The Columbus logistics support at the APMC: Requirements and implementation aspects

This paper focuses on the logistics support to be provided by the APM Center (APMC). Among the Columbus ground infrastructures, this center is tasked to provide logistics, sustaining engineering and P/L integration support to the ongoing missions of the APM, i.e. the Columbus Laboratory attached to the Freedom Space Station. The following is illustrated: an analysis of the requirements that are levied on the logistics support of the APM; how such requirements are reflected in the corresponding support to be available on-ground and at APMC; the functional components of the APMC logistics support and how such components interact each other; how the logistics support function interfaces with the other functions of the ground support; and how the logistics support is being designed in terms of resources (such as hardware, data bases, etc.). Emphasis is given to the data handling aspects and to the related data bases that will constitute for the logistics activities the fundamental source of information during the APM planned lifetime. Functional and physical architectures, together with trades for possible implementation, are addressed. Commonalities with other centers are taken into account and recommendations are made for possible reuse of tools already developed in the C/D phase. Finally, programmatic considerations are discussed for the actual implementation of the center

Moral distress measurement in animal care workers: a systematic review.

The mental health of veterinary and other animal health professionals is significantly impacted by the psychological stressors they encounter, such as euthanasia, witnessing animal suffering and moral distress. Moral distress, initially identified in nursing, arises when individuals are aware of the right action but are hindered by institutional constraints. We aimed to review existing research on moral distress scales among animal care workers by focusing on the identification and psychometric validity of its measurement. Two-step systematic review. First, we identified all moral distress scales used in animal care research in the eligible original studies. Second, we evaluated their psychometric validity, emphasising content validity, which is a critical aspect of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). This evaluation adhered to the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). The results were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO to search for eligible studies published between January 1984 and April 2023. We included original (primary) studies that (1) were conducted in animal care workers; (2) describing either the development of a moral distress scale, or validation of a moral distress scale in its original or modified version, to assess at least one of the psychometric properties mentioned in COSMIN guidelines. Two independent reviewers used standardised methods to search, screen and code included studies. We considered the following information relevant for extraction: study reference, name and reference of the moral distress scale used, psychometric properties assessed and methods and results of their assessments. The collected information was then summarised in a narrative synthesis. The review identified only one PROM specifically adapted for veterinary contexts: the Measure of Moral Distress for Animal Professionals (MMD-AP), derived from the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP). Both MMD-HP and MMD-AP were evaluated for the quality of development and content validity. The development quality of both measures was deemed doubtful. According to COSMIN, MMD-HP's content validity was rated as sufficient, whereas MMD-AP's was inconsistent. However, the evidence quality for both PROMs was rated low. This is the first systematic review focused on moral distress measurement in animal care workers. It shows that moral distress is rarely measured using standardised and evidence-based methods and that such methods should be developed and validated in the context of animal care. CRD42023422259

A Real-Time Comparison of Four Particulate Matter Size Fractions in the Personal Breathing Zone of Paris Subway Workers: A Six-Week Prospective Study.

We developed a Bayesian spline model for real-time mass concentrations of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1, and PM0.3) measured simultaneously in the personal breathing zone of Parisian subway workers. The measurements were performed by GRIMM, a gravimetric method, and DiSCmini during the workers' work shifts over two consecutive weeks. The measured PM concentrations were analyzed with respect to the working environment, the underground station, and any specific events that occurred during the work shift. Overall, PM0.3 concentrations were more than an order of magnitude lower compared to the other PM concentrations and showed the highest temporal variation. The PM2.5 levels raised the highest exposure concern: 15 stations out of 37 had higher mass concentrations compared to the reference. Station PM levels were not correlated with the annual number of passengers entering the station, the year of station opening or renovation, or the number of platforms and tracks. The correlation with the number of station entrances was consistently negative for all PM sizes, whereas the number of correspondence concourses was negatively correlated with PM0.3 and PM10 levels and positively correlated with PM1 and PM2.5 levels. The highest PM10 exposure was observed for the station platform, followed by the subway cabin and train, while ticket counters had the highest PM0.3, PM1, and PM2.5 mass concentrations. We further found that compared to gravimetric and DiSCmini measurements, GRIMM results showed some discrepancies, with an underestimation of exposure levels. Therefore, we suggest using GRIMM, calibrated by gravimetric methods, for PM sizes above 1μm, and DiSCmini for sizes below 700 nm

