Active suspension design for a Large Space Structure ground test facility

The expected future high performance requirements for Large Space Structures (LSS) enforce technology innovations such as active vibration damping techniques e.g., by means of structure sensors and actuators. The implementation of new technologies like that requires an interactive and integrated structural and control design with an increased effort in hardware validation by ground testing. During the technology development phase generic system tests will be most important covering verification and validation aspects up to the preparation and definition of relevant space experiments. For many applications using advanced designs it is deemed necessary to improve existing testing technology by further reducing disturbances and gravity coupling effects while maintaining high performance reliability. A key issue in this context is the improvement of suspension techniques. The ideal ground test facility satisfying these requirements completely will never be found. The highest degree of reliability will always be obtained by passive suspension methods taking into account severe performance limitations such as non-zero rigid body modes, restriction of degrees of freedom of motion and frequency response limitations. Passive compensation mechanisms, e.g., zero-spring-rate mechanisms, either require large moving masses or they are limited with respect to low-frequency performance by friction, stiction or other non-linear effects. With active suspensions these limitations can be removed to a large extent thereby increasing the range of applications. Despite an additional complexity which is associated with a potential risk in reliability their development is considered promising due to the amazing improvement of real-time control technology which is still continuing

Literacy and Citizenship: Helping Students Learn the Importance of Being an Informed and Educated Citizen

My project utilizes the concept of Understanding by Design, as outlined by education experts Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, to craft a 12-week curriculum for high school junior and senior English students. McTighe and Wiggins use backwards planning to create long-term learning goals for students. Rather than superficially trying to cover a wide range of material in class, which results in short-term acquisition of knowledge mostly forgotten in the long run, McTighe and Wiggins focus on “big ideas,” that generate conceptual understanding. Ultimately, students will be able to transfer this knowledge to settings outside of the classroom. To help them arrive at the understandings specific to my project, the class will be driven by these essential questions: “How do I know if I am a critical reader?,” “How do we know what to believe?,” “What does it mean to be a good citizen? Is there only one way?,” “What is ‘equality’ and to what extent does it exist in America?,” “What are my responsibilities to people outside my family and those close to me?,” and “Does our modern society mirror the fictional societies in 1984 and Fahrenheit 451?” The class will discuss these questions throughout the course as we look at excerpts from texts and speeches made by Frederick Douglass, Thomas Jefferson, the women at Seneca Falls, Lyndon B. Johnson, Malcolm X, and more. I hope to act as a coach for the students by facilitating meaningful discussions and activities that foster civic engagement and increased awareness of responsible citizenship in a democracy

A Damn Hard Thing to Do

Back in the mid-eighties, I offered a first year, second semester un-elective called American Legal Theory and American Legal Education. It scrunched together two history courses I had taught irregularly before. I liked the way the two topics fit together and still do, but with so many recalcitrant law students enrolled in it, the course was an unmitigated disaster. As is always the case with such attempts at offering perspective, amidst the shambles I had acquired at least a few devoted students. At the end of the last class one of them came up to the front to ask a somewhat rhetorical question. He said, Do I read you correctly? You have been arguing that if we want to change legal education, we have to change the categories of legal thought? I nodded in agreement, to which he replied, You know that\u27s gonna be damn hard? I remember this comment not just because of the student\u27s insight but also because it pretty much marked the end to my active participation in attempts at significantly reforming the curriculum at the University at Buffalo Law School. An attempt to comprehensively reform the first-year curriculum had recently broken down when one crucial participant offered a my way or the highway alternative that none of us could understand. Such a result was a fitting tombstone to a career that had started back in 1967 when I was a third-year law student. Gerhard Casper, then new to the University of Chicago Law School faculty, gathered a group of my classmates together to discuss revision of that school\u27s curriculum. As a member of this group, I suggested that the first year be given over to tutorial work designed to bring all students up to master\u27s degree level of competence in a range of relevant social sciences

Long-term Observation of Biochemical Effects of Lead in Human Experiments

Peer Reviewe

Perceptions of Burden Among Informal Caregivers of Older Adults in Assisted Living

Few studies have focused on the lived experiences of informal caregivers of residents of assisted living facilities (ALFs) and their perceptions of their caregiver burden, which can lead to decreased physical and mental health, decreased economic status, and negative effects on the care recipient’s wellbeing. A considerable knowledge and practice gap remains regarding how public health practitioners relate to informal caregiving. The purpose of this study was to understand what informal caregivers of ALF residents perceive as factors that affect their caregiver burden and the perceived impact caregiver burden has on the caregiver and their eldercare recipient. The social-ecological model provided the organizational framework for this qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants recruited through convenience sampling. Thematic data analysis resulted in three significant findings: informal caregivers of ALF residents experience varying degrees of caregiver burden, factors that influence the perception of caregiver burden are represented at all five levels of the SEM, and informal caregivers have varied perceptions of how the presence and degree of caregiver burden impacts their care recipients. Implications for positive social change include assisting public health professionals and ALF staff to better address the promotion of health and wellness of informal caregivers and their ALF-dwelling care recipients, encouraging greater multilevel involvement in addressing caregiver burden, and further developing the foundation of knowledge needed to inform evidence-based interventions and policy development

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Corn

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated corn in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 70 bu/a, whereas P applied alone increased yields only 12 bu/a. Nitrogen and P applied together increased yields up to 129 bu/a. This is below the 10- year average, where N and P fertilization increased corn yields up to 144 bu/a. Applica­tion of 120 lb/a N (with P) produced about 98% of maximum yield in 2015, which is 5% more than the 10-year average. Application of 80 instead of 40 lb P2O5/a increased average yields only 1 bu/a. Average grain N content reached a maximum of 0.6 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.15 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu)

Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2014, N applied alone increased yields 49 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 81 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 73 bu/a. Application of 40 lb/a N (with P) was sufficient to produce more than 80% of maximum yield in 2014, which almost equals the 10-year average. Application of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period

Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2016, N applied alone increased yields 71 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 93 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 77 bu/a. Application of 80 lb/a N (with P) was sufficient to produce 89% of maximum yield in 2016 which is slightly less than the 10-yr average. Application of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period. Average grain N content reached a maximum of ~0.7 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.15 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu) and grain K content reached a maximum of 0.19 lb/bu (0.23 lb K2O/bu). At the highest N, P, and K rate, apparent fertilizer recovery in the grain was 33% for N, 69% for P, and 40% for K

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 66 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 92 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 76 bu/a. Application of 40 lb/a N (with P) was sufficient to pro­duce 88% of maximum yield in 2015 which is slightly above the 10-yr average. Applica­tion of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period. Average grain N content reached a maximum of ~0.7 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.15 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu) and grain K content reached a maximum of 0.19 lb/bu (0.23 lb K2O/bu)

Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Corn

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated corn in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 70 bu/a, whereas P applied alone increased yields only 12 bu/a. Nitrogen and P applied together increased yields up to 129 bu/a. This is below the 10 year average, where N and P fertilization increased corn yields up to 144 bu/a. Application of 120 lb/a N (with P) produced about 98% of maximum yield in 2015, which is 5% more than the 10-year average. Application of 80 instead of 40 lb P2O5/a increased average yields only 1 bu/a. Average grain N content reached a maximum of 0.6 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.15 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu)