Social, economic and behavioral differences among enlisted personnel based on age at service entry

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the behavior of non- prior service personnel in the military based on age at service entry. Crosstabulation and Multiple Classification Analysis were used to study historical data on naval personnel supplied by the Defense Manpower Data Center, Monterey and survey information of DoD personnel gathered by the Rand Corporation in 1978. Areas of study included mental aptitude, length of service, contract preference, occupational choice, first-term attrition, dependent status, military compensation, reenlistment and reserve entry intent. Perceptions of civilian employment, race relations, promotion and military life were also investigated. Differences between entry age cohorts were found in the areas of recruit quality and first-term retention.http://archive.org/details/socialeconomicbe00kreuLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Spatial Distribution, Temporal Stability, and Yield Loss Estimates for Annual Grasses and Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artimisiifolia) in a Corn/Soybean Production Field Over Nine Years

Weeds generally occur in patches in production fields. Are these patches spatially and temporally stable? Do management recommendations change on the basis of these data? The population density and location of annual grass weeds and common ragweed were examined in a 65-ha corn/soybean production field from 1995 to 2004. Yearly treatment recommendations were developed from field means, medians, and kriging grid cell densities, using the hyperbolic yield loss (YL) equation and published incremental YL values (I ), maximum YL values (A), and YL limits of 5, 10, or 15%. Mean plant densities ranged from 12 to 131 annual grasses m22 and , 1 to 37 common ragweed m22. Median weed densities ranged from 0 to 40 annual grasses m22 and were 0 for common ragweed. The grass I values used to estimate corn YL were 0.1 and 2% and treatment was recommended in only 1 yr when the high I value and either the mean or median density was used. The grass I values used for soybean were 0.7 and 10% and estimated YL was over 10% all years, regardless of I value. The common ragweed I values were 4.5 and 6% for corn and 5.1 and 15.6% for soybean. On the basis of mean densities, fieldwide treatment would have been recommended in 6 of 9 yr but in no years when the median density was used. Recommendations on the basis of grid cell weed density and kriging ranged from . 80% of the field treated for grass weeds in 3 of 4 yr in soybean to , 20% of the field treated for common ragweed in 2002 and 2004 (corn). Grass patches were more stable in time, space, and density than common ragweed patches. Population densities and spatial distribution generally were variable enough so that site-specific information within this field would improve weed management decisions

Thermoacoustically driven flame motion and heat release variation in a swirl-stabilized gas turbine burner investigated by LIF and chemiluminescence

Laser-induced fluorescence and chemiluminescence, both phase-locked to the dominant acoustic oscillation, are used to investigate phenomena related to thermoacoustic instability in a swirl-stabilized industrial scale gas turbine burner. The observed sinusoidal phase-averaged flame motion in axial (main flow) direction is analyzed using different schemes for defining the flame position. Qualitative agreement between experimental data and theoretical analysis of the observed flame motion is obtained, interpreted as originating primarily from variation of the burning velocity. The heat release variation during an acoustic cycle is determined from the sinusoidally varying total OH* chemiluminescence intensit

The VAHM (autonomous vehicle for people with disabilities) project: localization

This paper describes an autonomous powered wheelchair localization method in the VAHM (Autonomous Vehicle for People with Motor Disabilities) project framework. This project aims at releasing people with heavy motor disabilities from driving wheelchair constraints by bring possibility of autonomous displacements. The wheelchair autonomy requires the achievement of localization procedure which uses the ultrasonic sensors and is split into two functions according to the state of the wheelchair: when stopped or in movement. When stopped the position of the wheelchair is searched by matching of occupancy grids. The global grid describes the environment and the local grid, built from ultrasonic data, represents the free space around the wheelchair. During the movement the ultrasonic measures are used to refine the position of the wheelchair estimated with the odometry. The tests achieved in real conditions show that the two approaches are appropriate for our application. But in dynamic location, the accuracy of the orientation is not good enough, we then give the procedure using the vision developed to improve this accuracy.Ce papier décrit le mode de localisation d'un fauteuil électrique autonome développé dans le cadre du projet VAHM (Véhicule Autonome pour Handicapés Moteur). Ce projet vise à décharger les personnes lourdement handicapées des contraintes de conduite du fauteuil en leur donnant des possibilités de déplacement autonomes. L'autonomie du fauteuil requiert la mise en oeuvre d'une procédure de localisation qui utilise les capteurs ultrasons et qui est séparée en deux fonctions selon l'état du fauteuil : à l'arrêt ou en mouvement. A l'arrêt, la position est recherchée par association de grilles d'occupation ; la grille globale décrit l'environnement et la grille locale représente l'espace libre perçu par les capteurs ultrasons autour du fauteuil. En cours de mouvement, les mesures ultrasonores sont utilisées pour un ajustement de la position odométrique. Les essais réalisés en conditions réelles montrent que les deux procédures sont appropriées pour notre application ; mais la précision sur l'orientation est insuffisante dans la localisation dynamique, nous décrivons alors la procédure, utilisant la vision, développée pour améliorer cette précision

