Automating an orbiter approach to Space Station Freedom to minimize plume impingement

The Space shuttle orbiter Reaction Control System's (RCS) plume impingement during proximity operations with Space Station Freedom (SSF) is a structural design driver for the SSF solar panels and radiators. A study underway at JSC is investigating whether the use of an automated approach controller could result in the reduction of plume impingement induced loads during orbiter approach to SSF. Ongoing real time person-in-the-loop (PIL) simulations of an orbiter approaching the SSF show that orbiter trajectory control can vary significantly from one pilot to the next. This variation is a cause for concern since current analyses predict that plume impingement loads resulting from PIL orbiter approaches may exceed the solar panel and radiator load limits. The use of an automated approach controller is expected to reduce peak loads by both minimizing orbiter translational jet firings in certain directions and controlling the frequency at which they occur during various phases of the approach

Tagless Amyloid Binding Super-Resolution Microscopy

From the Washington University Office of Undergraduate Research Digest (WUURD), Vol. 13, 05-01-2018. Published by the Office of Undergraduate Research. Joy Zalis Kiefer, Director of Undergraduate Research and Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences; Lindsey Paunovich, Editor; Helen Human, Programs Manager and Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences Mentor(s): Jan Bieschk

Memory: The Use of Technology Versus Reading

This study examined the comparison in retention of information between watching a movie scene and reading a movie script from that scene. There have been controversies on how technology has impacted retention of information among students. The use of technologies can create distractions among those who use it, which may lead to a lower rate of remembered information. We looked at a sample of 20 students who either read a movie script or watched a movie scene. After the experiment, each participant was asked to complete a 5-question quiz assessing their knowledge on the scene. The relationship between retention of information after reading a movie script (M = 4.200; SD = 1.135) versus watching the film clip (M = 3.600; SD = 1.264) was not statistically significant

Geochemical characterisation of Archaean granitoids in eastern Finland

The oldest rocks in Finland are the Archaean grey gneisses of eastern and northern Finland. The Archaean of the Karelian craton spans about 1000 Ma of crustal growth and evolution and forms the core of the Fennoscandian shield. The Karelian province is a complex patchwork of different rock types. The individual formations are of small territorial extent in accordance with often postulated small Archaean plates. Overall, the Karelian craton is a granitoid-greenstone terrain with prevailing TTGs and younger granites, which show increasing level of potassium. The craton also includes a distinct sodic variety of granites that combines features of classical Archaean TTGs and late Archaean high-K granites. A minor number of Mg-rich lithologic units, including adakites and sanukitoids, are reported as well. A small number of A-type granites, syenites and S-type granites are widely distributed and of local nature only. Peculiarly, a large number of TTGs is peraluminous. The formation of Karelian craton may be explained by accretion of small plates, perhaps during the late Archaean supercraton event in a process that at least in later stages included active plate marginal processes

Unowned Cat Management in the State of Ohio: Elements of Best Practice in Public-Private Collaborative Efforts

A contentious debate over the management of free-roaming cat populations is ongoing. Nevertheless, disparate groups of stakeholders share a common goal of fewer community cats. Unowned cat management typically necessitates a choice between utilization of lethal or non-lethal measures. Research has indicated strong public support for employment of non-lethal methods, like trap-neuter-return (TNR). Collaborative TNR programs are experiencing success in a growing number of communities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify new or underutilized public-private collaborative practices, and associated elemental factors, that have the potential to be used as—or incorporated into—templates of best practice for the non-lethal management of unowned cats in Ohio. An additional objective was to uncover impediments to the implementation of collaborative programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders as part of a qualitative approach. Participants representing ten humane societies/shelters, four county animal control agencies, a TNR-cat rescue group and a municipal government located in various parts of Ohio were interviewed over an eight-week period. A prevailing willingness on the part of stakeholders to collaborate and widespread support for non-lethal methods of unowned cat control were discovered. Moreover, a majority of stakeholders cited access to low-cost spay-neuter surgeries as essential to the initiation of TNR programs; multiple participants described lack of nearby access to such services as an impediment to conducting TNR. In addition, local ordinances preventing TNR were cited as substantial hindrances. Overall, significant potential within Ohio for expansion of collaborative non-lethal management programs for community cats seems to exist. Mitigation of impediments uncovered in this study will likely play an important role in leveraging this opportunity

