NoteIt iOS App

Miscommunication is a common struggle that many students face in today’s world, despite the significant technological progress that we have made. With NoteIt, we aimed to solve this issue, by allowing students to join groups based off of the courses that they are enrolled in during the current quarter. Within the app, they can send and receive messages and events from everyone else in the group, or post private reminders to themselves. Communication can range from assignment clarification to exam preparation tips. Overall the development of the application went relatively well, despite some roadblocks along the way. We were satisfied with the progress we made and plan on continuing to work on it after the quarter ends, by adding even more functionality to it

User's manual for the Shuttle Electric Power System analysis computer program (SEPS), volume 2 of program documentation

The Shuttle Electric Power System Analysis SEPS computer program which performs detailed load analysis including predicting energy demands and consumables requirements of the shuttle electric power system along with parameteric and special case studies on the shuttle electric power system is described. The functional flow diagram of the SEPS program is presented along with data base requirements and formats, procedure and activity definitions, and mission timeline input formats. Distribution circuit input and fixed data requirements are included. Run procedures and deck setups are described

Iridium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Vinylsilanes

We have screened a diverse array of iridium complexes derived from chiral N,P ligands as catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of vinylsilanes, a transformation for which generally applicable catalysts were lacking. Several catalysts emerged from this study that enabled the highly enantioselective hydrogenation of a wide range of vinylsilanes with trisubstituted or disubstituted terminal C=C bonds bearing aryl, alkyl, ethoxycarbonyl, or hydroxymethyl substituents. In addition to trimethylsilyl and dimethyl(phenyl) silyl derivatives, trialkoxysilyl- and silacyclobutyl-substituted alkenes were used as substrates

The magnetic field of the proto-planetary nebula candidate IRAS 19296+2227

Context: Magnetic fields are thought to be one of the possible mechanisms responsible for shaping the generally spherical outflow of evolved stars into often aspherical planetary nebulae. However, direct measurements of magnetic fields during the transition to the planetary nebula phase are rare. Aims: The aim of this project is to expand the number of magnetic field measurements of stars in the (proto-)planetary nebula phase and find if the magnetic field strength is sufficient to affect the stellar outflow. Methods: We used Very Long Baseline Array observations to measure the circular polarization due to the Zeeman splitting of 22 GHz water masers in the envelope of the proto-planetary nebula candidate star IRAS 19296+2227 and the planetary nebula K3-35. Results: A strong magnetic field of B||=-135+-28 is detected in the water maser region of the proto-planetary nebula candidate IRAS 19296+2227. The water masers of K3-35 are too weak to detect circular polarization although we do present the measurements of weak linear polarization in those masers. Conclusions: The field measured in the masers of IRAS 19296+2227 is dynamically important and, if it is representative of the large scale field, is an important factor in driving the stellar mass loss and shaping the stellar outflow.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; A&A accepte

Integration of service, education, and research in local official public health agencies

Chambers et al discuss improved education for future public health practitioners. continuing education of existing staff, and research and evaluations activities in local official public health agencies in Ontario Canada

Improved VLBI astrometry of OH maser stars

Aims: Accurate distances to evolved stars with high mass loss rates are needed for studies of many of their fundamental properties. However, as these stars are heavily obscured and variable, optical and infrared astrometry is unable to provide enough accuracy. Methods: Astrometry using masers in the circumstellar envelopes can be used to overcome this problem. We have observed the OH masers of a number of Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars for approximately 1 year with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). We have used the technique of phase referencing with in-beam calibrators to test the improvements this technique can provide to Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) OH maser astrometric observations. Results: We have significantly improved the parallax and proper motion measurements of the Mira variable stars U Her, S CrB and RR Aql. Conclusions: It is shown that both in-beam phase-referencing and a decrease in solar activity during the observations significantly improves the accuracy of the astrometric observations. The improved distances to S CrB (418 +21 -18 pc) and RR Aql (633 +214 -128 pc) are fully consistent with published P-L relations, but the distance to U Her (266 +32 -28 pc) is significantly smaller. We conclude that for sources that are bright and have a nearby in-beam calibrator, VLBI OH maser astrometry can be used to determine distances to OH masing stars of up to ~2 kpc.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in A&A; for a version with high-resolution figures see http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~wouter/papers/astrom/astrom.shtm

Program manual for the Shuttle Electric Power System analysis computer program (SEPS), volume 1 of program documentation

The Shuttle Electric Power System (SEPS) computer program is considered in terms of the program manual, programmer guide, and program utilization. The main objective is to provide the information necessary to interpret and use the routines comprising the SEPS program. Subroutine descriptions including the name, purpose, method, variable definitions, and logic flow are presented

Esophageal Cancer Recurrence Patterns and Implications for Surveillance

Introduction:After definitive treatment of esophageal cancer, patients are at high risk for recurrence. Consistent follow-up is important for detection and treatment of recurrence. The optimal surveillance regimen remains undefined. We investigated posttreatment recurrence patterns and methods of detection in survivors of esophageal cancer.Methods:We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients who had undergone surgical resection for esophageal cancer at our institution between 1996 and 2010. Routine computed tomography scan and upper endoscopy were performed for surveillance.Results:In total, 1147 patients with resected esophageal adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were included (median follow-up, 46 months). Of these, 723 patients (63%) had received neoadjuvant therapy before surgery. During follow-up, there were 595 deaths (52%) and 435 recurrences (38%) (distant [55%], locoregional [28%], or both [17%]). Half of recurrences were detected as a result of symptoms (n = 217), 45% by routine chest and abdominal computed tomography scan (n = 194), and 1% by surveillance upper endoscopy (n = 6). The recurrence rate decreased from 27 per 100 person-years in posttreatment year 1 to 4 per 100 person-years in year 6. In the first 2 years, the rate of recurrence was higher among patients who had received neoadjuvant therapy (35 per 100 person-years) than among those who had not (14 per 100 person-years) (p < 0.001).Conclusions:The incidence of recurrence is high after esophagectomy for cancer. Surveillance endoscopy has limited value for detection of asymptomatic local recurrence. The yield from follow-up scans diminishes significantly after the sixth year; surveillance scans after that point are likely unnecessary

Assessing functional impairment in individuals with mild cognitive impairment

To date, there is no consensus on how to assess functional impairment in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and this lack of consensus is reflected in the clinical practice. Since the criterion used in the literature is very vague, clinicians are still left without much guidance in this area. Thus, the main goal of this study was to examine how functional impairment in individuals with MCI has been assessed in the literature. An electronic database search strategy was developed in consultation with an experienced librarian. Four databases (CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, and MEDLINE) were searched from 2000 to May 2014 to provide a comprehensive coverage of the literature. The literature search yielded 14 tools that assessed functional impairment in MCI. Among those, nine tools were performance-based measures in which participants were observed while executing a task in a simulated environment using real life material. In terms of questionnaires (either informant- or self-reports), five tools were found. Different functional domains have been assessed in each tool. According to this review, the characteristics of the instruments used in the literature to assess functional impairment in individuals with MCI vary greatly. Nonetheless, results of this study allow clinicians to make better-informed decisions when choosing a functional assessment for this population