The design of a solar energy collection system to augment heating and cooling for a commercial office building

Analytical studies supported by experimental testing indicate that solar energy can be utilized to heat and cool commercial buildings. In a 50,000 square foot one-story office building at the Langley Research Center, 15,000 square feet of solar collectors are designed to provide the energy required to supply 79 percent of the building heating needs and 52 percent of its cooling needs. The experience gained from the space program is providing the technology base for this project. Included are some of the analytical studies made to make the building design changes necessary to utilize solar energy, the basic solar collector design, collector efficiencies, and the integrated system design

Gumsense - a high power low power sensor node

The development of increasingly complex algorithms for sensor networks has made it difficult for researchers to implement their design on typical sensor network hardware with limited computing resources. The demands on hardware can also mean that small microcontrollers are not the ideal platform for testing computationally and/or memory intensive algorithms. Researchers would also like access to high level programming languages and a wider range of open source libraries. To address this problem we have designed and implemented an architecture, Gumsense which combines a low power micro-controller (8MHz MSP430) with a powerful processor (100-600MHz ARM) on a Gumstix board running Linux. This Open Embedded OS supports a wide variety of programming languages, package management and development tools. A similar hybrid approach was also used in the LEAP platform. The microcontroller wakes up frequently to manage tasks such as activating sensors and gathering data. The intended use-case is to power-up the ARM board and storage only during the brief periods it is needed, for example performing computation or communication

Implementation of Screening Guidelines to Improve Quality of Care in a Small, Ethnically Diverse Pediatric Primary Care Practice…Then What?

Although best practice guidelines have been shown to be effective, the process of translation into everyday practice can be challenging. The purpose of this evidence-based project (EBP) was the implementation of standardized screening tools into annual well-child visits in a small, ethnically diverse pediatric primary care practice in southern California. Standardized screening is recognized as an important process in identifying conditions early to facilitate early intervention. The practice site identified obesity has a priority and consequently the Department of Health Care Services: Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program Guidelines for Diet and Nutrition Screening for Children assessment form was implemented in children aged 5-18 years with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 95%. Additionally, a lack of standardized screening for autism was identified as an additional practice need. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-Revised (MCHAT-R) was implemented at the 18-month well-child check. The results of this EBP project was the successful implementation of obesity and autism screening tools with an uptake of 77% and 60% respectively. Additionally, obese patients were offered student nurse practitioner led weight management education sessions, resulted in low uptake (24%)

A wireless sensor network system deployment for detecting stick slip motion in glaciers

The behaviour of glaciers is an area in which only limited research has been carried out due to the difficulties of monitoring sub-glacial movements. The authors believe that this can be addressed by the deployment of a wireless sensor network, consisting of heterogeneous sensors to instrument this activity. By deploying a sensor network measurements can be taken for a longer period than would otherwise be possible. The initial designs for this sensor network are presented along with details of some of the challenges posed by the project

Putting Their Eggs in India’s Basket: What Vertical Integration, Church’s Chicken, and Globalization Mean to Increasing Chicken Consumption in India

India has the second largest population in the world and a rapidly growing economy, yet it lags far behind the world average in chicken meat consumption. Nonetheless, rates are increasing briskly and are expected to double within five years. Understanding the factors that contribute to this rise can provide broader insight into political, economic and social developments in Indian society. This paper reviews current and projected levels of chicken consumption across India through an investigation of current literatures which assert that a cultural dietary aversion to red meat, rising incomes, increased urbanization, lower consumer cost, and, most importantly, vertically integrated production systems have contributed to Indian growth in the chicken industry. These indicators are then synthesized with a case study of the expansion of Atlanta-based Church\u27s Chicken into India, with special emphasis placed on those measures most central in both the literature and the company\u27s business plans. I argue the strength of chicken consumption and Church\u27s Chicken\u27s expansion into the country is part of a larger process of globalization--a manifestation of the exportation of foreign technological and economic constructs to Indian society--and represents a forthright proxy measure of the rate of globalization taking hold in India

