Call for Papers: Convergence

Converging technologies: a critical analysis of cognitive enhancement for public policy application.

PubMed

Makridis, Christos

2013-09-01

This paper investigates cognitive enhancement, specifically biological cognitive enhancement (BCE), as a converging technology, and its implications for public policy. With an increasing rate of technological advancements, the legal, social, and economic frameworks lag behind the scientific advancements that they support. This lag poses significant challenges for policymakers if it is not dealt with sufficiently within the right analytical context. Therefore, the driving question behind this paper is, "What contingencies inform the advancement of biological cognitive enhancement, and what would society look like under this set of assumptions?" The paper is divided into five components: (1) defining the current policy context for BCEs, (2) analyzing the current social and economic outcomes to BCEs, (3) investigating the context of cost-benefit arguments in relation to BCEs, (4) proposing an analytical model for evaluating contingencies for BCE development, and (5) evaluating a simulated policy, social, technological, and economic context given the contingencies. In order to manage the risk and uncertainty inherent in technological change, BCEs' drivers must be scrutinized and evaluated.

Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcie, Thomas E.; Doverspike, Robert; Zirngibl, Martin; Korotky, Steven K.

2005-08-01

Call for Papers: Convergence The Journal of Optical Networking (JON) invites submissions to a special issue on Convergence. Convergence has become a popular theme in telecommunications, one that has broad implications across all segments of the industry. Continual evolution of technology and applications continues to erase lines between traditionally separate lines of business, with dramatic consequences for vendors, service providers, and consumers. Spectacular advances in all layers of optical networking-leading to abundant, dynamic, cost-effective, and reliable wide-area and local-area connections-have been essential drivers of this evolution. As services and networks continue to evolve towards some notion of convergence, the continued role of optical networks must be explored. One vision of convergence renders all information in a common packet (especially IP) format. This vision is driven by the proliferation of data services. For example, time-division multiplexed (TDM) voice becomes VoIP. Analog cable-television signals become MPEG bits streamed to digital set-top boxes. T1 or OC-N private lines migrate to Ethernet virtual private networks (VPNs). All these packets coexist peacefully within a single packet-routing methodology built on an optical transport layer that combines the flexibility and cost of data networks with telecom-grade reliability. While this vision is appealing in its simplicity and shared widely, specifics of implementation raise many challenges and differences of opinion. For example, many seek to expand the role of Ethernet in these transport networks, while massive efforts are underway to make traditional TDM networks more data friendly within an evolved but backward-compatible SDH/SONET (synchronous digital hierarchy and synchronous optical network) multiplexing hierarchy. From this common underlying theme follow many specific instantiations. Examples include the convergence at the physical, logical, and operational levels of voice and data, video and data, private-line and virtual private-line, fixed and mobile, and local and long-haul services. These trends have many consequences for consumers, vendors, and carriers. Faced with large volumes of low-margin data traffic mixed with traditional voice services, the need for capital conservation and operational efficiency drives carriers away from today's separate overlay networks for each service and towards "converged" platforms. For example, cable operators require transport of multiple services over both hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and DWDM transport technologies. Local carriers seek an economical architecture to deliver integrated services on optically enabled broadband-access networks. Services over wireless-access networks must coexist with those from wired networks. In each case, convergence of networks and services inspires an important set of questions and challenges, driven by the need for low cost, operational efficiency, service performance requirements, and optical transport technology options. This Feature Issue explores the various interpretations and implications of network convergence pertinent to optical networking. How does convergence affect the evolution of optical transport-layer and control approaches? Are the implied directions consistent with research vision for optical networks? Substantial challenges remain. Papers are solicited across the broad spectrum of interests. These include, but are not limited to: Architecture, design and performance of optical wide-area-network (WAN), metro, and access networks Integration strategies for multiservice transport platforms Access methods that bridge traditional and emerging services Network signaling and control methodologies All-optical packet routing and switching techniques

Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcie, Thomas E.; Doverspike, Robert; Zirngibl, Martin; Korotky, Steven K.

2005-06-01

Call for Papers: Convergence The Journal of Optical Networking (JON) invites submissions to a special issue on Convergence. Convergence has become a popular theme in telecommunications, one that has broad implications across all segments of the industry. Continual evolution of technology and applications continues to erase lines between traditionally separate lines of business, with dramatic consequences for vendors, service providers, and consumers. Spectacular advances in all layers of optical networking-leading to abundant, dynamic, cost-effective, and reliable wide-area and local-area connections-have been essential drivers of this evolution. As services and networks continue to evolve towards some notion of convergence, the continued role of optical networks must be explored. One vision of convergence renders all information in a common packet (especially IP) format. This vision is driven by the proliferation of data services. For example, time-division multiplexed (TDM) voice becomes VoIP. Analog cable-television signals become MPEG bits streamed to digital set-top boxes. T1 or OC-N private lines migrate to Ethernet virtual private networks (VPNs). All these packets coexist peacefully within a single packet-routing methodology built on an optical transport layer that combines the flexibility and cost of data networks with telecom-grade reliability. While this vision is appealing in its simplicity and shared widely, specifics of implementation raise many challenges and differences of opinion. For example, many seek to expand the role of Ethernet in these transport networks, while massive efforts are underway to make traditional TDM networks more data friendly within an evolved but backward-compatible SDH/SONET (synchronous digital hierarchy and synchronous optical network) multiplexing hierarchy. From this common underlying theme follow many specific instantiations. Examples include the convergence at the physical, logical, and operational levels of voice and data, video and data, private-line and virtual private-line, fixed and mobile, and local and long-haul services. These trends have many consequences for consumers, vendors, and carriers. Faced with large volumes of low-margin data traffic mixed with traditional voice services, the need for capital conservation and operational efficiency drives carriers away from today's separate overlay networks for each service and towards "converged" platforms. For example, cable operators require transport of multiple services over both hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and DWDM transport technologies. Local carriers seek an economical architecture to deliver integrated services on optically enabled broadband-access networks. Services over wireless-access networks must coexist with those from wired networks. In each case, convergence of networks and services inspires an important set of questions and challenges, driven by the need for low cost, operational efficiency, service performance requirements, and optical transport technology options. This Feature Issue explores the various interpretations and implications of network convergence pertinent to optical networking. How does convergence affect the evolution of optical transport-layer and control approaches? Are the implied directions consistent with research vision for optical networks? Substantial challenges remain. Papers are solicited across the broad spectrum of interests. These include, but are not limited to: Architecture, design and performance of optical wide-area-network (WAN), metro, and access networks Integration strategies for multiservice transport platforms Access methods that bridge traditional and emerging services Network signaling and control methodologies All-optical packet routing and switching techniques

Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcie, Thomas E.; Doverspike, Robert; Zirngibl, Martin; Korotky, Steven K.

2005-05-01

Call for Papers: Convergence The Journal of Optical Networking (JON) invites submissions to a special issue on Convergence. Convergence has become a popular theme in telecommunications, one that has broad implications across all segments of the industry. Continual evolution of technology and applications continues to erase lines between traditionally separate lines of business, with dramatic consequences for vendors, service providers, and consumers. Spectacular advances in all layers of optical networking-leading to abundant, dynamic, cost-effective, and reliable wide-area and local-area connections-have been essential drivers of this evolution. As services and networks continue to evolve towards some notion of convergence, the continued role of optical networks must be explored. One vision of convergence renders all information in a common packet (especially IP) format. This vision is driven by the proliferation of data services. For example, time-division multiplexed (TDM) voice becomes VoIP. Analog cable-television signals become MPEG bits streamed to digital set-top boxes. T1 or OC-N private lines migrate to Ethernet virtual private networks (VPNs). All these packets coexist peacefully within a single packet-routing methodology built on an optical transport layer that combines the flexibility and cost of data networks with telecom-grade reliability. While this vision is appealing in its simplicity and shared widely, specifics of implementation raise many challenges and differences of opinion. For example, many seek to expand the role of Ethernet in these transport networks, while massive efforts are underway to make traditional TDM networks more data friendly within an evolved but backward-compatible SDH/SONET (synchronous digital hierarchy and synchronous optical network) multiplexing hierarchy. From this common underlying theme follow many specific instantiations. Examples include the convergence at the physical, logical, and operational levels of voice and data, video and data, private-line and virtual private-line, fixed and mobile, and local and long-haul services. These trends have many consequences for consumers, vendors, and carriers. Faced with large volumes of low-margin data traffic mixed with traditional voice services, the need for capital conservation and operational efficiency drives carriers away from today's separate overlay networks for each service and towards "converged" platforms. For example, cable operators require transport of multiple services over both hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and DWDM transport technologies. Local carriers seek an economical architecture to deliver integrated services on optically enabled broadband-access networks. Services over wireless-access networks must coexist with those from wired networks. In each case, convergence of networks and services inspires an important set of questions and challenges, driven by the need for low cost, operational efficiency, service performance requirements, and optical transport technology options. This Feature Issue explores the various interpretations and implications of network convergence pertinent to optical networking. How does convergence affect the evolution of optical transport-layer and control approaches? Are the implied directions consistent with research vision for optical networks? Substantial challenges remain. Papers are solicited across the broad spectrum of interests. These include, but are not limited to: Architecture, design and performance of optical wide-area-network (WAN), metro, and access networks Integration strategies for multiservice transport platforms Access methods that bridge traditional and emerging services Network signaling and control methodologies All-optical packet routing and switching techniques

Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcie, Thomas E.; Doverspike, Robert; Zirngibl, Martin; Korotky, Steven K.

2005-04-01

Call for Papers: Convergence The Journal of Optical Networking (JON) invites submissions to a special issue on Convergence. Convergence has become a popular theme in telecommunications, one that has broad implications across all segments of the industry. Continual evolution of technology and applications continues to erase lines between traditionally separate lines of business, with dramatic consequences for vendors, service providers, and consumers. Spectacular advances in all layers of optical networking-leading to abundant, dynamic, cost-effective, and reliable wide-area and local-area connections-have been essential drivers of this evolution. As services and networks continue to evolve towards some notion of convergence, the continued role of optical networks must be explored. One vision of convergence renders all information in a common packet (especially IP) format. This vision is driven by the proliferation of data services. For example, time-division multiplexed (TDM) voice becomes VoIP. Analog cable-television signals become MPEG bits streamed to digital set-top boxes. T1 or OC-N private lines migrate to Ethernet virtual private networks (VPNs). All these packets coexist peacefully within a single packet-routing methodology built on an optical transport layer that combines the flexibility and cost of data networks with telecom-grade reliability. While this vision is appealing in its simplicity and shared widely, specifics of implementation raise many challenges and differences of opinion. For example, many seek to expand the role of Ethernet in these transport networks, while massive efforts are underway to make traditional TDM networks more data friendly within an evolved but backward-compatible SDH/SONET (synchronous digital hierarchy and synchronous optical network) multiplexing hierarchy. From this common underlying theme follow many specific instantiations. Examples include the convergence at the physical, logical, and operational levels of voice and data, video and data, private-line and virtual private-line, fixed and mobile, and local and long-haul services. These trends have many consequences for consumers, vendors, and carriers. Faced with large volumes of low-margin data traffic mixed with traditional voice services, the need for capital conservation and operational efficiency drives carriers away from today's separate overlay networks for each service and towards "converged" platforms. For example, cable operators require transport of multiple services over both hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and DWDM transport technologies. Local carriers seek an economical architecture to deliver integrated services on optically enabled broadband-access networks. Services over wireless-access networks must coexist with those from wired networks. In each case, convergence of networks and services inspires an important set of questions and challenges, driven by the need for low cost, operational efficiency, service performance requirements, and optical transport technology options. This Feature Issue explores the various interpretations and implications of network convergence pertinent to optical networking. How does convergence affect the evolution of optical transport-layer and control approaches? Are the implied directions consistent with research vision for optical networks? Substantial challenges remain. Papers are solicited across the broad spectrum of interests. These include, but are not limited to: Architecture, design and performance of optical wide-area-network (WAN), metro, and access networks Integration strategies for multiservice transport platforms Access methods that bridge traditional and emerging services Network signaling and control methodologies All-optical packet routing and switching techniques

Emerging interdisciplinary fields in the coming intelligence/convergence era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

2012-09-01

Dramatic advances are in the horizon resulting from rapid pace of development of several technologies, including, computing, communication, mobile, robotic, and interactive technologies. These advances, along with the trend towards convergence of traditional engineering disciplines with physical, life and other science disciplines will result in the development of new interdisciplinary fields, as well as in new paradigms for engineering practice in the coming intelligence/convergence era (post-information age). The interdisciplinary fields include Cyber Engineering, Living Systems Engineering, Biomechatronics/Robotics Engineering, Knowledge Engineering, Emergent/Complexity Engineering, and Multiscale Systems engineering. The paper identifies some of the characteristics of the intelligence/convergence era, gives broad definition of convergence, describes some of the emerging interdisciplinary fields, and lists some of the academic and other organizations working in these disciplines. The need is described for establishing a Hierarchical Cyber-Physical Ecosystem for facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations, and accelerating development of skilled workforce in the new fields. The major components of the ecosystem are listed. The new interdisciplinary fields will yield critical advances in engineering practice, and help in addressing future challenges in broad array of sectors, from manufacturing to energy, transportation, climate, and healthcare. They will also enable building large future complex adaptive systems-of-systems, such as intelligent multimodal transportation systems, optimized multi-energy systems, intelligent disaster prevention systems, and smart cities.

Entropy and gravity concepts as new methodological indexes to investigate technological convergence: patent network-based approach.

PubMed

Cho, Yongrae; Kim, Minsung

2014-01-01

The volatility and uncertainty in the process of technological developments are growing faster than ever due to rapid technological innovations. Such phenomena result in integration among disparate technology fields. At this point, it is a critical research issue to understand the different roles and the propensity of each element technology for technological convergence. In particular, the network-based approach provides a holistic view in terms of technological linkage structures. Furthermore, the development of new indicators based on network visualization can reveal the dynamic patterns among disparate technologies in the process of technological convergence and provide insights for future technological developments. This research attempts to analyze and discover the patterns of the international patent classification codes of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's patent data in printed electronics, which is a representative technology in the technological convergence process. To this end, we apply the physical idea as a new methodological approach to interpret technological convergence. More specifically, the concepts of entropy and gravity are applied to measure the activities among patent citations and the binding forces among heterogeneous technologies during technological convergence. By applying the entropy and gravity indexes, we could distinguish the characteristic role of each technology in printed electronics. At the technological convergence stage, each technology exhibits idiosyncratic dynamics which tend to decrease technological differences and heterogeneity. Furthermore, through nonlinear regression analysis, we have found the decreasing patterns of disparity over a given total period in the evolution of technological convergence. This research has discovered the specific role of each element technology field and has consequently identified the co-evolutionary patterns of technological convergence. These new findings on the evolutionary patterns of technological convergence provide some implications for engineering and technology foresight research, as well as for corporate strategy and technology policy.

PICSiP: new system-in-package technology using a high bandwidth photonic interconnection layer for converged microsystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tekin, Tolga; Töpper, Michael; Reichl, Herbert

2009-05-01

Technological frontiers between semiconductor technology, packaging, and system design are disappearing. Scaling down geometries [1] alone does not provide improvement of performance, less power, smaller size, and lower cost. It will require "More than Moore" [2] through the tighter integration of system level components at the package level. System-in-Package (SiP) will deliver the efficient use of three dimensions (3D) through innovation in packaging and interconnect technology. A key bottleneck to the implementation of high-performance microelectronic systems, including SiP, is the lack of lowlatency, high-bandwidth, and high density off-chip interconnects. Some of the challenges in achieving high-bandwidth chip-to-chip communication using electrical interconnects include the high losses in the substrate dielectric, reflections and impedance discontinuities, and susceptibility to crosstalk [3]. Obviously, the incentive for the use of photonics to overcome the challenges and leverage low-latency and highbandwidth communication will enable the vision of optical computing within next generation architectures. Supercomputers of today offer sustained performance of more than petaflops, which can be increased by utilizing optical interconnects. Next generation computing architectures are needed with ultra low power consumption; ultra high performance with novel interconnection technologies. In this paper we will discuss a CMOS compatible underlying technology to enable next generation optical computing architectures. By introducing a new optical layer within the 3D SiP, the development of converged microsystems, deployment for next generation optical computing architecture will be leveraged.

Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcie, Thomas E.; Doverspike, Robert; Zirngibl, Martin; Korotky, Steven K.

2005-09-01

Call for Papers: Convergence The Journal of Optical Networking (JON) invites submissions to a special issue on Convergence. Convergence has become a popular theme in telecommunications, one that has broad implications across all segments of the industry. Continual evolution of technology and applications continues to erase lines between traditionally separate lines of business, with dramatic consequences for vendors, service providers, and consumers. Spectacular advances in all layers of optical networking-leading to abundant, dynamic, cost-effective, and reliable wide-area and local-area connections-have been essential drivers of this evolution. As services and networks continue to evolve towards some notion of convergence, the continued role of optical networks must be explored. One vision of convergence renders all information in a common packet (especially IP) format. This vision is driven by the proliferation of data services. For example, time-division multiplexed (TDM) voice becomes VoIP. Analog cable-television signals become MPEG bits streamed to digital set-top boxes. T1 or OC-N private lines migrate to Ethernet virtual private networks (VPNs). All these packets coexist peacefully within a single packet-routing methodology built on an optical transport layer that combines the flexibility and cost of data networks with telecom-grade reliability. While this vision is appealing in its simplicity and shared widely, specifics of implementation raise many challenges and differences of opinion. For example, many seek to expand the role of Ethernet in these transport networks, while massive efforts are underway to make traditional TDM networks more data friendly within an evolved but backward-compatible SDH/SONET (synchronous digital hierarchy and synchronous optical network) multiplexing hierarchy. From this common underlying theme follow many specific instantiations. Examples include the convergence at the physical, logical, and operational levels of voice and data, video and data, private-line and virtual private-line, fixed and mobile, and local and long-haul services. These trends have many consequences for consumers, vendors, and carriers. Faced with large volumes of low-margin data traffic mixed with traditional voice services, the need for capital conservation and operational efficiency drives carriers away from today's separate overlay networks for each service and towards "converged" platforms. For example, cable operators require transport of multiple services over both hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and DWDM transport technologies. Local carriers seek an economical architecture to deliver integrated services on optically enabled broadband-access networks. Services over wireless-access networks must coexist with those from wired networks. In each case, convergence of networks and services inspires an important set of questions and challenges, driven by the need for low cost, operational efficiency, service performance requirements, and optical transport technology options. This Feature Issue explores the various interpretations and implications of network convergence pertinent to optical networking. How does convergence affect the evolution of optical transport-layer and control approaches? Are the implied directions consistent with research vision for optical networks? Substantial challenges remain. Papers are solicited across the broad spectrum of interests. These include, but are not limited to: Architecture, design and performance of optical wide-area-network (WAN), metro, and access networks Integration strategies for multiservice transport platforms Access methods that bridge traditional and emerging services Network signaling and control methodologies All-optical packet routing and switching techniques To submit to this special issue, follow the normal procedure for submission to JON, indicating "Convergence feature" in the "Comments" field of the online submission form. For all other questions relating to this feature issue, please send an e-mail to jon@osa.org, subject line "Convergence." Additional information can be found on the JON website: http://www.osa-jon.org/submission/ Submission Deadline: 1 October 2005

Patent Network Analysis and Quadratic Assignment Procedures to Identify the Convergence of Robot Technologies

PubMed Central

Lee, Woo Jin; Lee, Won Kyung

2016-01-01

Because of the remarkable developments in robotics in recent years, technological convergence has been active in this area. We focused on finding patterns of convergence within robot technology using network analysis of patents in both the USPTO and KIPO. To identify the variables that affect convergence, we used quadratic assignment procedures (QAP). From our analysis, we observed the patent network ecology related to convergence and found technologies that have great potential to converge with other robotics technologies. The results of our study are expected to contribute to setting up convergence based R&D policies for robotics, which can lead new innovation. PMID:27764196

Entropy and Gravity Concepts as New Methodological Indexes to Investigate Technological Convergence: Patent Network-Based Approach

PubMed Central

Cho, Yongrae; Kim, Minsung

2014-01-01

The volatility and uncertainty in the process of technological developments are growing faster than ever due to rapid technological innovations. Such phenomena result in integration among disparate technology fields. At this point, it is a critical research issue to understand the different roles and the propensity of each element technology for technological convergence. In particular, the network-based approach provides a holistic view in terms of technological linkage structures. Furthermore, the development of new indicators based on network visualization can reveal the dynamic patterns among disparate technologies in the process of technological convergence and provide insights for future technological developments. This research attempts to analyze and discover the patterns of the international patent classification codes of the United States Patent and Trademark Office's patent data in printed electronics, which is a representative technology in the technological convergence process. To this end, we apply the physical idea as a new methodological approach to interpret technological convergence. More specifically, the concepts of entropy and gravity are applied to measure the activities among patent citations and the binding forces among heterogeneous technologies during technological convergence. By applying the entropy and gravity indexes, we could distinguish the characteristic role of each technology in printed electronics. At the technological convergence stage, each technology exhibits idiosyncratic dynamics which tend to decrease technological differences and heterogeneity. Furthermore, through nonlinear regression analysis, we have found the decreasing patterns of disparity over a given total period in the evolution of technological convergence. This research has discovered the specific role of each element technology field and has consequently identified the co-evolutionary patterns of technological convergence. These new findings on the evolutionary patterns of technological convergence provide some implications for engineering and technology foresight research, as well as for corporate strategy and technology policy. PMID:24914959

Evolution of technology convergence networks in Korea: Characteristics of temporal changes in R&D according to institution type.

PubMed

Choi, Jae Young; Jeong, Seongkyoon; Jung, Jung-Kyu

2018-01-01

This study investigates the temporal changes in development of technology convergence networks by institution type, i.e., public research institute (PRI), university and industry. Using the co-classification of technological domains of patents, we identified technology convergence of Korean patents, which were filed at Korea Intellectual Properties Office (KIPO) from 1997 to 2011. We conducted a network analysis at the technology level to search for the key technology fields and frequent instances of technology convergence. The results show that technology convergence networks have grown significantly in the recent period regardless of the institution type. While industries started to conspicuously engage in technology convergence in the late 1990s, universities or PRIs did not do so until the mid-2000s. This discrepancy in the phase of technology convergence is attributed to the temporal difference in R&D stage (e.g., basic research and commercial product development). Our findings imply that corporal and governmental R&D management decision on promising technology fields will be more effective if the decision makers carefully consider the type of R&D entity in analyzing technological landscapes.

Evolution of technology convergence networks in Korea: Characteristics of temporal changes in R&D according to institution type

PubMed Central

Choi, Jae Young; Jeong, Seongkyoon

2018-01-01

This study investigates the temporal changes in development of technology convergence networks by institution type, i.e., public research institute (PRI), university and industry. Using the co-classification of technological domains of patents, we identified technology convergence of Korean patents, which were filed at Korea Intellectual Properties Office (KIPO) from 1997 to 2011. We conducted a network analysis at the technology level to search for the key technology fields and frequent instances of technology convergence. The results show that technology convergence networks have grown significantly in the recent period regardless of the institution type. While industries started to conspicuously engage in technology convergence in the late 1990s, universities or PRIs did not do so until the mid-2000s. This discrepancy in the phase of technology convergence is attributed to the temporal difference in R&D stage (e.g., basic research and commercial product development). Our findings imply that corporal and governmental R&D management decision on promising technology fields will be more effective if the decision makers carefully consider the type of R&D entity in analyzing technological landscapes. PMID:29420574

The Role of Theory and Technology in Learning Video Production: The Challenge of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shewbridge, William; Berge, Zane L.

2004-01-01

The video production field has evolved beyond being exclusively relevant to broadcast television. The convergence of low-cost consumer cameras and desktop computer editing has led to new applications of video in a wide range of areas, including the classroom. This presents educators with an opportunity to rethink how students learn video…

Global challenges and globalization of bioethics

PubMed Central

Nezhmetdinova, Farida

2013-01-01

This article analyzes problems and implications for man and nature connected with the formation of a new architecture of science, based on the convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science (NBIC). It also describes evolution and genesis of bioethics, a scientific discipline and social practice with a special role of ethical management of potential risks of scientific research. The aim was to demonstrate the necessity of bioethical social control in the development of a global bioeconomy driven by NBIC technologies. PMID:23447421

The Changing Shape of Technology on Campus from Ermergence to Convergence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Kevin; Rainey, Sylvia

2001-01-01

Explores the basics in technology convergence in making today's college and university campuses more "intelligent." Two key components required for effective technology convergence are described as are the benefits of convergence on campus safety and security and utility cost management. (GR)

Adoption and resistance: reflections on human, organizational, and information technologies in picture archive and communication systems (PACS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sappington, Rodney W.

2005-04-01

In research conducted at academic and community hospitals in the United States since 2001, this paper examines complex human and technological relationships employed to renegotiate behavior within hospital administrative and clinical cultures. In the planning and implementation of PACS in a four-facility hospital we will enter into what can be described as processes of "adoption" and "resistance", seemingly opposite approaches to system implementation, which I argue are in fact key responses to planning, design, and customization of imaging and information systems in a context of convergence. In a larger context of convergence known as NBIC tools (nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive sciences) it has become increasingly clear to leaders in the field that it is essential to redesign organizational technologies. A novel system has little chance of being fully utilized by conventional organizational structures in an era of system convergence. The challenge of embracing a larger systems perspective lies in opening untapped potential within the healthcare enterprise by preparing the ground for reflection on new approaches to training, and bridging specialized knowledge across computer engineering, clinical decision making, and organizational perspectives for the benefit of patient care. Case studies will demonstrate how organizational and system design technologies are crucial in insuring that PACS implementation strategies can encourage the emergence of new levels of quality for patient care. The goal is to provide successful design-build models that are true to organizational specificity, persons, and clinical practices undergoing change and uncertainty.

Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcie, Thomas E.; Doverspike, Robert; Zirngibl, Martin; Korotky, Steven K.

2004-12-01

Convergence has become a popular theme in telecommunications, one that has broad implications across all segments of the industry. Continual evolution of technology and applications continues to erase lines between traditionally separate lines of business, with dramatic consequences for vendors, service providers, and consumers. Spectacular advances in all layers of optical networking-leading to abundant, dynamic, cost-effective, and reliable wide-area and local-area connections-have been essential drivers of this evolution. As services and networks continue to evolve towards some notion of convergence, the continued role of optical networks must be explored. One vision of convergence renders all information in a common packet (especially IP) format. This vision is driven by the proliferation of data services. For example, time-division multiplexed (TDM) voice becomes VoIP. Analog cable-television signals become MPEG bits streamed to digital set-top boxes. T1 or OC-N private lines migrate to Ethernet virtual private networks (VPNs). All these packets coexist peacefully within a single packet-routing methodology built on an optical transport layer that combines the flexibility and cost of data networks with telecom-grade reliability. While this vision is appealing in its simplicity and shared widely, specifics of implementation raise many challenges and differences of opinion. For example, many seek to expand the role of Ethernet in these transport networks, while massive efforts are underway to make traditional TDM networks more data friendly within an evolved but backward-compatible SDH/SONET (synchronous digital hierarchy and synchronous optical network) multiplexing hierarchy. From this common underlying theme follow many specific instantiations. Examples include the convergence at the physical, logical, and operational levels of voice and data, video and data, private-line and virtual private-line, fixed and mobile, and local and long-haul services. These trends have many consequences for consumers, vendors, and carriers. Faced with large volumes of low-margin data traffic mixed with traditional voice services, the need for capital conservation and operational efficiency drives carriers away from today's separate overlay networks for each service and towards "converged" platforms. For example, cable operators require transport of multiple services over both hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and DWDM transport technologies. Local carriers seek an economical architecture to deliver integrated services on optically enabled broadband-access networks. Services over wireless-access networks must coexist with those from wired networks. In each case, convergence of networks and services inspires an important set of questions and challenges, driven by the need for low cost, operational efficiency, service performance requirements, and optical transport technology options. This Feature Issue explores the various interpretations and implications of network convergence pertinent to optical networking. How does convergence affect the evolution of optical transport-layer and control approaches? Are the implied directions consistent with research vision for optical networks? Substantial challenges remain. Papers are solicited across the broad spectrum of interests. These include, but are not limited to:

• Architecture, design and performance of optical wide-area-network (WAN), metro, and access networks
• Integration strategies for multiservice transport platforms
• Access methods that bridge traditional and emerging services
• Network signaling and control methodologies
• All-optical packet routing and switching techniques

Manuscript Submission

Early convergence research and education supported by the National Science Foundation.

PubMed

Bainbridge, William Sims

2004-05-01

The following pages describe research grants awarded by the National Science Foundation that illustrate how different fields of science and technology can converge in order to increase human potential. Technological convergence involves the unification of the sciences of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technology, and new technologies based on Cognitive Science (NBIC). Because it supports research across all major branches of science and technology, including the social and behavioral sciences, the NSF has been a focus of discussions about converging technologies to enhance human capabilities and serve human needs.

Path to bio-nano-information fusion.

PubMed

Chen, Jia Ming; Ho, Chih-Ming

2006-12-01

This article will discuss the challenges in a new convergent discipline created by the fusion of biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technology. To illustrate the research challenges, we will begin with an introduction to the nanometer-scale environment in which biology resides, and point out the many important behaviors of matters at that scale. Then we will describe an ideal model system, the cell, for bio-nano-information fusion. Our efforts in advancing this field at the Institute of Cell Mimetic Space Exploration (CMISE) will be introduced here as an example to move toward achieving this goal.

Integrated Avionics System (IAS), Integrating 3-D Technology On A Spacecraft Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Don J.; Halpert, Gerald

1999-01-01

As spacecraft designs converge toward miniaturization, and with the volumetric and mass challenges placed on avionics, programs will continue to advance the "state of the art" in spacecraft system development with new challenges to reduce power, mass and volume. Traditionally, the trend is to focus on high-density 3-D packaging technologies. Industry has made significant progress in 3-D technologies, and other related internal and external interconnection schemes. Although new technologies have improved packaging densities, a system packaging architecture is required that not only reduces spacecraft volume and mass budgets, but increase integration efficiencies, provide modularity and flexibility to accommodate multiple missions while maintaining a low recurring cost. With these challenges in mind, a novel system packaging approach incorporates solutions that provide broader environmental applications, more flexible system interconnectivity, scalability, and simplified assembly test and integration schemes. The Integrated Avionics System (IAS) provides for a low-mass, modular distributed or centralized packaging architecture which combines ridged-flex technologies, high-density COTS hardware and a new 3-D mechanical packaging approach, Horizontal Mounted Cube (HMC). This paper will describe the fundamental elements of the IAS, HMC hardware design, system integration and environmental test results.

Identifying and tracking attacks on networks: C3I displays and related technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manes, Gavin W.; Dawkins, J.; Shenoi, Sujeet; Hale, John C.

2003-09-01

Converged network security is extremely challenging for several reasons; expanded system and technology perimeters, unexpected feature interaction, and complex interfaces all conspire to provide hackers with greater opportunities for compromising large networks. Preventive security services and architectures are essential, but in and of themselves do not eliminate all threat of compromise. Attack management systems mitigate this residual risk by facilitating incident detection, analysis and response. There are a wealth of attack detection and response tools for IP networks, but a dearth of such tools for wireless and public telephone networks. Moreover, methodologies and formalisms have yet to be identified that can yield a common model for vulnerabilities and attacks in converged networks. A comprehensive attack management system must coordinate detection tools for converged networks, derive fully-integrated attack and network models, perform vulnerability and multi-stage attack analysis, support large-scale attack visualization, and orchestrate strategic responses to cyber attacks that cross network boundaries. We present an architecture that embodies these principles for attack management. The attack management system described engages a suite of detection tools for various networking domains, feeding real-time attack data to a comprehensive modeling, analysis and visualization subsystem. The resulting early warning system not only provides network administrators with a heads-up cockpit display of their entire network, it also supports guided response and predictive capabilities for multi-stage attacks in converged networks.

Nanotechnology for sustainable development: retrospective and outlook

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diallo, Mamadou S.; Fromer, Neil A.; Jhon, Myung S.

2013-11-01

The world is facing great challenges in meeting rising demands for basic commodities (e.g., food, water and energy), finished goods (e.g., cell phones, cars and airplanes) and services (e.g., shelter, healthcare and employment) while reducing and minimizing the impact of human activities on Earth's global environment and climate. Nanotechnology has emerged as a versatile platform that could provide efficient, cost-effective and environmentally acceptable solutions to the global sustainability challenges facing society. This special issue of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research is devoted to the utilization of nanotechnology to improve or achieve sustainable development. We highlight recent advances and discuss opportunities of utilizing nanotechnology to address global challenges in (1) water purification, (2) clean energy technologies, (3) greenhouse gases management, (4) materials supply and utilization, and (5) green manufacturing and chemistry. In addition to the technical challenges listed above, we also discuss societal perspectives and provide an outlook of the role of nanotechnology in the convergence of knowledge, technology and society for achieving sustainable development.

5G: The Convergence of Wireless Communications.

PubMed

Chávez-Santiago, Raúl; Szydełko, Michał; Kliks, Adrian; Foukalas, Fotis; Haddad, Yoram; Nolan, Keith E; Kelly, Mark Y; Masonta, Moshe T; Balasingham, Ilangko

As the rollout of 4G mobile communication networks takes place, representatives of industry and academia have started to look into the technological developments toward the next generation (5G). Several research projects involving key international mobile network operators, infrastructure manufacturers, and academic institutions, have been launched recently to set the technological foundations of 5G. However, the architecture of future 5G systems, their performance, and mobile services to be provided have not been clearly defined. In this paper, we put forth the vision for 5G as the convergence of evolved versions of current cellular networks with other complementary radio access technologies. Therefore, 5G may not be a single radio access interface but rather a "network of networks". Evidently, the seamless integration of a variety of air interfaces, protocols, and frequency bands, requires paradigm shifts in the way networks cooperate and complement each other to deliver data rates of several Gigabits per second with end-to-end latency of a few milliseconds. We provide an overview of the key radio technologies that will play a key role in the realization of this vision for the next generation of mobile communication networks. We also introduce some of the research challenges that need to be addressed.

[An overview of the definition and implementation of the Brazilian National Policy on Health Data and Information Technology].

PubMed

Cavalcante, Ricardo Bezerra; Kerr-Pinheiro, Marta Macedo; Guimarães, Eliete Albano de Azevedo; Miranda, Richardson Machado

2015-05-01

The This qualitative study aimed to analyze the development and implementation of the Brazilian National Policy on Health Data and Information Technology (NPIIH). We analyzed documents and applied an online questionnaire to the experts involved in developing the policy. The data were submitted to content analysis using the categorical thematic modality. The PNIIS is the target of debate and proposals at various levels. Provisions have appeared in parallel to regulate measures on health data and information technology. Community participation in developing this policy and the convergence of laws, standards, resolutions, and policy-making levels in a common and broadly acknowledged and enforced policy are challenges, in addition to linking the public and private sectors. The study concludes that the National Policy on Health Data and Information Technology is making gradual progress, predominantly in theoretical debates, revisions, and updates. There are numerous challenges for its implementation and a prevailing need for legitimation.

The emergence and policy implications of converging new technologies integrated from the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roco, M. C.

2005-06-01

Science based on the unified concepts on matter at the nanoscale provides a new foundation for knowledge creation, innovation, and technology integration. Convergent new technologies refers to the synergistic combination of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive sciences (NBIC), each of which is currently progressing at a rapid rate, experiencing qualitative advancements, and interacting with the more established fields such as mathematics and environmental technologies (Roco & Bainbridge, 2002). It is expected that converging technologies will bring about tremendous improvements in transforming tools, new products and services, enable human personal abilities and social achievements, and reshape societal relationships. After a brief overview of the general implications of converging new technologies, this paper focuses on its effects on R&D policies and business models as part of changing societal relationships. These R&D policies will have implications on investments in research and industry, with the main goal of taking advantage of the transformative development of NBIC. Introduction of converging technologies must be done with respect of immediate concerns (privacy, toxicity of new materials, etc.) and longer-term concerns including human integrity, dignity and welfare. The efficient introduction and development of converging new technologies will require new organizations and business models, as well as solutions for preparing the economy, such as multifunctional research facilities, integrative technology platforms, and global risk governance.

Converging Instructional Technology and Critical Intercultural Pedagogy in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Joyce

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to postulate an emerging unified cultural-convergence framework to converge the delivery of instructional technology and intercultural education (ICE) that extends beyond web-learning technologies to inculcate inclusive pedagogy in teacher education. Design/methodology/approach: The paper explores the literature and a…

System of Systems Technology Readiness Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

for their support and commitment to my education . Also, I would like to thank the Department of Navy for providing me the varied and challenging...they are key convergence points for SoS and there may be no opportunity for changes to the interfaces without major impact to the entire SoS. The...Architecture Working Group, 1997): • Procedures: guidance that impact system interoperability, including doctrine, mission, architectures, and standards

Understanding the Dynamic Convergence Phenomenon from the Perspective of Diversity and Persistence: A Cross-Sector Comparative Analysis between the United States and South Korea.

PubMed

Shim, We; Kwon, Oh-Jin; Moon, Yeong-Ho; Kim, Keun-Hwan

2016-01-01

This study was designed to improve the explanation for the behavior of the phenomenon of technology convergence. The concepts and measurements of diversity and persistence, as inherent attributes of the phenomenon, were elaborated by reviewing different theories. Diversity was examined by analyzing the degree of capability to absorb heterogeneous technologies, while persistence was investigated by analyzing the degree of continuity in the usage of cumulated technologies. With these two dimensions, an analytic framework was proposed to compare the differences and dynamic patterns of convergence competence by countries at the technology sector level. Three major technology sectors in the United States and South Korea, namely, information and communication technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, were explored to explicitly illustrate the differences in technology convergence competence. The results show that although Korea has narrowed the differences of capabilities for technology convergence compared to the US, Korea not only has to continuously pursue the improvement of specialization for all three sectors, but also has to encourage the exploitation of different technology fields. The suggested framework and indicators allow for monitoring of the dynamic patterns of a technology sector and identifying the sources of the gaps. Thus, the framework and indicators are able to ensure the purpose of government innovation policy and to provide strategic directions for redistributing the proper combination of sources to accomplish technology convergence.

Understanding the Dynamic Convergence Phenomenon from the Perspective of Diversity and Persistence: A Cross-Sector Comparative Analysis between the United States and South Korea

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This study was designed to improve the explanation for the behavior of the phenomenon of technology convergence. The concepts and measurements of diversity and persistence, as inherent attributes of the phenomenon, were elaborated by reviewing different theories. Diversity was examined by analyzing the degree of capability to absorb heterogeneous technologies, while persistence was investigated by analyzing the degree of continuity in the usage of cumulated technologies. With these two dimensions, an analytic framework was proposed to compare the differences and dynamic patterns of convergence competence by countries at the technology sector level. Three major technology sectors in the United States and South Korea, namely, information and communication technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, were explored to explicitly illustrate the differences in technology convergence competence. The results show that although Korea has narrowed the differences of capabilities for technology convergence compared to the US, Korea not only has to continuously pursue the improvement of specialization for all three sectors, but also has to encourage the exploitation of different technology fields. The suggested framework and indicators allow for monitoring of the dynamic patterns of a technology sector and identifying the sources of the gaps. Thus, the framework and indicators are able to ensure the purpose of government innovation policy and to provide strategic directions for redistributing the proper combination of sources to accomplish technology convergence. PMID:27416495

Current and Future Challenges in Point-of-Care Technologies: A Paradigm-Shift in Affordable Global Healthcare With Personalized and Preventive Medicine

PubMed Central

Heetderks, William J.; Pavel, Misha; Acharya, Soumyadipta; Akay, Metin; Mairal, Anurag; Wheeler, Bruce; Dacso, Clifford C.; Sunder, T.; Lovell, Nigel; Gerber, Martin; Shah, Milind; Senthilvel, S. G.; Wang, May D.; Bhargava, Balram

2015-01-01

This paper summarizes the panel discussion at the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Point-of-Care Healthcare Technology Conference (POCHT 2013) held in Bangalore India from Jan 16–18, 2013. Modern medicine has witnessed interdisciplinary technology innovations in healthcare with a continuous growth in life expectancy across the globe. However, there is also a growing global concern on the affordability of rapidly rising healthcare costs. To provide quality healthcare at reasonable costs, there has to be a convergence of preventive, personalized, and precision medicine with the help of technology innovations across the entire spectrum of point-of-care (POC) to critical care at hospitals. The first IEEE EMBS Special Topic POCHT conference held in Bangalore, India provided an international forum with clinicians, healthcare providers, industry experts, innovators, researchers, and students to define clinical needs and technology solutions toward commercialization and translation to clinical applications across different environments and infrastructures. This paper presents a summary of discussions that took place during the keynote presentations, panel discussions, and breakout sessions on needs, challenges, and technology innovations in POC technologies toward improving global healthcare. Also presented is an overview of challenges and trends in developing and developed economies with respect to priority clinical needs, technology innovations in medical devices, translational engineering, information and communication technologies, infrastructure support, and patient and clinician acceptance of POC healthcare technologies. PMID:27170902

Food-Pharma Convergence in Medical Nutrition– Best of Both Worlds?

PubMed Central

Weenen, Tamar C.; Ramezanpour, Bahar; Pronker, Esther S.; Commandeur, Harry; Claassen, Eric

2013-01-01

At present, industries within the health and life science sector are moving towards one another resulting in new industries such as the medical nutrition industry. Medical nutrition products are specific nutritional compositions for intervention in disease progression and symptom alleviation. Industry convergence, described as the blurring of boundaries between industries, plays a crucial role in the shaping of new markets and industries. Assuming that the medical nutrition industry has emerged from the convergence between the food and pharma industries, it is crucial to research how and which distinct industry domains have contributed to establish this relatively new industry. The first two stages of industry convergence (knowledge diffusion and consolidation) are measured by means of patent analysis. First, the extent of knowledge diffusion within the medical nutrition industry is graphed in a patent citation interrelations network. Subsequently the consolidation based on technological convergence is determined by means of patent co-classification. Furthermore, the medical nutrition core domain and technology interrelations are measured by means of a cross impact analysis. This study proves that the medical nutrition industry is a result of food and pharma convergence. It is therefore crucial for medical nutrition companies to effectively monitor technological developments within as well as across industry boundaries. This study further reveals that although the medical nutrition industry’s core technology domain is food, technological development is mainly driven by pharmaceutical/pharmacological technologies Additionally, the results indicate that the industry has surpassed the knowledge diffusion stage of convergence, and is currently in the consolidation phase of industry convergence. Nevertheless, while the medical nutrition can be classified as an industry in an advanced phase of convergence, one cannot predict that the pharma and food industry segments will completely converge or whether the medical industry will become an individual successful industry. PMID:24358214

Food-pharma convergence in medical nutrition- best of both worlds?

PubMed

Weenen, Tamar C; Ramezanpour, Bahar; Pronker, Esther S; Commandeur, Harry; Claassen, Eric

2013-01-01

At present, industries within the health and life science sector are moving towards one another resulting in new industries such as the medical nutrition industry. Medical nutrition products are specific nutritional compositions for intervention in disease progression and symptom alleviation. Industry convergence, described as the blurring of boundaries between industries, plays a crucial role in the shaping of new markets and industries. Assuming that the medical nutrition industry has emerged from the convergence between the food and pharma industries, it is crucial to research how and which distinct industry domains have contributed to establish this relatively new industry. The first two stages of industry convergence (knowledge diffusion and consolidation) are measured by means of patent analysis. First, the extent of knowledge diffusion within the medical nutrition industry is graphed in a patent citation interrelations network. Subsequently the consolidation based on technological convergence is determined by means of patent co-classification. Furthermore, the medical nutrition core domain and technology interrelations are measured by means of a cross impact analysis. This study proves that the medical nutrition industry is a result of food and pharma convergence. It is therefore crucial for medical nutrition companies to effectively monitor technological developments within as well as across industry boundaries. This study further reveals that although the medical nutrition industry's core technology domain is food, technological development is mainly driven by pharmaceutical/pharmacological technologies Additionally, the results indicate that the industry has surpassed the knowledge diffusion stage of convergence, and is currently in the consolidation phase of industry convergence. Nevertheless, while the medical nutrition can be classified as an industry in an advanced phase of convergence, one cannot predict that the pharma and food industry segments will completely converge or whether the medical industry will become an individual successful industry.

Biomedical informatics and the convergence of Nano-Bio-Info-Cogno (NBIC) technologies.

PubMed

Martin-Sanchez, F; Maojo, V

2009-01-01

To analyze the role that biomedical informatics could play in the application of the NBIC Converging Technologies in the medical field and raise awareness of these new areas throughout the Biomedical Informatics community. Review of the literature and analysis of the reference documents in this domain from the biomedical informatics perspective. Detailing existing developments showing that partial convergence of technologies have already yielded relevant results in biomedicine (such as bioinformatics or biochips). Input from current projects in which the authors are involved is also used. Information processing is a key issue in enabling the convergence of NBIC technologies. Researchers in biomedical informatics are in a privileged position to participate and actively develop this new scientific direction. The experience of biomedical informaticians in five decades of research in the medical area and their involvement in the completion of the Human and other genome projects will help them participate in a similar role for the development of applications of converging technologies -particularly in nanomedicine. The proposed convergence will bring bridges between traditional disciplines. Particular attention should be placed on the ethical, legal, and social issues raised by the NBIC convergence. These technologies provide new directions for research and education in Biomedical Informatics placing a greater emphasis in multidisciplinary approaches.

Data management and dissemination challenges for commercial remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straeter, Terry A.

1996-12-01

Looking toward 2000, the ways by which commercial satellite imagery and imagery products are managed by the various remote sensing companies will be dictated by financial considerations, not technical feasibility. In the convergence of technologies that will shape the commercial companies in 2000, the most influential will likely be electronic commerce via the Internet. This paper discusses the character of these combined forces and speculates on how the industry might respond.

Intellectual Property, Digital Technology and the Developing World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pupillo, Lorenzo Maria

This chapter provides an overview of how the converging ICTs are challenging the traditional off-line copyright doctrine and suggests how developing countries should approach issues such as copyright in the digital world, software (Protection, Open Source, Reverse Engineering), and data base protection. The balance of the chapter is organized into three sections. After the introduction, the second section explains how digital technology is dramatically changing the entertainment industry, what are the major challenges to the industry, and what are the approaches that the economic literature suggest to face the structural changes that the digital revolution is bringing forward. Starting from the assumption that IPRs frameworks need to be customized to the countries’ development needs, the third section makes recommendations on how developing countries should use copyright to support access to information and to creative industries.

Neuroscience and nanotechnologies in Japan--beyond the hope and hype of converging technologies.

PubMed

Mushiaki, Shigeru

2011-01-01

Nanotechnologies are often said to be "converging" with other technologies like biotechnology, information technology, and cognitive science. And so-called "NBIC convergence" is thought to enable "enhancement" of human performance. First, I classify various kinds of enhancement. Second, I focus on the "cybernetic enhancement," to which nanotechnologies are supposed to contribute, and analyze the connection and integration of humans with machines, which could lead to the cyborgization of human beings. Third, I examine the portrayal of robot/cyborg technology in Japanese popular media, point out the tendency to empathy or ensoulment concerning robots/cyborgs, and raise the question of "ethical issues of ethical enhancement." Fourth, I compare nanotechnologies with neurotechnology and criticize the hype of "converging technologies."

Possibilities for global governance of converging technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roco, Mihail C.

2008-01-01

The convergence of nanotechnology, modern biology, the digital revolution and cognitive sciences will bring about tremendous improvements in transformative tools, generate new products and services, enable opportunities to meet and enhance human potential and social achievements, and in time reshape societal relationships. This paper focuses on the progress made in governance of such converging, emerging technologies and suggests possibilities for a global approach. Specifically, this paper suggests creating a multidisciplinary forum or a consultative coordinating group with members from various countries to address globally governance of converging, emerging technologies. The proposed framework for governance of converging technologies calls for four key functions: supporting the transformative impact of the new technologies; advancing responsible development that includes health, safety and ethical concerns; encouraging national and global partnerships; and establishing commitments to long-term planning and investments centered on human development. Principles of good governance guiding these functions include participation of all those who are forging or affected by the new technologies, transparency of governance strategies, responsibility of each participating stakeholder, and effective strategic planning. Introduction and management of converging technologies must be done with respect for immediate concerns, such as privacy, access to medical advancements, and potential human health effects. At the same time, introduction and management should also be done with respect for longer-term concerns, such as preserving human integrity, dignity and welfare. The suggested governance functions apply to four levels of governance: (a) adapting existing regulations and organizations; (b) establishing new programs, regulations and organizations specifically to handle converging technologies; (c) building capacity for addressing these issues into national policies and institutions; and (d) making international agreements and partnerships. Several possibilities for improving the governance of converging technologies in the global self-regulating ecosystem are recommended: using open-source and incentive-based models, establishing corresponding science and engineering platforms, empowering the stakeholders and promoting partnerships among them, implementing long-term planning that includes international perspectives, and institute voluntary and science-based measures for risk management.

Integrating autonomous distributed control into a human-centric C4ISR environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, Jeremy

2017-05-01

This paper considers incorporating autonomy into human-centric Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) environments. Specifically, it focuses on identifying ways that current autonomy technologies can augment human control and the challenges presented by additive autonomy. Three approaches to this challenge are considered, stemming from prior work in two converging areas. In the first, the problem is approached as augmenting what humans currently do with automation. In the alternate approach, the problem is approached as treating humans as actors within a cyber-physical system-of-systems (stemming from robotic distributed computing). A third approach, combines elements of both of the aforementioned.

Converging technologies in higher education: paradigm for the "new" liberal arts?

PubMed

Balmer, Robert T

2006-12-01

This article discusses the historic relationship between the practical arts (technology) and the mental (liberal) arts, suggesting that Converging Technologies is a new higher education paradigm that integrates the arts, humanities, and sciences with modern technology. It explains that the paradigm really includes all fields in higher education from philosophy to art to music to modern languages and beyond. To implement a transformation of this magnitude, it is necessary to understand the psychology of change in academia. Union College in Schenectady, New York, implemented a Converging Technologies Educational Paradigm in five steps: (1) create a compelling vision, (2) communicate the vision, (3) empower the faculty, (4) create short-term successes, and (5) institutionalize the results. This case study of Union College demonstrates it is possible to build a pillar of educational excellence based on Converging Technologies.

Digital health revolution: perfect storm or perfect opportunity for pharmaceutical R&D?

PubMed

Hird, Nick; Ghosh, Samik; Kitano, Hiroaki

2016-06-01

The convergence of technology and medicine has pushed healthcare to the brink of a major disruption that pharma has, until recently, been slow to recognize. Tech players have pioneered the emerging field of digital wellness and health, and pharma is ideally placed to use its expertise in drug development and embrace these technologies to create digital applications that address major medical needs. This review describes digital innovation from a pharma R&D perspective, outlining principal drivers, digital components, opportunities and challenges as well as a sustainable new business model predicated on empowered patients and achieving therapeutic outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Innovative Competencies of Mining engineers in Transition to the Sustainable Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krechetov, Andrey; Khoreshok, Alexey; Blumenstein, Valery

2017-11-01

The transition to the sustainable development posed new challenges to the system of mining higher education. They are determined by the acceleration of scientific and technological progress and widespread introduction of innovations, convergence of technologies from various industries. On the one hand, globalization and rapid technology development are constantly increasing quality requirements for the labor resources of the mineral and raw materials complex and constant improvement of their skills. On the other hand, the transition to the sustainable development provides the necessity for rational use of raw materials and environmental protection. This requires the improvement of staff support system for mining operations and the interaction of enterprises with universities training mining engineers, aimed at the innovative competencies development of future miners.

