Leveraging External Sensor Data for Enhanced Space Situational Awareness

Reliable Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is a recognized requirement in the current congested, contested, and competitive environment of space operations. A shortage of available sensors and reliable data sources are some current limiting factors for maintaining SSA. Unfortunately, cost constraints prohibit drastically increasing the sensor inventory. Alternative methods are sought to enhance current SSA, including utilizing non-traditional data sources (external sensors) to perform basic SSA catalog maintenance functions. Astronomical data, for example, routinely collects serendipitous satellite streaks in the course of observing deep space; but tactics, techniques, and procedures designed to glean useful information from those collects have yet to be rigorously developed. This work examines the feasibility and utility of performing ephemeris positional updates for a Resident Space Object (RSO) catalog using metric data obtained from RSO streaks gathered by astronomical telescopes. The focus of this work is on processing data from three possible streak categories: streaks that only enter, only exit, or cross completely through the astronomical image. Successful use of this data will aid in resolving uncorrelated tracks, space object identification, and threat detection. Incorporation of external data sources will also reduce the number of routine collects required by existing SSA sensors, freeing them up for more demanding tasks. The results clearly demonstrate that accurate orbital reconstruction can be performed using an RSO streak in a distorted image, without applying calibration frames and that partially bound streaks provide similar results to traditional data, with a mean degradation of 6:2% in right ascension and 42:69% in declination. The methodology developed can also be applied to dedicated SSA sensors to extract data from serendipitous streaks gathered while observing other RSOs

Minimizing Losses in a Space Laser Power Beaming System

A mathematical model is developed to track the amount of power delivered in a wireless laser power beaming system. In a wireless system the power proceeds through several different stages before being delivered to a payload for use. Each of these stages results in power losses that are thoroughly examined and modeled, allowing for the calculation of the likely amount of power delivered. Adjusting variable factors within the model allows for the optimization of the system for a specific task. The model shows that an optimized wireless power transfer system can deliver enough power to meet the space experiment objectives. For example, to power a Hall-Effect Thruster, a laser, photovoltaic cells, satellite power distribution method, and batteries all impact the amount of power delivered. Careful selection of these components will allow the laser to power the thruster and the model provides how much power is transferred. Knowledge of the power requirements for the payload allows the model to determine how long it will be able to operate the payload with the power provided. This model will allow system engineers to answer important design questions about the selection of components to ensure that the end product delivers maximum power

The effect of a multi-component intervention on disrespect and abuse during childbirth in Kenya

Background Disrespect and abuse (D & A) during labor and delivery are important issues correlated with human rights, equity, and public health that also affect women’s decisions to deliver in facilities, which provide appropriate management of maternal and neonatal complications. Little is known about interventions aimed at lowering the frequency of disrespectful and abusive behaviors. Methods Between 2011 and 2014, a pre-and-post study measured D & A levels in a three-tiered intervention at 13 facilities in Kenya under the Heshima project. The intervention involved working with policymakers to encourage greater focus on D & A, training providers on respectful maternity care, and strengthening linkages between the facility and community for accountability and governance. At participating facilities, postpartum women were approached at discharge and asked to participate in the study; those who consented were administered a questionnaire on D & A in general as well as six typologies, including physical and verbal abuse, violations of confidentiality and privacy, detainment for non-payment, and abandonment. Observation of provider-patient interaction during labor was also conducted in the same facilities. In both exit interview and observational studies, multivariate analyses of risk factors for D & A controlled for differences in socio-demographic and facility characteristics between baseline and endline surveys. Results Overall D & A decreased from 20–13 % (p < 0.004) and among four of the six typologies D & A decreased from 40–50 %. Night shift deliveries were associated with greater verbal and physical abuse. Patient and infant detainment declined dramatically from 8.0–0.8 %, though this was partially attributable to the 2013 national free delivery care policy. Conclusion Although a number of contextual factors may have influenced these findings, the magnitude and consistency of the observed decreases suggest that the multi-component intervention may have the potential to reduce the frequency of D & A. Greater efforts are needed to develop stronger evaluation methods for assessing D & A in other settings

Can Reproductive Health Voucher Programs Improve Quality of Postnatal Care? A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Kenya’s Safe Motherhood Voucher Scheme

This study tests the group-level causal relationship between the expansion of Kenya’s Safe Motherhood voucher program and changes in quality of postnatal care (PNC) provided at voucher-contracted facilities. We compare facilities accredited since program inception in 2006 (phase I) and facilities accredited since 2010-2011 (phase II) relative to comparable non-voucher facilities. PNC quality is assessed using observed clinical content processes, as well as client-reported outcome measures. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests are used to identify differences in mean process quality scores and client-reported outcome measures, comparing changes between intervention and comparison groups at the 2010 and 2012 data collection periods. Difference-in-differences analysis is used to estimate the reproductive health (RH) voucher program’s causal effect on quality of care by exploiting group-level differences between voucher-accredited and non-accredited facilities in 2010 and 2012. Participation in the voucher scheme since 2006 significantly improves overall quality of postnatal care by 39% (p=0.02), where quality is defined as the observable processes or components of service provision that occur during a PNC consultation. Program participation since phase I is estimated to improve the quality of observed maternal postnatal care by 86% (p=0.02), with the largest quality improvements in counselling on family planning methods (IRR 5.0; p=0.01) and return to fertility (IRR 2.6; p=0.01). Despite improvements in maternal aspects of PNC, we find a high proportion of mothers who seek PNC are not being checked by any provider after delivery. Additional strategies will be necessary to standardize provision of packaged postnatal interventions to both mother and new-born. This study addresses an important gap in the existing RH literature by using a strong evaluation design to assess RH voucher program effectiveness on quality improvement

