Hardware interface unit for control of shuttle RMS vibrations

Vibration of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS) increases the time for task completion and reduces task safety for manipulator-assisted operations. If the dynamics of the manipulator and the payload can be physically isolated, performance should improve. Rockwell has developed a self contained hardware unit which interfaces between a manipulator arm and payload. The End Point Control Unit (EPCU) is built and is being tested at Rockwell and at the Langley/Marshall Coupled, Multibody Spacecraft Control Research Facility in NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama

Dissolved selenium(VI) removal by zero-valent iron under oxic conditions: Influence of sulfate and nitrate

NSERC: RGPIN-2014-06589Peer ReviewedDissolved Se(VI) removal by three commercially-available zero-valent irons (ZVIs) was examined in oxic batch experiments under circumneutral pH conditions in the presence and absence of NO3- and SO42-. Environmentally relevant Se(VI) (1 mg/L), NO3- ([NO3-N] = 15 mg/L) and SO42- (1800 mg/L) were employed to simulate mining-impacted waters. Ninety percent Se(VI) removal was achieved within 4 to 8 h in the absence of SO42- and NO3-. Similar Se(VI) removal was observed after 10 to 32 h in the presence of NO3-. Dissolved Se(VI) removal rates exhibited the greatest decrease in the presence of SO42-; 90% Se(VI) removal was measured after 50 to 191 h for SO42- and after 150 to 194 h for SO42- plus NO3- depending on the ZVI tested. Despite differences in removal rates among batches and ZVI materials, Se(VI) removal consistently followed first-order reaction kinetics. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses of reacted solids showed that Fe(0) present in ZVI undergoes oxidation to magnetite [Fe3O4], wüstite [FeO], lepidocrocite [γ-FeOOH], and goethite [α-FeOOH] over time. X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy indicated that Se(VI) was reduced to Se(IV) and Se(0) during removal. These results demonstrate that ZVI can be effectively used control Se(VI) concentrations in mining impacted waters

Mobility Clinic Team Composition: Optimizing Care for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

INTRODUCTION Specialized interprofessional primary care-based Mobility Clinics represent a significant opportunity to improve spinal cord injury (SCI) care, however, there are no gold standards to inform team composition. This study explored the ideal mix of skill sets and competencies for Mobility Clinics. METHODS Twelve individual interviews were conducted with primary care and rehabilitation clinicians and individuals from professional associations representing nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, physicians, physician assistants, and recreation therapists. Participants received briefing notes on the Mobility Clinic care model and roles of each discipline within this model. Questions were asked related to discipline specific scope of practice, ideal team composition to meet consumer needs, and opportunities for expanding and sharing discipline roles. RESULTS Discipline specific role descriptions within the Mobility Clinic were perceived to be comprehensive and accurate; in some cases additional activities were suggested for some disciplines. Suggestions were made for cross discipline sharing of tasks (e.g., some social worker activities can be assumed by occupational therapists, OT or nurse practitioners, NPs). Recommendations for core team members included a physician, nurse, OT, exercise therapist, and a representative from a SCI-specific community service, with linkages to specialists or interprofessional rehabilitation teams for consultation support. Potential roles were described for disciplines not currently represented in this care model (nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, physician assistants, recreation therapists). CONCLUSION As there exists a critical balance of optimizing care and availability of resources, this study informs appropriate Mobility Clinic team composition, adaptable within the context of existing human resources

Paper Session I-C - Advanced Vision and Robotic Systems for Hazardous Environments

This paper describes work performed at the Rockwell Space Division, Downey, California, and at Fluor Daniel Inc. Irvine, California, related to task performance in remote hazardous environments through advanced robotic and vision systems. These environments could be in space, for example related to the Space Shuttle, Space Station and outer space and planetary environments. In addition, the environments could be on earth, for example areas contaminated by chemical or radioactive waste. In both instances, the task is most efficiently performed when the environment has been designed from the very beginning for remote task performance. While this is often not the case, much is being done in the development of two important related remote technologies: environmental characterization and inspection; and remote handling and manipulation. Important work has already taken place in developing robust systems for remote characterization, inspection and manipulation, for example, at the facilities of NASA and the Department of Energy. NASA is already integrating and testing a mobile robot system for inspection and re-waterproofing of thermal protection system tiles on the Space Shuttle. Other NASA efforts include micro-rovers, robotic devices for ground emergency responses, robots with local autonomy for ground characterization, and small, highly dexterous robots for visual inspection. In addition, the Department of Energy has many efforts to develop characterization, inspection and robotic systems for radiation areas. Notable examples include mobile systems for inspection of exterior and interior acreage sites, reactor vessels, pipes, drums, and various devices and special end-effectors for waste excavation, size reduction, manipulation, decontamination, and decommissioning. To support these activities, we have taken a systematic approach to developing some of the basic technologies necessary for remote operations in hostile environments. Our major thrust has been to develop a modular, re-configurable robotics laboratory test bed, and then to use this test bed to support advances in the following areas: simulation and engineering analysis for development and verification of remote tasks; special vision systems; and vibration isolation to stabilize and enhance remote manipulators

Health Literacy, Medication Adherence, and Patient Satisfaction in Community Pharmacy