NBIC-Convergence of Machinery and Basic Technologies as the Ecological Factor of Wellbeing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhironkin, S. A.; Kolotov, K. A.; Genin, A. E.; Agafonov, F. V.; Kovalevsky, S. A.

2017-01-01

The development of science and technology in the XXI century is on the way of the extensive use of natural resources. As a result, the scientific and technical progress does not initiate the reduction of environmental damage but encourages its cumulative growth. So the environmental problems have become a serious threat to social wellbeing of all mankind. The development of the core technologies doesn’t allow creating the situation in which the new knowledge would generate positive changes in the environment. Therefore, among the issues that define the future of advanced environmental technologies, and potentially significant for the understanding of the humanities, there is the phenomenon of technological convergence and, in particular, the predicted convergence of the nano-, bio-, information and cognitive technologies (NBIC). The consequence of NBIC-convergence may be the transformation of the humanity into a single global mind, which can be linked into a solid set of technologies, establishing united standards for social wellbeing and environmental technologies.

Multidimensional Convergence in Future 5G Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffini, Marco

2017-02-01

Future 5G services are characterised by unprecedented need for high rate, ubiquitous availability, ultra-low latency and high reliability. The fragmented network view that is widespread in current networks will not stand the challenge posed by next generations of users. A new vision is required, and this paper provides an insight on how network convergence and application-centric approaches will play a leading role towards enabling the 5G vision. The paper, after expressing the view on the need for an end-to-end approach to network design, brings the reader into a journey on the expected 5G network requirements and outlines some of the work currently carried out by main standardisation bodies. It then proposes the use of the concept of network convergence for providing the overall architectural framework to bring together all the different technologies within a unifying and coherent network ecosystem. The novel interpretation of multi-dimensional convergence we introduce leads us to the exploration of aspects of node consolidation and converged network architectures, delving into details of optical-wireless integration and future convergence of optical data centre and access-metro networks. We then discuss how ownership models enabling network sharing will be instrumental in realising the 5G vision. The paper concludes with final remarks on the role SDN will play in 5G and on the need for new business models that reflect the application-centric view of the network. Finally, we provide some insight on growing research areas in 5G networking.

Big behavioral data: psychology, ethology and the foundations of neuroscience.

PubMed

Gomez-Marin, Alex; Paton, Joseph J; Kampff, Adam R; Costa, Rui M; Mainen, Zachary F

2014-11-01

Behavior is a unifying organismal process where genes, neural function, anatomy and environment converge and interrelate. Here we review the current state and discuss the future effect of accelerating advances in technology for behavioral studies, focusing on rodents as an example. We frame our perspective in three dimensions: the degree of experimental constraint, dimensionality of data and level of description. We argue that 'big behavioral data' presents challenges proportionate to its promise and describe how these challenges might be met through opportunities afforded by the two rival conceptual legacies of twentieth century behavioral science, ethology and psychology. We conclude that, although 'more is not necessarily better', copious, quantitative and open behavioral data has the potential to transform and unify these two disciplines and to solidify the foundations of others, including neuroscience, but only if the development of new theoretical frameworks and improved experimental designs matches the technological progress.

Harnessing glycomics technologies: integrating structure with function for glycan characterization

PubMed Central

Robinson, Luke N.; Artpradit, Charlermchai; Raman, Rahul; Shriver, Zachary H.; Ruchirawat, Mathuros; Sasisekharan, Ram

2013-01-01

Glycans, or complex carbohydrates, are a ubiquitous class of biological molecules which impinge on a variety of physiological processes ranging from signal transduction to tissue development and microbial pathogenesis. In comparison to DNA and proteins, glycans present unique challenges to the study of their structure and function owing to their complex and heterogeneous structures and the dominant role played by multivalency in their sequence-specific biological interactions. Arising from these challenges, there is a need to integrate information from multiple complementary methods to decode structure-function relationships. Focusing on acidic glycans, we describe here key glycomics technologies for characterizing their structural attributes, including linkage, modifications, and topology, as well as for elucidating their role in biological processes. Two cases studies, one involving sialylated branched glycans and the other sulfated glycosaminoglycans, are used to highlight how integration of orthogonal information from diverse datasets enables rapid convergence of glycan characterization for development of robust structure-function relationships. PMID:22522536

Science and technology convergence: with emphasis for nanotechnology-inspired convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bainbridge, William S.; Roco, Mihail C.

2016-07-01

Convergence offers a new universe of discovery, innovation, and application opportunities through specific theories, principles, and methods to be implemented in research, education, production, and other societal activities. Using a holistic approach with shared goals, convergence seeks to transcend existing human limitations to achieve improved conditions for work, learning, aging, physical, and cognitive wellness. This paper outlines ten key theories that offer complementary perspectives on this complex dynamic. Principles and methods are proposed to facilitate and enhance science and technology convergence. Several convergence success stories in the first part of the 21st century—including nanotechnology and other emerging technologies—are discussed in parallel with case studies focused on the future. The formulation of relevant theories, principles, and methods aims at establishing the convergence science.

Development of a Convergent Spray Technologies(tm) Spray Process for a Solventless Sprayable Coating, MCC-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, Anil K.; Meeks, C.

1998-01-01

This paper discusses the application of Convergent Spray Technologies (TM) Spray Process to the development and successful implementation of Marshall Convergent Coating (MCC-1) as a primary Thermal Protection System (TPS) for the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). This paper discusses the environmental and process benefits of the MCC-1 technology, shows the systematic steps taken in developing the technology, including statistical sensitivity studies of about 35 variables. Based on the process and post-flight successes on the SRB, it will be seen that the technology is "field-proven". Application of this technology to other aerospace and commercial programs is summarized to illustrate the wide range of possibilities.

The Impact of Converging Information Technologies. Proceedings of the CAUSE National Conference (Monterey, California, December 9-12, 1986).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CAUSE, Boulder, CO.

Proceedings of a 1986 CAUSE conference on the impact of converging information technologies are presented. Topics of conference papers include: policy issues in higher education, planning and information technology, people issues in information technology, telecommunications/networking, special environments, microcomputer issues and applications,…

Optical methods for enabling focus cues in head-mounted displays for virtual and augmented reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Hong

2017-05-01

Developing head-mounted displays (HMD) that offer uncompromised optical pathways to both digital and physical worlds without encumbrance and discomfort confronts many grand challenges, both from technological perspectives and human factors. Among the many challenges, minimizing visual discomfort is one of the key obstacles. One of the key contributing factors to visual discomfort is the lack of the ability to render proper focus cues in HMDs to stimulate natural eye accommodation responses, which leads to the well-known accommodation-convergence cue discrepancy problem. In this paper, I will provide a summary on the various optical methods approaches toward enabling focus cues in HMDs for both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

LLNL Mercury Project Trinity Open Science Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brantley, Patrick; Dawson, Shawn; McKinley, Scott

2016-04-20

The Mercury Monte Carlo particle transport code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is used to simulate the transport of radiation through urban environments. These challenging calculations include complicated geometries and require significant computational resources to complete. As a result, a question arises as to the level of convergence of the calculations with Monte Carlo simulation particle count. In the Trinity Open Science calculations, one main focus was to investigate convergence of the relevant simulation quantities with Monte Carlo particle count to assess the current simulation methodology. Both for this application space but also of more general applicability, wemore » also investigated the impact of code algorithms on parallel scaling on the Trinity machine as well as the utilization of the Trinity DataWarp burst buffer technology in Mercury via the LLNL Scalable Checkpoint/Restart (SCR) library.« less

Enhancing the Quality of E-Learning through Mobile Technology: A Socio-Cultural and Technology Perspective towards Quality E-Learning Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Male, Galamoyo; Pattinson, Colin

2011-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to present part of the work of an ongoing research project that is looking at socio- cultural and technological developments from a mobile technology convergence view; in order to show how culturally aware convergence developments in mobile technology can be adopted and employed for the betterment of society.…

Regional convergence platforms in Europe—Innovation for space through technology partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bütfering, Peter

2010-05-01

Upcoming European and national space exploration programs and projects require new capabilities and scientific-technological solutions, and therefore external contributions to innovation. On the other hand European core (industrial) regions are searching of partners for innovation to strengthen their regional economy. In this context the German-based company European Space Innovation AG (former Adam Alva Neil)—highly experienced in the area of convergence activities between space and other sectors—has developed the model of regional convergence platforms (named 'SpaceInnovation'). These platforms are designed to foster technology partnerships between regional companies and institutes from 'non-space' and the space sector (agencies/industry). The article reflects this regional approach and shows examples in three different directions: SpaceInnovation Saar, an benchmark convergence platform initiated by the Saarland region. SpaceInnovation Europe, an European regions network approach. European SpaceInnovation Agent, an interface approach for systematic and sustainable convergence activities.

An Ensemble Approach in Converging Contents of LMS and KMS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabitha, A. Sai; Mehrotra, Deepti; Bansal, Abhay

2017-01-01

Currently the challenges in e-Learning are converging the learning content from various sources and managing them within e-learning practices. Data mining learning algorithms can be used and the contents can be converged based on the Metadata of the objects. Ensemble methods use multiple learning algorithms and it can be used to converge the…

Professional convergence in forensic practice.

PubMed

Mercer, D; Mason, T; Richman, J

2001-06-01

This paper outlines the development and convergence of forensic science and secure psychiatric services in the UK, locating the professionalization of forensic nursing within a complex web of political, economic, and ideological structures. It is suggested that a stagnation of the therapeutic enterprise in high and medium security provision has witnessed an intrusion of medical power into the societal body. Expanding technologies of control and surveillance are discussed in relation to the move from modernity to postmodernity and the ongoing dynamic of medicalized offending. Four aspects of globalization are identified as impacting upon the organization and application of forensic practice: (i) organized capitalism and the exhaustion of the welfare state; (ii) security versus danger and trust versus risk; (iii) science as a meta-language; and (iv) foreclosure as a mechanism of censorship. Finally, as a challenge for the profession, some predictions are offered about the future directions or demise of forensic nursing.

Micro-Scale Avionics Thermal Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moran, Matthew E.

2001-01-01

Trends in the thermal management of avionics and commercial ground-based microelectronics are converging, and facing the same dilemma: a shortfall in technology to meet near-term maximum junction temperature and package power projections. Micro-scale devices hold the key to significant advances in thermal management, particularly micro-refrigerators/coolers that can drive cooling temperatures below ambient. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) Stirling cooler is currently under development at the NASA Glenn Research Center to meet this challenge with predicted efficiencies that are an order of magnitude better than current and future thermoelectric coolers.

Convergent innovation for sustainable economic growth and affordable universal health care: innovating the way we innovate.

PubMed

Dubé, Laurette; Jha, Srivardhini; Faber, Aida; Struben, Jeroen; London, Ted; Mohapatra, Archisman; Drager, Nick; Lannon, Chris; Joshi, P K; McDermott, John

2014-12-01

This paper introduces convergent innovation (CI) as a form of meta-innovation-an innovation in the way we innovate. CI integrates human and economic development outcomes, through behavioral and ecosystem transformation at scale, for sustainable prosperity and affordable universal health care within a whole-of-society paradigm. To this end, CI combines technological and social innovation (including organizational, social process, financial, and institutional), with a special focus on the most underserved populations. CI takes a modular approach that convenes around roadmaps for real world change-a portfolio of loosely coupled complementary partners from the business community, civil society, and the public sector. Roadmaps serve as collaborative platforms for focused, achievable, and time-bound projects to provide scalable, sustainable, and resilient solutions to complex challenges, with benefits both to participating partners and to society. In this paper, we first briefly review the literature on technological innovation that sets the foundations of CI and motivates its feasibility. We then describe CI, its building blocks, and enabling conditions for deployment and scaling up, illustrating its operational forms through examples of existing CI-sensitive innovation. © 2014 The New York Academy of Sciences.

Nanoinformatics: an emerging area of information technology at the intersection of bioinformatics, computational chemistry and nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

González-Nilo, Fernando; Pérez-Acle, Tomás; Guínez-Molinos, Sergio; Geraldo, Daniela A; Sandoval, Claudia; Yévenes, Alejandro; Santos, Leonardo S; Laurie, V Felipe; Mendoza, Hegaly; Cachau, Raúl E

2011-01-01

After the progress made during the genomics era, bioinformatics was tasked with supporting the flow of information generated by nanobiotechnology efforts. This challenge requires adapting classical bioinformatic and computational chemistry tools to store, standardize, analyze, and visualize nanobiotechnological information. Thus, old and new bioinformatic and computational chemistry tools have been merged into a new sub-discipline: nanoinformatics. This review takes a second look at the development of this new and exciting area as seen from the perspective of the evolution of nanobiotechnology applied to the life sciences. The knowledge obtained at the nano-scale level implies answers to new questions and the development of new concepts in different fields. The rapid convergence of technologies around nanobiotechnologies has spun off collaborative networks and web platforms created for sharing and discussing the knowledge generated in nanobiotechnology. The implementation of new database schemes suitable for storage, processing and integrating physical, chemical, and biological properties of nanoparticles will be a key element in achieving the promises in this convergent field. In this work, we will review some applications of nanobiotechnology to life sciences in generating new requirements for diverse scientific fields, such as bioinformatics and computational chemistry.

"Nanoselves": NBIC and the Culture of Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venkatesan, Priya

2010-01-01

The subject of this essay is NBIC convergence (nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science convergence). NBIC convergence is a recurring trope that is dominated by the paradigm of integration of the sciences. It is largely influenced by the considerations of social and economic impact, and it assumes positivism in…

[Regulatory Program for Medical Devices in Cuba: experiences and current challenges].

PubMed

Pereira, Dulce María Martínez; Rodríguez, Yadira Álvarez; Valdés, Yamila Cedeño; Ribas, Silvia Delgado

2016-05-01

Regulatory control of medical devices in Cuba is conducted through a system based on the Regulatory Program for Medical Devices as a way to ensure the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of these technologies, which are in use by the National Health System. This program was launched in 1992, when the Regulations for State Evaluation and Registration of Medical Devices were approved. Its successive stages and the merging of regulatory activities for drugs and medical equipment have meant progress toward stronger, more transparent strategies and greater control of industry and the National Health System. Throughout its course the Cuban program has met with challenges and difficulties that it has addressed by drawing on its own experiences. During the new period, the greatest challenges revolve around ensuring that regulatory systems incorporate scientific evaluation, risk levels, maximum rigor through the use of technical standards, and the implementation of international recommendations, together with the application of the ISO 13485 certification scheme, enhanced market monitoring, and classification of medical devices in accordance with their relevance to the country's national health policies. From the regional standpoint, the greatest challenge lies in working toward regulatory convergence. The Collaborating Centre for the Regulation of Health Technologies will support the proposed regulatory strategy and established regional priorities, in particular in connection with the implementation of actions involving medical devices.

Mobile internet technologies and their application to intelligent transportation systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

The worlds of mobile communication and the Internet are rapidly converging. This new domain, which is being touted as the "Wireless Web" or "Mobile Internet", is in its infancy and will require a number of complex technologies to mature and converge ...

Collaborative Instructional Strategies to Enhance Knowledge Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Draper, Darryl C.

2015-01-01

To promote knowledge convergence through collaborative learning activities in groups, this qualitative case study involved a layered approach for the design and delivery of a highly collaborative learning environment incorporating various instructional technologies grounded in learning theory. In a graduate-level instructional technology course,…

Mastering the broadband challenge: next-generation SONET in a packet world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farhi, Eyal

2001-10-01

The continuing liberalization of the world's telecommunications markets and the progressive convergence of voice, data, video and Internet communication are prompting telecommunication service providers to both expand and enhance their service capabilities. As bandwidth-hungry applications proliferate, and the demand for data and data services grows, the requirement for broadband communications appears to be insatiable. To provide the expected level of service in this environment of rapidly increasing demand, telcos and service providers must invest in an expanded network. However, to remain competitive and profitable, they must also continue to leverage their existing infrastructure investment. This paper will examine the current challenges network operators are facing today with the deployment of broadband technologies as they strive to maintain existing infrastructure investments while providing new services to their customers and developing added value network operations. This paper will explore various broadband technologies (optical/wireless) that operate on the primary SDH/SONET standards, their topologies and inherent benefits, which provide operators with solutions to the broadband challenge. New customer demands, such as high-speed Data transmissions (increased Internet use), coupled with operators' continuous need for network optimization, have thrown a wrench into daily operations. Therefore, the need to modernize existing networks has become paramount.

Converged Librarian/Academic Roles in the 'Wired' University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugdale, Christine

New technologies allow universities to extend pedagogical practices, enhance learning experiences and develop self-managed lifelong learners. To take full advantage of evolving technologies, multi-skilled teaching and development teams are required with a merging and converging of academic and librarian roles. Conclusions are reported from the…

Integrated Avionics System (IAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, D. J.

2001-01-01

As spacecraft designs converge toward miniaturization and with the volumetric and mass constraints placed on avionics, programs will continue to advance the 'state of the art' in spacecraft systems development with new challenges to reduce power, mass, and volume. Although new technologies have improved packaging densities, a total system packaging architecture is required that not only reduces spacecraft volume and mass budgets, but increase integration efficiencies, provide modularity and scalability to accommodate multiple missions. With these challenges in mind, a novel packaging approach incorporates solutions that provide broader environmental applications, more flexible system interconnectivity, scalability, and simplified assembly test and integration schemes. This paper will describe the fundamental elements of the Integrated Avionics System (IAS), Horizontally Mounted Cube (HMC) hardware design, system and environmental test results. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Convergent Evidence Scaling for Multiple Assessment Indicators: Conceptual Issues, Applications, and Technical Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busse, R. T.; Elliott, Stephen N.; Kratochwill, Thomas R.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article is to present Convergent Evidence Scaling (CES) as an emergent method for combining data from multiple assessment indicators. The CES method combines single-case assessment data by converging data gathered across multiple persons, settings, or measures, thereby providing an overall criterion-referenced outcome on which…

Theory Development and Convergence of Human Resource Fields: Implications for Human Performance Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Yonjoo; Yoon, Seung Won

2010-01-01

This study examines major theory developments in human resource (HR) fields and discusses implications for human performance technology (HPT). Differentiated HR fields are converging to improve organizational performance through knowledge-based innovations. Ruona and Gibson (2004) made a similar observation and analyzed the historical evolution…

Verification of Eulerian-Eulerian and Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations for turbulent fluid-particle flows

DOE PAGES

Patel, Ravi G.; Desjardins, Olivier; Kong, Bo; ...

2017-09-01

Here, we present a verification study of three simulation techniques for fluid–particle flows, including an Euler–Lagrange approach (EL) inspired by Jackson's seminal work on fluidized particles, a quadrature–based moment method based on the anisotropic Gaussian closure (AG), and the traditional two-fluid model. We perform simulations of two problems: particles in frozen homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT) and cluster-induced turbulence (CIT). For verification, we evaluate various techniques for extracting statistics from EL and study the convergence properties of the three methods under grid refinement. The convergence is found to depend on the simulation method and on the problem, with CIT simulations posingmore » fewer difficulties than HIT. Specifically, EL converges under refinement for both HIT and CIT, but statistics exhibit dependence on the postprocessing parameters. For CIT, AG produces similar results to EL. For HIT, converging both TFM and AG poses challenges. Overall, extracting converged, parameter-independent Eulerian statistics remains a challenge for all methods.« less

Verification of Eulerian-Eulerian and Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations for turbulent fluid-particle flows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, Ravi G.; Desjardins, Olivier; Kong, Bo

Here, we present a verification study of three simulation techniques for fluid–particle flows, including an Euler–Lagrange approach (EL) inspired by Jackson's seminal work on fluidized particles, a quadrature–based moment method based on the anisotropic Gaussian closure (AG), and the traditional two-fluid model. We perform simulations of two problems: particles in frozen homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT) and cluster-induced turbulence (CIT). For verification, we evaluate various techniques for extracting statistics from EL and study the convergence properties of the three methods under grid refinement. The convergence is found to depend on the simulation method and on the problem, with CIT simulations posingmore » fewer difficulties than HIT. Specifically, EL converges under refinement for both HIT and CIT, but statistics exhibit dependence on the postprocessing parameters. For CIT, AG produces similar results to EL. For HIT, converging both TFM and AG poses challenges. Overall, extracting converged, parameter-independent Eulerian statistics remains a challenge for all methods.« less

A Study of the Predictive Relationships between Faculty Engagement, Learner Satisfaction and Outcomes in Multiple Learning Delivery Modes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yen, Cherng-Jyh; Abdous, M'hammed

2011-01-01

The confluence of technology convergence, market forces, and student demand for greater access is reshaping higher education institutions. Indeed, the convergence of technological innovations in hardware, software, and telecommunications, combined with the ubiquity of learning management systems, is reconfiguring and strengthening traditional…

Can banks offer digital keys for health care?

PubMed

Casillas, John

2013-01-01

In the quest to implement electronic health care records, health care stakeholders have uncovered an elephant in the room - how to implement patient identity and integrity solutions. Without this, linking the unique records of an individual is impossible. An inaccurate record can be dangerous for prescribing treatment. Yet many consider a unique patient identifier as an unacceptable privacy risk. Medical banking, or the convergence of banking and heath IT systems, is spawning new ideas that could impact on this difficult area. This article suggests that new forms of efficiency in payment processing may yield a common, cross-industry technology platform for managing digital identity by banks. Redefining a bank based on core competencies, the article looks at three areas: (1) the "identity theft arms race"; (2) innovations in payment processing; and (3) consumer engagement, and suggests that, as banking and health care systems converge, digital identity may become the new money. This realization may find banks fully engaged in helping health care to overcome the challenge of patient identity and integrity.

Opposite Trends in the Regulation of Pornography? Policy Differentiation and Policy Convergence Across 26 Countries Between 1960 and 2010.

PubMed

Person, Christian; Hurka, Steffen; Knill, Christoph

2016-09-01

In recent decades, the regulation of pornography has been confronted with challenges emerging from cultural change, economic interests, and technological progress. As a result, the respective regulatory frameworks have changed substantially in many countries. These changes have been accompanied by fierce political struggles and societal value conflicts. However, there are few comparative studies on the reactions of national governments to these problems. In this article, we present new empirical data on the regulation of pornography in 26 countries between 1960 and 2010. To assess regulatory change, we rely on a new measurement approach that considers the extent to which governments intervene into individual freedoms and the degree to which noncompliance with these rules is actually sanctioned. Our analysis reveals a trend toward more permissive styles of pornography regulation. However, this trend is accompanied by growing regulatory specialization and a convergence toward more interventionist regimes for special types of pornography.

Toward a Predictive Framework for Convergent Evolution: Integrating Natural History, Genetic Mechanisms, and Consequences for the Diversity of Life.

PubMed

Agrawal, Anurag A

2017-08-01

A charm of biology as a scientific discipline is the diversity of life. Although this diversity can make laws of biology challenging to discover, several repeated patterns and general principles govern evolutionary diversification. Convergent evolution, the independent evolution of similar phenotypes, has been at the heart of one approach to understand generality in the evolutionary process. Yet understanding when and why organismal traits and strategies repeatedly evolve has been a central challenge. These issues were the focus of the American Society of Naturalists Vice Presidential Symposium in 2016 and are the subject of this collection of articles. Although naturalists have long made inferences about convergent evolution and its importance, there has been confusion in the interpretation of the pattern of convergence. Does convergence primarily indicate adaptation or constraint? How often should convergence be expected? Are there general principles that would allow us to predict where and when and by what mechanisms convergent evolution should occur? What role does natural history play in advancing our understanding of general evolutionary principles? In this introductory article, I address these questions, review several generalizations about convergent evolution that have emerged over the past 15 years, and present a framework for advancing the study and interpretation of convergence. Perhaps the most important emerging conclusion is that the genetic mechanisms of convergent evolution are phylogenetically conserved; that is, more closely related species tend to share the same genetic basis of traits, even when independently evolved. Finally, I highlight how the articles in this special issue further develop concepts, methodologies, and case studies at the frontier of our understanding of the causes and consequences of convergent evolution.

Print, Broadcast and Online Convergence in the Newsroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Scott C.; Petersen, Daniel; Thomsen, Steven

2000-01-01

Describes how, over five years, students and faculty at Brigham Young University created a converged newsroom that brought together student broadcast, print, and online journalism into one organization. Discusses the industry- and technology-driven rationale for converging newsrooms in educational institutions; describes generic changes and the…

Convergence and determinants of health expenditures in OECD countries.

PubMed

Nghiem, Son Hong; Connelly, Luke Brian

2017-08-17

This study examines the trend and determinants of health expenditures in OECD countries over the 1975-2004 period. Based on recent developments in the economic growth literature we propose and test the hypothesis that health care expenditures in countries of similar economic development level may converge. We hypothesise that the main drivers for growth in health care costs include: aging population, technological progress and health insurance. The results reveal no evidence that health expenditures among OECD countries converge. Nevertheless, there is evidence of convergence among three sub-groups of countries. We found that the main driver of health expenditure is technological progress. Our results also suggest that health care is a (national) necessity, not a luxury good as some other studies in this field have found.

Research on microbial microenvironments in soils: Convergence of approaches and a look ahead

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baveye, Philippe C.

2017-04-01

Over the last 10 years, a significant body of research has been devoted to the analysis, at the microscopic scale, of a variety of soil processes, and of the physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters that affect them. When this work was initiated, a decade ago, it was clear at least to some of us that different experimental and modeling approaches should be adopted, and that advances would be achieved through the convergence of these different approaches. As work progresses and as we meet further challenges with each line of research, it is easy to forget what we thought the points of convergence should be, and to lose track of the ultimate goals of the research. In this "philosophical" talk, I would like to put things back in context, describe the bigger picture of the microscale research on soil processes, propose an overview of the state-of-the-science, and discuss what perspectives are afforded by recent technological and computational developments in the field. I will argue that by having a clear set of questions to be answered, a well-thought-out program to address these questions, and a lucid perspective on where we are along the path, it will be easier to attract support for our efforts.

High-Performance AC Power Source by Applying Robust Stability Control Technology for Precision Material Machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, En-Chih

2018-02-01

This paper presents a high-performance AC power source by applying robust stability control technology for precision material machining (PMM). The proposed technology associates the benefits of finite-time convergent sliding function (FTCSF) and firefly optimization algorithm (FOA). The FTCSF maintains the robustness of conventional sliding mode, and simultaneously speeds up the convergence speed of the system state. Unfortunately, when a highly nonlinear loading is applied, the chatter will occur. The chatter results in high total harmonic distortion (THD) output voltage of AC power source, and even deteriorates the stability of PMM. The FOA is therefore used to remove the chatter, and the FTCSF still preserves finite system-state convergence time. By combining FTCSF with FOA, the AC power source of PMM can yield good steady-state and transient performance. Experimental results are performed in support of the proposed technology.

Complex systems thinking in emergency medicine: A novel paradigm for a rapidly changing and interconnected health care landscape.

PubMed

Widmer, Matthew A; Swanson, R Chad; Zink, Brian J; Pines, Jesse M

2017-12-27

The specialty of emergency medicine is experiencing the convergence of a number of transformational forces in the United States, including health care reform, technological advancements, and societal shifts. These bring both opportunity and uncertainty. 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES: Persistent challenges such as the opioid epidemic, rising health care costs, misaligned incentives, patients with multiple chronic diseases, and emergency department crowding continue to plague the acute, unscheduled care system. The traditional approach to health care practice and improvement-reductionism-is not adequate for the complexity of the twenty-first century. Reductionist thinking will likely continue to produce unintended consequences and suboptimal outcomes. Complex systems thinking provides a perspective and set of tools better suited for the challenges and opportunities facing public health in general, and emergency medicine more specifically. This article introduces complex systems thinking and argues for its application in the context of emergency medicine by drawing on the history of the circumstances surrounding the formation of the specialty and by providing examples of its application to several practice challenges. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Concise Review: Microfluidic Technology Platforms: Poised to Accelerate Development and Translation of Stem Cell-Derived Therapies

PubMed Central

Titmarsh, Drew M.; Chen, Huaying; Glass, Nick R.; Cooper-White, Justin J.

2014-01-01

Stem cells are a powerful resource for producing a variety of cell types with utility in clinically associated applications, including preclinical drug screening and development, disease and developmental modeling, and regenerative medicine. Regardless of the type of stem cell, substantial barriers to clinical translation still exist and must be overcome to realize full clinical potential. These barriers span processes including cell isolation, expansion, and differentiation; purification, quality control, and therapeutic efficacy and safety; and the economic viability of bioprocesses for production of functional cell products. Microfluidic systems have been developed for a myriad of biological applications and have the intrinsic capability of controlling and interrogating the cellular microenvironment with unrivalled precision; therefore, they have particular relevance to overcoming such barriers to translation. Development of microfluidic technologies increasingly utilizes stem cells, addresses stem cell-relevant biological phenomena, and aligns capabilities with translational challenges and goals. In this concise review, we describe how microfluidic technologies can contribute to the translation of stem cell research outcomes, and we provide an update on innovative research efforts in this area. This timely convergence of stem cell translational challenges and microfluidic capabilities means that there is now an opportunity for both disciplines to benefit from increased interaction. PMID:24311699

Cells as advanced therapeutics: State-of-the-art, challenges, and opportunities in large scale biomanufacturing of high-quality cells for adoptive immunotherapies.

PubMed

Dwarshuis, Nate J; Parratt, Kirsten; Santiago-Miranda, Adriana; Roy, Krishnendu

2017-05-15

Therapeutic cells hold tremendous promise in treating currently incurable, chronic diseases since they perform multiple, integrated, complex functions in vivo compared to traditional small-molecule drugs or biologics. However, they also pose significant challenges as therapeutic products because (a) their complex mechanisms of actions are difficult to understand and (b) low-cost bioprocesses for large-scale, reproducible manufacturing of cells have yet to be developed. Immunotherapies using T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) have already shown great promise in treating several types of cancers, and human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) are now extensively being evaluated in clinical trials as immune-modulatory cells. Despite these exciting developments, the full potential of cell-based therapeutics cannot be realized unless new engineering technologies enable cost-effective, consistent manufacturing of high-quality therapeutic cells at large-scale. Here we review cell-based immunotherapy concepts focused on the state-of-the-art in manufacturing processes including cell sourcing, isolation, expansion, modification, quality control (QC), and culture media requirements. We also offer insights into how current technologies could be significantly improved and augmented by new technologies, and how disciplines must converge to meet the long-term needs for large-scale production of cell-based immunotherapies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

European public deliberation on brain machine interface technology: five convergence seminars.

PubMed

Jebari, Karim; Hansson, Sven-Ove

2013-09-01

We present a novel procedure to engage the public in ethical deliberations on the potential impacts of brain machine interface technology. We call this procedure a convergence seminar, a form of scenario-based group discussion that is founded on the idea of hypothetical retrospection. The theoretical background of this procedure and the results of five seminars are presented.

The Impact of Wikis and Discussion Boards on Learning English as a Second Language. A Mixed Methods Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sánchez-Gómez, Ma. Cruz; Pinto-Llorente, Ana Ma.; García-Peñalvo, Francisco José

2017-01-01

In the field of teaching a second language (L2), technology has always occupied a relevant position. The development of new technological tools has allowed the convergence of two learning environments, traditional face-to-face learning and virtual learning. This convergence has fostered the advantages of both types of instructions and the…

The Brave New World of Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adkins, Sam S.

2003-01-01

Explores how old and new training technologies are converging. Discusses the concept of integrated applications and provides a taxonomy of convergent enterprise applications for use with real-time workflow. (JOW)

Genetic Advances in Autism: Heterogeneity and Convergence on Shared Pathways

PubMed Central

Bill, Brent R.; Geschwind, Daniel H.

2009-01-01

The autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous set of developmental disorders characterized at their core by deficits in social interaction and communication. Current psychiatric nosology groups this broad set of disorders with strong genetic liability and multiple etiologies into the same diagnostic category. This heterogeneity has challenged genetic analyses. But shared patient resources, genomic technologies, more refined phenotypes, and novel computational approaches have begun to yield dividends in defining the genetic mechanisms at work. Over the last five years, a large number of autism susceptibility loci have emerged, redefining our notion of autism’s etiologies, and reframing how we think about ASD. PMID:19477629

Morphometric Assessment of Convergent Tool Technology and Function during the Early Middle Palaeolithic: The Case of Payre, France

PubMed Central

Détroit, Florent; Coudenneau, Aude; Moncel, Marie-Hélène

2016-01-01

There appears to be little doubt as to the existence of an intentional technological resolve to produce convergent tools during the Middle Palaeolithic. However, the use of these pieces as pointed tools is still subject to debate: i.e., handheld tool vs. hafted tool. Present-day technological analysis has begun to apply new methodologies in order to quantify shape variability and to decipher the role of the morphology of these pieces in relation to function; for instance, geometric morphometric analyses have recently been applied with successful results. This paper presents a study of this type of analysis on 37 convergent tools from level Ga of Payre site (France), dated to MIS 8–7. These pieces are non-standardized knapping products produced by discoidal and orthogonal core technologies. Moreover, macro-wear studies attest to various activities on diverse materials with no evidence of hafting or projectile use. The aim of this paper is to test the geometric morphometric approach on non-standardized artefacts applying the Elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA) to 3D contours and to assess the potential relationship between size and shape, technology and function. This study is innovative in that it is the first time that this method, considered to be a valuable complement for describing technological and functional attributes, is applied to 3D contours of lithic products. Our results show that this methodology ensures a very good degree of accuracy in describing shape variations of the sharp edges of technologically non-standardized convergent tools. EFA on 3D contours indicates variations in deviations of the outline along the third dimension (i.e., dorso-ventrally) and yields quantitative and insightful information on the actual shape variations of tools. Several statistically significant relationships are found between shape variation and use-wear attributes, though the results emphasize the large variability of the shape of the convergent tools, which, in general, does not show a strong direct association with technological features and function. This is in good agreement with the technological context of this chronological period, characterized by a wide diversity of non-standardized tools adapted to multipurpose functions for varied subsistence activities. PMID:27191164

Morphometric Assessment of Convergent Tool Technology and Function during the Early Middle Palaeolithic: The Case of Payre, France.

PubMed

Chacón, M Gema; Détroit, Florent; Coudenneau, Aude; Moncel, Marie-Hélène

2016-01-01

There appears to be little doubt as to the existence of an intentional technological resolve to produce convergent tools during the Middle Palaeolithic. However, the use of these pieces as pointed tools is still subject to debate: i.e., handheld tool vs. hafted tool. Present-day technological analysis has begun to apply new methodologies in order to quantify shape variability and to decipher the role of the morphology of these pieces in relation to function; for instance, geometric morphometric analyses have recently been applied with successful results. This paper presents a study of this type of analysis on 37 convergent tools from level Ga of Payre site (France), dated to MIS 8-7. These pieces are non-standardized knapping products produced by discoidal and orthogonal core technologies. Moreover, macro-wear studies attest to various activities on diverse materials with no evidence of hafting or projectile use. The aim of this paper is to test the geometric morphometric approach on non-standardized artefacts applying the Elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA) to 3D contours and to assess the potential relationship between size and shape, technology and function. This study is innovative in that it is the first time that this method, considered to be a valuable complement for describing technological and functional attributes, is applied to 3D contours of lithic products. Our results show that this methodology ensures a very good degree of accuracy in describing shape variations of the sharp edges of technologically non-standardized convergent tools. EFA on 3D contours indicates variations in deviations of the outline along the third dimension (i.e., dorso-ventrally) and yields quantitative and insightful information on the actual shape variations of tools. Several statistically significant relationships are found between shape variation and use-wear attributes, though the results emphasize the large variability of the shape of the convergent tools, which, in general, does not show a strong direct association with technological features and function. This is in good agreement with the technological context of this chronological period, characterized by a wide diversity of non-standardized tools adapted to multipurpose functions for varied subsistence activities.

Research on NGN network control technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, WenYao; Zhou, Fang; Wu, JianXue; Li, ZhiGuang

2004-04-01

Nowadays NGN (Next Generation Network) is the hotspot for discussion and research in IT section. The NGN core technology is the network control technology. The key goal of NGN is to realize the network convergence and evolution. Referring to overlay network model core on Softswitch technology, circuit switch network and IP network convergence realized. Referring to the optical transmission network core on ASTN/ASON, service layer (i.e. IP layer) and optical transmission convergence realized. Together with the distributing feature of NGN network control technology, on NGN platform, overview of combining Softswitch and ASTN/ASON control technology, the solution whether IP should be the NGN core carrier platform attracts general attention, and this is also a QoS problem on NGN end to end. This solution produces the significant practical meaning on equipment development, network deployment, network design and optimization, especially on realizing present network smooth evolving to the NGN. This is why this paper puts forward the research topic on the NGN network control technology. This paper introduces basics on NGN network control technology, then proposes NGN network control reference model, at the same time describes a realizable network structure of NGN. Based on above, from the view of function realization, NGN network control technology is discussed and its work mechanism is analyzed.

Humanity and Environment Co-influence in the Shadow of Technological Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezdina, Natalya

2017-11-01

Today one of the most important issues is the search for controlled ways of sustainable development of civilization, society, and a human. Previously, the development of society was determined by natural and evolutionary factors based on the principle of natural selection of living organisms and populations. However, as social institutions are developing, the technological factors of development, determined by the ideas about this phenomenon - the special arrangement of productive forces and the need to protect or change the environment, began to appear. The end of the 20th century was marked by the realization of a new, universal form of economic and technological synthesis - convergence, which, in the process of developing science and improving technology, became so comprehensive and widespread that today it can be called the force that transforms the environment. In this regard, it is convergent technologies that become the focus and the basis for research of the processes uniting the main spheres of human activity - science, society and technology, which will lead to a new form of interaction with the environment, conditioned not only by scientific and technological changes and social factors, but also new organizational forms of their interaction.

From generic pathways to ICT-supported horizontally integrated care: the SmartCare approach and convergence with future Internet assembly.

PubMed

Urošević, Vladimir; Mitić, Marko

2014-01-01

Successful service integration in policy and practice requires both technology innovation and service process innovation being pursued and implemented at the same time. The SmartCare project (partially EC-funded under CIP ICT PSP Program) aims to achieve this through development, piloting and evaluation of ICT-based services, horizontally integrating health and social care in ten pilot regions, including Kraljevo region in Serbia. The project has identified and adopted two generic highest-level common thematic pathways in joint consolidation phase - integrated support for long-term care and integrated support after hospital discharge. A common set of standard functional specifications for an open ICT platform enabling the delivery of integrated care is being defined, around the challenges of data sharing, coordination and communication in these two formalized pathways. Implementation and system integration on technology and architecture level are to be based on open standards, multivendor interoperability, and leveraging on the current evolving open specification technology foundations developed in relevant projects across the European Research Area.

Process and data fragmentation-oriented enterprise network integration with collaboration modelling and collaboration agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing; Wang, Ze-yuan; Cao, Zhi-chao; Du, Rui-yang; Luo, Hao

2015-08-01

With the process of globalisation and the development of management models and information technology, enterprise cooperation and collaboration has developed from intra-enterprise integration, outsourcing and inter-enterprise integration, and supply chain management, to virtual enterprises and enterprise networks. Some midfielder enterprises begin to serve for different supply chains. Therefore, they combine related supply chains into a complex enterprise network. The main challenges for enterprise network's integration and collaboration are business process and data fragmentation beyond organisational boundaries. This paper reviews the requirements of enterprise network's integration and collaboration, as well as the development of new information technologies. Based on service-oriented architecture (SOA), collaboration modelling and collaboration agents are introduced to solve problems of collaborative management for service convergence under the condition of process and data fragmentation. A model-driven methodology is developed to design and deploy the integrating framework. An industrial experiment is designed and implemented to illustrate the usage of developed technologies in this paper.

``Just Another Distribution Channel?''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemstra, Wolter; de Leeuw, Gerd-Jan; van de Kar, Els; Brand, Paul

The telecommunications-centric business model of mobile operators is under attack due to technological convergence in the communication and content industries. This has resulted in a plethora of academic contributions on the design of new business models and service platform architectures. However, a discussion of the challenges that operators are facing in adopting these models is lacking. We assess these challenges by considering the mobile network as part of the value system of the content industry. We will argue that from the perspective of a content provider the mobile network is ‘just another’ distribution channel. Strategic options available for the mobile communication operators are to deliver an excellent distribution channel for content delivery or to move upwards in the value chain by becoming a content aggregator. To become a mobile content aggregator operators will have to develop or acquire complementary resources and capabilities. Whether this strategic option is sustainable remains open.

Organ-On-A-Chip Platforms: A Convergence of Advanced Materials, Cells, and Microscale Technologies.

PubMed

Ahadian, Samad; Civitarese, Robert; Bannerman, Dawn; Mohammadi, Mohammad Hossein; Lu, Rick; Wang, Erika; Davenport-Huyer, Locke; Lai, Ben; Zhang, Boyang; Zhao, Yimu; Mandla, Serena; Korolj, Anastasia; Radisic, Milica

2018-01-01

Significant advances in biomaterials, stem cell biology, and microscale technologies have enabled the fabrication of biologically relevant tissues and organs. Such tissues and organs, referred to as organ-on-a-chip (OOC) platforms, have emerged as a powerful tool in tissue analysis and disease modeling for biological and pharmacological applications. A variety of biomaterials are used in tissue fabrication providing multiple biological, structural, and mechanical cues in the regulation of cell behavior and tissue morphogenesis. Cells derived from humans enable the fabrication of personalized OOC platforms. Microscale technologies are specifically helpful in providing physiological microenvironments for tissues and organs. In this review, biomaterials, cells, and microscale technologies are described as essential components to construct OOC platforms. The latest developments in OOC platforms (e.g., liver, skeletal muscle, cardiac, cancer, lung, skin, bone, and brain) are then discussed as functional tools in simulating human physiology and metabolism. Future perspectives and major challenges in the development of OOC platforms toward accelerating clinical studies of drug discovery are finally highlighted. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

HDTV versus electronic cinema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinker, Michael

1998-12-01

We are on the brink of transforming the movie theatre with electronic cinema. Technologies are converging to make true electronic cinema, with a 'film look,' possible for the first time. In order to realize the possibilities, we must leverage current technologies in video compression, electronic projection, digital storage, and digital networks. All these technologies have only recently improved sufficiently to make their use in the electronic cinema worthwhile. Video compression, such as MPEG-2, is designed to overcome the limitations of video, primarily limited bandwidth. As a result, although HDTV offers a serious challenge to film-based cinema, it falls short in a number of areas, such as color depth. Freed from the constraints of video transmission, and using the recently improved technologies available, electronic cinema can move beyond video; Although movies will have to be compressed for some time, what is needed is a concept of 'cinema compression,' rather than video compression. Electronic cinema will open up vast new possibilities for viewing experiences at the theater, while at the same time offering up the potential for new economies in the movie industry.

Using immersive media and digital technology to communicate Earth Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapur, Ravi

2016-04-01

A number of technologies in digital media and interactivity have rapidly advanced and are now converging to enable rich, multi-sensoral experiences which create opportunities for both digital art and science communication. Techniques used in full-dome film-making can now be deployed in virtual reality experiences; gaming technologies can be utilised to explore real data sets; and collaborative interactivity enable new forms of public artwork. This session will explore these converging trends through a number of emerging and forthcoming projects dealing with Earth science, climate change and planetary science.

NBIC-Convergence as a Paradigm Platform of Sustainable Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotsenko, Elena

2017-11-01

Today, the fastest rates of scientific and technological development are typical for the spheres of nano-systems and materials industry, information and communication systems, as well as spheres of direct human impact on environment - power industry, urbanization, and industrial infrastructure. Accelerate replacement of a human by machines and robots, the construction of megacities; the transportation of huge volumes of environmentally hazardous goods takes place against the background of intensive generation of knowledge, the transition of the results of fundamental research into specific production technologies. In this process, on the one hand, a fundamentally new format for technological restructuring of the world economy is being developed. On the other hand, a new platform for human-environment interaction is being formed, where both positive and negative environmental impacts will be determined by unstudied factors in the near future. The reason for this is in the forthcoming replacement of the technologies that are familiar to us, although dynamically developing, by fundamentally new - convergent. Entering the front line of technological development - NBIC-convergence - requires a new paradigm of sustainable development.

Hybrid Electric Propulsion Technologies for Commercial Transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, Cheryl; Jansen, Ralph; Jankovsky, Amy

2016-01-01

NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate has set strategic research thrusts to address the major drivers of aviation such as growth in demand for high-speed mobility, addressing global climate and capitalizing in the convergence of technological advances. Transitioning aviation to low carbon propulsion is one of the key strategic research thrust and drives the search for alternative and greener propulsion system for advanced aircraft configurations. This work requires multidisciplinary skills coming from multiple entities. The Hybrid Gas-Electric Subproject in the Advanced Air Transportation Project is energizing the transport class landscape by accepting the technical challenge of identifying and validating a transport class aircraft with net benefit from hybrid propulsion. This highly integrated aircraft of the future will only happen if airframe expertise from NASA Langley, modeling and simulation expertise from NASA Ames, propulsion expertise from NASA Glenn, and the flight research capabilities from NASA Armstrong are brought together to leverage the rich capabilities of U.S. Industry and Academia.

State of the art discovery with tumor profiling in pediatric oncology.

PubMed

Carroll, William L; Raetz, Elizabeth; Meyer, Julia

2015-01-01

It is an exciting era in pediatric oncology with the advent of new technologies to comprehensively characterize cancer genomes in childhood tumors. Defining the genetic landscape of pediatric tumors has not only provided critical insight into tumor evolution, but it has also offered promise for more effective treatment in some cases, such as Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-mutated tumors. However, several challenges remain as the field of genomic tumor profiling emerges. This new technology is costly, and the overall impact on survival has yet to be determined. Tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution have also presented challenges in the development of targeted therapy. In this article, we review breakthroughs in gene sequencing methodology and discuss examples where genomic discoveries have resulted in the recognition of tumor susceptibility as well as incorporation of targeted therapy. We also discuss how broad scale comprehensive tumor analyses have demonstrated the convergence of individual genetic alterations on common relevant pathways. Although the impact of tumor profiling is best studied within the context of rigorously designed clinical trials, there is promise that there will be growing opportunities for the adaption of precision medicine in pediatric oncology in the future.

Rare ecomorphological convergence on a complex adaptive landscape: Body size and diet mediate evolution of jaw shape in squirrels (Sciuridae).

PubMed

Zelditch, Miriam Leah; Ye, Ji; Mitchell, Jonathan S; Swiderski, Donald L

2017-03-01

Convergence is widely regarded as compelling evidence for adaptation, often being portrayed as evidence that phenotypic outcomes are predictable from ecology, overriding contingencies of history. However, repeated outcomes may be very rare unless adaptive landscapes are simple, structured by strong ecological and functional constraints. One such constraint may be a limitation on body size because performance often scales with size, allowing species to adapt to challenging functions by modifying only size. When size is constrained, species might adapt by changing shape; convergent shapes may therefore be common when size is limiting and functions are challenging. We examine the roles of size and diet as determinants of jaw shape in Sciuridae. As expected, size and diet have significant interdependent effects on jaw shape and ecomorphological convergence is rare, typically involving demanding diets and limiting sizes. More surprising is morphological without ecological convergence, which is equally common between and within dietary classes. Those cases, like rare ecomorphological convergence, may be consequences of evolving on an adaptive landscape shaped by many-to-many relationships between ecology and function, many-to-one relationships between form and performance, and one-to-many relationships between functionally versatile morphologies and ecology. On complex adaptive landscapes, ecological selection can yield different outcomes. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

The Threat of Unexamined Secondary Data: A Critical Race Transformative Convergent Mixed Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Nichole M.; Mayorga, Oscar J.

2018-01-01

This article uses a critical race theory framework to conceptualize a Critical Race Transformative Convergent Mixed Methods (CRTCMM) in education. CRTCMM is a methodology that challenges normative educational research practices by acknowledging that racism permeates educational institutions and marginalizes Communities of Color. The focus of this…

Converging blockchain and next-generation artificial intelligence technologies to decentralize and accelerate biomedical research and healthcare

PubMed Central

Mamoshina, Polina; Ojomoko, Lucy; Yanovich, Yury; Ostrovski, Alex; Botezatu, Alex; Prikhodko, Pavel; Izumchenko, Eugene; Aliper, Alexander; Romantsov, Konstantin; Zhebrak, Alexander; Ogu, Iraneus Obioma; Zhavoronkov, Alex

2018-01-01

The increased availability of data and recent advancements in artificial intelligence present the unprecedented opportunities in healthcare and major challenges for the patients, developers, providers and regulators. The novel deep learning and transfer learning techniques are turning any data about the person into medical data transforming simple facial pictures and videos into powerful sources of data for predictive analytics. Presently, the patients do not have control over the access privileges to their medical records and remain unaware of the true value of the data they have. In this paper, we provide an overview of the next-generation artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies and present innovative solutions that may be used to accelerate the biomedical research and enable patients with new tools to control and profit from their personal data as well with the incentives to undergo constant health monitoring. We introduce new concepts to appraise and evaluate personal records, including the combination-, time- and relationship-value of the data. We also present a roadmap for a blockchain-enabled decentralized personal health data ecosystem to enable novel approaches for drug discovery, biomarker development, and preventative healthcare. A secure and transparent distributed personal data marketplace utilizing blockchain and deep learning technologies may be able to resolve the challenges faced by the regulators and return the control over personal data including medical records back to the individuals. PMID:29464026

Converging blockchain and next-generation artificial intelligence technologies to decentralize and accelerate biomedical research and healthcare.

PubMed

Mamoshina, Polina; Ojomoko, Lucy; Yanovich, Yury; Ostrovski, Alex; Botezatu, Alex; Prikhodko, Pavel; Izumchenko, Eugene; Aliper, Alexander; Romantsov, Konstantin; Zhebrak, Alexander; Ogu, Iraneus Obioma; Zhavoronkov, Alex

2018-01-19

The increased availability of data and recent advancements in artificial intelligence present the unprecedented opportunities in healthcare and major challenges for the patients, developers, providers and regulators. The novel deep learning and transfer learning techniques are turning any data about the person into medical data transforming simple facial pictures and videos into powerful sources of data for predictive analytics. Presently, the patients do not have control over the access privileges to their medical records and remain unaware of the true value of the data they have. In this paper, we provide an overview of the next-generation artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies and present innovative solutions that may be used to accelerate the biomedical research and enable patients with new tools to control and profit from their personal data as well with the incentives to undergo constant health monitoring. We introduce new concepts to appraise and evaluate personal records, including the combination-, time- and relationship-value of the data. We also present a roadmap for a blockchain-enabled decentralized personal health data ecosystem to enable novel approaches for drug discovery, biomarker development, and preventative healthcare. A secure and transparent distributed personal data marketplace utilizing blockchain and deep learning technologies may be able to resolve the challenges faced by the regulators and return the control over personal data including medical records back to the individuals.

Multimedia reviews: multimedia convergence for clinicians.

PubMed

Taintor, Zebulon

2003-12-01

Introduction by the column editor: In this final column of the year, Dr. Taintor provides an overview of exciting technological developments via his report on the 2003 annual meeting of the American Association for Technology in Psychiatry (AATP). Advances-and convergences-in technology are providing clinicians with increasingly useful tools to enhance the effectiveness of their treatments, increase access to care, reduce errors, and save time. As Dr. Taintor notes, AATP's meeting is traditionally held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). I hope that his report will encourage APA's members to attend some of next year's informative sessions.

