202 research outputs found

    Kim Jensen Interview 2017

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    Kim Jensen, interviewed by Alex Bell, Damon Solomos, Gabriel Yanez, and Jack Nordby, Western Oregon University Oral Histories, Hamersly Library, Western Oregon University, November 1, 2017

    Determination of energy barrier profiles for high-k dielectric materials utilizing bias-dependent internal photoemission

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    We utilize bias-dependent internal photoemission spectroscopy to determine the metal/dielectric/silicon energy barrier profiles for Au/HfO2/Si and Au/Al2O3/Si structures. The results indicate that the applied voltage plays a large role in determining the effective barrier height and we attribute much of the variation in this case to image potential barrier lowering in measurements of single layers. By measuring current at both positive and negative voltages, we are able to measure the band offsets from Si and also to determine the flatband voltage and the barrier asymmetry at 0 V. Our SiO2 calibration sample yielded a conduction band offset value of 3.03+/-0.1 eV. Measurements on HfO2 give a conduction band offset value of 2.7+/-0.2 eV (at 1.0 V) and Al2O3 gives an offset of 3.3+/-0.1 (at 1.0 V). We believe that interfacial SiO2 layers may dominate the electron transport from silicon for these films. The Au/HfO2 barrier height was found to be 3.6+/-0.1 eV while the Au/Al2O3 barrier is 3.5+/-0.1 eV

    Lessons Learned for Improving Spacecraft Ground Operations

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    NASA has a unique history in processing the Space Shuttle fleet for launches. Some of this experience has been captured in the NASA Lessons Learned Information System (LLIS). This tool provides a convenient way for design engineers to review lessons from the past to prevent problems from reoccurring and incorporate positive lessons in new designs. At the Kennedy Space Center, the LLIS is being used to design ground support equipment for the next generation of launch and crewed vehicles. This paper describes the LLIS process and offers some examples

    Lessons Learned for Improving Spacecraft Ground Operations

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    NASA policy requires each Program or Project to develop a plan for how they will address Lessons Learned. Projects have the flexibility to determine how best to promote and implement lessons learned. A large project might budget for a lessons learned position to coordinate elicitation, documentation and archival of the project lessons. The lessons learned process crosses all NASA Centers and includes the contactor community. o The Office of The Chief Engineer at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., is the overall process owner, and field locations manage the local implementation. One tool used to transfer knowledge between program and projects is the Lessons Learned Information System (LLIS). Most lessons come from NASA in partnership with support contractors. A search for lessons that might impact a new design is often performed by a contractor team member. Knowledge is not found with only one person, one project team, or one organization. Sometimes, another project team, or person, knows something that can help your project or your task. Knowledge sharing is an everyday activity at the Kennedy Space Center through storytelling, Kennedy Engineering Academy presentations and through searching the Lessons Learned Information system. o Project teams search the lessons repository to ensure the best possible results are delivered. o The ideas from the past are not always directly applicable but usually spark new ideas and innovations. Teams have a great responsibility to collect and disseminate these lessons so that they are shared with future generations of space systems designers. o Leaders should set a goal for themselves to host a set numbers of lesson learned events each year and do more to promote multiple methods of lessons learned activities. o High performing employees are expected to share their lessons, however formal knowledge sharing presentation are not the norm for many employees

    Familial hypercholesterolaemia: challenges in primary care

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    Familial hypercholesterolaemia remains largely unrecognised and undertreated in Australian primary care. A new approach involving increased awareness, early detection, lifelong treatment and cascade testing of relatives is essential to improve outcomes of patients with this disorder. Key Points Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a relatively common inherited disorder of high cholesterol levels. FH can lead to atherosclerosis, premature coronary artery disease and early death if left untreated. Cascade testing of relatives of patients with FH is cost- effective and necessary as one in two will have the condition. Innovations in primary care can improve FH detection in the community. An integrated approach to FH detection involving GPs, specialists and pathology laboratories is recommended. Primary care teams are well positioned to provide a sustainable approach to FH diagnosis and management but greater awareness of this condition is needed

    Challenges in the care of familial hypercholesterolemia: a community care perspective

