Preparation, testing, and delivery of low density polyimide foam panels

Plastic foams based on polyimide resins were shown to be stable at relatively high temperatures, and to possess very low flame spread and smoke generation characteristics. A system and process were developed to prepare low-density polyimide foam from a liquid formulation. The system is based on the reaction of micropulverized grade pyromellitic dianhydride with a polymeric diisocyanate. The panels produced were postcured at elevated temperatures to achieve maximum thermal and fire resistance, and incorporation of a fire retardant into the formulation was considered. The effects of a flame retardant (Flameout 5600B1) were investigated, but eliminated in preference to the postcuring approach

NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE)

Contains a summary of the breakdown of questions/requests received during the grant period. Contains a summer and a detailed list of all items distributed during the grant period

An automatic data system for vibration modal tuning and evaluation

A digitally based automatic modal tuning and analysis system developed to provide an operational capability beginning at 0.1 hertz is described. The elements of the system, which provides unique control features, maximum operator visibility, and rapid data reduction and documentation, are briefly described; and the operational flow is discussed to illustrate the full range of capabilities and the flexibility of application. The successful application of the system to a modal survey of the Skylab payload is described. Information about the Skylab test article, coincident-quadrature analysis of modal response data, orthogonality, and damping calculations is included in the appendixes. Recommendations for future application of the system are also made

Development of improved plastic foam generating agents and techniques for Saturn applications Final report, Jul. 1964 - Jun. 1965

Foam system compressive strength analysis, solid urethane castings to screen polymer systems, and prepolymer methods of foam preparation in plastic foam development for Saturn projec

Phenol-formaldehyde intumescent coating composition and coating prepared therefrom

Intumescent coatings which form a thick, uniform, fine celled, low density foam upon exposure to a high intensity heat flux or flame are disclosed, the invention coatings comprise phenolic resin prepolymer containing a blowing agent and a nucleating agent; in the preferred embodiments the coatings also contains a silicone surfactant, the coatings are useful in thermal and fire protection systems

High temperature polyimide foams for shuttle upper surface thermal insulation

Polyimide foams developed by Monsanto Company were examined for use as upper surface space shuttle thermal insulation. It was found that postcured polyimide foams having a density of 64 kg/cu m (4 lb/cu ft) had acceptable physical properties up to and exceeding 700 K (800 F). Physical tests included cyclic heating and cooling in vacuum, weight and dimensional stability, mechanical strength and impact resistance, acoustic loading and thermal conductivity. Molding and newly developed postcuring procedures were defined

The significant impact of education, poverty, and race on Internet-based research participant engagement

PURPOSE: Internet-based technologies are increasingly being used for research studies. However, it is not known whether Internet-based approaches will effectively engage participants from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. METHODS: A total of 967 participants were recruited and offered genetic ancestry results. We evaluated viewing Internet-based genetic ancestry results among participants who expressed high interest in obtaining the results. RESULTS: Of the participants, 64% stated that they were very or extremely interested in their genetic ancestry results. Among interested participants, individuals with a high school diploma (n = 473) viewed their results 19% of the time relative to 4% of the 145 participants without a diploma (P < 0.0001). Similarly, 22% of participants with household income above the federal poverty level (n = 286) viewed their results relative to 10% of the 314 participants living below the federal poverty level (P < 0.0001). Among interested participants both with a high school degree and living above the poverty level, self-identified Caucasians were more likely to view results than self-identified African Americans (P < 0.0001), and females were more likely to view results than males (P = 0.0007). CONCLUSION: In an underserved population, engagement in Internet-based research was low despite high reported interest. This suggests that explicit strategies should be developed to increase diversity in Internet-based research. Genet Med 19 2, 240–243

