Enhancing the thermal performance of temporary fabric structures for the advanced energy efficient shelter system

The focus of this research is to characterize the thermal load on temporary fabric shelters deployed in the Middle East in order to establish realistic contract specification for the thermal performance of future shelters. Three different testing methods were utilized to evaluate shelter thermal performance. Small-scale tests allowed for economical comparisons of different shelter materials and configurations

Feasibility model of a high reliability five-year tape transport, volume 2

Analysis of the design features of the modularized tape transport renders a life expectancy in excess of five years. Tests performed on the tape transport were directed toward determining its performance capability. These tests revealed that the tape jitter and skew are in the range achieved by high quality digital tape transports. Guidance of the tape in the lateral sense by the use of the two hybrid crowned rollers proved to be excellent. Tracking was maintained within less than one thousandth inch (approximately 2 micrometers). The guidance capability demonstrated makes possible the achievement of the performance objective of 7.2 x 10 to the 9th power storage capability employing 1500 ft. of one inch wide tape with a packing density of 5,000 bits per inch per track on 80 tracks. Also, the machine showed excellent characteristics operating over a wide range of tape speeds. The basic design concept lends itself to growth and adaptation to a wide range of recorder requirements

Feasibility model of a high reliability five-year tape transport, Volume 1

The development, performance, and test results for the spaceborne magnetic tape transport are discussed. An analytical model of the tape transport was used to optimize its conceptual design. Each of the subsystems was subjected to reliability analyses which included structural integrity, maintenance of system performance within acceptable bounds, and avoidance of fatigue failure. These subsystems were also compared with each other in order to evaluate reliability characteristics. The transport uses no mechanical couplings. Four drive motors, one for each reel and one for each of two capstans, are used in a differential mode. There are two hybrid, spherical, cone tapered-crown rollers for tape guidance. Storage of the magnetic tape is provided by a reel assembly which includes the reel, a reel support structure and bearings, dust seals, and a dc drive motor. A summary of transport test results on tape guidance, flutter, and skew is provided

Core Sciences in First-Year Learning Communities

Learning communities (LCs) offer high-impact practices of active learning and practical application, but such practices demand devoted class time and room for reflection. Core science courses that serve as prerequisites for more advanced courses have specific and fixed content that offers no space in which to incorporate the ideals of LCs. Wagner College’s three-course model for first-year LCs solves this conundrum by providing a Reflective Tutorial (RFT)—a course dedicated to critical thinking, frequent writing, reflection, and practical application through experiential learning—that bridges two content courses based on a well-developed theme. This structure allows any course appropriate for first-year students, including core science courses, to be incorporated in an LC. Two faculty members work as a team to create the three-course LC; each faculty member teaches one of the content courses to the same group of 24-28 students. The two instructors team teach the RFT or offer independent small sections of the RFT; the RFT replaces the traditional first-year writing course. Specific examples are provided of LCs incorporating a core science course. Nicholas Richardson is a Professor of Psychology at Wagner College in Staten Island, NY. Patricia A. Tooker is the Dean for Integrated Learning and an Associate Professor in the Evelyn L. Spiro School of Nursing at Wagner College. Amy Eshleman is a Professor of Psychology at Wagner College

Preliminary results of the Mariner IV radio occultation measurements of the upper atmosphere of Mars

Mariner IV radio occultation measurements of Mars upper atmospher

Preliminary results of the Mariner IV OCCULATION measurement of the atmosphere of Mars

Mariner IV radio occultation measurement of Mars atmospher

Surface Mining and Reclamation Effects on Flood Response of Watersheds in the Central Appalachian Plateau Region

Surface mining of coal and subsequent reclamation represent the dominant land use change in the central Appalachian Plateau (CAP) region of the United States. Hydrologic impacts of surface mining have been studied at the plot scale, but effects at broader scales have not been explored adequately. Broad-scale classification of reclaimed sites is difficult because standing vegetation makes them nearly indistinguishable from alternate land uses. We used a land cover data set that accurately maps surface mines for a 187-km2 watershed within the CAP. These land cover data, as well as plot-level data from within the watershed, are used with HSPF (Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran) to estimate changes in flood response as a function of increased mining. Results show that the rate at which flood magnitude increases due to increased mining is linear, with greater rates observed for less frequent return intervals. These findings indicate that mine reclamation leaves the landscape in a condition more similar to urban areas rather than does simple deforestation, and call into question the effectiveness of reclamation in terms of returning mined areas to the hydrological state that existed before mining

Relationship between reproductive hormones and migration distance in a polygynous songbird, the Red‑winged Blackbird (\u3ci\u3eAgelaius phoeniceus\u3c/i\u3e)

Many bird species migrate to southern overwintering locations to avoid harsh conditions at their breeding grounds, but at the cost of an energetically demanding migration that may delay their spring reproductive development. Previous work on the relationship between migration distance and reproductive readiness has primarily focused on early season baseline testosterone in both males and females. However, for females, testosterone alone may not be the appropriate measurement of reproductive development. Estradiol, a metabolite of testosterone that is essential for breeding behaviors and reproduction, should also be measured. Furthermore, baseline testosterone varies throughout the day and may change due to social interactions that occurred prior to sampling. Injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) elicits an individual’s maximum potential testosterone production, minimizing daily and social variation. We explored relationships between migration distance and reproductive status after arrival to the breeding ground in Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). We predicted that individuals that travel a shorter distance will have higher levels of reproductive hormones upon arrival given they are able to invest less in migration and more in reproduction. This is important because individuals that breed earlier often have higher reproductive success. In females, we measured baseline estradiol and testosterone. In males, we assessed baseline and GnRH-induced testosterone. Hormone values were related to migration distance, estimated by stable isotope analysis of claw samples collected before breeding began in eastern North Dakota. We found that males with shorter inferred migration distances have higher baseline testosterone upon arrival. However, inferred migration distance was not correlated with GnRH-induced testosterone. Female inferred migration distance was not correlated with baseline testosterone, but it was correlated with baseline estradiol. Females with higher testosterone had lower estradiol, suggesting that testosterone in females is not a reliable indicator of estradiol levels, thus readiness to breed. Our observations suggest that baseline hormone levels were related to migration distance, but baseline testosterone alone may not provide a complete assessment of a male or female’s preparedness to breed following spring migration

Mitochondrial DNA mutations in preneoplastic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract: A biomarker for the early detection of cancer

BACKGROUND: Somatic mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are common in many human cancers. We have described an oligonucleotide microarray ("MitoChip") for rapid sequencing of the entire mitochondrial genome (Zhou et al, J Mol Diagn 2006), facilitating the analysis of mtDNA mutations in preneoplastic lesions. We examined 14 precancerous lesions, including seven Barrett esophagus biopsies, with or without associated dysplasia; four colorectal adenomas; and three inflammatory colitis-associated dysplasia specimens. In all cases, matched normal tissues from the corresponding site were obtained as germline control. MitoChip analysis was performed on DNA obtained from cryostat-embedded specimens. RESULTS: A total of 513,639 bases of mtDNA were sequenced in the 14 samples, with 490,224 bases (95.4%) bases assigned by the automated genotyping software. All preneoplastic lesions examined demonstrated at least one somatic mtDNA sequence alteration. Of the 100 somatic mtDNA alterations observed in the 14 cases, 27 were non-synonymous coding region mutations (i.e., resulting in an amino acid change), 36 were synonymous, and 37 involved non-coding mtDNA. Overall, somatic alterations most commonly involved the COI, ND4 and ND5 genes. Notably, somatic mtDNA alterations were observed in preneoplastic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract even in the absence of histopathologic evidence of dysplasia, suggesting that the mitochondrial genome is susceptible at the earliest stages of multistep cancer progression. CONCLUSION: Our findings further substantiate the rationale for exploring the mitochondrial genome as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of cancer, and confirm the utility of a high-throughput array-based platform for this purpose from a clinical applicability standpoint