SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS

A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
VOLUME 44, ISSUE 13 - JULY 5, 2006

09 RESEARCH AND SUPPORT FACILITIES (AIR)
Includes airports, runways, hangars, and aircraft repair and overhaul facilities; wind tunnels, water tunnels, and shock tubes; flight simulators; and aircraft engine test stands.

Also includes airport ground equipment and systems.

For airport ground operations see 03 Air Transportation and Safety.

For astronautical facilities see 14 Ground Support Systems and Facilities (Space).

20060017307 Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS USA

Evaluation of Chemical Dust Palliatives for Helipads

Rushing, John F; Moore, Vernon M; Tingle, Jeb S; Feb 2006; 73 pp.; In English; Original contains color illustrations Report No.(s): AD-A444812; ERDC/GSL-TR-06-2; No Copyright; ONLINE: http://hdl.handle.net/100.2/ADA444812;Avail.: CASI: A04, Hardcopy

The ERDC was tasked by the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command to develop expedient dust control systems for helipads for use in constructing and maintaining Forward Area Arming and Refueling Points. The project consisted of evaluating various chemical dust palliatives and application procedures during field tests. The products of this effort include equipment recommendations, palliative recommendations, and complete application guidance. Fifteen helipads were constructed at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, AZ, using commercial palliatives for dust abatement. Each chemical was applied using a topical (spray-on) treatment. Each helipad was subjected to multiple landings of UH-1, CH-53, CH-46, and AH-1 rotary-wing aircraft. The chemicals were evaluated on their ability to control dust and prevent foreign object damage. Each evaluation consisted of dust particle collection and soil property measurements. Pertinent conclusions from the testing conducted are noted, and recommendations for selecting dust abatement methods and materials are provided. DTIC

Dust; Dust Collectors; Field Tests; Heliports

20060019066 National Eye Inst., Bethesda, MD, USA, JAEB Center for Health Research, Inc., Tampa, FL, USA

Amblyopia Treatment Study 1 (ATS1): A Randomized Trial of Atropine Versus Patching for Treatment of Moderate Amblyopia in Children (on CD-ROM)

Jun. 2003; In English Report No.(s): PB2006-500034; No Copyright; Avail.: National Technical Information Service (NTIS)

This randomized trial was funded by the National Eye Institute and was conducted by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). The study compared patching and atropine as treatments for moderate amblyopia in children less than 7 years of age.

The study primary outcome was visual acuity at six months with a secondary outcome of visual acuity at two years post randomization. At 47 clinical sites, 419 children less than 7 years of age with amblyopia in the range of 20/40 to 20/100 were randomized to receive either patching or atropine. Patients randomized to patching were prescribed 6, 8, 10, 12, or full-time patching (all or all but one waking hour) at investigator discretion. Patients randomized to atropine were prescribed 1% daily atropine eye drops. Patients remained on randomized treatment with visits at 5 and 16 weeks. At 16 weeks, if visual acuity in the amblyopic eye had not improved by 3 or more lines from baseline and was not 20/32 or better, maximal treatment was prescribed (patching patients were given full-time patching, and atropine patients were given plano lens for sound eye). Patients had a masked outcome exam at six months.

After the six-month outcome exam, treatment was at investigator discretion. Patients continued in follow-up with visits every six months up until the two-year masked outcome exam. Visual acuity in the amblyopic eye improved in both groups (improvement from baseline to six months = 3.16 lines in the patching group and 2.84 lines in the atropine group). Improvement initially was faster in the patching group, but after six months, the difference in acuity between treatment groups was small and clinically inconsequential (mean difference at six months = 0.034 logMAR; 95% confidence interval, 0.005 to 0.064). More patients in the atropine group than in the patchinggroup had reduced acuity in the sound eye at six months but this did not persist with further follow up. NTIS

Atropine; CD-ROM; Children; Diseases; Eye Diseases; Retinal Images

Source: NASA