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    Familial hyperchoelsterolaemia (FH) remains under-diagnosed and under-treated in the community setting. Earlier evidence suggested prevalence of 1:500 worldwide but newer evidence suggests it is more common. Less than 15% of FH patients are ever diagnosed with children and young adults rarely tested despite having most to gain given their lifetime exposure. Increasing awareness among primary care teams is critical to improve detection profile for FH. Cascade testing in the community setting needs a sustainable approach to be developed to facilitate family tracing of index cases. The use of the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria score to facilitate a phenotypic diagnosis is the preferred approach adopted in Australia and eliminates the need to undertake genetic testing for all suspected FH cases

    Development of Deterioration Curves for Bridge Elements in Montana

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    MSU Project Number 4W8305,MDT Project Number 9831-765The Federal Highway Administration has established measures for state departments of transportation to develop an asset management plan that includes deterioration forecasting to improve or preserve bridge conditions. The primary objective of this research was to support Montana\u2019s bridge management system by developing state-specific deterioration curves for bridges owned by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). The deterioration analysis used the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data in combination with maintenance targets set by MDT. The deterioration curves developed for this research were designed to be compatible with AASHTOWare Bridge Management software (BrM)

    Detection and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia in primary care in Australia: protocol for a pragmatic cluster intervention study with pre-post intervention comparisons

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    Introduction: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), an autosomal dominant disorder of lipid metabolism, results in accelerated onset of atherosclerosis if left untreated. Lifelong treatment with diet, lifestyle modifications and statins enable a normal lifespan for most patients. Early diagnosis is critical. This protocol trials a primary care-based model of care (MoC) to improve detection and management of FH. Methods and analysis: Pragmatic cluster intervention study with pre-post intervention comparisons in Australian general practices. At study baseline, current FH detection practice is assessed. Medical records over 2 years are electronically scanned using a data extraction tool (TARB-Ex) to identify patients at increased risk. High-risk patients are clinically reviewed to provide definitive, phenotypic diagnosis using Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria. Once an index family member with FH is identified, the primary care team undertake cascade testing of first-degree relatives to identify other patients with FH. Management guidance based on disease complexity is provided to the primary care team. Study follow-up to 12 months with TARB-Ex rerun to identify total number of new FH cases diagnosed over study period (via TARB-Ex, cascade testing and new cases presenting). At study conclusion, patient and clinical staff perceptions of enablers/barriers and suggested improvements to the approach will be examined. Resources at each stage will be traced to determine the economic implications of implementing the MoC and costed from health system perspective. Primary outcomes: increase in number of index cases clinically identified; reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of treated cases. Secondary outcomes: increase in the number of family cases detected/contacted; cost implications of the MoC. Ethics and dissemination: Study approval by The University of Notre Dame Australia Human Research Ethics Committee Protocol ID: 0 16 067F. Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ID: 12616000630415. Information will be disseminated via research seminars, conference presentations, journal articles, media releases and community forums

    High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I improves cardiovascular risk prediction in older men: HIMS (The Health in Men Study)

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    Background: The Framingham Risk Score estimates the 10-year risk of cardiovascular events. However, it performs poorly in older adults. We evaluated the incremental benefit of adding high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) to the Framingham Risk Score. Methods and Results: The HIMS (Health in Men Study) is a cohort study of community-dwelling men aged 70 to 89 years in Western Australia. Participants were identified from the electoral roll, with a subset undergoing plasma analysis. Hs-cTnI (Abbott Architect i2000SR) was measured in 1151 men without prior cardiovascular disease. The Western Australia Data Linkage System was used to identify incident cardiovascular events. After 10 years of follow-up, 252 men (22%) had a cardiovascular event (CVE+) and 899 did not (CVE–). The Framingham Risk Score placed 148 (59%) CVE+ and 415 (46%) CVE– in the high-risk category. In CVE– men, adding hs-cTnI affected the risk categories of 244 (27.2%) men, with 64.8% appropriately reclassified to a lower and 35.2% to a higher category, which decreased the number of high-risk men in the CVE– to 39%. In CVE+ men, adding hs-cTnI affected the risk categories of 61 (24.2%), with 50.8% appropriately reclassified to a higher and 49.2% to a lower category and 82.5% remaining above the 15% risk treatment threshold. The net reclassification index was 0.305 (P<0.001). Adding hs-cTnI increased the C-statistic modestly from 0.588 (95% CI, 0.552–0.624) to 0.624 (95% CI, 0.589–0.659) and improved model fit (likelihood ratio test, P<0.001). Conclusions: Adding hs-cTnI to the Framingham Risk Score provided incremental prognostic benefit in older men, especially aiding reclassification of individuals into a lower risk category
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