Experimental cross-correlation Nitrogen Q-branch CARS Thermometry in a Spark Ignition Engine

A purely experimental technique was employed to derive temperatures from nitrogen Q-branch Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) spectra, obtained in a high pressure, high temperature environment (spark ignition Otto engine). This was in order to obviate any errors arising from deficiencies in the spectral scaling laws which are commonly used to represent nitrogen Q-branch CARS spectra at high pressure. The spectra obtained in the engine were compared with spectra obtained in a calibrated high pressure, high temperature cell, using direct cross-correlation in place of the minimisation of sums of squares of residuals. The technique is demonstrated through the measurement of air temperature as a function of crankshaft angle inside the cylinder of a motored single-cylinder Ricardo E6 research engine, followed by the measurement of fuel-air mixture temperatures obtained during the compression stroke in a knocking Ricardo E6 engine. A standard CARS program (SANDIA’s CARSFIT) was employed to calibrate the altered non-resonant background contribution to the CARS spectra that was caused by the alteration to the mole fraction of nitrogen in the unburned fuel-air mixture. The compression temperature profiles were extrapolated in order to predict the auto-ignition temperatures

24-hour efficacy of once-daily desloratadine therapy in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis [ISRCTN32042139]

BACKGROUND: Early studies with desloratadine demonstrated efficacy in treating seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). A dose-ranging study was conducted to characterize its 24-hour efficacy in patients with SAR. METHODS: Patients (N = 1,026) were randomly assigned once-daily (QD) desloratadine (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, or 20 mg) for 2 weeks in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. The end point of 24-hour efficacy was assessed by the mean change from baseline in the average AM instantaneous total symptom score (TSS) over the treatment period. Day 2 data were assessed for efficacy of desloratadine following the first dose. Other efficacy variables included AM/PM previous total nasal and nonnasal symptom scores and individual symptom scores. RESULTS: Desloratadine 5–20 mg was significantly (P < .01) more effective than placebo in improving total AM instantaneous TSS and AM/PM previous total nasal and nonnasal symptom scores. This dosing range also was significantly (P < .01) more effective than placebo for reducing AM instantaneous TSS beginning with the first dose; thus, demonstrating the full 24-hour efficacy of desloratadine. AM/PM previous scores for all individual symptoms, including nasal congestion, were also significantly improved versus placebo (P < .05) with desloratadine at 5, 7.5, and 20 mg. All treatments were well tolerated. There were no clinically meaningful changes in electrocardiogram parameters. CONCLUSION: Desloratadine 5–20 mg provided significant 24-hour relief of SAR signs and symptoms. There were no statistically significant differences between the 4 largest doses suggesting that desloratadine 5 mg QD offers the best therapeutic profile for patients with SAR

Perception multisensorielle pour le positionnement d'un véhicule autonome dédié aux personnes handicapés moteurs

The work of this thesis deals with localization mode developed within the VAHM project framework (Autonomous Vehicle for Disabled People). The procedure is realized in moving and uses odometric, ultrasonic and vision sensors. Firstly ultrasonic measurements make it possible to adjust the odometric position by using the method of least squares. Then vision allows to adjust the orientation of the vehicle by determining the angle of sight of the known characteristics of the environment. We detail the implemented structures to record the data and the algorithms developed for their treatment. Several series of tests are carried out in simulation and real conditions which make it possible to establish the possibilities of obtaining the performances sought in the context of the project to knowing an error of position lower than 5 cm and an error of orientation lower than 3 deg.Le travail présenté dans ce mémoire concerne le mode de localisation développé dans le cadre du projet VAHM (Véhicule Autonome pour Handicapés Moteurs). La procédure s'exécute en cours de mouvement et emploie des capteurs odométriques, ultrasonores et de vision. Dans un premier temps les mesures ultrasonores permettent d'ajuster la position odométrique par la méthode des moindres carrés. Puis l'orientation du véhicule est précisée à partir de la vision en déterminant l'angle de vue des caractéristiques connues de l'environnement. Nous détaillons les structures mises en place pour enregistrer les données et les algorithmes développés pour leur traitement. Plusieurs séries d'essais sont réalisées en simulation et en conditions réelles qui permettent d'établir les possibilités d'obtenir les performances recherchées dans le contexte du projet à savoir une erreur de position inférieure à 5 cm et une erreur d'orientation inférieure à 3 deg