Design of Quiet Rotorcraft Approach Trajectories

A optimization procedure for identifying quiet rotorcraft approach trajectories is proposed and demonstrated. The procedure employs a multi-objective genetic algorithm in order to reduce noise and create approach paths that will be acceptable to pilots and passengers. The concept is demonstrated by application to two different helicopters. The optimized paths are compared with one another and to a standard 6-deg approach path. The two demonstration cases validate the optimization procedure but highlight the need for improved noise prediction techniques and for additional rotorcraft acoustic data sets

Impact of Shade in Beef Feedyards on Performance, Body Temperature, and Heat Stress Measures

A study using crossbred steers was conducted at a commercial feedyard to determine the effects of pen shades on cattle performance, body temperature, and cattle activity. Two heat events (Event 1 and Event 2) and one cool event were defined for the feeding period. No significant differences were observed for average daily gain, dry matter intake, feed to gain, or carcass characteristics at the end of the trial. During Event 1, cattle in pens with shade had lower panting scores than cattle in open pens. During Event 2, cattle in shade pens had greater dry matter intake, lower panting scores, and lower ear temperature. Throughout the entire feeding period, cattle in open pens had greater ear temperature and panting scores than cattle in shaded pens while movement was not different between treatments. Using shades for feedyard cattle did not impact performance, but did improve some measures of heat stress

The Science of College: Navigating the First Year and Beyond

The transition to adulthood is a complex process, and college is pivotal to this experience. "The Science of College" aids entering college students--and the people who support them--in navigating college successfully, with up-to-date recommendations based upon real student situations, sound social science research, and the collective experiences of faculty, lecturers, advisors, and student support staff. The stories captured in this book highlight how the challenges that college students encounter vary in important ways based on demographics and social backgrounds. Despite these varied backgrounds, all students are more likely to have successful college experiences if they invest in their communities. Universities have many resources available, but as this book will show, students need to learn when to access which resources and how best to engage with people serving students. This includes having a better awareness of the different roles held by university faculty and staff, and navigating who to go to for what, based upon understanding their distinct sets of expertise and approaches to support. There is no single template for student success. Yet, this book highlights common issues that many students face and provides science-based advice for how to navigate college. Each topic covered is geared towards the life stage that most college students are in: emerging adulthood. In addition to the student-focused chapters, the book includes appendixes with activities for students, tips for parents, and methods information for faculty. Supplemental website materials suggest classroom activities for instructors who adopt this book within first-year seminars and general education courses

The natural capital accounting opportunity: Let s really do the numbers

This work was conducted as a part of the “Accounting for U.S. Ecosystem Services at National and Subnational Scales” working group supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center under funding received from the National Science Foundation (grant no. DBI-1052875) and the US Geological Survey John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis (grant no. GX16EW00ECSV00)

T–T Neutron Spectrum from Inertial Confinement Implosions

A new technique that uses inertial confinement implosions for measuring low-energy nuclear reactions important to nuclear astrophysics is described. Simultaneous measurements of n–D and n–T elastic scattering at 14.1 MeV using deuterium–tritium gas-filled capsules provide a proof of principle for this technique. Measurements have been made of D(d,p)T (dd) and T(t,2n)[superscript 4]He (tt) reaction yields relative to the D(t,n)[superscript]He (dt) reaction yield for deuterium–tritium mixtures with fT/fD between 0.62 and 0.75 and for a wide range of ion temperatures to test our understanding of the implosion processes. Measurements of the shape of the neutron spectrum from the T(t,2n)[superscript 4]He reaction have been made for each of these target configurations.National Laser User’s Facility (Grant NA0000877)United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant DE-FG52-09NA29553)University of Rochester. Fusion Science Center (Rochester Subaward 415023-G, UR Account 5-24431)University of Rochester. Laboratory for Laser Energetics (Grant 412160-001G)Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Grants B580243 and DE-AC52-07NA27344

Determination of |Vcb| using the semileptonic decay \bar{B}^0 --> D^{*+}e^-\bar{\nu}

We present a measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix element |Vcb| using a 10.2 fb^{-1} data sample recorded at the \Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e^+e^- storage ring. By extrapolating the differential decay width of the \bar{B}^0 --> D^{*+}e^-\bar{\nu} decay to the kinematic limit at which the D^{*+} is at rest with respect to the \bar{B}^0, we extract the product of |Vcb| with the normalization of the decay form factor F(1), |Vcb |F(1)= (3.54+/-0.19+/-0.18)x10^{-2}, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. A value of |Vcb| = (3.88+/-0.21+/-0.20+/-0.19)x10^{-2} is obtained using a theoretical calculation of F(1), where the third error is due to the theoretical uncertainty in the value of F(1). The branching fraction B(\bar{B}^0 --> D^{*+}e^-\bar{\nu}) is measured to be (4.59+/-0.23+/-0.40)x10^{-2}.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, elsart.cls, submitted to PL