Background: Health literacy is defined as the ability to read, understand, and act on health information; almost half of adults have inadequate health literacy. Since inadequate health literacy is often followed by many negative outcomes, such as poor medication adherence, it is important to address health literacy, in order to rectify the low levels and improve outcomes. Patients see pharmacists regularly, and therefore, the pharmacist is crucial In improving medication adherence. If health literacy is a barrier to medication adherence, the community pharmacist should be able to provide health literacy-appropriate counseling to improve medication adherence. Objectives: To determine if pharmacists\u27 perception of patient health literacy and actual patient health literacy align, to assess the relationship between health literacy and medication adherence In patients who visit independent community pharmacies, to evaluate patients\u27 satisfaction with their pharmacists\u27 patient counseling, and to determine the pharmacists\u27 willingness to improve their communication technique with their patients according to their health literacy. Methods: Independent pharmacies were selected from the Cedarvlle network. Patients will complete Instruments to assess health literacy (Newest Vital Signs®), medication adherence (8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale©), and patient satisfaction with counseling (Likert-type questions derived from the literature). The patient satisfaction items will be peer-reviewed before finalizing the version given to the patients. Patients will consist of those at least 18 years of age, who speak English, and are obtaining a refill for a chronic condition. Results In Progress: Thus far, the selection process of pharmacies is being conducted, as well as securing the health literacy test, the medication adherence test, and formulating questions for patient satisfaction. Completion is anticipated by the end of spring 2014

Developmental changes in mu suppression to observed and executed actions in autism spectrum disorders

There has been debate over whether disruptions in the mirror neuron system (MNS) play a key role in the core social deficits observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). EEG mu suppression during the observation of biological actions is believed to reflect MNS functioning, but understanding of the developmental progression of the MNS and EEG mu rhythm in both typical and atypical development is lacking. To provide a more thorough and direct exploration of the development of mu suppression in individuals with ASD, a sample of 66 individuals with ASD and 51 typically developing individuals of 6-17 years old were pooled from four previously published studies employing similar EEG methodology. We found a significant correlation between age and mu suppression in response to the observation of actions, both for individuals with ASD and typical individuals. This relationship was not seen during the execution of actions. Additionally, the strength of the correlation during the observation of actions did not significantly differ between groups. The results provide evidence against the argument that mirror neuron dysfunction improves with age in individuals with ASD and suggest, instead, that a diagnosis-independent developmental change may be at the root of the correlation of age and mu suppression

Late Holocene Sedimentation and Paleoenvironmental History for the Tidal Marshes of the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, Tributaries to Chesapeake Bay

Instrumental tide gauge records indicate that the modern rates of sea-level rise in the Chesapeake Bay more than double the global average of 1.2-1.5 mm yr-1. The primary objective for this study is to establish a relative depositional history for the tidal marshes of the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers that will help us improve our understanding of processes that influence sedimentation in the proximal tributaries of Chesapeake Bay. Marsh cores were collected from Blandfield Point VA, Tappahannock VA, and Potomac Creek VA. The sedimentary facies include: 1) a lower unit of organic-poor, grey clay with fine sand and silt layers and estuarine foraminifera; and 2) an upper unit of organic-rich clay and peat with abundant brackish to freshwater marsh foraminifera and thecamoebians. AMS 14C dating of bulk marsh sediments yield sedimentation rates at Potomac Creek ranging from 3.04-4.20 mm yr-1 for the past 2500 years. Rates of sedimentation calculated for Blandfield Point indicate 1.37-2.19 mm yr-1 in the basal clays and peat for the past ~3000 years. Foraminiferal census counts indicate a freshening upward trend with a transition from an estuarine Ammobaculites crassus assemblage to a marsh Ammoastuta salsa assemblage with abundant freshwater thecamoebians. The late Holocene history of sedimentation for the marshes indicates that differential compaction, recent land use practices, and climate change have contributed to the resultant freshening-upward environmental trend and variability in sediment accumulation rates between coring sites

Associative learning alone is insufficient for the evolution and maintenance of the human mirror neuron system

AbstractCook et al. argue that mirror neurons originate from associative learning processes, without evolutionary influence from social-cognitive mechanisms. We disagree with this claim and present arguments based upon cross-species comparisons, EEG findings, and developmental neuroscience that the evolution of mirror neurons is most likely driven simultaneously and interactively by evolutionarily adaptive psychological mechanisms and lower-level biological mechanisms that support them.</jats:p

Measurement of Ultraviolet Radiative Heating Augmentation in HIEST Reflected Shock Tunnel

Radiance measurements in air at enthalpies from 8-20 MJkg have been made over a 250mm diameter flat-faced test article in Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's HIgh-Enthalpy Shock Tunnel (HIEST). Measurements were made in the ultraviolet region (200-400 nm wavelength) in an attempt to resolve the long-standing discrepancy between theoryand measurements of heat flux over a blunt body; this discrepancy is often attributed toradiation. The spectra obtained indicate the presence of atomic iron vapor in the flowfield.At the highest enthalpies, the radiance is at the blackbody limit. An attempt to model theradiance is made by taking a nominal CFD flowfield without any contamination productsand processing it through a line-by-line radiation simulation tool. Iron vapor is introducedinto the shocked gas ahead of the model and radiation computations are repeated; the molefraction of iron vapor is adjusted to match the data. For the higher enthalpy conditions, theradiance was strongly absorbed and it was necessary to adjust the temperature and NOdensity in the freestream to match the signal below 300 nm. Once the observed spectrawere satisfactorily matched, the radiance to the stagnation point was then computed. It isshown that the impurity radiation is sufficiently large to explain the discrepancy