A failure diagnosis and impact assessment prototype for Space Station Freedom

NASA is investigating the use of advanced automation to enhance crew productivity for Space Station Freedom in numerous areas, one being failure management. A prototype is described that diagnoses failure sources and assesses the future impacts of those failures on other Freedom entities

Acquisition of English /S/-Clusters by Brazilian Portuguese Speakers

This research examines the error patterns of two member /s/ + consonant clusters (sC) in word initial position by native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese learning English. Previous research has found that not all sC clusters are modified at the same rate and studies involving native Brazilian Portuguese speakers have produced conflicting findings (Cardoso, 2008; Major, 1996; Rebello & Baptista, 2006; Rauber, 2006). The current study aims to clarify which markedness relationships influence the frequency of prothesis in sC clusters and test the opposing predictions made by two phonological principles, Sonority Sequencing and Obligatory Contour Principle for [continuant] (OCP [cont]), to determine which most accurately accounts for the productions observed. It will also address the possible contributions of native language transfer and effect of input frequency. Participants (n=32) completed two tasks, a sentence reading and a picture-based task, and their productions were recorded for acoustic analysis. Error rates were examined using traditional transcription methods and duration of prothetic vowels were measured. Analysis showed that frequency of prothesis contradicted predictions of sonority; /s/+sonorant clusters were modified significantly more often than /s/+obstruent clusters. However, high rates of voicing on /s/ due to native language transfer may have mediated the relative influence of sonority. Results based on vowel duration indicated prothetic vowels tended to get longer when clusters became more marked. Vowel duration was longest on /sl/ and may indicate markedness effects of the OCP [cont]

Administrative Quality Planning

The quality movement in American businesses is becoming increasingly popular. American businesses are now competing internationally for market and the Japanese are winning. American businesses have adopted various quality systems to help them become customer driven, assisting in the regaining of lost market share. Some companies have been successful in implementing a quality system, but most have fallen short of achieving the desired a quality operation. Most of the successful quality programs have come in manufacturing plants, but quality in the support services of the administrative levels have fallen short. Many manufacturing organizations approach quality implementation for the plant and products, and ignore support service departments. In some cases, they try to apply the same techniques for both plants and service. As a result, quality problems that exist at the administrative level are not addressed and resolved. A business does not become successful in today\u27s increasingly competitive environment by limiting continuous improvement to its manufacturing components. Techniques exist that can be used in service industries. They can apply to internal services to work towards continuous improvement . To help move quality practices through a company\u27s administrative services, a business should separate the needs of support services from those of the plant operations, by addressing those needs in a separate quality plan . It is this customization that will help businesses tackle the barriers that exist for implementing administrative quality. This project develops the idea stated above and provides a model of such a plan

A failure management prototype: DR/Rx

This failure management prototype performs failure diagnosis and recovery management of hierarchical, distributed systems. The prototype, which evolved from a series of previous prototypes following a spiral model for development, focuses on two functions: (1) the diagnostic reasoner (DR) performs integrated failure diagnosis in distributed systems; and (2) the recovery expert (Rx) develops plans to recover from the failure. Issues related to expert system prototype design and the previous history of this prototype are discussed. The architecture of the current prototype is described in terms of the knowledge representation and functionality of its components

Is seeing a specialist nurse associated with positive experiences of care? The role and value of specialist nurses in prostate cancer care

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Specialist nurses may play an important role in helping to improve the experiences of patients with prostate cancer, however there is concern that the specialist nurse role is under threat in the UK due to financial pressures in the NHS. This study explored the role and value of specialist nurses in prostate cancer care via a survey and patient interviews.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This paper reports findings from two studies. A survey of patients from three hospitals across the UK (289/481, 60%), investigated whether patients who saw a specialist nurse had different experiences of information provision and involvement in decision-making, to those who did not. Qualitative interviews were also carried out with 35 men recently tested or treated for prostate cancer, recruited from two hospitals in the UK. Interviews explored patients' views on the role and value of the specialist nurse.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Survey findings indicated that patients who saw a specialist nurse had more positive experiences of receiving written information about tests and treatment, and about sources of advice and support, and were more likely to say they made the treatment decision themselves. In interviews, patients described specialist nurse input in their care in terms of providing information and support immediately post-diagnosis, as well as being involved in ongoing care. Two key aspects of the specialist nurse role were seen as unique: their availability to the patient, and their ability to liaise between the patient and the medical system.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study indicates the unique role that specialist nurses play in the experience of patients with prostate cancer, and highlights the importance of maintaining specialist nurse roles in prostate cancer care.</p

