Temperature automation for a propellant mixer

The analysis and installation of an automatic temperature controller on a propellant mixer is presented. Ultimately, the entire mixing process will come under automation, but since precise adherence to the temperature profile is very difficult to sustain manually, this was the first component to be automated. Automation is not only important for producing a uniform product, but it is necessary for envisioned space-based propellant production

Source of lead pollution, its influence on public health and the countermeasures

Lead is a well-known toxic heavy metal, which can have serious public health hazards at very low levels, especially for young children. This report summarized the background information on lead as well as its applications, pollution sources, poisoning pathways, biomarkers of exposure and effect, toxicities, poisoning mechanisms, preventive actions, decontamination strategies, and detoxification methods.

How safe and effective is ondansetron for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy?

Q: How safe and effective is ondansetron for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy? Evidence-based answer: oral ondansetron is more effective than a combination of pyridoxine and doxylamine for outpatient treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, randomized controlled trial [RCT]). For moderate to severe nausea and vomiting, intravenous (IV) ondansetron is at least as effective as IV metoclopramide and may cause fewer adverse reactions (SOR: B, RCTs). Disease registry, case-control, and cohort studies report a slight increase in the risk of cardiac defects with ondansetron use in first-trimester pregnancies, but no major or other birth defects are associated with ondansetron exposure (SOR: B, a systematic review of observational trials and a single retrospective cohort study). A specialty society guideline recommends weighing the risks and benefits of ondansetron use before 10 weeks' gestational age and suggests reserving ondansetron for patients who have persistent nausea and vomiting unresponsive to first- and second-line treatments (SOR: C, expert opinion).Kimberly L. Collins, MD; Megan Wilson, MD; E. Chris Vincent, MD, University of Washington, Seattle ; Sarah Safranek, MLIS, University of Washington, SeattleIncludes bibliographical reference

Parkinson\u27s Disease in Louisiana, 1999-2012: Based on Hospital Primary Discharge Diagnoses, Incidence, and Risk in Relation to Local Agricultural Crops, Pesticides, and Aquifer Recharge

The two major causes of Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) are genetic susceptibility and exposure to agricultural pesticides. Access to 23,224 individuals\u27 hospital primary discharge diagnoses of PD allowed the mapping of cases against known crop distributions and pesticides. Our main objective was to map PD risks (cases per 10,000 people) against crops and their pesticides. The ZIP Code address locations, and the 2000 and 2010 census data, were used to map the risks of PD throughout Louisiana and in relation to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-recorded crops. The introduction of glyphosate-resistant crops appears to have initiated the PD disappearance from northeastern parishes on the west bank of the Mississippi river. Rice and sugar cane are seemingly unassociated with PD, as is the Mississippi itself, except for Jefferson and St. Charles Parishes, which are essentially urban or industrial. The present major PD-affected areas are associated with commercial forests, woodlands, and pastures, and thus with certain arbor-pastoral pesticides, 2,4-D, chlorpyrifos, and paraquat. Human populations at maximum risk are those living in areas of moderate and high aquifer-recharge potential. The levels of estimated pesticide exposure in these recharge areas we were able to access were of variable use, but significant amounts of 2,4-D were being used

Heterogeneity, permeability patterns, and permeability upscaling: Physical characterization of a block of Massillon sandstone exhibiting nested scales of heterogeneity