Stability analysis of a deterministic dose calculation for MRI-guided radiotherapy.

PubMed

Zelyak, O; Fallone, B G; St-Aubin, J

2017-12-14

Modern effort in radiotherapy to address the challenges of tumor localization and motion has led to the development of MRI guided radiotherapy technologies. Accurate dose calculations must properly account for the effects of the MRI magnetic fields. Previous work has investigated the accuracy of a deterministic linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) solver that includes magnetic field, but not the stability of the iterative solution method. In this work, we perform a stability analysis of this deterministic algorithm including an investigation of the convergence rate dependencies on the magnetic field, material density, energy, and anisotropy expansion. The iterative convergence rate of the continuous and discretized LBTE including magnetic fields is determined by analyzing the spectral radius using Fourier analysis for the stationary source iteration (SI) scheme. The spectral radius is calculated when the magnetic field is included (1) as a part of the iteration source, and (2) inside the streaming-collision operator. The non-stationary Krylov subspace solver GMRES is also investigated as a potential method to accelerate the iterative convergence, and an angular parallel computing methodology is investigated as a method to enhance the efficiency of the calculation. SI is found to be unstable when the magnetic field is part of the iteration source, but unconditionally stable when the magnetic field is included in the streaming-collision operator. The discretized LBTE with magnetic fields using a space-angle upwind stabilized discontinuous finite element method (DFEM) was also found to be unconditionally stable, but the spectral radius rapidly reaches unity for very low-density media and increasing magnetic field strengths indicating arbitrarily slow convergence rates. However, GMRES is shown to significantly accelerate the DFEM convergence rate showing only a weak dependence on the magnetic field. In addition, the use of an angular parallel computing strategy is shown to potentially increase the efficiency of the dose calculation.

Stability analysis of a deterministic dose calculation for MRI-guided radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zelyak, O.; Fallone, B. G.; St-Aubin, J.

2018-01-01

Modern effort in radiotherapy to address the challenges of tumor localization and motion has led to the development of MRI guided radiotherapy technologies. Accurate dose calculations must properly account for the effects of the MRI magnetic fields. Previous work has investigated the accuracy of a deterministic linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) solver that includes magnetic field, but not the stability of the iterative solution method. In this work, we perform a stability analysis of this deterministic algorithm including an investigation of the convergence rate dependencies on the magnetic field, material density, energy, and anisotropy expansion. The iterative convergence rate of the continuous and discretized LBTE including magnetic fields is determined by analyzing the spectral radius using Fourier analysis for the stationary source iteration (SI) scheme. The spectral radius is calculated when the magnetic field is included (1) as a part of the iteration source, and (2) inside the streaming-collision operator. The non-stationary Krylov subspace solver GMRES is also investigated as a potential method to accelerate the iterative convergence, and an angular parallel computing methodology is investigated as a method to enhance the efficiency of the calculation. SI is found to be unstable when the magnetic field is part of the iteration source, but unconditionally stable when the magnetic field is included in the streaming-collision operator. The discretized LBTE with magnetic fields using a space-angle upwind stabilized discontinuous finite element method (DFEM) was also found to be unconditionally stable, but the spectral radius rapidly reaches unity for very low-density media and increasing magnetic field strengths indicating arbitrarily slow convergence rates. However, GMRES is shown to significantly accelerate the DFEM convergence rate showing only a weak dependence on the magnetic field. In addition, the use of an angular parallel computing strategy is shown to potentially increase the efficiency of the dose calculation.

Corrigendum to "Stability analysis of a deterministic dose calculation for MRI-guided radiotherapy".

PubMed

Zelyak, Oleksandr; Fallone, B Gino; St-Aubin, Joel

2018-03-12

Modern effort in radiotherapy to address the challenges of tumor localization and motion has led to the development of MRI guided radiotherapy technologies. Accurate dose calculations must properly account for the effects of the MRI magnetic fields. Previous work has investigated the accuracy of a deterministic linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) solver that includes magnetic field, but not the stability of the iterative solution method. In this work, we perform a stability analysis of this deterministic algorithm including an investigation of the convergence rate dependencies on the magnetic field, material density, energy, and anisotropy expansion. The iterative convergence rate of the continuous and discretized LBTE including magnetic fields is determined by analyzing the spectral radius using Fourier analysis for the stationary source iteration (SI) scheme. The spectral radius is calculated when the magnetic field is included (1) as a part of the iteration source, and (2) inside the streaming-collision operator. The non-stationary Krylov subspace solver GMRES is also investigated as a potential method to accelerate the iterative convergence, and an angular parallel computing methodology is investigated as a method to enhance the efficiency of the calculation. SI is found to be unstable when the magnetic field is part of the iteration source, but unconditionally stable when the magnetic field is included in the streaming-collision operator. The discretized LBTE with magnetic fields using a space-angle upwind stabilized discontinuous finite element method (DFEM) was also found to be unconditionally stable, but the spectral radius rapidly reaches unity for very low density media and increasing magnetic field strengths indicating arbitrarily slow convergence rates. However, GMRES is shown to significantly accelerate the DFEM convergence rate showing only a weak dependence on the magnetic field. In addition, the use of an angular parallel computing strategy is shown to potentially increase the efficiency of the dose calculation. © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

Convergence of agricultural intensification and climate change in the midwestern United States: Implications for soil and water conservation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Society faces substantial challenges to expand food production while adapting to climatic changes and ensuring ecosystem services are maintained. A convergence of these issues is occurring in the Midwestern United States, i.e., the ‘cornbelt’ region that provides substantial grain supplies to world ...

Professionalization in Universities and European Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vivas, Amparo Jimenez; Hevia, David Menendez Alvarez

2009-01-01

The constant assessment of the quality of higher education within the framework of European convergence is a challenge for all those universities that wish their degrees and diplomas to reflect a unified Europe. As is the case in any assessment, change and review process, the quest to improve quality implies measuring achievement of the objectives…

Has the Elite Foundation Agenda Spread beyond the Gates? An Organizational Network Analysis of Nonmajor Philanthropic Giving in K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrare, Joseph J.; Reynolds, Katherine

2016-01-01

Previous research focusing on major philanthropic foundations suggests that these actors have collectively converged around a set of jurisdictional challengers promoting market-based education reforms. Using correspondence analysis, network analysis, and geographic information science, this article empirically tests whether this convergence has…

Educational Technology and Distance Education: The Convergence and the Futures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panda, Santosh

1990-01-01

Establishes the connection between educational technology and distance education, instructional design, and delivery. Concludes that, although technology has had minimal influence in traditional classrooms, it is inextricably from distance education. (SK)

Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge: 2005 Greener Synthetic Pathways Award (Merck & Co., Inc.)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge 2005 award winner, Merck, designed an atom-economical, energy- and water-saving, convergent synthesis for aprepitant, the active ingredient in Emend, a drug for nausea and vomiting.

EVALUATION OF CONVERGENT SPRAY TECHNOLOGYTM SPRAY PROCESS FOR ROOF COATING APPLICATION

EPA Science Inventory

The overall goal of this project was to demonstrate the feasibility of Convergent Spray TechnologyTM for the roofing industry. This was accomplished by producing an environmentally compliant coating utilizing recycled materials, a CSTTM spray process portable application cart, a...

Preparing for the changing role of instructional technologies in medical education.

PubMed

Robin, Bernard R; McNeil, Sara G; Cook, David A; Agarwal, Kathryn L; Singhal, Geeta R

2011-04-01

As part of an international faculty development conference in February 2010, a working group of medical educators and physicians discussed the changing role of instructional technologies and made recommendations for supporting faculty in using these technologies in medical education. The resulting discussion highlighted ways technology is transforming the entire process of medical education and identified several converging trends that have implications for how medical educators might prepare for the next decade. These trends include the explosion of new information; all information, including both health knowledge and medical records, becoming digital; a new generation of learners; the emergence of new instructional technologies; and the accelerating rate of change, especially related to technology. The working group developed five recommendations that academic health leaders and policy makers may use as a starting point for dealing with the instructional technology challenges facing medical education over the next decade. These recommendations are (1) using technology to provide/support experiences for learners that are not otherwise possible-not as a replacement for, but as a supplement to, face-to-face experiences, (2) focusing on fundamental principles of teaching and learning rather than learning specific technologies in isolation, (3) allocating a variety of resources to support the appropriate use of instructional technologies, (4) supporting faculty members as they adopt new technologies, and (5) providing funding and leadership to enhance electronic infrastructure to facilitate sharing of resources and instructional ideas. © by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Collaborating on convergent technologies: education and practice.

PubMed

Gorman, Michael E

2004-05-01

Converging technologies will require collaboration across disciplines. A good metaphor for such collaborations is the kind of trading zone that emerges whenever human beings from different cultures interact. NBIC must avoid trading zones that are dominated by one discipline or set of interests and instead encourage multiple stakeholders to form a shared mental model of what needs to be accomplished. An example is drawn from current work on societal dimensions of nanotechnology. Students need to gain experience working in such trading zones, in addition to acquiring disciplinary depth.

Evaluation of Convergent Spray Technology(TM) Spray Process for Roof Coating Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scarpa, J.; Creighton, B.; Hall, T.; Hamlin, K.; Howard, T.

1998-01-01

The overall goal of this project was to demonstrate the feasibility of(CST) Convergent Spray Technology (Trademark) for the roofing industry. This was accomplished by producing an environmentally compliant coating utilization recycled materials, a CST(Trademark) spray process portable application cart, and hand-held applicator with a CST(Trademark) spray process nozzle. The project culminated with application of this coating to a nine hundred sixty square foot metal for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama.

Thermal imaging as a smartphone application: exploring and implementing a new concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanai, Omer

2014-06-01

Today's world is going mobile. Smartphone devices have become an important part of everyday life for billions of people around the globe. Thermal imaging cameras have been around for half a century and are now making their way into our daily lives. Originally built for military applications, thermal cameras are starting to be considered for personal use, enabling enhanced vision and temperature mapping for different groups of professional individuals. Through a revolutionary concept that turns smartphones into fully functional thermal cameras, we have explored how these two worlds can converge by utilizing the best of each technology. We will present the thought process, design considerations and outcome of our development process, resulting in a low-power, high resolution, lightweight USB thermal imaging device that turns Android smartphones into thermal cameras. We will discuss the technological challenges that we faced during the development of the product, and what are the system design decisions taken during the implementation. We will provide some insights we came across during this development process. Finally, we will discuss the opportunities that this innovative technology brings to the market.

Sustainable Development Strategy for Russian Mineral Resources Extracting Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotsenko, Elena; Ezdina, Natalya; Prilepskaya, Angelina; Pivnyk, Kirill

2017-11-01

The immaturity of strategic and conceptual documents in the sphere of sustainable development of the Russian economy had a negative impact on long-term strategic forecasting of its neo-industrialization. At the present stage, the problems of overcoming the mineral and raw material dependence, the negative structural shift of the Russian economy, the acceleration of the rates of economic growth, the reduction of technological gap from the developed countries become strategically in demand. The modern structure of the Russian economy, developed within the framework of the proposed market model, does not generate a sustainable type of development. It became obvious that in conditions of the market processes' entropy, without neo-industrial changes, the reconstruction of industry on a new convergence-technological basis and without increasing the share of high technology production the instability of macroeconomic system, the risks of environmental and economic security of Russia are growing. Therefore, today we need a transition from forming one industry development strategy to the national one that will take into account both the social and economic and environmental challenges facing Russia as a mineral resources extracting country.

The era of micro and nano systems in the biomedical area: bridging the research and innovation gap.

PubMed

Lymberis, A

2011-01-01

The area of Micro and Nano systems (MNS) focuses on heterogeneous integration of technologies (e.g. electronics, mechanics and biotechnology) and implementation of multiple functionalities (e.g. sensing, processing, communication, energy and actuation) into small systems. A significant amount of MNS activities targets development and testing of systems enabling biomedicine and personal health solutions. Convergence of micro-nano-bio and Information & communication technologies is being leading to enabling innovative solutions e.g. for in-vitro testing and in vivo interaction with the human body for early diagnosis and minimally invasive therapy. Of particular interest are smart wearable systems such as smart textiles aiming at the full integration of sensors/actuators, energy sources, processing and communication within the clothes to enable non-invasive personal health, lifestyle, safety and emergency applications. The paper presents on going major R&D activities on micro-nano-bio systems (MNBS) and wearable systems for pHealth under the European Union R&D Programs, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) priority; it also identifies gaps and discusses key challenges for the future.

Revolution in Communication Technologies: Impact on Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajesh, M.

2015-01-01

Information and Communication Technologies have transformed the way the world lives and thinks. Education, especially, Distance Education is no different. While the technologies per se are an important factor, the social milieus in which these technologies are implemented are equally important. Technological convergence in the Indian context…

Converging Human and Malaria Vector Diagnostics with Data Management towards an Integrated Holistic One Health Approach.

PubMed

Mitsakakis, Konstantinos; Hin, Sebastian; Müller, Pie; Wipf, Nadja; Thomsen, Edward; Coleman, Michael; Zengerle, Roland; Vontas, John; Mavridis, Konstantinos

2018-02-03

Monitoring malaria prevalence in humans, as well as vector populations, for the presence of Plasmodium , is an integral component of effective malaria control, and eventually, elimination. In the field of human diagnostics, a major challenge is the ability to define, precisely, the causative agent of fever, thereby differentiating among several candidate (also non-malaria) febrile diseases. This requires genetic-based pathogen identification and multiplexed analysis, which, in combination, are hardly provided by the current gold standard diagnostic tools. In the field of vectors, an essential component of control programs is the detection of Plasmodium species within its mosquito vectors, particularly in the salivary glands, where the infective sporozoites reside. In addition, the identification of species composition and insecticide resistance alleles within vector populations is a primary task in routine monitoring activities, aiming to support control efforts. In this context, the use of converging diagnostics is highly desirable for providing comprehensive information, including differential fever diagnosis in humans, and mosquito species composition, infection status, and resistance to insecticides of vectors. Nevertheless, the two fields of human diagnostics and vector control are rarely combined, both at the diagnostic and at the data management end, resulting in fragmented data and mis- or non-communication between various stakeholders. To this direction, molecular technologies, their integration in automated platforms, and the co-assessment of data from multiple diagnostic sources through information and communication technologies are possible pathways towards a unified human vector approach.

Converging Human and Malaria Vector Diagnostics with Data Management towards an Integrated Holistic One Health Approach

PubMed Central

Mitsakakis, Konstantinos; Hin, Sebastian; Wipf, Nadja; Coleman, Michael; Zengerle, Roland; Vontas, John; Mavridis, Konstantinos

2018-01-01

Monitoring malaria prevalence in humans, as well as vector populations, for the presence of Plasmodium, is an integral component of effective malaria control, and eventually, elimination. In the field of human diagnostics, a major challenge is the ability to define, precisely, the causative agent of fever, thereby differentiating among several candidate (also non-malaria) febrile diseases. This requires genetic-based pathogen identification and multiplexed analysis, which, in combination, are hardly provided by the current gold standard diagnostic tools. In the field of vectors, an essential component of control programs is the detection of Plasmodium species within its mosquito vectors, particularly in the salivary glands, where the infective sporozoites reside. In addition, the identification of species composition and insecticide resistance alleles within vector populations is a primary task in routine monitoring activities, aiming to support control efforts. In this context, the use of converging diagnostics is highly desirable for providing comprehensive information, including differential fever diagnosis in humans, and mosquito species composition, infection status, and resistance to insecticides of vectors. Nevertheless, the two fields of human diagnostics and vector control are rarely combined, both at the diagnostic and at the data management end, resulting in fragmented data and mis- or non-communication between various stakeholders. To this direction, molecular technologies, their integration in automated platforms, and the co-assessment of data from multiple diagnostic sources through information and communication technologies are possible pathways towards a unified human vector approach. PMID:29401670

A Well-Tempered Hybrid Method for Solving Challenging Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) Systems.

PubMed

Kasper, Joseph M; Williams-Young, David B; Vecharynski, Eugene; Yang, Chao; Li, Xiaosong

2018-04-10

The time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) equations allow one to probe electronic resonances of a system quickly and inexpensively. However, the iterative solution of the eigenvalue problem can be challenging or impossible to converge, using standard methods such as the Davidson algorithm for spectrally dense regions in the interior of the spectrum, as are common in X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). More robust solvers, such as the generalized preconditioned locally harmonic residual (GPLHR) method, can alleviate this problem, but at the expense of higher average computational cost. A hybrid method is proposed which adapts to the problem in order to maximize computational performance while providing the superior convergence of GPLHR. In addition, a modification to the GPLHR algorithm is proposed to adaptively choose the shift parameter to enforce a convergence of states above a predefined energy threshold.

Random yet deterministic: convergent immunoglobulin responses to influenza.

PubMed

Martins, Andrew J; Tsang, John S

2014-09-01

B cell clonal expansion is a hallmark of host-defense and vaccination responses. Given the vast immunoglobulin repertoire, individuals may expand B cells carrying largely distinct immunoglobulin genes following antigenic challenge. Using immunoglobulin-repertoire sequencing to dynamically track responses to influenza vaccination, Jackson et al. find evidence of convergent immunoglobulin responses across individuals. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Intercultural Education and the Crisis of Globalisation: Some Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulby, David

2011-01-01

In this essay I reflect on the role of intercultural education in an emerging global crisis. Education systems are characterised by both divergent and convergent impulses. Divergent impulses include tradition, nationalism and religion. Convergent impulses (isomorphism) include science and technology, culture (including the English language),…

The Convergence Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolodzy, Janet; Grant, August E.; DeMars, Tony R.; Wilkinson, Jeffrey S.

2014-01-01

The emergence of the Internet, social media, and digital technologies in the twenty-first century accelerated an evolution in journalism and communication that fit under the broad term of convergence. That evolution changed the relationship between news producers and consumers. It broke down the geographical boundaries in defining our communities,…

An Educational Technology Curriculum for Converging Technologies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Brockenbrough S.; And Others

1989-01-01

Outlines curriculum reforms being made in the master's level educational technology program at San Diego State University. Topics discussed include technological changes and the roles of educational product designers; human information processing; knowledge base design; student design of educational adventure games; interactive video design; and…

Feasibility of modified remotely monitored in-home gaming technology for improving hand function in adolescents with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Huber, Meghan; Rabin, Bryan; Docan, Ciprian; Burdea, Grigore C; AbdelBaky, Moustafa; Golomb, Meredith R

2010-03-01

The convergence of game technology, the Internet, and rehabilitation science forms the second-generation virtual rehabilitation framework. This paper presents the first pilot study designed to look at the feasibility of at-home use of gaming technology adapted to address hand impairments in adolescents with hemiplegia due to perinatal stroke or intraventricular hemorrhage. Three participants trained at home for approximately 30 min/day, several days a week, for six to ten months. During therapy, they wore a fifths dimension technologies ultra sensing glove and played custom-developed Java 3D games on a modified PlayStation 3. The games were designed to accommodate the participants' limited range of motion, and to improve finger range and speed of motion. Trials took place in Indiana, while monitoFring/data storage took place at Rutgers Tele-Rehabilitation Institute (New Jersey). Significant improvements in finger range of motion (as measured by the sensing glove) were associated with self- and family-reported improvements in activities of daily living. In online subjective evaluations, participants indicated that they liked the system ease of use, clarity of instructions, and appropriate length of exercising. Other telerehabilitation studies are compared to this study and its technology challenges. Directions for future research are included.

Micro-nano-biosystems: An overview of European research.

PubMed

Lymberis, Andreas

2010-06-01

New developments in science, technologies and applications are blurring the boundaries between information and communications technology (ICT), micro-nano systems and life sciences, e.g. through miniaturisation and the ability to manipulate matter at the atomic scale and to interface live and man-made systems. Interdisciplinary research towards integrated systems and their applications based on emerging convergence of information & communication technologies, micro-nano and bio technologies is expected to have a direct influence on healthcare, ageing population and well being. Micro-Nano-Bio Systems (MNBS) research and development activities under the European Union's R&D Programs, Information & Communication Technologies priority address miniaturised, smart and integrated systems for in-vitro testing e.g. lab-on-chips and systems interacting with the human e.g. autonomous implants, endoscopic capsules and robotics for minimally invasive surgery. The MNBS group involves hundreds of key public and private international organisations working on system development and validation in diverse applications such as cancer detection and therapy follow-up, minimally invasive surgery, capsular endocsopy, wearable biochemical monitoring and repairing of vital functions with active implant devices. The paper presents MNBS rationale and activities, discusses key research and innovation challenges and proposes R&D directions to achieve the expected impact on healthcare and quality of life.

Preparing for a Global Scientific Workforce: Lessons Learned by the Chemistry Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranovic, M.; Nameroff, T.

2005-12-01

Globalization has significant implications for science, science education, and the workforce. Flows of capital and knowledge are altering patterns of economic and technological development. Technology is allowing science to be conducted in real time on a global scale. International connections and mobility are increasing worldwide. At the same time science is becoming a truly global endeavor, the convergence of disciplines suggests that scientists from different backgrounds can learn from each other's experiences in addressing these challenges and opportunities. This presentation reviews some of the impacts of globalization on the chemically related sciences, students, and profession. As a result of globalization, today's practitioners of chemistry need an ever-expanding skill set to succeed. In addition to a strong command of the basic principles of chemistry, students and practitioners need to know how to work on multicultural teams, have knowledge of other languages, and be able to communicate effectively. The American Chemical Society (ACS) is coming to terms with and responding to changes in the nature of chemistry and its practice. This presentation will explore some of the innovative efforts of ACS to meet the challenges for chemistry in an era of globalization. The Earth and space sciences community may benefit from the chemistry community's "lessons learned."

Verification of fluid-structure-interaction algorithms through the method of manufactured solutions for actuator-line applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayakumar, Ganesh; Sprague, Michael

2017-11-01

Demonstrating expected convergence rates with spatial- and temporal-grid refinement is the ``gold standard'' of code and algorithm verification. However, the lack of analytical solutions and generating manufactured solutions presents challenges for verifying codes for complex systems. The application of the method of manufactured solutions (MMS) for verification for coupled multi-physics phenomena like fluid-structure interaction (FSI) has only seen recent investigation. While many FSI algorithms for aeroelastic phenomena have focused on boundary-resolved CFD simulations, the actuator-line representation of the structure is widely used for FSI simulations in wind-energy research. In this work, we demonstrate the verification of an FSI algorithm using MMS for actuator-line CFD simulations with a simplified structural model. We use a manufactured solution for the fluid velocity field and the displacement of the SMD system. We demonstrate the convergence of both the fluid and structural solver to second-order accuracy with grid and time-step refinement. This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Wind Energy Technologies Office, under Contract No. DE-AC36-08-GO28308 with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

In vivo microrobots for natural orifice transluminal surgery. Current status and future perspectives.

PubMed

Forgione, A

2009-06-01

The possibility to operate inside the peritoneal cavity through small holes performed in hollow organs that is presented by Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) represents a major paradigm shift in general surgery. While this new approach seems very appealing from patients' perspectives because it eliminates completely abdominal wall aggression and promises to reduce postoperative pain, it is very challenging for surgeons because of the major constraints imposed by both the mode of access and the limited technology currently available. For this reason NOTES applications at the present time are performed by only a few surgeons and mainly to perform non-complex procedures. While new devices are under development, many of them are trying mainly to simply improve current endoscopic platforms and seem not to offer breakthrough solutions. The numerous challenges introduced by natural orifice approaches require a radical shift in the conception of new technologies in order to make this emerging operative access safe and reproducible. The convergence of several enabling technologies in the field of miniaturization, communication and micro-mechatronics brings the possibility to realize on a large scale the revolutionary concept of miniature in vivo co-operative robots. These robots provide vision and task assistance without the constraints of the entry incision and have been shown in experimental settings to possess many qualities that could be ideal to partner with Natural Orifice Surgery. This article explores the current status of microrobotics as well as presents potential future scenarios of their applications in NOTES.

Global Convergence on the Bioethics of Surgical Implants

PubMed Central

Monlezun, Dominique J.

2015-01-01

The increasing globalization of mankind with pluralistic belief systems necessitates physicians by virtue of their profession to partner with bioethics for soundly applying emerging knowledge and technologies for the best use of the patient. A subfield within medicine in which this need is acutely felt is that of surgical implants. Within this subfield such recent promising ethics and medicine partnerships include the International Tissue Engineering Research Association and UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights' International Code of Ethics. In this paper, we provide an overview of the emerging human rights framework from bioethics and international law, discussion of key framework principles, their application to the current surgical challenge of implantation of surgical mesh for prolapse, and conclusions and recommendations. Such discussions are meant to facilitate true quality improvement in patient care by ensuring the exciting technologies and medical practices emerging new daily are accompanied by an equal commitment of physicians to ethically provide their services for the chief end of the patient's good. PMID:25973426

Global convergence on the bioethics of surgical implants.

PubMed

Garcia, Alberto; Monlezun, Dominique J

2015-01-01

The increasing globalization of mankind with pluralistic belief systems necessitates physicians by virtue of their profession to partner with bioethics for soundly applying emerging knowledge and technologies for the best use of the patient. A subfield within medicine in which this need is acutely felt is that of surgical implants. Within this subfield such recent promising ethics and medicine partnerships include the International Tissue Engineering Research Association and UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights' International Code of Ethics. In this paper, we provide an overview of the emerging human rights framework from bioethics and international law, discussion of key framework principles, their application to the current surgical challenge of implantation of surgical mesh for prolapse, and conclusions and recommendations. Such discussions are meant to facilitate true quality improvement in patient care by ensuring the exciting technologies and medical practices emerging new daily are accompanied by an equal commitment of physicians to ethically provide their services for the chief end of the patient's good.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Problem Behavior for Children (ASD-PBC) against the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahan, Sara; Matson, Johnny L.

2011-01-01

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate challenging behaviors. Since challenging behaviors are obstacles for social development and learning, it is important to determine if and what challenging behaviors are exhibited. Although there are some measures that asses for challenging behaviors, the majority were not specifically…

Information Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Roger

1983-01-01

Describes important information-handling products, predicting future devices in light of convergence and greater flexibility offered through use of microchip technology. Contends that information technology and its impact of privacy depends on how information systems are used, arguing that the privacy issue deals more with moral/physiological…

Increasing the cost-effectiveness of telemedicine by embracing e-health.

PubMed

Mitchell, J

2000-01-01

In 1999 a national study of telemedicine in Australia led to the promotion of the concept of 'e-health', the health sector's equivalent of 'e-commerce'. A new study explored the view that, with the convergence of technologies and the consequent increase in ability to perform multiple functions with those technologies, it is unwise to promote telemedicine in isolation from other uses of technologies in health-care. The major sources of information for the study were the presentations and discussions at five national workshops held to discuss the findings of the original report on telemedicine. Nineteen case studies were identified. The case studies showed that with the convergence of technologies telehealth is becoming part of e-health. The cost-effectiveness of both telehealth and telemedicine improves considerably when they are part of an integrated use of telecommunications and information technology in the health sector.

Market penetration of energy supply technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Condap, R. J.

1980-03-01

Techniques to incorporate the concepts of profit-induced growth and risk aversion into policy-oriented optimization models of the domestic energy sector are examined. After reviewing the pertinent market penetration literature, simple mathematical programs in which the introduction of new energy technologies is constrained primarily by the reinvestment of profits are formulated. The main results involve the convergence behavior of technology production levels under various assumptions about the form of the energy demand function. Next, profitability growth constraints are embedded in a full-scale model of U.S. energy-economy interactions. A rapidly convergent algorithm is developed to utilize optimal shadow prices in the computation of profitability for individual technologies. Allowance is made for additional policy variables such as government funding and taxation. The result is an optimal deployment schedule for current and future energy technologies which is consistent with the sector's ability to finance capacity expansion.

Future space. A new blueprint for business architecture.

PubMed

Huang, J

2001-04-01

Although the Internet is an essential conduit for many business activities, it isn't rendering the physical world any less important, as the failures of many Web merchants demonstrate. People need social and sensual contact. The companies that succeed will be those best able to integrate the physical and the virtual. But that requires a new kind of business architecture--a new approach to designing stores, offices, factories, and other spaces where business is conducted. The author, a faculty member at Harvard Graduate School of Design, provides practical guidelines to help managers and entrepreneurs think creatively about the structures in which their businesses operate. He outlines four challenges facing designers of such "convergent" structures, so-called because they function in both physical and virtual space: matching form to function, allowing visitors to visualize the presence of others, personalizing spaces, and choreographing connectivity. Using numerous examples, from a fashion retailer that wants to sell in stores as well as through a Web site to a radically new kind of consulate, the author shows how businesses can meet each challenge. For instance, allowing customers to visualize the presence of others means that visitors to a Web site should be given a sense of other site visitors. Personalizing physical and virtual spaces involves using databases to enable those spaces to adapt quickly to user preferences. The success of companies attempting to merge on-line and traditional operations will depend on many factors. But without a well-designed convergent architecture, no company will fully reap the synergies of physical space and Internet technology.

LRRTM1 underlies synaptic convergence in visual thalamus

PubMed Central

Monavarfeshani, Aboozar; Stanton, Gail; Van Name, Jonathan; Su, Kaiwen; Mills, William A; Swilling, Kenya; Kerr, Alicia; Huebschman, Natalie A; Su, Jianmin

2018-01-01

It has long been thought that the mammalian visual system is organized into parallel pathways, with incoming visual signals being parsed in the retina based on feature (e.g. color, contrast and motion) and then transmitted to the brain in unmixed, feature-specific channels. To faithfully convey feature-specific information from retina to cortex, thalamic relay cells must receive inputs from only a small number of functionally similar retinal ganglion cells. However, recent studies challenged this by revealing substantial levels of retinal convergence onto relay cells. Here, we sought to identify mechanisms responsible for the assembly of such convergence. Using an unbiased transcriptomics approach and targeted mutant mice, we discovered a critical role for the synaptic adhesion molecule Leucine Rich Repeat Transmembrane Neuronal 1 (LRRTM1) in the emergence of retinothalamic convergence. Importantly, LRRTM1 mutant mice display impairment in visual behaviors, suggesting a functional role of retinothalamic convergence in vision. PMID:29424692

The mixed reality of things: emerging challenges for human-information interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spicer, Ryan P.; Russell, Stephen M.; Rosenberg, Evan Suma

2017-05-01

Virtual and mixed reality technology has advanced tremendously over the past several years. This nascent medium has the potential to transform how people communicate over distance, train for unfamiliar tasks, operate in challenging environments, and how they visualize, interact, and make decisions based on complex data. At the same time, the marketplace has experienced a proliferation of network-connected devices and generalized sensors that are becoming increasingly accessible and ubiquitous. As the "Internet of Things" expands to encompass a predicted 50 billion connected devices by 2020, the volume and complexity of information generated in pervasive and virtualized environments will continue to grow exponentially. The convergence of these trends demands a theoretically grounded research agenda that can address emerging challenges for human-information interaction (HII). Virtual and mixed reality environments can provide controlled settings where HII phenomena can be observed and measured, new theories developed, and novel algorithms and interaction techniques evaluated. In this paper, we describe the intersection of pervasive computing with virtual and mixed reality, identify current research gaps and opportunities to advance the fundamental understanding of HII, and discuss implications for the design and development of cyber-human systems for both military and civilian use.

Human Systems Engineering: A Learning Model Designed To Converge Education, Business, and Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Karen L.

The Human Systems Engineering (HSE) Model was created to facilitate collaboration among education, business, and industry. It emphasized the role of leaders who converge with others to accomplish their goals while paying attention to the key elements that create successful partnerships. The partnership of XXsys Technologies, Inc., University of…

Integrative Convergence in Neuroscience: Trajectories, Problems, and the Need for a Progressive Neurobioethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giordano, J.

The advanced integrative scientific convergence (AISC) model represents a viable approach to neuroscience. Beyond simple multi-disciplinarity, the AISC model unifies constituent scientific and technological fields to foster innovation, invention and new ways of addressing seemingly intractable questions. In this way, AISC can yield novel methods and foster new trajectories of knowledge and discovery, and yield new epistemologies. As stand-alone disciplines, each and all of the constituent fields generate practical and ethical issues, and their convergence may establish a unique set of both potential benefits and problems. To effectively attend to these contingencies requires pragmatic assessment of the actual capabilities and limits of neurofocal AISC, and an openness to what new knowledge and scientific/technological achievements may be produced, and how such outcomes can affect humanity, the human condition, society and the global environment. It is proposed that a progressive neurobioethics may be needed to establish both a meta-ethical framework upon which to structure ethical decisions, and a system and method of ethics that is inclusive, convergent and innovative, and in thus aligned with and meaningful to use of an AISC model in neuroscience.

Psychometric properties of the college survey for students with brain injury: individuals with and without traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Kennedy, Mary R T; Krause, Miriam O; O'Brien, Katy H

2014-01-01

The psychometric properties of the college challenges sub-set from The College Survey for Students with Brain Injury (CSS-BI) were investigated with adults with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI). Adults with and without TBI completed the CSS-BI. A sub-set of participants with TBI were interviewed, intentional and convergent validity were investigated, and the internal structure of the college challenges was analysed with exploratory factor analysis/principle component analysis. Respondents with TBI understood the items describing college challenges with evidence of intentional validity. More individuals with TBI than controls endorsed eight of the 13 college challenges. Those who reported more health issues endorsed more college challenges, demonstrating preliminary convergent validity. Cronbach's alphas of >0.85 demonstrated acceptable internal reliability. Factor analysis revealed a four-factor model for those with TBI: studying and learning (Factor 1), time management and organization (Factor 2), social (Factor 3) and nervousness/anxiety (Factor 4). This model explained 72% and 69% of the variance for those with and without TBI, respectively. The college challenges sub-set from the CSS-BI identifies challenges that individuals with TBI face when going to college. Some challenges were related to two factors in the model, demonstrating the inter-connections of these experiences.

Ecological Literacy, Urban Green Space, and Mobile Technology: Exploring the Impacts of an Arboretum Curriculum Designed for Undergraduate Biology Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoebus, Patrick E.

Increasing individual ecological literacy levels may help citizens make informed choices about the environmental challenges facing society. The purpose of this study was to explore the impacts of an arboretum curriculum incorporating mobile technology and an urban greenspace on the ecological knowledge, environmental attitudes and beliefs, and environmental behaviors of undergraduate biology students and pre-service K-8 teachers during a summer course. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, analyzed, and later merged to create an enhanced understanding of the impact of the curriculum on the environmental attitudes and beliefs of the participants. Quantitative results revealed a significant difference between pre- and post-survey scores for ecological knowledge, with no significant differences between pre- and post-scores for the other variables measured. However, no significant difference in scores was found between experimental and comparison groups for any of the three variables. When the two data sets were compared, results from the quantitative and qualitative components were found to converge and diverge. Quantitative data indicated the environmental attitudes and beliefs of participants were unaffected by the arboretum curriculum. Similarly, qualitative data indicated participants' perceived environmental attitudes and beliefs about the importance of nature remained unchanged throughout the course of the study. However, qualitative data supporting the theme connecting with the curriculum suggested experiences with the arboretum curriculum helped participants develop an appreciation for trees and nature and led them to believe they increased their knowledge about trees.

Regenerative Engineering and Bionic Limbs.

PubMed

James, Roshan; Laurencin, Cato T

2015-03-01

Amputations of the upper extremity are severely debilitating, current treatments support very basic limb movement, and patients undergo extensive physiotherapy and psychological counselling. There is no prosthesis that allows the amputees near-normal function. With increasing number of amputees due to injuries sustained in accidents, natural calamities and international conflicts, there is a growing requirement for novel strategies and new discoveries. Advances have been made in technological, material and in prosthesis integration where researchers are now exploring artificial prosthesis that integrate with the residual tissues and function based on signal impulses received from the residual nerves. Efforts are focused on challenging experts in different disciplines to integrate ideas and technologies to allow for the regeneration of injured tissues, recording on tissue signals and feed-back to facilitate responsive movements and gradations of muscle force. A fully functional replacement and regenerative or integrated prosthesis will rely on interface of biological process with robotic systems to allow individual control of movement such as at the elbow, forearm, digits and thumb in the upper extremity. Regenerative engineering focused on the regeneration of complex tissue and organ systems will be realized by the cross-fertilization of advances over the past thirty years in the fields of tissue engineering, nanotechnology, stem cell science, and developmental biology. The convergence of toolboxes crated within each discipline will allow interdisciplinary teams from engineering, science, and medicine to realize new strategies, mergers of disparate technologies, such as biophysics, smart bionics, and the healing power of the mind. Tackling the clinical challenges, interfacing the biological process with bionic technologies, engineering biological control of the electronic systems, and feed-back will be the important goals in regenerative engineering over the next two decades.

Regenerative Engineering and Bionic Limbs

PubMed Central

James, Roshan; Laurencin, Cato T.

2015-01-01

Amputations of the upper extremity are severely debilitating, current treatments support very basic limb movement, and patients undergo extensive physiotherapy and psychological counselling. There is no prosthesis that allows the amputees near-normal function. With increasing number of amputees due to injuries sustained in accidents, natural calamities and international conflicts, there is a growing requirement for novel strategies and new discoveries. Advances have been made in technological, material and in prosthesis integration where researchers are now exploring artificial prosthesis that integrate with the residual tissues and function based on signal impulses received from the residual nerves. Efforts are focused on challenging experts in different disciplines to integrate ideas and technologies to allow for the regeneration of injured tissues, recording on tissue signals and feed-back to facilitate responsive movements and gradations of muscle force. A fully functional replacement and regenerative or integrated prosthesis will rely on interface of biological process with robotic systems to allow individual control of movement such as at the elbow, forearm, digits and thumb in the upper extremity. Regenerative engineering focused on the regeneration of complex tissue and organ systems will be realized by the cross-fertilization of advances over the past thirty years in the fields of tissue engineering, nanotechnology, stem cell science, and developmental biology. The convergence of toolboxes crated within each discipline will allow interdisciplinary teams from engineering, science, and medicine to realize new strategies, mergers of disparate technologies, such as biophysics, smart bionics, and the healing power of the mind. Tackling the clinical challenges, interfacing the biological process with bionic technologies, engineering biological control of the electronic systems, and feed-back will be the important goals in regenerative engineering over the next two decades. PMID:25983525

Convergence of broadband optical and wireless access networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Gee-Kung; Jia, Zhensheng; Chien, Hung-Chang; Chowdhury, Arshad; Hsueh, Yu-Ting; Yu, Jianjun

2009-01-01

This paper describes convergence of optical and wireless access networks for delivering high-bandwidth integrated services over optical fiber and air links. Several key system technologies are proposed and experimentally demonstrated. We report here, for the first ever, a campus-wide field trial demonstration of radio-over-fiber (RoF) system transmitting uncompressed standard-definition (SD) high-definition (HD) real-time video contents, carried by 2.4-GHz radio and 60- GHz millimeter-wave signals, respectively, over 2.5-km standard single mode fiber (SMF-28) through the campus fiber network at Georgia Institute of Technology (GT). In addition, subsystem technologies of Base Station and wireless tranceivers operated at 60 GHz for real-time video distribution have been developed and tested.

Speech and Language: Translating the Genome.

PubMed

Deriziotis, Pelagia; Fisher, Simon E

2017-09-01

Investigation of the biological basis of human speech and language is being transformed by developments in molecular technologies, including high-throughput genotyping and next-generation sequencing of whole genomes. These advances are shedding new light on the genetic architecture underlying language-related disorders (speech apraxia, specific language impairment, developmental dyslexia) as well as that contributing to variation in relevant skills in the general population. We discuss how state-of-the-art methods are uncovering a range of genetic mechanisms, from rare mutations of large effect to common polymorphisms that increase risk in a subtle way, while converging on neurogenetic pathways that are shared between distinct disorders. We consider the future of the field, highlighting the unusual challenges and opportunities associated with studying genomics of language-related traits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CONRAD Software Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzman, J. C.; Bennett, T.

2008-08-01

The Convergent Radio Astronomy Demonstrator (CONRAD) is a collaboration between the computing teams of two SKA pathfinder instruments, MeerKAT (South Africa) and ASKAP (Australia). Our goal is to produce the required common software to operate, process and store the data from the two instruments. Both instruments are synthesis arrays composed of a large number of antennas (40 - 100) operating at centimeter wavelengths with wide-field capabilities. Key challenges are the processing of high volume of data in real-time as well as the remote mode of operations. Here we present the software architecture for CONRAD. Our design approach is to maximize the use of open solutions and third-party software widely deployed in commercial applications, such as SNMP and LDAP, and to utilize modern web-based technologies for the user interfaces, such as AJAX.

Stem cells technology: a powerful tool behind new brain treatments.

PubMed

Duru, Lucienne N; Quan, Zhenzhen; Qazi, Talal Jamil; Qing, Hong

2018-06-18

Stem cell research has recently become a hot research topic in biomedical research due to the foreseen unlimited potential of stem cells in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. For many years, medicine has been facing intense challenges, such as an insufficient number of organ donations that is preventing clinicians to fulfill the increasing needs. To try and overcome this regrettable matter, research has been aiming at developing strategies to facilitate the in vitro culture and study of stem cells as a tool for tissue regeneration. Meanwhile, new developments in the microfluidics technology brought forward emerging cell culture applications that are currently allowing for a better chemical and physical control of cellular microenvironment. This review presents the latest developments in stem cell research that brought new therapies to the clinics and how the convergence of the microfluidics technology with stem cell research can have positive outcomes on the fields of regenerative medicine and high-throughput screening. These advances will bring new translational solutions for drug discovery and will upgrade in vitro cell culture to a new level of accuracy and performance. We hope this review will provide new insights into the understanding of new brain treatments from the perspective of stem cell technology especially regarding regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

[Technological convergence will quickly generate disruptive innovations in oncology].

PubMed

Coucke, Ph A

2016-06-01

Convergence between information and communication technology and recent developments in medical care will totally change the health care sector. The way we perform diagnosis, treatment and follow-up will undergo disruptive changes in a very near future. We intend to highlight this statement by a limited selection of examples of radical innovations, especially in the field of oncology. To be totally disruptive and to illustrate the concept of "lateral power" - especially cognitive distribution - the list of references is only made up of internet links. Anyone - patients included - can easily and instantly access to this information everywhere.

Negotiating Liberalism and Bio-Politics: Stylizing Power in Defense of the Mall Curfew

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amsden, Brian

2008-01-01

While Michel Foucault's "technologies of the self" are useful in explaining the convergence of liberalism and bio-politics, they fail to account for the appeal of juridical mechanisms that administer the conventions of bio-political control. A productive site from which to explore this convergence is provided by the "mall curfew," a bio-political…

Auto-converging stereo cameras for 3D robotic tele-operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmondson, Richard; Aycock, Todd; Chenault, David

2012-06-01

Polaris Sensor Technologies has developed a Stereovision Upgrade Kit for TALON robot to provide enhanced depth perception to the operator. This kit previously required the TALON Operator Control Unit to be equipped with the optional touchscreen interface to allow for operator control of the camera convergence angle adjustment. This adjustment allowed for optimal camera convergence independent of the distance from the camera to the object being viewed. Polaris has recently improved the performance of the stereo camera by implementing an Automatic Convergence algorithm in a field programmable gate array in the camera assembly. This algorithm uses scene content to automatically adjust the camera convergence angle, freeing the operator to focus on the task rather than adjustment of the vision system. The autoconvergence capability has been demonstrated on both visible zoom cameras and longwave infrared microbolometer stereo pairs.

Agriculture, health, and wealth convergence: bridging traditional food systems and modern agribusiness solutions.

PubMed

Dubé, Laurette; Webb, Patrick; Arora, Narendra K; Pingali, Prabhu

2014-12-01

The causes of many vexing challenges facing 21st-century society are at the nexus of systems involved in agriculture, health and wealth production, consumption, and distribution. Using food as a test bed, and on the basis of emerging roadmaps that set achievable objectives over a 1- to 3-year horizon, we introduce this special feature with convergence thinking and practice at its core. Specifically, we discuss academic papers structured around four themes: (1) evidence for a need for convergence and underlying mechanisms at the individual and societal levels; (2) strategy for mainstreaming convergence as a driver of business engagement and innovation; (3) convergence in policy and governance; (4) convergence in metrics and methods. Academic papers under each theme are accompanied by a roadmap paper reporting on the current status of concrete transformative convergence-building projects associated with that theme. We believe that the insights provided by these papers have the potential to enable all actors throughout society to singly and collectively work to build supply and demand for nutritious food, in both traditional and modern food systems, while placing the burdens of malnutrition and ill health on their core strategic agendas. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

The Globalisation Challenge for European Higher Education: Convergence and Diversity, Centres and Peripheries. Higher Education Research and Policy. Volume 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zgaga, Pavel, Ed.; Teichler, Ulrich, Ed.; Brennan, John, Ed.

2013-01-01

The last decade has marked the European higher education with a particular dynamics. Today, after a decade of a «concerted» policy, national systems look much more convergent but new questions and dilemmas are emerging: about its nature and quality, about real impact of recent reforms in different countries as well as about its future. The book…

Grid computing technology for hydrological applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lecca, G.; Petitdidier, M.; Hluchy, L.; Ivanovic, M.; Kussul, N.; Ray, N.; Thieron, V.

2011-06-01

SummaryAdvances in e-Infrastructure promise to revolutionize sensing systems and the way in which data are collected and assimilated, and complex water systems are simulated and visualized. According to the EU Infrastructure 2010 work-programme, data and compute infrastructures and their underlying technologies, either oriented to tackle scientific challenges or complex problem solving in engineering, are expected to converge together into the so-called knowledge infrastructures, leading to a more effective research, education and innovation in the next decade and beyond. Grid technology is recognized as a fundamental component of e-Infrastructures. Nevertheless, this emerging paradigm highlights several topics, including data management, algorithm optimization, security, performance (speed, throughput, bandwidth, etc.), and scientific cooperation and collaboration issues that require further examination to fully exploit it and to better inform future research policies. The paper illustrates the results of six different surface and subsurface hydrology applications that have been deployed on the Grid. All the applications aim to answer to strong requirements from the Civil Society at large, relatively to natural and anthropogenic risks. Grid technology has been successfully tested to improve flood prediction, groundwater resources management and Black Sea hydrological survey, by providing large computing resources. It is also shown that Grid technology facilitates e-cooperation among partners by means of services for authentication and authorization, seamless access to distributed data sources, data protection and access right, and standardization.

Republic of technology: reflections on our future community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boorstin, D.J.

In this book, Mr. Boorstin illuminates our everyday concerns with the author's reflections on the new meaning of technology for America and of America for technology. He gives us a bold new view of the two kinds of revolution - the political and technological - and shows us how and why they are different, and why technological revolutions are irreversible. We are a center from which radiate forces that converge human experience everywhere. Though people around the world may not love one another any more than they did, yet their ways of life tend to become more and more alike.more » These same overwhelming forces of technology that homogenize the culture of the human race have disrupted the international community of nations; large and small nations become equal, but each day the word nation grows more meaningless. Ideology, tribalism, nationalism, the crusading spirit in religion, bigotry, censorship, racism, persecution, immigration and emigration restriction, tariffs, and chauvinism do interpose barriers and these are explored in this controversial book. These barriers will only be temporary. The converging powers of technology will eventually triumph.« less

The Humanities in an Era of New Technology: Variations on a Theme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Ruth G.

The terms "humanities" and "new technology" have a broad spectrum of meanings, which often imply a tension between two somewhat incompatible concepts. If one views humanities as the general learning that should be in the possession of all human beings and new technology as the convergence of two or more sophisticated technologies in expansive and…

The Doctor Is In, but Is Academia? Re-Tooling II Education for a New Era in Healthcare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Andre; Moy, Lawrence; Kruck, S. E.; Rabang, Joshua

2015-01-01

Healthcare information technology is at a crossroads today. As legacy data systems converge with bleeding edge technologies, the technology environments of today's hospitals and clinics are evolving rapidly, producing new care delivery models. As a result, we need to reassess how information technology education is meeting the needs of healthcare…

The Convergence of Content, Pedagogy, and Technology in Online Professional Development for Teachers of German: An Intrinsic Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bustamante, Carolina; Moeller, Aleidine J.

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study describes a unique online professional development program utilizing Web 2.0 technologies for teachers of German using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model as a theoretical framework to promote technology literacy, expand German language proficiency and cultural knowledge, and integrate…

Converging Technology, Pedagogy, and Critical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeller, Aleidine J.; Van Alstine, Megan

2011-01-01

The theme of children and technology has been a prevailing topic of conversation among parents, teachers and researchers, stirring debate in all sectors of society. What is gained and what is lost by these "digital natives" born into an age of globalization, social connections, instant communication and gratification? How can technology be…

"It's All about Standardisation"--Exploring the Digital (Re)Configuration of School Management and Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwyn, Neil

2011-01-01

Schools have long made use of digital technologies to support the co-ordination of management and administrative processes--not least "management information systems", "virtual learning environments" and other "institutional technologies". The last five years have seen the convergence of these technologies into…

Envisioning engineering education and practice in the coming intelligence convergence era — a complex adaptive systems approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, Ahmed K.

2013-12-01

Some of the recent attempts for improving and transforming engineering education are reviewed. The attempts aim at providing the entry level engineers with the skills needed to address the challenges of future large-scale complex systems and projects. Some of the frontier sectors and future challenges for engineers are outlined. The major characteristics of the coming intelligence convergence era (the post-information age) are identified. These include the prevalence of smart devices and environments, the widespread applications of anticipatory computing and predictive / prescriptive analytics, as well as a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines. Devices and machines will be able to learn from, and with, humans in a natural collaborative way. The recent game changers in learnscapes (learning paradigms, technologies, platforms, spaces, and environments) that can significantly impact engineering education in the coming era are identified. Among these are open educational resources, knowledge-rich classrooms, immersive interactive 3D learning, augmented reality, reverse instruction / flipped classroom, gamification, robots in the classroom, and adaptive personalized learning. Significant transformative changes in, and mass customization of, learning are envisioned to emerge from the synergistic combination of the game changers and other technologies. The realization of the aforementioned vision requires the development of a new multidisciplinary framework of emergent engineering for relating innovation, complexity and cybernetics, within the future learning environments. The framework can be used to treat engineering education as a complex adaptive system, with dynamically interacting and communicating components (instructors, individual, small, and large groups of learners). The emergent behavior resulting from the interactions can produce progressively better, and continuously improving, learning environment. As a first step towards the realization of the vision, intelligent adaptive cyber-physical ecosystems need to be developed to facilitate collaboration between the various stakeholders of engineering education, and to accelerate the development of a skilled engineering workforce. The major components of the ecosystems include integrated knowledge discovery and exploitation facilities, blended learning and research spaces, novel ultra-intelligent software agents, multimodal and autonomous interfaces, and networked cognitive and tele-presence robots.