Strategies in Outsourcing R&D Processes to Maintain Market Competitiveness

In the 21st century, managing outsourced research and development (R&D) processes is critical to an organization\u27s success. Guided by the logistic outsourcing theory developed by de Boer, Gaytan, and Arroyo, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies and processes organizational leaders used to manage outsourced R&D to maintain market competitiveness. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 purposefully selected business leaders who were responsible for outsourcing R&D in a single Fortune 500 corporation in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Company records were also gathered as data. Yin\u27s 5-step process for a case study and key words in context analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings included 3 main themes: (a) the outsourcing decision-making process with internal and external constraints, (b) the effectiveness of managing outsourcing services and processes, and (c) the influence of outsourcing on business effectiveness and new products. Findings also indicated no practical system to measure effectiveness of outsourced R&D services on market competitiveness. The lack of measurement effectiveness was due to a lack of processes in place to measure R&D performance and no practical approach to measure impact of R&D on market competitiveness. Findings offered insight into strategies used by business leaders to manage outsourced R&D processes. Findings may also have implications for positive social change such as impacting communities through employment, generating government revenues through taxes, and creating a positive impact on job creation in the industries that promote R&D outsourcing

Young Adult Romantic Couples’ Conflict Resolution And Satisfaction Varies With Partner's Attention–Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Type

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has previously been associated with lesssatisfaction and success in romantic relationships. This study compares conflict resolutionand problem-solving behaviors in young adult romantic couples either having one partnerwith ADHD combined type (C-couples), having one partner identified with ADHD inattentivetype (IA-couples), or in which neither partner has an ADHD diagnosis (nondiagnosed[ND] couples). Self-reports of current and childhood ADHD symptoms corroborated diagnosticstatus and speaker and listener behaviors, coded via the Rapid Couples InteractionScoring System (Gottman, 1996), were the primary dependent variables. Analyses revealedgreater negativity and less positivity in C-couples’ behavior during a conflict resolution task,relative to IA and ND couples, and this corresponded with couples’ relational satisfaction.IA-couples emitted relational behavior that was largely similar to ND couples. Findings supportthat relational impairment exists in C-couples, and to some degree, contrast with previousresearch suggesting that individuals with predominant inattention experience greatersocial impairment in adulthood than those with other types of ADHD

A quantitative test of Jones NTC beaming theory using CLUSTER constellation

Non-thermal continuum (NTC) radiation is, with auroral kilometric radiation (AKR), one of the two electromagnetic emissions generated within the Earth's magnetosphere and radiated into space. The location of the source of NTC has been sought for several decades, with only limited success. The constellation formed by the four CLUSTER spacecraft provides the possibility of triangulation in the vicinity of the source, thus allowing progress in source localisation, while simultaneously revealing the beaming properties of NTC radio sources. <br><br> We present a case event showing two beams localised on opposite sides of the magnetic equator. At any selected frequency, triangulation points to a single region source of small size. Its position is compatible with the range of possible loci of sources predicted by the radio window theory of Jones (1982) in a frame of constraints relaxed from the simple sketch proposed in early works. The analysis of similar observations from the Dynamics Explorer 1 by Jones et al. (1987) enabled the authors to claim validation of the radio window theory. CLUSTER observations, however, reveal a large beaming cone angle projected onto the ecliptic plane, a feature unobservable by Dynamics Explorer which had a different spin axis orientation. According to the radio window theory, such a large observed cone angle can only be formed by a series of point sources, each beaming in a narrow cone angle. This study demonstrates the difficulty of validating NTC linear generation mechanisms using global beaming properties alone

Venice lagoon chlorophyll-a evaluation under climate change conditions: A hybrid water quality machine learning and biogeochemical-based framework

