Time dependent simulation of PD electromagnetic wave propagation in GIS systems

UHF methods have been widely used in PD detection and localization in GIS systems. Modeling of electromagnetic wave propagation inside a GIS structure can be helpful for understanding and improvement in sensitivity of PD detection by providing information to help determine more optimal positions for UHF PD sensors. This paper studies the effect of L-type and T-type GIS structures on electromagnetic wave propagation by simulating the time dependent wave propagation behavior for these arrangements of the GIS busbar. The effects of L-type and T-type structures for PD electromagnetic wave propagation behavior are presented. It is noted that if the location of the electric field detected by a UHF sensor is chosen reasonably based on knowledge of the physical structures, the measurement result obtained can reduce the attenuation affects introduced by the L-type and T-type structure

Recent Advances in Terrestrial Lidar Applications in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering

During the past five years, geotechnical earthquake engineering and ground deformation research has benefited from the advent of terrestrial LIDAR technology, a revolutionary tool for characterizing fine-scale changes in topography. For ground deformation research, LIDAR is particularly useful for characterizing the dimensions of failures and for monitoring subtle deformations through time. Tripod mounted LIDAR systems have accuracies of approximately 0.4-2.0 cm, and can illuminate targets up to one kilometer away from the sensor. During several minutes of LIDAR scanning, millions of survey position points are collected and processed into an ultra-high resolution terrain model. During earthquake reconnaissance efforts, the detailed failure morphologies of landslides and liquefaction sites can be measured remotely and in a way that is either impractical or impossible by conventional survey means. The ultra-high resolution imagery of the complex surface morphology of ground failures allows the exploration and visualization of damage on a computer in orientations and scales not previously possible. Detailed understanding of the ground surface morphology allows for better numerical modeling of potential failure modes, deformation patterns, and morphologies. Finally, LIDAR allows for the permanent archiving of 3-D terrain models. In this paper, we present the evaluation of the accuracy, bias and dispersion of LIDAR data under controlled experimental conditions. Field applications of LIDAR-damage visualization and analysis are presented from data gathered during the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu (M6.6) earthquake and the 2007-2008 PARI-Ishikari, Hokkaido blast-liquefaction experiment

A Four-Stage Method for Developing Early Interventions for Alcohol Among Aboriginal Adolescents

This paper details a four-stage methodology for developing early alcohol interventions for at-risk Aboriginal youth. Stage 1 was an integrative approach to Aboriginal education that upholds Aboriginal traditional wisdom supporting respectful relationships to the Creator, to the land and to each other. Stage 2 used quantitative methods to investigate associations between personality risk factors and risky drinking motives. Stage 3 used qualitative interviews to further understand the contexts and circumstances surrounding drinking behaviour within a larger cultural context. Stage 3 involved tailoring personality- matched, motive-specific brief interventions to meet at-risk adolescents’ needs. Stage 4 involved an efficacy test of the interventions. This novel methodology has significance for future program development to meet diverse social, cultural and health needs of at-risk adolescents

Prognostics and health management oriented data analytics suite for transformer health monitoring

Condition monitoring of power transformers is crucial for the reliable and cost-effective operation of the power grid. The unexpected failure of a transformer can lead to different consequences ranging from a lack of export capability, with the corresponding economic penalties, to catastrophic failure, with the associated health, safety, and economic effects. With the advance of machine learning techniques, it is possible to enhance traditional transformer health monitoring techniques with data-driven and expert-based prognostics and health management (PHM) applications. Accordingly, this paper reviews the experience of the authors in the implementation of machine learning methods for transformer condition monitoring

Prognostics and health management oriented data analytics suite for transformer health monitoring

Condition monitoring of power transformers is crucial for the reliable and cost-effective operation of the power grid. The unexpected failure of a transformer can lead to different consequences ranging from a lack of export capability, with the corresponding economic penalties, to catastrophic failure, with the associated health, safety, and economic effects. With the advance of machine learning techniques, it is possible to enhance traditional transformer health monitoring techniques with data-driven and expert-based prognostics and health management (PHM) applications. Accordingly, this paper reviews the experience of the authors in the implementation of machine learning methods for transformer condition monitoring

System Safety Study: Pedagogical Aviation Action Research

Action Research (AR) is a scientific methodology whereby researchers participate in a research setting for data collection and problem resolution. Aviation researchers experience first-hand challenges in process cognition, data collection, and selection of implementation strategies. The AR think-path, or the Look-Think-Acf\u27 loop, has been utilized in the qualitative research discipline for decades. Yet the merits of AR remain under-utilized by airport safety practitioners. The purpose of this study is to introduce AR for the development of a functional safety management system (SMS) to support airport safety education. Using documentary research, this paper reviews the process of AR and identifies a detailed set of methodological procedures in support of the recently published FAA\u27s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making, FAA Order 1110.152, for the implementation of SMS. This study provides a tool to integrate ongoing airport safety programs which will benefit airport management and current aviation students. The core SMS safety analysis process and the Policy Research Construct (PRC) {ref} are supportive to the AR methodology along with the adoption of a proposed Aviation Safety Management Model (ASMM). The application of this study contributes a valuable research methodology to support airport managers and safety educators