Constructive Convergence: Imagery and Humanitarian Assistance

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES...a dataset different projection , a transformation must be performed on the data that warps the original data into the new projection . Every time data...i Constructive Convergence: Imagery and Humanitarian Assistance Doug Hanchard Center for Technology and National

Conceptualising Secondary Aurality and Its Impact on Possibility for Engagement of Children and Adolescents within School Music Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlisle, Katie

2011-01-01

This paper explores the convergence of technology and the arts within the context of aurality in the twenty-first century. Jenkins argued this is taking place within a cultural convergence, whereby a vernacular culture focused upon participation, creation, performance, and migratory behaviour of media audiences has emerged. The developing changes…

Fundamentals of converging mining technologies in integrated development of mineral resources of lithosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trubetskoy, KN; Galchenko, YuP; Eremenko, VA

2018-03-01

The paper sets forth a theoretical framework for the strategy of the radically new stage in development of geotechnologies under conditions of rapidly aggravating environmental crisis of the contemporary technocratic civilization that utilizes the substance extracted from the lithosphere as the source of energy and materials. The authors of the paper see the opportunity to overcome the conflict between the techno- and bio-spheres in the area of mineral raw materials by means of changing the technological paradigm of integrated mineral development by implementing nature-like technologies oriented to the ideas and methods of converging resources of natural biota as the object of the environmental protection and geotechnologies as the major source of ecological hazards induced in the course of development of mineral resources of lithosphere.

Quantifying Intrinsic and Extrinsic Contributions to Human Longevity: Application of a Two-Process Vitality Model to the Human Mortality Database.

PubMed

Sharrow, David J; Anderson, James J

2016-12-01

The rise in human life expectancy has involved declines in intrinsic and extrinsic mortality processes associated, respectively, with senescence and environmental challenges. To better understand the factors driving this rise, we apply a two-process vitality model to data from the Human Mortality Database. Model parameters yield intrinsic and extrinsic cumulative survival curves from which we derive intrinsic and extrinsic expected life spans (ELS). Intrinsic ELS, a measure of longevity acted on by intrinsic, physiological factors, changed slowly over two centuries and then entered a second phase of increasing longevity ostensibly brought on by improvements in old-age death reduction technologies and cumulative health behaviors throughout life. The model partitions the majority of the increase in life expectancy before 1950 to increasing extrinsic ELS driven by reductions in environmental, event-based health challenges in both childhood and adulthood. In the post-1950 era, the extrinsic ELS of females appears to be converging to the intrinsic ELS, whereas the extrinsic ELS of males is approximately 20 years lower than the intrinsic ELS.

Quantifying Intrinsic and Extrinsic Contributions to Human Longevity: Application of a Two-Process Vitality Model to the Human Mortality Database

PubMed Central

Anderson, James J.

2016-01-01

The rise in human life expectancy has involved declines in intrinsic and extrinsic mortality processes associated, respectively, with senescence and environmental challenges. To better understand the factors driving this rise, we apply a two-process vitality model to data from the Human Mortality Database. Model parameters yield intrinsic and extrinsic cumulative survival curves from which we derive intrinsic and extrinsic expected life spans (ELS). Intrinsic ELS, a measure of longevity acted on by intrinsic, physiological factors, changed slowly over two centuries and then entered a second phase of increasing longevity ostensibly brought on by improvements in old-age death reduction technologies and cumulative health behaviors throughout life. The model partitions the majority of the increase in life expectancy before 1950 to increasing extrinsic ELS driven by reductions in environmental, event-based health challenges in both childhood and adulthood. In the post-1950 era, the extrinsic ELS of females appears to be converging to the intrinsic ELS, whereas the extrinsic ELS of males is approximately 20 years lower than the intrinsic ELS. PMID:27837429

Agricultural biosecurity.

PubMed

Waage, J K; Mumford, J D

2008-02-27

The prevention and control of new pest and disease introductions is an agricultural challenge which is attracting growing public interest. This interest is in part driven by an impression that the threat is increasing, but there has been little analysis of the changing rates of biosecurity threat, and existing evidence is equivocal. Traditional biosecurity systems for animals and plants differ substantially but are beginning to converge. Bio-economic modelling of risk will be a valuable tool in guiding the allocation of limited resources for biosecurity. The future of prevention and management systems will be strongly influenced by new technology and the growing role of the private sector. Overall, today's biosecurity systems are challenged by changing national priorities regarding trade, by new concerns about environmental effects of biological invasions and by the question 'who pays?'. Tomorrow's systems may need to be quite different to be effective. We suggest three changes: an integration of plant and animal biosecurity around a common, proactive, risk-based approach; a greater focus on international cooperation to deal with threats at source; and a commitment to refocus biosecurity on building resilience to invasion into agroecosystems rather than building walls around them.

Convergent Technologies in Distance Learning Delivery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Steve

1999-01-01

Describes developments in British education in distance learning technologies. Highlights include networking the rural areas; communication, community, and paradigm shifts; digital compression techniques and telematics; Web-based material delivered over the Internet; system flexibility; social support; learning support; videoconferencing; and…

Proof of cipher text ownership based on convergence encryption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Weiwei; Liu, Zhusong

2017-08-01

Cloud storage systems save disk space and bandwidth through deduplication technology, but with the use of this technology has been targeted security attacks: the attacker can get the original file just use hash value to deceive the server to obtain the file ownership. In order to solve the above security problems and the different security requirements of cloud storage system files, an efficient information theory security proof of ownership scheme is proposed. This scheme protects the data through the convergence encryption method, and uses the improved block-level proof of ownership scheme, and can carry out block-level client deduplication to achieve efficient and secure cloud storage deduplication scheme.

Continuous quality improvement and medical informatics: the convergent synergy.

PubMed

Werth, G R; Connelly, D P

1992-01-01

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) and medical informatics specialists need to converge their efforts to create synergy for improving health care. Health care CQI needs medical informatics' expertise and technology to build the information systems needed to manage health care organizations according to quality improvement principles. Medical informatics needs CQI's philosophy and methods to build health care information systems that can evolve to meet the changing needs of clinicians and other stakeholders. This paper explores the philosophical basis for convergence of CQI and medical informatics efforts, and then examines a clinical computer workstation development project that is applying a combined approach.

Technology-Enhanced Multimedia Instruction in Foreign Language Classrooms: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketsman, Olha

2012-01-01

Technology-enhanced multimedia instruction in grades 6 through 12 foreign language classrooms was the focus of this study. The study's findings fill a gap in the literature through the report of how technology-enhanced multimedia instruction was successfully implemented in foreign language classrooms. Convergent parallel mixed methods study…

Design of a Customized Multipurpose Nano-Enabled Implantable System for In-Vivo Theranostics

PubMed Central

Juanola-Feliu, Esteve; Miribel-Català, Pere Ll.; Páez Avilés, Cristina; Colomer-Farrarons, Jordi; González-Piñero, Manel; Samitier, Josep

2014-01-01

The first part of this paper reviews the current development and key issues on implantable multi-sensor devices for in vivo theranostics. Afterwards, the authors propose an innovative biomedical multisensory system for in vivo biomarker monitoring that could be suitable for customized theranostics applications. At this point, findings suggest that cross-cutting Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) could improve the overall performance of the system given that the convergence of technologies in nanotechnology, biotechnology, micro&nanoelectronics and advanced materials permit the development of new medical devices of small dimensions, using biocompatible materials, and embedding reliable and targeted biosensors, high speed data communication, and even energy autonomy. Therefore, this article deals with new research and market challenges of implantable sensor devices, from the point of view of the pervasive system, and time-to-market. The remote clinical monitoring approach introduced in this paper could be based on an array of biosensors to extract information from the patient. A key contribution of the authors is that the general architecture introduced in this paper would require minor modifications for the final customized bio-implantable medical device. PMID:25325336

Using Bones to Shape Stones: MIS 9 Bone Retouchers at Both Edges of the Mediterranean Sea

PubMed Central

Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Cuartero, Felipe; Fernández Peris, Josep; Gopher, Avi; Barkai, Ran

2013-01-01

A significant challenge in Prehistory is to understand the mechanisms involved in the behavioural evolution of human groups. The degree of technological and cultural development of prehistoric groups is assessed mainly through stone tools. However, other elements can provide valuable information as well. This paper presents two bone retouchers dated to the Middle Pleistocene MIS 9 used for the shaping of lithic artefacts. Originating from Bolomor Cave (Spain) and Qesem Cave (Israel), these two bone retouchers are among the earliest of the Old World. Although the emergence of such tools might be found in the latest phases of the Acheulean, their widespread use seems to coincide with independently emergent post-Acheulean cultural complexes at both ends of the Mediterranean Sea: the post-Acheulean/pre-Mousterian of Western Europe and the Acheulo Yabrudian Cultural Complex of the Levant. Both entities seem to reflect convergent processes that may be viewed in a wider cultural context as reflecting new technology-related behavioural patterns as well as new perceptions in stone tool manufacturing. PMID:24146928

Continuous analogues of matrix factorizations

PubMed Central

Townsend, Alex; Trefethen, Lloyd N.

2015-01-01

Analogues of singular value decomposition (SVD), QR, LU and Cholesky factorizations are presented for problems in which the usual discrete matrix is replaced by a ‘quasimatrix’, continuous in one dimension, or a ‘cmatrix’, continuous in both dimensions. Two challenges arise: the generalization of the notions of triangular structure and row and column pivoting to continuous variables (required in all cases except the SVD, and far from obvious), and the convergence of the infinite series that define the cmatrix factorizations. Our generalizations of triangularity and pivoting are based on a new notion of a ‘triangular quasimatrix’. Concerning convergence of the series, we prove theorems asserting convergence provided the functions involved are sufficiently smooth. PMID:25568618

Technology Convergence and National Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-25

transdisciplinary nature of that convergence that was critical. Sandro Botticelli Michelangelo Buonarroti Lorenzo the Magnificent Andrea del Verrocchio Leonardo ...da  Vinci   UNCLASSIFIED BACKGROUND LOGIC • Many traditional R&D programs have been commodity or  capability driven, and based on a perceived threat

Balancing traditional values in academic medicine with advances in science and technology.

PubMed

Fenderson, Bruce A; Fenderson, Douglas A

2004-06-01

Scientific discovery, population growth, and world commerce are converging to reshape medicine in unforeseen ways. Instead of responding passively to change we must embrace each challenge as an opportunity. Critical issues facing academic medicine today include a revolution in molecular biology and biotechnology, spiraling costs of health care, lack of consensus on a frame of reference for strategic planning (global versus local), and lack of appropriate methods of assessment (outcome analysis). These issues are complex and broad. Thus, it may be that the best that can emerge from our discussion is to identify the major dimensions along which progress may be expected and to predict ways in which change can be directed to serve the needs of health care institutions and medical professionals around the world. Solutions will require innovation in medical education, leadership, and international collaboration.

[Information exchange via internet--possibilities, limits, future].

PubMed

Schmiedl, S; Geishauser, M; Klöppel, M; Biemer, E

1998-01-01

Today, the exchange of information in the Internet is dominated by the WWW and e-mail. Discussion groups like mailing lists and newsgroups also permit communication in groups. Information retrieval becomes a crucial challenge in using the Internet. In the field of medicine, three more aspects are of special importance: privacy, legal requirements, and the necessity of transferring large amounts of data. For these problems, today's Internet doesn't provide a sufficient solution yet. Future developments will not only improve the existing services, but also lead to fundamental changes in the transfer technologies: Safer data transfer is to be ensured by new encrypting software together with the planned transfer protocol IPv6. Introducing the new transfer mode ATM will lead to better and resource saving transmission. Computer, telephone and TV networks will grow together, resulting in convergence of media.

An international effort towards developing standards for best practices in analysis, interpretation and reporting of clinical genome sequencing results in the CLARITY Challenge.

PubMed

Brownstein, Catherine A; Beggs, Alan H; Homer, Nils; Merriman, Barry; Yu, Timothy W; Flannery, Katherine C; DeChene, Elizabeth T; Towne, Meghan C; Savage, Sarah K; Price, Emily N; Holm, Ingrid A; Luquette, Lovelace J; Lyon, Elaine; Majzoub, Joseph; Neupert, Peter; McCallie, David; Szolovits, Peter; Willard, Huntington F; Mendelsohn, Nancy J; Temme, Renee; Finkel, Richard S; Yum, Sabrina W; Medne, Livija; Sunyaev, Shamil R; Adzhubey, Ivan; Cassa, Christopher A; de Bakker, Paul I W; Duzkale, Hatice; Dworzyński, Piotr; Fairbrother, William; Francioli, Laurent; Funke, Birgit H; Giovanni, Monica A; Handsaker, Robert E; Lage, Kasper; Lebo, Matthew S; Lek, Monkol; Leshchiner, Ignaty; MacArthur, Daniel G; McLaughlin, Heather M; Murray, Michael F; Pers, Tune H; Polak, Paz P; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Rehm, Heidi L; Soemedi, Rachel; Stitziel, Nathan O; Vestecka, Sara; Supper, Jochen; Gugenmus, Claudia; Klocke, Bernward; Hahn, Alexander; Schubach, Max; Menzel, Mortiz; Biskup, Saskia; Freisinger, Peter; Deng, Mario; Braun, Martin; Perner, Sven; Smith, Richard J H; Andorf, Janeen L; Huang, Jian; Ryckman, Kelli; Sheffield, Val C; Stone, Edwin M; Bair, Thomas; Black-Ziegelbein, E Ann; Braun, Terry A; Darbro, Benjamin; DeLuca, Adam P; Kolbe, Diana L; Scheetz, Todd E; Shearer, Aiden E; Sompallae, Rama; Wang, Kai; Bassuk, Alexander G; Edens, Erik; Mathews, Katherine; Moore, Steven A; Shchelochkov, Oleg A; Trapane, Pamela; Bossler, Aaron; Campbell, Colleen A; Heusel, Jonathan W; Kwitek, Anne; Maga, Tara; Panzer, Karin; Wassink, Thomas; Van Daele, Douglas; Azaiez, Hela; Booth, Kevin; Meyer, Nic; Segal, Michael M; Williams, Marc S; Tromp, Gerard; White, Peter; Corsmeier, Donald; Fitzgerald-Butt, Sara; Herman, Gail; Lamb-Thrush, Devon; McBride, Kim L; Newsom, David; Pierson, Christopher R; Rakowsky, Alexander T; Maver, Aleš; Lovrečić, Luca; Palandačić, Anja; Peterlin, Borut; Torkamani, Ali; Wedell, Anna; Huss, Mikael; Alexeyenko, Andrey; Lindvall, Jessica M; Magnusson, Måns; Nilsson, Daniel; Stranneheim, Henrik; Taylan, Fulya; Gilissen, Christian; Hoischen, Alexander; van Bon, Bregje; Yntema, Helger; Nelen, Marcel; Zhang, Weidong; Sager, Jason; Zhang, Lu; Blair, Kathryn; Kural, Deniz; Cariaso, Michael; Lennon, Greg G; Javed, Asif; Agrawal, Saloni; Ng, Pauline C; Sandhu, Komal S; Krishna, Shuba; Veeramachaneni, Vamsi; Isakov, Ofer; Halperin, Eran; Friedman, Eitan; Shomron, Noam; Glusman, Gustavo; Roach, Jared C; Caballero, Juan; Cox, Hannah C; Mauldin, Denise; Ament, Seth A; Rowen, Lee; Richards, Daniel R; San Lucas, F Anthony; Gonzalez-Garay, Manuel L; Caskey, C Thomas; Bai, Yu; Huang, Ying; Fang, Fang; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Zhengyuan; Barrera, Jorge; Garcia-Lobo, Juan M; González-Lamuño, Domingo; Llorca, Javier; Rodriguez, Maria C; Varela, Ignacio; Reese, Martin G; De La Vega, Francisco M; Kiruluta, Edward; Cargill, Michele; Hart, Reece K; Sorenson, Jon M; Lyon, Gholson J; Stevenson, David A; Bray, Bruce E; Moore, Barry M; Eilbeck, Karen; Yandell, Mark; Zhao, Hongyu; Hou, Lin; Chen, Xiaowei; Yan, Xiting; Chen, Mengjie; Li, Cong; Yang, Can; Gunel, Murat; Li, Peining; Kong, Yong; Alexander, Austin C; Albertyn, Zayed I; Boycott, Kym M; Bulman, Dennis E; Gordon, Paul M K; Innes, A Micheil; Knoppers, Bartha M; Majewski, Jacek; Marshall, Christian R; Parboosingh, Jillian S; Sawyer, Sarah L; Samuels, Mark E; Schwartzentruber, Jeremy; Kohane, Isaac S; Margulies, David M

2014-03-25

There is tremendous potential for genome sequencing to improve clinical diagnosis and care once it becomes routinely accessible, but this will require formalizing research methods into clinical best practices in the areas of sequence data generation, analysis, interpretation and reporting. The CLARITY Challenge was designed to spur convergence in methods for diagnosing genetic disease starting from clinical case history and genome sequencing data. DNA samples were obtained from three families with heritable genetic disorders and genomic sequence data were donated by sequencing platform vendors. The challenge was to analyze and interpret these data with the goals of identifying disease-causing variants and reporting the findings in a clinically useful format. Participating contestant groups were solicited broadly, and an independent panel of judges evaluated their performance. A total of 30 international groups were engaged. The entries reveal a general convergence of practices on most elements of the analysis and interpretation process. However, even given this commonality of approach, only two groups identified the consensus candidate variants in all disease cases, demonstrating a need for consistent fine-tuning of the generally accepted methods. There was greater diversity of the final clinical report content and in the patient consenting process, demonstrating that these areas require additional exploration and standardization. The CLARITY Challenge provides a comprehensive assessment of current practices for using genome sequencing to diagnose and report genetic diseases. There is remarkable convergence in bioinformatic techniques, but medical interpretation and reporting are areas that require further development by many groups.

An international effort towards developing standards for best practices in analysis, interpretation and reporting of clinical genome sequencing results in the CLARITY Challenge

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background There is tremendous potential for genome sequencing to improve clinical diagnosis and care once it becomes routinely accessible, but this will require formalizing research methods into clinical best practices in the areas of sequence data generation, analysis, interpretation and reporting. The CLARITY Challenge was designed to spur convergence in methods for diagnosing genetic disease starting from clinical case history and genome sequencing data. DNA samples were obtained from three families with heritable genetic disorders and genomic sequence data were donated by sequencing platform vendors. The challenge was to analyze and interpret these data with the goals of identifying disease-causing variants and reporting the findings in a clinically useful format. Participating contestant groups were solicited broadly, and an independent panel of judges evaluated their performance. Results A total of 30 international groups were engaged. The entries reveal a general convergence of practices on most elements of the analysis and interpretation process. However, even given this commonality of approach, only two groups identified the consensus candidate variants in all disease cases, demonstrating a need for consistent fine-tuning of the generally accepted methods. There was greater diversity of the final clinical report content and in the patient consenting process, demonstrating that these areas require additional exploration and standardization. Conclusions The CLARITY Challenge provides a comprehensive assessment of current practices for using genome sequencing to diagnose and report genetic diseases. There is remarkable convergence in bioinformatic techniques, but medical interpretation and reporting are areas that require further development by many groups. PMID:24667040

Proceedings: international regulatory considerations on development pathways for cell therapies.

PubMed

Feigal, Ellen G; Tsokas, Katherine; Viswanathan, Sowmya; Zhang, Jiwen; Priest, Catherine; Pearce, Jonathan; Mount, Natalie

2014-08-01

Regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving field that faces novel scientific and regulatory challenges. In September 2013, the International Workshop on Regulatory Pathways for Cell Therapies was convened to discuss the nature of these challenges and potential solutions and to highlight opportunities for potential convergence between different regulatory bodies that might assist the field's development. The workshop discussions generated potentially actionable steps in five main areas that could mitigate cell therapy development pathway risk and accelerate moving promising therapies to patients. These included the need for convergence of regulatory guidelines on donor eligibility and suitability of lines for use in clinical trials and subsequent commercialization for cell therapies to move forward on a global basis; the need to challenge and encourage investigators in the regenerative medicine field to share information and provide examples of comparability studies related to master cell banks; the need for convergence of guidelines across regulatory jurisdictions on requirements for tumorigenicity studies, based on particular cell types and on biodistribution studies; the need to increase transparency in sharing clinical trial information more broadly and disseminating results more rapidly; and the need to establish a forum for sharing the experiences of various approaches being developed to expedite regulatory approvals and access for patients to innovative cell and regenerative therapies in the different regulatory jurisdictions and to assess their potential strengths and weaknesses. ©AlphaMed Press.

Hybrid Symbiotic Organisms Search Optimization Algorithm for Scheduling of Tasks on Cloud Computing Environment.

PubMed

Abdullahi, Mohammed; Ngadi, Md Asri

2016-01-01

Cloud computing has attracted significant attention from research community because of rapid migration rate of Information Technology services to its domain. Advances in virtualization technology has made cloud computing very popular as a result of easier deployment of application services. Tasks are submitted to cloud datacenters to be processed on pay as you go fashion. Task scheduling is one the significant research challenges in cloud computing environment. The current formulation of task scheduling problems has been shown to be NP-complete, hence finding the exact solution especially for large problem sizes is intractable. The heterogeneous and dynamic feature of cloud resources makes optimum task scheduling non-trivial. Therefore, efficient task scheduling algorithms are required for optimum resource utilization. Symbiotic Organisms Search (SOS) has been shown to perform competitively with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The aim of this study is to optimize task scheduling in cloud computing environment based on a proposed Simulated Annealing (SA) based SOS (SASOS) in order to improve the convergence rate and quality of solution of SOS. The SOS algorithm has a strong global exploration capability and uses fewer parameters. The systematic reasoning ability of SA is employed to find better solutions on local solution regions, hence, adding exploration ability to SOS. Also, a fitness function is proposed which takes into account the utilization level of virtual machines (VMs) which reduced makespan and degree of imbalance among VMs. CloudSim toolkit was used to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method using both synthetic and standard workload. Results of simulation showed that hybrid SOS performs better than SOS in terms of convergence speed, response time, degree of imbalance, and makespan.

Hybrid Symbiotic Organisms Search Optimization Algorithm for Scheduling of Tasks on Cloud Computing Environment

PubMed Central

Abdullahi, Mohammed; Ngadi, Md Asri

2016-01-01

Cloud computing has attracted significant attention from research community because of rapid migration rate of Information Technology services to its domain. Advances in virtualization technology has made cloud computing very popular as a result of easier deployment of application services. Tasks are submitted to cloud datacenters to be processed on pay as you go fashion. Task scheduling is one the significant research challenges in cloud computing environment. The current formulation of task scheduling problems has been shown to be NP-complete, hence finding the exact solution especially for large problem sizes is intractable. The heterogeneous and dynamic feature of cloud resources makes optimum task scheduling non-trivial. Therefore, efficient task scheduling algorithms are required for optimum resource utilization. Symbiotic Organisms Search (SOS) has been shown to perform competitively with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The aim of this study is to optimize task scheduling in cloud computing environment based on a proposed Simulated Annealing (SA) based SOS (SASOS) in order to improve the convergence rate and quality of solution of SOS. The SOS algorithm has a strong global exploration capability and uses fewer parameters. The systematic reasoning ability of SA is employed to find better solutions on local solution regions, hence, adding exploration ability to SOS. Also, a fitness function is proposed which takes into account the utilization level of virtual machines (VMs) which reduced makespan and degree of imbalance among VMs. CloudSim toolkit was used to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method using both synthetic and standard workload. Results of simulation showed that hybrid SOS performs better than SOS in terms of convergence speed, response time, degree of imbalance, and makespan. PMID:27348127

Techniques for Conducting Effective Concept Design and Design-to-Cost Trade Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Di Pietro, David A.

2015-01-01

Concept design plays a central role in project success as its product effectively locks the majority of system life cycle cost. Such extraordinary leverage presents a business case for conducting concept design in a credible fashion, particularly for first-of-a-kind systems that advance the state of the art and that have high design uncertainty. A key challenge, however, is to know when credible design convergence has been achieved in such systems. Using a space system example, this paper characterizes the level of convergence needed for concept design in the context of technical and programmatic resource margins available in preliminary design and highlights the importance of design and cost evaluation learning curves in determining credible convergence. It also provides techniques for selecting trade study cases that promote objective concept evaluation, help reveal unknowns, and expedite convergence within the trade space and conveys general practices for conducting effective concept design-to-cost studies.

Microfluidic Organ/Body-on-a-Chip Devices at the Convergence of Biology and Microengineering.

PubMed

Perestrelo, Ana Rubina; Águas, Ana C P; Rainer, Alberto; Forte, Giancarlo

2015-12-10

Recent advances in biomedical technologies are mostly related to the convergence of biology with microengineering. For instance, microfluidic devices are now commonly found in most research centers, clinics and hospitals, contributing to more accurate studies and therapies as powerful tools for drug delivery, monitoring of specific analytes, and medical diagnostics. Most remarkably, integration of cellularized constructs within microengineered platforms has enabled the recapitulation of the physiological and pathological conditions of complex tissues and organs. The so-called "organ-on-a-chip" technology, which represents a new avenue in the field of advanced in vitro models, with the potential to revolutionize current approaches to drug screening and toxicology studies. This review aims to highlight recent advances of microfluidic-based devices towards a body-on-a-chip concept, exploring their technology and broad applications in the biomedical field.

Converging, pervasive technologies: chronic and emerging issues and policy adequacy.

PubMed

Seelman, Katherine D

2008-01-01

This article is a thought piece with the expansive goal of identifying policy facilitators and barriers to the development of usable and accessible advanced information and communications technology for people with disabilities across the age span at the research and development and marketing stages. The working hypothesis is as follows: The lack of participation in and representation of the interests of people with disabilities in the technology resource system is a barrier to availability of affordable consumer goods that enable independence and community integration. Converging, pervasive computing technology, especially in housing applications, is used as a case example, drawing especially from research and development conducted by the National Science Foundation Quality of Life Technology Engineering Research Center. A critical theory approach is used to identify problems and seek solutions to the apparent lack of balance between the demand and needs of disabled users and the supply and availability of usable, affordable consumer goods produced by the technology resource system in which allocation decisions are made. The approach uses policy analysis tools such as a technology assessment framework; the participation and environment components of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; and participatory action research.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

Alabama Department of Transportation workers utilize Convergent Spray Technology to resurface a bridge on Interstate 65 near Lacon, Alabama. Originally developed by USBI to apply a heat resistant coating to the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters, the environment-friendly technology reduces the required worktime from days to hours.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

A workman inspects the results of Convergent Spray Technology used to resurface a bridge on Interstate 65 near Lacon, Alabama. Originally developed by USBI to apply a heat resistant coating to the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters, the environment-friendly technology reduces the required worktime from days to hours.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

Alabama Department of Transportation workers utilize Convergent Spray Technology used to resurface a bridge on Interstate 65 near Lacon, Alabama. Originally developed by USBI to apply a heat resistant coating to the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters, the environment-friendly technology reduces the required worktime from days to hours.

Handbook of Research on Literacy in Technology at the K-12 Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hin, Leo Tan Wee, Ed.; Subramaniam, R., Ed.

2006-01-01

The "Handbook of Research on Literacy in Technology at the K-12 Level" is the first reference work to provide comprehensive coverage of the issues, methods, and theories that define the converging worlds of literacy and technology at the pre-collegiate level. Over 50 international experts have combined their research and practical experience into…

A Unified Multi-Functional Dynamic Spectrum Access Framework: Tutorial, Theory and Multi-GHz Wideband Testbed

PubMed Central

Qiu, Robert; Guo, Nan; Li, Husheng; Wu, Zhiqiang; Chakravarthy, Vasu; Song, Yu; Hu, Zhen; Zhang, Peng; Chen, Zhe

2009-01-01

Dynamic spectrum access is a must-have ingredient for future sensors that are ideally cognitive. The goal of this paper is a tutorial treatment of wideband cognitive radio and radar—a convergence of (1) algorithms survey, (2) hardware platforms survey, (3) challenges for multi-function (radar/communications) multi-GHz front end, (4) compressed sensing for multi-GHz waveforms—revolutionary A/D, (5) machine learning for cognitive radio/radar, (6) quickest detection, and (7) overlay/underlay cognitive radio waveforms. One focus of this paper is to address the multi-GHz front end, which is the challenge for the next-generation cognitive sensors. The unifying theme of this paper is to spell out the convergence for cognitive radio, radar, and anti-jamming. Moore’s law drives the system functions into digital parts. From a system viewpoint, this paper gives the first comprehensive treatment for the functions and the challenges of this multi-function (wideband) system. This paper brings together the inter-disciplinary knowledge. PMID:22454598

Capacity Building: Reshaping Urban Community College Resources in Response to Emerging Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lassiter, Wright L., Jr.

2013-01-01

Urban community colleges face a myriad of convergent challenges, including the loss of state funding and local property tax support, increased demands for better performance and greater accountability, and record-high enrollment by the most underprepared students in higher education. Sometimes to make sense of it all, it helps to think of an onion.

Compartments, Customers, or Convergence?: Evolving Challenges to IT Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Gregory A.

2007-01-01

For most of the past decade, IT leaders in higher education felt on top of things. Challenges were usually comprehensible and addressable, doing reasonable things yielded reasonable results, and for the most part, IT was a substantial contributor to institutional progress. But these days, IT leaders rarely feel on top of things. Instead, some days…

Learning Reconsidered: Education in the Digital Age. Communications, Convergence and the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Everette E.; Meyer, Philip; Sundar, S. Shyam; Pryor, Larry; Rogers, Everett M.; Chen, Helen L.; Pavlik, John

2003-01-01

Includes thoughts of seven educators on the place of digital communication in journalism and mass communication education. Discusses communication scholars and the professional field's readiness for the digital age. Notes educators' attitudes towards technology and technology's applications in education. (PM)

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

A NASA official inspects the results of Convergent Spray Technology used to resurface a bridge on Interstate 65 near Lacon, Alabama. Originally developed by USBI to apply a heat resistant coating to the Space Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters, the environment-friendly technology reduces the required worktime from days to hours.

The role of intracochlear drug delivery devices in the management of inner ear disease.

PubMed

Ayoob, Andrew M; Borenstein, Jeffrey T

2015-03-01

Diseases of the inner ear include those of the auditory and vestibular systems, and frequently result in disabling hearing loss or vertigo. Despite a rapidly expanding pipeline of potential cochlear therapeutics, the inner ear remains a challenging organ for targeted drug delivery, and new technologies are required to deliver these therapies in a safe and efficacious manner. In addition to traditional approaches for direct inner ear drug delivery, novel microfluidics-based systems are under development, promising improved control over pharmacokinetics over longer periods of delivery, ultimately with application towards hair cell regeneration in humans. Advances in the development of intracochlear drug delivery systems are reviewed, including passive systems, active microfluidic technologies and cochlear prosthesis-mediated delivery. This article provides a description of novel delivery systems and their potential future clinical applications in treating inner ear disease. Recent progresses in microfluidics and miniaturization technologies are enabling the development of wearable and ultimately implantable drug delivery microsystems. Progress in this field is being spurred by the convergence of advances in molecular biology, microfluidic flow control systems and models for drug transport in the inner ear. These advances will herald a new generation of devices, with near-term applications in preclinical models, and ultimately with human clinical use for a range of diseases of the inner ear.

Corporate Schooling Meets Corporate Media: Standards, Testing, and Technophilia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltman, Kenneth J.

2016-01-01

Educational publishing corporations and media corporations in the United States have been converging, especially through the promotion of standardization, testing, and for-profit educational technologies. Media and technology companies--including News Corp, Apple, and Microsoft--have significantly expanded their presence in public schools to sell…

New Technology Trends in Education: Seven Years of Forecasts and Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Sergio; Diaz, Gabriel; Sancristobal, Elio; Gil, Rosario; Castro, Manuel; Peire, Juan

2011-01-01

Each year since 2004, a new Horizon Report has been released. Each edition attempts to forecast the most promising technologies likely to impact on education along three horizons: the short term (the year of the report), the mid-term (the next 2 years) and the long term (the next 4 years). This paper analyzes the evolution of technology trends…

Electronic Document Delivery: Converging Standards and Technologies. UDT Series on Data Communication Technologies and Standards for Libraries, Report #2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleveland, Gary

The development of information technologies such as public access catalogs and online databases has greatly enhanced access to information. The lack of automation in the area of document delivery, however, has created a large disparity between the speed with which citations are found and the provision of primary documents. This imbalance can…

Microfluidic Organ/Body-on-a-Chip Devices at the Convergence of Biology and Microengineering

PubMed Central

Perestrelo, Ana Rubina; Águas, Ana C. P.; Rainer, Alberto; Forte, Giancarlo

2015-01-01

Recent advances in biomedical technologies are mostly related to the convergence of biology with microengineering. For instance, microfluidic devices are now commonly found in most research centers, clinics and hospitals, contributing to more accurate studies and therapies as powerful tools for drug delivery, monitoring of specific analytes, and medical diagnostics. Most remarkably, integration of cellularized constructs within microengineered platforms has enabled the recapitulation of the physiological and pathological conditions of complex tissues and organs. The so-called “organ-on-a-chip” technology, which represents a new avenue in the field of advanced in vitro models, with the potential to revolutionize current approaches to drug screening and toxicology studies. This review aims to highlight recent advances of microfluidic-based devices towards a body-on-a-chip concept, exploring their technology and broad applications in the biomedical field. PMID:26690442

Multifocal planes head-mounted displays.

PubMed

Rolland, J P; Krueger, M W; Goon, A

2000-07-01

Stereoscopic head-mounted displays (HMD's) provide an effective capability to create dynamic virtual environments. For a user of such environments, virtual objects would be displayed ideally at the appropriate distances, and natural concordant accommodation and convergence would be provided. Under such image display conditions, the user perceives these objects as if they were objects in a real environment. Current HMD technology requires convergent eye movements. However, it is currently limited by fixed visual accommodation, which is inconsistent with real-world vision. A prototype multiplanar volumetric projection display based on a stack of laminated planes was built for medical visualization as discussed in a paper presented at a 1999 Advanced Research Projects Agency workshop (Sullivan, Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., 1999). We show how such technology can be engineered to create a set of virtual planes appropriately configured in visual space to suppress conflicts of convergence and accommodation in HMD's. Although some scanning mechanism could be employed to create a set of desirable planes from a two-dimensional conventional display, multiplanar technology accomplishes such function with no moving parts. Based on optical principles and human vision, we present a comprehensive investigation of the engineering specification of multiplanar technology for integration in HMD's. Using selected human visual acuity and stereoacuity criteria, we show that the display requires at most 27 equally spaced planes, which is within the capability of current research and development display devices, located within a maximal 26-mm-wide stack. We further show that the necessary in-plane resolution is of the order of 5 microm.

Seeing difference: market health reform in Europe.

PubMed

Jacobs, A

1998-02-01

The comparative literature on health care reform has identified a convergence upon market models as nations respond to similar economic, technological, social, and demographic pressures. In this article I first challenge the conventional view by comparing "market" reforms of the late 1980s and early 1990s in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Though these nations did indeed converge upon the instrument of the market incentive, there was considerable divergence in the content and aims of their reform strategies. These nations designed their respective markets to make different tradeoffs among competing values. While all three exploited the principle of provider competition, they appointed different actors to judge the contest: the cost-conscious public authority in the United Kingdom, the quality-conscious patient in Sweden, and the optimizing consumer in the Netherlands. I argue that these countries were thus using common market tools to promote different health policy goals. Distinguishing these reforms further is the fact that--particularly in the Netherlands--there was a gap between market plans and the reality of implemented change. I then ask why nations responded so differently to such similar objective pressures. My contention is that this divergence reflects, in part, the different ideological orientations of the ruling party or coalition in each nation. Yet divergence is also the result of differences in both the design of political institutions and the structure of the pre-reform health system in each country.

Efficient receiver tuning using differential evolution strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Caleb H.; Toland, Trevor G.

2016-08-01

Differential evolution (DE) is a powerful and computationally inexpensive optimization strategy that can be used to search an entire parameter space or to converge quickly on a solution. The Kilopixel Array Pathfinder Project (KAPPa) is a heterodyne receiver system delivering 5 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth in the tuning range of 645-695 GHz. The fully automated KAPPa receiver test system finds optimal receiver tuning using performance feedback and DE. We present an adaptation of DE for use in rapid receiver characterization. The KAPPa DE algorithm is written in Python 2.7 and is fully integrated with the KAPPa instrument control, data processing, and visualization code. KAPPa develops the technologies needed to realize heterodyne focal plane arrays containing 1000 pixels. Finding optimal receiver tuning by investigating large parameter spaces is one of many challenges facing the characterization phase of KAPPa. This is a difficult task via by-hand techniques. Characterizing or tuning in an automated fashion without need for human intervention is desirable for future large scale arrays. While many optimization strategies exist, DE is ideal for time and performance constraints because it can be set to converge to a solution rapidly with minimal computational overhead. We discuss how DE is utilized in the KAPPa system and discuss its performance and look toward the future of 1000 pixel array receivers and consider how the KAPPa DE system might be applied.

Verifying the interactive convergence clock synchronization algorithm using the Boyer-Moore theorem prover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, William D.

1992-01-01

The application of formal methods to the analysis of computing systems promises to provide higher and higher levels of assurance as the sophistication of our tools and techniques increases. Improvements in tools and techniques come about as we pit the current state of the art against new and challenging problems. A promising area for the application of formal methods is in real-time and distributed computing. Some of the algorithms in this area are both subtle and important. In response to this challenge and as part of an ongoing attempt to verify an implementation of the Interactive Convergence Clock Synchronization Algorithm (ICCSA), we decided to undertake a proof of the correctness of the algorithm using the Boyer-Moore theorem prover. This paper describes our approach to proving the ICCSA using the Boyer-Moore prover.

[The global harmonization task force : successes and challenges].

PubMed

Rotter, R G

2009-06-01

With the move towards globalized international commerce and trade, a call for harmonization of medical device regulatory requirements and practices has evolved. The purpose of the Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF) is to encourage convergence of regulatory requirements and practices at a global level through consensus to achieve four principle goals: promote safety, quality and performance/effectiveness of medical devices; encourage technological innovation; foster international trade; and serve as a forum of information exchange - all in the interests of protecting and promoting public health. The GHTF is governed by a Steering Committee, and the principle development of the GHTF regulatory model has been, and continues to be, done through five working groups known as Study Groups and supplemented recently by the creation of several Ad Hoc Working Groups. Since its creation in 1992, the members of the GHTF have worked collaboratively to develop what is now ready to be called a global model for the regulation of medical devices.

Privacy, Security, and Patient Engagement: The Changing Health Data Governance Landscape.

PubMed

Holmes, John H

2016-01-01

The rapid emergence of new technologies support collection and use of a wide variety of data from clinical, genomic, social and behavioral, environmental, and financial sources, and have a great impact on the governance of personal health information. The papers in this special issue on governance touch on the topic from a variety of focuses, including leadership perspectives, local and federal case studies, and the future importance of patient engagement. This special issue focuses on three major themes-that data governance is growing in importance and presenting new challenges that must be addressed, that health care organizations must prioritize governance design, implementation, and functions as a priority, and that governance seems to be naturally converging on an archetype as described by this set of papers. In order to deal with issues such as data de- and re-identification, data governance must be studied as its own field.

Creating Renaissance Employees in an Era of Convergence between Information Technology and Business Strategy: A Proposal for Business Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celsi, Richard; Wolfinbarger, Mary

2001-01-01

The electronic commerce environment requires cross-functional managers who understand both information technology (IT) and business strategy. Disciplinary boundaries restrict the flexibility of business schools to provide cross-functional education and training. Schools must integrate IT with other disciplines. (SK)

Teacher Education and Change: The First Decade of IT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gwyn, Rhys

1988-01-01

The convergence of computer technology with telecommunications may transform our concept of classroom and school. The PLUTO Network Project, which links several countries in Europe in a collaborative distance learning network, is described. Three phases in the growth of educational uses of computer technologies are outlined. (IAH)

A Technological Acceptance of Remote Laboratory in Chemistry Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ling, Wendy Sing Yii; Lee, Tien Tien; Tho, Siew Wei

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the technological acceptance of Chemistry students, and the opinions of Chemistry lecturers and laboratory assistants towards the use of remote laboratory in Chemistry education. The convergent parallel design mixed method was carried out in this study. The instruments involved were questionnaire and…

IS 2010 and ABET Accreditation: An Analysis of ABET-Accredited Information Systems Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saulnier, Bruce; White, Bruce

2011-01-01

Many strong forces are converging on information systems academic departments. Among these forces are quality considerations, accreditation, curriculum models, declining/steady student enrollments, and keeping current with respect to emerging technologies and trends. ABET, formerly the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology, is at…

Triangulation and Mixed Methods Designs: Data Integration with New Research Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fielding, Nigel G.

2012-01-01

Data integration is a crucial element in mixed methods analysis and conceptualization. It has three principal purposes: illustration, convergent validation (triangulation), and the development of analytic density or "richness." This article discusses such applications in relation to new technologies for social research, looking at three…

Technology Assessment for Future MILSATCOM Systems; An Update of the EHF Bands

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

converging these efforts, the MSO has prepared a "Technology Development Program Plan" ( TDPP ). The TOPP defines a coordinated approach to the R&D...required to insure the availability of the technology necessary to support future systems. Some of the objectives of the TDPP are: to minimize...and TDPP have illuminated the need for technology development efforts directed toward minimizing the cost- risk and schedule-risk, and insuring the

Communal Learning versus Individual Learning: An Exploratory Convergent Parallel Mixed-Method Study to Describe How Young African American Novice Programmers Learn Computational Thinking Skills in an Informal Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatley, Leshell April Denise

2016-01-01

Today, most young people in the United States (U.S.) live technology-saturated lives. Their educational, entertainment, and career options originate from and demand incredible technological innovations. However, this extensive ownership of and access to technology does not indicate that today's youth know how technology works or how to control and…

Converging Technologies. Selected Papers from the EdTech '90 Conference of the Australian Society for Educational Technology (Sydney, Australia, July 4-6, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedberg, John G., Ed.; And Others

This collection contains 30 selected papers and abstracts of six additional papers from the 1990 Conference of the Australian Society for Educational Technology. Titles and authors of the papers are as follows: (1) "Interactive Media into the Millenium" (Clark); (2) "Open Learning Centre Network Project and the Preparatory and…

Convergent local adaptation to climate in distantly related conifers.

PubMed

Yeaman, Sam; Hodgins, Kathryn A; Lotterhos, Katie E; Suren, Haktan; Nadeau, Simon; Degner, Jon C; Nurkowski, Kristin A; Smets, Pia; Wang, Tongli; Gray, Laura K; Liepe, Katharina J; Hamann, Andreas; Holliday, Jason A; Whitlock, Michael C; Rieseberg, Loren H; Aitken, Sally N

2016-09-23

When confronted with an adaptive challenge, such as extreme temperature, closely related species frequently evolve similar phenotypes using the same genes. Although such repeated evolution is thought to be less likely in highly polygenic traits and distantly related species, this has not been tested at the genome scale. We performed a population genomic study of convergent local adaptation among two distantly related species, lodgepole pine and interior spruce. We identified a suite of 47 genes, enriched for duplicated genes, with variants associated with spatial variation in temperature or cold hardiness in both species, providing evidence of convergent local adaptation despite 140 million years of separate evolution. These results show that adaptation to climate can be genetically constrained, with certain key genes playing nonredundant roles. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Technological Convergence: A Brief Review of Some of the Developments in the Integrated Storage and Retrieval of Text, Data, Sound and Image.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forrest, Charles

1988-01-01

Reviews technological developments centered around microcomputers that have led to the design of integrated workstations. Topics discussed include methods of information storage, information retrieval, telecommunications networks, word processing, data management, graphics, interactive video, sound, interfaces, artificial intelligence, hypermedia,…

The Instructional Effects of Knowledge-Based Community of Practice Learning Environment on Student Achievement and Knowledge Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Draper, Darryl C.

2013-01-01

The increased accessibility of technology and Internet connections has enabled organizations to provide their workforces with the opportunity to engage in distributed education. "Harnessing this innovation calls for organizational and technological infrastructures that support the interplay of knowledge and knowing" (Cook & Brown, 1999, p. 381).…

Positioning Education in the Information Society: The Transnational Diffusion of the Information and Communication Technology Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ham, Seung-Hwan; Cha, Yun-Kyung

2009-01-01

One of the most distinctive qualities that characterize present-day society is the social fact that people are shifting to the information age. In recent years, they have witnessed remarkable developments in information and communication technology (ICT), in which microelectronics, computers, and telecommunications have converged. Transnational…

News Media Industry

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

convergence of media types, rapidly evolving technology, changing consumer behavior , and traditionalists ensconced in the ways of the past all...changing consumer behavior have all contributed to uncertain times for these media icons. Newspaper readership and subscriptions levels continue to...consistently center on changing technologies, corporate pressures, changing consumer behavior and revenue generation (advertising). Because it’s

VoIP in a Campus Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Dan

2005-01-01

Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony, or voice-over IP (VoIP), has proved to be a wise decision for many organizations. This technology crosses the boundaries of public and private networks, enterprise and residential markets, voice and data technologies, as well as local and long-distance services. The convergence of voice and data into a single,…

Funding the Technology of a Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostrom-Blonigen, Jean

2013-01-01

Using the central information technology unit (CITU) on the North Dakota State University (NDSU) campus, this project triangulated two independent studies in an effort to converge data findings. The studies were conducted in an effort to determine whether CITU's budget constraints were known to its stakeholders and how the extended use of the…

Conduct of Psychological Counseling and Guidance Services over the Internet: Converging Communications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dincyurek, Sibel; Uygarer, Gulen

2012-01-01

Technology brings novelties among human beings' lives and human psychology is also influenced by these novelties in positive and negative way. In the study, positive contribution of the technology and the importance of counseling services were wished to be indicated. School counseling services were conducted to illustrate the importance of online…

Effects of ICT Integration in Management of Private Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya: Policy Options and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyier, Charles Richard; Odundo, Paul Amollo; Lilian, Ganira Khavugwi; Wangui, Kahiga Ruth

2015-01-01

The convergence between telecommunication, broadcasting multimedia and related technologies commonly known as Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), promises a fundamental change in educational management. ICT could be the missing tool in improving efficiency of private secondary schools to cope with rapidly changing world to…

Using TPCK with Digital Storytelling to Investigate Contemporary Issues in Educational Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddin, Ellen

2012-01-01

Digital storytelling is recognized as a motivating instructional approach that engages students in critical thinking and reflective learning. Technology tools that support digital storytelling are readily available and much easier to use today than they were in years past. The convergence of these factors has facilitated the inclusion of digital…

Influence of Social Reform Ideologies on Industrial/Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireh, Maduakolam

2016-01-01

The founding of industrial/technology education in Ameria represents the convergence of many influences dating back to the pre-industrial revolution era. Social reform movement, one of these influences, set out to change conditions considered to be causes of poverty and other social problems through active engagements in political, educational,…

The Virtual Campus: Technology and Reform in Higher Education. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, Volume 25, No. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Dusen, Gerald C.

The "virtual campus" is a metaphor for the electronic teaching, learning, and research environment created by the convergence of several relatively new technologies including, but not restricted to, the Internet, World Wide Web, computer-mediated communication, video conferencing, multi-media, groupware, video-on-demand, desktop…

Converging the capabilities of EAP artificial muscles and the requirements of bio-inspired robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, David F.; White, Victor

2004-07-01

The characteristics of Electro-actuated polymers (EAP) are typically considered inadequate for applications in robotics. But in recent years, there has been both dramatic increases in EAP technological capbilities and reductions in power requirements for actuating bio-inspired robotics. As the two trends continue to converge, one may anticipate that dramatic breakthroughs in biologically inspired robotic actuation will result due to the marraige of these technologies. This talk will provide a snapshot of how EAP actuator scientists and roboticists may work together on a common platform to accelerate the growth of both technologies. To demonstrate this concept of a platform to accelerate this convergence, the authors will discuss their work in the niche application of robotic facial expression. In particular, expressive robots appear to be within the range of EAP actuation, thanks to their low force requirements. Several robots will be shown that demonstrate realistic expressions with dramatically decreased force requirements. Also, detailed descriptions will be given of the engineering innovations that have enabled these robotics advancements-most notably, Structured-Porosity Elastomer Materials (SPEMs). SPEM manufacturing techniques create delicate cell-structures in a variety of elastomers that maintain the high elongation characteristics of the mother material, but because of the porisity, behave as sponge-materials, thus lower the force required to emulate facial expressions to levels output by several extant EAP actuators.

ACR Imaging IT Reference Guide: Image Sharing: Evolving Solutions in the Age of Interoperability

PubMed Central

Erickson, Bradley J.; Choy, Garry

2014-01-01

Interoperability is a major focus of the quickly evolving world of Health Information Technology. Easy, yet secure and confidential exchange of imaging exams and the associated reports must be a part of the solutions that are implemented. The availability of historical exams is essential in providing a quality interpretation and reducing inappropriate utilization of imaging services. Today exchange of imaging exams is most often achieved via a CD. We describe the virtues of this solution as well as challenges that have surfaced. Internet and cloud based technologies employed for many consumer services can provide a better solution. Vendors are making these solutions available. Standards for internet based exchange are emerging. Just as Radiology converged on DICOM as a standard to store and view images we need a common exchange standard. We will review the existing standards, and how they are organized into useful workflows through Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) profiles. IHE and standards development processes are discussed. Healthcare and the domain of Radiology must stay current with quickly evolving internet standards. The successful use of the “cloud” will depend upon both the technologies we discuss and the policies put into place around these technologies. We discuss both aspects. The Radiology community must lead the way and provide a solution that works for radiologists and clinicians in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Lastly we describe the features we believe radiologists should consider when considering adding internet based exchange solutions to their practice. PMID:25467903

Report of the Northern California Conference for Guidelines on Aid-in-Dying: definitions, differences, convergences, conclusions.

PubMed Central

Young, E W; Marcus, F S; Drought, T; Mendiola, M; Ciesielski-Carlucci, C; Alpers, A; Eaton, M; Koenig, B A; Loewy, E; Raffin, T A; Ross, C

1997-01-01

In September 1996, the Stanford University Center for Biomedical Ethics convened a conference entitled "Comprehensive Care of the Terminally Ill: The Northern California Consensus Development Conference for Guidelines on Aid-in-Dying." The regionally based, multidisciplinary conference gathered people from a variety of disciplines and diverse perspectives on physician aid-in-dying. This report documents important points of convergence, disagreement, and uncertainty that emerged from the conference and provides commentary on crucial issues: the definition of terminal illness, ensuring adequate palliative care, psychiatric challenges, coping with family pressures, the doctor-patient relationship, the managed care context, the role of ethics committees, and institutional challenges. Should physician aid-in-dying become a legal practice in California, the report will provide guidance to health care organizations, health professionals, and public policy officials engaged in local or state guideline or policy development. PMID:9217449

[Evolution of assisted reproductive technologies].

PubMed

Jouannet, Pierre

2009-03-01

When natural conception is impossible and the underlying problem cannot be treated, medical intervention can reproduce the steps necessary for fertilization and early embryo development. The first known medical action in the field of human reproduction took place at the end of the 18th century, in the form of artificial insemination with the husband's semen, thus dissociating sexual intercourse from procreation. A further upheaval occurred at the end of the 19th century, with the use of donor sperm, separating the notions of genetic descent and parenthood. In the second half of the 20th century, medically assisted procreation saw two major technological advances, namely gamete freezing and in vitro fertilization (IVF). The first child conceived with frozen-thawed sperm was born in 1953, and the first IVF baby in 1978. Fertilization by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), first developed in 1992, can overcome many causes of male infertility. The convergence of reproductive biology and genetics has now opened up the possibility of screening for chromosome and gene defects in the embryo, prior to implantation. Thus, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) not only serve as a substitute for natural conception but can also avoid the birth of a disabled child While new technologies continue to extend the available options for infertile couples, they also have the potential to help single women and homosexual couples to have children. These practices are currently only accepted in certain countries. Overall, these new medical technologies have contributed to changing our conception of human reproduction, opening up new paradigms of parenthood and raising new challenges for society.

