Use of inedible wheat residues from the KSC-CELSS breadboard facility for production of fungal cellulase

Cellulose and xylan (a hemicellulose) comprise 50 percent of inedible wheat residue (which is 60 percent of total wheat biomass) produced in the Kennedy Space Center Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Breadboard Biomass Production Chamber (BPC). These polysaccharides can be converted by enzymatic hydrolysis into useful monosaccharides, thus maximizing the use of BPC volume and energy, and minimizing waste material to be treated. The evaluation of CELSS-derived wheat residues for production for cellulase enzyme complex by Trichoderma reesei and supplemental beta-glucosidase by Aspergillus phoenicis is in progress. Results to date are given

Concordance dans le dépistage des enfants à risque pour les difficultés d’adaptation en milieu préscolaire

Cette étude examine l'apport de l'observation participante au dépistage précoce des enfants à risque en milieu préscolaire. Cent onze enfants de trois à quatre ans sont évalués par les éducateurs de leur groupe de garderie, à partir de 17 descripteurs de l'adaptation psychosociale en garderie. Les mesures font ressortir cinq profils comportementaux différenciés. Deux correspondent à des enfants perçus comme turbulents et retirés, rejoignant les distinctions traditionnelles entre troubles extériorisés et intériorisés. L'analyse de la fiabilité interobservateur indique que les éducateurs sont plus en accord pour les enfants évalués positivement que pour ceux qu'ils perçoivent moins adaptés. Ces résultats soulignent l'intérêt de l'observation participante pour détecter les trajectoires à risque. Ils montrent cependant la nécessité d'utiliser d'autres sources d'informations convergentes dans le dépistage précoce.This study examines the advantage which participant observation provides for the early diagnosis of at-risk pre-school children. Pre-school educators used a series of 17 descriptors of psycho-social adjustment to evaluate 111 children aged 3 to 4 years. These measures were used to describe five differentiated behavioral profiles. Two profiles describe children who are perceived as turbulent and retiring, these being traditional distinctions between exteriorizing, and interiorizing problems. Analysis of inter-observer reliability indicated that educators have higher agreement among each other in regard to those children who were positively evaluated than for those perceived as less adjusted. The results confirm the relevance of participant observation for detecting at-risk behavior. The authors point out, however, the need to use other information sources in early diagnosis.Este estudio examina el aporte de la obsevacion participante en la identificaciôn precoz de ninos "a riesgo" en medio prescolar. Ciento once ninos de très a cuatro anos han sido evaluados por los educadores de sus propios grupos de guarderia utilizando 17 descriptores de adaptacion psicosocial al medio prescolar. El trabajo pone en relieve cinco perfiles comportamentales diferenciados. Dos corresponden a ninos percibidos como revoltosos y alejados, coincidiendo con las distinciones tradicionales entre problemas exteriorizados e interiorizados. El anâlisis de fiabilidad interobservador indica que los docentes concuerdan mas en los casos de parvulos evaluados positivamente que en aquellos casos percibidos como menos adaptados. Estos resultados subrayan el interés suscitado por la observacion participante para detectar trayectorias "a riesgo". Sin embargo, los resultados muestran la necesidad de utilizar otras fuentes de informacion convergentes para la identificacion precoz de ninos "a riesgo".Diese Studie untersucht den Beitrag der teilnehmenden Beobachtung zum frûhzeitigen Erkennen von Problemfâllen im Vorschulbereich. Insgesamt wurden 111 Kinder zwischen 3 und 4 Jahren von den Erziehern ihrer jeweiligen Kindergarten untersucht, und zwar an Hand von 17 Kriterien psychosozialer Anpassung im Kindergarten. Daraus ergeben sich flinf verschiedene Verhaltensprofile. Zwei davon beziehen sich auf Kinder, die als "turbulent" oder "zurûckgezogen" eingestuft wurden, was dem traditionellen Unterschied von nach innen oder auEen abgeleiteten Stôrungen entspricht. Die Analyse der Beob-achtungszuverlâssigkeit weist darauf hin, dass die Erzieher starker mit den positiv beurteilten Kindern iibereinstimmen als mit den anpassungsschwierigen. Dièse Ergebnisse unterstreichen die Be-deutung der teilnehmenden Beobachtung zum Erkennen von potentiellen Problementwicklungen. Es ergibt sich jedoch auch die Notwendigkeit zusâtzlicher Informationsquellen, die sich fur die Friiherkennung als konvergent erweisen kônnten

