Characterization of recombination and control electrodes for spacecraft nickel- cadmium cells

Characterization of recombination and control electrodes for spacecraft nickel cadmium cell

The Rachel Carson Letters and the Making of Silent Spring

Environment, conservation, green, and kindred movements look back to Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring as a milestone. The impact of the book, including on government, industry, and civil society, was immediate and substantial, and has been extensively described; however, the provenance of the book has been less thoroughly examined. Using Carson’s personal correspondence, this paper reveals that the primary source for Carson’s book was the extensive evidence and contacts compiled by two biodynamic farmers, Marjorie Spock and Mary T. Richards, of Long Island, New York. Their evidence was compiled for a suite of legal actions (1957-1960) against the U.S. Government and that contested the aerial spraying of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). During Rudolf Steiner’s lifetime, Spock and Richards both studied at Steiner’s Goetheanum, the headquarters of Anthroposophy, located in Dornach, Switzerland. Spock and Richards were prominent U.S. anthroposophists, and established a biodynamic farm under the tutelage of the leading biodynamics exponent of the time, Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. When their property was under threat from a government program of DDT spraying, they brought their case, eventually lost it, in the process spent US$100,000, and compiled the evidence that they then shared with Carson, who used it, and their extensive contacts and the trial transcripts, as the primary input for Silent Spring. Carson attributed to Spock, Richards, and Pfeiffer, no credit whatsoever in her book. As a consequence, the organics movement has not received the recognition, that is its due, as the primary impulse for Silent Spring, and it is, itself, unaware of this provenance

Next Generation NASA Hazard Detection System Development

The SPLICE project is continuing NASAs efforts to develop precision landing GN&C technologies for future lander missions. One of those technologies is the next generation Hazard Detection (HD) System, which consists of a new HD Lidar and HD Algorithms. The HD System is a modular system that will be adapted to meet specific mission needs in the future. This paper presents the design approach, the nominal concept of operations for which the first prototype is being designed, and the expected performance of the system

Implementing the Five-A Model of technical refinement: Key roles of the sport psychologist

There is increasing evidence for the significant contribution provided by sport psychologists within applied coaching environments. However, this rarely considers their skills/knowledge being applied when refining athletes’ already learned and well-established motor skills. Therefore, this paper focuses on how a sport psychologist might assist a coach and athlete to implement long-term permanent and pressure proof refinements. It highlights key contributions at each stage of the Five-A Model—designed to deliver these important outcomes—providing both psychomotor and psychosocial input to the support delivery. By employing these recommendations, sport psychologists can make multiple positive contributions to completion of this challenging task

Use of linear discriminant function analysis in seed morphotype relationship study in 31 Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) accessions in Ghana

Variation in seed morphology of the Lima bean in 31 accessions was studied. Data were collected on 100-seed weight, seed length and seed width. The differences among the accessions were significant, based on the three seed characteristics. K-means cluster analysis grouped the 31 accessions into four distinct groups, representing four different morphotypes. Mahalanobis distances (D2) among the groups were highly significant. The four different morphotypes were attributed to the Mesoamerican gene pool, comprising the cultigroups Sieva-Big Lima, Potato-Sieva and Potato. Sub-cultigroups of the Sieva-Big Lima and Potato cultigroups due to differences in seed weight were suggested.Variation en morphologie de graine du haricot de Lima en trente accessions était étudiée. Des données étaient collectées sur poids de 100 graines, longueur de graine et largeur de graine. Il y avait des différences considérables parmi les accessions basées sur les trois caractéristiques de graine. Analyse du régime par K-moyens groupait les 31 accessions en quatre groupes distincts, représentant quatre morphotypes différents. Les distances (D2) Mahalanobis parmi les groupes étaient hautement considérables. Les quatre morphotypes différents étaient attribués au bagage héréditaire de Mesoaméricain, comprenant les groupes de cultures: Sieva-Grand Lima, Patate-Sieva et Patate. Les groupes de sous-cultures de Sieva-Grand Lima et Patate groupes de culture dû aux différences en poids de graine étaient suggérées. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 39 (1) 2006: pp. 87-9

An Analysis of Dialogue Repair in Virtual Voice Assistants

Language speakers often use what are known as repair initiators to mend fundamental disconnects that occur between them during verbal communication. Previous research in this field has mainly focused on the human-to-human use of repair initiator. We proposed an examination of dialogue repair structure wherein the dialogue initiator is human and the party that initiates or responds to the repair is a virtual assistant. This study examined the use of repair initiators in both English and Spanish with two popular assistants, Google Assistant and Apple's Siri. Our aim was to codify the differences, if any, in responses by voice assistants to dialogues in need of repair as compared to human-human dialogues also in need of repair. Ultimately the data demonstrated that not only were there differences between human-assistant and human-human dialogue repair strategies, but that there were likewise differences among the assistants and the languages studied.Comment: 2021, non-print, unpublished versio

Quantum Fluctuations around the Electroweak Sphaleron

We present an analysis of the quantum fluctuations around the electroweak sphaleron and calculate the associated determinant which gives the 1--loop correction to the sphaleron transition rate. The calculation differs in various technical aspects from a previous analysis by Carson et al. so that it can be considered as independent. The numerical results differ also -- by several orders of magnitude -- from those of this previous analysis; we find that the sphaleron transition rate is much less suppressed than found previously.Comment: DO-TH-93/19 39 pages, 5 figures (available on request as Postscript files or via Fax or mail), LaTeX, no macros neede

Intra-individual movement variability during skill transitions: A useful marker?

Applied research suggests athletes and coaches need to be challenged in knowing when and how much a movement should be consciously attended to. This is exacerbated when the skill is in transition between two more stable states, such as when an already well learnt skill is being refined. Using existing theory and research, this paper highlights the potential application of movement variability as a tool to inform a coach’s decision-making process when implementing a systematic approach to technical refinement. Of particular interest is the structure of co-variability between mechanical degrees-of-freedom (e.g., joints) within the movement system’s entirety when undergoing a skill transition. Exemplar data from golf are presented, demonstrating the link between movement variability and mental effort as an important feature of automaticity, and thus intervention design throughout the different stages of refinement. Movement variability was shown to reduce when mental effort directed towards an individual aspect of the skill was high (target variable). The opposite pattern was apparent for variables unrelated to the technical refinement. Therefore, two related indicators, movement variability and mental effort, are offered as a basis through which the evaluation of automaticity during technical refinements may be made