Writing Exclusionary Spaces: Myths, Tropes, and Stereotypes Surrounding the Roma in 19th- and 20th-Century French Literature

The “gypsy” figure has been popular in popular culture for hundreds of years – certainly since the 1600s. The figure can embody wanderlust, difference, bold sexuality, freedom, danger, and criminality. In 19th-century France, the figure’s trendiness was apparent in literature. Writers such as Victor Hugo, George Sand, Charles Nodier, and Prosper Mérimée profited from using these figures in writing. Most criticism of these works focuses on the origins of the tales or critical analyses of the narratives themselves. This research expands upon the extant scholarship to develop an overview of the usage of this figure as it moved throughout the 19th-century. Rather than being an incidental trend, the “gypsy” figure was a key literary tool used to explore national identity politics. Specifically, it was used to explore what it means to be French in an unstable political landscape. The figure itself became a literary, linguistic tool. Though the figure functioned well as a linguistic tool to explore French identity, it is a dual-sided coin with implications for Romani populations. Because the figure was reduced to stereotypes, it reified societal discrimination against the Roma. The last chapter of this dissertation looks at how one Romani author, Matéo Maximoff, built upon the extant French literary corpus to rewrite Romani stereotypes. In doing so, he translated some of his community’s folklore not only from Romany into French but from oral to written. His writings provide the basis for a study on cultural reappropriation and folklore. Ultimately, this research finds that the French relationship with the tzigane literary figure is complex. It contributes to the nationalistic dialog of the 19th century; it allows for literary boundary pushing; and finally, it is being reappropriated by Romani authors today

Research Data Management at SGUL. Web survey analysis: Sept – Nov 2015

This report describes the findings of the SGUL Research Data Management (RDM) survey, conducted over three months in 2015, which investigated existing institutional data management practice and knowledge

The Heinrich Model: Determining Contemporary Relevance

For as long as his work has been at the core of the safety profession, Herbert William Heinrich has been a staple of debate. His 1931 work Industrial Accident Prevention: A Scientific Approach has sparked worldwide debate on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of his safety theories, as well as the accuracy or inaccuracy of his research and methods. Heinrich\u27s work is undoubtedly cited time and again as the foundational teaching for behavior-based safety, as well as countless other teachings in the safety profession as a whole. Despite the continued challenges to the validity of his work, there has been little research done to verify the accuracy or inaccuracy of his research and work. Nine years of data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was compiled, spanning from 2006 to 2014. The BLS data is broken down by ten (10) major categories reported to the BLS, which include Natural Resources and Mining, Construction, Manufacturing, Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Information, Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate, Professional and Business Services, Educational and Health Services, Leisure, Entertainment, and Hospitality, and Other Services. This data was organized and charted in a way in which a descriptive statistical analysis could be performed to provide an industry-specific comparison of Heinrich\u27s theories versus real life. Findings from this research established the value of Heinrich\u27s Model in modern safety management

EXAMINING THE LIVED-EXPERIENCES OF INTERNATIONAL L2 PHD STUDENTS: A NARRATIVE STUDY

The primary purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore the lived experiences of international PhD students who used academic English literacy during their research for their theses/dissertations. The second purpose of this study was to identify ways international PhD students mitigated academic language challenges for their theses/dissertations. This qualitative narrative study was founded on the theoretical framework of constructivism and sociocultural theory created by Vygotsky. The research participants were three L2 international PhD students who lived in America while conducting research for their dissertations or theses. Video recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants to gather rich, detailed information about their lived experiences, while using academic English literacy and conversational English. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed, verified for accuracy from the participants, coded and analyzed to determine emergent themes. The two themes of this study were conversational English and academic English literacy. Findings from this study suggested that domestic and international universities should provide English speaking and literacy supports for L2 students