Over 75,000 permeability measurements were collected from a meter-scale block of Massillon sandstone, characterized by conspicuous cross bedding that forms two distinct nested-scales of heterogeneity. With the aid of a gas minipermeameter, spatially exhaustive fields of permeability data were acquired at each of five different sample supports (i.e. sample volumes) from each block face. These data provide a unique opportunity to physically investigate the relationship between the multi-scale cross-stratified attributes of the sandstone and the corresponding statistical characteristics of the permeability. These data also provide quantitative physical information concerning the permeability upscaling of a complex heterogeneous medium. Here, a portion of the data taken from a single block face cut normal to stratification is analyzed. Results indicate a strong relationship between the calculated summary statistics and the cross-stratified structural features visible evident in the sandstone sample. Specifically, the permeability fields and semivariograms are characterized by two nested scales of heterogeneity, including a large-scale structure defined by the cross-stratified sets (delineated by distinct bounding surfaces) and a small-scale structure defined by the low-angle cross-stratification within each set. The permeability data also provide clear evidence of upscaling. That is, each calculated summary statistic exhibits distinct and consistent trends with increasing sample support. Among these trends are an increasing mean, decreasing variance, and an increasing semivariogram range. Results also clearly indicate that the different scales of heterogeneity upscale differently, with the small-scale structure being preferentially filtered from the data while the large-scale structure is preserved. Finally, the statistical and upscaling characteristics of individual cross-stratified sets were found to be very similar owing to their shared depositional environment; however, some differences were noted that are likely the result of minor variations in the sediment load and/or flow conditions between depositional events

BradPhys to BradViz or from archaeological science to heritage science

YesArchaeology is a broad church and its role as a “two culture” discipline is frequently cited. This position at the interface of the arts and sciences remains central to archaeological activity but there have been significant changes in the structure of archaeology and its relationship to society overall. The growth of heritage science, in particular, is driving change and development within archaeology at a national and international level. This paper discusses these developments in relation to the author's own research trajectory and discusses the significance of such change

Extraction of Modal Parameters from Spacecraft Flight Data

The modeled response of spacecraft systems must be validated using flight data as ground tests cannot adequately represent the flight. Tools from the field of operational modal analysis would typically be brought to bear on such structures. However, spacecraft systems have several complicated issues: 1. High amplitudes of loads; 2. Compressive loads on the vehicle in flight; 3. Lack of generous time-synchronized flight data; 4. Changing properties during the flight; and 5. Major vehicle changes due to staging. A particularly vexing parameter to extract is modal damping. Damping estimation has become a more critical issue as new mass-driven vehicle designs seek to use the highest damping value possible. The paper will focus on recent efforts to utilize spacecraft flight data to extract system parameters, with a special interest on modal damping. This work utilizes the analysis of correlation functions derived from a sliding window technique applied to the time record. Four different case studies are reported in the sequence that drove the authors understanding. The insights derived from these four exercises are preliminary conclusions for the general state-of-the-art, but may be of specific utility to similar problems approached with similar tools

Patient and Provider Perspectives on How Trust Influences Maternal Vaccine Acceptance Among Pregnant Women in Kenya

Background Pregnant women and newborns are at high risk for infectious diseases. Altered immunity status during pregnancy and challenges fully vaccinating newborns contribute to this medical reality. Maternal immunization is a strategy to protect pregnant women and their newborns. This study aimed to find out how patient-provider relationships affect maternal vaccine uptake, particularly in the context of a lower middle- income country where limited research in this area exists. Methods We conducted semi-structured, in-depth narrative interviews of both providers and pregnant women from four sites in Kenya: Siaya, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Marsabit. Interviews were conducted in either English or one of the local regional languages. Results We found that patient trust in health care providers (HCPs) is integral to vaccine acceptance among pregnant women in Kenya. The HCP-patient relationship is a fiduciary one, whereby the patients’ trusts is primarily rooted in the provider’s social position as a person who is highly educated in matters of health. Furthermore, patient health education and provider attitudes are crucial for reinstating and fostering that trust, especially in cases where trust was impeded by rumors, community myths and misperceptions, and religious and cultural factors. Conclusion Patient trust in providers is a strong facilitator contributing to vaccine acceptance among pregnant women in Kenya. To maintain and increase immunization trust, providers have a critical role in cultivating a positive environment that allows for favorable interactions and patient health education. This includes educating providers on maternal immunizations and enhancing knowledge of effective risk communication tactics in clinical encounters