Vibration responses of test structure no. 1 during the Edwards Air Force Base phase of the national sonic boom program

In order to evaluate reaction of people to sonic booms of varying overpressures and time durations, a series of closely controlled and systematic flight test studies were conducted in the vicinity of Edwards AFB, California, from June 3 to June 23, 1966. The dynamic responses of several building structures were measured as a part of these studies, and the measurements made in a one-story residence structure (Edwards test structure No. 1) are presented. Sample acceleration and strain recordings are presented from F-104, B-58, and XB-70 sonic-boom exposures, along with tabulations of the maximum acceleration and strain values measured for each one of about 140 flight tests. These data are compared with similar measurements for engine noise exposures of the building during simulated landing approaches and takeoffs of KC-135 aircraft

A Decision Analysis Perspective on Multiple Response Robust Optimization

Decisions in which multiple objectives must be optimized simultaneously occur frequently in government, military, and industrial settings. One method a decision maker may use to assist in such decisions is the application of a desirability function. An informed specification of the desirability function\u27s parameters is essential to accurately describe the decision maker\u27s value trade-offs and risk preference. This thesis uses utility transversality to analyze the implicit trade-off and risk attitude assumptions attendant to the desirability function. The desirability function does not explicitly account for response variability. A robust solution takes not only the expected response into account, but also its variance. Assessing a utility function over desirability as a means to describe the decision maker\u27s risk attitude produces a robust operating solution consistent with those preferences. This thesis examines robustness as it applies to the desirability function in a manufacturing experiment example. Different levels of diplomatic, informational, military, and economic (DIME) instruments of national policy are investigated to examine their effect on the political, military, economic, social, infrastructure, and information (PMESII) systems of a nation. AFRL\u27s National Operational Environment Model (NOEM) serves as a basis for identifying a robust national policy in a scenario involving the Democratic Republic of Congo

Vibration Responses of Test Structure No. 2 During the Edward Air Force Base Phase of the National Sonic Boom Program

In order to evaluate reaction of people to sonic booms of varying overpressures and time durations, a series of closely controlled and systematic flight tests/studies were conducted from June 3 to June 23, 1966. The dynamic responses of several building structures were measured, with emphasis on a two-story residence structure. Sample acceleration and strain recordings from F-104, B-58, and XB-70 sonic boom exposures are included, along with tabulations of the maximum acceleration and strain values measured for each one of about 140 flight tests. These data are compared with similar measurements for engine noise exposures of the building during simulated landing approaches and takeoffs of KC-135 aircraft

Comparison of measured and calculated aircraft lift generated pressures

Lift generated pressures produced by large, heavy aircraft at low altitudes were investigated due to concern over their possible effects on ground objects. Aircraft lift generated pressures were calculated using elementary airfoil theory, and these values were compared with ground level measurements made during an overflight program. The predicted and the measured values were in relatively good agreement. Due to lack of experimental investigations of this phenomenon, opportunity was taken during an overflight program to use a specially instrumented test range to measure the ground pressures produced for a range of aircraft weights and distances

The Biology of the Soricidae

The papers published in this volume were originally presented in a symposium entitled The Biology of the Soricidae at the 67th annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, held in June 1987 at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. When we organized the symposium, we had two goals in mind. First, we wished to assemble speakers currently studying diverse aspects of soricid biology to enable us to survey the breadth of ongoing research on this relatively little-studied group of small mammals. Second, we hoped to stimulate further research on soricids by highlighting problems and raising questions that can and should be addressed in the future. The papers in this volume deal with current research on the ecology, behavior, physiology, biogeography, and systematics of shrews. Williams examines the distribution of soricids along an altitudinal transect on the western slope of California\\u27s Sierra Nevada, where five species of Sorex occur. He found that in each major vegetational zone, one species dominated the soricid community. This contrasted with the situation on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and in other forest communities in North America, where soricid communities may consist of up to five species. Kirkland examines this phenomenon further, seeking to explain the high species richness of many soricid communities. He concludes that, although the small size of shrews may facilitate coexistence by permitting shrews to exploit resources in a more coarse-grained fashion, environmental moisture is the factor that determines resource availability and ultimately the potential richness of soricid communities. Churchfield confirms this observation with a fine-grained analysis of soricid communities consisting of species with varying foraging techniques. Her data also suggest that in more diverse communities dietary generalists may outnumber dietary specialists. McNab contrasts metabolic rates in crocidurine and soricine shrews, demonstrating that soricines are capable of far more precise body temperature regulation than crocidurines. He suggests that this is a direct reflection of the respective distributions of these largely allopatric subfamilies. The predominantly tropical and warm-temperate crocidurines face considerably less environmental stress than soricine shrews, which are largely temperate and sub-boreal in distribution. Merritt and Adamerovich explore the winter physiology of a soricine shrew, Blarina brevicauda, and confirm that this species does not employ torpor or communal nesting to deal with cold winter temperature; however, winter survival is facilitated by prey-caching behavior and the construction of elaborate networks of tunnels at depths that insulate these shrews from cold temperatures. The systematic works examine morphologic variability in two species complexes of Sorex. In an analysis of populations of Sorex cinereus from North America and eastern Siberia, van Zyll de Jong divides the species into three subgroups. The biogeographic history of this species corresponds well to vicariance models of the Pleistocene history of North America and Beringia. George and Smith examine cranial variability in two commonly confused species, Sorex vagrans and S. monticolus, in the Pacific Northwest of North America. They quantify cranial variability within and among populations of each species, documenting an increase in cranial size in populations of S. vagrans on the Gulf and San Juan Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Shrews occupy a broad spectrum of habitats throughout the Holarctic and much of the Old World tropics. They commonly coexist in multispecies communities, despite the fact that (to us) they appear to vary little in size, overall morphology, and ecological strategy. Compared to many other small mammals, shrews are difficult to catch, maintain, and manipulate. As a consequence, relatively little research has been conducted to answer basic questions regarding their ecology, physiology, and systematics. The seven papers included in this volume attempt to explore a few of these questions. We hope that these papers will stimulate the reader to undertake further research in these areas as well as on aspects of soricid biology not addressed in this volume