Comparing the nine-item Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire to the OPTION Scale - an attempt to establish convergent validity.

PubMed

Scholl, Isabelle; Kriston, Levente; Dirmaier, Jörg; Härter, Martin

2015-02-01

While there has been a clear move towards shared decision-making (SDM) in the last few years, the measurement of SDM-related constructs remains challenging. There has been a call for further psychometric testing of known scales, especially regarding validity aspects. To test convergent validity of the nine-item Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) by comparing it to the OPTION Scale. Cross-sectional study. Data were collected in outpatient care practices. Patients suffering from chronic diseases and facing a medical decision were included in the study. Consultations were evaluated using the OPTION Scale. Patients completed the SDM-Q-9 after the consultation. First, the internal consistency of both scales and the inter-rater reliability of the OPTION Scale were calculated. To analyse the convergent validity of the SDM-Q-9, correlation between the patient (SDM-Q-9) and expert ratings (OPTION Scale) was calculated. A total of 21 physicians provided analysable data of consultations with 63 patients. Analyses revealed good internal consistency of the SDM-Q-9 and limited internal consistency of the OPTION Scale. Inter-rater reliability of the latter was less than optimal. Association between the total scores of both instruments was weak with a Spearman correlation of r = 0.19 and did not reach statistical significance. By the use of the OPTION Scale convergent validity of the SDM-Q-9 could not be established. Several possible explanations for this result are discussed. This study shows that the measurement of SDM remains challenging. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cultural values and cross-cultural video consumption on YouTube.

PubMed

Park, Minsu; Park, Jaram; Baek, Young Min; Macy, Michael

2017-01-01

Video-sharing social media like YouTube provide access to diverse cultural products from all over the world, making it possible to test theories that the Web facilitates global cultural convergence. Drawing on a daily listing of YouTube's most popular videos across 58 countries, we investigate the consumption of popular videos in countries that differ in cultural values, language, gross domestic product, and Internet penetration rate. Although online social media facilitate global access to cultural products, we find this technological capability does not result in universal cultural convergence. Instead, consumption of popular videos in culturally different countries appears to be constrained by cultural values. Cross-cultural convergence is more advanced in cosmopolitan countries with cultural values that favor individualism and power inequality.

Convergence behavior of the random phase approximation renormalized correlation energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bates, Jefferson E.; Sensenig, Jonathon; Ruzsinszky, Adrienn

2017-05-01

Based on the random phase approximation (RPA), RPA renormalization [J. E. Bates and F. Furche, J. Chem. Phys. 139, 171103 (2013), 10.1063/1.4827254] is a robust many-body perturbation theory that works for molecules and materials because it does not diverge as the Kohn-Sham gap approaches zero. Additionally, RPA renormalization enables the simultaneous calculation of RPA and beyond-RPA correlation energies since the total correlation energy is the sum of a series of independent contributions. The first-order approximation (RPAr1) yields the dominant beyond-RPA contribution to the correlation energy for a given exchange-correlation kernel, but systematically underestimates the total beyond-RPA correction. For both the homogeneous electron gas model and real systems, we demonstrate numerically that RPA renormalization beyond first order converges monotonically to the infinite-order beyond-RPA correlation energy for several model exchange-correlation kernels and that the rate of convergence is principally determined by the choice of the kernel and spin polarization of the ground state. The monotonic convergence is rationalized from an analysis of the RPA renormalized correlation energy corrections, assuming the exchange-correlation kernel and response functions satisfy some reasonable conditions. For spin-unpolarized atoms, molecules, and bulk solids, we find that RPA renormalization is typically converged to 1 meV error or less by fourth order regardless of the band gap or dimensionality. Most spin-polarized systems converge at a slightly slower rate, with errors on the order of 10 meV at fourth order and typically requiring up to sixth order to reach 1 meV error or less. Slowest to converge, however, open-shell atoms present the most challenging case and require many higher orders to converge.

[Convergence of healthcare regulation in the Americas: history, development, and new challenges].

PubMed

Silva, Ana Paula Jucá; Tagliari, Patrícia Oliveira Pereira

2016-05-01

The present article describes the changing relationship among healthcare regulatory authorities in various international settings, with special emphasis on the Americas. As other sectors, healthcare also faces the need to regulate international practices, while at the same time taking into consideration the specific realities of each country. Regulatory convergence - a movement towards technical alignment to enable the adoption of local regulatory mechanisms that take into account internationally recognized standards and principles to promote a single sanitary goal - has emerged as a means to address this challenge. Organizations that already use this tool, such as the International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA), Pan American Network for Drug Regulatory Harmonization (PANDRH), International Generic Drug Regulators Programme (IGDRP), and the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF), among others, are currently working to gather knowledge, data, and specialists from different countries to build an international technical and scientific standard that can be used for decision-making by local regulators. This would ensure convergence of national regulations despite the need to adapt international standards to local needs, structure, and capacities. The most recent resolutions issued by the World Health Organization recognize the need to bring regulatory systems closer to the reality of national healthcare systems, and underscore the advantages of using existing local guidelines as input for cooperation with regulatory authorities.

Convergent Polishing: A Simple, Rapid, Full Aperture Polishing Process of High Quality Optical Flats & Spheres

PubMed Central

Suratwala, Tayyab; Steele, Rusty; Feit, Michael; Dylla-Spears, Rebecca; Desjardin, Richard; Mason, Dan; Wong, Lana; Geraghty, Paul; Miller, Phil; Shen, Nan

2014-01-01

Convergent Polishing is a novel polishing system and method for finishing flat and spherical glass optics in which a workpiece, independent of its initial shape (i.e., surface figure), will converge to final surface figure with excellent surface quality under a fixed, unchanging set of polishing parameters in a single polishing iteration. In contrast, conventional full aperture polishing methods require multiple, often long, iterative cycles involving polishing, metrology and process changes to achieve the desired surface figure. The Convergent Polishing process is based on the concept of workpiece-lap height mismatch resulting in pressure differential that decreases with removal and results in the workpiece converging to the shape of the lap. The successful implementation of the Convergent Polishing process is a result of the combination of a number of technologies to remove all sources of non-uniform spatial material removal (except for workpiece-lap mismatch) for surface figure convergence and to reduce the number of rogue particles in the system for low scratch densities and low roughness. The Convergent Polishing process has been demonstrated for the fabrication of both flats and spheres of various shapes, sizes, and aspect ratios on various glass materials. The practical impact is that high quality optical components can be fabricated more rapidly, more repeatedly, with less metrology, and with less labor, resulting in lower unit costs. In this study, the Convergent Polishing protocol is specifically described for fabricating 26.5 cm square fused silica flats from a fine ground surface to a polished ~λ/2 surface figure after polishing 4 hr per surface on a 81 cm diameter polisher. PMID:25489745

The role of metabolic disorders in Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia: two roads converged.

PubMed

Craft, Suzanne

2009-03-01

In recent years a rapidly increasing number of studies has focused on the relationship between dementia and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Etiological heterogeneity and comorbidity pose challenges for determining relationships among metabolic disorders. The independent and interactive effects of brain vascular injury and classic pathological agents such as beta-amyloid have also proved difficult to distinguish in human patients, blurring the lines between Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. This review highlights recent work aimed at identifying convergent mechanisms such as insulin resistance that may underlie comorbid metabolic disorders and thereby increase dementia risk. Identification of such convergent factors will not only provide important insight into the causes and interdependencies of late-life dementias but will also inspire novel strategies for treating and preventing these disorders.

The Role of Metabolic Disorders in Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia: Two Roads Converged?

PubMed Central

Craft, Suzanne

2009-01-01

In recent years, there has been a rapidly increasing number of studies focused on the relationship between dementia and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Etiological heterogeneity and co-morbidity pose challenges for determining relationships among metabolic disorders. The independent and interactive effects of brain vascular injury and classic pathological agents such as Aβ have also proved difficult to untangle in human patients, blurring the lines between Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. This review highlights recent work aimed at identifying convergent mechanisms such as insulin resistance that may underlie co-morbid metabolic disorders and thereby increase dementia risk. Identification of such convergent factors will not only provide important insights into the causes and interdependencies of late-life dementias, but will also inspire novel strategies for treating and preventing these disorders. PMID:19273747

Program Responses to Acute and Chronic Malnutrition: Divergences and Convergences123

PubMed Central

Bergeron, Gilles; Castleman, Tony

2012-01-01

Program approaches for addressing acute malnutrition and those for addressing chronic malnutrition have grown in different directions. Their specialization has led to productive advances in the efficacy of specific interventions but has also created divergences in implementation. Greater convergence and integration between the 2 sets of approaches would help programs respond to the diversity of conditions faced in the field and enable a more comprehensive continuum of care from prevention to treatment. After reviewing the causes of the differences in approach, this paper examines programmatic and scientific challenges to greater convergence and suggests steps to promote effective integration of acute and chronic malnutrition services. Steps include strengthening community linkages between program platforms, assessing the degree and type of integration needed in various situations, identifying cost efficiencies, and developing joint tools where possible. PMID:22516735

Optimal Wastewater Loading under Conflicting Goals and Technology Limitations in a Riverine System.

PubMed

Rafiee, Mojtaba; Lyon, Steve W; Zahraie, Banafsheh; Destouni, Georgia; Jaafarzadeh, Nemat

2017-03-01

  This paper investigates a novel simulation-optimization (S-O) framework for identifying optimal treatment levels and treatment processes for multiple wastewater dischargers to rivers. A commonly used water quality simulation model, Qual2K, was linked to a Genetic Algorithm optimization model for exploration of relevant fuzzy objective-function formulations for addressing imprecision and conflicting goals of pollution control agencies and various dischargers. Results showed a dynamic flow dependence of optimal wastewater loading with good convergence to near global optimum. Explicit considerations of real-world technological limitations, which were developed here in a new S-O framework, led to better compromise solutions between conflicting goals than those identified within traditional S-O frameworks. The newly developed framework, in addition to being more technologically realistic, is also less complicated and converges on solutions more rapidly than traditional frameworks. This technique marks a significant step forward for development of holistic, riverscape-based approaches that balance the conflicting needs of the stakeholders.

Spatial navigation by congenitally blind individuals.

PubMed

Schinazi, Victor R; Thrash, Tyler; Chebat, Daniel-Robert

2016-01-01

Spatial navigation in the absence of vision has been investigated from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. These different approaches have progressed our understanding of spatial knowledge acquisition by blind individuals, including their abilities, strategies, and corresponding mental representations. In this review, we propose a framework for investigating differences in spatial knowledge acquisition by blind and sighted people consisting of three longitudinal models (i.e., convergent, cumulative, and persistent). Recent advances in neuroscience and technological devices have provided novel insights into the different neural mechanisms underlying spatial navigation by blind and sighted people and the potential for functional reorganization. Despite these advances, there is still a lack of consensus regarding the extent to which locomotion and wayfinding depend on amodal spatial representations. This challenge largely stems from methodological limitations such as heterogeneity in the blind population and terminological ambiguity related to the concept of cognitive maps. Coupled with an over-reliance on potential technological solutions, the field has diffused into theoretical and applied branches that do not always communicate. Here, we review research on navigation by congenitally blind individuals with an emphasis on behavioral and neuroscientific evidence, as well as the potential of technological assistance. Throughout the article, we emphasize the need to disentangle strategy choice and performance when discussing the navigation abilities of the blind population. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2015 The Authors. WIREs Cognitive Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of the Multiple Use Plug Hybrid for Nanosats (MUPHyN) miniature thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eilers, Shannon

The Multiple Use Plug Hybrid for Nanosats (MUPHyN) prototype thruster incorporates solutions to several major challenges that have traditionally limited the deployment of chemical propulsion systems on small spacecraft. The MUPHyN thruster offers several features that are uniquely suited for small satellite applications. These features include 1) a non-explosive ignition system, 2) non-mechanical thrust vectoring using secondary fluid injection on an aerospike nozzle cooled with the oxidizer flow, 3) a non-toxic, chemically-stable combination of liquid and inert solid propellants, 4) a compact form factor enabled by the direct digital manufacture of the inert solid fuel grain. Hybrid rocket motors provide significant safety and reliability advantages over both solid composite and liquid propulsion systems; however, hybrid motors have found only limited use on operational vehicles due to 1) difficulty in modeling the fuel flow rate 2) poor volumetric efficiency and/or form factor 3) significantly lower fuel flow rates than solid rocket motors 4) difficulty in obtaining high combustion efficiencies. The features of the MUPHyN thruster are designed to offset and/or overcome these shortcomings. The MUPHyN motor design represents a convergence of technologies, including hybrid rocket regression rate modeling, aerospike secondary injection thrust vectoring, multiphase injector modeling, non-pyrotechnic ignition, and nitrous oxide regenerative cooling that address the traditional challenges that limit the use of hybrid rocket motors and aerospike nozzles. This synthesis of technologies is unique to the MUPHyN thruster design and no comparable work has been published in the open literature.

Design and Inquiry: Bases for an Accommodation between Science and Technology Education in the Curriculum?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Theodore

2006-01-01

This article examines the merits of the proposition that design and inquiry are conceptual parallels. It does so by first looking closely at the inquiry-related discourse within science education, then at aspects of the design discourse within engineering, and finally within technology education. Convergences and divergences of these two streams…

Media Rich, Resource Poor: Practical Work in an Impractical Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Vliet, Emma; Deacon, Andrew

2004-01-01

Film and media courses appear well placed to exploit technology convergence in exposing students both to practical skills and to theoretical concepts. For the University of Cape Town's (UCT) large film and media studies courses, it is impractical simply to use the technology of professionals as this would typically be too expensive to purchase and…

Emerging Technologies for Software-Reliant Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-24

needs • Loose coupling • Global distribution of hardware, software and people • Horizontal integration and convergence • Virtualization...Webinar– February 2011 © 2011 Carnegie Mellon University Global Distribution of Hardware, Software and People Globalization is an essential part of...University Required Software Engineering Emphasis Due to Emerging Technologies (2) Defensive Programming • Security • Auto-adaptation • Globalization

Between Technological Endorsement and Resistance: The State of Online Writing Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neaderhiser, Stephen; Wolfe, Joanna

2009-01-01

Over the past two decades, writing centers have steadily been expanding services and materials they offer online. The way students write and communicate about their writing continues to change, and the writing center has increasingly been looked upon as a site through which technology and writing have the ability to converge in the form of…

Understanding the Need for Business Intelligence Systems: Technological Acceptance, Use, and Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierre, Ashley R.

2012-01-01

DeLone and McLean first introduced a review of information systems success (ISS) literature and proposed the information success model in 1992. The contribution of technology use and acceptance and its influence toward ISS is an area of information systems research that has received significant attention from both researchers and practitioners.…

Convergent and Divergent Computer-Mediated Communication Tasks in an English for Academic Purposes Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Daniel O.

2011-01-01

This article describes the implementation of technology-mediated tasks in an English for academic purposes (EAP) curriculum at a Japanese university. The course addressed the needs of English majors at the school by enabling more efficient completion of academic work, including essay writing. One way that technology supported this goal was through…

Digital Video as Research Practice: Methodology for the Millennium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrum, Wesley; Duque, Ricardo; Brown, Timothy

2005-01-01

This essay has its origin in a project on the globalization of science that rediscovered the wisdom of past research practices through the technology of the future. The main argument of this essay is that a convergence of digital video technologies with practices of social surveillance portends a methodological shift towards a new variety of…

An Analysis of Social, Literary and Technological Sources Used by Classroom Teachers in Social Studies Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidan, Nuray Kurtdede; Ergün, Mustafa

2016-01-01

In this study, social, literary and technological sources used by classroom teachers in social studies courses are analyzed in terms of frequency. The study employs mixed methods research and is designed following the convergent parallel design. In the qualitative part of the study, phenomenological method was used and in the quantitative…

Catching up: The rise of the Chinese wind turbine industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefevre-Marton, Nicolas

This thesis argues that Chinese firms can catch up with the technological frontier in the scope of new climate friendly energy technologies and provides a detailed study of the case of wind power. Chapter 2 assesses the nature and extent of wind turbine technology catch-up. Firstly, it uses various wind turbine technology indicators to detail the convergence of trends of leading Chinese firms with firms at the technological frontier. Secondly, the chapter assesses the evolution of technological capabilities among leading Chinese turbine manufacturers. It shows that Chinese firms were progressively introducing turbine technologies similar to those produced by frontier firms and had rapidly improved their capabilities, allowing them to increasingly rely on independent technology development efforts. Chapter 3 describes how the Chinese wind power technology development system, characterized by the presence of a powerful and proactive government, provided the necessary conditions for Chinese wind turbine manufacturers to make rapid technological progress. In particular, it highlights the policies introduced by the government to create a large and rapidly growing wind power market in China and the steps taken by the government to ensure that Chinese firms entered and progressively dominated the domestic turbine manufacturing market. The competition which ensued among domestic turbine manufacturers was arguably the main driver of technology development efforts. The most significant challenge to the continued progress of the industry was whether the Chinese system could transition from a model of technology development based on technology transfer to one based on its own innovation efforts. Chapter 4 shows that due to limited government support over the years in both Europe and the United States, the wind power technology frontier has evolved relatively slowly, making it easier for Chinese firms to catch up. Firstly, using patenting rates as indicators of knowledge development, the chapter shows a strong correlation between changes in government wind power support policies and patenting activity. Secondly, using both technology penetration rates and patenting trends, the chapter shows that the evolution of the wind power frontier was slow compared to most other technology sectors globally.

Temporal patterns of mental model convergence: implications for distributed teams interacting in electronic collaboration spaces.

PubMed

McComb, Sara; Kennedy, Deanna; Perryman, Rebecca; Warner, Norman; Letsky, Michael

2010-04-01

Our objective is to capture temporal patterns in mental model convergence processes and differences in these patterns between distributed teams using an electronic collaboration space and face-to-face teams with no interface. Distributed teams, as sociotechnical systems, collaborate via technology to work on their task. The way in which they process information to inform their mental models may be examined via team communication and may unfold differently than it does in face-to-face teams. We conducted our analysis on 32 three-member teams working on a planning task. Half of the teams worked as distributed teams in an electronic collaboration space, and the other half worked face-to-face without an interface. Using event history analysis, we found temporal interdependencies among the initial convergence points of the multiple mental models we examined. Furthermore, the timing of mental model convergence and the onset of task work discussions were related to team performance. Differences existed in the temporal patterns of convergence and task work discussions across conditions. Distributed teams interacting via an electronic interface and face-to-face teams with no interface converged on multiple mental models, but their communication patterns differed. In particular, distributed teams with an electronic interface required less overall communication, converged on all mental models later in their life cycles, and exhibited more linear cognitive processes than did face-to-face teams interacting verbally. Managers need unique strategies for facilitating communication and mental model convergence depending on teams' degrees of collocation and access to an interface, which in turn will enhance team performance.

Digital health care: where health care, information technology, and the Internet converge.

PubMed

Frank, S R; Williams, J R; Veiel, E L

2000-01-01

The digital health care industry applies information technologies to facilitate communications, commerce, transactions, business problem solving, and enhanced decision making for one or more groups that supply, consume, or finance health care services and products. The variation among companies is significant, but each one attempts to leverage information technology to drive sustainable evolutionary change. In an overview of the industry, a framework is provided to understand the maze of business plans.

Widespread neural oscillations in the delta band dissociate rule convergence from rule divergence during creative idea generation.

PubMed

Boot, Nathalie; Baas, Matthijs; Mühlfeld, Elisabeth; de Dreu, Carsten K W; van Gaal, Simon

2017-09-01

Critical to creative cognition and performance is both the generation of multiple alternative solutions in response to open-ended problems (divergent thinking) and a series of cognitive operations that converges on the correct or best possible answer (convergent thinking). Although the neural underpinnings of divergent and convergent thinking are still poorly understood, several electroencephalography (EEG) studies point to differences in alpha-band oscillations between these thinking modes. We reason that, because most previous studies employed typical block designs, these pioneering findings may mainly reflect the more sustained aspects of creative processes that extend over longer time periods, and that still much is unknown about the faster-acting neural mechanisms that dissociate divergent from convergent thinking during idea generation. To this end, we developed a new event-related paradigm, in which we measured participants' tendency to implicitly follow a rule set by examples, versus breaking that rule, during the generation of novel names for specific categories (e.g., pasta, planets). This approach allowed us to compare the oscillatory dynamics of rule convergent and rule divergent idea generation and at the same time enabled us to measure spontaneous switching between these thinking modes on a trial-to-trial basis. We found that, relative to more systematic, rule convergent thinking, rule divergent thinking was associated with widespread decreases in delta band activity. Therefore, this study contributes to advancing our understanding of the neural underpinnings of creativity by addressing some methodological challenges that neuroscientific creativity research faces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

45 CFR 1388.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... resources and funding sources, and their institutional history. These factors converge to create a network.... State-of-the-art means that UAP activities are of high quality (using the latest technology), worthy of...

Defining the Cubature Changes of Historic St. Kinga Chamber in Bochnia Salt Mine, Using Laser Scanning Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szafarczyk, Anna; Gawałkiewicz, Rafał

2018-03-01

In Poland, there are many mining enterprises, of historic character registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the oldest mining enterprises in Poland is the Salt Mine in Bochnia. The processes inside the rock mass require that surveying services carry out regular geometric control of the cavities. A particular attention should be paid (due to its sacral function) on St. Kinga Chamber, located 195 metres below the surface, on the mine level "August". So far measurement technologies have been connected with the studies on changes in the geometry of cavities and based on linear bases used to measure convergence. This only provides discrete information (in a point) and not always presents a real state of deformation. In the scanning method, in practice a three dimension image of changes (structural deformations) is obtained, impossible to determine with the application of measurement methods, applied to measure the value of linear convergence (the method with a limited number of bases). Laser scanning, apart from determining the value of volume convergence, gives also the possibility of the visualization of 3D cavern. Moreover, it provides direct information to update mining numerical maps and make it possible to generate various cross-sections through the cavern. The authors analysed the possibility of the application of laser scanning (scanner Faro Focus 3D), as a modern tool allowing the measuring of the value of volume convergence.

Convergent ethical issues in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria vaccine trials in Africa: Report from the WHO/UNAIDS African AIDS Vaccine Programme's Ethics, Law and Human Rights Collaborating Centre consultation, 10-11 February 2009, Durban, South Africa.

PubMed

Mamotte, Nicole; Wassenaar, Douglas; Koen, Jennifer; Essack, Zaynab

2010-03-09

Africa continues to bear a disproportionate share of the global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria burden. The development and distribution of safe, effective and affordable vaccines is critical to reduce these epidemics. However, conducting HIV/AIDS, TB, and/or malaria vaccine trials simultaneously in developing countries, or in populations affected by all three diseases, is likely to result in numerous ethical challenges. In order to explore convergent ethical issues in HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria vaccine trials in Africa, the Ethics, Law and Human Rights Collaborating Centre of the WHO/UNAIDS African AIDS Vaccine Programme hosted a consultation on the Convergent Ethical Issues in HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Vaccine Trials in Africa in Durban, South Africa on the 10-11 February 2009. Key cross cutting ethical issues were prioritized during the consultation as community engagement; ancillary care obligations; care and treatment; informed consent; and resource sharing. The consultation revealed that while there have been few attempts to find convergence on ethical issues between HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria vaccine trial fields to date, there is much common ground and scope for convergence work between stakeholders in the three fields.

Dynamically analyzing cell interactions in biological environments using multiagent social learning framework.

PubMed

Zhang, Chengwei; Li, Xiaohong; Li, Shuxin; Feng, Zhiyong

2017-09-20

Biological environment is uncertain and its dynamic is similar to the multiagent environment, thus the research results of the multiagent system area can provide valuable insights to the understanding of biology and are of great significance for the study of biology. Learning in a multiagent environment is highly dynamic since the environment is not stationary anymore and each agent's behavior changes adaptively in response to other coexisting learners, and vice versa. The dynamics becomes more unpredictable when we move from fixed-agent interaction environments to multiagent social learning framework. Analytical understanding of the underlying dynamics is important and challenging. In this work, we present a social learning framework with homogeneous learners (e.g., Policy Hill Climbing (PHC) learners), and model the behavior of players in the social learning framework as a hybrid dynamical system. By analyzing the dynamical system, we obtain some conditions about convergence or non-convergence. We experimentally verify the predictive power of our model using a number of representative games. Experimental results confirm the theoretical analysis. Under multiagent social learning framework, we modeled the behavior of agent in biologic environment, and theoretically analyzed the dynamics of the model. We present some sufficient conditions about convergence or non-convergence and prove them theoretically. It can be used to predict the convergence of the system.

A displacement-based finite element formulation for incompressible and nearly-incompressible cardiac mechanics

PubMed Central

Hadjicharalambous, Myrianthi; Lee, Jack; Smith, Nicolas P.; Nordsletten, David A.

2014-01-01

The Lagrange Multiplier (LM) and penalty methods are commonly used to enforce incompressibility and compressibility in models of cardiac mechanics. In this paper we show how both formulations may be equivalently thought of as a weakly penalized system derived from the statically condensed Perturbed Lagrangian formulation, which may be directly discretized maintaining the simplicity of penalty formulations with the convergence characteristics of LM techniques. A modified Shamanskii–Newton–Raphson scheme is introduced to enhance the nonlinear convergence of the weakly penalized system and, exploiting its equivalence, modifications are developed for the penalty form. Focusing on accuracy, we proceed to study the convergence behavior of these approaches using different interpolation schemes for both a simple test problem and more complex models of cardiac mechanics. Our results illustrate the well-known influence of locking phenomena on the penalty approach (particularly for lower order schemes) and its effect on accuracy for whole-cycle mechanics. Additionally, we verify that direct discretization of the weakly penalized form produces similar convergence behavior to mixed formulations while avoiding the use of an additional variable. Combining a simple structure which allows the solution of computationally challenging problems with good convergence characteristics, the weakly penalized form provides an accurate and efficient alternative to incompressibility and compressibility in cardiac mechanics. PMID:25187672

A displacement-based finite element formulation for incompressible and nearly-incompressible cardiac mechanics.

PubMed

Hadjicharalambous, Myrianthi; Lee, Jack; Smith, Nicolas P; Nordsletten, David A

2014-06-01

The Lagrange Multiplier (LM) and penalty methods are commonly used to enforce incompressibility and compressibility in models of cardiac mechanics. In this paper we show how both formulations may be equivalently thought of as a weakly penalized system derived from the statically condensed Perturbed Lagrangian formulation, which may be directly discretized maintaining the simplicity of penalty formulations with the convergence characteristics of LM techniques. A modified Shamanskii-Newton-Raphson scheme is introduced to enhance the nonlinear convergence of the weakly penalized system and, exploiting its equivalence, modifications are developed for the penalty form. Focusing on accuracy, we proceed to study the convergence behavior of these approaches using different interpolation schemes for both a simple test problem and more complex models of cardiac mechanics. Our results illustrate the well-known influence of locking phenomena on the penalty approach (particularly for lower order schemes) and its effect on accuracy for whole-cycle mechanics. Additionally, we verify that direct discretization of the weakly penalized form produces similar convergence behavior to mixed formulations while avoiding the use of an additional variable. Combining a simple structure which allows the solution of computationally challenging problems with good convergence characteristics, the weakly penalized form provides an accurate and efficient alternative to incompressibility and compressibility in cardiac mechanics.

High-throughput and low-latency 60GHz small-cell network architectures over radio-over-fiber technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pleros, N.; Kalfas, G.; Mitsolidou, C.; Vagionas, C.; Tsiokos, D.; Miliou, A.

2017-01-01

Future broadband access networks in the 5G framework will need to be bilateral, exploiting both optical and wireless technologies. This paper deals with new approaches and synergies on radio-over-fiber (RoF) technologies and how those can be leveraged to seamlessly converge wireless technology for agility and mobility with passive optical networks (PON)-based backhauling. The proposed convergence paradigm is based upon a holistic network architecture mixing mm-wave wireless access with photonic integration, dynamic capacity allocation and network coding schemes to enable high bandwidth and low-latency fixed and 60GHz wireless personal area communications for gigabit rate per user, proposing and deploying on top a Medium-Transparent MAC (MT-MAC) protocol as a low-latency bandwidth allocation mechanism. We have evaluated alternative network topologies between the central office (CO) and the access point module (APM) for data rates up to 2.5 Gb/s and SC frequencies up to 60 GHz. Optical network coding is demonstrated for SCM-based signaling to enhance bandwidth utilization and facilitate optical-wireless convergence in 5G applications, reporting medium-transparent network coding directly at the physical layer between end-users communicating over a RoF infrastructure. Towards equipping the physical layer with the appropriate agility to support MT-MAC protocols, a monolithic InP-based Remote Antenna Unit optoelectronic PIC interface is shown that ensures control over the optical resource allocation assisting at the same time broadband wireless service. Finally, the MT-MAC protocol is analysed and simulation and analytical theoretical results are presented that are found to be in good agreement confirming latency values lower than 1msec for small- to mid-load conditions.

Cultural values and cross-cultural video consumption on YouTube

PubMed Central

Macy, Michael

2017-01-01

Video-sharing social media like YouTube provide access to diverse cultural products from all over the world, making it possible to test theories that the Web facilitates global cultural convergence. Drawing on a daily listing of YouTube’s most popular videos across 58 countries, we investigate the consumption of popular videos in countries that differ in cultural values, language, gross domestic product, and Internet penetration rate. Although online social media facilitate global access to cultural products, we find this technological capability does not result in universal cultural convergence. Instead, consumption of popular videos in culturally different countries appears to be constrained by cultural values. Cross-cultural convergence is more advanced in cosmopolitan countries with cultural values that favor individualism and power inequality. PMID:28531228

Expanding Human Cognition and Communication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spohrer, Jim; Pierce, Brian M.; Murray, Cherry A.

To be able to chart the most profitable future directions for societal transformation and corresponding scientific research, five multidisciplinary themes focused on major goals have been identified to fulfill the overall motivating vision of convergence described in the previous pages. The first, “Expanding Human Cognition and Communication,” is devoted to technological breakthroughs that have the potential to enhance individuals’ mental and interaction abilities. Throughout the twentieth century, a number of purely psychological techniques were offered for strengthening human character and personality, but evaluation research has generally failed to confirm the alleged benefits of these methods (Druckman and Bjork 1992; 1994).more » Today, there is good reason to believe that a combination of methods, drawing upon varied branches of converging science and technology, would be more effective than attempts that rely upon mental training alone.« less

The emperor's new wardrobe: Rebalancing diversity of animal models in neuroscience research.

PubMed

Yartsev, Michael M

2017-10-27

The neuroscience field is steaming ahead, fueled by a revolution in cutting-edge technologies. Concurrently, another revolution has been underway-the diversity of species utilized for neuroscience research is sharply declining, as the field converges on a few selected model organisms. Here, from the perspective of a young scientist, I naively ask: Is the great diversity of questions in neuroscience best studied in only a handful of animal models? I review some of the limitations the field is facing following this convergence and how these can be rectified by increasing the diversity of appropriate model species. I propose that at this exciting time of revolution in genetics and device technologies, neuroscience might be ready to diversify again, if provided the appropriate support. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Grid convergence errors in hemodynamic solution of patient-specific cerebral aneurysms.

PubMed

Hodis, Simona; Uthamaraj, Susheil; Smith, Andrea L; Dennis, Kendall D; Kallmes, David F; Dragomir-Daescu, Dan

2012-11-15

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a cutting-edge tool for investigating hemodynamic dysfunctions in the body. It has the potential to help physicians quantify in more detail the phenomena difficult to capture with in vivo imaging techniques. CFD simulations in anatomically realistic geometries pose challenges in generating accurate solutions due to the grid distortion that may occur when the grid is aligned with complex geometries. In addition, results obtained with computational methods should be trusted only after the solution has been verified on multiple high-quality grids. The objective of this study was to present a comprehensive solution verification of the intra-aneurysmal flow results obtained on different morphologies of patient-specific cerebral aneurysms. We chose five patient-specific brain aneurysm models with different dome morphologies and estimated the grid convergence errors for each model. The grid convergence errors were estimated with respect to an extrapolated solution based on the Richardson extrapolation method, which accounts for the degree of grid refinement. For four of the five models, calculated velocity, pressure, and wall shear stress values at six different spatial locations converged monotonically, with maximum uncertainty magnitudes ranging from 12% to 16% on the finest grids. Due to the geometric complexity of the fifth model, the grid convergence errors showed oscillatory behavior; therefore, each patient-specific model required its own grid convergence study to establish the accuracy of the analysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexible scheme to truncate the hierarchy of pure states.

PubMed

Zhang, P-P; Bentley, C D B; Eisfeld, A

2018-04-07

The hierarchy of pure states (HOPS) is a wavefunction-based method that can be used for numerically modeling open quantum systems. Formally, HOPS recovers the exact system dynamics for an infinite depth of the hierarchy. However, truncation of the hierarchy is required to numerically implement HOPS. We want to choose a "good" truncation method, where by "good" we mean that it is numerically feasible to check convergence of the results. For the truncation approximation used in previous applications of HOPS, convergence checks are numerically challenging. In this work, we demonstrate the application of the "n-particle approximation" to HOPS. We also introduce a new approximation, which we call the "n-mode approximation." We then explore the convergence of these truncation approximations with respect to the number of equations required in the hierarchy in two exemplary problems: absorption and energy transfer of molecular aggregates.

Flexible scheme to truncate the hierarchy of pure states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, P.-P.; Bentley, C. D. B.; Eisfeld, A.

2018-04-01

The hierarchy of pure states (HOPS) is a wavefunction-based method that can be used for numerically modeling open quantum systems. Formally, HOPS recovers the exact system dynamics for an infinite depth of the hierarchy. However, truncation of the hierarchy is required to numerically implement HOPS. We want to choose a "good" truncation method, where by "good" we mean that it is numerically feasible to check convergence of the results. For the truncation approximation used in previous applications of HOPS, convergence checks are numerically challenging. In this work, we demonstrate the application of the "n-particle approximation" to HOPS. We also introduce a new approximation, which we call the "n-mode approximation." We then explore the convergence of these truncation approximations with respect to the number of equations required in the hierarchy in two exemplary problems: absorption and energy transfer of molecular aggregates.

Making mLearning Work: Utilizing Mobile Technology for Active Exploration, Collaboration, Assessment, and Reflection in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Mercedes; Baird, Derek E.

2007-01-01

The convergence of mobile technologies into student-centered learning environments requires academic institutions to design new and more effective learning, teaching, and user experience strategies. In this article we share results from an mLearning design experiment and analysis from a student survey conducted at the National College of Ireland.…

Preparing Digital Stories through the Inquiry-Based Learning Approach: Its Effect on Prospective Teachers' Resistive Behaviors toward Research and Technology-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz Konokman, Gamze; Yanpar Yelken, Tugba

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of preparing digital stories through an inquiry based learning approach on prospective teachers' resistive behaviors toward technology based instruction and conducting research. The research model was convergent parallel design. The sample consisted of 50 prospective teachers who had completed…

The wings of Daedalus: The convergence of myth and technology in 20th century culture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kowitt, Mark E.; Kaplan, Michael S.

1993-01-01

In the second half of the 20th century, age-old human fantasies of leaving the Earth and touching the stars have been fulfilled by advances in space science and technology, whose roots are threaded through our history. Current advances are so explosive that the fundamental orientation of Western culture is being radically altered.

Agency and Achievement: Self-management and Self-regard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, John W.

1980-01-01

Studies in self-management, attribution, and achievement motivation challenge the view that basic skills instruction requires strong teacher control, structure, convergence on learning activities, less pupil freedom, and less experimental teaching activities. Student-managed instruction yielded the greatest achievement gains and heightened…

Shared Socio-Economic Pathways of the Energy Sector – Quantifying the Narratives

DOE PAGES

Bauer, Nico; Calvin, Katherine; Emmerling, Johannes; ...

2016-08-23

Energy is crucial for supporting basic human needs, development and well-being. The future evolution of the scale and character of the energy system will be fundamentally shaped by socioeconomic conditions and drivers, available energy resources, technologies of energy supply and transformation, and end-use energy demand. However, because energy-related activities are significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other environmental and social externalities, energy system development will also be influenced by social acceptance and strategic policy choices. All of these uncertainties have important implications for many aspects of economic and environmental sustainability, and climate change in particular. In the Shared-Socioeconomicmore » Pathway (SSP) framework these uncertainties are structured into five narratives, arranged according to the challenges to climate change mitigation and adaptation. In this study we explore future energy sector developments across the five SSPs using Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), and we also provide summary output and analysis for selected scenarios of global emissions mitigation policies. The mitigation challenge strongly corresponds with global baseline energy sector growth over the 21st century, which varies between 40% and 230% depending on final energy consumer behavior, technological improvements, resource availability and policies. The future baseline CO 2-emission range is even larger, as the most energy-intensive SSP also incorporates a comparatively high share of carbon-intensive fossil fuels, and vice versa. Inter-regional disparities in the SSPs are consistent with the underlying socioeconomic assumptions; these differences are particularly strong in the SSPs with large adaptation challenges, which have little inter-regional convergence in long-term income and final energy demand levels. The scenarios presented do not include feedbacks of climate change on energy sector development. The energy sector SSPs with and without emissions mitigation policies are introduced and analyzed here in order to contribute to future research in climate sciences, mitigation analysis, and studies on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability.« less

Rely and Toxic Shock Syndrome: A Technological Health Crisis

PubMed Central

Vostral, Sharra L.

2011-01-01

This essay examines factors leading to the identification of Toxic Shock Syndrome with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in 1978 and the specific role of Rely tampons in generating a technologically rooted health crisis. The concept biologically incompatible technology is offered to explain the relationship between constituent bacteria, women’s menstrual cycles, and a reactive technology that converged to create the ideal environment for the S. aureus bacteria to live and flourish in some women. The complicated and reactive relationship of the Rely tampon to emergent disease, corporate interests, public health, and injury law reveals the dangers of naturalizing technologies. PMID:22180682

Boxes of Model Building and Visualization.

PubMed

Turk, Dušan

2017-01-01

Macromolecular crystallography and electron microscopy (single-particle and in situ tomography) are merging into a single approach used by the two coalescing scientific communities. The merger is a consequence of technical developments that enabled determination of atomic structures of macromolecules by electron microscopy. Technological progress in experimental methods of macromolecular structure determination, computer hardware, and software changed and continues to change the nature of model building and visualization of molecular structures. However, the increase in automation and availability of structure validation are reducing interactive manual model building to fiddling with details. On the other hand, interactive modeling tools increasingly rely on search and complex energy calculation procedures, which make manually driven changes in geometry increasingly powerful and at the same time less demanding. Thus, the need for accurate manual positioning of a model is decreasing. The user's push only needs to be sufficient to bring the model within the increasing convergence radius of the computing tools. It seems that we can now better than ever determine an average single structure. The tools work better, requirements for engagement of human brain are lowered, and the frontier of intellectual and scientific challenges has moved on. The quest for resolution of new challenges requires out-of-the-box thinking. A few issues such as model bias and correctness of structure, ongoing developments in parameters defining geometric restraints, limitations of the ideal average single structure, and limitations of Bragg spot data are discussed here, together with the challenges that lie ahead.

Hierarchical Process Control of Chemical Vapor Infiltration.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-31

convergence artificial neural network and used it to discover improved regions of the CVI processing parameter space; also, the Technology Assessment...identify in situ process sensors of considerable promise and as artificial neural network training pairs.

Convergence behavior of idealized convection-resolving simulations of summertime deep moist convection over land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panosetti, Davide; Schlemmer, Linda; Schär, Christoph

2018-05-01

Convection-resolving models (CRMs) can explicitly simulate deep convection and resolve interactions between convective updrafts. They are thus increasingly used in numerous weather and climate applications. However, the truncation of the continuous energy cascade at scales of O (1 km) poses a serious challenge, as in kilometer-scale simulations the size and properties of the simulated convective cells are often determined by the horizontal grid spacing (Δ x ).In this study, idealized simulations of deep moist convection over land are performed to assess the convergence behavior of a CRM at Δ x = 8, 4, 2, 1 km and 500 m. Two types of convergence estimates are investigated: bulk convergence addressing domain-averaged and integrated variables related to the water and energy budgets, and structural convergence addressing the statistics and scales of individual clouds and updrafts. Results show that bulk convergence generally begins at Δ x =4 km, while structural convergence is not yet fully achieved at the kilometer scale, despite some evidence that the resolution sensitivity of updraft velocities and convective mass fluxes decreases at finer resolution. In particular, at finer grid spacings the maximum updraft velocity generally increases, and the size of the smallest clouds is mostly determined by Δ x . A number of different experiments are conducted, and it is found that the presence of orography and environmental vertical wind shear yields more energetic structures at scales much larger than Δ x , sometimes reducing the resolution sensitivity. Overall the results lend support to the use of kilometer-scale resolutions in CRMs, despite the inability of these models to fully resolve the associated cloud field.

ERA-MIN: The European network (ERA-NET) on non-energy raw materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

vidal, o.; christmann, p.; Bol, d.; Goffé, b.; Groth, m.; Kohler, e.; Persson Nelson, k.; Schumacher, k.

2012-04-01

Non-energy raw materials are vital for the EU's economy, and for the development of environmentally friendly technologies. The EU is the world's largest consumers of non-energy minerals, but it remains dependent on the importation of many metals, as its domestic production is limited to about 3% of world production. We will present the project ERA-MIN, which is an ERA-NET on the Industrial Handling of Raw Materials for European industries, financially supported by the European Commission. The main objectives of ERA-MIN are: 1) Mapping and Networking: interconnecting the members of the currently fragmented European mineral resources research area, to the aim of fostering convergence of public research programs, industry, research institutes, academia and the European Commission, 2) Coordinating: establishing a permanent mechanism for planning and coordination of the European non-energy mineral raw materials research community (ENERC). 3) Roadmapping: defining the most important scientific and technological challenges that should be supported by the EU and its state members, 4) Programming: designing a Joint European Research Programme model and implementating it into a call for proposals open to academic and industrial research. The topics of interest in ERA-MIN are the primary continental and marine resources, the secondary resources and their related technologies, substitution and material efficiency, along with transversal topics such as environmental impact, public policy support, mineral intelligence, and public education and teaching. Public scientific research is very central in the scope of the ERA-MIN activity, whose consortium is indeed lead by a public organisation of fundamental research. Thus, universities and public research organisations are warmly invited to play an active role in defining the scientific questions and challenges that shall determine the European Raw Materials Roadmap and should be addressed by joint programming at the European scale. The various levels of possible involvement in ERA-MIN for the interested stakeholders will be presented.

PERSPECTIVE: Electrical activity enhances neuronal survival and regeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corredor, Raul G.; Goldberg, Jeffrey L.

2009-10-01

The failure of regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) remains an enormous scientific and clinical challenge. After injury or in degenerative diseases, neurons in the adult mammalian CNS fail to regrow their axons and reconnect with their normal targets, and furthermore the neurons frequently die and are not normally replaced. While significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular basis for this lack of regenerative ability, a second approach has gained momentum: replacing lost neurons or lost connections with artificial electrical circuits that interface with the nervous system. In the visual system, gene therapy-based 'optogenetics' prostheses represent a competing technology. Now, the two approaches are converging, as recent data suggest that electrical activity itself, via the molecular signaling pathways such activity stimulates, is sufficient to induce neuronal survival and regeneration, particularly in retinal ganglion cells. Here, we review these data, discuss the effects of electrical activity on neurons' molecular signaling pathways and propose specific mechanisms by which exogenous electrical activity may be acting to enhance survival and regeneration.

[Legal regulation of cloning in the United States].

PubMed

Puertas Tarjuelo, Angel Luis

2010-01-01

In a controversial matter such as cloning the study of the treatment that it raises in the first technological, political and cultural power is essential. Its role, in many ways, on the leading of the Humanity progress deserves a detailed attention. Moral pluralism in a country where various ethical-religious traditions converge and coexist, the kaleidoscopic legal structure of a Federal State, the strength of its biotechnology industry, the passion for research that crosses the nation and the frontier spirit in facing new challenges become the first power pioneer in many social phenomena and a mirror to look at other countries in an attempt to emulate its achievements (or to follow in its mistakes). The debate on the constitutionality of cloning hinges on the ability of public authorities to interfere in personal decisions and on the existence of more valuable public interest that justify such intervention. This article also discusses the criteria for awarding the regulation of cloning to the federation or to the states.

Privacy, Security, and Patient Engagement: The Changing Health Data Governance Landscape

PubMed Central

Holmes, John H.

2016-01-01

Context: The rapid emergence of new technologies support collection and use of a wide variety of data from clinical, genomic, social and behavioral, environmental, and financial sources, and have a great impact on the governance of personal health information. Papers in the special issue: The papers in this special issue on governance touch on the topic from a variety of focuses, including leadership perspectives, local and federal case studies, and the future importance of patient engagement. Themes: This special issue focuses on three major themes—that data governance is growing in importance and presenting new challenges that must be addressed, that health care organizations must prioritize governance design, implementation, and functions as a priority, and that governance seems to be naturally converging on an archetype as described by this set of papers. Future State of Governance: In order to deal with issues such as data de- and re-identification, data governance must be studied as its own field. PMID:27141525

Convergence in full motion video processing, exploitation, and dissemination and activity based intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phipps, Marja; Lewis, Gina

2012-06-01

Over the last decade, intelligence capabilities within the Department of Defense/Intelligence Community (DoD/IC) have evolved from ad hoc, single source, just-in-time, analog processing; to multi source, digitally integrated, real-time analytics; to multi-INT, predictive Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (PED). Full Motion Video (FMV) technology and motion imagery tradecraft advancements have greatly contributed to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities during this timeframe. Imagery analysts have exploited events, missions and high value targets, generating and disseminating critical intelligence reports within seconds of occurrence across operationally significant PED cells. Now, we go beyond FMV, enabling All-Source Analysts to effectively deliver ISR information in a multi-INT sensor rich environment. In this paper, we explore the operational benefits and technical challenges of an Activity Based Intelligence (ABI) approach to FMV PED. Existing and emerging ABI features within FMV PED frameworks are discussed, to include refined motion imagery tools, additional intelligence sources, activity relevant content management techniques and automated analytics.

Convergence of nanotechnology with radiation therapy—insights and implications for clinical translation

PubMed Central

Chatterjee, Dev Kumar; Wolfe, Tatiana; Lee, Jihyoun; Brown, Aaron P; Singh, Pankaj Kumar; Bhattarai, Shanta Raj; Diagaradjane, Parmeswaran; Krishnan, Sunil

2014-01-01

Improvements in accuracy and efficacy in treating tumors with radiation therapy (RT) over the years have been fueled by parallel technological and conceptual advances in imaging and image-guidance techniques, radiation treatment machines, computational methods, and the understanding of the biology of tumor response to RT. Recent advances in our understanding of the hallmarks of cancer and the emergence of strategies to combat these traits of cancer have resulted in an expanding repertoire of targeted therapeutics, many of which can be exploited for enhancing the efficacy of RT. Complementing this advent of new treatment options is the evolution of our knowledge of the interaction between nanoscale materials and human tissues (nanomedicine). As with the changes in RT paradigms when the field has encountered newer and maturing disciplines, the incorporation of nanotechnology innovations into radiation oncology has the potential to refine or redefine its principles and revolutionize its practice. This review provides a summary of the principles, applications, challenges and outlook for the use of metallic nanoparticles in RT. PMID:25279336

Chiral EFT based nuclear forces: achievements and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machleidt, R.; Sammarruca, F.

2016-08-01

During the past two decades, chiral effective field theory has become a popular tool to derive nuclear forces from first principles. Two-nucleon interactions have been worked out up to sixth order of chiral perturbation theory and three-nucleon forces up to fifth order. Applications of some of these forces have been conducted in nuclear few- and many-body systems—with a certain degree of success. But in spite of these achievements, we are still faced with great challenges. Among them is the issue of a proper uncertainty quantification of predictions obtained when applying these forces in ab initio calculations of nuclear structure and reactions. A related problem is the order by order convergence of the chiral expansion. We start this review with a pedagogical introduction and then present the current status of the field of chiral nuclear forces. This is followed by a discussion of representative examples for the application of chiral two- and three-body forces in the nuclear many-body system including convergence issues.

Meanings, Mechanisms, and Measures of Holistic Processing

PubMed Central

Richler, Jennifer J.; Palmeri, Thomas J.; Gauthier, Isabel

2012-01-01

Few concepts are more central to the study of face recognition than holistic processing. Progress toward understanding holistic processing is challenging because the term “holistic” has many meanings, with different researchers addressing different mechanisms and favoring different measures. While in principle the use of different measures should provide converging evidence for a common theoretical construct, convergence has been slow to emerge. We explore why this is the case. One challenge is that “holistic processing” is often used to describe both a theoretical construct and a measured effect, which may not have a one-to-one mapping. Progress requires more than greater precision in terminology regarding different measures of holistic processing or different hypothesized mechanisms of holistic processing. Researchers also need to be explicit about what meaning of holistic processing they are investigating so that it is clear whether different researchers are describing the same phenomenon or not. Face recognition differs from object recognition, and not all meanings of holistic processing are equally suited to help us understand that important difference. PMID:23248611

Meanings, mechanisms, and measures of holistic processing.

PubMed

Richler, Jennifer J; Palmeri, Thomas J; Gauthier, Isabel

2012-01-01

Few concepts are more central to the study of face recognition than holistic processing. Progress toward understanding holistic processing is challenging because the term "holistic" has many meanings, with different researchers addressing different mechanisms and favoring different measures. While in principle the use of different measures should provide converging evidence for a common theoretical construct, convergence has been slow to emerge. We explore why this is the case. One challenge is that "holistic processing" is often used to describe both a theoretical construct and a measured effect, which may not have a one-to-one mapping. Progress requires more than greater precision in terminology regarding different measures of holistic processing or different hypothesized mechanisms of holistic processing. Researchers also need to be explicit about what meaning of holistic processing they are investigating so that it is clear whether different researchers are describing the same phenomenon or not. Face recognition differs from object recognition, and not all meanings of holistic processing are equally suited to help us understand that important difference.

An adiabatic linearized path integral approach for quantum time-correlation functions II: a cumulant expansion method for improving convergence.

PubMed

Causo, Maria Serena; Ciccotti, Giovanni; Bonella, Sara; Vuilleumier, Rodolphe

2006-08-17

Linearized mixed quantum-classical simulations are a promising approach for calculating time-correlation functions. At the moment, however, they suffer from some numerical problems that may compromise their efficiency and reliability in applications to realistic condensed-phase systems. In this paper, we present a method that improves upon the convergence properties of the standard algorithm for linearized calculations by implementing a cumulant expansion of the relevant averages. The effectiveness of the new approach is tested by applying it to the challenging computation of the diffusion of an excess electron in a metal-molten salt solution.

Living technology: exploiting life's principles in technology.

PubMed

Bedau, Mark A; McCaskill, John S; Packard, Norman H; Rasmussen, Steen

2010-01-01

The concept of living technology-that is, technology that is based on the powerful core features of life-is explained and illustrated with examples from artificial life software, reconfigurable and evolvable hardware, autonomously self-reproducing robots, chemical protocells, and hybrid electronic-chemical systems. We define primary (secondary) living technology according as key material components and core systems are not (are) derived from living organisms. Primary living technology is currently emerging, distinctive, and potentially powerful, motivating this review. We trace living technology's connections with artificial life (soft, hard, and wet), synthetic biology (top-down and bottom-up), and the convergence of nano-, bio-, information, and cognitive (NBIC) technologies. We end with a brief look at the social and ethical questions generated by the prospect of living technology.

