Strategies for Ground Based Testing of Manned Lunar Surface Systems

Integrated testing (such as Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT)) is critical to reducing risks and minimizing problems encountered during assembly, activation, and on-orbit operation of large, complex manned spacecraft. Provides the best implementation of "Test Like You Fly:. Planning for integrated testing needs to begin at the earliest stages of Program definition. Program leadership needs to fully understand and buy in to what integrated testing is and why it needs to be performed. As Program evolves and design and schedules mature, continually look for suitable opportunities to perform testing where enough components are together in one place at one time. The benefits to be gained are well worth the costs

The Town Lake Report, Volumes I and II

This report makes brief references to sediment and other trends seen in Waller Creek.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Town Lake’s importance as a natural resource is growing in tandem with Austin’s rapid population. The lake is a source of drinking water for the City, and its greenbelt and open waters are widely used for recreation and as a focal-point for public events. In 1992, under the Clean Lakes program, a comprehensive report entitled the “Town Lake Study” (COA 1992a; COA 1992b; COA 1992c) was prepared. It examined the condition of the lake (Volume I), water quality control alternatives (Volume II) and a feasibility study (Volume III). This report updates the diagnostic study, Volume I (COA 1992a), including the current status of water quality with data analyzed through the year 2000. It also includes a summary of measures taken to reduce pollution from urban runoff since 1990.Waller Creek Working Grou

Digital Opportunities Within the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program: A Study of Preservice Teachers' Attitudes and Proficiency in Technology Integration

This article explores changes that occurred in preservice teachers' thinking about the use of educational technology in a post-secondary, Aboriginal, elementary teacher education program. The research explores relationships associated with changes in preservice teachers' attitudes and perceived proficiency with technology integration. Quantitative results indicate significant increases in several attitude constructs as well as overall computer proficiency over the course of the project. Supplemental qualitative analysis reveals participants' perception of technology integration as a contributing factor in this positive change. The findings from this study represent a research effort to better prepare teachers to meet the educational needs of Aboriginal students in a 21st century context. Cet article explore l’évolution dans les idées des stagiaires quant à l’emploi des technologies éducatives dans un programme postsecondaire de formation pour enseignants autochtones à l’élémentaire. La recherche porte sur des rapports associés aux changements dans les attitudes des stagiaires et leur perception de leur compétence relative à l’intégration technologique. Les résultats quantitatifs révèlent des augmentations significatives tant dans les attitudes que la compétence technologique globale au cours du projet. Une analyse qualitative supplémentaire indique que la perception des participants quant à l’intégration technologique constitue un facteur contributif dans ce changement positif. Les résultats de cette étude représentent un effort de recherche visant une meilleure préparation des enseignants de sorte à répondre aux besoins pédagogiques des étudiants autochtones au 21e siècle

Dark Energy Constraints from the CTIO Lensing Survey

We perform a cosmological parameter analysis of the 75 square degree CTIO lensing survey in conjunction with CMB and Type Ia supernovae data. For Lambda CDM cosmologies, we find that the amplitude of the power spectrum at low redshift is given by sigma_8 = 0.81 (+0.15,-0.10, 95% c.l.), where the error bar includes both statistical and systematic errors. The total of all systematic errors is smaller than the statistical errors, but they do make up a significant fraction of the error budget. We find that weak lensing improves the constraints on dark energy as well. The (constant) dark energy equation of state parameter, w, is measured to be -0.89 (+0.16,-0.21, 95% c.l.). Marginalizing over a constant $w$ slightly changes the estimate of sigma_8 to 0.79 (+0.17, -0.14, 95% c.l.). We also investigate variable w cosmologies, but find that the constraints weaken considerably; the next generation surveys are needed to obtain meaningful constraints on the possible time evolution of dark energy.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, v3 matches version accepted by ApJ. Significant changes in section 4.2.3. Otherwise, mostly minor change

