Paper Session III-B - A Robot Based Concept for Automation of Servicing of Scientific Payloads Aboard Orbiting Laboratories

In a series of ESA contracts, Dornier has led the definition of a concept for a robot-based Equipment Manipulation and Transportation System ( EMATS ) for Columbus. This system was primarily designed for the man-tended Free Flying Laboratory, but could equally be adapted for a permanently manned Attached Laboratory. During the unmanned microgravity periods, EMATS can automatically provide the greater part of the scientific payload facility handling and logistics functions such as loading and unloading of experiment samples or consumables. During the manned servicing intervals from the Space Station Freedom or Hermes, EMATS would assist and support the crew in routine tasks or handling of large items (e.g. exchange of complete payload racks). Even unmanned servicing operations are possible in conjunction with various logistics vehicle concepts. For this purpose, several telerobotics features are foreseen such as teleoperation or supervised automatic operation from ground or from a small control station aboard the Free Flyer, Hermes, or the S.S. Freedom. After completion of system definition studies, the development of a ground testbed for Columbus internal Automation and Robotics has been started in mid-1990. This will demonstrate the technical feasibility and the usefulness of our concept for the remote support of scientific investigators by integration with the ESA Telescience Testbed and four different experiment payloads. The paper will summarize the envisioned application scenarios, the proposed EMATS system architecture, and selected technologies for key subsystems

Fiber to the home

In den letzten Jahren gab es zunehmenden Bedarf für breitbandige Telekommunikations Netzwerke. Eine von Telekommunikationsunternehmen angewandte Strategie um die Bandbreite entlang der last-mile des Netzwerks zu erhöhen ist, Glasfaserkabel direkt bis zum Endkunden zu verlegen. Diese Strategie wird fiber to the home (FTTH) genannt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird das local access network design problem (LAN) und die Variante mit prize-collecting (PC-LAN) verwendet, um das Problem der FTTH Planung zu modellieren. Das LAN Problem zielt darauf ab eine kostenminimale Lösung zu finden und gestattet es sowohl verschiedene Kabeltechnologien und existierende Infrastruktur, als auch die Zusatzkosten zu modellieren, die anfallen wenn neue Verbindungen hergestellt werden. Darüber hinaus, erlaubt das PC-LAN Problem den Aspekt zu modellieren, dass nicht unbedingt alle Kunden mit FTTH versorgt werden müssen. Stattdessen wird eine Teilmenge der Kunden versorgt mit dem Ziel den Profit zu maximieren. Um LAN und PC-LAN Problem Instanzen zu lösen, werden folgende Methoden des Operations Research angewandt: Preprocessing, ganzzahlige Programmierung, Stärkung der mathematischen Modelle durch Disaggregation der Variablen, Benders' Dekomposition und adaptive Multi-Start-Heuristiken. In einem Projekt von Universität Wien und Telekom Austria wurden große FTTH Datensätze untersucht und die hier vorgestellten Methoden entworfen. Diese Lösungsansätze wurden als Computerprogramme implementiert und ihre Tauglichkeit zur Behandlung von FTTH Planungsfragen konnte gezeigt werden.Within recent years the request for broadband telecommunication networks has been constantly increasing. A strategy employed by telecommunication companies to increase the bandwidth on the last mile of the network is to lay optical fiber directly to the end customer. This strategy is denoted as fiber to the home (FTTH). In this thesis the local access network design problem (LAN) and its prize-collecting variant (PC-LAN) are used to formalize the planning of FTTH networks. The LAN problem asks for a cost minimal solution and allows to model different cable technologies, existing infrastructure and the overhead cost incurred by building new connections. In addition, the PC-LAN problem covers the aspect, that not all customers must necessarily be connected with FTTH, but instead we search for a subset of customers in order to maximize profits. To solve LAN and PC-LAN instances, the following operations research methods are employed: Preprocessing, mixed integer programming, model strengthening by variable disaggregation, Benders' decomposition and adaptive multi-start heuristics. In a project between University of Vienna and Telekom Austria, large real world data sets for FTTH planning were investigated and the methods presented in this thesis have been designed. These solution methods have been implemented as computer programs and empirically verified to be reasonable approaches to FTTH network design problems

