The 1984 NASA/ASEE summer faculty fellowship program

An overview is given of the program management and activities. Participants and research advisors are listed. Abstracts give describe and present results of research assignments performed by 31 fellows either at the Johnson Space Center, at the White Sands test Facility, or at the California Space Institute in La Jolla. Disciplines studied include engineering; biology/life sciences; Earth sciences; chemistry; mathematics/statistics/computer sciences; and physics/astronomy

Precise computer controlled positioning of robot end effectors using force sensors

A thorough study of combined position/force control using sensory feedback for a one-dimensional manipulator model, which may count for the spacecraft docking problem or be extended to the multi-joint robot manipulator problem, was performed. The additional degree of freedom introduced by the compliant force sensor is included in the system dynamics in the design of precise position control. State feedback based on the pole placement method and with integral control is used to design the position controller. A simple constant gain force controller is used as an example to illustrate the dependence of the stability and steady-state accuracy of the overall position/force control upon the design of the inner position controller. Supportive simulation results are also provided

Salivary melatonin onset in youth at familial risk for bipolar disorder

Melatonin secretion and polysomnography (PSG) were compared among a group of healthy adolescents who were at high familial risk for bipolar disorder (HR) and a second group at low familial risk (LR). Adolescent participants (n = 12) were a mean age 14 ± 2.3 years and included 8 females and 4 males. Saliva samples were collected under standardized condition light (red light) and following a 200 lux light exposure over two consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory. Red Light Melatonin onset (RLMO) was defined as saliva melatonin level exceeding the mean of the first 3 readings plus 2 standard deviations. Polysomnography was also completed during each night. HR youth, relative to LR, experienced a significantly earlier melatonin onset following 200 lux light exposure. Polysomnography revealed that LR youth, relative to HR, spent significantly more time in combined stages 3 and 4 (deep sleep) following red light exposure. Additionally, regardless of the group status (HR or LR), there was no significant difference in Red Light Melatonin Onset recorded at home or in the laboratory, implying its feasibility and reliability

Enhancing the early student experience

This paper is concerned with identifying how the early student experience can be enhanced in order to improve levels of student retention and achievement. The early student experience is the focus of this project as the literature has consistently declared the first year to be the most critical in shaping persistence decisions. Programme managers of courses with high and low retention rates have been interviewed to identify activities that appear to be associated with good retention rates. The results show that there are similarities in the way programmes with high retention are run, with these features not being prevalent on programmes with low retention. Recommendations of activities that appear likely to enhance the early student experience are provided

Optimum dose of ginger root oil to treat sterile Mediterranean fruit fly males (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is widely used as part of an integrated approach to reduce field populations of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Diptera: Tephritidae). Aromatherapy based on exposure to ginger root oil (GRO) volatiles is known as a method to significantly improve the sexual performance of sterile medfly males, and is being used in many mass-rearing facilities around the world. However, the optimum dose of GRO is not well defined. This work evaluated in laboratory cages four different doses of GRO and a control (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 ml/m3), and two different methods to hold flies prior to release (paper bags and plastic cages). The objective was to find the lowest dose that provides optimal improvement in mating performance of sterile males when competing with wild males for wild females and optimal reduction in fertility of wild females. Egg hatch, copula duration, the Relative Sterility Index (RSI), and a Competitiveness (C) value (based on RSI) were calculated for each treatment to assess male sexual performance and induction of sterility. The method used to hold flies did not influence the aromatherapy effect. The mean time spent by wild females in copula with wild males was significantly longer than with sterile males for all treatments, except when sterile males were treated with 0.1 ml of GRO/m3. Amongst all doses studied, it is recommended to apply the lowest dose, 0.1 ml of GRO/m3, since at this dose both the RSI and induced sterility reached the highest levels, and were not statistically different from the 0.25 and 0.5 GRO/m3 doses. Indeed, this dose showed a very significant improvement in the mating competitiveness of sterile males aromatically treated with GRO.Supplement 1