Quantifying tropical peatland dissolved organic carbon (DOC) using UV-visible spectroscopy

UV–visible spectroscopy has been shown to be a useful technique for determining dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations. However, at present we are unaware of any studies in the literature that have investigated the suitability of this approach for tropical DOC water samples from any tropical peatlands, although some work has been performed in other tropical environments. We used water samples from two oil palm estates in Sarawak, Malaysia to: i) investigate the suitability of both single and two-wavelength proxies for tropical DOC determination; ii) develop a calibration dataset and set of parameters to calculate DOC concentrations indirectly; iii) provide tropical researchers with guidance on the best spectrophotometric approaches to use in future analyses of DOC. Both single and two-wavelength model approaches performed well with no one model significantly outperforming the other. The predictive ability of the models suggests that UV–visible spectroscopy is both a viable and low cost method for rapidly analyzing DOC in water samples immediately post-collection, which can be important when working at remote field sites with access to only basic laboratory facilities

Wetland productivity determines trade-off between biodiversity support and greenhouse gas production.

Establishing wetlands for nutrient capture and biodiversity support may introduce trade-offs between environmentally beneficial functions and detrimental greenhouse gas emissions. Investigating the interaction of nutrient capture, primary production, greenhouse gas production and biodiversity support is imperative to understanding the overall function of wetlands and determining possible beneficial synergistic effects and trade-offs. Here, we present temporally replicated data from 17 wetlands in hemi-boreal Sweden. We explored the relationship between nutrient load, primary producing algae, production of methane and nitrous oxide, and emergence rates of chironomids to determine what factors affected each and how they related to each other. Chironomid emergence rates correlated positively with methane production and negatively with nitrous oxide production, where water temperature was the main driving factor. Increasing nutrient loads reduced methanogenesis through elevated nitrogen concentrations, while simultaneously enhancing nitrous oxide production. Nutrient loads only indirectly increased chironomid emergence rates through increased chlorophyll-a concentration, via increased phosphorus concentrations, with certain taxa and food preference functional groups benefitting from increased chlorophyll-a concentrations. However, water temperature seemed to be the main driving factor for chironomid emergence rates, community composition and diversity, as well as for greenhouse gas production. These findings increase our understanding of the governing relationships between biodiversity support and greenhouse gas production, and should inform future management when constructing wetlands

Randomised controlled feasibility trial of a web-based weight management intervention with nurse support for obese patients in primary care

<b>Background</b><p></p> There is a need for cost-effective weight management interventions that primary care can deliver to reduce the morbidity caused by obesity. Automated web-based interventions might provide a solution, but evidence suggests that they may be ineffective without additional human support. The main aim of this study was to carry out a feasibility trial of a web-based weight management intervention in primary care, comparing different levels of nurse support, to determine the optimal combination of web-based and personal support to be tested in a full trial.<p></p> <b>Methods</b><p></p> This was an individually randomised four arm parallel non-blinded trial, recruiting obese patients in primary care. Following online registration, patients were randomly allocated by the automated intervention to either usual care, the web-based intervention only, or the web-based intervention with either basic nurse support (3 sessions in 3 months) or regular nurse support (7 sessions in 6 months). The main outcome measure (intended as the primary outcome for the main trial) was weight loss in kg at 12 months. As this was a feasibility trial no statistical analyses were carried out, but we present means, confidence intervals and effect sizes for weight loss in each group, uptake and retention, and completion of intervention components and outcome measures.<p></p> <b>Results</b><p></p> All randomised patients were included in the weight loss analyses (using Last Observation Carried Forward). At 12 months mean weight loss was: usual care group (n = 43) 2.44 kg; web-based only group (n = 45) 2.30 kg; basic nurse support group (n = 44) 4.31 kg; regular nurse support group (n = 47) 2.50 kg. Intervention effect sizes compared with usual care were: d = 0.01 web-based; d = 0.34 basic nurse support; d = 0.02 regular nurse support. Two practices deviated from protocol by providing considerable weight management support to their usual care patients.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b><p></p> This study demonstrated the feasibility of delivering a web-based weight management intervention supported by practice nurses in primary care, and suggests that the combination of the web-based intervention with basic nurse support could provide an effective solution to weight management support in a primary care context