Projection displays and MEMS: timely convergence for a bright future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornbeck, Larry J.

1995-09-01

Projection displays and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have evolved independently, occasionally crossing paths as early as the 1950s. But the commercially viable use of MEMS for projection displays has been illusive until the recent invention of Texas Instruments Digital Light Processing TM (DLP) technology. DLP technology is based on the Digital Micromirror DeviceTM (DMD) microchip, a MEMS technology that is a semiconductor digital light switch that precisely controls a light source for projection display and hardcopy applications. DLP technology provides a unique business opportunity because of the timely convergence of market needs and technology advances. The world is rapidly moving to an all- digital communications and entertainment infrastructure. In the near future, most of the technologies necessary for this infrastrucutre will be available at the right performance and price levels. This will make commercially viable an all-digital chain (capture, compression, transmission, reception decompression, hearing, and viewing). Unfortunately, the digital images received today must be translated into analog signals for viewing on today's televisions. Digital video is the final link in the all-digital infrastructure and DLP technoogy provides that link. DLP technology is an enabler for digital, high-resolution, color projection displays that have high contrast, are bright, seamless, and have the accuracy of color and grayscale that can be achieved only by digital control. This paper contains an introduction to DMD and DLP technology, including the historical context from which to view their developemnt. The architecture, projection operation, and fabrication are presented. Finally, the paper includes an update about current DMD business opportunities in projection displays and hardcopy.

Implications of Nubian-Like Core Reduction Systems in Southern Africa for the Identification of Early Modern Human Dispersals

PubMed Central

Phillips, Natasha

2015-01-01

Lithic technologies have been used to trace dispersals of early human populations within and beyond Africa. Convergence in lithic systems has the potential to confound such interpretations, implying connections between unrelated groups. Due to their reductive nature, stone artefacts are unusually prone to this chance appearance of similar forms in unrelated populations. Here we present data from the South African Middle Stone Age sites Uitpanskraal 7 and Mertenhof suggesting that Nubian core reduction systems associated with Late Pleistocene populations in North Africa and potentially with early human migrations out of Africa in MIS 5 also occur in southern Africa during early MIS 3 and with no clear connection to the North African occurrence. The timing and spatial distribution of their appearance in southern and northern Africa implies technological convergence, rather than diffusion or dispersal. While lithic technologies can be a critical guide to human population flux, their utility in tracing early human dispersals at large spatial and temporal scales with stone artefact types remains questionable. PMID:26125972

A Sample Application for Use of Biography in Social Studies; Science, Technology and Social Change Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Er, Harun

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the opinions of social studies teacher candidates on use of biography in science, technology and social change course given in the undergraduate program of social studies education. In this regard, convergent parallel design as a mixed research pattern was used to make use of both qualitative and quantitative…

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (86th, Kansas City, Missouri, July 30-August 2, 2003). Communication Technology and Policy Division.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

The Communication Technology and Policy Division of the proceedings contains the following 15 papers: "Both Sides of the Digital Divide in Appalachia: Uses and Perceived Benefits of Internet Access" (Daniel Riffe); "Bridging Newsrooms and Classrooms: Preparing the Next Generation of Journalists for Converged Media" (Edgar…

Convergence in the midst of competition.

PubMed

Carroll, John

2007-12-01

As biotechs hit their adolescence, they - like test makers and pharmaceutical manufacturers - are more likely than ever to reach outside of their own areas of expertise, link hands with the other guys, and pursue new programs and technologies.

Could we 3D print an artificial mind?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynard, Andrew D.

2014-12-01

3D printing is allowing more complex three-dimensional structures to be manufactured than ever before. Could the convergence between this technology and nanotechnology eventually usher in a new era of artificial intelligence, asks Andrew D. Maynard.

Performing the Union: the Prüm Decision and the European dream.

PubMed

Prainsack, Barbara; Toom, Victor

2013-03-01

In 2005, seven European countries signed the so-called Prüm Treaty to increase transnational collaboration in combating international crime, terrorism and illegal immigration. Three years later, the Treaty was adopted into EU law. EU member countries were now obliged to have systems in place to allow authorities of other member states access to nationally held data on DNA, fingerprints, and vehicles by August 2011. In this paper, we discuss the conditions of possibility for the Prüm network to emerge, and argue that rather than a linear ascent towards technological and political convergence and harmonisation, the (hi)story of Prüm is heterogeneous and halting. This is reflected also in the early stages of implementing the Prüm Decision which has proven to be more challenging than it was hoped by the drivers of the Prüm process. In this sense, the Prüm network sits uncomfortably with success stories of forensic science (many of which served the goal of justifying the expansion of technological and surveillance systems). Instead of telling a story of heroic science, the story of Prüm articulates the European dream: one in which goods, services, and people live and travel freely and securely. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fabrication and Testing of CERMET Fuel Materials for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickman, Robert; Broadway, Jeramie; Mireles, Omar

2012-01-01

A first generation Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) based on Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is currently being developed for Advanced Space Exploration Systems. The overall goal of the project is to address critical NTP technology challenges and programmatic issues to establish confidence in the affordability and viability of NTP systems. The current technology roadmap for NTP identifies the development of a robust fuel form as a critical near term need. The lack of a qualified nuclear fuel is a significant technical risk that will require a considerable fraction of program resources to mitigate. Due to these risks and the cost for qualification, the development and selection of a primary fuel must begin prior to Authority to Proceed (ATP) for a specific mission. The fuel development is a progressive approach to incrementally reduce risk, converge the fuel materials, and mature the design and fabrication process of the fuel element. A key objective of the current project is to advance the maturity of CERMET fuels. The work includes fuel processing development and characterization, fuel specimen hot hydrogen screening, and prototypic fuel element testing. Early fuel materials development is critical to help validate requirements and fuel performance. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and status of the work at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).

Convergent ethical issues in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria vaccine trials in Africa: Report from the WHO/UNAIDS African AIDS Vaccine Programme's Ethics, Law and Human Rights Collaborating Centre consultation, 10-11 February 2009, Durban, South Africa

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Africa continues to bear a disproportionate share of the global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria burden. The development and distribution of safe, effective and affordable vaccines is critical to reduce these epidemics. However, conducting HIV/AIDS, TB, and/or malaria vaccine trials simultaneously in developing countries, or in populations affected by all three diseases, is likely to result in numerous ethical challenges. Methods In order to explore convergent ethical issues in HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria vaccine trials in Africa, the Ethics, Law and Human Rights Collaborating Centre of the WHO/UNAIDS African AIDS Vaccine Programme hosted a consultation on the Convergent Ethical Issues in HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Vaccine Trials in Africa in Durban, South Africa on the 10-11 February 2009. Results Key cross cutting ethical issues were prioritized during the consultation as community engagement; ancillary care obligations; care and treatment; informed consent; and resource sharing. Conclusion The consultation revealed that while there have been few attempts to find convergence on ethical issues between HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria vaccine trial fields to date, there is much common ground and scope for convergence work between stakeholders in the three fields. PMID:20211030

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hurricane, O. A.; Kline, J. L.; Meezan, N.

The current high-foot and related implosions have adequate CR and implosion velocity to ignite, but require improved finesse particularly in, but not limited to, implosion symmetry. This is being pursued. The challenge of controlling drive symmetry is also motivating lower convergence ratio designs. These require higher velocity implosions and are also being pursued.

Design Environment for Novel Vertical Lift Vehicles: DELIVER

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theodore, Colin

2016-01-01

This is a 20 minute presentation discussing the DELIVER vision. DELIVER is part of the ARMD Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program, particularly the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions Project. The presentation covers the DELIVER vision, transforming markets, conceptual design process, challenges addressed, technical content, and FY2016 key activities.

How to Keep Gen X Employees from Becoming X-Employees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruch, Will

2000-01-01

Examines the marketing influences (robust economy, low unemployment, young employees, changes in work arrangements) that are converging to create the recruiting and retention challenges that companies face. Offers suggestions such as marketing a business as a brand and seeking continuous feedback from employees. (JOW)

Transition-Tempered Metadynamics: Robust, Convergent Metadynamics via On-the-Fly Transition Barrier Estimation.

PubMed

Dama, James F; Rotskoff, Grant; Parrinello, Michele; Voth, Gregory A

2014-09-09

Well-tempered metadynamics has proven to be a practical and efficient adaptive enhanced sampling method for the computational study of biomolecular and materials systems. However, choosing its tunable parameter can be challenging and requires balancing a trade-off between fast escape from local metastable states and fast convergence of an overall free energy estimate. In this article, we present a new smoothly convergent variant of metadynamics, transition-tempered metadynamics, that removes that trade-off and is more robust to changes in its own single tunable parameter, resulting in substantial speed and accuracy improvements. The new method is specifically designed to study state-to-state transitions in which the states of greatest interest are known ahead of time, but transition mechanisms are not. The design is guided by a picture of adaptive enhanced sampling as a means to increase dynamical connectivity of a model's state space until percolation between all points of interest is reached, and it uses the degree of dynamical percolation to automatically tune the convergence rate. We apply the new method to Brownian dynamics on 48 random 1D surfaces, blocked alanine dipeptide in vacuo, and aqueous myoglobin, finding that transition-tempered metadynamics substantially and reproducibly improves upon well-tempered metadynamics in terms of first barrier crossing rate, convergence rate, and robustness to the choice of tuning parameter. Moreover, the trade-off between first barrier crossing rate and convergence rate is eliminated: the new method drives escape from an initial metastable state as fast as metadynamics without tempering, regardless of tuning.

Data Wrangling Within Different Astronomy Career Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillen, Reynal; Gu, D.; Holbrook, J.; Murillo, L.; Traweek, S.

2012-01-01

Five kinds of astronomers work with large data sets: cosmologists, data analysts, instrumentation people, observers, and numerical theorists. Each of these career trajectories can diverge and converge in and out of collaborations with each other and perform different kinds of work. Nonetheless, each group defines and wrangles data differently. This poster characterizes their different meanings of data, analytic skills, techniques, and technologies. It also identifies some sites and patterns of convergence. We plot these collaborative relationships in bi-partite graphs. These emergent characteristics of the astronomy workforce have implications for curricula, pedagogies, and the division of labor in research collaborations.

Regulating small things: genes, gametes and nanotechnology.

PubMed

Bennett, Belinda

2007-08-01

Biotechnology and nanotechnology both intersect with other technologies in ways that open new possibilities for further technological progress. The potential for increased convergence between technological fields highlights the need for regulatory frameworks to be integrated, flexible and responsive. Within a federal legal system such as Australia's, there is a need to ensure that we adopt a coordinated national approach to the crafting of regulatory solutions. In addition, there is a need for global cooperation in the development of international standards and regulatory harmonisation. Finally, this article considers the role that law plays in negotiating risk in relation to new technologies.

Global positioning system technology (GPS) for psychological research: a test of convergent and nomological validity.

PubMed

Wolf, Pedro S A; Figueredo, Aurelio J; Jacobs, W Jake

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the convergent and nomological validity of a GPS-based measure of daily activity, operationalized as Number of Places Visited (NPV). Relations among the GPS-based measure and two self-report measures of NPV, as well as relations among NPV and two factors made up of self-reported individual differences were examined. The first factor was composed of variables related to an Active Lifestyle (AL) (e.g., positive affect, extraversion…) and the second factor was composed of variables related to a Sedentary Lifestyle (SL) (e.g., depression, neuroticism…). NPV was measured over 4 days. This timeframe was made up of two week and two weekend days. A bi-variate analysis established one level of convergent validity and a Split-Plot GLM examined convergent validity, nomological validity, and alternative hypotheses related to constraints on activity throughout the week simultaneously. The first analysis revealed significant correlations among NPV measures- weekday, weekend, and the entire 4-day time period, supporting the convergent validity of the Diary-, Google Maps-, and GPS-NPV measures. Results from the second analysis, indicating non-significant mean differences in NPV regardless of method, also support this conclusion. We also found that AL is a statistically significant predictor of NPV no matter how NPV was measured. We did not find a statically significant relation among NPV and SL. These results permit us to infer that the GPS-based NPV measure has convergent and nomological validity.

Global positioning system technology (GPS) for psychological research: a test of convergent and nomological validity

PubMed Central

Wolf, Pedro S. A.; Figueredo, Aurelio J.; Jacobs, W. Jake

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the convergent and nomological validity of a GPS-based measure of daily activity, operationalized as Number of Places Visited (NPV). Relations among the GPS-based measure and two self-report measures of NPV, as well as relations among NPV and two factors made up of self-reported individual differences were examined. The first factor was composed of variables related to an Active Lifestyle (AL) (e.g., positive affect, extraversion…) and the second factor was composed of variables related to a Sedentary Lifestyle (SL) (e.g., depression, neuroticism…). NPV was measured over 4 days. This timeframe was made up of two week and two weekend days. A bi-variate analysis established one level of convergent validity and a Split-Plot GLM examined convergent validity, nomological validity, and alternative hypotheses related to constraints on activity throughout the week simultaneously. The first analysis revealed significant correlations among NPV measures- weekday, weekend, and the entire 4-day time period, supporting the convergent validity of the Diary-, Google Maps-, and GPS-NPV measures. Results from the second analysis, indicating non-significant mean differences in NPV regardless of method, also support this conclusion. We also found that AL is a statistically significant predictor of NPV no matter how NPV was measured. We did not find a statically significant relation among NPV and SL. These results permit us to infer that the GPS-based NPV measure has convergent and nomological validity. PMID:23761772

Geometric Series via Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tesman, Barry

2012-01-01

Infinite series is a challenging topic in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum for many students. In fact, there is a vast literature in mathematics education research on convergence issues. One of the most important types of infinite series is the geometric series. Their beauty lies in the fact that they can be evaluated explicitly and that…

Work Restructuring in Post-Apartheid South Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Edward; Omar, Rahmat

2003-01-01

Case studies of South African companies (mining, manufacturing, and telephone call centers) reveal a mix of management strategies that converge with and diverge from past practices. South Africa is attempting to balance the demands of efficiency, employee rights, and racial equity, a challenge that requires overcoming the legacy of the apartheid…

The Transition Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillon, Naomi

2008-01-01

Life, in general, is a series of ever-increasing challenges. Ideally, the lessons learned from previous experiences prepare a person for future ones. That isn't always the case, particularly when puberty hits. Despite the many environmental and personal variables converging at the same time, schools can be instrumental in guiding teens through…

Solving Complex Problems: A Convergent Approach to Cognitive Load Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Robert; Cook, Anne

2012-01-01

The study challenged the current practices in cognitive load measurement involving complex problem solving by manipulating the presence of pictures in multiple rule-based problem-solving situations and examining the cognitive load resulting from both off-line and online measures associated with complex problem solving. Forty-eight participants…

Convergence of Dynamic Vegetation Net Productivity Responses to Precipitation Variability from 10 Years of MODIS EVI

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

According to Global Climate Models (GCMs) the occurrence of extreme events of precipitation will be more frequent in the future. Therefore, important challenges arise regarding climate variability, which are mainly related to the understanding of ecosystem responses to changes in precipitation patte...

Learning from Public Television and the Web: Positioning Continuing Education as a Knowledge Portal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vedro, Steven R.

1999-01-01

Digital convergence--the merging of television and computing--challenges localized monopolies of public television and continuing education. Continuing educators can reposition themselves in the electronic marketplace by serving as an educational portal, bringing their strengths of "brand recognition," local customer base, and access to…

Culturally Sensitive Career Assessment: A Quandary. ERIC Digest No. 210.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, James T.

Multicultural perspectives on assessment challenge traditional perspectives by advancing an additional source of variation in test responses that is presumed to escape test developers and test users. Increasing and convergent evidence from multiple sources indicates the following types of ethnocentric errors in test development, administration,…

Explaining the Success of the World's Leading Education Systems: The Case of Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimmock, Clive; Tan, Cheng Yong

2016-01-01

International comparative data on student performance has led McKinsey&Company, among others, to suggest that education systems will inexorably converge in their developmental trajectories with principals and schools enjoying more autonomy. This article challenges these assumptions through referencing Singapore where schools and professionals…

Effect of Atmospheric Absorption Bands on the Optimal Design of Multijunction Solar Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMahon, William E.; Friedman, Daniel J.; Geisz, John F.

Designing terrestrial multijunction (MJ) cells with 5+ junctions is challenging, in part because the presence of atmospheric absorption bands creates a design space with numerous local maxima. Here we introduce a new taxonomical structure which facilitates both numerical convergence and the visualization of the resulting designs.

Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Sustainability Education: Institutional and Intragroup Challenges and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Tina Lynn

2015-01-01

This article takes as its point of departure the many converging crises of sustainability and the responsibility of higher education institutions and faculty members to participate in mitigating these crises to any extent possible. The author characterizes sustainability education as transdisciplinary praxis, explores the institutional and…

Stream Nitrate Concentrations Diverge at Baseflow and Converge During Storms in Watersheds with Contrasting Urbanization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, R. O.; Wollheim, W. M.; Mulukutla, G. K.; Cook, C. S.

2013-12-01

Management of non-point sources is challenging because it requires adequate quantification of non-point fluxes that are highly dynamic over time. Most fluxes occur during storms and are difficult to characterize with grab samples alone in flashy, urban watersheds. Accurate and relatively precise measurements using in situ sensor technology can quantify fluxes continuously, avoiding the uncertainties in extrapolation of infrequently collected grab samples. In situ nitrate (NO3-N) sensors were deployed simultaneously from April to December 2013 in two streams with contrasting urban land uses in an urbanizing New Hampshire watershed (80 km2). Nitrogen non-point fluxes and temporal patterns were evaluated in Beards Creek (forested: 50%; residential: 24%; commercial/institutional/transportation: 7%; agricultural: 6%) and College Brook (forested: 35%; residential: 11%; commercial/institutional/transportation: 20%; agricultural: 17%). Preliminary data indicated NO3-N concentrations in Beards Creek (mean: 0.37 mg/L) were lower than College Brook (mean: 0.60 mg/L), but both streams exhibited rapid increases in NO3-N during the beginning of storms followed by overall dilution. While baseflow NO3-N was greater in College Brook than Beards Creek, NO3-N at the two sites consistently converged during storms. This suggests that standard grab sampling may overestimate fluxes in urban streams, since short-term dilution occurred during periods of highest flow. Analyzing NO3-N flux patterns in smaller urban streams that are directly impacted by watershed activities could help to inform management decisions regarding N source controls, ultimately allowing an assessment of the interactions of climate variability and management actions.

Cluster-based single-sink wireless sensor networks and passive optical network converged network incorporating sideband modulation schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Love; Sharma, Vishal; Singh, Amarpal

2018-02-01

Wireless sensor networks have tremendous applications, such as civil, military, and environmental monitoring. In most of the applications, sensor data are required to be propagated over the internet/core networks, which result in backhaul setback. Subsequently, there is a necessity to backhaul the sensed information of such networks together with prolonging of the transmission link. Passive optical network (PON) is next-generation access technology emerging as a potential candidate for convergence of the sensed data to the core system. Earlier, the work with single-optical line terminal-PON was demonstrated and investigated merely analytically. This work is an attempt to demonstrate a practical model of a bidirectional single-sink wireless sensor network-PON converged network in which the collected data from cluster heads are transmitted over PON networks. Further, modeled converged structure has been investigated under the influence of double, single, and tandem sideband modulation schemes incorporating a corresponding phase-delay to the sensor data entities that have been overlooked in the past. The outcome illustrates the successful fusion of the sensor data entities over PON with acceptable bit error rate and signal to noise ratio serving as a potential development in the sphere of such converged networks. It has also been revealed that the data entities treated with tandem side band modulation scheme help in improving the performance of the converged structure. Additionally, analysis for uplink transmission reported with queue theory in terms of time cycle, average time delay, data packet generation, and bandwidth utilization. An analytical analysis of proposed converged network shows that average time delay for data packet transmission is less as compared with time cycle delay.

Life cycle thinking and assessment tools on environmentally-benign electronics: Convergent optimization of materials use, end-of-life strategy and environmental policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiaoying

The purpose of this study is to integrate the quantitative environmental performance assessment tools and the theory of multi-objective optimization within the boundary of electronic product systems to support the selection among design alternatives in terms of environmental impact, technical criteria, and economic feasibility. To meet with the requirements that result from emerging environmental legislation targeting electronics products, the research addresses an important analytical methodological approach to facilitate environmentally conscious design and end-of-life management with a life cycle viewpoint. A synthesis of diverse assessment tools is applied on a set of case studies: lead-free solder materials selection, cellular phone design, and desktop display technology assessment. In the first part of this work, an in-depth industrial survey of the status and concerns of the U.S. electronics industry on the elimination of lead (Pb) in solders is described. The results show that the trade-offs among environmental consequences, technology challenges, business risks, legislative compliance and stakeholders' preferences must be explicitly, simultaneously, and systematically addressed in the decision-making process used to guide multi-faceted planning of environmental solutions. In the second part of this work, the convergent optimization of the technical cycle, economic cycle and environmental cycle is addressed in a coherent and systematic way using the application of environmentally conscious design of cellular phones. The technical understanding of product structure, components analysis, and materials flow facilitates the development of "Design for Disassembly" guidelines. A bottom-up disassembly analysis on a "bill of materials" based structure at a micro-operational level is utilized to select optimal end-of-life strategies on the basis of economic feasibility. A macro-operational level life cycle model is used to investigate the environmental consequences linking environmental impact with the cellular phone production activities focusing on the upstream manufacturing and end-of-life life cycle stages. The last part of this work, the quantitative elicitation of weighting factors facilitates the comparison of trade-offs in the context of a multi-attribute problem. An integrated analytical approach, Integrated Industrial Ecology Function Deployment (I2-EFD), is proposed to assess alternatives at the design phase of a product system and is validated with the assessment of desktop display technologies and lead-free solder alternatives.

Curriculum as a Path to Convergence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyslop, Cheryl; Parsons, Michael H.

1995-01-01

Describes changes in career and community college curricula, focusing on the general education function, structure, developmental education components, technical specialization, and connections between basic education and technology. Suggests that educational partnerships and curriculum changes are agents of societal renewal. (23 citations) (MAB)

CONVERGENCE IN THE MIDST OF COMPETITION

PubMed Central

CARROLL, JOHN

2007-01-01

As biotechs hit their adolescence, they – like test makers and pharmaceutical manufacturers – are more likely than ever to reach outside of their own areas of expertise, link hands with the other guys, and pursue new programs and technologies. PMID:22478687

Evaluating the Predictive Validity of the Computerized Comprehension Task: Comprehension Predicts Production

PubMed Central

Friend, Margaret; Schmitt, Sara A.; Simpson, Adrianne M.

2017-01-01

Until recently, the challenges inherent in measuring comprehension have impeded our ability to predict the course of language acquisition. The present research reports on a longitudinal assessment of the convergent and predictive validity of the CDI: Words and Gestures and the Computerized Comprehension Task (CCT). The CDI: WG and the CCT evinced good convergent validity however the CCT better predicted subsequent parent reports of language production. Language sample data in the third year confirm this finding: the CCT accounted for 24% of the variance in unique word use. These studies provide evidence for the utility of a behavior-based approach to predicting the course of language acquisition into production. PMID:21928878

Ultra high-definition video: convergence toward 100Gbps and beyond for digital A/V connectivity with fiber optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parekh, Devang; Nguyen, Nguyen X.

2018-02-01

The recent advent of Ultra-high-definition television (also known as Ultra HD television, Ultra HD, UHDTV, UHD and Super Hi-Vision) has accelerated a demand for a Fiber-in-the-Premises video communication (VCOM) solution that converges toward 100Gbps and Beyond. Hybrid Active-Optical-Cables (AOC) is a holistic connectivity platform well suited for this "The Last Yard" connectivity; as it combines both copper and fiber optics to deliver a high data-rate and power transmission needed. While technically feasible yet challenging to manufacture, hybrid-AOC could be a holygrail fiber-optics solution that dwarfs the volume of both telecom and datacom connection in the foreseeable future.

Color engineering in the age of digital convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Lindsay W.

1998-09-01

Digital color imaging has developed over the past twenty years from specialized scientific applications into the mainstream of computing. In addition to the phenomenal growth of computer processing power and storage capacity, great advances have been made in the capabilities and cost-effectiveness of color imaging peripherals. The majority of imaging applications, including the graphic arts, video and film have made the transition from analogue to digital production methods. Digital convergence of computing, communications and television now heralds new possibilities for multimedia publishing and mobile lifestyles. Color engineering, the application of color science to the design of imaging products, is an emerging discipline that poses exciting challenges to the international color imaging community for training, research and standards.

Could Blobs Fuel Storage-Based Convergence between HPC and Big Data?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matri, Pierre; Alforov, Yevhen; Brandon, Alvaro

The increasingly growing data sets processed on HPC platforms raise major challenges for the underlying storage layer. A promising alternative to POSIX-IO- compliant file systems are simpler blobs (binary large objects), or object storage systems. Such systems offer lower overhead and better performance at the cost of largely unused features such as file hierarchies or permissions. Similarly, blobs are increasingly considered for replacing distributed file systems for big data analytics or as a base for storage abstractions such as key-value stores or time-series databases. This growing interest in such object storage on HPC and big data platforms raises the question:more » Are blobs the right level of abstraction to enable storage-based convergence between HPC and Big Data? In this paper we study the impact of blob-based storage for real-world applications on HPC and cloud environments. The results show that blobbased storage convergence is possible, leading to a significant performance improvement on both platforms« less

The future of 3D and video coding in mobile and the internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bivolarski, Lazar

2013-09-01

The current Internet success has already changed our social and economic world and is still continuing to revolutionize the information exchange. The exponential increase of amount and types of data that is currently exchanged on the Internet represents significant challenge for the design of future architectures and solutions. This paper reviews the current status and trends in the design of solutions and research activities in the future Internet from point of view of managing the growth of bandwidth requirements and complexity of the multimedia that is being created and shared. Outlines the challenges that are present before the video coding and approaches to the design of standardized media formats and protocols while considering the expected convergence of multimedia formats and exchange interfaces. The rapid growth of connected mobile devices adds to the current and the future challenges in combination with the expected, in near future, arrival of multitude of connected devices. The new Internet technologies connecting the Internet of Things with wireless visual sensor networks and 3D virtual worlds requires conceptually new approaches of media content handling from acquisition to presentation in the 3D Media Internet. Accounting for the entire transmission system properties and enabling adaptation in real-time to context and content throughout the media proceeding path will be paramount in enabling the new media architectures as well as the new applications and services. The common video coding formats will need to be conceptually redesigned to allow for the implementation of the necessary 3D Media Internet features.

Modular open RF architecture: extending VICTORY to RF systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melber, Adam; Dirner, Jason; Johnson, Michael

2015-05-01

Radio frequency products spanning multiple functions have become increasingly critical to the warfighter. Military use of the electromagnetic spectrum now includes communications, electronic warfare (EW), intelligence, and mission command systems. Due to the urgent needs of counterinsurgency operations, various quick reaction capabilities (QRCs) have been fielded to enhance warfighter capability. Although these QRCs were highly successfully in their respective missions, they were designed independently resulting in significant challenges when integrated on a common platform. This paper discusses how the Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA) addresses these challenges by defining an open architecture for multifunction missions that decomposes monolithic radio systems into high-level components with welldefined functions and interfaces. The functional decomposition maximizes hardware sharing while minimizing added complexity and cost due to modularization. MORA achieves significant size, weight and power (SWaP) savings by allowing hardware such as power amplifiers and antennas to be shared across systems. By separating signal conditioning from the processing that implements the actual radio application, MORA exposes previously inaccessible architecture points, providing system integrators with the flexibility to insert third-party capabilities to address technical challenges and emerging requirements. MORA leverages the Vehicular Integration for Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR)/EW Interoperability (VICTORY) framework. This paper concludes by discussing how MORA, VICTORY and other standards such as OpenVPX are being leveraged by the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Communications Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC) to define a converged architecture enabling rapid technology insertion, interoperability and reduced SWaP.

Vinton Cerf: Poet-Philosopher of the Net.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educom Review, 1996

1996-01-01

Presents the first part of an interview with Vinton Cerf, senior vice president of data architecture for MCI Engineering, on the growth and future of the Internet. Topics include: pornography; commercialization; security; government role; content found on the Internet; and convergence of technologies. (DGM)

Enabling Analytics in the Cloud for Earth Science Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Lynnes, Christopher; Bingham, Andrew W.; Quam, Brandi M.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this workshop was to hold interactive discussions where providers, users, and other stakeholders could explore the convergence of three main elements in the rapidly developing world of technology: Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Analytics, [for earth science data].

Forecast and virtual weather driven plant disease risk modeling system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We describe a system in use and development that leverages public weather station data, several spatialized weather forecast types, leaf wetness estimation, generic plant disease models, and online statistical evaluation. Convergent technological developments in all these areas allow, with funding f...

Finding Optimal Functioning in a Sexist World: A Social Justice Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Janice D.

2012-01-01

Focusing in on a point of convergence among the three reactions generously shared regarding Yoder, Snell, and Tobias (2012), the author revisits our original interpretation of the configuration we labeled awakening feminism as well as its implications for counseling practice. Rather than regard awakening feminism as a distressful stage through…

Exploring the Challenge of Developing Student Teacher Data Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowie, Bronwen; Cooper, Beverley

2017-01-01

A number of trends are converging to drive the need for more informed teacher data use. These include advocacy for formative assessment and the need for teachers to account for student learning. In this context, assessment literacy and data literacy have emerged as a focus in research and professional development. Problematically, research signals…

Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education. Proceedings of the Annual Conference (9th, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, June 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clough, Barbara Stolze, Ed.

Among 17 French and 63 English papers are the following: "Case Study of the Convergence Model in Program Evaluation" (Alexander); "Nowlen's Approach to Continuing Professional Education" (Blanchard); "Challenge for Indigenous Approaches to Adult Education (AE) and Development" (Bonson); "Cultural and Social…

Crop improvement in the era of climate change: an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Two forces are converging that will jointly challenge researchers to design programs that ensure our crop production systems meet the world’s food demand. Climate change will potentially reduce productivity while a global population increase will require more food. If productivity is not increased...

Three (Post-Secondary Agricultural Education and Training) Challenges and the Concept of "Workforce Education Systems"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera, William M.

2008-01-01

The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) of the Africa Union's New Partnership for Africa's Development (AU/NEPAD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, held in January 2008, a conference on the subject of "Convergence between Social Service…

A Convergence of Corporate and Academic Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, Gordon

2006-01-01

One of the particular gifts in history for the present generation, is the increasingly large opportunity afforded to universities and corporations to be mutually supportive, not exploitative, of one another. As the federal Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has imposed new challenges on management of all stripes, this anti-corporate-fraud law also has…

Modularisation Approaches in Initial Vocational Education: Evidence for Policy Convergence in Europe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilz, Matthias; Li, Junmin; Canning, Roy; Minty, Sarah

2018-01-01

One response to challenges of national vocational training systems has been a move towards greater flexibility within vocational training systems. This article focuses on an investigation of modularisation as a tool for achieving this flexibility. Many European countries have introduced modular forms into their vocational training system. We…

Between Faith and Science: World Culture Theory and Comparative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carney, Stephen; Rappleye, Jeremy; Silova, Iveta

2012-01-01

World culture theory seeks to explain an apparent convergence of education through a neoinstitutionalist lens, seeing global rationalization in education as driven by the logic of science and the myth of progress. While critics have challenged these assumptions by focusing on local manifestations of world-level tendencies, such critique is…

Exposure assessment of workers in printed electronics workplace.

PubMed

Lee, Ji Hyun; Sohn, Eun Kyung; Ahn, Jin Soo; Ahn, Kangho; Kim, Keun Soo; Lee, Jong Hwan; Lee, Taik Min; Yu, Il Je

2013-07-01

Printed electronics uses converging technologies, such as printing, fine mechanics, nanotechnology, electronics and other new technologies. Consequently, printed electronics raises additional health and safety concerns to those experienced in the traditional printing industry. This study investigated two printed electronics workplaces based on a walk-through survey and personal and area sampling. All the printed electronics operations were conducted in a cleanroom. No indication of exposure to excess silver nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was found. While the organic solvents were lower than current occupational exposure limits, there was a lack of engineering controls, such as local exhaust ventilation, correct enclosure and duct connections. There was also an insufficient quantity of personal protective equipment, and some organic solvents not described in the safety data sheets (SDSs) were detected in the air samples. Plus, the cleaning work, a major emissions operation, was not conducted within a hood, and the cleaning waste was not properly disposed of. Therefore, the present exposure assessment results from two printed electronics workplaces suggest that the printed electronics industry needs to take note of the occupational safety and health risks and hazards already established by the traditional printing industry, along with new risks and hazards originating from converging technologies such as nanotechnology.

Section 5: Adapting Requirements Practices in Different Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, William

Technology has a tremendous impact on society. In recent years, the Internet, World Wide Web, and Web 2.0 has changed the nature of commerce, government, and of course software development. It affects the practices of producing requirements and as well as the kinds of systems to be designed. The effect of converging technologies on the role of requirements engineering is considered in the first article by Matthias Jarke, while the effect of technology on requirements practices is considered in the second article by Walt Scacchi. Together, they provide theoretical and practical perspective on requirements engineering issues faced in a modern, technology driven world.

Study and Application of Remote Data Moving Transmission under the Network Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhiguo, Meng; Du, Zhou

The data transmission is an important problem in remote applications. Advance of network convergence has help to select and use data transmission model. The embedded system and data management platform is a key of the design. With communication module, interface technology and the transceiver which has independent intellectual property rights connected broadband network and mobile network seamlessly. Using the distribution system of mobile base station to realize the wireless transmission, using public networks to implement the data transmission, making the distant information system break through area restrictions and realizing transmission of the moving data, it has been fully recognized in long-distance medical care applications.

Rapid divergence and convergence of life-history in experimentally evolved Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Burke, Molly K; Barter, Thomas T; Cabral, Larry G; Kezos, James N; Phillips, Mark A; Rutledge, Grant A; Phung, Kevin H; Chen, Richard H; Nguyen, Huy D; Mueller, Laurence D; Rose, Michael R

2016-09-01

Laboratory selection experiments are alluring in their simplicity, power, and ability to inform us about how evolution works. A longstanding challenge facing evolution experiments with metazoans is that significant generational turnover takes a long time. In this work, we present data from a unique system of experimentally evolved laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster that have experienced three distinct life-history selection regimes. The goal of our study was to determine how quickly populations of a certain selection regime diverge phenotypically from their ancestors, and how quickly they converge with independently derived populations that share a selection regime. Our results indicate that phenotypic divergence from an ancestral population occurs rapidly, within dozens of generations, regardless of that population's evolutionary history. Similarly, populations sharing a selection treatment converge on common phenotypes in this same time frame, regardless of selection pressures those populations may have experienced in the past. These patterns of convergence and divergence emerged much faster than expected, suggesting that intermediate evolutionary history has transient effects in this system. The results we draw from this system are applicable to other experimental evolution projects, and suggest that many relevant questions can be sufficiently tested on shorter timescales than previously thought. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Plant hydraulics improves and topography mediates prediction of aspen mortality in southwestern USA.

PubMed

Tai, Xiaonan; Mackay, D Scott; Anderegg, William R L; Sperry, John S; Brooks, Paul D

2017-01-01

Elevated forest mortality has been attributed to climate change-induced droughts, but prediction of spatial mortality patterns remains challenging. We evaluated whether introducing plant hydraulics and topographic convergence-induced soil moisture variation to land surface models (LSM) can help explain spatial patterns of mortality. A scheme predicting plant hydraulic safety loss from soil moisture was developed using field measurements and a plant physiology-hydraulics model, TREES. The scheme was upscaled to Populus tremuloides forests across Colorado, USA, using LSM-modeled and topography-mediated soil moisture, respectively. The spatial patterns of hydraulic safety loss were compared against aerial surveyed mortality. Incorporating hydraulic safety loss raised the explanatory power of mortality by 40% compared to LSM-modeled soil moisture. Topographic convergence was mostly influential in suppressing mortality in low and concave areas, explaining an additional 10% of the variations in mortality for those regions. Plant hydraulics integrated water stress along the soil-plant continuum and was more closely tied to plant physiological response to drought. In addition to the well-recognized topo-climate influence due to elevation and aspect, we found evidence that topographic convergence mediates tree mortality in certain parts of the landscape that are low and convergent, likely through influences on plant-available water. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Reliable oligonucleotide conformational ensemble generation in explicit solvent for force field assessment using reservoir replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations

PubMed Central

Henriksen, Niel M.; Roe, Daniel R.; Cheatham, Thomas E.

2013-01-01

Molecular dynamics force field development and assessment requires a reliable means for obtaining a well-converged conformational ensemble of a molecule in both a time-efficient and cost-effective manner. This remains a challenge for RNA because its rugged energy landscape results in slow conformational sampling and accurate results typically require explicit solvent which increases computational cost. To address this, we performed both traditional and modified replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations on a test system (alanine dipeptide) and an RNA tetramer known to populate A-form-like conformations in solution (single-stranded rGACC). A key focus is on providing the means to demonstrate that convergence is obtained, for example by investigating replica RMSD profiles and/or detailed ensemble analysis through clustering. We found that traditional replica exchange simulations still require prohibitive time and resource expenditures, even when using GPU accelerated hardware, and our results are not well converged even at 2 microseconds of simulation time per replica. In contrast, a modified version of replica exchange, reservoir replica exchange in explicit solvent, showed much better convergence and proved to be both a cost-effective and reliable alternative to the traditional approach. We expect this method will be attractive for future research that requires quantitative conformational analysis from explicitly solvated simulations. PMID:23477537

Reliable oligonucleotide conformational ensemble generation in explicit solvent for force field assessment using reservoir replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Henriksen, Niel M; Roe, Daniel R; Cheatham, Thomas E

2013-04-18

Molecular dynamics force field development and assessment requires a reliable means for obtaining a well-converged conformational ensemble of a molecule in both a time-efficient and cost-effective manner. This remains a challenge for RNA because its rugged energy landscape results in slow conformational sampling and accurate results typically require explicit solvent which increases computational cost. To address this, we performed both traditional and modified replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations on a test system (alanine dipeptide) and an RNA tetramer known to populate A-form-like conformations in solution (single-stranded rGACC). A key focus is on providing the means to demonstrate that convergence is obtained, for example, by investigating replica RMSD profiles and/or detailed ensemble analysis through clustering. We found that traditional replica exchange simulations still require prohibitive time and resource expenditures, even when using GPU accelerated hardware, and our results are not well converged even at 2 μs of simulation time per replica. In contrast, a modified version of replica exchange, reservoir replica exchange in explicit solvent, showed much better convergence and proved to be both a cost-effective and reliable alternative to the traditional approach. We expect this method will be attractive for future research that requires quantitative conformational analysis from explicitly solvated simulations.

Convergent Evolution of Health Information Management and Health Informatics

PubMed Central

Gibson, C. J.; Abrams, K.

2015-01-01

Summary Clearly defined boundaries are disappearing among the activities, sources, and uses of health care data and information managed by health information management (HIM) and health informatics (HI) professionals. Definitions of the professional domains and scopes of practice for HIM and HI are converging with the proliferation of information and communication technologies in health care settings. Convergence is changing both the roles that HIM and HI professionals serve in their organizations as well as the competencies necessary for training future professionals. Many of these changes suggest a blurring of roles and responsibilities with increasingly overlapping curricula, job descriptions, and research agendas. Blurred lines in a highly competitive market create confusion for students and employers. In this essay, we provide some perspective on the changing landscape and suggest a course for the future. First we review the evolving definitions of HIM and HI. We next compare the current domains and competencies, review the characteristics as well as the education and credentialing of both disciplines, and examine areas of convergence. Given the current state, we suggest a path forward to strengthen the contributions HIM and HI professionals and educators make to the evolving health care environment. PMID:25848421

The Human Side of Information's Converging Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Berney

1982-01-01

Discusses current issues in the design of information systems, noting contributions from three professions--computer science, human factors engineering, and information science. The eclectic nature of human factors engineering and the difficulty of drawing together studies with human engineering or software psychological components from diverse…

After Globalization: The Emerging Politics of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marginson, Simon

1998-01-01

Globalization, referring to the formation of world systems, embraces finance and trade; communications and information technologies; migration and tourism; global societies; linguistic, cultural, and ideological convergence; and signs and images. Globalization does not negate the nation-state, but it changes its circumstances and makes education…

The innovation policy of nanotechnology development and convergence for the new Korean government

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Seoung Hun; Lim, Jung Sun; Shin, Kwang Min; Kim, Chang Woo; Kang, Sang Kyu; Shin, Minsoo

2013-11-01

Since 2001, Korea has been establishing and executing policy for the development of nanotechnology in accordance with the National Comprehensive Development Plan of Nanotechnology (NCDPN) periods I, II, and III. NCDPN has been focused on innovation in wide spectrum of technology development, and NT-based convergence technologies are expected to contribute 35 % of the total GDP (about 5.02 billion won) with 1.2 million of job creation in KOREA at 2020. Establishment of new strategies for innovating and commercializing nanotechnology is an emerging global issue in major countries including the United States, Japan, Germany, and Korea, with particular concerns for safety in the implementations of nanotechnology (EHS). Under these circumstances, Korea needs to create a post-catch-up strategy beyond fast-follower approach, to compete effectively with nanotechnology-leading countries. This study analyzes the current status of Korean nanotechnology development and relevant policies, and suggests future policy directions for the new Korean government based on innovative competition theory.

John R. Delaney Receives 2012 Athelstan Spilhaus Award: Response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delaney, John R.

2013-01-01

It is humbling and exhilarating to be honored as this year's recipient of the Spilhaus Award. Humbling because Athelstan himself set the standard as a highly productive scientific innovator with a gift for making science not just accessible but engaging to the public at large. Exhilarating because we are all now poised on the threshold of being able to achieve universal scientific engagement with a global audience. Rapidly emerging technologies, global societal problems, shifting international attitudes, and novel social media are converging to power a new paradigm of scientific inquiry and engagement. Scientists are now enabled to operate transparently on a stage of planetary to microscopic scale. The boundaries between research and education begin to blur as this convergence embraces scientific investigation, the arts, the environment, the economy, ethics, energy, health, and entertainment. It is into this complex cultural tapestry that we scientists must weave our stories of struggle and success to engage entire communities in the essential roles that science, technology, and people play.

Improving Paper Machine Efficiency/Productivity through On-line Control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cyrus K Aidun

2007-08-31

This project involves implementing a new technology, microforming, in a headbox to produce an isotropic sheet with significant reductions in the MD/CD stiffness ratio (increasing CD specific STFI) and improved sheet uniformity. Microforming involves generating axial vorticity (i.e., swirl) prior to the converging nozzle of the headbox by retrofitting an existing tube block with swirl generation devices referred to as Vortigen system. The Vortigen system developed in this project is a retrofit technology to a hydraulic headbox tube block. The tubes in the tube block are re-designed to generate axial vorticity (or swirl) in the tubes. This type of flowmore » results in higher intensity small-scale turbulence in the forming jet at the slice. The net effect, as demonstrated in pilot and commercial trials, is improvement in formation and surface smoothness, lower MD/CD tensile ratio, and consequently, higher CD strength properties such as CD STFI, Ring Crush and tensile or breaking length. The objective of this project is to implement microforming by developing the retrofit technology for generation and on-line control of axial vorticity in the tubes to optimize turbulent scale and intensity, and consequently, fiber network structure properties in the sheet. This technology results in significant improvements in the performance and capital effectiveness of the paper machine (PM) for a fraction of the cost to replace a headbox. In this project we have developed and demonstrated the concept of generating axial vorticity to control the fiber orientation in the converging zone of the headbox, and to produce a sheet with isotropic fiber orientation. The technology developed here has been demonstrated in static form on several pilot trials and two series of commercial trials. The economic feasibility of this technology is based primarily on fiber savings in cases where a more isotropic fiber orientation can be used to reduce the basis weight of the product. Even a 5% decrease in basis weight will results in substantial savings covering the cost of a commercial retrofit in 6 months or less in a medium size machine. The project also resulted in significant amount of information on fiber orientation in turbulent flow and in a converging nozzle where the results can be used in other applications, such as formation of composite materials. Several MS and Ph.D. students and postdoctoral associates have been trained as part of this project.« less

[Perspectives and challenges to guarantee training and renewal in general internal medicine].

PubMed

Waeber, G; Cornuz, J; Gaspoz, J-M; Pécoud, A; Perrier, A

2009-01-28

Training new doctors in general internal medicine represents a challenge. This requires to define future needs, which result from interest that are not necessarily convergent between patients, doctors, insurers and politicians. Problems related to medical demography in Switzerland, with the ageing of the population, the increase in health care costs and the place of Switzerland within the European Community require the implementation of specific objectives to train new physicians in general internal medicine. The success of these opportunities depends on social factors, political choices and choices from physician's association. In this article we will approach these challenges by formulating some proposals--nonexhaustive--in order to guarantee sufficient renewal in general internal medicine.

Local network assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glen, D. V.

1985-04-01

Local networks, related standards activities of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers the American National Standards Institute and other elements are presented. These elements include: (1) technology choices such as topology, transmission media, and access protocols; (2) descriptions of standards for the 802 local area networks (LAN's); high speed local networks (HSLN's) and military specification local networks; and (3) intra- and internetworking using bridges and gateways with protocols Interconnection (OSI) reference model. The convergence of LAN/PBX technology is also described.

Sustainable health systems: addressing three key areas.

PubMed

Chhanabhai, Prajesh N; Holt, Alec; Benwell, George

2007-01-01

In the modern context sustainable health systems are being developed using the newest technological and communication technologies. This is proving to be a great success for the growth of Health Informatics and healthcare improvement. However this revolution is not being reached by a lot of the world population. This paper will address the importance of closing the Digital Divide, Empowerment of health consumers and the importance of converging communications. Key areas in the development of a truly sustainable health system.

On the convergence of a fully discrete scheme of LES type to physically relevant solutions of the incompressible Navier-Stokes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berselli, Luigi C.; Spirito, Stefano

2018-06-01

Obtaining reliable numerical simulations of turbulent fluids is a challenging problem in computational fluid mechanics. The large eddy simulation (LES) models are efficient tools to approximate turbulent fluids, and an important step in the validation of these models is the ability to reproduce relevant properties of the flow. In this paper, we consider a fully discrete approximation of the Navier-Stokes-Voigt model by an implicit Euler algorithm (with respect to the time variable) and a Fourier-Galerkin method (in the space variables). We prove the convergence to weak solutions of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations satisfying the natural local entropy condition, hence selecting the so-called physically relevant solutions.

Optimization of RET flow using test layout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunqiang; Sethi, Satyendra; Lucas, Kevin

2008-11-01

At advanced technology nodes with extremely low k1 lithography, it is very hard to achieve image fidelity requirements and process window for some layout configurations. Quite often these layouts are within simple design rule constraints for a given technology node. It is important to have these layouts included during early RET flow development. Most of RET developments are based on shrunk layout from the previous technology node, which is possibly not good enough. A better methodology in creating test layout is required for optical proximity correction (OPC) recipe and assists feature development. In this paper we demonstrate the application of programmable test layouts in RET development. Layout pattern libraries are developed and embedded in a layout tool (ICWB). Assessment gauges are generated together with patterns for quick correction accuracy assessment. Several groups of test pattern libraries have been developed based on learning from product patterns and a layout DOE approach. The interaction between layout patterns and OPC recipe has been studied. Correction of a contact layer is quite challenge because of poor convergence and low process window. We developed test pattern library with many different contact configurations. Different OPC schemes are studied on these test layouts. The worst process window patterns are pinpointed for a given illumination condition. Assist features (AF) are frequently placed according to pre-determined rules to improve lithography process window. These rules are usually derived from lithographic models and experiments. Direct validation of AF rules is required at development phase. We use the test layout approach to determine rules in order to eliminate AF printability problem.

Parallel Aircraft Trajectory Optimization with Analytic Derivatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falck, Robert D.; Gray, Justin S.; Naylor, Bret

2016-01-01

Trajectory optimization is an integral component for the design of aerospace vehicles, but emerging aircraft technologies have introduced new demands on trajectory analysis that current tools are not well suited to address. Designing aircraft with technologies such as hybrid electric propulsion and morphing wings requires consideration of the operational behavior as well as the physical design characteristics of the aircraft. The addition of operational variables can dramatically increase the number of design variables which motivates the use of gradient based optimization with analytic derivatives to solve the larger optimization problems. In this work we develop an aircraft trajectory analysis tool using a Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto based collocation scheme, providing analytic derivatives via the OpenMDAO multidisciplinary optimization framework. This collocation method uses an implicit time integration scheme that provides a high degree of sparsity and thus several potential options for parallelization. The performance of the new implementation was investigated via a series of single and multi-trajectory optimizations using a combination of parallel computing and constraint aggregation. The computational performance results show that in order to take full advantage of the sparsity in the problem it is vital to parallelize both the non-linear analysis evaluations and the derivative computations themselves. The constraint aggregation results showed a significant numerical challenge due to difficulty in achieving tight convergence tolerances. Overall, the results demonstrate the value of applying analytic derivatives to trajectory optimization problems and lay the foundation for future application of this collocation based method to the design of aircraft with where operational scheduling of technologies is key to achieving good performance.

Plasma surface figuring of large optical components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jourdain, R.; Castelli, M.; Morantz, P.; Shore, P.

2012-04-01

Fast figuring of large optical components is well known as a highly challenging manufacturing issue. Different manufacturing technologies including: magnetorheological finishing, loose abrasive polishing, ion beam figuring are presently employed. Yet, these technologies are slow and lead to expensive optics. This explains why plasma-based processes operating at atmospheric pressure have been researched as a cost effective means for figure correction of metre scale optical surfaces. In this paper, fast figure correction of a large optical surface is reported using the Reactive Atom Plasma (RAP) process. Achievements are shown following the scaling-up of the RAP figuring process to a 400 mm diameter area of a substrate made of Corning ULE®. The pre-processing spherical surface is characterized by a 3 metres radius of curvature, 2.3 μm PVr (373nm RMS), and 1.2 nm Sq nanometre roughness. The nanometre scale correction figuring system used for this research work is named the HELIOS 1200, and it is equipped with a unique plasma torch which is driven by a dedicated tool path algorithm. Topography map measurements were carried out using a vertical work station instrumented by a Zygo DynaFiz interferometer. Figuring results, together with the processing times, convergence levels and number of iterations, are reported. The results illustrate the significant potential and advantage of plasma processing for figuring correction of large silicon based optical components.

Cost-Effective Additive Manufacturing in Space: HELIOS Technology Challenge Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeVieneni, Alayna; Velez, Carlos Andres; Benjamin, David; Hollenbeck, Jay

2012-01-01

Welcome to the HELIOS Technology Challenge Guide. This document is intended to serve as a general road map for participants of the HELIOS Technology Challenge [HTC] Program and the associated inaugural challenge: HTC-01: Cost-Effective Additive Manufacturing in Space. Please note that this guide is not a rule book and is not meant to hinder the development of innovative ideas. Its primary goal is to highlight the objectives of the HTC-01 Challenge and to describe possible solution routes and pitfalls that such technology may encounter in space. Please also note that participants wishing to demonstrate any hardware developed under this program during any future HELIOS Technology Challenge showcase event(s) may be subject to event regulations to be published separately at a later date.

