Preliminary calculation of solar cosmic ray dose to the female breast in space mission

No regulatory dose limits are specifically assigned for the radiation exposure of female breasts during manned space flight. However, the relatively high radiosensitivity of the glandular tissue of the breasts and its potential exposure to solar flare protons on short- and long-term missions mandate a priori estimation of the associated risks. A model for estimating exposure within the breast is developed for use in future NASA missions. The female breast and torso geometry is represented by a simple interim model. A recently developed proton dose-buildup procedure is used for estimating doses. The model considers geomagnetic shielding, magnetic-storm conditions, spacecraft shielding, and body self-shielding. Inputs to the model include proton energy spectra, spacecraft orbital parameters, STS orbiter-shielding distribution at a given position, and a single parameter allowing for variation in breast size

Symmetry-breaking thermally induced collapse of dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates

We investigate a Bose-Einstein condensate with additional long-range dipolar interaction in a cylindrically symmetric trap within a variational framework. Compared to the ground state of this system, little attention has as yet been payed to its unstable excited states. For thermal excitations, however, the latter is of great interest, because it forms the "activated complex" that mediates the collapse of the condensate. For a certain value of the s-wave scatting length our investigations reveal a bifurcation in the transition state, leading to the emergence of two additional and symmetry-breaking excited states. Because these are of lower energy than their symmetric counterpart, we predict the occurrence of a symmetry-breaking thermally induced collapse of dipolar condensates. We show that its occurrence crucially depends on the trap geometry and calculate the thermal decay rates of the system within leading order transition state theory with the help of a uniform rate formula near the rank-2 saddle which allows to smoothly pass the bifurcation.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Overheating in Scotland: contributing factors in occupied homes

There is growing awareness of the overheating risks in new-build properties in the UK. However, this tends to be considered a problem principally for the southern regions in the UK, only becoming a serious issue in the north of England in the medium-term and in the long-term for Scotland. This notion tends to be largely predicated upon climate change predictions, differences in latitude and summer air temperatures. This paper describes the results from Building Performance Evaluation (BPE) studies over a two-year period from 26 occupied new-build homes across Scotland which demonstrated incidences of overheating. Results suggest that low-energy buildings are susceptible to overheating despite northerly latitudes, with 54% of houses studied overheating for more than six months annually, and 27% of homes overheating for less than 10% of the year. Evidence indicated that commonly used prediction tools do not appear to anticipate overheating adequately. This paper maps common overheating causes due to design and the role of occupants, identifying the risks due to the regulatory system, prediction and procurement processes, and design and construction. A common finding was that design and occupancy factors appear to have a greater impact on overheating more than location and climatic factors

Client Communication Practices in Managing Relationships with Offshore Vendors of Software Testing Services

Enabled by the globalization and advances in technology, offshore outsourcing of software development to countries such as India, China, and Russia, continues to increase. Much of the extant research has not focused on the communication practices observed in thriving offshore client−vendor relationships. Our research identifies communication practices found in a case study of a large multinational client’s multi-vendor relationship in offshore outsourcing of software testing projects. We discuss the empirically grounded communication practices in the light of existing literature to highlight how the client−vendor relationships deliver long-term value. Through this discussion, we delineate and discuss communication techniques. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed

Overheating in Scotland : lessons from 26 monitored low energy homes

There is growing awareness in the UK that overheating is a significant problem and one that is likely to intensify with climate change, increasing urbanisation, an ageing population and the move towards ?low energy? buildings. Recent research suggested that while overheating may be an issue in the South of England, particularly in urban areas, it was not likely to be an issue for Scotland and the North of the UK in the medium term. This notion is reflected in the lack of awareness of the issue in Scotland. Monitoring of 26 new-build low energy and Passivhaus homes across Scotland over a two year period indicates overheating is prevalent in living areas and in particular in bedrooms where it is acknowledged that respite from high temperatures is important. This paper describes the quantitative and qualitative results, assesses relevant factors, comments on predictive tools used and seeks a robust series of measures to avoid overheating in future low energy homes in Scotland

Neighborhood Environment Perceptions and the Likelihood of Smoking and Alcohol Use