Area-Wide Suppression of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata, and the Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, in Kamuela, Hawaii

The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service initiated an area-wide fruit fly management program in Hawaii in 2000. The first demonstration site was established in Kamuela, Hawaii, USA. This paper documents suppression of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), and the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), in a 40 km2 area containing urban, rural and agricultural zones during a 6 year period. The suppression techniques included sanitation, GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait sprays, male annihilation, Biolure® traps, and parasitoids against C. capitata and B. dorsalis. In addition, small numbers of sterile males were released against B. dorsalis. Substantial reductions in fruit infestation levels were achieved for both species (90.7 and 60.7% for C. capitata and B. dorsalis, respectively) throughout the treatment period. Fruit fly captures in the 40 km2 treatment area were significantly lower during the 6 year period than those recorded in three non-treated areas. The strategy of combining suppression techniques in an area-wide approach is discussed

The Relationship between Therapeutic Alliance and Service User Satisfaction in Mental Health Inpatient Wards and Crisis House Alternatives: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Poor service user experiences are often reported on mental health inpatient wards. Crisis houses are an alternative, but evidence is limited. This paper investigates therapeutic alliances in acute wards and crisis houses, exploring how far stronger therapeutic alliance may underlie greater client satisfaction in crisis houses. Methods and Findings Mixed methods were used. In the quantitative component, 108 crisis house and 247 acute ward service users responded to measures of satisfaction, therapeutic relationships, informal peer support, recovery and negative events experienced during the admission. Linear regressions were conducted to estimate the association between service setting and measures, and to model the factors associated with satisfaction. Qualitative interviews exploring therapeutic alliances were conducted with service users and staff in each setting and analysed thematically. Results We found that therapeutic alliances, service user satisfaction and informal peer support were greater in crisis houses than on acute wards, whilst self-rated recovery and numbers of negative events were lower. Adjusted multivariable analyses suggest that therapeutic relationships, informal peer support and negative experiences related to staff may be important factors in accounting for greater satisfaction in crisis houses. Qualitative results suggest factors that influence therapeutic alliances include service user perceptions of basic human qualities such as kindness and empathy in staff and, at service level, the extent of loss of liberty and autonomy. Conclusions and Implications We found that service users experience better therapeutic relationships and higher satisfaction in crisis houses compared to acute wards, although we cannot exclude the possibility that differences in service user characteristics contribute to this. This finding provides some support for the expansion of crisis house provision. Further research is needed to investigate why acute ward service users experience a lack of compassion and humanity from ward staff and how this could be changed

Patterns and predictors of family environment among adolescents at high and low risk for familial bipolar disorder

Children's perceptions are important to understanding family environment in the bipolar disorder (BD) high-risk context. Our objectives were to empirically derive patterns of offspring-perceived family environment, and to test the association of family environment with maternal or paternal BD accounting for offspring BD and demographic characteristics. Participants aged 12–21 years (266 offspring of a parent with BD, 175 offspring of a parent with no psychiatric history) were recruited in the US and Australia. We modeled family environment using latent profile analysis based on offspring reports on the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, and Home Environment Interview for Children. Parent diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies and offspring diagnoses were based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children. Latent class regression was used to test associations of diagnosis and family environment. Two-thirds of all offspring perceived well-functioning family environment, characterized by nurturance, flexibility, and low conflict. Two ‘conflict classes’ perceived family environments low in flexibility and cohesion, with substantial separation based on high conflict with the father (High Paternal Conflict), or very high conflict and rigidity and low warmth with the mother (High Maternal Conflict). Maternal BD was associated with offspring perceiving High Maternal Conflict (OR 2.8, p = 0.025). Clinical care and psychosocial supports for mothers with BD should address family functioning, with attention to offspring perceptions of their wellbeing. More research is needed on the effect of paternal BD on offspring and family dynamics

Assessment of first and second degree relatives of individuals with bipolar disorder shows increased genetic risk scores in both affected relatives and young At‐Risk Individuals

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/113761/1/ajmgb32344.pd