Racines sociostructurelles des statuts sociométriques chez les enfants en milieu scolaire

Cette étude examine la distribution des nominations sociométriques selon l'organisation sociostructurelle de classes d'écoles élémentaires. Ont pris part à l'étude 75 filles et 71 garçons de neuf ans appartenant à deux contextes socioculturels (Montréal, Québec, et Toulouse, France). Les indices d'acceptation, de rejet, de préférence sociale et d'impact social (Coie et Dodge, 1983) ont été examinés en fonction de l'insertion sociale des enfants dans des réseaux affiliatifs établis sur la base d'un consensus. Les résultats appuient une interprétation des statuts sociométriques en tant que reflet de la dynamique des affinités au sein du groupe plutôt que comme caractéristiques intrinsèques aux individus. Ils sont discutés dans la perspective de l'écologie sociale des classes et des contraintes interpersonnelles canalisant l'adaptation et la réputation sociale des enfants.This study examines the distribution of sociometric indices according to the socio-structural organization of elementary school classes. The sample studied includes 9 year old children, 75 girls and 71 boys, in two sociocultural contexts (Montreal, Quebec and Toulouse, France). The indices for acceptance, rejection, social preference, and social impact (Coie and Dodge, 1983) were examined in relation to children's social insertion into peer networks established on the basis of consensus. The results support an interpretation of sociometric status as a reflection of group friendship dynamics rather than as an intrinsic characteristic of individuals. These results are discussed within the frame of social ecology of classes and inter-personal constraints which influence the adjustment and social reputation of children.Este estudio examina la distribucion de las frecuencias sociométricas segûn la organization socioestructural de las clases de la escuela primaria. En este estudio han participado 75 ninas y 71 ninos de nueve anos pertenecientes a dos contextos socioculturales diferentes: Montréal (Québec) y Toulouse ( Francia). Los indices de aceptaciôn, de rechazo, de preferencia social y de impacto social (Coie y Dodge, 1983) han sido examinados en funcion de la insertion social de los ninos dentro de las redes afiliativas establecidas sobre una base consensual. Los resultados apoyan una interpretaciôn de los status sociométricos en tanto que reflejo de la dinamica de las afinidades en el seno del grupo mas bien que como caracteristicas intrinsecas de los individuos. Los resultados sont debatidos dentro de la perspectiva de la ecologia social de la clase y de las barreras interpersonales que canalizan la adaptaciôn y la repu- tacion social de los ninos.Diese Studie beschâftigt sich mit der Verteilung soziometrischer Notie- rungen (Stimmen) entsprechend der soziostrukturellen Organisation von Grund-schulklassen. Fur die Untersuchung wurden 75 Màdchen und 71 Jungen im Alter von 9 Jahren aus zwei verschiedenen soziokulturellen Milieus (Montréal, Québec und Toulouse, Frankreich) herangezogen. Die Indizien fur Annahme oder Ablehnung bzw. fur soziale Praferenz und sozialen Einfluss (vgl. Coie und Dodge, 1983) wurden untersucht im Hinblick auf die soziale Eingliederung der Kinder in die durch Konsens entstandenen Gruppierungen. Die Resultate erlauben es, die soziometrischen Statuten als Widerspiegelung der Dynamik von Affinitàten zu interpretieren und nicht als eine an das Individuum gebundene Charakteristik. Die Resultate werden im Hinblick auf die soziale Okologie einer Schulklasse diskutiert sowie als Ausdruck der interpersonellen Zwânge, welche die Anpassung und den sozialen Status der Kinder bestimmen

Production of Methane and Water from Crew Plastic Waste

Recycling is a technology that will be key to creating a self sustaining lunar outpost. The plastics used for food packaging provide a source of material that could be recycled to produce water and methane. The recycling of these plastics will require some additional resources that will affect the initial estimate of starting materials that will have to be transported from earth, mainly oxygen, energy and mass. These requirements will vary depending on the recycling conditions. The degredation products of these plastics will vary under different atmospheric conditions. An estimate of the the production rate of methane and water using typical ISRU processes along with the plastic recycling will be presented

System development and early biological tests in NASA's biomass production chamber