Machine learning-based prediction of breast cancer growth rate in-vivo

BackgroundDetermining the rate of breast cancer (BC) growth in vivo, which can predict prognosis, has remained elusive despite its relevance for treatment, screening recommendations and medicolegal practice. We developed a model that predicts the rate of in vivo tumour growth using a unique study cohort of BC patients who had two serial mammograms wherein the tumour, visible in the diagnostic mammogram, was missed in the first screen.MethodsA serial mammography-derived in vivo growth rate (SM-INVIGOR) index was developed using tumour volumes from two serial mammograms and time interval between measurements. We then developed a machine learning-based surrogate model called Surr-INVIGOR using routinely assessed biomarkers to predict in vivo rate of tumour growth and extend the utility of this approach to a larger patient population. Surr-INVIGOR was validated using an independent cohort.ResultsSM-INVIGOR stratified discovery cohort patients into fast-growing versus slow-growing tumour subgroups, wherein patients with fast-growing tumours experienced poorer BC-specific survival. Our clinically relevant Surr-INVIGOR stratified tumours in the discovery cohort and was concordant with SM-INVIGOR. In the validation cohort, Surr-INVIGOR uncovered significant survival differences between patients with fast-growing and slow-growing tumours.ConclusionOur Surr-INVIGOR model predicts in vivo BC growth rate during the pre-diagnostic stage and offers several useful applications

Just a guy in pajamas? Framing the blogs in mainstream US newspaper coverage (1999—2005)

When new technologies are introduced to the public, their widespread adoption is dependent, in part, on news coverage (Rogers, 1995).Yet, as weblogs began to play major role in the public spheres of politics and journalism, journalists faced a paradox: how to cover a social phenomenon that was too large to ignore and posed a significant threat to their profession. This article examines how blogs were framed by US newspapers as the public became more aware of the blogging world. A content analysis of blog-related stories in major US newspapers from 1999 to 2005 was conducted. Findings suggest that newspaper coverage framed blogs as more beneficial to individuals and small cohorts than to larger social entities such as politics, business and journalism. Moreover, only in the realm of journalism were blogs framed as more of a threat than a benefit, and rarely were blogs considered an actual form of journalism.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

A nontoxic polypeptide oligomer with a fungicide potency under agricultural conditions which is equal or greater than that of their chemical counterparts

Research ArticleThere are literally hundreds of polypeptides described in the literature which exhibit fungicide activity. Tens of them have had attempted protection by patent applications but none, as far as we are aware, have found application under real agricultural conditions. The reasons behind may be multiple where the sensitivity to the Sun UV radiation can come in first place. Here we describe a multifunctional glyco-oligomer with 210 kDa which is mainly composed by a 20 kDa polypeptide termed Blad that has been previously shown to be a stable intermediary product of β-conglutin catabolism. This oligomer accumulates exclusively in the cotyledons of Lupinus species, between days 4 and 12 after the onset of germination. Blad-oligomer reveals a plethora of biochemical properties, like lectin and catalytic activities, which are not unusual per si, but are remarkable when found to coexist in the same protein molecule. With this vast range of chemical characteristics, antifungal activity arises almost as a natural consequence. The biological significance and potential technological applications of Blad-oligomer as a plant fungicide to agriculture, its uniqueness stems from being of polypeptidic in nature, and with efficacies which are either equal or greater than the top fungicides currently in the market are addressedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Future oriented group training for suicidal patients: a randomized clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In routine psychiatric treatment most clinicians inquire about indicators of suicide risk, but once the risk is assessed not many clinicians systematically focus on suicidal thoughts. This may reflect a commonly held opinion that once the depressive or anxious symptoms are effectively treated the suicidal symptoms will wane. Consequently, many clients with suicidal thoughts do not receive systematic treatment of their suicidal thinking. There are many indications that specific attention to suicidal thinking is necessary to effectively decrease the intensity and recurrence of suicidal thinking. We therefore developed a group training for patients with suicidal thoughts that is easy to apply in clinical settings as an addition to regular treatment and that explicitly focuses on suicidal thinking. We hypothesize that such an additional training will decrease the frequency and intensity of suicidal thinking.</p> <p>We based the training on cognitive behavioural approaches of hopelessness, worrying, and future perspectives, given the theories of Beck, McLeod and others, concerning the lack of positive expectations characteristic for many suicidal patients. In collaboration with each participant in the training individual positive future possibilities and goals were challenged.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>We evaluate the effects of our program on suicide ideation (primary outcome measure). The study is conducted in a regular treatment setting with regular inpatients and outpatients representative for Dutch psychiatric treatment settings. The design is a RCT with two arms: TAU (Treatment as Usual) versus TAU plus the training. Follow up measurements are taken 12 months after the first assessment.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>There is a need for research on the effectiveness of interventions in suicidology, especially RCT's. In our treatment program we combine aspects and interventions that have been proven to be useful in the treatment of suicidal thinking and behavior.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN56421759</p