Factors associated with survival of horses following relaparotomy

Relaparotomy may be required to investigate and manage complications that occur following surgical management of colic.To report factors associated with survival following relaparotomy.Retrospective cohort study.Records of horses that had undergone exploratory laparotomy for treatment of colic over a 10-year period (2002 - 2012) and had undergone relaparotomy <8 weeks following the initial surgery were reviewed. Descriptive data were generated and association with survival time was modelled using Cox proportional hazards models.Relaparotomy was performed in 96 horses at <8 weeks following initial surgery at a median of 4 days. This represented 6.3% of horses that underwent laparotomy during the study period (n = 1,531). Relaparotomy was most frequently undertaken based on signs of persistent postoperative colic (76%; n = 73). Short-term survival for horses undergoing relaparotomy due to persistent colic was 53%, incisional dehiscence 50% postoperative reflux 37%, haemoperitoneum 17% and septic peritonitis 0%. Median survival was 6 days for all horses undergoing relaparotomy and 778 days for those that recovered following anaesthesia. Non-survival was associated with increased packed cell volume at 24 h following initial laparotomy (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.10, P = 0.009), peritonitis as a reason for undertaking relaparotomy (HR 4.41, 95% CI 1.43-13.6, P = 0.01) and adhesions found at relaparotomy (HR 1.77, 95% CI 1.03-3.04, P = 0.04). Increased likelihood of survival was associated with colic signs being the reason for performing relaparotomy (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.88, P = 0.02) and small intestinal distension found at relaparotomy (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.29-0.96, P = 0.04).This study has provided information about survival rates and risk factors for survival in horses undergoing relaparotomy that can assist clinicians and owners when determining whether to perform relaparotomy and in predicting the likely surgical outcome. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

The Relationship Between Parents\u27 Value for Play and Kindergarteners\u27 Mastery of the Alphabetic Principle

Students who struggle with understanding the alphabetic principle often develop difficulties in reading. Play is known as a key element of early learning, but its perceived value among teachers and parents has declined over the years. This study investigated the relationship between parents\u27 levels of agreement about the value of play and kindergarten students\u27 levels of mastery of the alphabetic principle. The theoretical foundation included the views of Montessori and Piaget, who believed that a classroom with a play-based environment encourages independent thinking and learning. The study\u27s research questions concerned the relationship between 53 parents\u27 levels of agreement about the value of play in two categories, play support and academic focus, and their currently enrolled kindergarten students\u27 Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills alphabetic mastery levels. The outcome of this study revealed that a majority of the parents supported play, but there was not a significant correlation between parents\u27 levels of agreement about the value of play and kindergarten students\u27 levels of mastery of the alphabetic principle. The findings of this study clarify the connection between parents\u27 levels of agreement about the value of play and kindergarten students\u27 levels of mastery of the alphabetic principle and suggest that lack of play opportunities may not be a factor in children\u27s school success. Implications for positive social change derived from this study include general evidence of parents\u27 support for play and the suggestion that a play-based kindergarten curriculum similar to that advocated by Piaget and Montessori might be supported by kindergarten parents

Direct measurement of molecular stiffness and damping in confined water layers

We present {\em direct} and {\em linear} measurements of the normal stiffness and damping of a confined, few molecule thick water layer. The measurements were obtained by use of a small amplitude (0.36 $\textrm{\AA}$), off-resonance Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) technique. We measured stiffness and damping oscillations revealing up to 7 layers separated by 2.56 $\pm$ 0.20 $\textrm{\AA}$. Relaxation times could also be calculated and were found to indicate a significant slow-down of the dynamics of the system as the confining separation was reduced. We found that the dynamics of the system is determined not only by the interfacial pressure, but more significantly by solvation effects which depend on the exact separation of tip and surface. Thus ` solidification\rq seems to not be merely a result of pressure and confinement, but depends strongly on how commensurate the confining cavity is with the molecule size. We were able to model the results by starting from the simple assumption that the relaxation time depends linearly on the film stiffness.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, will be submitted to PR