Morphological differences between Amaranthus cruentus, cv. BRS Alegria, and the weed species A. hybridus, A. retroflexus, A. viridis and A. spinosus

O pseudocereal amaranto, com as espécies Amaranthus caudatus, A. cruentus e A. hypochondriacus, domesticado pelas populações indígenas antes que a América fosse descoberta, tem se adaptado aos sistemas produtivos dos cerrados. A planta apresenta panículas apicais, divididas em pequenos ramos com frutos do tipo pixídio, com uma semente cada. Estas germinam rapidamente em presença de umidade, após atingirem a maturação fisiológica. No início da fase vegetativa, o amaranto cultivado pode confundir-se com espécies de plantas daninhas do mesmo gênero (A. hybridus, A. retroflexus, A. viridis e A. spinosus), as quais estão associadas à expansão agrícola. As diferenças morfológicas tornam-se mais visíveis após o florescimento: ramificações com flores axilares e terminais, em contraste com o amaranto, no qual a inflorescência (panícula) é apical; as sementes claras das espécies cultivadas contrastam com as das invasoras, que são escuras. BRS Alegria (A. cruentus), cultivar pioneiro no Brasil, apresenta plantas com 180 cm, das quais a panícula ocupa 48 cm; maturação fisiológica aos 90 dias; resistência ao acamamento; e 0,68 g por 1.000 sementes, com produção de 2,3 t ha1 (sementes) e 5,6 t ha-1 (biomassa total). As sementes nas plantas daninhas são menores, germinam gradativamente e podem permanecer no solo por muitos anos, infestando as áreas. As diferenças morfológicas detectadas na experimentação demonstram que as espécies são distinguíveis; elas contribuem para orientar a produção de sementes e o cultivo comercial de amaranto, enfatizando as características de adaptação, em contraste com as das invasoras do mesmo gênero botânico. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe pseudocereal grain amaranth, with the species Amaranthus caudatus, A. ruentus e A. hypochondriacus, domesticated by indigenous populations before America was discovered, has shown adaptability to production systems in the Brazilian savannah. The plants present apical panicles, divided into small branches which hold fruits (pixid type), containing one seed each. The seeds germinate quickly in the presence of moisture, after physiological maturity. At the early phase of development, grain amaranth can be confounded with the weed species A. hybridus, A. retroflexus, A. viridis, A. spinosus, which are associated with agricultural expansion in the savannah. Their morphological differences become more visible after flowering: branching, with axilary and terminal flowers in weed types contrasting with cultivated amaranth, in which panicles are apical; the light coloured seed testa contrasts with the black seed testas of the weed species. BRS Alegria (A. cruentus), the pioneer cultivar in Brazil, presents 180 cm plant height, of which the panicle occupies 48 cm; physiological maturity at 90 days; resistance to lodging; seed weight of 0.68 g per 1.000, with yields of 2.3 t ha-1 (seed) and 5.6 t ha-1 (total biomass). The seeds of weed types are smaller, germinate gradually and may remain in soil for many years, infesting cultivated areas. The morphological differences detected under experimentation show that the species are distinguishable; they contribute to guiding grain amaranth seed production and commercial cultivation, emphasizing adaptation characteristics, in contrast to t weed seeds from the same botanical genus

Análise dialélica da produção de grãos e taxa de absorção mineral na soja cultivada em solo ácido dos cerrados brasileiros

