Nickel hydrogen common pressure vessel battery development

Our present design for a common pressure vessel (CPV) battery, a nickel hydrogen battery system to combine all of the cells into a common pressure vessel, uses an open disk which allows the cell to be set into a shallow cavity; subsequent cells are stacked on each other with the total number based on the battery voltage required. This approach not only eliminates the assembly error threat, but also more readily assures equal contact pressure to the heat fin between each cell, which further assures balanced heat transfer. These heat fin dishes with their appropriate cell stacks are held together with tie bars which in turn are connected to the pressure vessel weld rings at each end of the tube

Evaluation: Everyone Has a Role

Do you ever wonder why the term “evaluation” is such a common word among so many organizations these days? This is due in part to the heightened level of accountability that has moved beyond expectation to obligation. Believing that evaluation focuses solely on a large number of people simply participating in a program is a thing of the past. Most programs are now interested in more meaningful outcomes—not just who showed up, but what did they learn and do as a result of participating

Group Mentoring

Mentoring serves an invaluable purpose, offering youth the resources they need for positive development. Meaningful relationships are the foundation for building strong connections and community ties, and caring adults can serve as allies to help foster youth development

Towards a More Effective Leader: Planning for the Next Extension Administrator

This study was conducted to assess the level at which state Cooperative Extension systems have strategies in place for administrative leadership changes. The data revealed that institutions have succession plans ranging from those that are very robust to very limited in nature. However, only 50% reported having individuals in key positions necessary to support continuity. In addition, 75% noted that it would take a year or more to replace the current Extension director/administrator if the person left immediately. This article provides insight on the successes and challenges associated with retaining top talent and mentoring potential leaders for advancement

Forebrain Origins of Glutamatergic Innervation to the Rat Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus: Differential Inputs to the Anterior Versus Posterior Subregions

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) regulates numerous homeostatic systems and functions largely under the influence of forebrain inputs. Glutamate is a major neurotransmitter in forebrain, and glutamate neurosignaling in the PVN is known to mediate many of its functions. Previous work showed that vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluTs; specific markers for glutamatergic neurons) are expressed in forebrain sites that project to the PVN; however, the extent of this presumed glutamatergic innervation to the PVN is not clear. In the present study retrograde FluoroGold (FG) labeling of PVN-projecting neurons was combined with in situ hybridization for VGluT1 and VGluT2 mRNAs to identify forebrain regions that provide glutamatergic innervation to the PVN and its immediate surround in rats, with special consideration for the sources to the anterior versus posterior PVN. VGluT1 mRNA colocalization with retrogradely labeled FG neurons was sparse. VGluT2 mRNA colocalization with FG neurons was most abundant in the ventromedial hypothalamus after anterior PVN FG injections, and in the lateral, posterior, dorsomedial, and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei after posterior PVN injections. Anterograde tract tracing combined with VGluT2 immunolabeling showed that 1) ventromedial nucleus-derived glutamatergic inputs occur in both the anterior and posterior PVN; 2) posterior nucleus-derived glutamatergic inputs occur predominantly in the posterior PVN; and 3) medial preoptic nucleus-derived inputs to the PVN are not glutamatergic, thereby corroborating the innervation pattern seen with retrograde tracing. The results suggest that PVN subregions are influenced by varying amounts and sources of forebrain glutamatergic regulation, consistent with functional differentiation of glutamate projections. J. Comp. Neurol. 519:1301–1319, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Youth and Adult Perceptions of Their Relationships Within Community-Based Youth Programs

This study examined perceptions and experiences of youth and adults engaged in various types of community-based youth-adult relationships. Involvement and interaction rating scales were completed by 108 participants involved in community groups from 12 communities in 10 states. The rating scale measured three constructs: youth involvement, adult involvement, and youth- adult interaction. Significant gender differences in participants’ perceptions were found on all three constructs, with females being more positive. Rural participants were found to be significantly more positive than urban participants on the construct of youth involvement. Finally, significant differences were found between all participants within categories of the youth-adult relationship continuum. Participants in youth-led collaborations were significantly more positive toward youth involvement than participants in adult-led collaborations. Moreover, adults in youth-adult partnerships were significantly more positive toward youth involvement and youth-adult interaction than those adults in adult-led collaborations

Extension and Faith-Based Organizations – Understanding Past and Present Linkages and Future Opportunities for Urban Communities

This examination of the literature explored the limited empirical data available regarding the networks formed between Cooperative Extension (Extension), local partners, and faith-based organizations (FBOs) within metropolitan areas. With FBOs being central to rural towns, as well as urban neighborhoods, Extension must consider engaging with these essential community resources as a means to broaden its reach and serve a wider audience. Not only are these entities underutilized, despite the abundance of human and social capital they provide, but they too are often in need of what Extension has to offer. This article will examine the history of collaborations between urban FBOs and Extension. In addition, the authors will look at how applying the principles of past successes to current problems could potentially enrich urban societies. The authors suggest meaningful ways in which Extension can serve in a capacity that is beneficial but not imposing on moral and/or spiritual beliefs and serve as allies with faith-based organizations to reach and aid new and/or underserved clientele

Determining the Quality of Youth-Adult Relationships Within Community-Based Youth Programs

There is a lack of research on assessing how society views youth voice and participation in youth programs. Youth taking on leadership roles and interacting with adults have shown success in establishing positive youth-adult relationships. This article introduces the Involvement and Interaction Rating Scale, a new measure that assesses the perceptions and experiences of youth and adult participants working together in various community-based efforts. The scale serves as a means to empower participants by enabling them to evaluate their own experiences to determine the quality of these experiences and acknowledge areas that need strengthening

CAYDO: Connecting the Gaps of Community Youth Assessments

Community-based assessments can be strategies that aim to work in partnership with individuals and organizations to empower communities. Often identified as a comparable alternative to needs assessments, Community YouthMapping has been developed to include youth in the community youth development process. However, the authors note significant gaps in Community YouthMapping and offer a new assessment technique that includes an adapted youth mapping process, Comprehensive Assessment of Youth Development Opportunities (CAYDO). This article takes an investigative look at the relevance of including this procedure as a needs assessment tool in the program planning and community development process

Adjusting Soil pH on Heavy Textured Soils of the Eden Hills

The Eden Hills Area (also known as The Hills of the Bluegrass) of Kentucky lies adjacent to the Inner Bluegrass Area in a crescent shape within which a large area of several counties occur. Carroll, Owen, Grant, Gallatin, Pendleton, and Robertson Counties occur almost entirely within this physiographic region and several other counties have sizable acreages within it. Soils of the area have formed largely on Ordovician aged calcareous siltstones of the Garrard Formation and interbedded calcareous shales, thin limestones, and siltstones of the Eden Formation. Soils developed from these formations occur on strongly sloping to steep landscapes and have a high clay content. with textures. particularly in subsurface horizons. ranging from silty clay loam to clay. With erosion of topsoil which has commonly occurred. these heavy clayey textures often occur at the soil surface. In addition to this feature, many soils in the area are shallow to consolidated or unconsolidated bedrock