L\u27animal dans la poesie du XIX siecle

Au moyen åge, Marie de France, dans ses Lais, écrit une poésie charmante, animaliere en grande partie. Dans Le Roman de Renard, il s\u27agit tout entier de l\u27animal. Avec ces deux oeuvres, la tradition animalière trouve ses débuts, et deux expressions de cette tradition s\u27établissent: l\u27une des sentiments mélancoliques, nobles, et élevés qui expriment l\u27âme; l\u27autre d\u27une réalité prosaïque ou populaire

Adsorption of Trichoderma reesei CBHI and Thermomonospora fusca E₅ cellulases on model solid surfaces

In this research, the interfacial behavior of Trichoderma reesei CBHI and Thermomonospora fusca E₅ cellulases were studied at synthetic surfaces. For this purpose, colloidal silica and polystyrene particles were used to prepare cellulase-particle suspensions that were analyzed by several solution-phase techniques. These included circular dichroism spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography and filtration, and a spectrophotometric assay for cellulase activity. All techniques were performed in the presence and absence of particles. Circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) and size exclusion chromatography showed, however, that binding did not occur between either cellulase and silica, presumably because silica is hydrophilic and negatively charged. Binding did occur between each cellulase and polystyrene, most likely mediated through hydrophobic associations. Cellulase-polystyrene complexes were not analyzed using CD because of high light absorption by the polystyrene nanoparticles. Upon adsorption to polystyrene, the activity of the E₅ dropped about 95% relative to that of the free enzyme. While this substantial loss in activity may have been the result of binding being mediated through the catalytic domain, strong evidence supporting the thought that adsorption occurs through hydrophobic associations, mediated through the binding domain, suggests that structural or steric factors were partly responsible for the loss

Comparison of the EyeSys Corneal Analysis System and peripheral keratometry using a B&L keratometer and a lighted fixation device

The purpose of this study was to develop a keratometric device that would give a peripheral corneal measurement approximately 3.0mm from the center of the cornea and to compare the accuracy of the peripheral keratometry readings to an industry standard, a computerized corneal topographer. The EyeSys Corneal Analysis System by EyeSys laboratories in Houston, Texas, was chosen as a representative of available computerized corneal topographers. A fixation device, with peripheral fixation targets was created and attached to a standard Bausch & Lomb keratometer. Thirty-one subjects (five in the initial phase and twenty-six in the final phase) who were free from corneal disease and were not contact lens wearers, were subjects for this study. Each subject had four keratometric readings per eye taken 3.0mm from the center of the cornea and compared to the same location on their topographic map. Ninety-one percent of all readings fell within ±0.500. The device may prove to be a useful tool to aid in the base curve selection when fitting RGP lenses on both normal and pathologic eyes (i.e. keratoconus, post-keratoplasty and post-refractive surgery)

From Healing Rituals to Music Therapy: Bridging the Cultural Divide Between Therapist and Young Sudanese Refugees

In music therapy literature and popular culture alike, music is often hailed as a universal language. It is appropriate then that music therapy is included within the services offered at a high school catering specifically to non-English-speaking students. The music therapy program described in this paper encourages students to explore and express their feelings by playing instruments, singing, writing songs, listening to music and talking about song lyrics. The school is state-run (but federally funded) and provides English language, high school preparation and settlement services to high school aged youth who have recently arrived in Australia from non-English-speaking countries. There are currently 22 nationalities represented amongst the student population, with most students staying no longer than six months before being integrated into mainstream schools with English as a Second Language (ESL) support. While some of the students' families are business migrants, some 60% of students have arrived in Australia as refugees. An increasing proportion (currently 41.6%) originated from The Republic of the Sudan in northern Africa