ABSTRACT: High available aluminium and low levels of calcium below the ploughed zone of the soil are limiting factors for agricultural sustainability in the Brazilian Cerrados (Savannahs). The mineral stresses compound with dry spells effect by preventing deep root growth of cultivated plants and causes yield instability. The mode of inheritance for grain yield and mineral absorption ratio of a diallel cross in soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] grown in high and low Al areas was identified. Differences among the genotypes for grain yield were more evident in the high Al, by grouping tolerant and non-tolerant genotypes for their respective arrays in the hybrids. A large proportion of genetic variance was additive for grain yield and mineral absorption ratio in both environments. High heritability values suggest that soybeans can be improved by crosses among Al-tolerant genotypes, using modified pedigree, early generation and recurrent selection schemes. _________________________________________________________________________________ RESUMOA presença de alumínio e reduzidos níveis de cálcio abaixo da camada arável do solo são fatores que ameaçam a sustentabilidade agrícola nos cerrados brasileiros. Esses fatores limitantes agravam o efeito de estresses hídricos, por reduzir o crescimento radicular em profundidade nas plantas cultivadas, e resultam na instabilidade produtiva. Identificou-se o modo de herança da produção de grãos e a taxa de absorção de nutrientes em soja [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], com cruzamento dialélico entre nove cultivares, sob baixa e elevada disponibilidade de alumínio. As diferenças entre os genótipos mostraram-se mais evidentes nesta última, pelo agrupamento dos respectivos híbridos no dialelo. Grande proporção da variância genética para a produção de grãos e taxa de absorção mineral é devida a efeitos aditivos. A elevada herdabilidade sugere a possibilidade de selecionar por produtividade em presença dos estresses minerais nos cruzamentos entre genótipos tolerantes, com o uso dos métodos genealógico modificado, teste em gerações iniciais e seleção recorrente

Unowned Cat Management in the State of Ohio: Elements of Best Practice in Public-Private Collaborative Efforts

A contentious debate over the management of free-roaming cat populations is ongoing. Nevertheless, disparate groups of stakeholders share a common goal of fewer community cats. Unowned cat management typically necessitates a choice between utilization of lethal or non-lethal measures. Research has indicated strong public support for employment of non-lethal methods, like trap-neuter-return (TNR). Collaborative TNR programs are experiencing success in a growing number of communities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify new or underutilized public-private collaborative practices, and associated elemental factors, that have the potential to be used as—or incorporated into—templates of best practice for the non-lethal management of unowned cats in Ohio. An additional objective was to uncover impediments to the implementation of collaborative programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders as part of a qualitative approach. Participants representing ten humane societies/shelters, four county animal control agencies, a TNR-cat rescue group and a municipal government located in various parts of Ohio were interviewed over an eight-week period. A prevailing willingness on the part of stakeholders to collaborate and widespread support for non-lethal methods of unowned cat control were discovered. Moreover, a majority of stakeholders cited access to low-cost spay-neuter surgeries as essential to the initiation of TNR programs; multiple participants described lack of nearby access to such services as an impediment to conducting TNR. In addition, local ordinances preventing TNR were cited as substantial hindrances. Overall, significant potential within Ohio for expansion of collaborative non-lethal management programs for community cats seems to exist. Mitigation of impediments uncovered in this study will likely play an important role in leveraging this opportunity

Managing Outdoor Cats

Resources to address outdoor cat management vary by state and county, as exemplified by the situation in Ohio, USA

An Examination of an Iconic Trap-Neuter-Return Program: The Newburyport, Massachusetts Case Study

The use of trap-neuter-return (TNR) as a humane alternative to the lethal management of free-roaming cats has been on the rise for several decades in the United States; however a relative paucity of data from TNR programs exists. An iconic community-wide TNR effort; initiated in 1992 and renowned for having eliminated hundreds of free-roaming cats from the Newburyport; Massachusetts waterfront; is cited repeatedly; yet few details appear in the literature. Although the presence of feline population data was quite limited; a detailed narrative emerged from an examination of contemporaneous reports; extant TNR program documents; and stakeholder testimony. Available evidence indicates that an estimated 300 free-roaming cats were essentially unmanaged prior to the commencement of the TNR program; a quick reduction of up to one-third of the cats on the waterfront was attributed to the adoption of sociable cats and kittens; the elimination of the remaining population; over a 17-year period; was ascribed to attrition. These findings illuminate the potential effectiveness of TNR as a management practice; as well as call attention to the need for broad adoption of systematic data collection and assessment protocols