SST Technology Follow-on Program - Phase I, Performance Evaluation of an SST Noise Suppressor Nozzle System. Volume 1. Suppressed Mode.

DTIC Science & Technology

ACOUSTIC INSULATION, *TURBOJET EXHAUST NOZZLES, *JET ENGINE NOISE, REDUCTION, JET TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, THRUST AUGMENTATION , SUPERSONIC NOZZLES, DUCT...INLETS, CONVERGENT DIVERGENT NOZZLES, SUBSONIC FLOW, SUPERSONIC FLOW, SUPPRESSORS, TURBOJET INLETS, BAFFLES, JET PUMPS, THRUST , DRAG, TEMPERATURE

Variable input observer for state estimation of high-rate dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Jonathan; Cao, Liang; Laflamme, Simon; Dodson, Jacob

2017-04-01

High-rate systems operating in the 10 μs to 10 ms timescale are likely to experience damaging effects due to rapid environmental changes (e.g., turbulence, ballistic impact). Some of these systems could benefit from real-time state estimation to enable their full potential. Examples of such systems include blast mitigation strategies, automotive airbag technologies, and hypersonic vehicles. Particular challenges in high-rate state estimation include: 1) complex time varying nonlinearities of system (e.g. noise, uncertainty, and disturbance); 2) rapid environmental changes; 3) requirement of high convergence rate. Here, we propose using a Variable Input Observer (VIO) concept to vary the input space as the event unfolds. When systems experience high-rate dynamics, rapid changes in the system occur. To investigate the VIO's potential, a VIO-based neuro-observer is constructed and studied using experimental data collected from a laboratory impact test. Results demonstrate that the input space is unique to different impact conditions, and that adjusting the input space throughout the dynamic event produces better estimations than using a traditional fixed input space strategy.

Dynamic Optical Networks for Future Internet Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matera, Francesco

2014-05-01

This article reports an overview on the evolution of the optical network scenario taking into account the exponential growth of connected devices, big data, and cloud computing that is driving a concrete transformation impacting the information and communication technology world. This hyper-connected scenario is deeply affecting relationships between individuals, enterprises, citizens, and public administrations, fostering innovative use cases in practically any environment and market, and introducing new opportunities and new challenges. The successful realization of this hyper-connected scenario depends on different elements of the ecosystem. In particular, it builds on connectivity and functionalities allowed by converged next-generation networks and their capacity to support and integrate with the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine, and cloud computing. This article aims at providing some hints of this scenario to contribute to analyze impacts on optical system and network issues and requirements. In particular, the role of the software-defined network is investigated by taking into account all scenarios regarding data centers, cloud computing, and machine-to-machine and trying to illustrate all the advantages that could be introduced by advanced optical communications.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higgins, R.

During the next twenty-five years, Higgins says we and our children will face a world of mounting confusion and horror, including hardship, disorder, war, and the starvation of millions. Daring to see mankind's rapidly converging crisis for what it is, he starkly forecasts the course it is likely to take. He shows that there are six immense impersonal threats to the human future: overpopulation, famine, resource shortage, environmental degradation, nuclear abuse, and technologies racing out of control. Theoretically these six challenges are not beyond solving; but, asks Higgins, do we have the time, or the will, or the capacity tomore » organize against them. The frightening inertia of our political institutions and our obstinate individual blindness to the realities of the late twentieth century are the critical factors. To avoid a holocaust, we need a remarkable transformation of the moral basis of our politics. The Seventh Enemy can be defeated, argues the author, and he concludes with a thoughtful and controversial discussion of the qualities of consciousness that mankind must bring to bear so urgently on its extraordinary situation. Thus, this cogent analysis ends on a note of cautious hope.« less

Pharmacogenomics and the challenge of health disparities.

PubMed

Lee, S S

2009-01-01

This paper examines emerging technologies and recent research on population differences in pharmacogenomics and the perspectives of scientists, community advocates, policymakers, and social critics on the use of race as a proxy for genetic variation. The discussion focuses on how recent developments in genomic science impact social understandings of racial difference and the public health goal to eliminate ongoing health disparities among racially identified groups. This paper examines how factors such as governmental policies--requiring the use of racial and ethnic categories in genetic research and increasing interest in identifying untapped racial market niches by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries--and weak governmental oversight of race-based therapeutics converge to create an 'infrastructure of racialization' that may alter the vision of personalized medicine that has been so highly anticipated. This paper argues that significant public investment in pharmacogenomics requires careful consideration of the emerging discourse that tethers racial justice to notions of racial biology and discusses the social and ethical implications for the pendulum shift towards a geneticization of race in drug development. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

"Compromises That We Make": Whiteness in the Dual Language Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Meg

2017-01-01

This case study of a two-way dual language school explores the role of whiteness in a bilingual space, specifically with regards to parent involvement. I ask how whiteness operates in this setting and how the school's response to parent involvement reflects and/or challenges white supremacy. Using the concept of "interest convergence"…

The Convergence of the Twain or Titanic Collision? BI and Reference in the 1990s' Sea of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rettig, James

1995-01-01

The future role, scope, and nature of bibliographic instruction (BI) and reference services at academic libraries is unresolved. Both have felt internal pressures and challenges during the past decade. It is suggested that BI and reference share tasks and become a single service. (92 references) (Author/DGM)

The Pedagogical Application of Alternate Reality Games: Using Game-Based Learning to Revisit History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Ronan; Mallon, Bride; Connolly, Cornelia

2015-01-01

The advent of the Internet has been instrumental in producing new Game Based Learning (GBL) tools where education and games converge. Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) are one such GBL tool. Interactive narrative games that use the Internet as a central communications platform, ARGs challenge players to collaboratively collate a fragmented story.…

The Converging Landscape of Higher Education: Perspectives, Challenges, and a Call to the Discipline of Sociology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pescosolido, Bernice A.

2008-01-01

Across the field of higher education and within the discipline of sociology, several important reconceptualizations of academic work have emerged. While not absolutely in sync, there is a striking overlap across three of the most visible of these: Boyer's Scholarship Reconsidered, Carnegie's Stewardship of the Discipline, and Burawoy's Public…

Adaptation to a Curriculum Delivered via iPad: The Challenge of Being Early Adopters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stec, Melissa; Bauer, Melanie; Hopgood, Daniel; Beery, Theresa

2018-01-01

This convergent mixed methods study was designed to examine the skills and attitudes toward using an iPad to deliver nursing curriculum and enhance active learning strategies for sophomore Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students at a Midwestern university. Quantitative data were collected using an…

A Note on Sample Size and Solution Propriety for Confirmatory Factor Analytic Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Dennis L.; Voth, Jennifer; Frey, Marc P.

2013-01-01

Determining an appropriate sample size for use in latent variable modeling techniques has presented ongoing challenges to researchers. In particular, small sample sizes are known to present concerns over sampling error for the variances and covariances on which model estimation is based, as well as for fit indexes and convergence failures. The…

Advances and issues in personal care.

PubMed

Stone, Robyn; Newcomer, Robert

2009-02-01

The focus of this article is paid personal assistant service (PAS) workers in community settings, and the converging current and future trends affecting the need to strengthen and expand the PAS workforce. A number of ways in which the federal and state governments, and the private sector can begin to solve the short and long-term workforce challenges are highlighted.

The Convergence into an Ideal Thought: Critical Thinking and Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Mark

2016-01-01

Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an instructional practice for curriculum design, brims with the promise that concepts, however challenging, may be accessible to everyone in a classroom. There is no reason for anyone, including children in special education programs, not to have the right of passage into inquiry within a unit of study. To…

The Cognitive Deficits Responsible for Developmental Dyslexia: Review of Evidence for a Selective Visual Attentional Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdois, Sylviane; Bosse, Marie-Line; Tainturier, Marie-Josephe

2004-01-01

There is strong converging evidence suggesting that developmental dyslexia stems from a phonological processing deficit. However, this hypothesis has been challenged by the widely admitted heterogeneity of the dyslexic population, and by several reports of dyslexic individuals with no apparent phonological deficit. In this paper, we discuss the…

Numerical Modeling of Fuel Injection into an Accelerating, Turning Flow with a Cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colcord, Ben James

Deliberate continuation of the combustion in the turbine passages of a gas turbine engine has the potential to increase the efficiency and the specific thrust or power of current gas-turbine engines. This concept, known as a turbine-burner, must overcome many challenges before becoming a viable product. One major challenge is the injection, mixing, ignition, and burning of fuel within a short residence time in a turbine passage characterized by large three-dimensional accelerations. One method of increasing the residence time is to inject the fuel into a cavity adjacent to the turbine passage, creating a low-speed zone for mixing and combustion. This situation is simulated numerically, with the turbine passage modeled as a turning, converging channel flow of high-temperature, vitiated air adjacent to a cavity. Both two- and three-dimensional, reacting and non-reacting calculations are performed, examining the effects of channel curvature and convergence, fuel and additional air injection configurations, and inlet conditions. Two-dimensional, non-reacting calculations show that higher aspect ratio cavities improve the fluid interaction between the channel flow and the cavity, and that the cavity dimensions are important for enhancing the mixing. Two-dimensional, reacting calculations show that converging channels improve the combustion efficiency. Channel curvature can be either beneficial or detrimental to combustion efficiency, depending on the location of the cavity and the fuel and air injection configuration. Three-dimensional, reacting calculations show that injecting fuel and air so as to disrupt the natural motion of the cavity stimulates three-dimensional instability and improves the combustion efficiency.

Eigenvalue Solvers for Modeling Nuclear Reactors on Leadership Class Machines

DOE PAGES

Slaybaugh, R. N.; Ramirez-Zweiger, M.; Pandya, Tara; ...

2018-02-20

In this paper, three complementary methods have been implemented in the code Denovo that accelerate neutral particle transport calculations with methods that use leadership-class computers fully and effectively: a multigroup block (MG) Krylov solver, a Rayleigh quotient iteration (RQI) eigenvalue solver, and a multigrid in energy (MGE) preconditioner. The MG Krylov solver converges more quickly than Gauss Seidel and enables energy decomposition such that Denovo can scale to hundreds of thousands of cores. RQI should converge in fewer iterations than power iteration (PI) for large and challenging problems. RQI creates shifted systems that would not be tractable without the MGmore » Krylov solver. It also creates ill-conditioned matrices. The MGE preconditioner reduces iteration count significantly when used with RQI and takes advantage of the new energy decomposition such that it can scale efficiently. Each individual method has been described before, but this is the first time they have been demonstrated to work together effectively. The combination of solvers enables the RQI eigenvalue solver to work better than the other available solvers for large reactors problems on leadership-class machines. Using these methods together, RQI converged in fewer iterations and in less time than PI for a full pressurized water reactor core. These solvers also performed better than an Arnoldi eigenvalue solver for a reactor benchmark problem when energy decomposition is needed. The MG Krylov, MGE preconditioner, and RQI solver combination also scales well in energy. Finally, this solver set is a strong choice for very large and challenging problems.« less

Eigenvalue Solvers for Modeling Nuclear Reactors on Leadership Class Machines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slaybaugh, R. N.; Ramirez-Zweiger, M.; Pandya, Tara

In this paper, three complementary methods have been implemented in the code Denovo that accelerate neutral particle transport calculations with methods that use leadership-class computers fully and effectively: a multigroup block (MG) Krylov solver, a Rayleigh quotient iteration (RQI) eigenvalue solver, and a multigrid in energy (MGE) preconditioner. The MG Krylov solver converges more quickly than Gauss Seidel and enables energy decomposition such that Denovo can scale to hundreds of thousands of cores. RQI should converge in fewer iterations than power iteration (PI) for large and challenging problems. RQI creates shifted systems that would not be tractable without the MGmore » Krylov solver. It also creates ill-conditioned matrices. The MGE preconditioner reduces iteration count significantly when used with RQI and takes advantage of the new energy decomposition such that it can scale efficiently. Each individual method has been described before, but this is the first time they have been demonstrated to work together effectively. The combination of solvers enables the RQI eigenvalue solver to work better than the other available solvers for large reactors problems on leadership-class machines. Using these methods together, RQI converged in fewer iterations and in less time than PI for a full pressurized water reactor core. These solvers also performed better than an Arnoldi eigenvalue solver for a reactor benchmark problem when energy decomposition is needed. The MG Krylov, MGE preconditioner, and RQI solver combination also scales well in energy. Finally, this solver set is a strong choice for very large and challenging problems.« less

Physical security and IT convergence: Managing the cyber-related risks.

PubMed

McCreight, Tim; Leece, Doug

The convergence of physical security devices into the corporate network is increasing, due to the perceived economic benefits and efficiencies gained from using one enterprise network. Bringing these two networks together is not without risk. Physical devices like closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), card access readers, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning controllers (HVAC) are typically not secured to the standards we expect for corporate computer networks. These devices can pose significant risks to the corporate network by creating new avenues to exploit vulnerabilities in less-than-secure implementations of physical systems. The ASIS Information Technology Security Council (ITSC) developed a white paper describing steps organisations can take to reduce the risks this convergence can pose, and presented these concepts at the 2015 ASIS/ISC2 Congress in Anaheim, California. 1 This paper expands upon the six characteristics described by ITSC, and provides business continuity planners with information on how to apply these recommendations to physical security devices that use the corporate network.

A group LASSO-based method for robustly inferring gene regulatory networks from multiple time-course datasets.

PubMed

Liu, Li-Zhi; Wu, Fang-Xiang; Zhang, Wen-Jun

2014-01-01

As an abstract mapping of the gene regulations in the cell, gene regulatory network is important to both biological research study and practical applications. The reverse engineering of gene regulatory networks from microarray gene expression data is a challenging research problem in systems biology. With the development of biological technologies, multiple time-course gene expression datasets might be collected for a specific gene network under different circumstances. The inference of a gene regulatory network can be improved by integrating these multiple datasets. It is also known that gene expression data may be contaminated with large errors or outliers, which may affect the inference results. A novel method, Huber group LASSO, is proposed to infer the same underlying network topology from multiple time-course gene expression datasets as well as to take the robustness to large error or outliers into account. To solve the optimization problem involved in the proposed method, an efficient algorithm which combines the ideas of auxiliary function minimization and block descent is developed. A stability selection method is adapted to our method to find a network topology consisting of edges with scores. The proposed method is applied to both simulation datasets and real experimental datasets. It shows that Huber group LASSO outperforms the group LASSO in terms of both areas under receiver operating characteristic curves and areas under the precision-recall curves. The convergence analysis of the algorithm theoretically shows that the sequence generated from the algorithm converges to the optimal solution of the problem. The simulation and real data examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the Huber group LASSO in integrating multiple time-course gene expression datasets and improving the resistance to large errors or outliers.

Critical bounds on noise and SNR for robust estimation of real-time brain activity from functional near infra-red spectroscopy.

PubMed

Aqil, Muhammad; Jeong, Myung Yung

2018-04-24

The robust characterization of real-time brain activity carries potential for many applications. However, the contamination of measured signals by various instrumental, environmental, and physiological sources of noise introduces a substantial amount of signal variance and, consequently, challenges real-time estimation of contributions from underlying neuronal sources. Functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an emerging imaging modality whose real-time potential is yet to be fully explored. The objectives of the current study are to (i) validate a time-dependent linear model of hemodynamic responses in fNIRS, and (ii) test the robustness of this approach against measurement noise (instrumental and physiological) and mis-specification of the hemodynamic response basis functions (amplitude, latency, and duration). We propose a linear hemodynamic model with time-varying parameters, which are estimated (adapted and tracked) using a dynamic recursive least square algorithm. Owing to the linear nature of the activation model, the problem of achieving robust convergence to an accurate estimation of the model parameters is recast as a problem of parameter error stability around the origin. We show that robust convergence of the proposed method is guaranteed in the presence of an acceptable degree of model misspecification and we derive an upper bound on noise under which reliable parameters can still be inferred. We also derived a lower bound on signal-to-noise-ratio over which the reliable parameters can still be inferred from a channel/voxel. Whilst here applied to fNIRS, the proposed methodology is applicable to other hemodynamic-based imaging technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A meshless approach to thermomechanics of DC casting of aluminium billets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavrič, B.; Šarler, B.

2016-03-01

The ability to model thermomechanics in DC casting is important due to the technological challenges caused by physical phenomena such as different ingot distortions, cracking, hot tearing and residual stress. Many thermomechanical models already exist and usually take into account three contributions: elastic, thermal expansion, and viscoplastic to model the mushy zone. These models are, in a vast majority, solved by the finite element method. In the present work the elastic model that accounts for linear thermal expansion is considered. The method used for solving the model is of a novel meshless type and extends our previous meshless attempts in solving fluid mechanics problems. The solution to the problem is constructed using collocation on the overlapping subdomains, which are composed of computational nodes. Multiquadric radial basis functions, augmented by monomials, are used for the displacement interpolation. The interpolation is constructed in such a manner that it readily satisfies the boundary conditions. The discretization results in construction of a global square sparse matrix representing the system of linear equations for the displacement field. The developed method has many advantages. The system of equations can be easily constructed and efficiently solved. There is no need to perform expensive meshing of the domain and the formulation of the method is similar in two and three dimensions. Since no meshing is required, the nodes can easily be added or removed, which allows for efficient adaption of the node arrangement density. The order of convergence, estimated through an analytically solvable test, can be adjusted through the number of interpolation nodes in the subdomain, with 6 nodes being enough for the second order convergence. Simulations of axisymmetric mechanical problems, associated with low frequency electromagnetic DC casting are presented.

Learning from adaptive neural dynamic surface control of strict-feedback systems.

PubMed

Wang, Min; Wang, Cong

2015-06-01

Learning plays an essential role in autonomous control systems. However, how to achieve learning in the nonstationary environment for nonlinear systems is a challenging problem. In this paper, we present learning method for a class of n th-order strict-feedback systems by adaptive dynamic surface control (DSC) technology, which achieves the human-like ability of learning by doing and doing with learned knowledge. To achieve the learning, this paper first proposes stable adaptive DSC with auxiliary first-order filters, which ensures the boundedness of all the signals in the closed-loop system and the convergence of tracking errors in a finite time. With the help of DSC, the derivative of the filter output variable is used as the neural network (NN) input instead of traditional intermediate variables. As a result, the proposed adaptive DSC method reduces greatly the dimension of NN inputs, especially for high-order systems. After the stable DSC design, we decompose the stable closed-loop system into a series of linear time-varying perturbed subsystems. Using a recursive design, the recurrent property of NN input variables is easily verified since the complexity is overcome using DSC. Subsequently, the partial persistent excitation condition of the radial basis function NN is satisfied. By combining a state transformation, accurate approximations of the closed-loop system dynamics are recursively achieved in a local region along recurrent orbits. Then, the learning control method using the learned knowledge is proposed to achieve the closed-loop stability and the improved control performance. Simulation studies are performed to demonstrate the proposed scheme can not only reuse the learned knowledge to achieve the better control performance with the faster tracking convergence rate and the smaller tracking error but also greatly alleviate the computational burden because of reducing the number and complexity of NN input variables.

3D Integration for Wireless Multimedia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimmich, Georg

The convergence of mobile phone, internet, mapping, gaming and office automation tools with high quality video and still imaging capture capability is becoming a strong market trend for portable devices. High-density video encode and decode, 3D graphics for gaming, increased application-software complexity and ultra-high-bandwidth 4G modem technologies are driving the CPU performance and memory bandwidth requirements close to the PC segment. These portable multimedia devices are battery operated, which requires the deployment of new low-power-optimized silicon process technologies and ultra-low-power design techniques at system, architecture and device level. Mobile devices also need to comply with stringent silicon-area and package-volume constraints. As for all consumer devices, low production cost and fast time-to-volume production is key for success. This chapter shows how 3D architectures can bring a possible breakthrough to meet the conflicting power, performance and area constraints. Multiple 3D die-stacking partitioning strategies are described and analyzed on their potential to improve the overall system power, performance and cost for specific application scenarios. Requirements and maturity of the basic process-technology bricks including through-silicon via (TSV) and die-to-die attachment techniques are reviewed. Finally, we highlight new challenges which will arise with 3D stacking and an outlook on how they may be addressed: Higher power density will require thermal design considerations, new EDA tools will need to be developed to cope with the integration of heterogeneous technologies and to guarantee signal and power integrity across the die stack. The silicon/wafer test strategies have to be adapted to handle high-density IO arrays, ultra-thin wafers and provide built-in self-test of attached memories. New standards and business models have to be developed to allow cost-efficient assembly and testing of devices from different silicon and technology providers.

The Healthgrid White Paper.

PubMed

Breton, Vincent; Dean, Kevin; Solomonides, Tony; Blanquer, I; Hernandez, V; Medico, E; Maglaveras, N; Benkner, S; Lonsdale, G; Lloyd, S; Hassan, K; McClatchey, R; Miguet, S; Montagnat, J; Pennec, X; De Neve, W; De Wagter, C; Heeren, G; Maigne, L; Nozaki, K; Taillet, M; Bilofsky, H; Ziegler, R; Hoffman, M; Jones, C; Cannataro, M; Veltri, P; Aloisio, G; Fiore, S; Mirto, M; Chouvarda, I; Koutkias, V; Malousi, A; Lopez, V; Oliveira, I; Sanchez, J P; Martin-Sanchez, F; De Moor, G; Claerhout, B; Herveg, J A M

2005-01-01

Over the last four years, a community of researchers working on Grid and High Performance Computing technologies started discussing the barriers and opportunities that grid technologies must face and exploit for the development of health-related applications. This interest lead to the first Healthgrid conference, held in Lyon, France, on January 16th-17th, 2003, with the focus of creating increased awareness about the possibilities and advantages linked to the deployment of grid technologies in health, ultimately targeting the creation of a European/international grid infrastructure for health. The topics of this conference converged with the position of the eHealth division of the European Commission, whose mandate from the Lisbon Meeting was "To develop an intelligent environment that enables ubiquitous management of citizens' health status, and to assist health professionals in coping with some major challenges, risk management and the integration into clinical practice of advances in health knowledge." In this context "Health" involves not only clinical procedures but covers the whole range of information from molecular level (genetic and proteomic information) over cells and tissues, to the individual and finally the population level (social healthcare). Grid technology offers the opportunity to create a common working backbone for all different members of this large "health family" and will hopefully lead to an increased awareness and interoperability among disciplines. The first HealthGrid conference led to the creation of the Healthgrid association, a non-profit research association legally incorporated in France but formed from the broad community of European researchers and institutions sharing expertise in health grids. After the second Healthgrid conference, held in Clermont-Ferrand on January 29th-30th, 2004, the need for a "white paper" on the current status and prospective of health grids was raised. Over fifty experts from different areas of grid technologies, eHealth applications and the medical world were invited to contribute to the preparation of this document.

Precision engineering: an evolutionary perspective.

PubMed

Evans, Chris J

2012-08-28

Precision engineering is a relatively new name for a technology with roots going back over a thousand years; those roots span astronomy, metrology, fundamental standards, manufacturing and money-making (literally). Throughout that history, precision engineers have created links across disparate disciplines to generate innovative responses to society's needs and wants. This review combines historical and technological perspectives to illuminate precision engineering's current character and directions. It first provides us a working definition of precision engineering and then reviews the subject's roots. Examples will be given showing the contributions of the technology to society, while simultaneously showing the creative tension between the technological convergence that spurs new directions and the vertical disintegration that optimizes manufacturing economics.

Genetic Convergence in the Adaptation of Dogs and Humans to the High-Altitude Environment of the Tibetan Plateau

PubMed Central

Wang, Guo-Dong; Fan, Ruo-Xi; Zhai, Weiwei; Liu, Fei; Wang, Lu; Zhong, Li; Wu, Hong; Yang, He-Chuan; Wu, Shi-Fang; Zhu, Chun-Ling; Li, Yan; Gao, Yun; Ge, Ri-Li; Wu, Chung-I; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2014-01-01

The high-altitude hypoxic environment represents one of the most extreme challenges for mammals. Previous studies of humans on the Tibetan plateau and in the Andes Mountains have identified statistical signatures of selection in different sets of loci. Here, we first measured the hemoglobin levels in village dogs from Tibet and those from Chinese lowlands. We found that the hemoglobin levels are very similar between the two groups, suggesting that Tibetan dogs might share similar adaptive strategies as the Tibetan people. Through a whole-genome sequencing approach, we have identified EPAS1 and HBB as candidate genes for the hypoxic adaptation on the Tibetan plateau. The population genetic analysis shows a significant convergence between humans and dogs in Tibet. The similarities in the sets of loci that exhibit putative signatures of selection and the hemoglobin levels between humans and dogs of the same environment, but not between human populations in different regions, suggests an extraordinary landscape of convergent evolution between human beings and their best friend on the Tibetan plateau. PMID:25091388

Converging Institutions: Shaping Relationships between Nanotechnologies, Economy, and Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ott, Ingrid; Papilloud, Christian

2007-01-01

Nanotechnologies are technologies applied to a molecular level, which can be embedded in materials including human cells and atoms of mineral, chemical, or physical substrates. Nanotechnologies have been used in attempts to foster interactions between a multitude of products, production processes, and social actors. Just like bio, info, and…

Use and Rationale of Media Types in Performance-Centered Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schubert, Dave

2002-01-01

Focuses on the convergent rationale and use of media within performance centered design and how that can affect user performance using real-time electronic performance support system appliance design. Discusses the more effective time-based, interactive, and synchronized media types that have become viable with technological advancements.…

Department of Defense Information Enterprise: Strategic Plan 2010-2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

migrate from circuit-based technology to a converged (voice, video , and data) IP network and UC services environment. Ensure the optimal...Kevin Coleman, “Cyber Attacks on Supply Chain Systems,” Defense Tech, April 15, 2009 8 Lolita C. Baldor, “Federal Web Sites Knocked Out by Cyber Attack

Psychometric Properties of a Digital Citizenship Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordin, Mohamad Sahari; Ahmad, Tunku Badariah Tunku; Zubairi, Ainol Madziah; Ismail, Nik Ahmad Hisham; Rahman, Abdul Hamid Abdul; Trayek, Fuad A. A.; Ibrahim, Mohd Burhan

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was twofold, i.e. to examine the extent to which students' self-reported use of digital technology constituted meaningful and interpretable dimensions of the digital citizenship construct, and to test the adequacy of the construct in terms of its reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and measurement…

Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Showcase Presentation on Mission Adaptive Digital Composite Aerostructure Technologies (MADCAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swei, Sean; Cheung, Kenneth

2016-01-01

This project is to develop a novel aerostructure concept that takes advantage of emerging digital composite materials and manufacturing methods to build high stiffness-to-density ratio, ultra-light structures that can provide mission adaptive and aerodynamically efficient future N+3N+4 air vehicles.

Intelligent Learning Infrastructure for Knowledge Intensive Organizations: A Semantic Web Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lytras, Miltiadis, Ed.; Naeve, Ambjorn, Ed.

2005-01-01

In the context of Knowledge Society, the convergence of knowledge and learning management is a critical milestone. "Intelligent Learning Infrastructure for Knowledge Intensive Organizations: A Semantic Web Perspective" provides state-of-the art knowledge through a balanced theoretical and technological discussion. The semantic web perspective…

School Library Automation: Is It an Option?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clyde, L. Anne

2000-01-01

Discusses the value of school library automation, and suggests that an automated school library is the right of every child and teacher. Examines the role of the teacher librarian in the current environment; advantages of Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs); and trends towards greater convergence in information technology applications in the…

NACCIS Working Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Advisory Council for Computer Implementation in Schools, Tucson, AZ.

Problems and issues related to the financing and use of educational technologies in Arizona schools are addressed from both short- and long-term considerations. A brief review of the spread of computers in schools includes projections for future use of computers in education and a discussion of factors affecting the market, the convergence of…

Expanding Learning Opportunities with Transmedia Practices: "Inanimate Alice" as an Exemplar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Laura

2013-01-01

The proliferation of digital and networking technologies enables us to rethink, restructure, and redefine teaching and learning. Transmedia storytelling takes advantage of the rapid convergence of media and allows teachers and learners to participate in rich virtual (and physical) environments that have been shown to foster students' real…

Making Wise Choices: Telecommunications for Rural Community Viability. Proceedings of a Workshop (Kansas City, Missouri, February 25-27, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, Eric A., Ed.

This proceedings contains keynote speeches, community case studies, and small-group recommendations concerned with successful telecommunications initiatives in rural communities. The four keynote addresses are: "Electronic Highways and Byways: Converging Technologies and Rural Development" (Heather E. Hudson); "Information…

Libraries and the Chief Information Officer: Implications and Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodsworth, Anne

1988-01-01

Describes the roles and responsibilities of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in research universities and presents five models of the position. Future trends and needs for management of converging information technologies are then discussed with attention to implications for libraries. Qualifications of the CIO and the future outlook of the…

Library Resource-Sharing in the Network-Centric World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Rob

This paper discusses changes in services, technology, and organization as libraries prepare to enter the "network-centric library world." Part 1 addresses the transition from the analog era to the digital age, and the convergence of libraries and education, including opportunities for library leadership in Internet access, digital…

The Roads behind and the Paths ahead.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Kenneth C.

This paper explores the theme of convergence in higher education, focusing specifically on the growing demand for increased access to higher education, lifelong learning to support multiple jobs and careers, and the expanse and availability of resources in information technology. The article is divided into the following sections: (1) Converging…

Information and Communications Technology Industry, Industry Study, Spring 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

versus 0.9% in the rest of the world). While increasing investment in 3G/4G globally holds promise to close that gap , it is America , Europe, and parts...investments in R&D are paying off with transformative and popular products such as the Apple iPhone and leading to a convergence of technologies. Not...advanced in the ICT arena, but most are striving to catch up. Latin America , led by Brazil and Mexico, has applied significant resources to bridge the

An Investigation into Solution Verification for CFD-DEM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fullmer, William D.; Musser, Jordan

This report presents the study of the convergence behavior of the computational fluid dynamicsdiscrete element method (CFD-DEM) method, specifically National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (NETL) open source MFiX code (MFiX-DEM) with a diffusion based particle-tocontinuum filtering scheme. In particular, this study focused on determining if the numerical method had a solution in the high-resolution limit where the grid size is smaller than the particle size. To address this uncertainty, fixed particle beds of two primary configurations were studied: i) fictitious beds where the particles are seeded with a random particle generator, and ii) instantaneous snapshots from a transient simulation of anmore » experimentally relevant problem. Both problems considered a uniform inlet boundary and a pressure outflow. The CFD grid was refined from a few particle diameters down to 1/6 th of a particle diameter. The pressure drop between two vertical elevations, averaged across the bed cross-section was considered as the system response quantity of interest. A least-squares regression method was used to extrapolate the grid-dependent results to an approximate “grid-free” solution in the limit of infinite resolution. The results show that the diffusion based scheme does yield a converging solution. However, the convergence is more complicated than encountered in simpler, single-phase flow problems showing strong oscillations and, at times, oscillations superimposed on top of globally non-monotonic behavior. The challenging convergence behavior highlights the importance of using at least four grid resolutions in solution verification problems so that (over-determined) regression-based extrapolation methods may be applied to approximate the grid-free solution. The grid-free solution is very important in solution verification and VVUQ exercise in general as the difference between it and the reference solution largely determines the numerical uncertainty. By testing different randomized particle configurations of the same general problem (for the fictitious case) or different instances of freezing a transient simulation, the numerical uncertainties appeared to be on the same order of magnitude as ensemble or time averaging uncertainties. By testing different drag laws, almost all cases studied show that model form uncertainty in this one, very important closure relation was larger than the numerical uncertainty, at least with a reasonable CFD grid, roughly five particle diameters. In this study, the diffusion width (filtering length scale) was mostly set at a constant of six particle diameters. A few exploratory tests were performed to show that similar convergence behavior was observed for diffusion widths greater than approximately two particle diameters. However, this subject was not investigated in great detail because determining an appropriate filter size is really a validation question which must be determined by comparison to experimental or highly accurate numerical data. Future studies are being considered targeting solution verification of transient simulations as well as validation of the filter size with direct numerical simulation data.« less

The Quest toward limb regeneration: a regenerative engineering approach

PubMed Central

Laurencin, Cato T.; Nair, Lakshmi S.

2016-01-01

The Holy Grail to address the clinical grand challenge of human limb loss is to develop innovative strategies to regrow the amputated limb. The remarkable advances in the scientific understanding of regeneration, stem cell science, material science and engineering, physics and novel surgical approaches in the past few decades have provided a regenerative tool box to face this grand challenge and address the limitations of human wound healing. Here we discuss the convergence approach put forward by the field of Regenerative Engineering to use the regenerative tool box to design and develop novel translational strategies to limb regeneration. PMID:27047679

Structural Design Exploration of an Electric Powered Multi-Propulsor Wing Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, James B.; Cutright, Steve

2017-01-01

Advancements in aircraft electric propulsion may enable an expanded operational envelope for electrically powered vehicles compared to their internal combustion engine counterparts. High aspect ratio wings provide additional lift and drag reduction for a proposed multi-propulsor design, however, the challenge is to reduce the weight of wing structures while maintaining adequate structural and aeroelastic margins. Design exploration using a conventional design-and-build philosophy coupled with a finite element method (FEM)-based design of experiments (DOE) strategy are presented to examine high aspect ratio wing structures that have spanwise distributed electric motors. Multiple leading-edge-mounted engine masses presented a challenge to design a wing within acceptable limits for dynamic and aeroelastic stability. Because the first four primary bending eigenmodes of the proposed wing structure are very sensitive to outboard motor placement, safety-of-flight requirements drove the need for multiple spars, rib attachments, and outboard structural reinforcements in the design. Global aeroelasticity became an increasingly important design constraint during the on-going design process, with outboard motor pod flutter ultimately becoming a primary design constraint. Designers successively generated models to examine stress, dynamics, and aeroelasticity concurrently. This research specifically addressed satisfying multi-disciplinary design criteria to generate fluid-structure interaction solution sets, and produced high aspect ratio primary structure designs for the NASA Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology and Operations Research (SCEPTOR) project in the Aeronautic Research Mission Directorate at NASA. In this paper, a dynamics-driven, quasi-inverse design methodology is presented to address aerodynamic performance goals and structural challenges encountered for the SCEPTOR demonstrator vehicle. These results are compared with a traditional computer aided design based approach.

Widespread Signals of Convergent Adaptation to High Altitude in Asia and America

PubMed Central

Foll, Matthieu; Gaggiotti, Oscar E.; Daub, Josephine T.; Vatsiou, Alexandra; Excoffier, Laurent

2014-01-01

Living at high altitude is one of the most difficult challenges that humans had to cope with during their evolution. Whereas several genomic studies have revealed some of the genetic bases of adaptations in Tibetan, Andean, and Ethiopian populations, relatively little evidence of convergent evolution to altitude in different continents has accumulated. This lack of evidence can be due to truly different evolutionary responses, but it can also be due to the low power of former studies that have mainly focused on populations from a single geographical region or performed separate analyses on multiple pairs of populations to avoid problems linked to shared histories between some populations. We introduce here a hierarchical Bayesian method to detect local adaptation that can deal with complex demographic histories. Our method can identify selection occurring at different scales, as well as convergent adaptation in different regions. We apply our approach to the analysis of a large SNP data set from low- and high-altitude human populations from America and Asia. The simultaneous analysis of these two geographic areas allows us to identify several candidate genome regions for altitudinal selection, and we show that convergent evolution among continents has been quite common. In addition to identifying several genes and biological processes involved in high-altitude adaptation, we identify two specific biological pathways that could have evolved in both continents to counter toxic effects induced by hypoxia. PMID:25262650

Advanced Methods for Incorporating Solar Energy Technologies into Electric Sector Capacity-Expansion Models: Literature Review and Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sullivan, P.; Eurek, K.; Margolis, R.

2014-07-01

Because solar power is a rapidly growing component of the electricity system, robust representations of solar technologies should be included in capacity-expansion models. This is a challenge because modeling the electricity system--and, in particular, modeling solar integration within that system--is a complex endeavor. This report highlights the major challenges of incorporating solar technologies into capacity-expansion models and shows examples of how specific models address those challenges. These challenges include modeling non-dispatchable technologies, determining which solar technologies to model, choosing a spatial resolution, incorporating a solar resource assessment, and accounting for solar generation variability and uncertainty.

Autonomous chemical and biological miniature wireless-sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldberg, Bar-Giora

2005-05-01

The presentation discusses a new concept and a paradigm shift in biological, chemical and explosive sensor system design and deployment. From large, heavy, centralized and expensive systems to distributed wireless sensor networks utilizing miniature platforms (nodes) that are lightweight, low cost and wirelessly connected. These new systems are possible due to the emergence and convergence of new innovative radio, imaging, networking and sensor technologies. Miniature integrated radio-sensor networks, is a technology whose time has come. These network systems are based on large numbers of distributed low cost and short-range wireless platforms that sense and process their environment and communicate data thru a network to a command center. The recent emergence of chemical and explosive sensor technology based on silicon nanostructures, coupled with the fast evolution of low-cost CMOS imagers, low power DSP engines and integrated radio chips, has created an opportunity to realize the vision of autonomous wireless networks. These threat detection networks will perform sophisticated analysis at the sensor node and convey alarm information up the command chain. Sensor networks of this type are expected to revolutionize the ability to detect and locate biological, chemical, or explosive threats. The ability to distribute large numbers of low-cost sensors over large areas enables these devices to be close to the targeted threats and therefore improve detection efficiencies and enable rapid counter responses. These sensor networks will be used for homeland security, shipping container monitoring, and other applications such as laboratory medical analysis, drug discovery, automotive, environmental and/or in-vivo monitoring. Avaak"s system concept is to image a chromatic biological, chemical and/or explosive sensor utilizing a digital imager, analyze the images and distribute alarm or image data wirelessly through the network. All the imaging, processing and communications would take place within the miniature, low cost distributed sensor platforms. This concept however presents a significant challenge due to a combination and convergence of required new technologies, as mentioned above. Passive biological and chemical sensors with very high sensitivity and which require no assaying are in development using a technique to optically and chemically encode silicon wafers with tailored nanostructures. The silicon wafer is patterned with nano-structures designed to change colors ad patterns when exposed to the target analytes (TICs, TIMs, VOC). A small video camera detects the color and pattern changes on the sensor. To determine if an alarm condition is present, an on board DSP processor, using specialized image processing algorithms and statistical analysis, determines if color gradient changes occurred on the sensor array. These sensors can detect several agents simultaneously. This system is currently under development by Avaak, with funding from DARPA through an SBIR grant.

Bidirectional multi-optical line terminals incorporated converged WSN-PON network using M/M/1 queuing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Love; Sharma, Vishal; Singh, Amarpal

2017-12-01

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have an assortment of application areas, for instance, civil, military, and video surveillance with restricted power resources and transmission link. To accommodate the massive traffic load in hefty sensor networks is another key issue. Subsequently, there is a necessity to backhaul the sensed information of such networks and prolong the transmission link to access the distinct receivers. Passive Optical Network (PON), a next-generation access technology, comes out as a suitable candidate for the convergence of the sensed data to the core system. The earlier demonstrated work with single-OLT-PON introduces an overloaded buffer akin to video surveillance scenarios. In this paper, to combine the bandwidth potential of PONs with the mobility capability of WSNs, the viability for the convergence of PONs and WSNs incorporating multi-optical line terminals is demonstrated to handle the overloaded OLTs. The existing M/M/1 queue theory with interleaving polling with adaptive cycle time as dynamic bandwidth algorithm is used to shun the probability of packets clash. Further, the proposed multi-sink WSN and multi-OLT PON converged structure is investigated in bidirectional mode analytically and through computer simulations. The observations establish the proposed structure competent to accommodate the colossal data traffic through less time consumption.

Adaptive Suspicious Prevention for Defending DoS Attacks in SDN-Based Convergent Networks

PubMed Central

Dao, Nhu-Ngoc; Kim, Joongheon; Park, Minho; Cho, Sungrae

2016-01-01

The convergent communication network will play an important role as a single platform to unify heterogeneous networks and integrate emerging technologies and existing legacy networks. Although there have been proposed many feasible solutions, they could not become convergent frameworks since they mainly focused on converting functions between various protocols and interfaces in edge networks, and handling functions for multiple services in core networks, e.g., the Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technique. Software-defined networking (SDN), on the other hand, is expected to be the ideal future for the convergent network since it can provide a controllable, dynamic, and cost-effective network. However, SDN has an original structural vulnerability behind a lot of advantages, which is the centralized control plane. As the brains of the network, a controller manages the whole network, which is attractive to attackers. In this context, we proposes a novel solution called adaptive suspicious prevention (ASP) mechanism to protect the controller from the Denial of Service (DoS) attacks that could incapacitate an SDN. The ASP is integrated with OpenFlow protocol to detect and prevent DoS attacks effectively. Our comprehensive experimental results show that the ASP enhances the resilience of an SDN network against DoS attacks by up to 38%. PMID:27494411

Adaptive Suspicious Prevention for Defending DoS Attacks in SDN-Based Convergent Networks.

PubMed

Dao, Nhu-Ngoc; Kim, Joongheon; Park, Minho; Cho, Sungrae

2016-01-01

The convergent communication network will play an important role as a single platform to unify heterogeneous networks and integrate emerging technologies and existing legacy networks. Although there have been proposed many feasible solutions, they could not become convergent frameworks since they mainly focused on converting functions between various protocols and interfaces in edge networks, and handling functions for multiple services in core networks, e.g., the Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technique. Software-defined networking (SDN), on the other hand, is expected to be the ideal future for the convergent network since it can provide a controllable, dynamic, and cost-effective network. However, SDN has an original structural vulnerability behind a lot of advantages, which is the centralized control plane. As the brains of the network, a controller manages the whole network, which is attractive to attackers. In this context, we proposes a novel solution called adaptive suspicious prevention (ASP) mechanism to protect the controller from the Denial of Service (DoS) attacks that could incapacitate an SDN. The ASP is integrated with OpenFlow protocol to detect and prevent DoS attacks effectively. Our comprehensive experimental results show that the ASP enhances the resilience of an SDN network against DoS attacks by up to 38%.

Population forecasts for Bangladesh, using a Bayesian methodology.

PubMed

Mahsin, Md; Hossain, Syed Shahadat

2012-12-01

Population projection for many developing countries could be quite a challenging task for the demographers mostly due to lack of availability of enough reliable data. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of the existing methods for population forecasting and to propose an alternative based on the Bayesian statistics, combining the formality of inference. The analysis has been made using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique for Bayesian methodology available with the software WinBUGS. Convergence diagnostic techniques available with the WinBUGS software have been applied to ensure the convergence of the chains necessary for the implementation of MCMC. The Bayesian approach allows for the use of observed data and expert judgements by means of appropriate priors, and a more realistic population forecasts, along with associated uncertainty, has been possible.

Mainstreaming nutrition metrics in household surveys--toward a multidisciplinary convergence of data systems.

PubMed

Pingali, Prabhu L; Ricketts, Katie D

2014-12-01

Since the 2008 food price crisis, food and nutrition security are back on the global development agenda, with particular emphasis on agricultural pathways toward improved nutrition. Parallel efforts are being promoted to improve the data and metrics for monitoring progress toward positive nutritional outcomes, especially for women and children. Despite the increased investment in tracking nutritional outcomes, these efforts are often made in silos, which create challenges for integrating nutritional data with other sectoral data, such as those related to agriculture. This paper proposes a minimum set of nutrition indicators to be included in nationally representative agricultural (and multitopic) household surveys. Building multisectoral convergence across existing surveys will allow us to better identify priority interventions and to monitor progress toward improved nutrition targets. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

Applying an Implementation Science Framework for Adoption of a Comprehensive Program for High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odom, Samuel L.; Duda, Michelle A.; Kucharczyk, Suzanne; Cox, Ann W.; Stabel, Aaron

2014-01-01

Post-school outcomes for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are exceedingly poor. The convergence of adolescence as a development period, the expression of ASD during adolescence, and the complicated logistic nature of high schools create a perfect storm of complexity that may pose challenges and establish barriers to…

Understanding Unique Effects of Parental Incarceration on Children: Challenges, Progress, and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elizabeth I.; Easterling, Beth

2012-01-01

Growth in U.S. incarceration rates during the 1980s and 1990s prompted a body of research focused on understanding the diverse effects of incarceration on individuals, families, and communities. An area of particular interest has been how the incarceration of a parent may affect child well-being. Despite what appears to be converging evidence that…

You Can't Erase Race! Using CRT to Explain the Presence of Race and Racism in Majority White Suburban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Thandeka K.

2013-01-01

Employing a critical race analysis of contemporary suburban schooling in the US, the author challenges the ideology of colorblind racial contexts. The concepts of colorblindness, interest-convergence, racial realism, and white privilege are used to explain how federal mandates and common school policies and practices, such as tracking, traditional…

School-Based Health Centers and Childhood Obesity: "An Ideal Location to Address a Complex Issue"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Assembly on School-Based Health Care, 2010

2010-01-01

One of today's most pressing public health problems is the rise in childhood overweight and obesity. School-based health centers (SBHCs)--the convergence of public health, primary care, and mental health in schools--represent an important element in the public health toolbox for combating the challenging epidemic. When working side-by-side in a…

LLNL Mercury Project Trinity Open Science Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dawson, Shawn A.

The Mercury Monte Carlo particle transport code is used to simulate the transport of radiation through urban environments. These challenging calculations include complicated geometries and require significant computational resources to complete. In the proposed Trinity Open Science calculations, I will investigate computer science aspects of the code which are relevant to convergence of the simulation quantities with increasing Monte Carlo particle counts.

Big Data Challenges of High-Dimensional Continuous-Time Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection and a Remedy.

PubMed

Chiu, Mei Choi; Pun, Chi Seng; Wong, Hoi Ying

2017-08-01

Investors interested in the global financial market must analyze financial securities internationally. Making an optimal global investment decision involves processing a huge amount of data for a high-dimensional portfolio. This article investigates the big data challenges of two mean-variance optimal portfolios: continuous-time precommitment and constant-rebalancing strategies. We show that both optimized portfolios implemented with the traditional sample estimates converge to the worst performing portfolio when the portfolio size becomes large. The crux of the problem is the estimation error accumulated from the huge dimension of stock data. We then propose a linear programming optimal (LPO) portfolio framework, which applies a constrained ℓ 1 minimization to the theoretical optimal control to mitigate the risk associated with the dimensionality issue. The resulting portfolio becomes a sparse portfolio that selects stocks with a data-driven procedure and hence offers a stable mean-variance portfolio in practice. When the number of observations becomes large, the LPO portfolio converges to the oracle optimal portfolio, which is free of estimation error, even though the number of stocks grows faster than the number of observations. Our numerical and empirical studies demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Construction, classification and parametrization of complex Hadamard matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szöllősi, Ferenc

To improve the design of nuclear systems, high-fidelity neutron fluxes are required. Leadership-class machines provide platforms on which very large problems can be solved. Computing such fluxes efficiently requires numerical methods with good convergence properties and algorithms that can scale to hundreds of thousands of cores. Many 3-D deterministic transport codes are decomposable in space and angle only, limiting them to tens of thousands of cores. Most codes rely on methods such as Gauss Seidel for fixed source problems and power iteration for eigenvalue problems, which can be slow to converge for challenging problems like those with highly scattering materials or high dominance ratios. Three methods have been added to the 3-D SN transport code Denovo that are designed to improve convergence and enable the full use of cutting-edge computers. The first is a multigroup Krylov solver that converges more quickly than Gauss Seidel and parallelizes the code in energy such that Denovo can use hundreds of thousand of cores effectively. The second is Rayleigh quotient iteration (RQI), an old method applied in a new context. This eigenvalue solver finds the dominant eigenvalue in a mathematically optimal way and should converge in fewer iterations than power iteration. RQI creates energy-block-dense equations that the new Krylov solver treats efficiently. However, RQI can have convergence problems because it creates poorly conditioned systems. This can be overcome with preconditioning. The third method is a multigrid-in-energy preconditioner. The preconditioner takes advantage of the new energy decomposition because the grids are in energy rather than space or angle. The preconditioner greatly reduces iteration count for many problem types and scales well in energy. It also allows RQI to be successful for problems it could not solve otherwise. The methods added to Denovo accomplish the goals of this work. They converge in fewer iterations than traditional methods and enable the use of hundreds of thousands of cores. Each method can be used individually, with the multigroup Krylov solver and multigrid-in-energy preconditioner being particularly successful on their own. The largest benefit, though, comes from using these methods in concert.

Lightweight, High Strength Metals With Enhanced Radiation Shielding - Technology Advancing Partnerships Challenge Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Maria Clara (Compiler)

2015-01-01

The Technology Advancing Partnership (TAP) Challenge will seek to foster innovation throughout the Center by allowing the KSC workforce to identify a specific technology idea that needs improvement and to then work with an external partner to develop that technology. This Challenge will enable competitive partnerships with outside entities that will increase the value by bringing leveraged resources. The selected proposal from the University of Florida will develop new lightweight technologies with radiation mitigation for spacecraft.

[Scientific communication and technological innovation in the first Red Cross, 1863-1876].

PubMed

García-Reyes, Juan Carlos; Arrizabalaga, Jon

2016-01-01

The early years of the international Red Cross movement coincided with great technological changes in war medicine. The organizational peculiarities of the International Association for Relief of Wounded Soldiers in Campaign, set up by the Geneva Committee, and by the Red-Cross' national committees; the convergence in various professional conferences and publications of doctors from different national societies of this association; and the construction of a body of shared practical expertise tested during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) provide keys for understanding the technological innovations introduced by the Spanish Red Cross during the third and last Carlist War (1872-1876).

THE LOCAL INFLUENCE OF PIONEER INVESTIGATORS ON TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION: EVIDENCE FROM NEW CANCER DRUGS

PubMed Central

Agha, Leila; Molitor, David

2018-01-01

Local opinion leaders may play a key role in easing information frictions associated with technology adoption. This paper analyzes the influence of physician investigators who lead clinical trials for new cancer drugs. By comparing diffusion patterns across 21 new cancer drugs, we separate correlated regional demand for new technology from information spillovers. Patients in the lead investigator’s region are initially 36% more likely to receive the new drug, but utilization converges within four years. We also find that superstar physician authors, measured by trial role or citation history, have broader influence than less prominent authors. PMID:29755142

Emerging and Disruptive Technologies.

PubMed

Kricka, Larry J

2016-08-01

Several emerging or disruptive technologies can be identified that might, at some point in the future, displace established laboratory medicine technologies and practices. These include increased automation in the form of robots, 3-D printing, technology convergence (e.g., plug-in glucose meters for smart phones), new point-of-care technologies (e.g., contact lenses with sensors, digital and wireless enabled pregnancy tests) and testing locations (e.g., Retail Health Clinics, new at-home testing formats), new types of specimens (e.g., cell free DNA), big biology/data (e.g., million genome projects), and new regulations (e.g., for laboratory developed tests). In addition, there are many emerging technologies (e.g., planar arrays, mass spectrometry) that might find even broader application in the future and therefore also disrupt current practice. One interesting source of disruptive technology may prove to be the Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize, currently in its final stages.

