Quick disconnect latch and handle combination Patent

Quick disconnect latch and handle combination for mounting articles on walls or supporting bases in spacecraft under zero gravity condition

Under Supreme Court review: An evaluation of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1994-2005

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is one of the most controversial courts in the United States due, in large part, to its high rate of reversal by the United States Supreme Court. The existing scholarship advances several potential explanations for the Ninth Circuit\u27s reversal rate, particularly the Ninth Circuit\u27s reputation as a very liberal court. This study evaluates the Ninth Circuit cases reviewed by the Supreme Court during the 1994-2004 terms to determine whether there are explanatory patterns to the Supreme Court\u27s disposition of cases from the Ninth Circuit over time. Examining the effects of the membership of the original three-judge panel, the presence of a government appellant, and the application of the due process guarantees, this study identifies substantial differences between the Ninth Circuit and the Supreme Court

Calculation of accurate permanent dipole moments of the lowest 1,3Σ+^{1,3} \Sigma^+ states of heteronuclear alkali dimers using extended basis sets

The obtention of ultracold samples of dipolar molecules is a current challenge which requires an accurate knowledge of their electronic properties to guide the ongoing experiments. In this paper, we systematically investigate the ground state and the lowest triplet state of mixed alkali dimers (involving Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) using a standard quantum chemistry approach based on pseudopotentials for atomic core representation, gaussian basis sets, and effective terms for core polarization effects. We emphasize on the convergence of the results for permanent dipole moments regarding the size of the gaussian basis set, and we discuss their predicted accuracy by comparing to other theoretical calculations or available experimental values. We also revisit the difficulty to compare computed potential curves among published papers, due to the differences in the modelization of core-core interaction.Comment: accepted to J. Chem. Phy

Detection of Turbidity Dynamics in Tampa Bay, Florida Using Multispectral Imagery from ERTS-1

Detection of turbidity dynamics in Tampa Bay, Florida using multispectral imagery from ERTS-

Determination of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in selected water bodies in the Niger Delta

Several water bodies in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where extensive crude oil production activities take place were analyzed for the presence of 16 US EPA priority polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) namely: naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorine, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene,benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(ghi)perylene dibenz(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene. The concentrations ranged from as low as 1.95 ug/L for relatively clean stream with practically no crude oil activity to10.9 ug/L for the most polluted. The analysis was carried out using GC/MS. The quantitation was done by means of internal standardization using four isotopically labeled internal standards namelyacenaphthene-d10, chrysene-d12, phenanthrene-d10 and perylene-d12. High molecular mass PAHs such asbenzo(ghi)perylene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene were mostly absent confirming low water solubility of these compounds and carcinogenic PAHs were general lower in concentrationthan the non carcinogenic ones

Assessment of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon content in four species of fish in the Niger Delta by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Analysis for the presence of sixteen priority polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene,  benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene,dibenz[a, h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene) was carried out on four different species of fish found in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The fish species included Parachanna obscura, Pseudolithuselongatus, Liza dumerillii and Clarais gariepinnus. Individual PAHs were identified through both retention time match with authentic standards and simultaneous maximization of several major ionsfrom gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) data. Four isotopically-labeled internal standards namely D10-acenaphtalene, D12-chrysene, D10-phenanthrene and D12-perylene, were usedfor quantitation. All four species of fish were found to contain high levels of PAHs ranging from 0.41 to 39.64 ug/kg. The high molecular weight PAHs such as benzo[ghi]perylene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene andindeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were consistently present in much higher amount than other PAHs in all four species of fish studied, suggesting higher resistance of these compounds to degradation

The Crisis of Under-Development and the Failure of the Elite Class in Adebayo Williams’ The Year of the Locusts

The crisis of under-development has been a source of concern to many scholars of different hues because of its devastating impact on the countries within the periphery. In the search for the explanation and resolution of this phenomenon in Nigeria, both social scientists and creative writers have been very active. This paper, using Adebayo Williams. The Year of the Locusts explores the issues of under-development and argues that the novel, instead of creating characters that can change their condition and by extension that of their people engages in a game of satire against the elite of the society. These characters are incapable of creating the needed change in their society. The essay concludes that in spite of the large cynicism that hallmarks The Year of the Locusts, it is still a genuine effort in addressing the spectre of under-development in Nigeria through the novelistic form. Key words: Crisis, Under-development, Elite, Writers, Novelists, Individualis

Autonomous rendezvous and capture development infrastructure

In the development of the technology for autonomous rendezvous and docking, key infrastructure capabilities must be used for effective and economical development. This involves facility capabilities, both equipment and personnel, to devise, develop, qualify, and integrate ARD elements and subsystems into flight programs. One effective way of reducing technical risks in developing ARD technology is the use of the ultimate test facility, using a Shuttle-based reusable free-flying testbed to perform a Technology Demonstration Test Flight which can be structured to include a variety of additional sensors, control schemes, and operational approaches. This conceptual testbed and flight demonstration will be used to illustrate how technologies and facilities at MSFC can be used to develop and prove an ARD system

Could a tuberculosis epidemic occur in London as it did in New York?

In early 1999, more than 160 senior physicians, public health officials, and nurses met to discuss London's tuberculosis (TB) control program. The program was examined against the public health response of New York City's Bureau of Tuberculosis Control during a 1988 to 1992 epidemic. This article outlines TB epidemiology and control in New York City 10 years ago and in London today to assess whether the kind of epidemic that occurred in New York could occur in London

Simulation Helps Improve Atmosphere Revitalization Systems for Manned Spacecraft

Life support systems for manned spacecraft must provide breathable air and drinkable water for the astronauts. Through the Atmosphere Revitalization Recovery and Environmental Monitoring (ARREM) project, engineers at NASA are developing atmosphere control devices for the safety of the onboard crew. The atmosphere in a manned spacecraft needs to be regularly revitalized in order to ensure the safety of the astronauts and the success of the space mission. For missions lasting a few months, this means air is continuously dehumidified, water collected for re-use, and carbon dioxide (CO2) ejected. One component of the onboard atmosphere control system is a water-saving device that Jim Knox, aerospace engineer at NASA, is optimizing through the Atmosphere Revitalization Recovery and Environmental Monitoring (ARREM) project. He is leading a team at the Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama) that is aiming to make the assembly more cost-effective and efficient by reducing its power usage and maximizing the water saved; their goal is to save 80-90% of the water in the air. They hope to offer flight system developers at NASA an integrated approach to atmosphere revitalization and water collection that will ultimately increase the time and distance space missions can travel