The Biomass Production Chamber at Kennedy Space Center was constructed to conduct large scale plant growth studies for NASA's CELSS program. Over the past four years, physical systems and computer control software have been continually upgraded and the degree of atmospheric leakage from the chamber has decreased from about 40 to 5 percent of the total volume per day. Early tests conducted with a limited degree of closure showed that total crop (wheat) growth from the best trays was within 80 percent of reported optimal yields for similar light levels. Yields from subsequent tests under more tightly closed conditions have not been as good--up to only 65 percent of optimal yields. Yields appear to have decreased with increasing closure, yet potential problems exist in cultural techniques and further studies are warranted. With the ability to tightly seal the chamber, quantitative data were gathered on CO2 and water exchange rates. Results showed that stand photosynthesis and transpiration reached a peak near 25 days after planting, soon after full vegetative ground cover was established. In the final phase of testing when atmospheric closure was the highest, ethylene gas levels in the chamber rose from about 10 to nearly 120 ppb. Evidence suggests that the ethylene originated from the wheat plants themselves and may have caused an epinastic rolling of the leaves, but no apparent detrimental effects on whole plant function

Stylistic diversity in children's communication with mothers at 30 months

Although developmental researchers endorse a multifaceted view of early communication, where language, non-verbal behaviour and socio-affective exchange contribute concurrently to the social construction of shared meanings, past studies of social development usually focused on component parts of interpersonal communication. This research integrates three aspects of communicative exchange in order to clarify stylistic differences among 30-month-old children. To achieve this objective, data from three different coding procedures (speech acts, information content and affective states) were coded for 52 children and then merged on the basis of onset time. Fifteen distinct descriptors were identified in the analyses of tri-modal communicative processes. Three different communicative styles were identified in person-centred cluster analyses of these descriptors. Analysis of variance revealed that 13 of the constructs significantly differentiated the groups. The first group was characterised as highly engaged in play but with low affect expression; these children’s mode of communication centred more on mother’s feelings and personal references. Children in the second cluster asked more questions and made more statements about objects. Finally, children in cluster three engaged in more complex evaluative discourse while orienting maternal behaviour to ongoing activity. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of a qualitative, holistic approach to the study of diversity in children’s communicative performance and in contemporary research on early learning

Characterization of Volume F Trash from Four Recent STS Missions: Microbial Occurrence, Numbers, and Identifications

The fate of space-generated solid wastes, including trash, for future missions is under consideration by NASA. Several potential treatment options are under active technology development. Potential fates for space-generated solid wastes: Storage without treatment; storage after treatment(s) including volume reduction, water recovery, sterilization, and recovery plus recycling of waste materials. For this study, a microbial characterization was made on trash returned from four recent STS missions. The material analyzed were 'Volume F' trash and other bags of accompanying trash. This is the second of two submitted papers on these wastes. This first one covered trash content, weight and water content. Upon receipt, usually within 2 days of landing, trash contents were catalogued and placed into categories: drink containers, food waste, personal hygiene items, and packaging materials, i.e., plastic film and duct tape. Microbial counts were obtained with cultivatable counts on agar media and direct counts using Acridine Orange fluorescent stain (AODC). Trash bag surfaces, 25 square cm , were also sampled. Direct counts were approximately 1 x 10(exp 6) microbes/square cm and cultivatable counts ranged from 1 x 10 to 1 X 10(exp 4) microbes/ square cm-2. Aerobic microbes, aerobic sporeformers, and yeasts plus molds were common for all four missions. Waste items from each category were placed into sterile ziplock bags and 1.5 L sterile DI water added. These were then dispersed by hand shaking for 2 min. prior to inoculation of count media or determining AODC. In general, cultivatable microbes were found in drinks, food wastes, and personal hygiene items. Direct counts were usually higher than cultivatable counts. Some pathogens were found: Staphylococcus auerus, Escherichia coli (fecal wastes). Count ranges: drink pouches - AODC 2 x 10(exp 6) to 1 X 10(exp 8) g(sub fw) (exp -1); cultivatable counts variable between missions; food wastes: Direct counts were close to aerobic plate counts. Counts ranged from 10(exp 6) to 10(exp 9) per g(sub fw). Identities of isolates from cultivation media were obtained using a Biolog Microbial ID System or microSEQ molecular ID methodology using an ABI3130 gene analyzer