Climate change presents a significant challenge to lagoon ecosystems, which are highly valued coastal environments known for their provision of unique ecosystem services. As important as fragile, lagoons are vulnerable to both natural processes and anthropogenic activities, and this vulnerability is exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, which are likely to result in severe ecological consequences. The complexity of water quality (WQ) processes, characterized by compounding and interconnected pressures, highlights the importance of adequate sophisticated methods to estimate future ecological impacts on lagoon environments. In this setting, a hybrid framework is introduced where Machine Learning (ML) and biogeochemical (BGC) models are integrated in a sequential modelling approach. This integration exploits the unique strengths offered by both models. The ML model allows capturing and learning linear and nonlinear correlations from historical data; the BGC interprets and simulates complex environmental systems subject to compounded pressures, building on identified causal relationships. Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) and Random Forest (RF) ML algorithms are trained, validated and tested within the Venice lagoon case study to assimilate historical WQ data (i.e., water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen) and spatio-temporal information (i.e., monitoring station location and month), and to predict changes in chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) conditions. Then, projections from the BGC model SHYFEM-BFM for 2019, 2050, and 2100 timeframes under RCP 8.5 are integrated into the ML model (composing the hybrid ML-BGC model) to evaluate Chl-a variations under future biogeochemical conditions forced by climate change projections. Moreover, the SHYFEM-BFM standalone Chl-a projections are also used to compare the hybrid and the BGC scenarios. Annual and seasonal Chl-a predictions are developed by classes based on two classification modes (median and quartiles) established on the descriptive statistics computed on historical data. Results from the case study showed as the RF successfully classifies Chl-a with an overall model accuracy of about 80% for the median and 61% for the quartiles modes. Concerning future climate change scenarios, results revealed a decreasing trend for the lowest Chl-a values (below the first quartile, i.e. 0.85 µg/l) moving to the far future (2100), with an opposite rising trend for the highest Chl-a values (above the fourth quartile, i.e. 2.78 µg/l). On the seasonal level, summer remains the season with the highest Chl-a values in all scenarios, although in 2100 a strong increase in higher Chl-a values is also expected during the springtime one. The proposed hybrid framework represents a valuable approach to strengthen both multivariate Chl-a modelling and scenarios analysis, by placing artificial intelligence-based models alongside biogeochemical models

the topography of brain microstructural damage in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis assessed using diffusion tensor mr imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: ALS leads to macrostructural (ie, cortical atrophy and hyperintensities along the corticospinal tract) and microstructural (ie, gray matter intrinsic damage) central nervous system abnormalities. We used a multimodal voxelwise imaging approach to assess microstructural changes independent of macrostructural volume loss in patients with ALS compared with HCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with ALS and 14 HCs were studied. Conventional imaging and DTI were performed. Images were processed by using SPM5 to assess measures of gray and white matter atrophy as well as microstructural damage (ie, MD and FA). DTI alterations independent of volume loss were investigated. RESULTS: When we accounted for both gray and white matter atrophy, patients with ALS showed increased MD values in several gray and white matter areas mainly located in the orbitofrontal and frontotemporal regions bilaterally, in the right genu of the corpus callosum, and in the right posterior limb of the internal capsule. When we accounted for white matter volume loss, patients with ALS showed decreased FA along the corticospinal tract bilaterally and in the left inferior frontal lobe relative to HCs. The MD of the orbitofrontal regions bilaterally was associated significantly with disease duration. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ALS, DTI detects microstructural changes independent of brain tissue loss. The affected regions included both motor and extramotor areas. The extent of ALS-related DTI abnormalities was greater than that disclosed by the volumetric analysis

Lower hybrid resonances stimulated by the four CLUSTER relaxation sounders deep inside the plasmasphere: observations and inferred plasma characteristics

International audienceThe frequency range of the WHISPER relaxation sounder instrument on board CLUSTER, 4–80 kHz, has been chosen so as to encompass the electron gyro-frequency, F ce , and the electron plasma frequency, F p , in most regions to be explored. Measurement of those frequencies, which are triggered as resonances by the sounder, provides a direct estimation of in situ fundamental plasma characteristics: electron density and magnetic field intensity. In the late mission phase, CLUSTER penetrated regions deep inside the plas-masphere where F ce and F p are much higher than the upper frequency of the sounder's range. However, they are of the right order of magnitude as to place the lower hybrid frequency , F lh , in the 4–15 kHz band. This characteristic frequency , placed at a resonance of the medium, is triggered by the sounder's transmitter and shows up as an isolated peak in the received spectrum, not present in spectra of naturally occuring VLF waves. This paper illustrates, from analysis of case events, how measured F lh values give access to a plasma diagnostic novel of its kind. CLUSTER, travelling along its orbit, encounters favourable conditions where F ce is increasing and F p decreasing, such that F ce /F p increases from values below unity to values above unity. Measured F lh values thus give access, in turn, to the effective mass, M eff , indicative of plasma ion composition, and to the core plasma-sphere electron density value, a parameter difficult to measure. The analysed case events indicate that the estimated quantities (M eff in the 1.0–1.4 range, N e in the 5 × 10 2 – 10 4 cm −3 range) are varying with external factors (altitude, L value, geomagnetic activity) in a plausible way. Although covering only a restricted region (mid-latitude, low altitude inner plasmasphere), these measurements are available, since Correspondence to: S. Kougblénou ([email protected]) late 2009, for all CLUSTER perigee passes not affected by eclipses (on average, roughly a third of a total of ∼200 passes per year) and offer multipoint observations previously unavailable in this region