Citation: Jitnarin, N., Heinrich, K. M., Haddock, C. K., Hughey, J., Berkel, L., & Poston, W. S. C. (2015). Neighborhood Environment Perceptions and the Likelihood of Smoking and Alcohol Use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(1), 784-799. doi:10.3390/ijerph120100784Neighborhood characteristics are important correlates for a variety of health outcomes. Among several health risk behaviors, smoking and alcohol use have significant consequences. Perceptions of neighborhood problems are associated with depressive symptoms, lower physical activity, and lower quality of life. However, it is unclear which perceived aspects of neighborhoods might be related to smoking and drinking. We examined whether perceived neighborhood characteristics were associated with smoking and drinking patterns using data from US metropolitan Midwestern area adults. Participants completed surveys including sociodemographic characteristics, neighborhood perceptions, behavioral and psychological health. For men, negative perceptions of neighborhood infrastructures were significant predictors for smoking and binge drinking. Among women, no perceived environmental factors were associated with smoking or drinking. However, education was a significant negative predictor for smoking. As age increased, the likelihood of using cigarettes, heavy and binge drinking in women decreased significantly. Depression was a positive predictor for smoking and heavy drinking in men and women, respectively. These findings indicate that the perceived neighborhood infrastructure was predictive of health behaviors among men, even after adjusting for key confounders. Closer attention may need to be paid to the role of neighborhood environmental characteristics along with individual-level characteristics in influencing unhealthy behaviors

Generation of scalar-tensor gravity effects in equilibrium state boson stars

Boson stars in zero-, one-, and two-node equilibrium states are modeled numerically within the framework of Scalar-Tensor Gravity. The complex scalar field is taken to be both massive and self-interacting. Configurations are formed in the case of a linear gravitational scalar coupling (the Brans-Dicke case) and a quadratic coupling which has been used previously in a cosmological context. The coupling parameters and asymptotic value for the gravitational scalar field are chosen so that the known observational constraints on Scalar-Tensor Gravity are satisfied. It is found that the constraints are so restrictive that the field equations of General Relativity and Scalar-Tensor gravity yield virtually identical solutions. We then use catastrophe theory to determine the dynamically stable configurations. It is found that the maximum mass allowed for a stable state in Scalar-Tensor gravity in the present cosmological era is essentially unchanged from that of General Relativity. We also construct boson star configurations appropriate to earlier cosmological eras and find that the maximum mass for stable states is smaller than that predicted by General Relativity, and the more so for earlier eras. However, our results also show that if the cosmological era is early enough then only states with positive binding energy can be constructed.Comment: 20 pages, RevTeX, 11 figures, to appear in Class. Quantum Grav., comments added, refs update

Pulsive feedback control for stabilizing unstable periodic orbits in a nonlinear oscillator with a non-symmetric potential

We examine a strange chaotic attractor and its unstable periodic orbits in case of one degree of freedom nonlinear oscillator with non symmetric potential. We propose an efficient method of chaos control stabilizing these orbits by a pulsive feedback technique. Discrete set of pulses enable us to transfer the system from one periodic state to another.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Cytotechnology Graduate and Undergraduate Students\u27 Attitudes Toward Teamwork Before and After Participation in an Interprofessional Education Experience

BACKGROUND Educating health professional (HP) students in environments wherein they can learn about, from, and with each other can prepare them for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP), which may positively impact patient safety and satisfaction (Brashers et al., 2015; Health Professions Accreditors Collaborative [HPAC], 2019). IPCP is characterized by effective communication, shared values, respect for diverse disciplines and teamwork among health professionals (IOM, 2015). However, professional silos in practice can foster competition rather than collaboration. Knowledge of HP roles and responsibilities is a primary tenet of IPCP (Interprofessional Educational Collaborative [IPEC], 2011). PURPOSE An interprofessional education (IPE) approach that combined book reading, a presentation by the author of the book, and small group discussion of a case study focused on patient safety was used to introduce students to HP roles and responsibilities and to highlight the benefits of IPCP. Patient safety is an effective platform for engaging students in IPE learning and exposing them to the benefits of teamwork and interprofessional collaboration as demonstrated in this study. METHOD Block randomization was used to assign graduate and undergraduate students (N=167) to interprofessional groups for the IPE learning, including case discussions. There were 20 groups of 8 students and one group with the remaining 7 students. The group compositions were reviewed and it was verified prior to data collection that each group had interprofessional representation of students based on their programs of study. Most students in our sample had two or more prior IPE experiences. Pre- and post-participation attitudes about teamwork were assessed using the Teamwork, Roles, and Responsibilities (TRR) subscale of the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS). RESULTS There were significant changes in student attitudes toward teamwork (p \u3c .05) and significant differences in scores based on discipline, prior IPE learning and level (graduate or undergraduate) with moderate to large effect sizes. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates how IPE can be implemented through co-curricular learning to build upon prior IPE learning to improve both graduate and undergraduate students’ attitudes toward teamwork