobials. The first set of testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), was used to determine the melt temperature of the base or matrix for containing this nisin. It is important to determine the melt temperature of the resin in order to determine the sealability of the final package. DSC testing showed that 88% hydrolyzed, granular polyvinyl alcohol (Mowiol 4-88, Kuraray) resin combined with glycerin (40 phr) resulted in a decreased melt temperature from 189.7°C to 150.9°C and decreased thermal degradation via hydrolysis. These two components were determined to be part of the film forming matrix due to the potential for sealability. Dynamic contact angle testing was also utilized to determine adhesion, critical surface tension to several substrates (LLDPE coex, Bynel®2002; Elvax® 3165, Nucrel® 1202 HC and Surlyn® 1605) and wettability of the coating solution. All substrates were found to have statistically significantly different critical surface tensions from the control LLDPE substrate (ɑ = 0.05). All substrates except for corona treated Elvax® and Surlyn® were found to have statistically significantly different dynamic contact angle measurements from the control LLDPE substrate (ɑ = 0.05) (p value = 0.1231, Elvax® – corona; p value = 0.5648, Surlyn® - corona). Tape tests were conducted to select the final coating substrate, LLDPE. All of the testing parameters (pH, percent solids, melt temperature) indicated that the formulation was suitable for gravure or flexography coating applications. Coating trials using the formulated antimicrobial coating showed the potential for implementing a coating containing nisin on large scale production processes. Gravure and flexography trials were conducted on primed and corona treated LLDPE material. Several characteristics of the liquid coating and dried, coated substrate were tested for quality and overall specifications such as pH, percent solids and blocking. Film on lawn testing indicated that treatment films coated using both processes were able to inhibit Micrococcus luteus compared to control films (Gravure: P\u3c0.0001; Flexography: P\u3c0.0001). This study showed that the formulated coating had potential to be produced using large scale food package converting processes while maintaining antimicrobial efficacy against a food spoilage indicator bacterium. Mass transfer of antimicrobial components in antimicrobial packaging systems are governed by numerous variables both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. This study provided literature review and mass transfer theory to predict the diffusion or controlled release of nisin from the produced packaging system to target microorganisms on a food product. Factors such polymer structure, temperature, food product, fat content and polymer swellability and their effects of diffusion and controlled release were discussed. This study showed that antimicrobial packaging systems are complicated multivariable systems that require many assumptions in order to make diffusion prediction mathematically feasible. The original work conducted by Franklin et al (2004) that this project was based off of was intended for frankfurters. The intended market of the produced antimicrobial film was for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. These types of foods are those which do not need to be cooked prior to consumption. Due to the rising demand for convenient food products such as RTE foods, this material could be implemented for usage against surface contamination and spoilage microorganisms

Enhanced Living Environments

This open access book was prepared as a Final Publication of the COST Action IC1303 “Algorithms, Architectures and Platforms for Enhanced Living Environments (AAPELE)”. The concept of Enhanced Living Environments (ELE) refers to the area of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) that is more related with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Effective ELE solutions require appropriate ICT algorithms, architectures, platforms, and systems, having in view the advance of science and technology in this area and the development of new and innovative solutions that can provide improvements in the quality of life for people in their homes and can reduce the financial burden on the budgets of the healthcare providers. The aim of this book is to become a state-of-the-art reference, discussing progress made, as well as prompting future directions on theories, practices, standards, and strategies related to the ELE area. The book contains 12 chapters and can serve as a valuable reference for undergraduate students, post-graduate students, educators, faculty members, researchers, engineers, medical doctors, healthcare organizations, insurance companies, and research strategists working in this area