Study to investigate and evaluate means of optimizing the Ku-band combined radar/communication functions for the space shuttle

The performance of the space shuttle orbiter's Ku-Band integrated radar and communications equipment is analyzed for the radar mode of operation. The block diagram of the rendezvous radar subsystem is described. Power budgets for passive target detection are calculated, based on the estimated values of system losses. Requirements for processing of radar signals in the search and track modes are examined. Time multiplexed, single-channel, angle tracking of passive scintillating targets is analyzed. Radar performance in the presence of main lobe ground clutter is considered and candidate techniques for clutter suppression are discussed. Principal system parameter drivers are examined for the case of stationkeeping at ranges comparable to target dimension. Candidate ranging waveforms for short range operation are analyzed and compared. The logarithmic error discriminant utilized for range, range rate and angle tracking is formulated and applied to the quantitative analysis of radar subsystem tracking loops

Prevalence and Determinants of Delayed Newborn Bathing among Postnatal Mothers in a Rural Community of Northern Ghana

Globally, an estimated 2.7 million deaths, approximately 45% of under-five deaths occurred in the neonatal period in 2015. This trend led to the inability of many countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal four (MDG 4) by 2015; hence the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Many studies have concluded that poor newborn care including early newborn bathing accounts for high levels of newborn deaths in lowmiddle income countries. This study therefore investigated the prevalence and determinants of delayed newborn bathing among postnatal mothers in Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region of Ghana. As a community based study, a cross sectional study design was employed using multistage sampling technique to select 407 respondents. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 now known as Predictive Analytics Software (PASW) was used for data analysis. Generally, knowledge on delayed bathing was low as more than half of the respondents, 55% (n = 224) did not know that newborns are not supposed to be bathed until after 24hours of delivery. With regard to delayed bathing practice, only 22.6% (n = 92) of mothers bathed their newborn babies after 24 hours of delivery whereas 74.4% (n = 303) bathed their newborn babies before 24 hours of delivery. In the final analysis, delayed newborn bathing was predicted by level of education, place of delivery, ethnicity and socioeconomic class. These findings suggest that a substantial number of newborns still receive harmful newborn care practice and these practices are determined by several factors as stated above. Rigorous efforts should therefore be made by the Ministry of Health through the Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders to improve the uptake of recommended newborn care practices at the community

Mechanical properties of nanotubes of polyelectrolyte multilayers

The elastic properties of nanotubes fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of polyelectrolytes in the nanopores of polycarbonate track-etched membranes have been investigated by resonant contact Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), for nanotube diameters in the range of 100 to 200 nm. The elastic modulus of the nanotubes was computed from the resonance frequencies of a cantilever resting on freely suspended LbL nanotubes. An average value of 115MPa was found in air for Young's modulus of these nanostructures, well below the values reported for dry, flat multilayers, but in the range of values reported for water-swollen flat multilayers. These low values are most probably due to the lower degree of ionic cross-linking of LbL nanotubes and their consequently higher water content in air, resulting from the peculiar mode of growth of nanoconfined polyelectrolyte multilayers

Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC): what are the variables that impact the success of the projects currently running in Brazil?

Em tempos de grandes obras (eventos esportivos 2014 e 2016, plano de aceleração do crescimento do governo federal e setor petroquímico), este artigo busca identificar variáveis que contribuem para o sucesso dos projetos de engenharia e construção executados atualmente no Brasil. O relacionamento entre a presença de certas variáveis independentes e o sucesso dos projetos foi testado em termos de um conjunto de indicadores de desempenho em projetos, que envolve: conformidade com orçamento (custo); cronograma (tempo); especificações técnicas (requisitos do produto/serviço); e atendimento às demandas dos clientes. Foi analisado o efeito de três variáveis de entrada: apoio da alta administração, existência de um gerente de projetos dedicado e a presença de uma estrutura formal de gerenciamento de projetos (Escritório de Gerenciamento de Projetos). Para testar as hipóteses da pesquisa, foi desenvolvido um estudo empírico, adotando-se uma abordagem quantitativa, com um levantamento (“survey”) junto a 120 profissionais relacionados ao setor de engenharia e construção. Considerando-se o triângulo de ferro (prazo, custo e qualidade), identificou-se que há relação entre a presença de um gerente de projeto dedicado e o cumprimento do orçamento planejado e há relação entre a presença de um gerente de projeto dedicado e o cumprimento dos prazos dos projetos executados. Contudo, a visão ampliada de qualidade, envolvendo também a satisfação do cliente, não foi confirmadaIn times of major construction projects (the sports events of 2014 and 2016, the economic plan of growth acceleration and petrochemical sector), this paper aims at identifying variables that contribute to the success of engineering and procurement construction (EPC) projects currently being carried out in Brazil. The relationship between the presence of certain independent variables and project success was tested by a group of project performance indexes, such as: budget compliance (cost); timetable (time); technical specifications (goods/ services requisites); and costumers’ demand meeting. The effect of the independent variables was analyzed by: top management support, existence of a dedicated project manager and the presence of a formal project management structure (Project Management Office - PMO). To test for the hypothesis of this research proposal, an empirical study was developed implementing a quantitative-based approach in which 120 professionals of the EPC industry were surveyed. Considering the iron triangle (time, cost and quality), it was identified that there are relationship between the presence of a dedicated project manager and the fulfillment of the planned budget, as well the compliance with the project timetable. However, the broader quality approach that involves also costumer satisfaction is yet to be confirme

The Global Pharmacist

Globalisation can facilitate improvements in health through the speed and ease of shared information, advances in health care delivery and health policy, and the enhanced pace of discovery through international research collaborations. However, there are associated potential risks to health such as the spread of communicable diseases and antibiotic-resistance. Current international priorities in the development, supply and use of medicines reflect the influence of globalisation. This is relevant to all aspects of contemporary pharmacy, and means that graduates are increasingly working in a globalised profession

Correlation between Social Media Utilization and the Young Generation’s Online Shopping Behavior in Eastern Indonesia

Online shopping is popular among generations Y and Z in Indonesia. This research study evaluated consumer online shopping behavior in Eastern Indonesia, a lower income and lower internet penetration region than western Indonesia. Online study questionnaires were distributed to the region's main cities or provincial capitals to collect profile data on the internet and social media use in the Indonesian society. A total of 613 respondents completed the questionnaires. Correspondence analysis was used to assess the relationship between two categorical variables. Instagram was the most popular social media followed by Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and TikTok. Most of the respondents used more than one platform. Almost all respondents had shopped online (95.76%) after a product review from mainly consumer reviews and rarely from promotions by influencers. However, online shoppers were still wary of products that did not match their online description

Gap modification of atomically thin boron nitride by phonon mediated interactions

A theory is presented for the modification of bandgaps in atomically thin boron nitride (BN) by attractive interactions mediated through phonons in a polarizable substrate, or in the BN plane. Gap equations are solved, and gap enhancements are found to range up to 70% for dimensionless electron-phonon coupling \lambda=1, indicating that a proportion of the measured BN bandgap may have a phonon origin

Atomic-scale Interaction Dynamics in Few-layer Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN)

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7-August 11, 201