1,752 research outputs found
Spacecraft Habitable Volume: Results of an Interdisciplinary Workshop
NASA's Human Exploration Framework Team posed the question: "Is 80 cubic meters per person of habitable volume acceptable for a proposed Deep Space Habitat?" The goal of the workshop was to address the "net habitable volume" necessary for long-duration human spaceflight missions and identify design and psychological issues and mitigations. The objectives were: (1) Identify psychological factors -- i.e., "stressors" -- that impact volume and layout specifications for long duration missions (2) Identify mitigation strategies for stressors, especially those that can be written as volume design specifications (3) Identify a forward research roadmap -- i.e., what future work is needed to define and validate objective design metrics? (4) Provide advisories on the human factors consequences of poor net habitable volume allocation and layout design
Bioactive flavanones from Luma chequen
A bioassay-guided chemical study of a methanolic extract of fresh leaves of Luma chequen led to the isolation of lumaflavanones A (1), B (2) and C (3) whose structures are proposed on the basis of NMR spectroscopic data. The structure of lumaflavanone A was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Antifeedant (Spodoptera littoralis), brine shrimp (Artemia salina) and fungistatic (Botrytis cinerea) bioassays showed that while 3 was the most active in the first two assays the mixture of 1 and 2 was more effective as a fungistatic
A Brief Wellbeing Training Session Delivered by a Humanoid Social Robot: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Mental health and psychological distress are rising in adults, showing the
importance of wellbeing promotion, support, and technique practice that is
effective and accessible. Interactive social robots have been tested to deliver
health programs but have not been explored to deliver wellbeing technique
training in detail. A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted to
explore the feasibility of an autonomous humanoid social robot to deliver a
brief mindful breathing technique to promote information around wellbeing. It
contained two conditions: brief technique training (Technique) and control
designed to represent a simple wait-list activity to represent a
relationship-building discussion (Simple Rapport). This trial also explored
willingness to discuss health-related topics with a robot. Recruitment uptake
rate through convenience sampling was high (53%). A total of 230 participants
took part (mean age = 29 years) with 71% being higher education students. There
were moderate ratings of technique enjoyment, perceived usefulness, and
likelihood to repeat the technique again. Interaction effects were found across
measures with scores varying across gender and distress levels. Males with high
distress and females with low distress who received the simple rapport activity
reported greater comfort to discuss non-health topics than males with low
distress and females with high distress. This trial marks a notable step
towards the design and deployment of an autonomous wellbeing intervention to
investigate the impact of a brief robot-delivered mindfulness training program
for a sub-clinical population
How reproductive allocation and flowering probability of individuals in plant populations are affected by position in stand size hierarchy, plant size and CO2 regime
We investigate the effect of position within a size-structured population
on the reproductive allocation (RA) and flowering probability
of individual plants of Sinapis arvensis. We also assess the effects of
plant size and changing level of CO2 on both responses
James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Integration: Testing the Multiwavelength Interferometer on the Test Bed Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) integration includes a center of curvature test on its 18 primary mirror segment assemblies (PMSAs). This important test is the only ground test that will demonstrate the ability to align all 18 PMSAs. Using a multi-wavelength interferometer (MWIF) integrated to the test bed telescope (TBT), a one-sixth scale model of the JWST, we verify our ability to align and phase the 18 PMSAs. In this paper we will discuss data analysis and test results when using the MWIF to align the segments of the TBT in preparation for alignment of the JWST
Wavefront Calibration Testing of the James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Center of Curvature Optical Assembly
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Optical Telescope Element (OTE) consists of a 6.6 meter clear aperture, all-reflective, three-mirror anastigmat!. The 18-segment primary mirror (PM) presents unique and challenging assembly, integration, alignment and testing requirements. A full aperture center of curvature optical test is performed in cryogenic vacuum conditions at the integrated observatory level to verify PM performance requirements. Two wavefront calibration tests are utilized to verify the low and Mid/High spatial frequency performance ofthe test system. In this paper the methods and results of the wavefront calibration tests are presented
ASPIRE-2-PREVENT: a survey of lifestyle, risk factor management and cardioprotective medication in patients with coronary heart disease and people at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the UK.
OBJECTIVE: To determine in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and people at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) whether the Joint British Societies' guidelines on CVD prevention (JBS2) are followed in everyday clinical practice. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken of medical records and patient interviews and examinations at least 6 months after the recruiting event or diagnosis using standardised instruments and a central laboratory for measurement of lipids and glucose. SETTINGS: The ASPIRE-2-PREVENT survey was undertaken in 19 randomly selected hospitals and 19 randomly selected general practices in 12 geographical regions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. PATIENTS: In hospitals, 1474 consecutive patients with CHD were identified and 676 (25.6% women) were interviewed. In general practice, 943 people at high CVD risk were identified and 446 (46.5% women) were interviewed. RESULTS: The prevalence of risk factors in patients with CHD and high-risk individuals was, respectively: smoking 14.1%, 13.3%; obesity 38%, 50.2%; not reaching physical activity target 83.3%, 85.4%; blood pressure ≥130/80 mm Hg (patients with CHD and self-reported diabetes) or ≥140/85 mm Hg (high-risk individuals) 46.9%, 51.3%; total cholesterol ≥4 mmol/l 52.6%, 78.7%; and diabetes 17.8%, 43.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The potential among patients with CHD and individuals at high risk of developing CVD in the UK to achieve the JBS2 lifestyle and risk factor targets is considerable. CVD prevention needs a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach, addressing all aspects of lifestyle and risk factor management. The challenge is to engage and motivate cardiologists, physicians and other health professionals to routinely practice high quality preventive cardiology in a healthcare system which must invest in prevention
Change in hematologic indices over time in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease treated with azathioprin
Azathioprine leads to changes in mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and white blood cell (WBC) indices reflecting efficacy or toxicity. Understanding the interactions between bone marrow stem cells and azathioprine could highlight abnormal response patterns as forerunners for hematologic malignancies. This study gives a statistical description of factors influencing the relationship between MCV and WBC in children with inflammatory bowel disease treated with azathioprine. We found that leukopenia preceded macrocytosis. Macrocytosis is therefore not a good predictor of leukopenia. Further studies will be necessary to determine the subgroup of patients at increased risk of malignancies based on bone marrow response. © 2010 Soman et al., publisher and licensee Adis Data Information BV
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