Quantifizierung der körperlichen Aktivität bei österreichischen Erwachsenen

Die Studie ÖSES.pal07 war in ihrem Vorhaben, valide Daten für den Energieumsatz und das PAL auf Populationsebene zu ermitteln, erfolgreich. Da sich für die Anwendung des IPAQ bei österreichischen Erwachsenen nur eine bedingte Validität zeigte, war die Durchführung einer stichprobenspezifischen Kalibrierung sinnvoll und kann für weitere Studien empfohlen werden. Das PAL lag bei Österreichern im Alter zwischen 18 und 65 Jahren im Mittel bei 1,63. Männer hatten dabei signifikant höhere Werte als Frauen (1,70 vs. 1,55). Um eine ausgewogene Energiebilanz zu erzielen, können Männer im Durchschnitt rund 3000 kcal pro Tag aufnehmen und Frauen rund 2100 kcal pro Tag. Zwischen dem Alter und der körperlichen Aktivität konnte eine positive Assoziation beobachtet werden. Dem Trend eines positiven Zusammenhangs zwischen Bildung und körperlicher Aktivität widersprach die Gruppe mit der Pflichtschule als höchste abgeschlossene Ausbildung. Bei Personen dieses Bildungsniveaus war das PAL höher als bei allen anderen. Dies ist vorwiegend damit zu erklären, dass diese Personen überwiegend den aktivsten Berufsgruppen der Landwirte und Arbeiter angehören. Weiters hatten Nicht-Raucher höhere PAL Werte als Raucher. Das von der WHO empfohlene PAL von 1,7 oder höhere erreichten 52,6 % der männlichen und 22,5 % der weiblichen Studienteilnehmer. Verglichen mit den Daten der internationalen Studien liegen die österreichischen Männer im Bereich der Durchschnittswerte, die Frauen aber deutlich darunter. Somit ist ein beachtliches Potenzial an Gesundheitsförderung durch die Steigerung der körperlichen Aktivität bei österreichischen Erwachsenen gegeben. Frauen und junge Erwachsene sind als besondere Risikogruppe für körperliche Inaktivität zu nennen.The study ÖSES.pal07 was successful in its goal to assess valid data for PAL and total energy expenditure in an adult population. As the application of the IPAQ showed only limited validity for use in Austrian adults, it was useful to perform a sample specific calibration, which can be recommended for further research. PAL of Austrian adults aged from 18 to 65 years was 1.63 on average. Men had significantly higher values than women (1.70 vs. 1.55). On average, total energy expenditure was 3000 kcal per day for men and 2100 kcal per day for women. A positive association between age and physical activity has been observed. The group with compulsory school as highest completed education stands in conflict with the trend of a positive relationship between physical activity and education. People having this schooling had higher PAL values than all other groups. That is primarily because those persons predominantly belong to the most active occupational groups of farmers and workmen. Furthermore, non-smokers had higher PAL values than smokers. 52.6 % of the male and 22.5 % of the female participants met the WHO’s recommendation of a PAL of 1.7 or higher. While men reached the average, women laid far behind the mean values for PAL of international studies. Hence, there is a considerable potential for enhancing health by increasing physical activity in Austrian adults. Women and young adults are outstanding risk groups for physical inactivity

Produktivität verschiedener Sojasorten im ostösterreichischen Anbaugebiet

In Austria organic soybeans are mainly produced in the eastern part of the country due to its temperature requirements. To examine genotypic differences with respect to seed quality a three-year field trial with seven soybean cultivars was conducted. The cultivar `Essor´ showed significantly higher (p<0,05) values for corn yield, thousand grain weight and seed protein content in all three years compared to to the early maturing cultivar `Merlin´. During the whole observation period the cultivars `Essor´and `Lambton´ produced most stable corn yields while ´Essor´ and ´Cardiff´ revealed most stable seed protein contents. Based on our results, soybean cultivars of maturity group 00 had higher grain yields as well as higher seed protein content in comparison to early maturing cultivars (maturity group 000) grown under natural conditions prevalent in eastern Austria

Implementing measurement-based care (iMBC) for depression in community mental health: a dynamic cluster randomized trial study protocol

BACKGROUND: Measurement-based care is an evidence-based practice for depression that efficiently identifies treatment non-responders and those who might otherwise deteriorate [1]. However, measurement-based care is underutilized in community mental health with data suggesting fewer than 20 % of behavioral health providers using this practice to inform treatment. It remains unclear whether standardized or tailored approaches to implementation are needed to optimize measurement-based care fidelity and penetration. Moreover, there is some suggestion that prospectively tailored interventions that are designed to fit the dynamic context may optimize public health impact, though no randomized trials have yet tested this notion [2]. This study will address the following three aims: (1) To compare the effect of standardized versus tailored MBC implementation on clinician-level and client-level outcomes; (2) To identify contextual mediators of MBC fidelity; and (3) To explore the impact of MBC fidelity on client outcomes. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a dynamic cluster randomized trial of standardized versus tailored measurement-based care implementation in Centerstone, the largest provider of community-based mental health services in the USA. This prospective, mixed methods implementation-effectiveness hybrid design allows for evaluation of the two conditions on both clinician-level (e.g., MBC fidelity) and client-level (depression symptom change) outcomes. Central to this investigation is the focus on identifying contextual factors (e.g., attitudes, resources, process, etc.) that mediate MBC fidelity and optimize client outcomes. DISCUSSION: This study will contribute generalizable and practical strategies for implementing systematic symptom monitoring to inform and enhance behavioral healthcare. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02266134

Natural climate solutions

Our thanks for inputs by L. Almond, A. Baccini, A. Bowman, S. CookPatton, J. Evans, K. Holl, R. Lalasz, A. Nassikas, M. Spalding, M. Wolosin, and expert elicitation respondents. Our thanks for datasets developed by the Hansen lab and the NESCent grasslands working group (C. Lehmann, D. Griffith, T. M. Anderson, D. J. Beerling, W. Bond, E. Denton, E. Edwards, E. Forrestel, D. Fox, W. Hoffmann, R. Hyde, T. Kluyver, L. Mucina, B. Passey, S. Pau, J. Ratnam, N. Salamin, B. Santini, K. Simpson, M. Smith, B. Spriggs, C. Still, C. Strömberg, and C. P. Osborne). This study was made possible by funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Woodbury was supported in part by USDA-NIFA Project 2011-67003-30205 Data deposition: A global spatial dataset of reforestation opportunities has been deposited on Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/record/883444). This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1710465114/-/DCSupplemental.Peer reviewedPublisher PD