Genetic Risk Factors for Longitudinal Changes in Structural MRI in Former Organolead Workers

This study examined associations between polymorphisms in three genes, apolipoprotein E (APOE), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and vitamin D receptor (VDR), and longitudinal change in brain volumes and white matter lesions (WML) as well as effect modification by cardiovascular factors and tibia lead concentrations. Two MRIs, an average of 5 years apart, were obtained for 317 former organolead workers and 45 population-based controls. Both regions-of-interest and voxel-wise analyses were conducted. APOE ε3/ε4 and ε4/ε4 genotypes were associated with less decline in white matter volumes. There was some evidence of interaction between genetic polymorphisms and cardiovascular risk factors (ACE and high-density lipoprotein; VDR and diabetes) on brain volume decline. The VDR FokI ff genotype was associated with an increase in WML (no association for APOE or ACE). This study expands our understanding of how genetic precursors of dementia and cardiovascular diseases are related to changes in brain structure

Nosema bombi (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) and trypanosomatid prevalence in spring bumble bee queens (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) in Kansas

Citation: Tribodi, A., Cibils-Stewart, X., McCornack, B., & Szlanski, A. (2014). Nosema bombi (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) and Trypanosomatid Prevalence in Spring Bumble Bee Queens (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) in Kansas. Journal of the Entomological Society, 87(2), 225-233. https://doi.org/10.2317/JKES130730.1Several species of bumble bees are declining in the United States; these declining populations often show higher prevalence of Nosema bombi, a microsporidian pathogen. To date, surveys of bumble bee pathogens in the United States have only been conducted on workers and males, yet the health of a population is ultimately dependent on the success of colony-founding queens. We conducted a molecular-diagnostic survey of the prevalence of N. bombi and trypanosomatids, such as Crithidia bombi, in six species of spring queens (n  =  142) collected in 2011 and 2013 at three sites in central Kansas. Nosema bombi was found in 27% of Bombus pensylvanicus and 13% of B. auricomus but was not found in the other species sampled. Trypanosomatids were only found in B. pensylvanicus (9%) during the May 2013 sampling period. The high prevalence of N. bombi in B. pensylvanicus is consistent with other surveys for this pathogen in other castes, but the high prevalence of N. bombi in B. auricomus is a novel finding. Although the conservation status of B. auricomus has not been thoroughly assessed, two recently published surveys showed that B. auricomus were less common in portions of the species' range. Based on those findings and an oft-cited link between N. bombi prevalence and bumble bee species' decline (e.g., B. pensylvanicus) in other studies, our findings suggest B. auricomus populations in Kansas may warrant further scrutiny

Heterologous prime-boost-boost immunisation of Chinese cynomolgus macaques using DNA and recombinant poxvirus vectors expressing HIV-1 virus-like particles

Background: There is renewed interest in the development of poxvirus vector-based HIV vaccines due to the protective effect observed with repeated recombinant canarypox priming with gp120 boosting in the recent Thai placebo-controlled trial. This study sought to investigate whether a heterologous prime-boost-boost vaccine regimen in Chinese cynomolgus macaques with a DNA vaccine and recombinant poxviral vectors expressing HIV virus-like particles bearing envelopes derived from the most prevalent clades circulating in sub-Saharan Africa, focused the antibody response to shared neutralising epitopes. Methods: Three Chinese cynomolgus macaques were immunised via intramuscular injections using a regimen composed of a prime with two DNA vaccines expressing clade A Env/clade B Gag followed by boosting with recombinant fowlpox virus expressing HIV-1 clade D Gag, Env and cholera toxin B subunit followed by the final boost with recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara expressing HIV-1 clade C Env, Gag and human complement protein C3d. We measured the macaque serum antibody responses by ELISA, enumerated T cell responses by IFN-gamma ELISpot and assessed seroneutralisation of HIV-1 using the TZM-bl beta-galactosidase assay with primary isolates of HIV-1. Results: This study shows that large and complex synthetic DNA sequences can be successfully cloned in a single step into two poxvirus vectors: MVA and FPV and the recombinant poxviruses could be grown to high titres. The vaccine candidates showed appropriate expression of recombinant proteins with the formation of authentic HIV virus-like particles seen on transmission electron microscopy. In addition the b12 epitope was shown to be held in common by the vaccine candidates using confocal immunofluorescent microscopy. The vaccine candidates were safely administered to Chinese cynomolgus macaques which elicited modest T cell responses at the end of the study but only one out of the three macaques elicited an HIV-specific antibody response. However, the antibodies did not neutralise primary isolates of HIV-1 or the V3-sensitive isolate SF162 using the TZM-bl b-galactosidase assay. Conclusions: MVA and FP9 are ideal replication-deficient viral vectors for HIV-1 vaccines due to their excellent safety profile for use in humans. This study shows this novel prime-boost-boost regimen was poorly immunogenic in Chinese cynomolgus macaques