Scheduling language and algorithm development study. Volume 3, phase 2: As-built specifications for the prototype language and module library

Detailed specifications of the prototype language and module library are presented. The user guide to the translator writing system is included

Policies, institutions and market development to accelerate technological change in the semiarid zones of Sub-Saharan Africa

Agriculture in the African dry lands is constrained by geographical and economic isolation due to limited market access which affect adoption of new technology. International subsidies that flood developing-world markets with cheap food, national policies that tax the agricultural sector to benefit urban interests, and neglect of rural infrastructure discourage agricultural intensification. Increased market demand for staples and for higher-value products produced more efficiently will ensure that dryland farmers realize an economic gain from adopting more intensive practices. The interdependence of these key factors requires an integrated management of water soil fertility and improved crop varieties research focused on the poor, particularly women and children to ensure that they are equipped to capture most of the benefits of these changes. Low-value but essential food security crops need public sector assistance until their intensification becomes attractive to the private sector. Drought and market risks determine farmers’ decision-making in the drylands; yet it is too often assumed that new technology increases risk. Some technologies, policies and institutions can reduce risk..

Measurement of Surface Crack Opening Displacements Using Microwave Frequency Eddy Currents

An electromagnetic NDE technique for measuring the crack opening displacement of surface fatigue cracks is described. A ferromagnetic resonance probe utilizing yttrium-iron-garnet was used to induce eddy currents in an aluminum plate. The crack opening disolacement of a semi-elliptical fatigue crack evaluated at the surface was measured optically at several values of bending stress on the specimen. A technique is presented which allows the crack depth to be calculated from the measured COD at a given stress. The relative phase and magnitude of input vs. output signal to and from the resonating YIG sphere was recorded during the interaction of the FMR probe eddy currents and the fatigue crack. A method is shown to extract quantitative information from these signals and to correlate this information with the crack opening displacement

Development and manufacture of printable next-generation gel polymer ionic liquid electrolyte for Zn/MnO\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e batteries

While much energy storage research focuses on the performance of individual components, such as the electrolyte or a single electrode, few investigate the electrochemical system as a whole. This research reports on the design, composition, and performance of a Zn/MnO2 battery as affected by the manufacturing method and next-generation gel polymer electrolyte composed of the ionic liquid [BMIM][Otf], ZnOtf salt, and PVDF-HFP polymer binder. Materials and manufacturing tests are discussed with a focus on water concentration, surface features as produced by printing processes, and the effect of including a gel polymer phase. Cells produced for this research generated open circuit voltages from 1.0 to 1.3 V. A dry [BMIM][Otf] electrolyte was found to have 87.3 ppm of H2O, while an electrolyte produced in ambient conditions contained 12400 ppm of H2O. Cells produced in a dry, Ar environment had an average discharge capacity of 0.0137 mAh/cm2, while one produced in an ambient environment exhibited a discharge capacity at 0.05 mAh/cm2. Surface features varied significantly by printing method, where a doctor blade produced the most consistent features. The preliminary results herein suggest that water, surface roughness, and the gel polymer play important roles in affecting the performance of printed energy storage

Empirically determined decision levels development and use in an in vivo bioassay program

This paper discusses a method to empirically determine and a use for reporting a decision level value for {sup 137}Cs using a Canberra Accuscan II, direct radiobioassay (in vivo) system. The decision level value is used to determine the upper 5% of in vivo measurements for the purpose of recounting individuals. The paper overviews decision level concepts, the applicability of ANSI N13.30 and ANSI N42.2 and describes the specific process employed

Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 mutantswith decreased sensitivity to proteinase inhibitor Ro 31-8959

AbstractA human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variant with highly reduced susceptibility to Ro 31-8959, an inhibitor of the viral proteinase, has been selected by repeated passage of wild-type virus in CEM cells in the presence of increasing concentrations of the inhibitor. Peptide sequences of the proteinase of selected virus were obtained from proviral DNA. Sequence comparison to wild-type (wt) proteinase demonstrated two amino acid substitutions in the resistant virus, a Gly to Val exchange at position 48 and a Leu to Met exchange at position 90. Furthermore, sequences of intermediate passage virus suggest contributions from positions 12, 36, 57, and 63 in early steps of resistance development. The selected virus showed a ca. 40-fold increase in 50% inhibitory concentration of Ro 31-8959. Growth kinetics of resistant virus were comparable to wild-type virus and the resistant genotype proved to be stable in the absence of inhibitor. Directed mutagenesis of the HIV-1 HXB2 proteinase at positions 48 and 90 suggested that each mutation alone led to a moderate decrease in sensitivity of the recombinant virus to proteinase inhibitor. However, a recombinant virus carrying both mutations in the proteinase gene showed a significant reduction in its sensitivity to Ro 31-8959 thus proving the importance of these exchanges for the resistance phenotype

Forecasting Periods of Strong Southward Magnetic Field Following Interplanetary Shocks

Long periods of strong southward magnetic fields are known to be the primary cause of intense geomagnetic storms. The majority of such events are caused by the passage over Earth of a magnetic ejecta. Irrespective of the interplanetary cause, fast-forward shocks often precede such strong southward B$_{z}$ periods. Here, we first look at all long periods of strong southward magnetic fields as well as fast-forward shocks measured by the \textit{Wind} spacecraft in a 22.4-year span. We find that 76{\%} of strong southward B$_{z}$ periods are preceded within 48 hours by at least a fast-forward shock but only about 23{\%} of all shocks are followed within 48 hours by strong southward B$_{z}$ periods. Then, we devise a threshold-based probabilistic forecasting method based on the shock properties and the pre-shock near-Earth solar wind plasma and interplanetary magnetic field characteristics adopting a `superposed epoch analysis'-like approach. Our analysis shows that the solar wind conditions in the 30 minutes interval around the arrival of fast-forward shocks have a significant contribution to the prediction of long-duration southward B$_{z}$ periods. This probabilistic model may provide on average a 14-hour warning time for an intense and long-duration southward B$_{z}$ period. Evaluating the forecast capability of the model through a statistical and skill score-based approach reveals that it outperforms a coin-flipping forecast. By using the information provided by the arrival of a fast-forward shock at L1, this model represents a marked improvement over similar forecasting methods. We outline a number of future potential improvements.Comment: published in Space Weather, 22 Nov 201

Evolution of the Radial Size and Expansion of Coronal Mass Ejections Investigated by Combining Remote and In-Situ Observations

A fundamental property of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is their radial expansion, which determines the increase in the CME radial size and the decrease in the CME magnetic field strength as the CME propagates. CME radial expansion can be investigated either by using remote observations or by in-situ measurements based on multiple spacecraft in radial conjunction. However, there have been only few case studies combining both remote and in-situ observations. It is therefore unknown if the radial expansion estimated remotely in the corona is consistent with that estimated locally in the heliosphere. To address this question, we first select 22 CME events between the years 2010 and 2013, which were well observed by coronagraphs and by two or three spacecraft in radial conjunction. We use the graduated cylindrical shell model to estimate the radial size, radial expansion speed, and a measure of the dimensionless expansion parameter of CMEs in the corona. The same parameters and two additional measures of the radial-size increase and magnetic-field-strength decrease with heliocentric distance of CMEs based on in-situ measurements are also calculated. For most of the events, the CME radial size estimated by remote observations is inconsistent with the in-situ estimates. We further statistically analyze the correlations of these expansion parameters estimated using remote and in-situ observations, and discuss the potential reasons for the inconsistencies and their implications for the CME space weather forecasting.Comment: Accepted by Ap