America's Veterans: A Sound Investment

In this report, the authors argue that society should leverage the latest generation of men and women leaving the military, and the skills, expertise and experience they bring to the civilian workforce. The authors examine the employment challenges facing the nation's nearly 2.6 million post-9/11 combat veterans as they transition to civilian jobs. They note that recent veterans "have struggled with unemployment rates that exceed the national average" despite recent survey findings that showed "most managers felt that military veterans were "better" or "much better" than civilians in areas such as teamwork, reliability, openness to other cultures and races, and work ethic." General Caldwell and Major Burke knock down several stereotypes about recent veterans and offer recommendations that business and government can undertake to help veterans successfully navigate the civilian labor market

Transition in Afghanistan through an enduring Afghan National Security Force

Quando em Novembro de 2009 foi criada a NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, os programas de treino de forças de segurança afegãs eram díspares não existindo planos com vista a uma adequada transferência de competências para a Afghan National Security Force até 2014. Na verdade, o enfoque baseava‑se na intenção de inverter tendências negativas no plano da segurança nacional e na formação de militares e polícias em quantidade necessária à condução de operações de contra‑subversão. Qualidade e quantidade eram dois princípios não co‑pagináveis – ou se criava uma força profissional pequena ou uma força grande com capacidades limitadas resultantes de um treino igualmente limitado. No entanto, dada a dimensão geográfica do Afeganistão e a necessidade do Exército e da Polícia em garantirem a segurança e a estabilidade no país, a qualidade não podia ser comprometida em nome da quantidade. Consequentemente, a NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan conduziu um processo deliberado de formação e treino de uma força profissional, auto‑sustentável e duradoura. O progresso registado nos últimos dois anos requereu um empenho e investimento significativo por parte dos Estados Unidos, da NATO e de outros países da coligação. Através de uma parceria, as forças de segurança afegãs estão a caminho de assumirem responsabilidades de segurança que competiam até agora à NATO

Exploiting the Principal Parametric Resonance of an RLC Circuit for Vibratory Energy Harvesting

The use of ambient energy sources to independently power small electronic devices, a process commonly known as energy harvesting, has recently become a focus of research due to advances in low-power electronic applications. A particular class of energy harvesting devices, known as vibratory energy harvesters (VEHs), utilizes low-level vibrations present in numerous natural and man-made environments to generate electrical energy for electronic devices. This work investigates the use of a new technique to harvest energy from ambient vibrations by parametrically exciting a resonance condition of the electric current in a nonlinear oscillating circuit. To accomplish this parametric resonance phenomenon, we consider an electromechanical coupling device, an oscillating cantilever beam with a ferromagnetic tip mass, which changes the permeability of an iron-alloy cored inductor coil to produce a harmonically-varying modulation of the inductance. Such a type of harvester possesses the potential to generate large amplitude System response that is not limited by the linear damping of the system, as is the case with directly-excited systems, but rather whose behavior is governed by the nonlinearity of the system. In order to study the ability of such an energy harvesting system to generate electricity when subject to external vibrations, we develop a second-order differential equation to model the theoretical dynamic behavior of a parametrically-driven nonlinear circuit. Due to the complexity of the nonlinear and harmonically-varying components of the governing equation, we use the Method of Multiple Scales to derive an approximate analytical solution for the steady-state current response and output power of the circuit near the principal parametric resonant frequency. We show that the relationship of parameter modulation depth and load resistance characterize the bandwidth of the response and define a critical forcing threshold, below which no energy is harvested. The harvested power is maximized when the load resistance is half of the maximum load resistance at which the critical threshold is still achieved for a given forcing level. We also demonstrate the need for nonlinear damping in the system to attenuate the growth of the response to a physically attainable level. We show the dependence of the natural frequency of the circuit on the parametric forcing parameter, which can lead detuning of the system at different forcing levels. An experimental set up is developed to test the assertions presented by the analytical model. Numerous parameter constraints are balanced in the experimental design in order to be able to achieve the critical forcing threshold necessary for exciting the parametric resonance condition. The frequency response behavior of the electrical current and load power in the circuit is observed by varying the natural frequency of the system, which is compared against the variation of forcing frequency presented in the theoretical section. The beam is excited at its natural frequency of 85.8 Hz across input accelerations ranging from 1:1g – 1:5g. A maximum output power of 28.67 mW across an 8 Ω resistance is achieved at an input acceleration of 1:5g. The behavior of the experimental data is in good agreement with the findings of the theoretical model with respect to the bandwidth, nonlinear behavior, and sensitivity to forcing and damping parameters. The analytical model under predicts the peak power measured experimentally, but the general trend is well modeled. Furthermore, several key observations are noted during the experimental procedures, notably the effects of eddy current damping on the behavior of the response and the development of quasiperiodic solutions near the saddle node bifurcation point

The construction of a social studies vocabulary test for teachers in training.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Identification of photons in double beta-decay experiments using segmented germanium detectors - studies with a GERDA Phase II prototype detector

The sensitivity of experiments searching for neutrinoless double beta-decay of germanium was so far limited by the background induced by external gamma-radiation. Segmented germanium detectors can be used to identify photons and thus reduce this background component. The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA, will use highly segmented germanium detectors in its second phase. The identification of photonic events is investigated using a prototype detector. The results are compared with Monte Carlo data.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, to be submitted to NIM-

Pulse shape simulation for segmented true-coaxial HPGe detectors

A new package to simulate the formation of electrical pulses in segmented true-coaxial high purity germanium detectors is presented. The computation of the electric field and weighting potentials inside the detector as well as of the trajectories of the charge carriers is described. In addition, the treatment of bandwidth limitations and noise are discussed. Comparison of simulated to measured pulses, obtained from an 18-fold segmented detector operated inside a cryogenic test facility, are presented.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figure

Study of guidance techniques for aerial application of agricultural compounds

Candidate systems were identified for evaluation of suitability in meeting specified accuracy requirements for a swath guidance system in an agriculture aircraft. Further examination reduced the list of potential candidates to a single category, i.e., transponder type systems, for detailed evaluation. Within this category three systems were found which met the basic accuracy requirements of the work statement. The Flying Flagman, the Electronic Flagging and the Raydist Director System. In addition to evaluating the systems against the specified requirements, each system was compared with the other two systems on a relative basis. The conclusions supported by the analyses show the Flying Flagman system to be the most suitable system currently available to meet the requirements

Can managed health care help manage health care-associated infections?

Managed-care organizations have a unique opportunity, still largely unrealized, to collaborate with health-care providers and epidemiologists to prevent health care-associated infections. Several attributes make these organizations logical collaborators for infection control programs: they have responsibility for defined populations of enrollees and for their overall health, including preventive care; they possess unique data resources about their members and their care; and they are able to make systemwide changes in care. Health care-associated infections merit the attention and effort of managed-care organizations because these infections are common, incur substantial illness and costs, and can be effectively prevented by using methods that are unevenly applied in different health-care settings. Both national and local discussions will be required to enable the most effective and efficient collaborations between managed care organizations and health-care epidemiologists. It will be important to articulate clear goals and standards that can be readily understood and widely adopted