Emerging and Disruptive Technologies

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Several emerging or disruptive technologies can be identified that might, at some point in the future, displace established laboratory medicine technologies and practices. These include increased automation in the form of robots, 3-D printing, technology convergence (e.g., plug-in glucose meters for smart phones), new point-of-care technologies (e.g., contact lenses with sensors, digital and wireless enabled pregnancy tests) and testing locations (e.g., Retail Health Clinics, new at-home testing formats), new types of specimens (e.g., cell free DNA), big biology/data (e.g., million genome projects), and new regulations (e.g., for laboratory developed tests). In addition, there are many emerging technologies (e.g., planar arrays, mass spectrometry) that might find even broader application in the future and therefore also disrupt current practice. One interesting source of disruptive technology may prove to be the Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize, currently in its final stages. PMID:27683538

Overcoming Challenges of the Technological Age by Teaching Information Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Melynda

2010-01-01

The technological age has forever altered every aspect of life and work. Technology has changed how people locate and view information. However, the transition from print to electronic formats has created numerous challenges for individuals to overcome. These challenges include coping with the massive amounts of information bombarding people and…

Globalization's Culture Consequences of MBA Education across Australia and Singapore: Sophistry or Truth?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Jonathan Wee Pin

2009-01-01

A generally held view among international managers is that the cultural changes occurring in most modernizing societies may lead to similar outcomes and the erosion of cultural differences. Cultural convergence is posited to result from the homogenizing effect of technological transfers between societies. One major force which emerges from this…

Issues in the Convergence of Control with Communication and Computation

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-04

Library/Upload/116/Cal1.doc. [42] M. H. Shwehdi and A. Z. Khan, “A power line data communication interface using spread spectrum technology in home ... automation ,” IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, vol. 11, pp. 1232–1237, July 1996. ISSN: 0885-8977. [43] R. G. Olsen, “Technical considerations for

Online Learning Program Strategic Planning and Execution: Considering Goals, Benefits, Problems and Communities of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Edward A.; Howard, Caroline

2007-01-01

The nation's social agenda for improving education and training has converged with national economic forces (Hornbeck & Salamon, 1991). The emphasis on lifelong learning of the workforce through education, training and development, demands for ever-improving productivity and significant technological advancements have required new tools to…

The Information Superhighway and Post-modernity: The Social Promise and the Social Price.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenway, Jane

1996-01-01

Examines the social and cultural implications of the converging technologies known as the Information Superhighway. Draws together arguments from key commentators and critics to identify possibilities and potential dangers related to quality of life, social justice, and politics. Aims to help educators move beyond current instrumental perspectives…

Critical Pedagogy and the Postmodern/Modern Divide: Towards a Pedagogy of Democratization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giroux, Henry A.

2004-01-01

Educators and other cultural workers need a new political and pedagogical language for addressing the changing contexts and issues facing a world in which capital draws upon an unprecedented convergence of resources--cultural, political, economic, scientific, military, and technological--to exercise powerful and diverse forms of hegemony. In this…

The Convergence of Information Technology, Data, and Management in a Library Imaging Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

France, Fenella G.; Emery, Doug; Toth, Michael B.

2010-01-01

Integrating advanced imaging and processing capabilities in libraries, archives, and museums requires effective systems and information management to ensure that the large amounts of digital data about cultural artifacts can be readily acquired, stored, archived, accessed, processed, and linked to other data. The Library of Congress is developing…

Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Evan S.

2013-01-01

Knowing how students engage with music outside school music programs can help music educators and their programs evolve. This article offers a look at music teaching and learning in terms of how people are increasingly interacting with music in participatory ways that involve digital technologies and media. This participatory culture offers a…

Pacific Telecommunications Council Annual Conference Proceedings (18th, Honolulu, Hawaii, January 14-18, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wedemeyer, Dan J. Ed.; Nickelson, Richard, Ed.

The Pacific Telecommunications Council's 18th annual conference is presented in two volumes. The PTC'96 gathering focused on seven streams: socio-economic issues; regulatory, legal and political issues; business and finance solutions; country studies; education, training, and human resources; convergence and networks; and technologies and…

Digital Portfolios and Learning: The Students' Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donnelly, Brian Francis

2010-01-01

The convergence of innovations in digital technologies and expanding global internet connectivity has given rise to an emerging field of study identified as Digital Media and Learning (DML). (Davidson and Goldberg, 2009; Gee, 2009; Ito, Horst and Bittanti, 2008; Jenkins and Purushotma, 2008). In describing his work for the MacArthur Foundation's…

Testing of a Stacked Core Mirror for UV Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthews, Gary W.; Kirk, Charles S.; Maffett, Steven P.; Abplanalp, Calvin E.; Stahl, H. Philip; Eng, Ron; Arnold, William R. Sr.

2013-01-01

Advanced Ultraviolet, Optical, Near-Infrared (UVOIR) Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) Testing Summary: (1) Processing of the stacked core mirror converged very quickly using ion figuring. (2) Results show no significant PSD change due to ion figuring in spatial periods smaller than 20mm. (3) Global surface figure limited by mount repeatability

Divergence and Convergence within Greek Library Education: An Applied vs a Theoretical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyriaki-Manessi, Daphne

2008-01-01

This paper explores the differences and similarities of the three library schools educating librarians and information professionals in Greece. The structure of higher education in Greece has recently undergone major changes (2002) integrating technological institutions and universities under one umbrella that of higher education. As a result,…

Convergence, Competition, Cooperation: The Report of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Telecommunications Infrastructure Task Force. Volume One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Governor's Office, Madison.

This report by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Wisconsin's Telecommunications Infrastructure considers infrastructure to be the common network that connects individual residences, businesses, and agencies, rather than the individual systems and equipment themselves. The task force recognizes that advances in telecommunications technologies and…

Making Change Happen: 1998/99 Critical Issues Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Patricia; Alfred, Richard

This monograph suggests that many of the fundamental aspects of the design and delivery of education are changing radically. At the same time, three forces are converging to destabilize educational institutions: a new generation of learners is rewriting the rules of service, technology is opening new frontiers, and a new breed of competitors is…

Will Technological Convergence Reverse Globalization (Strategic Forum, Number 297)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

for counterfeiting high-value products they are contracted to produce. One technique is for the Chinese contractor to build a duplicate factory...www.meatinstitute.org/index. php? ht =d/sp/i/47465/pid/47465>. 66 “Soybean Meal Exports by Country in 1000 MT,” IndexMundi.com, available at <www.indexmundi.com

Expo IGNITES Interest in Manufacturing Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Karen

2009-01-01

On a pleasant September day, 400 high school students and 40 teachers converged on the Careers in Technology, Engineering, and Manufacturing Day at the IGNITE manufacturing industry trade show, held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). These weren't students getting out of school for a day to go…

The Ideas of Henry Jenkins and Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Byron

2008-01-01

Henry Jenkins, director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and keynote speaker at the 2007 American Library Association's "Gaming, Learning and Libraries Symposium" in Chicago is a visionary leader in the areas of new media and media convergence. In a white paper on digital media and learning…

A Phenomenological Study of Student Experiences in a Multiplatform Journalism Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auger, Giselle A.; Tanes-Ehle, Zeynep; Gee, Charlie

2017-01-01

Studies suggest that the goal of convergence curriculum should be one in which students are prepared both conceptually and practically. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of students working with new and traditional technologies to develop and produce news stories. The results indicate that participation in the course…

Handbook of Research on Hybrid Learning Models: Advanced Tools, Technologies, and Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Fu Lee, Ed.; Fong, Joseph, Ed.; Kwan, Reggie, Ed.

2010-01-01

Hybrid learning is now the single-greatest trend in education today due to the numerous educational advantages when both traditional classroom learning and e-learning are implemented collectively. This handbook collects emerging research and pedagogies related to the convergence of teaching and learning methods. This significant "Handbook of…

Laser Optometric Assessment Of Visual Display Viewability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murch, Gerald M.

1983-08-01

Through the technique of laser optometry, measurements of a display user's visual accommodation and binocular convergence were used to assess the visual impact of display color, technology, contrast, and work time. The studies reported here indicate the potential of visual-function measurements as an objective means of improving the design of visual displays.

Paper-based sensors and assays: a success of the engineering design and the convergence of knowledge areas.

PubMed

López-Marzo, Adaris M; Merkoçi, Arben

2016-08-16

This review shows the recent advances and state of the art in paper-based analytical devices (PADs) through the analysis of their integration with microfluidics and LOC micro- and nanotechnologies, electrochemical/optical detection and electronic devices as the convergence of various knowledge areas. The important role of the paper design/architecture in the improvement of the performance of sensor devices is discussed. The discussion is fundamentally based on μPADs as the new generation of paper-based (bio)sensors. Data about the scientific publication ranking of PADs, illustrating their increase as an experimental research topic in the past years, are supplied. In addition, an analysis of the simultaneous evolution of PADs in academic lab research and industrial commercialization highlighting the parallelism of the technological transfer from academia to industry is displayed. A general overview of the market behaviour, the leading industries in the sector and their commercialized devices is given. Finally, personal opinions of the authors about future perspectives and tendencies in the design and fabrication technology of PADs are disclosed.

Challenges of future aircraft propulsion: A review of distributed propulsion technology and its potential application for the all electric commercial aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohardani, Amir S.; Doulgeris, Georgios; Singh, Riti

2011-07-01

This paper highlights the role of distributed propulsion technology for future commercial aircraft. After an initial historical perspective on the conceptual aspects of distributed propulsion technology and a glimpse at numerous aircraft that have taken distributed propulsion technology to flight, the focal point of the review is shifted towards a potential role this technology may entail for future commercial aircraft. Technological limitations and challenges of this specific technology are also considered in combination with an all electric aircraft concept, as means of predicting the challenges associated with the design process of a next generation commercial aircraft.

Web tools for predictive toxicology model building.

PubMed

Jeliazkova, Nina

2012-07-01

The development and use of web tools in chemistry has accumulated more than 15 years of history already. Powered by the advances in the Internet technologies, the current generation of web systems are starting to expand into areas, traditional for desktop applications. The web platforms integrate data storage, cheminformatics and data analysis tools. The ease of use and the collaborative potential of the web is compelling, despite the challenges. The topic of this review is a set of recently published web tools that facilitate predictive toxicology model building. The focus is on software platforms, offering web access to chemical structure-based methods, although some of the frameworks could also provide bioinformatics or hybrid data analysis functionalities. A number of historical and current developments are cited. In order to provide comparable assessment, the following characteristics are considered: support for workflows, descriptor calculations, visualization, modeling algorithms, data management and data sharing capabilities, availability of GUI or programmatic access and implementation details. The success of the Web is largely due to its highly decentralized, yet sufficiently interoperable model for information access. The expected future convergence between cheminformatics and bioinformatics databases provides new challenges toward management and analysis of large data sets. The web tools in predictive toxicology will likely continue to evolve toward the right mix of flexibility, performance, scalability, interoperability, sets of unique features offered, friendly user interfaces, programmatic access for advanced users, platform independence, results reproducibility, curation and crowdsourcing utilities, collaborative sharing and secure access.

The convergence between self-reports and observer ratings of financial skills and direct assessment of financial capabilities in patients with schizophrenia: more detail is not always better.

PubMed

Harvey, Philip D; Stone, Laura; Lowenstein, David; Czaja, Sara J; Heaton, Robert K; Twamley, Elizabeth W; Patterson, Thomas L

2013-06-01

Despite multiple lines of evidence suggesting that people with schizophrenia tend to overestimate their ability to perform everyday tasks such as money management, self-report methods are still widely used to assess functioning. In today's technology driven financial world patients are faced with increasingly complex financial management tasks. To meet these challenges adequate financial skills are required. Thus, accurate assessments of these abilities are critical to decisions regarding a patient's need for support such as a financial trustee. As part of the larger VALERO study, 195 patients with schizophrenia were asked to self-report their everyday financial skills (five common financial tasks) with the Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS). They were also assessed with performance-based measures of neuro-cognition and functional capacity with a focus on financial skills. In addition, a friend, relative, or clinician informant was interviewed with the ILSS and a best estimate rating of functioning was generated. Scores on the performance-based measures of financial skills and neuropsychological tests were uncorrelated with self-reported financial activities. Interviewer and all informant judgments of financial abilities were also minimally correlated with performance on functional skill tests. Discrete financial skills appear to be challenging for clinicians to rate with accuracy without the use of direct assessments. Direct assessment of financial skills seems prudent when making determinations about the need for guardianship or other financial supervision. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecting ecological change on coral reefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dustan, P.

2011-12-01

Remote sensing offers the potential to observe the response of coral reef ecosystems to environmental perturbations on a geographical scale not previously accessible. However, coral reef environments are optically, spatially, and temporally complex habitats which all present significant challenges for extracting meaningful information. Virtually every member of the reef community possesses some degree of photosynthetic capability. The community thus generates a matrix of fine scale features with bio-optical signatures that blend as the scale of observation increases. Furthermore, to have any validity, the remotely sensed signal must be "calibrated" to the bio-optics of the reef, a difficult and resource intensive process due to a convergence of photosynthetic light harvesting by green, red, and brown algal pigment systems. To make matters more complex, reefs are overlain by a seawater skin with its own set of hydrological optical challenges. Rather than concentrating on classification, my research has attempted to track change by following the variation in geo-referenced pixel brightness over time with a technique termed temporal texture. Environmental periodicities impart a phenology to the variation in brightness and departures from the norm are easily detected as statistical outliers. This opens the door to using current orbiting technology to efficiently examine large areas of sea for change. If hot spots are detected, higher resolution sensors and field studies can be focused as resources permit. While this technique does not identify the type of change, it is sensitive, simple to compute, easy to automate and grounded in ecological niche theory

The Convergence between Self-reports and Observer Ratings of Financial Skills and Direct Assessment of Financial Capabilities in Patients with Schizophrenia: More Detail is Not Always Better

PubMed Central

Harvey, Philip D.; Stone, Laura; Lowenstein, David; Czaja, Sara J.; Heaton, Robert K.; Patterson, Thomas L

2013-01-01

Despite multiple lines of evidence suggesting that people with schizophrenia tend to overestimate their ability to perform everyday tasks such as money management, self-report methods are still widely used to assess functioning. In today’s technology driven financial world patients are faced with increasingly complex financial management tasks. To meet these challenges adequate financial skills are required. Thus, accurate assessments of these abilities are critical to decisions regarding a patient’s need for support such as a financial trustee. As part of the larger VALERO study, 195 patients with schizophrenia were asked to self-report their everyday financial skills (five common financial tasks) with the Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS). They were also assessed with performance-based measures of neuro-cognition and functional capacity with a focus on financial skills. In addition, a friend, relative, or clinician informant was interviewed with the ILSS and a best estimate rating of functioning was generated. Scores on the performance-based measures of financial skills and neuropsychological tests were uncorrelated with self-reported financial activities. Interviewer and all informant judgments of financial abilities were also minimally correlated with performance on functional skills tests. Discrete financial skills appear to be challenging for clinicians to rate with accuracy without the use of direct assessments. Direct assessment of financial skills seems prudent when making determinations about the need for guardianship or other financial supervision. PMID:23537475

Spintronic Nanodevices for Bioinspired Computing

PubMed Central

Grollier, Julie; Querlioz, Damien; Stiles, Mark D.

2016-01-01

Bioinspired hardware holds the promise of low-energy, intelligent, and highly adaptable computing systems. Applications span from automatic classification for big data management, through unmanned vehicle control, to control for biomedical prosthesis. However, one of the major challenges of fabricating bioinspired hardware is building ultra-high-density networks out of complex processing units interlinked by tunable connections. Nanometer-scale devices exploiting spin electronics (or spintronics) can be a key technology in this context. In particular, magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are well suited for this purpose because of their multiple tunable functionalities. One such functionality, non-volatile memory, can provide massive embedded memory in unconventional circuits, thus escaping the von-Neumann bottleneck arising when memory and processors are located separately. Other features of spintronic devices that could be beneficial for bioinspired computing include tunable fast nonlinear dynamics, controlled stochasticity, and the ability of single devices to change functions in different operating conditions. Large networks of interacting spintronic nanodevices can have their interactions tuned to induce complex dynamics such as synchronization, chaos, soliton diffusion, phase transitions, criticality, and convergence to multiple metastable states. A number of groups have recently proposed bioinspired architectures that include one or several types of spintronic nanodevices. In this paper, we show how spintronics can be used for bioinspired computing. We review the different approaches that have been proposed, the recent advances in this direction, and the challenges toward fully integrated spintronics complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) bioinspired hardware. PMID:27881881

Aerospace Measurements: Challenges and Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conway, Bruce A.

1992-01-01

New aerospace research initiatives offer both challenges and opportunities to rapidly-emerging electronics and electro-optics technology. Defining and implementing appropriate measurement technology development programs in response to the aeronautical ground facility research and testing needs of the new initiatives poses some particularly important problems. This paper discusses today's measurement challenges along with some of the technological opportunities which offer some hope for meeting the challenges, and describes measurement technology activities currently underway in the Langley Research Center's Instrument Research Division to address modern aerospace research and design engineering requirements. Projected and realized benefits and payoffs from the ongoing measurement and instrumentation efforts will be emphasized. A discussion of future trends in the aerospace measurement technology field will be included.

Surrogate Joint Aerial Layer Network (JALN) Experiment: Applications of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Technologies for Researching Future JALN Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

CHALLENGES DECEMBER 2014 TECHNICAL REPORT APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED STINFO COPY AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY INFORMATION...JOINT AERIAL LAYER NETWORK (JALN) EXPERIMENT: APPLICATION OF COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF TECHNOLOGIES FOR RESEARCHING FUTURE JALN CHALLENGES 5a... challenge JALN developers. The use of low-cost COTS wireless technology is found to be a suitable surrogate for military hardware for investigating

Towards Global Transdisciplinary Research: Lessons Learned from the Belmont Forum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paillard, S. J.; Uhle, M. E.; van Jaarsveld, A. S.; Monfray, P.

2014-12-01

The Belmont Forum was initiated in 2009 by a sub group of the International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research. The Belmont Challenge embodies the Forum's central goal: to deliver knowledge needed for societies to take action to mitigate and adapt to detrimental environmental change. This is fostered through collaboration among scientists across the globe and by stressing the importance of co-production of knowledge associated with coupled natural and social systems. The Belmont Challenge was clearly aligned with other collective thinking processes within the research community and key knowledge users from intergovernmental bodies. Convergence of these efforts gave rise to the S&T Alliance for Global Sustainability and its initiative - Future Earth. Collaborative Research Actions, consisting primarily of multilateral research calls to address topics relevant to Future Earth, have been the main tool developed to address the Belmont Challenge and some early lessons emerged. First, obstacles faced by the Belmont Forum are similar to those met by scientists collaborating across traditional boundaries. Building shared languages and interests between various disciplines and across global cultures, remains difficult; this results in a persistent underestimation of the transformation required to move knowledge creation towards a truly global inter- and transdisciplinary science. Second, the diversity of organizations, cultures and practices within the Belmont Forum is the main source of its creativity and its challenges. While some convergence is needed to build coherent strategies and work efficiently together, diversity is necessary to design actions suitable for all partners regardless of their national research system and science-policy priorities. Finding the right trade-offs is a learning process that Future Earth is also facing; thus both initiatives are not only linked through funding relations but also through strongly intertwined learning curves.

A global regulatory science agenda for vaccines.

PubMed

Elmgren, Lindsay; Li, Xuguang; Wilson, Carolyn; Ball, Robert; Wang, Junzhi; Cichutek, Klaus; Pfleiderer, Michael; Kato, Atsushi; Cavaleri, Marco; Southern, James; Jivapaisarnpong, Teeranart; Minor, Philip; Griffiths, Elwyn; Sohn, Yeowon; Wood, David

2013-04-18

The Decade of Vaccines Collaboration and development of the Global Vaccine Action Plan provides a catalyst and unique opportunity for regulators worldwide to develop and propose a global regulatory science agenda for vaccines. Regulatory oversight is critical to allow access to vaccines that are safe, effective, and of assured quality. Methods used by regulators need to constantly evolve so that scientific and technological advances are applied to address challenges such as new products and technologies, and also to provide an increased understanding of benefits and risks of existing products. Regulatory science builds on high-quality basic research, and encompasses at least two broad categories. First, there is laboratory-based regulatory science. Illustrative examples include development of correlates of immunity; or correlates of safety; or of improved product characterization and potency assays. Included in such science would be tools to standardize assays used for regulatory purposes. Second, there is science to develop regulatory processes. Illustrative examples include adaptive clinical trial designs; or tools to analyze the benefit-risk decision-making process of regulators; or novel pharmacovigilance methodologies. Included in such science would be initiatives to standardize regulatory processes (e.g., definitions of terms for adverse events [AEs] following immunization). The aim of a global regulatory science agenda is to transform current national efforts, mainly by well-resourced regulatory agencies, into a coordinated action plan to support global immunization goals. This article provides examples of how regulatory science has, in the past, contributed to improved access to vaccines, and identifies gaps that could be addressed through a global regulatory science agenda. The article also identifies challenges to implementing a regulatory science agenda and proposes strategies and actions to fill these gaps. A global regulatory science agenda will enable regulators, academics, and other stakeholders to converge around transformative actions for innovation in the regulatory process to support global immunization goals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guaranteed convergence of the Hough transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soffer, Menashe; Kiryati, Nahum

1995-01-01

The straight-line Hough Transform using normal parameterization with a continuous voting kernel is considered. It transforms the colinearity detection problem to a problem of finding the global maximum of a two dimensional function above a domain in the parameter space. The principle is similar to robust regression using fixed scale M-estimation. Unlike standard M-estimation procedures the Hough Transform does not rely on a good initial estimate of the line parameters: The global optimization problem is approached by exhaustive search on a grid that is usually as fine as computationally feasible. The global maximum of a general function above a bounded domain cannot be found by a finite number of function evaluations. Only if sufficient a-priori knowledge about the smoothness of the objective function is available, convergence to the global maximum can be guaranteed. The extraction of a-priori information and its efficient use are the main challenges in real global optimization problems. The global optimization problem in the Hough Transform is essentially how fine should the parameter space quantization be in order not to miss the true maximum. More than thirty years after Hough patented the basic algorithm, the problem is still essentially open. In this paper an attempt is made to identify a-priori information on the smoothness of the objective (Hough) function and to introduce sufficient conditions for the convergence of the Hough Transform to the global maximum. An image model with several application dependent parameters is defined. Edge point location errors as well as background noise are accounted for. Minimal parameter space quantization intervals that guarantee convergence are obtained. Focusing policies for multi-resolution Hough algorithms are developed. Theoretical support for bottom- up processing is provided. Due to the randomness of errors and noise, convergence guarantees are probabilistic.

The analytic structure of non-global logarithms: Convergence of the dressed gluon expansion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larkoski, Andrew J.; Moult, Ian; Neill, Duff Austin

Non-global logarithms (NGLs) are the leading manifestation of correlations between distinct phase space regions in QCD and gauge theories and have proven a challenge to understand using traditional resummation techniques. Recently, the dressed gluon ex-pansion was introduced that enables an expansion of the NGL series in terms of a “dressed gluon” building block, defined by an all-orders factorization theorem. Here, we clarify the nature of the dressed gluon expansion, and prove that it has an infinite radius of convergence as a solution to the leading logarithmic and large-N c master equation for NGLs, the Banfi-Marchesini-Smye (BMS) equation. The dressed gluonmore » expansion therefore provides an expansion of the NGL series that can be truncated at any order, with reliable uncertainty estimates. In contrast, manifest in the results of the fixed-order expansion of the BMS equation up to 12-loops is a breakdown of convergence at a finite value of α slog. We explain this finite radius of convergence using the dressed gluon expansion, showing how the dynamics of the buffer region, a region of phase space near the boundary of the jet that was identified in early studies of NGLs, leads to large contributions to the fixed order expansion. We also use the dressed gluon expansion to discuss the convergence of the next-to-leading NGL series, and the role of collinear logarithms that appear at this order. Finally, we show how an understanding of the analytic behavior obtained from the dressed gluon expansion allows us to improve the fixed order NGL series using conformal transformations to extend the domain of analyticity. Furthermore, this allows us to calculate the NGL distribution for all values of α slog from the coefficients of the fixed order expansion.« less

The analytic structure of non-global logarithms: Convergence of the dressed gluon expansion

DOE PAGES

Larkoski, Andrew J.; Moult, Ian; Neill, Duff Austin

2016-11-15

Non-global logarithms (NGLs) are the leading manifestation of correlations between distinct phase space regions in QCD and gauge theories and have proven a challenge to understand using traditional resummation techniques. Recently, the dressed gluon ex-pansion was introduced that enables an expansion of the NGL series in terms of a “dressed gluon” building block, defined by an all-orders factorization theorem. Here, we clarify the nature of the dressed gluon expansion, and prove that it has an infinite radius of convergence as a solution to the leading logarithmic and large-N c master equation for NGLs, the Banfi-Marchesini-Smye (BMS) equation. The dressed gluonmore » expansion therefore provides an expansion of the NGL series that can be truncated at any order, with reliable uncertainty estimates. In contrast, manifest in the results of the fixed-order expansion of the BMS equation up to 12-loops is a breakdown of convergence at a finite value of α slog. We explain this finite radius of convergence using the dressed gluon expansion, showing how the dynamics of the buffer region, a region of phase space near the boundary of the jet that was identified in early studies of NGLs, leads to large contributions to the fixed order expansion. We also use the dressed gluon expansion to discuss the convergence of the next-to-leading NGL series, and the role of collinear logarithms that appear at this order. Finally, we show how an understanding of the analytic behavior obtained from the dressed gluon expansion allows us to improve the fixed order NGL series using conformal transformations to extend the domain of analyticity. Furthermore, this allows us to calculate the NGL distribution for all values of α slog from the coefficients of the fixed order expansion.« less

Grid-converged solution and analysis of the unsteady viscous flow in a two-dimensional shock tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Guangzhao; Xu, Kun; Liu, Feng

2018-01-01

The flow in a shock tube is extremely complex with dynamic multi-scale structures of sharp fronts, flow separation, and vortices due to the interaction of the shock wave, the contact surface, and the boundary layer over the side wall of the tube. Prediction and understanding of the complex fluid dynamics are of theoretical and practical importance. It is also an extremely challenging problem for numerical simulation, especially at relatively high Reynolds numbers. Daru and Tenaud ["Evaluation of TVD high resolution schemes for unsteady viscous shocked flows," Comput. Fluids 30, 89-113 (2001)] proposed a two-dimensional model problem as a numerical test case for high-resolution schemes to simulate the flow field in a square closed shock tube. Though many researchers attempted this problem using a variety of computational methods, there is not yet an agreed-upon grid-converged solution of the problem at the Reynolds number of 1000. This paper presents a rigorous grid-convergence study and the resulting grid-converged solutions for this problem by using a newly developed, efficient, and high-order gas-kinetic scheme. Critical data extracted from the converged solutions are documented as benchmark data. The complex fluid dynamics of the flow at Re = 1000 are discussed and analyzed in detail. Major phenomena revealed by the numerical computations include the downward concentration of the fluid through the curved shock, the formation of the vortices, the mechanism of the shock wave bifurcation, the structure of the jet along the bottom wall, and the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability near the contact surface. Presentation and analysis of those flow processes provide important physical insight into the complex flow physics occurring in a shock tube.

Quantum thermostatted disordered systems and sensitivity under compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanzan, Tommaso; Rondoni, Lamberto

2018-03-01

A one-dimensional quantum system with off diagonal disorder, consisting of a sample of conducting regions randomly interspersed within potential barriers is considered. Results mainly concerning the large N limit are presented. In particular, the effect of compression on the transmission coefficient is investigated. A numerical method to simulate such a system, for a physically relevant number of barriers, is proposed. It is shown that the disordered model converges to the periodic case as N increases, with a rate of convergence which depends on the disorder degree. Compression always leads to a decrease of the transmission coefficient which may be exploited to design nano-technological sensors. Effective choices for the physical parameters to improve the sensitivity are provided. Eventually large fluctuations and rate functions are analysed.

Biosensors for Sustainable Food Engineering: Challenges and Perspectives.

PubMed

Neethirajan, Suresh; Ragavan, Vasanth; Weng, Xuan; Chand, Rohit

2018-03-12

Current food production faces tremendous challenges from growing human population, maintaining clean resources and food qualities, and protecting climate and environment. Food sustainability is mostly a cooperative effort resulting in technology development supported by both governments and enterprises. Multiple attempts have been promoted in tackling challenges and enhancing drivers in food production. Biosensors and biosensing technologies with their applications, are being widely applied to tackling top challenges in food production and its sustainability. Consequently, a growing demand in biosensing technologies exists in food sustainability. Microfluidics represents a technological system integrating multiple technologies. Nanomaterials, with its technology in biosensing, is thought to be the most promising tool in dealing with health, energy, and environmental issues closely related to world populations. The demand of point of care (POC) technologies in this area focus on rapid, simple, accurate, portable, and low-cost analytical instruments. This review provides current viewpoints from the literature on biosensing in food production, food processing, safety and security, food packaging and supply chain, food waste processing, food quality assurance, and food engineering. The current understanding of progress, solution, and future challenges, as well as the commercialization of biosensors are summarized.

Seeds of Innovation: Three Years of the Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Larry A.

This publication describes the 62 projects that received 5-year Technology Innovation Challenge Grants beginning in 1995, 1996, and 1997, with reviews of the projects occurring in late 1999 and early 2000. Part 1 of the report describes the Technology Innovation Challenge Grant (TICG) program and its importance. Part 2 contains the project…

Measuring energy efficiency in economics: Shadow value approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khademvatani, Asgar

For decades, academic scholars and policy makers have commonly applied a simple average measure, energy intensity, for studying energy efficiency. In contrast, we introduce a distinctive marginal measure called energy shadow value (SV) for modeling energy efficiency drawn on economic theory. This thesis demonstrates energy SV advantages, conceptually and empirically, over the average measure recognizing marginal technical energy efficiency and unveiling allocative energy efficiency (energy SV to energy price). Using a dual profit function, the study illustrates how treating energy as quasi-fixed factor called quasi-fixed approach offers modeling advantages and is appropriate in developing an explicit model for energy efficiency. We address fallacies and misleading results using average measure and demonstrate energy SV advantage in inter- and intra-country energy efficiency comparison. Energy efficiency dynamics and determination of efficient allocation of energy use are shown through factors impacting energy SV: capital, technology, and environmental obligations. To validate the energy SV, we applied a dual restricted cost model using KLEM dataset for the 35 US sectors stretching from 1958 to 2000 and selected a sample of the four sectors. Following the empirical results, predicted wedges between energy price and the SV growth indicate a misallocation of energy use in stone, clay and glass (SCG) and communications (Com) sectors with more evidence in the SCG compared to the Com sector, showing overshoot in energy use relative to optimal paths and cost increases from sub-optimal energy use. The results show that energy productivity is a measure of technical efficiency and is void of information on the economic efficiency of energy use. Decomposing energy SV reveals that energy, capital and technology played key roles in energy SV increases helping to consider and analyze policy implications of energy efficiency improvement. Applying the marginal measure, we also contributed to energy efficiency convergence analysis employing the delta-convergence and unconditional & conditional beta-convergence concepts, investigating economic energy efficiency differences across the four US sectors using panel data models. The results show that, in terms of technical and allocative energy efficiency, the energy-intensive sectors, SCG and textile mill products, tend to catch the energy extensive sectors, the Com and furniture & fixtures, being conditional on sector-specific characteristics. Conditional convergence results indicate that technology, capital and energy are crucial factors in determining energy efficiency differences across the US sectors, implying that environmental or energy policies, and technological changes should be industry specific across the US sectors. The main finding is that the marginal value measure conveys information on both technical and allocative energy efficiency and accounts for all costs and benefits of energy consumption including environmental and externality costs.

Enforced Sparse Non-Negative Matrix Factorization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-23

documents to find interesting pieces of information. With limited resources, analysts often employ automated text - mining tools that highlight common...represented as an undirected bipartite graph. It has become a common method for generating topic models of text data because it is known to produce good results...model and the convergence rate of the underlying algorithm. I. Introduction A common analyst challenge is searching through large quantities of text

An Organizational Theory Approach to Transition: The Wheaton College Move to Coeducation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idema, Amanda G.

2010-01-01

The 21st century has been a time of major change for women's colleges (Calefati, 2009; Harwarth, et al, 1997; Powers, 2007). From an all time high of close to 300 in operation, now less than 100 exist (Calefati, 2009). The decade of the 1980s saw a convergence of a perfect storm of challenges: declining birth rates that produced fewer…

Points of Convergence in Music Education: The Use of Data Labels as a Strategy for Mixed Methods Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Kate R.

2016-01-01

Although the mixing of quantitative and qualitative data is an essential component of mixed methods research, the process of integrating both types of data in meaningful ways can be challenging. The purpose of this article is to describe the use of data labels in mixed methods research as a technique for the integration of qualitative and…

Small Magnetic Sensors for Space Applications

PubMed Central

Díaz-Michelena, Marina

2009-01-01

Small magnetic sensors are widely used integrated in vehicles, mobile phones, medical devices, etc for navigation, speed, position and angular sensing. These magnetic sensors are potential candidates for space sector applications in which mass, volume and power savings are important issues. This work covers the magnetic technologies available in the marketplace and the steps towards their implementation in space applications, the actual trend of miniaturization the front-end technologies, and the convergence of the mature and miniaturized magnetic sensor to the space sector through the small satellite concept. PMID:22574012

Real-time reference: the use of chat technology to improve point of need assistance.

PubMed

Connor, Elizabeth

2002-01-01

Chat reference refers to the use of instant messaging and call center software to support interactive text or voice communication with library patrons. Instant messaging has been integrated into many e-commerce environments, and into the social lives of many teenagers and young adults, affording a level of immediacy and intimacy not possible with e-mail applications. The convergence and interoperability of new and emerging technologies can be used to develop new communities of users that view libraries as being essential to their education, patient care, and research activities.

Information technologies and the transformation of nursing education.

PubMed

Skiba, Diane J; Connors, Helen R; Jeffries, Pamela R

2008-01-01

Higher education is facing new challenges with the emergence of the Internet and other information and communication technologies. The call for the transformation of higher education is imperative. This article describes the transformation of higher education and its impact on nursing education. Nursing education, considered by many a pioneer in the use of educational technologies, still faces 3 major challenges. The first challenge is incorporation of the Institute of Medicine's recommendation of 5 core competencies for all health professionals. The second challenge focuses on the preparation of nurses to practice in informatics-intensive healthcare environments. The last challenge is the use of emerging technologies, such as Web 2.0 tools, that will help to bridge the gap between the next generation and faculty in nursing schools. Nurse educators need to understand and use the power of technologies to prepare the next generation of nurses.

Technology-mediated therapy for chronic pain management: the challenges of adapting behavior change interventions for delivery with pervasive communication technology.

PubMed

Rosser, Benjamin A; McCullagh, Paul; Davies, Richard; Mountain, Gail A; McCracken, Lance; Eccleston, Christopher

2011-04-01

Adapting therapeutic practice from traditional face-to-face exchange to remote technology-based delivery presents challenges for the therapist, patient, and technical writer. This article documents the process of therapy adaptation and the resultant specification for the SMART2 project-a technology-based self-management system for assisting long-term health conditions, including chronic pain. Focus group discussions with healthcare professionals and patients were conducted to inform selection of therapeutic objectives and appropriate technology. Pertinent challenges are identified, relating to (1) reduction and definition of therapeutic objectives, and (2) how to approach adaptation of therapy to a form suited to technology delivery. The requirement of the system to provide dynamic and intelligent responses to patient experience and behavior is also emphasized. Solutions to these challenges are described in the context of the SMART2 technology-based intervention. More explicit discussion and documentation of therapy adaptation to technology-based delivery within the literature is encouraged.

Chips in black boxes? Convenience life span, parafood, brandwidth, families, and co-creation.

PubMed

Jacobs, Marc

2015-11-01

Any consumer who opens a bag of potato or corn chips (or crisps in the UK) knows there is no time to waste to enjoy or share them. The convenience life span of chips is limited: it is the shelf or storage life and a very limited time once outside the bag. Many technologies converge to generate the desired effect as a black box, not only of the packaging but also of the chips themselves. The concept of paratext can be applied to printed messages on the package, including the brand name and other texts like advertising (epitexts), which can be expanded into the concept of parafood. These concepts help to discuss technological developments and interpret why this has recently become a negotiation zone for co-creation (see the Do us a flavor campaigns). They are symptoms of changing relations between production, research and development, marketing, and consumption. This paper pays special attention to back stories, underdog brand biographies and narratives about origin. The concept of brandwidth is introduced to sensitize about the limits of combining different stories about chips. A recent brand biography, a family history and a cookery book are used to discuss the phenomenon of cooking with Fritos. Together with the concepts of parafood, brandwidth and black boxes, more reflection and dialogue about the role of history and heritage in marketing put new challenging perspectives on the agenda. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards a real-time interface between a biomimetic model of sensorimotor cortex and a robotic arm

PubMed Central

Dura-Bernal, Salvador; Chadderdon, George L; Neymotin, Samuel A; Francis, Joseph T; Lytton, William W

2015-01-01

Brain-machine interfaces can greatly improve the performance of prosthetics. Utilizing biomimetic neuronal modeling in brain machine interfaces (BMI) offers the possibility of providing naturalistic motor-control algorithms for control of a robotic limb. This will allow finer control of a robot, while also giving us new tools to better understand the brain’s use of electrical signals. However, the biomimetic approach presents challenges in integrating technologies across multiple hardware and software platforms, so that the different components can communicate in real-time. We present the first steps in an ongoing effort to integrate a biomimetic spiking neuronal model of motor learning with a robotic arm. The biomimetic model (BMM) was used to drive a simple kinematic two-joint virtual arm in a motor task requiring trial-and-error convergence on a single target. We utilized the output of this model in real time to drive mirroring motion of a Barrett Technology WAM robotic arm through a user datagram protocol (UDP) interface. The robotic arm sent back information on its joint positions, which was then used by a visualization tool on the remote computer to display a realistic 3D virtual model of the moving robotic arm in real time. This work paves the way towards a full closed-loop biomimetic brain-effector system that can be incorporated in a neural decoder for prosthetic control, to be used as a platform for developing biomimetic learning algorithms for controlling real-time devices. PMID:26709323

Increasing Opportunities and Success in Science, Math, Engineering and Technology Through Partnerships and Resource Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huebner, P.

2003-12-01

Bridging the geographic boundaries and providing educational opportunities is the goal of American Indian Programs at Arizona State University East. Since its inception in 1997, American Indian Programs has established programs and partnerships to provide opportunities and resources to Tribal communities throughout Arizona. From educational programs to enhance student achievement at the K-12 level to recruitment and retention of American Indian students at the post secondary level, American Indian Programs provides the resources to further the success of students in science, math, engineering and technology. Resource convergence is critical in providing opportunities to ensure the success of Indian students in science, math, engineering and technology. American Indian Programs has built successful programs based on partnerships between federal grant programs, corporate, federal and state agencies. Providing professional development for teachers, school assessment, science and math curriculum and data collection are the primary efforts at the K-12 level to increase student achievement. Enrichment programs to enhance K-12 activities include the development of the Arizona American Indian Science and Engineering Fair (the only State fair for American Indiana's in the country) supported entirely through corporate support, summer residential programs, after school activities and dual enrollment programs for high school students. ASU East's retention rate for first year students is 92 percent and 1in 6 graduating students enter graduate programs. American Indian Programs strives to build student relationships with federal, state and corporate agencies through internships and coops. This effort has led to the development of an E-mentoring program that allows students (and K-12 teachers) to work directly with practicing scientists, and engineers in research activities. New programs look to increase technology not only in Tribal schools but increase technology in the homes of students as well.

The Impacts of Demographic Variables on Technological and Contextual Challenges of E-learning Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldowah, Hanan; Ghazal, Samar; Naufal Umar, Irfan; Muniandy, Balakrishnan

2017-09-01

Information technology has achieved robust growth which has made it possible for learning to occur quickly. The rapid development of information, communication and technologies (ICT) has initiated an unparalleled transformation in universities all over the world. This development of technology and learning is offering new techniques to represent knowledge, new practices, and new global communities of learners. As a result, today’s economic and social changes force universities to try to find new learning approaches and systems. E-learning seems to be an appropriate approach in this aspect. However, the implementation of e-learning systems in universities is not an easy task because of some challenges related to context, technology, and other challenges. This paper studied the impacts of demographic data and reported the critical points for the decision makers to consider when planning and implementing e-learning in universities. A quantitative approach was used to study the effects of technological and contextual challenges on e-learning implementation in which a questionnaire was used for the data collection. According to the findings of the study, the most important challenges of the implementation of e-learning are related either to organizational (Contextual) and technological (technical) issues. The demographic variables have been found to play a direct and indirect role with the technological and contextual challenges of implementing e-learning. This paper showed that there are some significant differences in the two challenges faced by instructors in terms of the demographic variables. The result revealed that some significant differences exist between demographic variables and the two challenges of e-learning in terms of gender, age, teaching experience, ICT experience and e-learning experience. However, there is no significant difference in terms of e-learning experience. The obtained data, from such study, can provide information about what academic institutions can do before implementing e-learning to reduce and overcome the challenges in implementing e-learning in universities. So, university administrators interested in implementing e-learning should recognize the challenges that their instructors are facing and to provide the necessary policy and support to help overcome these challenges.

Prey-producing predators: the ecology of human intensification.

PubMed

Efferson, Charles

2008-01-01

Economic growth theory and theoretical ecology represent independent traditions of modeling aggregate consumer-resource systems. Both focus on different but equally important forces underlying the dynamics of human societies. Though the two traditions have unknowingly converged in some ways, they each have curious conventions from the perspective of the other. These conventions are reviewed, and two separate modeling frameworks that integrate the two traditions in a simple and straightforward fashion are developed and analyzed. The resulting models represent a consumer species (e.g. humans) that both produces and consumes its resources and then reproduces biologically according to the consumption of its resources. Depending on the balance between production, consumption, and reproduction, the models can exhibit stagnant behavior, like some predator-prey models, or growth, like many mutualism and economic growth models. When growth occurs, in the long term it takes one of two forms. Either resources per capita grow and the human population size converges to a constant, which may be zero, or resources per capita converge to a constant and the human population grows. The difference depends on initial conditions and the particular mix of biological conditions and human technology.

Coarse Alignment Technology on Moving base for SINS Based on the Improved Quaternion Filter Algorithm.

PubMed

Zhang, Tao; Zhu, Yongyun; Zhou, Feng; Yan, Yaxiong; Tong, Jinwu

2017-06-17

Initial alignment of the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) is intended to determine the initial attitude matrix in a short time with certain accuracy. The alignment accuracy of the quaternion filter algorithm is remarkable, but the convergence rate is slow. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an improved quaternion filter algorithm for faster initial alignment based on the error model of the quaternion filter algorithm. The improved quaternion filter algorithm constructs the K matrix based on the principle of optimal quaternion algorithm, and rebuilds the measurement model by containing acceleration and velocity errors to make the convergence rate faster. A doppler velocity log (DVL) provides the reference velocity for the improved quaternion filter alignment algorithm. In order to demonstrate the performance of the improved quaternion filter algorithm in the field, a turntable experiment and a vehicle test are carried out. The results of the experiments show that the convergence rate of the proposed improved quaternion filter is faster than that of the tradition quaternion filter algorithm. In addition, the improved quaternion filter algorithm also demonstrates advantages in terms of correctness, effectiveness, and practicability.

Healthcare Systems in Comparative Perspective: Classification, Convergence, Institutions, Inequalities, and Five Missed Turns

PubMed Central

Beckfield, Jason; Olafsdottir, Sigrun; Sosnaud, Benjamin

2017-01-01

This essay reviews and evaluates recent comparative social science scholarship on healthcare systems. We focus on four of the strongest themes in current research: (1) the development of typologies of healthcare systems, (2) assessment of convergence among healthcare systems, (3) problematization of the shifting boundaries of healthcare systems, and (4) the relationship between healthcare systems and social inequalities. Our discussion seeks to highlight the central debates that animate current scholarship and identify unresolved questions and new opportunities for research. We also identify five currents in contemporary sociology that have not been incorporated as deeply as they might into research on healthcare systems. These five “missed turns” include an emphasis on social relations, culture, postnational theory, institutions, and causal mechanisms. We conclude by highlighting some key challenges for comparative research on healthcare systems. PMID:28769148

Motivation and Self-Regulation in Addiction: A Call for Convergence

PubMed Central

Köpetz, Cătălina E.; Lejuez, Carl W.; Wiers, Reinout W.; Kruglanski, Arie W.

2015-01-01

Addiction models have frequently invoked motivational mechanisms to explain the initiation and maintenance of addictive behaviors. However, in doing so, these models have emphasized the unique characteristics of addictive behaviors and overlooked the commonalities that they share with motivated behaviors in general. As a consequence, addiction research has failed to connect with and take advantage of promising and highly relevant advances in motivation and self-regulation research. The present article is a call for a convergence of the previous approaches to addictive behavior and the new advances in basic motivation and self-regulation. The authors emphasize the commonalities that addictive behaviors may share with motivated behavior in general. In addition, it is suggested that the same psychological principles underlying motivated action in general may apply to understand challenging aspects of the etiology and maintenance of addictive behaviors. PMID:26069472

Contingency and the Cosmic Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chyba, Christopher

2005-01-01

There are limits beyond which the Copernican Principle (the idea that there is nothing special about our place in the Universe) cannot be extended. Determining where these limits lie depends in part on the tension between contingency and convergence. Those who favor contingency dwell on how many things must not have gone "wrong" in order for us to be here. Those favoring convergence argue that there are often many parallel paths to similar functional outcomes, even if any given path is highly contingent. Regardless of how both points of view ultimately come together into a complete account, our particular civilization is unique, whether there are many others in the Galaxy or it is entirely alone. It would be good for universities to restructure themselves in ways that foster the interdisciplinary work needed for that civilization to meet the challenges it faces this century.

Recent Advance in Applications of Proteomics Technologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine Research

PubMed Central

Zhu, Fangshi; Liu, Xuan; Li, Qi; Su, Shi-bing

2015-01-01

Proteomics technology, a major component of system biology, has gained comprehensive attention in the area of medical diagnosis, drug development, and mechanism research. On the holistic and systemic theory, proteomics has a convergence with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this review, we discussed the applications of proteomic technologies in diseases-TCM syndrome combination researches. We also introduced the proteomic studies on the in vivo and in vitro effects and underlying mechanisms of TCM treatments using Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), Chinese herbal formula (CHF), and acupuncture. Furthermore, the combined studies of proteomics with other “-omics” technologies in TCM were also discussed. In summary, this report presents an overview of the recent advances in the application of proteomic technologies in TCM studies and sheds a light on the future global and further research on TCM. PMID:26557869

Making Semantic Information Work Effectively for Degraded Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

Control Research & Technology Symposium (ICCRTS) held 19-21 June, 2013 in Alexandria, VA. 14. ABSTRACT The challenges of effectively managing semantic...technologies over disadvantaged or degraded environments are numerous and complex. One of the greatest challenges is the size of raw data. Large...approach mitigates this challenge by performing data reduction through the adoption of format recognition technologies, semantic data extractions, and the

Convergent production and tolerance among 107 woody species and divergent production between shrubs and trees.

PubMed

He, Wei-Ming; Sun, Zhen-Kai

2016-02-08

Green leaves face two fundamental challenges (i.e., carbon fixation and stress tolerance) during their lifespan. However, the relationships between leaf production potential and leaf tolerance potential have not been explicitly tested with a broad range of plant species in the same environment. To do so, we conducted a field investigation based on 107 woody plants grown in a common garden and complementary laboratory measurements. The values, as measured by a chlorophyll meter, were significantly related to the direct measurements of chlorophyll content on a leaf area basis. Area-based chlorophyll content was positively correlated with root surface area, whole-plant biomass, leaf mass per area (LMA), and force to punch. Additionally, LMA had a positive correlation with force to punch. Shrubs had a higher leaf chlorophyll content than trees; however, shrubs and trees exhibited a similar leaf lifespan, force to punch, and LMA. These findings suggest that the production potential of leaves and their tolerance to stresses may be convergent in woody species and that the leaf production potential may differ between shrubs and trees. This study highlights the possibility that functional convergence and divergence might be linked to long-term selection pressures and genetic constraints.

Convergent production and tolerance among 107 woody species and divergent production between shrubs and trees

PubMed Central

He, Wei-Ming; Sun, Zhen-Kai

2016-01-01

Green leaves face two fundamental challenges (i.e., carbon fixation and stress tolerance) during their lifespan. However, the relationships between leaf production potential and leaf tolerance potential have not been explicitly tested with a broad range of plant species in the same environment. To do so, we conducted a field investigation based on 107 woody plants grown in a common garden and complementary laboratory measurements. The values, as measured by a chlorophyll meter, were significantly related to the direct measurements of chlorophyll content on a leaf area basis. Area-based chlorophyll content was positively correlated with root surface area, whole-plant biomass, leaf mass per area (LMA), and force to punch. Additionally, LMA had a positive correlation with force to punch. Shrubs had a higher leaf chlorophyll content than trees; however, shrubs and trees exhibited a similar leaf lifespan, force to punch, and LMA. These findings suggest that the production potential of leaves and their tolerance to stresses may be convergent in woody species and that the leaf production potential may differ between shrubs and trees. This study highlights the possibility that functional convergence and divergence might be linked to long-term selection pressures and genetic constraints. PMID:26854019

Semiclassical initial value representation for the quantum propagator in the Heisenberg interaction representation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, Jakob; Pollak, Eli, E-mail: eli.pollak@weizmann.ac.il

2015-12-14

One of the challenges facing on-the-fly ab initio semiclassical time evolution is the large expense needed to converge the computation. In this paper, we suggest that a significant saving in computational effort may be achieved by employing a semiclassical initial value representation (SCIVR) of the quantum propagator based on the Heisenberg interaction representation. We formulate and test numerically a modification and simplification of the previous semiclassical interaction representation of Shao and Makri [J. Chem. Phys. 113, 3681 (2000)]. The formulation is based on the wavefunction form of the semiclassical propagation instead of the operator form, and so is simpler andmore » cheaper to implement. The semiclassical interaction representation has the advantage that the phase and prefactor vary relatively slowly as compared to the “standard” SCIVR methods. This improves its convergence properties significantly. Using a one-dimensional model system, the approximation is compared with Herman-Kluk’s frozen Gaussian and Heller’s thawed Gaussian approximations. The convergence properties of the interaction representation approach are shown to be favorable and indicate that the interaction representation is a viable way of incorporating on-the-fly force field information within a semiclassical framework.« less

Data fitting and image fine-tuning approach to solve the inverse problem in fluorescence molecular imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorpas, Dimitris; Politopoulos, Kostas; Yova, Dido; Andersson-Engels, Stefan

2008-02-01

One of the most challenging problems in medical imaging is to "see" a tumour embedded into tissue, which is a turbid medium, by using fluorescent probes for tumour labeling. This problem, despite the efforts made during the last years, has not been fully encountered yet, due to the non-linear nature of the inverse problem and the convergence failures of many optimization techniques. This paper describes a robust solution of the inverse problem, based on data fitting and image fine-tuning techniques. As a forward solver the coupled radiative transfer equation and diffusion approximation model is proposed and compromised via a finite element method, enhanced with adaptive multi-grids for faster and more accurate convergence. A database is constructed by application of the forward model on virtual tumours with known geometry, and thus fluorophore distribution, embedded into simulated tissues. The fitting procedure produces the best matching between the real and virtual data, and thus provides the initial estimation of the fluorophore distribution. Using this information, the coupled radiative transfer equation and diffusion approximation model has the required initial values for a computational reasonable and successful convergence during the image fine-tuning application.