U.S. Strategic Options towards Iran: Understanding the U.S.–Iranian Relations through Iranian Domestic Politics

The ongoing nuclear negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran have made greater progress on more substantial issues than any previous talks. This report argues that Iran’s unprecedented willingness to negotiate is strongly influenced by two factors: a united P5+1 and more importantly, a convergence of interests among Iran’s domestic factions. While there has long been knowledge of the challenges posed by Iran’s often-competing factions, no other study pinpoints them as a primary variable in the nuclear negotiations. Based on 50 interviews with high-level Iran experts and government officials and independent research, our study provides a unique framework for understanding the dynamics of Iranian domestic politics and its impact on the efficacy of U.S. policies. This study considers three scenarios the U.S. could encounter on July 20, 2014, when the current Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) expires: the P5+1 and Iran could sign a comprehensive deal; another interim deal could be reached; or negotiations could break down. The common thread throughout these recommendations is that the U.S. must find a way to capitalize on the factional convergence and avoid undermining it. The U.S. should always negotiate with Iran as a unitary actor, rather than favor certain factions; avoid measures that prompt one faction to undercut another faction; and understand that while not unique in having domestic competition, Iran’s political factions have a stronger effect on the success of negotiations than many have realized. If a comprehensive agreement is reached, we recommend pursuing limited engagement that seeks to broaden cooperation with Iran by working on issues that interest all Iranian factions, while also having deterrent threats in place should Iran renege. In the case of another interim deal, we recommend that the U.S. embrace balanced diplomacy, which increases the level of positive and negative inducements meant to persuade Iran to reach a comprehensive agreement. This recommendation, which mimics current U.S. policy, should focus solely on nuclear issues, unlike the first scenario. If nuclear negotiations break down, we recommend coercive diplomacy that involves gradual pressure, ranging from increased sanctions to authorizing the use of force. The challenge here is credibly threatening Iran without alienating the other P5+1 members or pushing Iran’s factions to unite against the United States. In all future negotiations, the U.S. should capitalize on Iranian domestic convergences and engage Iran as a whole.United States State Departmen

Carbon greenhouse gas fluxes from fenland soils under intensive agricultural use compared to seminatural and restoration management

Globally, peatlands represent a large carbon store in the global carbon cycle. In natural conditions they are typically a sink for carbon but constitute a methane source. Today, large fractions of the fens in the midlatitudes are being used for intensive agriculture due to their fertile organic soils. Conventional farming techniques require ongoing drainage leading to soil shrinkage and soil organic carbon loss via fluvial loss as well as decomposition to carbon dioxide. The carbon source-sink relationships - measured by eddy covariance and closed chambers - of three fens in the Fenlands in East Anglia, United Kingdom were compared over a time period of three years; one fen is being used for intensive horticultural production supporting up to two harvests per year, a second is in semi-natural condition and a third is under restoration management for more than 10 years. The fen under agricultural use showed a significant carbon loss year on year (mean ≈750gCm-2yr-1) and the semi-natural fen was a small carbon sink, but also a small methane source. The fen under restoration management including blocking of the drainage channels and re-seeding with wetland species was still a small and consistent carbon source to the atmosphere (mean ≈110gCm-2yr-1) even 15 years after the end of agricultural use. Methane flux measurements in the seminatural and regenerating fen indicate relevant methane fluxes from ditches and small temporary water bodies. These results highlight the susceptibility of organic soils to disturbance and carbon loss and the complexity of restoration strategies that may lead to renewed carbon storage after a period of intensive agricultural use