Space shuttle: Structural integrity and assessment study

A study program was conducted to determine the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) requirements and to develop a preliminary nondestructive evaluation manual for the entire space shuttle vehicle. The rationale and guidelines for structural analysis and NDE requirements development are discussed. Recommendations for development of NDE technology for the orbiter thermal protection system and certain structural components are included. Recommendations to accomplish additional goals toward space shuttle inspection are presented

Preliminary nondestructive evaluation manual for the space shuttle

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) requirements are presented for some 134 potential fracture-critical structural areas identified, for the entire space shuttle vehicle system, as those possibly needing inspection during refurbishment/turnaround and prelaunch operations. The requirements include critical area and defect descriptions, access factors, recommended NDE techniques, and descriptive artwork. Requirements discussed include: Orbiter structure, external tank, solid rocket booster, and thermal protection system (development area)

Responsible Leadership in a Stakeholder Society - A Relational Perspective

We understand responsible leadership as a social-relational and ethical phenomenon, which occurs in social processes of interaction. While the prevailing leadership literature has for the most part focussed on the relationship between leaders and followers in the organization and defined followers as subordinates, we show in this article that leadership takes place in interaction with a multitude of followers as stakeholders inside and outside the corporation. Using an ethical lens, we discuss leadership responsibilities in a stakeholder society, thereby following Bass and Steidelmeier's suggestion to discuss "leadership in the context of contemporary stakeholder theory” (1999: 200). Moreover, from a relational and stakeholder perspective we approach the questions: What is responsible leadership? What makes a responsible leader? What qualities are needed? Finally, we propose a so-called "roles model” of responsible leadership, which gives a gestalt to a responsible leader and describes the different roles he or she takes in leading stakeholders and business in societ

Plume Characterization of a One-Millipound Solid Teflon Pulsed Plasma Thruster, Phase 2

Measurements of the pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) plume upstream mass flux were made in the Molecular Sink (MOLSINK) vacuum facility in order to minimize the plume-tank wall reflected mass flux. Using specially designed collimators on 4 rows of Quartz Crystal Microbalanced (QCMs) mounted on a support extending radially away from the plume axis, measurements were made of the mass flux originating in a thin slice of the PPT primary plume at an arbitrary dip angle with respect to the thruster axis. The measured and analytically corrected mass flux from particles reflected from the MOLSINK walls was substracted from the collimated QCM measurements to improve their accuracy. These data were then analytically summed over dip angle to estimate the total plume backflow upstream of the thruster nozzle. The results indicate that the PPT backflow is of order 10 to the minus 10th power g/square cm/pulse in the region from 38 to 86 cm from the PPT axis in the nozzle exit plane. This flux drops with the square of the radial distance from the PPT axis and is comparable to the backflow of an 8 cm ion thruster, which has performance characteristics similar to those of the PPT

Technical Support Document: Development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for Medium to Big Box Retail Buildings - 50% Energy Savings

This Technical Support Document describes the process and methodology for the development of the Advanced Energy Design Guide for Medium to Big Box Retail Buildings: Achieving 50% Energy Savings Toward a Net Zero Energy Building (AEDG-MBBR) ASHRAE et al. (2011b). The AEDG-MBBR is intended to provide recommendations for achieving 50% whole-building energy savings in retail stores over levels achieved by following ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (Standard 90.1-2004) (ASHRAE 2004b). The AEDG-MBBR was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the U.S. Department of Energy

Two Cases of Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis Following Chemotherapy for Non-Seminomatous Germ Cell Tumor

We report on two patients with cerebral sinus venous thrombosis following chemotherapy with cisplatin, bleomycin and etoposide for non-seminomatous germ cell tumor. Headache and neurological deficits were the leading symptoms. Cancer and cisplatin chemotherapy are well-known risk factors for thromboembolic events. The therapeutic strategy is an anticoagulant therapy. Symptoms are usually reversible within weeks under this therapy. Therefore, in patients with testicular cancer and chemotherapy who present with neurological symptoms, cerebral sinus venous thrombosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis

The fabrication, testing and delivery of boron/epoxy and graphite/epoxy nondestructive test standards

A description is given of the boron/epoxy and graphite/epoxy nondestructive test standards which were fabricated, tested and delivered to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Detailed design drawings of the standards are included to show the general structures and the types and location of simulated defects built into the panels. The panels were laminates with plies laid up in the 0 deg, + or - 45 deg, and 90 deg orientations and containing either titanium substrates or interlayered titanium perforated shims. Panel thickness was incrementally stepped from 2.36 mm (0.093 in.) to 12.7 mm (0.500 in.) for the graphite/epoxy standards, and from 2.36 mm (0.093 in.) to 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) for the boron/epoxy standards except for the panels with interlayered shims which were 2.9 mm (0.113 in.) maximum thickness. The panel internal conditions included defect free regions, resin variations, density/porosity variations, cure variations, delaminations/disbonds at substrate bondlines and between layers, inclusions, and interlayered shims. Ultrasonic pulse echo C-scan and low-kilovoltage X-ray techniques were used to evaluate and verify the internal conditions of the panels

Carboplatin-Induced Bilateral Papilledema: A Case Report

We report on a patient with carboplatin-induced bilateral papilledema, as it was described in the 1970s for cisplatin. Loss of visual accuracy up to full blindness, often loss of color vision and scotomas can be seen as a result of cortical blindness, macula degeneration, retrobulbar neuritis and papilledema. These symptoms are mostly unilateral and initially mild, so that more chemotherapy is given before the diagnosis is made. The symptoms are usually reversible within weeks to months after cessation of the platinum treatment. The therapeutic strategy is stopping the platinum treatment. In addition the empiric use of corticosteroids is suggested

Analysis of the EGFR mutation status in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma before treatment with Gefitinib

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of chemotherapy in metastatic and recurrent squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) remains unsatisfactory. Gefitinib offers a new therapeutic option with comparable results and better tolerability than chemotherapy. We conducted this study to see if mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) might predict the therapeutic benefit in HNSCC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a pilot trial, 8 patients with metastatic or recurrent HNSCC were treated palliatively with gefitinib (500 mg/day orally). Forceps biopsies were taken to confirm tumor recurrence and to perform an EGFR mutation analysis. RESULTS: The EGFR status could be determined in 6 of the 8 patients. 5 patients had no EGFR gene mutation, and 1 patient showed a silent guanine-to-adenosine mutation in position 2607. Even without any relevant mutation in the EGFR, we observed partial remission in 3 of 6 patients treated with gefitinib. We also observed that an additional 4 patients had stable disease for at least 10 weeks. The median progression-free survival was 6.25 months, and the median overall survival was 7.39 months. CONCLUSION: In HNSCC, there are tumor responses to gefitinib without protein-altering mutations in the EGFR gene