The second messenger c-di-AMP inhibits the osmolyte uptake system OpuC in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is an important opportunistic human pathogen that is highly resistant to osmotic stresses. In order to survive an increase in osmolarity, bacteria immediately take up potassium and small organic compounds, also referred to as compatible solutes. The second messenger c-di-AMP binds to several receptor proteins, most of which are involved in ion and potassium uptake, that help bacteria cope with osmotic stress. In this study, we identified OpuCA, the ATPase component of an uptake system for the compatible solute carnitine, as a cdi-AMP target protein in S. aureus and found that a strain overproducing c-di-AMP showed reduced carnitine uptake. The CBS domains of OpuCA bound to c-di-AMP, and a crystal structure revealed a putative binding pocket for c-di-AMP in the cleft between the two CBS domains. Thus, c-di-AMP is involved in regulating both branches of osmoprotection (potassium uptake and compatible solute uptake), suggesting that c-di-AMP is a general osmotic stress regulato

A q-deformed nonlinear map

A scheme of q-deformation of nonlinear maps is introduced. As a specific example, a q-deformation procedure related to the Tsallis q-exponential function is applied to the logistic map. Compared to the canonical logistic map, the resulting family of q-logistic maps is shown to have a wider spectrum of interesting behaviours, including the co-existence of attractors -- a phenomenon rare in one dimensional maps.Comment: 17 pages, 19 figure

Searching efficiency and multiparasitism in Aphidius smithi and A. ervi (Hym., Aphidiidae), parasites of pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hom., Aphididae)

Aphidius smithi and A. ervi were introduced into the United States to control aphid pests of alfalfa. Laboratory experiments showed that A. smithi was more efficient in searching for hosts (i.e., more hosts parasitized) than A. ervi, when measured separately. However, when the two species searched together for the same hosts, a lesser percentage of A. smithi adults than A. ervi emerged from the mummies. Studies on multiple parasitism which involved hosts parasitized by one species exposed to the other species indicated that larvae of A. ervi were more competitive and survived better to adulthood than larvae of A. smithi. These results might help explain for the decline of A. smithi in California

Does a voucher program improve reproductive health service delivery and access in Kenya?

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.Background - Current assessments on Output-Based Aid (OBA) programs have paid limited attention to the experiences and perceptions of the healthcare providers and facility managers. This study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of healthcare providers and facility managers in the Kenya reproductive health output-based approach voucher program. Methods - A total of 69 in-depth interviews with healthcare providers and facility managers in 30 voucher accredited facilities were conducted. The study hypothesized that a voucher program would be associated with improvements in reproductive health service provision. Data were transcribed and analysed by adopting a thematic framework analysis approach. A combination of inductive and deductive analysis was conducted based on previous research and project documents. Results - Facility managers and providers viewed the RH-OBA program as a feasible system for increasing service utilization and improving quality of care. Perceived benefits of the program included stimulation of competition between facilities and capital investment in most facilities. Awareness of family planning (FP) and gender-based violence (GBV) recovery services voucher, however, remained lower than the maternal health voucher service. Relations between the voucher management agency and accredited facilities as well as existing health systems challenges affect program functions. Conclusions - Public and private sector healthcare providers and facility managers perceive value in the voucher program as a healthcare financing model. They recognize that it has the potential to significantly increase demand for reproductive health services, improve quality of care and reduce inequities in the use of reproductive health services. To improve program functioning going forward, there is need to ensure the benefit package and criteria for beneficiary identification are well understood and that the public facilities are permitted greater autonomy to utilize revenue generated from the voucher program.This work was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the Population Council as part of a multi country study evaluation of voucher-andaccreditation interventions. Grant number 51761

Exploring the effectiveness of the output-based aid voucher program to increase uptake of gender-based violence recovery services in Kenya: a qualitative evaluation

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background: Few studies in Africa have explored in detail the ability of output-based aid (OBA) voucher programs to increase access to gender-based violence recovery (GBVR) services. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 2010 and involved: (i) in-depth interviews (IDIs) with health managers, service providers, voucher management agency (VMA) managers and (ii) focus group discussions (FGDs) with voucher users, voucher non-users, voucher distributors and opinion leaders drawn from five program sites in Kenya. Results: The findings showed promising prospects for the uptake of OBA GBVR services among target population. However, a number of factors affect the uptake of the services. These include lack of general awareness of the GBVR services vouchers, lack of understanding of the benefit package, immediate financial needs of survivors, as well as stigma and cultural beliefs that undermine reporting of cases or seeking essential medical services. Moreover, accreditation of only hospitals to offer GBVR services undermines access to the services in rural areas. Poor responsiveness from law enforcement agencies and fear of reprisal from perpetrators also undermine treatment options and access to medical services. Low provider knowledge on GBVR services and lack of supplies also affect effective provision and management of GBVR services. Conclusions: The above findings suggest that there is a need to build the capacity of health care providers and police officers, strengthen the community strategy component of the OBA program to promote the GBVR services voucher, and conduct widespread community education programs aimed at prevention, ensuring survivors know how and where to access services and addressing stigma and cultural barriers.The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundatio

Science and Film-making

The essay reviews the literature, mostly historical, on the relationship between science and film-making, with a focus on the science documentary. It then discusses the circumstances of the emergence of the wildlife making-of documentary genre. The thesis examined here is that since the early days of cinema, film-making has evolved from being subordinate to science, to being an equal partner in the production of knowledge, controlled by non-scientists