Proactive Patient Rounding and Effect on Patient Satisfaction

Effective implementation of nursing staff proactive rounding, a structured method of consistent proactive inquiry and responsiveness to patient needs, has been linked to improved patient satisfaction. Barriers and challenges to proactive rounding processes must be overcome for successful and effective implementation and sustainment to take place. The purpose of this evidence-based quality improvement practice project was to pilot implementation of structured proactive nursing staff hourly rounding and effectively integrate it into current practice to improve patient satisfaction. The project utilized a quasi-experimental nonequivalent group design on a 39-bed medical surgical/telemetry unit to compare top box Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient satisfaction scores before and after implementation of a structured proactive rounding process. A total of 59 nursing staff participants took part in the educational sessions. This included clinical care supervisors, RNs, and patient care assistants. Two-sample t-tests performed on HCAHPS top box composites performed on August 2015-August 2016 data (including project month), revealed that the t-statistics were not significant at the .00625 Bonferroni corrected critical alpha level. The differences in top box scores were not significant. A clinically significant increase was noted in the domain “Response of Hospital Staff” from July to August 2016, increasing from 51.7 to 58.9 percent although less than the score reported from August 2015 (61.5 percent). Clinically significant increases in HCAHPS composite top box scores during the three-week timespan of returned surveys were noted in all but three top box scores: Care Transitions reduced from 35.6 to 16.7 percent, Responsiveness of Hospital Staff scores fluctuated between 50 to 100 percent, and Hospital Environment fluctuated between 50 percent and 75 percent. Leader rounding patient satisfaction data revealed clinically significant percentage changes. One-sample t-tests between proportions were performed for each of the leader rounding questions results. The difference between yes responses and no or na/no response answers for each question both before and after the start of the project were significant at the Bonferroni corrected critical alpha level of .007. Two-sample t-tests between proportions were performed on each leader-rounding question to determine whether there was a significant difference between the yes responses for each question both before and after project implementation. The t-statistic was not significant at the Bonferroni corrected critical alpha level of .007. The difference between yes responses were not significant. Clinical significance could be observed through increased positive responses from before project implementation to after in the areas of pain control, staff rounding every hour, staff assisting timely, and whether patients perceived they were getting rest at night. Reductions in responses were noted in the areas of whether caregivers are explaining what they are doing and why, and an increase was noted in the number who had questions regarding their discharge. Communication, understanding, accountability, and engagement are core essentials that can be utilized in the development of processes that contribute to patient satisfaction, including proactive rounding. Process development, implementation, and evaluation are shared actions involving both nursing staff and leaders. Further research should assess sustainability of proactive rounding and competency of the practice through a long-term study utilizing multiple units or multiple sites.D.N.P., Nursing Practice -- Drexel University, 201

Integrated Vehicle Ground Vibration Testing in Support of Launch Vehicle Loads and Controls Analysis

All structural systems possess a basic set of physical characteristics unique to that system. These unique physical characteristics include items such as mass distribution and damping. When specified, they allow engineers to understand and predict how a structural system behaves under given loading conditions and different methods of control. These physical properties of launch vehicles may be predicted by analysis or measured by certain types of tests. Generally, these properties are predicted by analysis during the design phase of a launch vehicle and then verified by testing before the vehicle becomes operational. A ground vibration test (GVT) is intended to measure by test the fundamental dynamic characteristics of launch vehicles during various phases of flight. During the series of tests, properties such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, and transfer functions are measured directly. These data will then be used to calibrate loads and control systems analysis models for verifying analyses of the launch vehicle. NASA manned launch vehicles have undergone ground vibration testing leading to the development of successful launch vehicles. A GVT was not performed on the inaugural launch of the unmanned Delta III which was lost during launch. Subsequent analyses indicated had a GVT been performed, it would have identified instability issues avoiding loss of the vehicle. This discussion will address GVT planning, set-up, execution and analyses, for the Saturn and Shuttle programs, and will also focus on the current and on-going planning for the Ares I and V Integrated Vehicle Ground Vibration Test (IVGVT)

Smoking cessation is associated with lower rates of mood/anxiety and alcohol use disorders

BACKGROUND: The psychological outcomes that accompany smoking cessation are not yet conclusive but positive outcomes could help to persuade quitting. METHOD: We use data from the longitudinal National Epidemiological Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between cigarette smoking reduction and Wave 2 status of addiction/mental health disorder among daily smokers at Wave 1, stratified by status of the diagnosis of interest at Wave 1. We adjusted for differences in baseline covariates between smokers with different levels of smoking reduction between Wave 1 and Wave 2 using propensity score regression adjustment. RESULTS: After adjusting for propensity scores and other mental health/addiction comorbidities at Wave 2, among daily smokers who had current or lifetime history diagnosis of the outcome of interest at Wave 1, quitting by Wave 2 predicted a decreased risk of mood/anxiety disorder (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4, 0.9) and alcohol disorder (aOR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5, 0.99) at Wave 2. Among daily smokers with no lifetime history diagnosis of the outcome of interest at Wave 1, quitting smoking by Wave 2 predicted a decreased risk of drug use disorder at Wave 2 aOR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1, 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: There is no support in our data for the concern that smoking cessation would result in smokers’ increased risk of some mental disorders. To the contrary, our data suggest that smoking cessation is associated with risk reduction for mood/anxiety or alcohol use disorder, even among smokers who have had a pre-existing disorder